If you've ever kept a scrapbook of old photographs, you'll understand the fascination of this collection. Instead of grandmothers, aged aunts or toddler cousins, this book reveals life from the dimmest past. With photographs and drawings, Briggs and his colleagues have restored to view rare animals that lived in ancient seas. These are our earliest forebears, and for that reason alone, this book is worth repeated scrutiny. The images, with their stories of discovery and restoration, are offered in a spirit of shared discovery. These are very special creatures and it behooves us all to understand their value.

Although the book is targeted for professional paleontologists, the authors give us text nearly as illustrative as the images. They are part of the team who personally enticed many of these fossils from their lithic prison. Beginning with an account of Charles Woolcott's trek into the mountains of British Columbia, they go on to describe the environment in which these creatures lived. The significance of the Burgess Shale fossils, of course, is that they are images of soft body parts, usually lost as fossilization proceeds. At the time of the original find in 1909, such artifacts, especially ones of such ancient deposition were pricelessly rare. Woolcott himself understood their value to science, but never dedicated the necessary time to tease out their full secrets. It took Briggs and others, particularly Simon Conway Morris to apply the painstaking effort to recreate the body forms locked in the shale. In so doing, they overthrew a number of blithe assumptions made by a number of commentators, in particular Stephen J. Gould who had popularized the Shale finds, but sadly misinterpreted what they represent.

As you slowly turn over the pages of this book, reflect on the vast ages separating you from these creatures. The sea has always kept some bizarre secrets, but few can match the multi-spined Hallucegenia or mud-burrowing Ottoia. Haplophrentis might be mistaken for a Roman dagger lost in the sea until you read that its maximum length was but 30 millimetres long. A more formidable denizen of these waters is the Anomalocaris, with its hooked feelers and rasping mouth. Swimming in a sea with this half-meter long predator might not have been dangerous, but observing it might best be done from the beach.

This book is a clearly valuable contribution to our understanding of life's history and the process of evolution. It belongs on the shelf next to the other albums of family history. Take it down from time to time and simply open it at random. With half-closed eyes it isn't difficult to see these creatures in their daily lives, clutching rocks, swimming through the water, or burrowing into the bottom. They are your forebears, and deserve as much of your respect as does Aunt Matilda.

This is a wonderful book. It is chock-full of photographs of Burgess shale fossils. The photographs are full page photographs and are accompanied by drawings that illustrate what the plant or animal probably looked like. The text is informative and easy to follow for a layperson.

"The Fossils of the Burgess Shale," the non-geologist will find this book fascinating and understandable - yet the author did not "water down" the facts for those of us who have the technical background in the fields of geology and paleontology. The only drawback of the book was that some of the species listed in the back were not included in the pictorial portion of the book. I do understand that if Briggs had placed them all in the book the volume would have been over a 1,000 pages in length; however, several of the species not included are equally spectacular!

The first third of the book provides a brief history of the site and it's significance within Cambrian paleontology; the remaining two-third portion of the book provides clear photographs and line drawings of the animals entombed in this special location. I have used this book in teaching about the Cambrian explosion. Students were awed by the content of the book. If you are interested in invertebrate paleontology; this book is a must!

Sometimes, as the great zeppelins would cross the skies , people below would run in panic fearing the end of the world. Douglas Botting has offered up a glimpse into the creation of the zeppelin as a means of travel and war. He also gives an invaluable look into the world at that time. One man during the early 1900's was more close identified with the zeppelin and pioneered the continuation of development and usage , Hugo Eckener. This same Dr.Eckner would always be looking for ways to improve the zeppelins he would soon fly all over the world. This book follows the refinement of the zeppelin design during his time as well as the expansion of the use of the zeppelin, for both travel and commerce. Also explored is the limited success the zeppelin had as a war time airship and the continual search for ways to use it for both peaceful and wartime purposes. As the zeppelin became a travel ship, even though for only the very rich, the voyages were followed in the press. Randolph Hearst even bankrolled a round-the-world flight to set a new record. The people who traveled on zeppelins became celebrities. As the excitement of the possibilities of zeppelin travel becan to swell there was the evergrowing threat posed by the government of Dr. Eckner's Germany, the Nazi party. This book combines the feel of the times, and introduces some real personalities of those years. We see how these huge airships truly managed to capture the popular imagination. Not at all a dry read.

[BEFORE YOU RATE MY REVIEW ON THIS BOOK, PLEASE TRY TO UNDERSTAND - I DON'T NORMALLY REVIEW BOOKS. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE REVIEW, I'D PREFER YOU IGNORE IT INSTEAD OF GIVING IT A NEGATIVE VOTE.]

I have always been fascinated by the concept of the rigid airship, and I have searched high and low for the perfect book on the subject. This book isn't what I'd call perfect, but to date it is the best one I have found. Read on to see what makes it such.

Another reviewer referred to this book as a "History book that reads like a poignant novel." In other words, unlike other books on rigid airship history, this is a fact-based novel. It covers everything from the birth of Count Zeppelin, creator of the rigid airship, to the dismantling of the Graf Zeppelin II, the world's final rigid airship, and everything in between. That's nearly a hundred years of airship history. The primary focus is, obviously, the Graf Zeppelin (pictured on the cover.) In this book, you'll learn all of the following:

-Why Hugo Eckener preferred the title of Dr. instead of captain.
-What really started the fire in the LZ-4.
-What really happened on Hugo Eckener's first flight as an airship captain.

-The only real advantage to using Hydrogen over Helium.
-Why there was never an airship called LZ-128.
-The fate of just about every rigid airship, including American and British ones.
-And a whole lot more.

There really isn't much more to say, except that I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in rigid airship history. My only complaint is the lack of photographs, but this is easily overcome in that this book makes learning about the history of the rigid airship more accessible than most other books of the type. If you're interested, give it a read.

Essentially a story of the historic round-world trip of the Graf Zeppelin, it evolves into a concise history of the Zeppelin dirigible industry and the men who made it happen against all the odds.
Brilliant description and narrative flow combine with meticulous research in praise of what was arguably the most impressive man-made sight in the skies - ever. However, we are constantly reminded of the economic facts that this could never be a long-term solution to mass travel. On most flights the crew outnumbered the passengers, there were no schedules to speak of, ground crews numbered in the hundreds and only the very wealthy could afford the expense of the trips. Eckener was not fazed by this - his dream was to use the airship to relieve economic hardship, facilitate scientific research and promote political harmony.
And, we read between the lines of the love that Dr. Eckener (and Mr. Botting) have for this beautiful form of air-travel; it pours from the page in the transcripts of newspaper reporter's accounts, in the tumultuous reception that these great airships had at every arrival, in the awe of the primitive people of the Sahara and Siberia.

The sad thing is that these giants never really achieved their promised sovereignty of the skies - sadder still is the Epilogue which hints at the resurgence of German airship industry in the Cargolifter enterprise, which is now in receivership.

Nevertheless, a rivetting read and a fascinating insight into a breed of men (and a woman) who persevered in promoting a wonderful dream.

I have both the big version and this version. Without doubt you need both. One for back at camp reading and the Field Version for, well, the Field. This is quite packable and the layout makes field Identification pretty easy.

A sign of environmental health and richness of biodiversity is the number of birds that a given area supports. Kenya then qualifies as a rich ecosystem with over 1,000 different species of birds.

This book was not around when I was a youngster living in Kenya but thumbing through it as an adult has brought back some fond memories of days out in the bush in Amboseli and Masai Mara or at lakes Nakura, Naivasha, and Victoria. Kenya is a birders paradise whatever your interest. There are fairly familiar Eurasian visiting seabirds and shorebirds and unique and beautiful East African sunbirds, weavers, rollers and bee-eaters. There are multitude birds of prey including the unmistakable tiny-tailed Bateleur Eagle and the most impressive hunting bird i've ever seen - the African Crowned Eagle. I can recall like it was yesterday watching one pluck a male colobus monkey right out of the tree tops. All of the birds are here in splendid color with the most appropriate profile presented to assist in making identification easy. You'll find the underside views of the birds of prey very useful.

While you probably won't see a Crowned Eagle on a casual birding visit to Kenya, any guided trip into the game parks will guarantee you at least 100 different species - probably in a single day! In the right locations, prepare to have your head on a swivel as the variety of birdlife you will behold has to be seen to be believed. You will find yourself regularly flipping through the pages of this book. This book is absolutely essential for your Kenyan trip.

I live and work in East Africa, and this is the book the park rangers all carry in their open Land Rovers. They cover it with canvas so it won't get beat up too fast, and it gets marked with brown circles from the thermos of coffee on the 06:30 game drive. Go to Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya for a long weekend with this book, and you'll come home with 150 species. Don't worry about the weight of the book, I started with the Collins field guide and had to buy my copy of Zimmerman in the middle of my first stay because I outgrew it. Buy Zimmerman to start with, you won't regret it.

The books contains a few interesting passages, along with the common banalities that I hear all the time from anyone who knows what's what in Tai Chi.

Still, the stories are nice. It's refreshing to find a book where someone doesn't show you a (poor) form with 2 basic applications and claim to the the God of Tai Chi.

If you really want something to sink your teeth into, hit the tai chi classics.

PS- The best laugh in the pages of the book are the pics of Yang Chen Fu in "action". For a master, he had sloppy form.

Superbly translated and compiled, this is the most complete treasury of Yang family documents and photographs ever published in any language. It contains more than 50 sections, including oral instructions, training songs, commentaries on the Classics, essays, and family legends.

Though "secret transmissions" is somewhat of a misnomer, what the author presents is a collection of early published taiji material--mostly by Yang Cheng Fu, though there is one work
indirectly attributed to Yang Ban Hou.

These early works are not a step-by-step manual, but guides to the practicing student to help gain insight into what they're practicing. What any reader should immediately pick-up, however, is that these guides were written for someone learning how to fight.

Though much of the material is by (and thus, oriented towards) a Yang-stylist, the fundamental principles of taiji remain the same in all styles, so there is enough material that all taiji practitioners can benefit by. In fact, this book was recommended to me by a Chen-style practitioner.

The other part of this book, the author's foreword, gives the colorful (and sometimes conflicting) historical background and accounts of the Yang family, which is in of itself a fascinating read.

This book is definitely recommended for any serious taiji student.

The second Clegg book I had ever read, I went into it completely and came out of it shocked. Imaginative writing was always a strong-point I admired in Doug's work. Not to say I couldn't enjoy it here, but the book didn't seem grasping to me. Very chilling, but I couldn't feel it as I much as I did Neverland.

"Children's Hour" is one of my all-time favorite vampire novels, because the small town setting is so creepy and so well done. Harry Shannon's new novel "Night of the Beast" covers similar territory quite beautifully too, with all the hideous stuff that happens to little Timmy Baxter, but every author to publish after this one owes a small debt to Mr. Clegg. The vampires (and where they originate from) are terrific. Buy it.

"The Children's Hour" is the best of Douglas Clegg's ten or so published works. While his other works ("NeverLand", "Dark of the Eye", etc.) are quality novels, "The Children's Hour" stands hand and shoulders above them. Unfortunately, it seems to have had the lowest print run of all his titles as the publisher, Dell, was slowly phasing out its horror line when this one was published.

The story revolves around the return of a former resident to the town of colony. When he left fifteen or so years prior, he had fought and conquered an ancient evil. However, he feels the need to return at his mother's request due to her failing health. He returns with his family in tow.

Soon after he returns to Colony, the evil returns. Friendships are restored just in time to combat the evil. Children are affected and soon turn on the adults of the community. The main character knows that once again he must confront and defeat the evil which resides below a barn in the community if he, his family and friends are to survive. A thrilling race against time ensues and when completed, the reader is left wanting more. If you can locate a copy, grab this one and enjoy it.

I read several books to my 5th grade reading group before we move into the lesson of the day. They loved this book. They saw themselves in many of the characters in the book. One chapter about a little boy who had trouble reading,sparked hope iin one of my students who has trouble in the same area. I came to Amazon.com hoping that this author wrote some other books - and he did. I can't wait to read the next one. Keep them coming!

This books are so amazing! Its about those kids in the classroom at the end of the hall having trouble doing things and then there's magical werid things that can help them. That are nine (9) different stories inside. My favorite story in this book is 'Above the classroom' last chapter of this book, its about this teacher who people think his die already, but........IT LIVED ABOVE THE CLASSROOM! Howard and Frances find out.........and.......

Find out yourself!

I rate this book 5 stars because It was a very entertaining book. It was really funny but some parts were disgusting. I had a great time reading it and every time it was time up, I wouldn't want to put the book down. Every time my friends would look at me while I was reading you saw me always smiling, laughing, eyes filled with interest, etc. This book i would have to say is one of my favorite books if not the favorite. It was a fantastic book and I encourage any readers interested to read it to. I promise you will enjoy it like i did!

Here's the letter I wrote to the author, Bill Douglas:
Thanks! I can't tell you what a difference the book and DVD have made in my life. I am sleeping better, my career is looking up (stress was a major problem for me; I write and was dealing with life-changing stress-induced writer's block) based on lessons I'm learning from T'ai Chi and QiGong meditation. This is feeling life-long. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I found this book an excellent book to learn about the art of T'ai chi and Qi Gong. This new version with the drawings help to learn the moves much easier. The book and the videos are excellent tools to learn a good technique to learn how to relax and improve my health.

I think this book is an excellent supplement to formal instruction in T'ai Chi or for anyone interested in taking up Tai Chi in their studies. Bill Douglas' makes learning and appreciating this internal martial art fun. The book gives good information on the different styles and background. The photographs and explanations are as clear as can be expected from a book. Could use more pictures but I found that his video on Tai Chi (Anthology of T'ai Chi & Qigong) is excellent and the two together are a great reference to have.

This book is unique. I've read books about Jackie LeRoy Wilson but this book by far is the best i've read. It cuts right to the chase and gives you information that's clear and not a run around. Also, gives you some pictures of Jackie that are in color. I recommend this book.

I've read everything that I could on Jackie Wilson.the Man was something else in His Prime but sadly hasn't gotten His Full Due as a Artist to me overall.The Man knew how to Rock a Stage&was in Groove.but there was the Business which was Controled then as it is now by Payola&Scandal&at the End of the Day the Artist that has brought so Much Joy to so many People is the last Person Paid&Respected.this Book Explores many Aspects of His Career&Life.Ups&downs.it's a Great Inside Reflection of the Business.Much Props to Tony Douglas.RIP Jackie Wilson.

Singer Jackie Wilson was one of the finest singing talents of the century, but he suffered from chronic addictions and his career was controlled by the Mob. This biography of his life, work and achievements chronicles the accomplishments of a man who was buried in a paupers grave, yet at his peak achieved 24 top 40 hits in the U.S. An involving coverage of a talented yet tormented performer.

This is one book I had wanted to read for along time. It just seemed like an excellent idea to be able to experience an author in this extraordinary way, communicating with his number one fans: kids.

Sadly, when I read it, I didn't like it that much. First of all, it was a very short read. I finished reading it in one afternoon. Secondly, I found the book to be lacking information, because letters are presented here and there, but most of the time we don't get to read a "two-way" conversation, so it is hard to follow. Also, I expected to read letters to and from many children, and was a bit disappointed when I realised only a few children's letters were featured.

Still, I love C.S. Lewis, and was very happy to read his Letters to Children, and feel as if some had been written for me.

Every time I read another book by C.S. Lewis I become more grateful for his life and his writings. This book is a gem, and a wonderful window into Lewis' soul. He answers these children's letters with self-effacing grace and humor, and with a sincere respect for their opinions and their dignity. While being a great writer has no particular connection with being a good person, this book is, to me, irresistable evidence of Lewis' personal goodness. The Angler (as he once referred to God in "Surprised by Joy") snared a fine specimen when he snared the soul of C.S. Lewis.

It is said that as regularly as the mail arrived, professor Lewis sat down at his desk and personally responded... even if the correspondents were little children who had come to know of him through his Narnia books. In fact, he felt it was his God-given duty to do so! "C.S. Lewis: Letters to Children" is a collection of these heartfelt responses, spanning nearly 20 years (1944-1963).

Lewis's own direct contact with children was limited. He once said, "I theoretically hold that one ought to like children, but am shy with them in practice." (Letter to Arthur Greeves, Dec.'35). And in his "The Abolition of Man" he says (chap.1, para.11) "I myself do not enjoy the society of small children... I recognize this as a defect in myself." What he may have lacked in direct contact with children he certainly seems to have displaced with these personal letters, in which we see a lofty Oxford academic who is able to freely converse with children about such diverse topics as (of all things) Zoroastrianism, cats, the Gauls, Virgilian hexameter, the Renaissance, and his opinion that human faces are much easier to draw than animal faces. Never does he talk DOWN to his younger "friends". He usually signs off with an affectionate "yours ever"! And often he sprinkles a question or two of his own in a letter, which, rather than dismissing the sender, invites a response, showing he values these children. For example, an American girl (Joan) received 28 letters from Lewis over a 20 year period!

Why do I give this book a rating of 5 stars? Is the writing as deep, weighty, and significant as War & Peace? Not even remotely. But, to me, it is remarkable that an academician/author of the caliber of C.S. Lewis found the time to write such beautiful simple letters to inquiring kids all over the world. There's something very refreshing (for Lewis fans like me at least) about picking this book up and just turning at random to any letter. One ends with "It is still cold here but the snowdrops, crocuses, primroses and daffodils are up and the thrushes are building nests." Or another "Well, I can't say I have had a happy Easter, for I have lately got married and my wife is very, very ill." Such disclosure is an example of the respect Lewis felt children worthy of. One word of caution though: Does a proper appreciation of this book require a familiarity with Lewis's works? Quite frankly: Yes! The Narnia books! Because so many of the letters are alluding to Narnia, readers unfamiliar with that cycle of books may find most of this book quite boring.

Lewis never tired of corresponding with his child fans. His final letter, to a boy named Philip was written on November 21, 1963. The following day Lewis passed away peacefully at his Oxford home. Earlier, he had written the following to a group of fifth graders:

"I'm tall, fat, rather bald, red-faced, double-chinned, black-haired, have a deep voice, and wear glasses for reading.

The only way for us to get to Aslan's country is through death, as far as I know: perhaps some very good people get just a tiny glimpse before then.
Best love to you all. When you say your prayers sometimes ask God to bless me,

Yours ever, C.S. Lewis"