Extremely well written survey of various small out-of-the-way artisan specialty food manufacturers around the country. The coversational, yet concise writing style is a pleasure to read. The book is fun to just randomly skim through for ideas. There is a noble emphasis on preservative and additive-free products made with the simplest ingredients. A little historical information about the various purveyors adds human interest. Also, prices are given, which is a rarity in a guide like this. The book reflects considerable research effort on the part of the authors.

Okay, each Christmas you try to think of what to buy people who don't need more stuff. But what can everyone always use? Food! I first bought this book for this reason and am buying the update again to find food finds for gifts. I have looked for lost childhood foods often as Christmas gifts from the perfect popcorn ball that is most like my great aunt LeGreta's to Lefse. In this book you can find old favorites and new taste tempters. I know I'm getting real old fashioned ribbon candy as one gift but what else is out there to try? I always end up getting food for myself too, after all, it's my childhood too. This is a great resource for the hard to buy for.

This is a great way, particularly if you live in a homogenous, urban area (like me), to get exposed to regional and individual foods from around the country. It includes pound cake bakeries, chocolates shops (i.e., a Dutch one in Des Moines), spice houses, and a lot more. There is so much in this book, you are bound to find a lot of things you'd be interested in trying. The only fault I think it has is that it is bound to become outdated quickly. I know that the Schazarad Bakery (one of the last bakeries to make phyllo dough by hand) is already out of business or is soon to be (unless someone has decided to buy it or carry it on). However, this is a minor fault and will most likely not effect most of the entries in the book.

This is a book that I wish I didn't have to recommend. However, for now we need down-to-earth advice on how to manage down-sizing and Drs Crandall and Wallace are tough, experienced experts in the field.

For anyone who has never before been told to drastically cut department costs in short order, I should think the book would be an absolute life-saver. In addition to sensible advice on how to handle the situation with the minimum of damage to the company and individuals, the book contains worksheets on how to figure costs, a selection of model speeches and letters, and a step-by-step process for deciding on the outcome for each employee.

As the authors say, "Layoffs alone don't work. Companies that lay off employees to get costs in line with revenues rarely improve their return on investments or revenues. And they never regain the stock price they had before the layoffs."

The aim of The Headcount Solution is find ways of reducing costs *without* firing employees, and to ensure that layoffs that can't be avoided don't leave the company unable to benefit when the market does return.

Employers of all sizes and types are struggling in today's tight economy. For the past few years, payrolls have been substantially reduced as companies sought every way possible to operate lean. The economic downturn has inspired leaders to restructure their organizations, saying good-bye to long-term employees who no longer fit while, at the same time, bringing in fresh workers with the skills needed for the new corporate design.

The challenge through all this turmoil is to retain your top talent and control costs. That combination is difficult to achieve, since highly proficient employees also expect to be highly compensated. This dilemma has been front-burner for the past few years. Will it continue to be an issue as we move through the decade in a growing economy? My perspective is yes: companies will continue restructuring and the entire employment environment will be very fluid. The balancing act of keeping people and managing compensation will be a vital skill for successful business leaders.

The book begins with a recognition that layoffs, easy as they may be as a simple solution, may not always be the best answer. Chapter 1 opens with Key Principles, a good positioning that continues as a pattern through the book. Downsizing is explained in short sections in a style that reminds me of USA Today-short, pithy statements. The practicality of the book jumps out with numbered how-to steps to follow. You won't find a lot of depth here, but rather pragmatic thought stimulators. This book will be most valuable for people with experience and/or knowledge in human resource management practices.

The second chapter reports on what companies are doing to cut costs and keep people. The chapter reports on the responses of 1,245 companies to a 2001 survey. Results are reported, followed by the sort of summary that appears at the end of each chapter. The first section concludes with a chapter on how leadership can maintain morale during the kind of crisis that inspires downsizing.

Part Two moves from dilemma to solution, providing seven steps to cut compensation costs. Readers will find an easy-to-read format (plenty of space between lines-airy). A wealth of ideas is shared in these pages as you move from preparation to planning to implementation, to getting back to business.

Then comes the frosting on the cake: five appendices, a glossary, and a good index. Two sample employment termination agreements are offered, one for individual workers 40 and older and another for more than one worker over 40. We're into the legal cover-your-anatomy stuff here. The other three appendices are quite unusual. They're sample speeches for corporate leaders to use in announcing rounds 1, 2, and 3 of cost cutting. I wondered about this feature, thinking that this must be Cost Cutting for Real Dummies.
There is some value in the sample speeches as readers will gain some insight into the issues that need to be covered. However, leaders should be encouraged to use their own phraseology and creativity so their own personality comes through to their people.

As lead author of "Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People," I believe that we will soon move into an era of increasing headcounts, we're not quite there yet. So this book has instant value today, and will have philosophical and procedural value into the future.

The book provides some great ideas that are important to anyone trying to get the most out of their payroll dollars. As CFO of a public company that has gone through a world of change over the past few years, the advice and insight provided in the Headcount Solution are right on the mark. I wish I read it earlier! I know the book will provide a great foundation as we go forward. I highly recommend it.

This was one of my favorite books when I was a child. I even bought a book to have in reserve BEFORE I got married.

Margaret Wise Brown has put together a rhythmic, engaging story about a bunny that seeks for its own place. As the story progresses there are lessons that can be learned and taught about changes of the seasons, and where animals live and what they do.

I like the pictures, the story, the whole ball of wax. We have read this book over and over to our children. When it resurfaces from the bottom of a stack of books it still gets read through a couple of times -- by popular demand!

5 stars all the way.

Home for a Bunny is a gem, both beautifully written and illustrated. Its gentle rhythm is smooth, great for reading aloud, and reminds one of the journey the bunny is taking: "Down the road and down the road he went. He was going to find a home of his own; a home for a bunny, a home of his own, under a rock, under a stone, under a log, or under the ground. Where would a bunny find a home?" The illustrations are by Garth Williams, lending the story extra beauty and realism. (This same man illustrated the Little House on the Prairie books.)

HFAB is also a rarity in baby books in that it has a recognizable plot, with scenes and dialogue. This gives parents a chance to practice their storytelling skills. I enjoy using different voices for the characters (e.g., a low, low voice for the frog, and a nasal one for the groundhog). Plus, having a plot helps develop the child's ability to follow a sequence of events.

And for the crowning praise--it is my 2-year old's favorite book. As soon as we finish reading it, he asks to hear it again, and again, and again. How can a book get any better than that?

Home for a Bunny should be a part of every child's library. This was the first book I learned to read and 25 years later I am buying it for my new baby girl. The colorful pictures, rhythmic text, and the loveable ending are unforgettable. Home for a Bunny is a classic!

Excellent book for use during any medieval or knight study. Fourth grade boys in particular would love this book, however, any student in elementary would enjoy the book. The illustrations are very good. Younger students may need the book read to them. Goes along with King Arthur studies and tales.

I am a hardcore Trina Schart Hyman fan, so this book is just another in my collection of her art work. The pictures are stunning. My kids spend hours looking at the pictures. The Red night, blue night, black night theme does get a little old though. The story is about a strange man who comes to King Arthur to ask three favors. After a year, the stranger sets off to free a princess trapped in a tower. He has to face many knights along the way and proves his worthyness in doing so.

The illustrations are wonderful, and if you like sweet, honest Sir Gareth, as I do, you will enjoy this story, even though it's a kids' book. :)

As an English teacher, I'm ashamed to admit that I knew very little about either Elizabeth Barrett or Robert Browning before picking up this book. The story of their maid, Lily Wilson, gives an interesting perspective on the private life of Elizabeth and Robert. And I admired that Forster depicted the two famous literary figures as she saw to be accurate, rather than glamorizing and glorifying them as there might be a temptation to do. The two poets are very human, often fussy, melodramatic, and given to self-aggrandizement. That made me all the more interested in the story of Lily and the difference in their lifestyle and hers, and of course their indifference to the way they treated her. It's been a while since I read something like Jane Austen, so it was refreshing and fascinating to dip back into a world with social codes so different from ours today. This book must have taken years to research, and Forster's depiction of Victorian life shows the evidence of that research.

There was a page-long afterword that explained which parts of the book were true, but I wanted more. I wish Margaret Forster had written more books like this! You won't be sorry you picked it up.

I knew next to nothing about the subject matter of this book when my mother lent it to me (she loved it as well). Forster is able to completely personalize the social constrictions of Victorian society through the eyes of Wilson, Lady's Maid to the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Honestly enjoyable and a treat to read. I couldn't help noticing all the 5 star ratings here - well deserving of this fine author. Bravo!

I have to start out by saying that it has been 9 years since I read this book, but even now it stands out as one of the most telling books I have ever read about a genious writer named Elizabeth Barret Browning. In Lady's maid the story of Elizabeth Barret Browning is told from the eyes of her Maid servant. This unusual perspective gives the reader the ability to see the writer(Elizabeth Barret) from a third party focus instead of a introspective focus. The book is sooo good that you are instantly transfixed after the first page. If you are wise you will buy the book and read it when you can literaly sit down and read it cover to cover and enjoy it. It is that good! Enjoy and be edducated. Remember to have lots of tissue at the end, you will need it!

I saw the television movie prior to reading the book and was blown away by the superb acting done by Johnny Cash and Andy Griffith. Never would I have believed that the Sheriff of Mayberry could be so cruel and brutal. Upon reading the book, I was struck by the closeness with which the movie tracked with the book. My list of heroes was growing rather short but Sheriff Potts became a permanent addition. His dedication, perseverance and honesty represent the best of those qualities we seek in a public servant. It's a pity he can't be cloned. Buy the book, see the movie and be impressed.

This is one of the most gripping true crime stories I have ever read and I have read many,many of these. This wonderful story relates actual incidents during a horrendous, brutal murder, undeluted arrogance of power, sheer stupidy on the part of the perpetrator and a brave sheriff whose singular determination to arrest and prosecute the offender will warm the heart of anyone with a sense of justice and equality for those of us with a lesser standing in a community.

This is a great story with great characters and like all good true stories, its better than fiction. For those who would read it, understand it is NOT, as some reviewers suggest, a commentary on Southern oppression. It is instead a great account of good actually winning over evil. The sort of corruption represented by the land baron in this story could be found in every State of Union during the period discussed. This book is not about racism (the victim was white) but was instead about the abuse of power on one hand and the contrast of honor on the other. It is NOT about the South, though the incident occurred in Georgia. It is about right vs. wrong. That even applies in the historically corrupt, post-depression Northern regions of the U.S. It is a great read about a honorable law man standing against criminal behavior and political corruption. Don't miss it if you enjoy true crime and great characters and you like to admire honorable Southern Sheriffs who will stop at nothing to do what is right.

There are too many tales out there for us to deny our spiritual side and this one was most intriguing. I have sent copies to friends who have lost loved ones in hopes it answers some questions. Yet it raises questions as well. Our life at the next level appears involve our personal life experiences. A.D's experience reflects the values of his time and place on earth. It's very Westernized.. I have to believe a soul from the Indian sub-continent or one from a recent life in China, would be unlikely to reflect similar experiences to Margaret Flavell in the same circumstances. In fact, I'd love to hear their stories as well. A cynic from a conservative, controlling religious viewpoint might suggest the entire book is a hoax used to justify political positions such as pro-choice, gun control and world peace. Yet, it is exactly for those reasons I want to believe I have just read a book which has enhanced my life. This one, and the next.

EVIDENCE FROM BEYOND has confirmed my own spiritual journey. As A. D. Mattson expressed it, I, too, know I am a spiritual being spending time in this physical body, but I am not this body. Thank you, A. D., Margaret, and Ruth for bringing us a book of wisdom, love and concern for humanity and our beautiful planet! "Must reading" for spiritual seekers! Jeanne G. Lewis, Reviewer for Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship, Int'l.

EVIDENCE FROM BEYOND has truly confirmed my own spiritual journey. As A. D. Mattson expressed it, I, too, know I am a spiritual being spending time in this physical body, but I am not this body! Thank you, A. D., Margaret, and Ruth for bringing us a book of wisdom, love, and concern for humanity and our beautiful planet. "Must reading" for spiritual seekers! -Jeanne G. Lewis, Reviewer for Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship, Int'l.

This is a great book for pros and beginners alike! It has got what most qualifacations and obstacles are for the major agility associations; not to mention how to build a lot of the more simple ones. There are also great pictures of training to see how to do certain obstacles and so you can be able to see if your dog is doing it right. It also has instructions for any obstacle imaginable! I recommend this book to any one having trouble trying to pull off a double jump or to anyone who just thinks their dog could do this (which is a lot; all healthy dogs are capable of doing this!)!

I got into Agility a year ago, this was one of my first books. It's easy to read and understandable. It has lots of great information and it's all easy to follow. Highly recommend.

This is a very good book for the novice agility competitor. I use the diagrams for training in the back of the book for my agility classes. If you are just looking into this extreemly fun sport or just want a good book to read or are involved in Agility, get this book! It explains all about NADAC, USDAA, UKC, AKC, in every category, and more!

As many other reviewers have stated, this is a helpful book. But I just wanted to note that it is very mom-focused. The author acts as if the bond with the mother is the only bond, and the father just happens to be hanging around. Since it was written in 1978, this could have something to do with it, but I would argue that, while the bond with the mother is very important, parents can do quite a lot to assure that the baby is bonding and close to both parents. Just something to keep in mind. (This isn't meant to be a review of the whole book, just a side note.)

This book allows you to get to a place that all parents wish they could be, inside their childs thoughts. I now have more understanding and MUCH more patience. It is easy now to be compassionate instead of upset since so many of my questions have been answered regarding infants moods, thoughts, feelings, and behavior. It has not only given me a new perspective on childhood behavior, it has helped me to understand my own!

This book is wonderful. It explains and delineates the phases through which babies and toddlers go as they develop, using Margaret Mahler's theories, but making them accessible to the layperson. If you ever tried to read Mahler's "The Psychological Birth of the Infant", you know how scholarly and intellectually dense a work it is (I tried, but couldn't). Further, the loving and lyrical style makes it engaging and joyous to read. I wish that fathers (I am one, to a toddler girl) would read it, too.

This collection of photographer John Drysdale's extensive catalog emphasizes unexpected juxtapositions of animals and people or both. His almost understated images draw you in for more than a passing look, and you wonder how did he come upon some of these depictions. Are they posed, staged, or natural?

Ultimately, that does not matter, for the overall effect indeed suggests a peaceable kingdom, which, if not truly attainable, can still inspire and intrigue.

Mr. Drysdale takes his subjects seriously, even if the result seems almost comic, and there is a refreshing lack of pretension mixed with a dry wit throughout this collection.

This is book you will want to carry to the back porch on a lazy, rainy day or share with your children while dinner is in the oven. It's fun to hear how children react to some of the images that run counter to how we have conditioned to expect animals and people to behave.

Some of my favorite photos, however, are those of just people, timeless and frozen in yesteryear's pursuits.

John Drysdale's delightful photographs will charm any age. Looking at "Excert 1" will give you an idea of his subject matter. In addition to the unusual photos of animals and children, there are fascinating stories, such as the cat who befriended a mouse with 2 photos of them together--one of them napping together and another of them sharing a saucer of milk. The photos and stories are precious and leaves one with a feeling that we do indeed have a "peaceable kingdom." A great gift for anyone who can see--animal lover or not.

This is a fun, entertaining book which would make a great gift for animal lovers. My only wish is that the description for each picture had been placed with the picture and not in the back of the bookl.