I've been browsing through piles of travel literature lately to get some ideas about possible excursions during an upcoming semester in Malta, and the attractive cover and title of Ms. Taylor's book immediately caught my eye. Suffice it to say that she has got me hooked on the idea of going to Istanbul.

This is an amazingly detailed, well organized guide to the architecture and monuments of late-Byzantine Constantinople and Ottoman Istanbul. While someone not well-read in Turkish history probably wouldn't appreciate many of the details Ms. Taylor goes into, I agree with John Julius Norwich's verdict: "I shall certainly never go to Istanbul again without this book."

This is the sort of guide that allows you to spend hours in a single building, to learn about everything you're looking at. We read, for instance, about the Biblical origins of the image on the north side of the apsidal arch in the Church of St. Savior Chora and get a full three pages on the 19th-century Dolmabahçe Sarayi. A whole chapter is devoted to late-Ottoman mosques. Taylor nicely tells us about the architectural history of the Russian and Swedish embassies and the 18th-century Dutch Chapel. She throws in three excellent chapters on Iznik, Bursa, and Edirne. Finally, she gives impeccable directions for travel by foot and car.

But "Imperial Istanbul" isn't just a dry architectural catalogue. It's full of interesting stories that give some human meaning to arches and columns and fountains. For instance, we read about the Cellât Çesmesi ("the executioner's fountain") in the Topkapi Sarayi: "The Cellât Çesmesi was used by the Chief Executioner, who was also the Head Gardener, for washing his hands and sword after executions." And "on the hills above Aynalikavak Kasri are the remains of the Okmeydani, the place of the arrow, the imperial archery field which still has marble preserving for posterity the distance achieved by the Sultans' most remarkable shots... [Archery etiquette] was strict: first the Sultan would shoot his arrow, followed by the pashas and other invited dignitaries in their turn, all of whom doubtless took care not to exceed the Sultan's shot. And in order not to have to break off too long for prayers, a namazgâh, an alfresco mihrab niche, was erected on the Okmeydani in the 17th century by Sultan Murat IV." The author also relates some interesting personal experiences, such as one with Leila Hanim, the great-grand-daughter of Kibrisli Mehmet Emin Pasha, Grand Vizier three times in the reigns of Abdül Mecit I and Abdül Aziz.

You will, however, have to substitute this guide with others, because it doesn't cover things like accomodations and customs. That's just a fact, not a fault. There's no doubt in my mind that Ms. Taylor's book will never be surpassed. Billions and billions of stars!

For almost 80 years Jane's has published an annual guide to currently produced aircraft (including Remotely Piloted Vehicles, Balloons, Sailplanes, Sport (homebuilt/experimental) aircraft, and aircraft engines. It has become the definitive guide to aircraft. Detailed descriptions of the aircraft, performance, systems and design are included. Jane's style is dry (arid) but well developed. Any reader whose interests are in the romance associated with a maker or model, or who delights in the vicarious thrill of climb power and roll rates will find this a dull text. The reader who need to determine which models were manufactured in which years and equipped with which engines will find a data trove within these pages.

Do you love cats and find kittens to be adorable; then The Little Kitten Book (Little Library of Cats) by Elizabeth Martyn, David Taylor is a must have. This handy little guide presents all facets of owning a cat, e.g., do not hug a kitten to hard since their little bodies are fragile and if you want to spoil the baby then cook them some scrambled eggs. The pictures are ultra cute and the development from kitten to cat is fascinating. I certainly hope this book will come back into print since as I wrote earlier for a person who is crazy about cats then this is a must have!

As an architecural historian and researcher who has worked in Petra for fifteen years, I was thrilled to see a book of this caliber on the market. Books on Petra and/or the Nabataeans typically target the tourist market and either do not address its history accurately or they may do so in a way where that information is incorrect, obsolete or just boring. The research that went into this book is obviously up-to-date and relevant but as importantly, this is one interesting and beautiful book; Jane Taylor comes from a strong journalistic background and it shows! This book contains beautiful photographs, laid-out in a straightforward manner all coming together in one invaluable book. I would strongly recommend this book to scholars, students, teachers and all of those interested in this amazing part of our Mediterranean and global heritage.

My son received this book as a gift when he was 1. I still read it regularly to him at 28 months. The book features Twinkle Twinkle Little Start plus a few verses you probably don't know on one side. Then flip the book to read Golden Slumbers, which may be new to you as it was to me.

The illustrations in this book are dazzling, literally. Not only do the figures feature the bold colors and contrasts toddlers love (not too busy), but each page also has a holographic overlay with a star or moon. There are also some cut-out pages adding a tactile dimension to the book. The celestial theme is carried throughout the book which has no religious overtones.

I have only one very small gripe about this book. The rhythm is lost in one of the verses of Twinkle Twinkle ("She would not know which way to go, if you did not twinkle so"). You have to sort of swallor the word "She" and accent the word "would" to make it work.

Otherwise, I adore this book. It makes a lovely shower gift so parents can start to read to their children from day one.

The book "Special Plants" was written by a gardener who truely loves to garden. The pictures are magnificent and worth the price of the book alone. There are pictures of the plants in garden settings as well as close-ups that give you a real feel for the plant. The text is knowledgeable but not so involved that you lose interest before you are half way through. There is an alphabetical list of plants with short descriptions of cultivation and use. These descriptions are informative and, based on my knowledge as a garden designer, correct! What sets this book apart however, is her choice of "special plants" Ms. Taylor list plants that you might want to put in your garden and then goes on to list specific varieties of these plants that the gardener should look for.She explains the difference in the varieties that make all the difference in the finished product. This information is invaluable to a beginner or an experienced gardener. This is definately a book every gardener or want-to-be gardener should have on their bookshelf.

THIS BOOK AS THE TITLE STATES "STRAIGHT UP!" IS AN EXCELLENT GUIDE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. THE MESSAGE IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND THE BOOK READS AS IF DR. TAYLOR-GERDES IS PERSONALLY TALKING TO YOU. EACH CHAPTER FOCUSES ON THE TOUGH ISSUES THAT TEENAGERS ARE FACED WITH TODAY. THIS BOOK HELPS TEENAGERS REALIZE THAT THEY CAN BE HIP, SMART AND HAVE THEIR LIFE TOGETHER WITHOUT FALLING INTO THE TRAP OF NEGATIVE PEER PRESSURE.

This beautifully illustrated version of a popular lullaby catches the attention of my 6 month old every time. I usually sing the book to him instead of reading it, and it has a remarkably calming effect. The dream-like illustrations are in rich, primary colors and my infant loves the metallic stars that "twinkle" at him from virtually every page. He loves this book to be read to him over and over. Too bad it's not available as a board book!

What a splendid story! From a Tooth Fairy who's a hip African American woman using a computer, to a child in a wheelchair, this book adds unusual features to a traditional story, enhancing it immeasurably. It includes just the right amount of suspense and humor for young children. The photorealistic illustrations are spectacular. I couldn't recommend it more.

My youngest son has suffered from severe asthma ever since he was an infant and he's almost 20 years old now. Some of my most painful memories are of watching him struggle with the torture of this disease when he was very small, and feeling the awful helplessness a parent feels when they have done all they can and still the suffering continues. When my son was at his sickest we would snuggle close and I would rub his back and quietly sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" to him in a slow, soothing voice. Sometimes I would need to sing it for a long while before he could finally relax enough to fall asleep. I had to learn all the verses besides the familiar one and I had to make up several additional ones, too! As he grew older I continued to sing it when things were bad. When he was sad or in pain or facing a tough time, he would cuddle up and ask for a back rub and "Twinkle Twinkle." I think he was 18 the last time I sang it and he was suffering heartbreak rather than asthma. Well, to get to the point, this book does complete justice to the special song that has meant so much in our lives. It has all of the verses and they are very beautiful. Sylvia Long's lovely illustrations show little animal children dressed in cute clothes like sweaters and blue jeans as they sit together on a country hill gazing up at the diamonds in the sky. Then we see each of the children go to their own homes where their loving parents cuddle them off to bed. They have such cute and colorful jammies on. The love between a parent and child shines throughout this little charmer just like a twinkling star. I love it!