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Book reviews for "Thompson,_John" sorted by average review score:

Gurps Grimoire: Tech Magic, Gate Magic, and Hundreds of Spells for All Colleges
Published in Paperback by Steve Jackson Games (1998)
Authors: Daniel U. Thibault, S. John Ross, and Ruth Thompson
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A must for any serious user of GURPS Magic.
Let me make one thing perfectly clear: This book is a companion volume to GURPS Magic. In order to fully appreciate (and make the best use of) this book, you need GURPS Magic as well. Now that that is out of the way, on to the praises. This is where you will find the odder and more esoteric spells (as well as some of the more powerful ones) that Magic just didn't have room for, or that handn't been thought of yet. Some of these spells are exceptionally powerful, others are just plain sneaky, but all are useful. As I said before, the odder corners and more advanced levels of magic are more fully represented in this book, along with optional rules. Here you will find things like techno-magic, radiation spells, acid spells, spells to literally rain fire down upon your foes, a spells to create an imprisoning circle around your foes, spells to fascinate and control your enemy, and even a spell to plunge them into a morass of incapacitating pleasure. That little list only scratches the surface, my friends. Almost every school of magic in the GURPS system has additions in this book, and all of them are worth looking at. If you want to be the best magic-user that you can be, this book will help you on your way.

The author is not wrong - it's a good book.
Used with GURPS Magic and the GURPS Basic Set it provides a complete, varied and well integrated set of spells for roleplaying. Without being tied to specific genres it still manages to offer a wide range of dramatic possibilies from which many a plot could be spawned.


Laughing Allegra
Published in Audio CD by Oasis Audio (2003)
Authors: Anne Ford and John-Richard Thompson
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Dignity and Respect
Anne Ford has written a remarkable book. This is tremendously helpful for all parents that have children with learning disabilities. Also, it is a great lesson that shows the rest of us to reach out to others with love, patience and dignity.

I cannot recommend a book more highly than this!
When a child is born, parents are filled with positive dreams for his or her future. These typically include success in school, supportive friends, good health and a life filled with joy. If the child were a painting, it would have bright colors, sharp focus, every detail in place. But that fairy-tale existence is just that --- a fable. We are imperfect, and so are children.

And then there are families that get an extra helping of imperfection. Instead of dreams, they get challenges which can either pull them together or fracture them. In Anne Ford's case the "perfect world" dream dissolved when she learned that her daughter Allegra had learning disabilities. While they were not visible to the naked eye, what was going on inside Allegra was impeding her development and her ability to learn. It's never easy to accept a dark, definitive verdict, especially when it concerns a small child. To her credit, Anne did. And then she became Allegra's advocate and cheerleader, as well as her mother.

Few books have moved me as much as LAUGHING ALLEGRA. While the story of our family is different from Anne's, I do know what happens when the picture gets blurred. What works about this book is that Anne writes this memoir with candor and feeling --- right from the heart. She captures the swirl of emotion that surrounds this diagnosis, the questions that every parent asks and the path through what is always uncharted territory, as each child is his or her own mosaic. At the same time, she offers concrete information that parents of learning-disabled children need. Most important of all: Anne Ford shows us, beat by beat, how she helped her daughter build a world in which she could laugh instead of cower, succeed instead of fail. She empowered Allegra and along the way empowered herself as well.

The book is by no means whitewashed with only upbeat anecdotes. In her writing you can feel the pain that filled many of these years, as well as the uncertainty. The book took four years to write and along the way Anne had to dredge up some feelings that readers will see are still raw. There is no quick patch when you have watched your child hurting; clearly, she ripped the bandages off to write this.

Often when people learn that things are not "perfect," there is a natural feeling of being overwhelmed with the unknown. For parents who have found themselves either on the cusp of the diagnosis, or grappling with its meaning, or even those who are further along the path and want to read how another family grew with this, I recommend LAUGHING ALLEGRA. I also recommend it for parents of so-called "normal children," who may want to understand rather than dismiss the schoolmate their child knows who is different, or special.

Anne's book stresses that this is a family issue as it affects the entire family. She was a single mother, but also had a son, Alessandro, whose role as Allegra's older brother took him on a journey that he also had not expected. The effect on him is spoken about with enough depth to ensure that readers realize that that all people in the family must grapple with the challenge.

One thing to note here. Allegra is now thirty and living independently. As I read I thought about the great strides that are being made every day in the diagnosis and treatment of learning disabilities. Anne and Allegra came to tackle many of the challenges without the tools that are now in place. This, as much of any of Anne's stories, can bring parents great hope.

The back of the book has appendices with list of resources and excellent guidelines on such topics as Questions Parents Ask, Mothers and Fathers Understanding Each Other and Your Legal Rights. They are as well-written as the rest of the book, and provide more nuts and bolts information.

I cannot recommend a book more highly than this. Halfway through I found myself making lists of people who would enjoy it. I encourage you to pick it up --- and then spread the word.

--- Reviewed by Carol Fitzgerald


Macromedia Director Lingo Workshop: The Complete Resource to the Lingo Scripting Language/Book and Cd-Rom
Published in Paperback by Hayden Books (1995)
Authors: John Thompson and Sam Gottlieb
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Without a doubt, the BEST BOOK for learning lingo
This book is the best book, well really the only book I have every seen for learning lingo. It also acts as a great reference tool. The appendix are unbelievably valuable.

A excellent Director Lingo book
This book is a must for those who want to know what is Lingo in Director. It covered most of the functions and has all of the examples recorded on the CD. There are some real world example on the CD too, that allowed me to sneak into the CD and find out the tricks they used. This book was written in step-by-step and straight to the point fashion, and as a computer idiot like me, I was able to learn Lingo within few days. Its a must for those who want to learn and for those who want to polish their Lingo skill.


Quilt Sensations: 15 Fun and Original Quilt Projects
Published in Paperback by Raincoast Book Dist Ltd (2000)
Authors: John Streicker, Jan Thompson, and David Bircham
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Not your Grandmother's quilts
There is truly nothing else out there quite like this book. I was looking for a book that breaks away from traditional quilting, expecially one that uses lots of curves in the design. And what a treat I found in this book! The authors use discarded clothing for fabric and buttons, and they delight in incorporating hidden elements, poetry, Chinese fortunes, removeable or repositionable parts and even game boards. Their method of sewing curves is super-easy, unlike other books in my collection. The result ? funky, creative, playful quilts that are great for, but certainly not limited to, kids. These are NOT your Grandmother's quilts! I would love to see more books by these innovative authors. If you have avoided learning to quilt because it looks complicated and boring, get this book NOW.

Totally Nifty Cool
I've been looking for a book like Quilt Sensations since I started quilting. The projects are fun colorful and incredibly creative. Most of them are "playable" with hidden pockets and surprise messages and all of the quilts are a pleasure to look at. The authors focus mostly on texture and tend to avoid anything where you have to have a perfect stich and they give a lot of lee way in the instructions so the quilt can be made truly unique. The projects vary from super easy to more challanging. My only complaints were that a couple of the instructions weren't the best and I had to read them a over before my mind went "Oh!" and that some of the fabric the authors used can be rather expensive. All told this is one of my favorite quilt books ever and I wish there were more books like it out there.


The Standard Catalog of Comic Books (Standard Catalog of Comic Books)
Published in Paperback by Krause Publications (2002)
Authors: John Jackson Miller, Brent Frankenhoff, Maggie Thompson, and Peter Bickford
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Overwhelming!!
This catalog provides a wealth of information for collectors of comic books. It can be overwhelming for a novice (me) to absorb, but what fun I will have while I learn. Definitely a worthwhile investment.

Great big reference book
This thing is a monster. It has details on nearly every comic published, through to September 2001 or so. Besides the usual pricing information, if also includes circulation info (for some titles) and CGC info (how many copies have been CGC'd, and what the highest grade is). Many titles have a short series synopsis included, with information on storylines, creators, and anything else that might be interesting about a title.


When Mack Came Back
Published in Hardcover by Dial Books for Young Readers (2000)
Authors: Brad Strickland and John Thompson
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An appealing read-aloud
The dramatic first chapter hooked my 5th grade students on Strickland's touching story of life in North Georgia during World War II as seen through the eyes of 11 year old Maury Painter.
Maury is determined to save the black lab puppy he finds tangled up in the woods. He is convinced it is his brother's dog, which was placed over 30 miles away when his brother joined the army. The book is paced beautifully to read aloud and students' interest is captured by Maury's sacrifice to save the dog, his hard work to skip a grade in school, and the anxiety which clouds their lives when his brother is reported missing in action. The ending is funny and cathartic--and for once the dog lives happily ever after! Strickland portrays life in North Georgia accurately and the dialect in the final chapter was a joy to read.

Bring Mack into your home. It will be a warmer place.
When Mack Came Back isn't just a story about a boy and his dog. It's not about a talking dog or a dog that rescues children from the bottom of wells. It's about family, faith and love, told from the point of view of Maury, a ten year old boy that loves to read and gets a bellyache when thinking about picking cotton. It's about growing up and growing wise. It involves a dog that is probably a lot like your dog, or like a dog you may know. One that eagerly awaits scraps at the dinner table and one that poops in the bushes. Still, Mack is such a sweet, loving and loyal dog. He learns quickly and tries hard. The characters are real people. People that you can't help but have feelings for as soon as they are introduced. Especially Old Pa, Maury's endearing and kind grandfather. The places and settings, described in beautiful and loving detail that only someone who was there could express, are also real. The story talks about farming, not in a romantic or idealistic way, but as the hard and honorable work that it really is. It reminds us that there were families of young soldiers, away fighting World War II, and the worries those families felt and prayers they said. This is a story that parents should read to their children and teachers should read to their pupils. Get it as a gift for a child you know. Initially they may grumble at the lack of a spaceship or dragon on the cover, but, when they start reading, will surely be delighted to read the story of an everyday person dealing with everyday issues. Brad Strickland has, again, given us an unpretentious and modest gift. If you haven't read any of his many other books, this is an excellent introduction to his work. I couldn't recommend this book more.


The Art of John Biggers: View from the Upper Room
Published in Hardcover by Harry N Abrams (1995)
Authors: Alvia J. Wardlaw, John Thomas Biggers, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Robert Farris Thompson, and Alison De Lima Greene
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a beautiful volume on one of this country's finest painters
John Biggers came to artistic maturity in an academic setting far from the art centers of New York. He was repulsed by the New York art scene that had so summarily dismissed black art when he had participated in a MOMA black student art exhibit. Perhaps his avoidance of the centers of art commerce were as responsible for the late acceptance of his genius as was the segregationist mindset in the United States during Biggers's early career. As well as producing important paintings, drawings, and sculpture, Biggers is one of this country's most important muralists, creating more than twenty major murals in fifty years. His life has been dramatic in both content and context. Wardlaw draws a clear portrait of African-American life in the black section of a sharply segregated Gastonia, North Carolina, where Biggers grew up in the 1930s, and the rich family and community life of rural black America of the time. The other essays, written by noted scholars, trace the history of Biggers's artistic career through a careful study and analysis of his body of work.


Arthritis (Your Personal Health Series)
Published in Paperback by Key Porter Books (1996)
Authors: John Thompson and Robert F. Meenan
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Everything You Need to Know About Arthritis
The title says it all. Dr. Thompson outlines the test used to DX the inflamatory and non-inflamatory forms of arthritis, signs and symptoms as well as drug therapies, PT and possible surgical procedures that can help patients be as informed as possible. The book is very readable with great laymen explanations and case studies that a patient can identify with.


Big Man on Campus: John Thompson and the Georgetown Hoyas
Published in Hardcover by Henry Holt & Company, Inc. (1991)
Author: Leonard Shapiro
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An excellent book for Hoya fans!
Even though I am a huge John Thompson and Georgetown fan, this book looks at both the positive and negative sides of John Thompson. It goes into his childhood, his days at Providence, on to the Boston Celtics, with St. Anthony's High School, and ending with Georgetown. It covers the recruiting process, racial hurdles, and academic regulations John Thompson is know for. It talks about his days as the Olympic assistant and also the controversial head coach in 1988. Takes you on the ride through the early and mid-eighties with Patrick Ewing and ends with the signing of Alonzo Mourning and his first two seasons. This book provides you with information to let you decide if you like John Thompson or not.


The Breath of Parted Lips: Voices from the Robert Frost Place
Published in Paperback by CavanKerry Press (01 September, 2000)
Authors: Mark Cox, Donald Hall, Sharon Bryan, Robert Cording, John Engels, David Graham, Mark Halliday, Dennis Johnson, William Matthews, and Gary Miranda
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A remarkable anthology of twenty-four poets
The Franconia, New Hampshire, farm of the American poet Robert Frost was turned into a museum and center for poetry and the arts in 1976. From that time, "The Frost Place" has been annual event wherein an emerging poet has been invited to spend the summer living in the house where Frost once lived and wrote some of his greatest poetry. The Breath Of Parted Lips: Voices From The Robert Frost Place, Volume One is a remarkable anthology of twenty-four poets, each of whom won that honor of a summer's residency and document the success of the original concept as a means of generating outstanding poetry while nurturing the poet's muse in the rooms and views that were once the inspiration of the great Robert Frost. Poem At 40: Windwashed--as if standing next to the highway,/a truck long as the century sweeping by,/all things at last bent in the same direction./An opening, as if all/the clothes my ancestors ever wore/dry on lines in my body:/wind-whipped, parallel with the ground,/some sleeves sharing a single clothespin/so that they seem to clasp hands,/seem to hold on.//And now that I can see/up the old women's dresses,/there's nothing but a filtered light./And now that their men's smoky breath/has traversed the earth,/it has nothing to do with them./And now that awkward, fat tears of rain/slap the window screen,/now that I'm naked too,/cupping my genitals, tracing with a pencil/the blue vein between my collar bone and breast,/I'll go to sleep when I'm told.


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