Ruth Langan never fails to bring her readers to a magical time in history when woman rule! Just like we do now! I have read the whole saga and I loved it!

This book was excellect! Finally a heroine that is strong and someone to really look up to and wish that you were more like her. She fights for what she wants and gets into trouble like all of us. She is very real and very believable. Maybe not in her time period, but in ours and it is not hard to make believe.

Briana is a scrappy hellion in skirts. She is the best example of a father's worst nightmare-a tomboy extraordinaire. One can feel every wound Briana receives and marvels at her recovery during a time in history when medicine smoldered in the dark ages, but healing was often better than we have today.

Briana's pain, when she is sent away to learn the ways of a woman, struck deeply, as did the austerity of her existence for three long and lonely years in the convent.

She sees a happy end to her isolation from the family she loves so dearly, only to find herself at death's door from a malicious attack while on her way home.

Keane O'Mara, the moody man who tends her wounds, is at once perplexed and intrigued with this small, brave woman. As time goes by, he learns her one lack seems to be a disregard for her personal safety.

Though he tries his best to be noble about his aching attraction to this innocent, fiery angel, he soon learns his emotions and intentions are no match for Briana's

She single-handedly wins the love and respect of all his people, and encourages him by showing him how they may train and arm themselves to protect what belongs to them. She is the most amazing woman he's ever known.

Briana in her take charge way, whisks Keane off to confront his daughter's grandparents so that he can see his child, the loss of which has made him a dark and moody man indeed.

He should have known that Briana hadn't used up her bag of tricks yet, and life gets exceedingly complicated from that moment forward. Especially when they escape England to return to Ireland, and she takes Keane to meet her family. She is comfortable in the knowledge that Keane is going to marry her, but unfortunately, Keane has other ideas.

Though initially there isn't as much conflict between the hero and heroine in this story as you might see in other stories, it definitely works for me. Enough conflicts and obstacles in the book will keep you on the edge of your seat, turning those pages. I feel as if I know and am part of the O'Neils by now, and every book has been a total joy to read.

I love books that combine beautiful artwork with rich text. This is a winner in my mind! The words and pictures in this book make you feel like you're right there in the canoe, feeling and seeing all that the author describes. A dreamy little ride I'll enjoy taking again and again!

Opening this book is like getting into a canoe, taking up a paddle & gliding out into the beauty of a small lake for a day of peace & pleasure where the water & sky are one. Where neighborly deer, heron, mallards, foxes & raccoons come down to the water. A wonderful gift!

This book takes the reader on a canoe ride across a lake where many animals and types of fish are encountered. Paulens's word choices are excellent. It has excellent color illustrations and is highly recommended for 3rd and 4th graders.

This book had a large impact on me. It is a sure-proof method of how to take steps toward making change in our lives. Well written easy to undertand. Ruth has a magical style that makes it a user friendly guide book. It works! I highly reccommend i.
Margie Levine Author of Surviving Cancer Broadway Books Random House

My life will never be the same, and it's thanks--in large part--to Ruth Fishel's brilliant guidance. This latest book is another of Ruth's inspired "how-to" guides in the personal growth department. It contains not only the basics to creating life-changing positive affirmations, but instructs the reader in the power of words and "self-talk," in how to stay in the present moment, in what works and doesn't work and even when NOT to consider changing oneself! AND, would you believe there are 400 incredible sample affirmations which can be used, as-is, or personalized?! This book WILL change people's lives, if they follow Ruth's incredible suggestions and commit to the steps she suggests. Guidelines for becoming the woman I've always wanted to be have never been more clearly and concisely presented. Buy this book and get started RIGHT AWAY! (And, thank you, dear Ruth!)

I have read all of Ruth Fishel's work and this book is one of her best. If you ever wanted to make a change in your life this little book will help you. Read it today and let me know if you agree. The book is simple to read and understand and offers guidence to make your life better.

I have been to Venice many times, but this book makes me want to go back soon and try some of the interesting, less known restaurants and trattorias written about here. The authors have really done their homework.

You must have Chow! Venice confused with another book. Our book is not shipping until mid-July!

We do have detailed listings that will be very helpful to vegetarian diners, however.

I found this book through a forum on a website named slowtrav.com while searching for vegetarian cuisine in Italy, this book was mentioned on the site so I decided to run out and purchase it. This book was fascinating and very well written.

This book is the epitamy of heartwarming. After all the sad, depressing things that happen in today's world, this book (and all of James Herriot's stories) makes you feel a lot better. Perfect for kids, this book will warm the souls of everyone.

Even though I haven't read this book since I was younger, I remember it as having a perfect happy ending. Even if you don't buy it, you should at least go to the library and check it out. You might like it enough to buy it anyways :)

Not having been familiar with the work of James Herriot before this book, I was happily surprised when I read this to my little cat-loving daughter this christmas season. This is a touching story which brought us both to tears, but gave a joyful smile as we reached the end of the story. Truly a story to be shared with every child at christmas!

This picture book, although written for children, can be enjoyed by people of all ages, especially cat lovers! James Harriot has a style of story-telling that draws you in and doesn't let you go until you've finished the story. This story is just a small sampling of the many wonderful vet stories that Harriot has to tell.

Food scientist Edouard de Pomiane turned the world of French cuisine on its ear with his beautifully simple approach to classic cooking. With over 300 recipes and many amusing anecdotes, and a fond introduction by renowned food writer Elizabeth David, COOKING WITH POMAINE remains a treasured resource for cooks of all kind.

This is my favourite cookbook-- or should I say my favourite food cookbook (The Anarchist's Cookbook is my fave overall). There are lots of recipes in here for all dishes and occasions- be it a fancy dinner or a not-so-fancy dessert- and the good news is, most of them are of the minimalist tradition, so no complicated procedures or fancy-schmansy ingredients. Just plain old good food, and believe me, if you follow Pomiane's and tips, you'll be cooking like a pro in no time!

This is an absolutely delightful read. I haven't tried any of the (delicious-sounding) recipes yet, but just reading this book was enough to whet my appetite! I particularly enjoyed his many witty asides and poetic turns of phrase. Highly recommended. Also take a look at "Clementine in the Kitchen", another charmer.

This was one of the first misteries I have read.I read this sometime between 4th and 5th grade. Now, I'm in 9th and still love this book. If you love misteries these are the best ones to read. The first thing that really attracted me to this was the awesome book cover. The book covers are ususally the first thing to pull me into a book if I had not read anything about the book before. The red barn theatre is also a favorite of mine.

I found that this was a book in which I could not put down and can't wait to see what Nancy will get into next!You will love this book!Keep up the good work!

This book is just one of the best Nancy Drew books that I have ever read !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bess has gotten a job at the hottest dance club in town, the Razor Edge Dance Club. George and Nancy come to the club to see Bess. But suddenly, after the lights turn off, Nancy finds out something terrible and frightening, Bess has disappeared! Nancy notifies the owner of the club, and they all go on a search for Bess. Everyone is extremly worried, especially Bess's parents. Fortuneately, Nancy finds Bess behind a trash can, but they still don't know who kidnapped her in the first place. This case is really starting to get dangerous. When Nancy goes to the french deejay, Etianne's house, she is very surprised to find just a dead body and a wierd, unidentified message on his answering machine. Nancy, George, and Bess are really watching out because this case could come to a sudden and tragic end!-Preethi Prasad

This is an excellent book for beginning and intermediate modelers. I found it to be engaging, practical, and easy to understand. Dynamic modeling has become an essential tool to facilitate understanding developments in our increasingly complex and interdependent world, to communicate ideas across disciplinary boundaries, and to help solve problems. This book is a great place to begin. It offers a hands-on introduction to dynamic modeling.

The authors start with an easy to understand, step-by-step description of the modeling process, key principles of modeling, and general methods of modeling. This is followed-up with and numerous examples from chemistry, genetics, ecology, economics, and engineering. But this is not just a book to read. The book comes with run-time versions of the easy to learn STELLA and Madonna software as well as copies of the various models developed in each of the 37 chapters.

The authors encourage readers to build the models themselves as they work through the chapters, and then explore the dynamics by experimenting with the models. This is an active, fun way to learn. It definitely helped me to expand my systems thinking capability. Although my substantive interest is organizations, I learned a great deal by analogy from working through models of problems from other disciplines. Basic systems principles apply across disciplines, and useful insights can be gleaned from recognizing similar dynamic structures underlying different systems.

I particularly liked the instruction by example that is used throughout this book. I learned so much from this book because the reading and modeling, modeling and reading formed a positive feedback loop. The reading provided direction and engaged me in the modeling, and the modeling clarified and reinforced the concepts in the reading. Drawing from my experience with this book, I think it is ideal for those who are just getting started in dynamic modeling or have been learning for several years but want to sharpen and expand their systems thinking and modeling skills.

I have been involved in static data modeling as part of database design throughout my career, and because of that know very well that to really learn how to model, you have to do more than listen to lectures or read a text. This book, along with the accompanying STELLA modeling tool, is an excellent blend of concept and practice.

The book begins with a short tutorial of the STELLA tool, a run-time version of which is included. (STELLA is very easy to use, and although the math underlying it relies heavily on differential equations, the user can be completely removed from that and still model effectively.) The early chapters gradually develop an understanding of dynamic modeling by building on basic concepts. The following chapters work through models in various areas, such as genetics, economics, and ecology, and provide exposure to modeling in these disciplines, as well as introducing some very interesting aspects of models, such as chaos, randomness, and non-predictable results.

By way of introduction to modeling concepts, case studies are presented clearly and concisely. These are followed by an explanation of a basic model of the system being examined. There are always additional questions that lead to expansion of the ideas being presented, so that the reader can increase their understanding and have opportunities to practice the skills presented.

I used this book for a course in Dynamic Modeling, and found it to be great in presenting the basic concepts of dynamic modeling and in developing a heightened awareness that any system being studied is really a dynamic process. It took this understanding to the next step and showed how to model that process and how to run the model and watch the dynamics in action, while honing the skills of analyzing, refining, and looking for trends and unanticipated results. The book opened up a whole new way of viewing systems for me.

The book is extremely well written and is so far the best attempt by any author(s)to achieve the right mix of theory and practice in the field of system dynamics. The organization of contents of the book is unique and it highlights the potential use of system dynamics principles for modeling a variety of hydro, ecological, environmental and engineered systems. The principles of system dynamics modeling and the complexities of physical systems are clearly explained by the authors and real-world examples from a number of disciplines are provided. Modelers can benefit from the actual code/examples from the simulation modeling environment, STELLA. The book includes a CD-ROM with all the examples/models discussed in the text to enhance the learning experience of modelers.

Depression in a close family member; the stigma attached with mental illness; worry that your aging mother might have a baby with Down Syndrome: these are topics not traditionally associated with a young adult novel, but which Franklin deals with head-on. Trina, the main character, is a typical sixth grade girl who feels the weight of the world on her shoulders as she watches her father fall deeper and deeper into clinical depression and worries about the state of her unborn sister (Trina's mother is 48 years old). These are tough topics for a twelve-year-old to handle, and Trina does have trouble adjusting and adapting to these problems--as well as dealing with the day-to-day problems of life by herself as she tries to give her parents time to sort through their problems by theirselves.

Franklin should be commended because she never resorts to "talking down" to her young adult reader. Neither does she sound preachy or sugar-coat the story with an "everything will turn out OK" theme. Indeed, the reader is never sure how the story will end. Trina is often afraid, uncertain, and feels alone. She feels compelled to give up certain "kid" things and takes an adult role in the house...yet seems to resent the fact that she has to make that choice. Although this may or may not be what young adults in similar situations think or do, it is very easy to empathize with Trina; the reader is taken on an emotional roller coaster along with the main character.

In a side note, I met Kristine Franklin at a teachers' conference in Springfield, Illinois, in spring of 2001. She was a very nice and personable lady and I'm happy to find that such a lady is such a talented writer. Highly recommended.

Trina's perfect summer falls apart when her Dad falls into a deep depression. The characters are very memorable and both Trina and Miranda will remind you of people you know.

Eclipse was one of the best books I ever read. You could really tell how Trina was feeling about her dad and his strange behaviors. It was sort of sad, but lots of people could be living with this problem. It was funny how opposite Miranda and Trina were, for example, Miranda talked nonstop before their puppet show, and Trina just sat there VERY nervously! Trina had so many problems, but she still tried to live her life as best she could. I would definitely read another one of Kristine Franklin's books.

I hate math. Memories of trying to understand long division in fourth grade can still make me squirm. Algebra was a lost year of my life - I had no idea what the teacher was talking about. Wouldn't you just guess I'd end up with a son who could add two digit numbers in his head before he started kindergarten? (I'm over 40 and I still can't do it very well) He even thought it was fun to do so.

You can probably guess that the normal elementary school math curriculum did not thrill him. Fortunately, early on, his kindergarten teacher lent me her copy of this book, and suggested that it might help him get started on understanding some higher math concepts, while still being age appropriate. The words "higher math" were not exactly music to the ears of a math phobe like me. But within a couple of weeks, after trying out a few games, I was hooked, and bought my own copy.

During the time he was in elementary school, I think we did at least 3/4 of the activities in the book, not because I thought he should, but because he wanted to. And, to my enormous surprise, so did I. The games and activities in this book are so intriguing that even I began to develop a sense of what it must feel like to really love math. (And, amazingly enough, I even got a little better at basic arithmetic.) Several of the games were so much fun, they became obsessions. We played them day after day.

My younger child, who recently finished kindergarten, doesn't remotely share her brother's love of numbers, but this year I dug out my old copy of the book to see if it might get her more interested. Sure enough, it worked. The games of logic and the games designed to develop rapid mental arithmetic skills that so fascinated her brother don't really interest her. In fact, most of the book is still way beyond her skill level. But I've found quite a few games that are appropriate for a child still struggling to add and subtract single digit numbers. (She says they're more fun than the math games they play at school). And there are several activities (Tangrams, and Color Designs, for instance) that take advantage of her love of art to help her understand math better. At the end of kindergarten, my daughter told me that her favorite school subject was math. I have no doubt that her exposure to Family Math games had a lot to do with that. And I have no doubt that we'll be using this book more and more over the next few years.

This book is great for teaching kids math. We have used it at home and while traveling. Learning math has been fun for the whole family. The exercises are fantastic, the instructions clear and the learning stimulating for everyone.

We highly recommend you buy a copy and use it with your children.

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FAMILY MATH is one of the best resources for elementary mathematics! The activities are excellent as part of workshops designed to involve parents in the math education of their children; for homeschooling families; for use in classrooms; and for having fun with math in any setting.

You must get this book!