As a 46 year old father of 2 young children, I have found this book to be very informative and very humorous(actually at times horrifying for fathers to be). The book could be classified as humorous horror for fathers. Peter Downey touches on all important aspects of childrearing in a down-to-earth, easy to read, practical, "lets get our hands dirty on this" fashion. Fathers with children will really identify with the problems discussed in this book. He doesn't shy away from touchy topics like sex, nudity in front of the children or physical discipline. He's obviously read the "professionals" on childrearing and his advice on how to deal with the many problems we dads encounter reflects this, but is also heavily flavoured with his own personal strategies developed on the frontlines of being a dad to 3 children himself. Of course, if you're a perfect dad, doing everything right or if you're not a dad you may want to read the book for it's humour, with which Peter is not stingy.

A great book! Mr. Downey entertains while delivering important, every-day advice to new dads. Dad's will laugh out loud and feel re-assured that they're not total failures at fatherhood. With his unpretentious writing style and unique brand of wit, Mr. Downey covers everything from baby's first steps to "permanent" birth control options, and he never fails to entertain. Dad's can only hope that Mr. Downey continues to share his thoughts and experiences through his children's pre-pubescent and teen years.

Finally, a down-to-Earth, no-holes-barred reference book for new Dads. No fancy terminology - just creative terminology. No detailed psychological analysis from a group of doctors who pride themselves on using 10-syllable words - just the blunt facts from an everyday-Dad's point of view. An extremely humorous, yet insightful view into Dadism.

A perfect follow-up to Downey's "So You're Gonna Be A Dad". I could only hope he continues his wizardry of words addressing prepubescent teenagers!!

As a 28 year old women surfer I'm glad to see someone has finally addressed women surfers as athletes. The yoga stretches are direct and to the point. Surfers don't want to spend a lot of time warming up so the 10 minute yoga routine is great! The Wahine Workout is challenging with lots of good tips. The Surf Flex Workout done on a swissball is without question the best workout a surfer can do outside of the water. "if your going to play on an unstable enviroment doesn't it make sense to train on one?" Makes sense to me. This workout brings all your surfing muscles to the party! See you in the water!

As a 35 year old surfer I pride myself in my ability to rip! I keep right up with the younger puppies in the water. Lots of them ask me how I do it? I just smile and say 'surf alot'. Fact is I've been doing yoga for 8 years 4-5 times a week. A couple of years ago I was introduced to working out with a swissball. These two elements changed my conditioning radicaly. I never shared it with anyone, because when I'm 45, I plan to still be ripping while most of the young'un have stopped surfing because of bad backs,and shoulders. It may have been a bit selfish, but I thought it would keep the surf population down. So I could have just as easily given Surf Flex a 0 star rating, more healthy surfers more people in the water, bummer dude! But that would have been bad karma! Seeing that I haven't shared my conditioning secrets with my fellow surfers, I must say this is an excellent book. Its not a book that was published by the big surfing guns, Surfer Mag, or Surfing, so it not slick,thats what great about it. What it lacks in slick, it compensates with heart and passion. Ain't that something! Great swissball workouts, good foundations for yoga, dry land training and comments from world class surfers. I applaud the author, but, if I see him out in the water, he owns me a couple of waves :)

For anyone who wants to improve their surfing, Surf Flex is a must have book. I incorporated many of the flexibility and dry land workouts into my exercise routine, and my surfing has taken off! Not only did my riding and balance get better, but I felt so much better condiditoned to stay out there as long as I wanted. In rough conditions, I immdediately notice the added strength I've developed through the exercises from Surf Flex. If you want things to do outside the water to optimize your time in the water, BUY THIS BOOK. -- DAS, avid longboarder

I really enjoyed this book a lot! Out of all of Elvis' girlfriends June seems the most "real" of all of them! I have seen her on TV and she seems like a great woman! The times she shared with Elvis are so innocent and he treated her with such respect. It was the Elvis before he was touched by Col. Parker, Hollywood and Vegas. He was a semi-regular guy, Elvis, his mammas son. I was actually suprised how liberal Gladys was with June going into his bedroom in her home. She must have trusted her son a lot and June was a nice girl too. Gladys also seem to have loved June like a daughter. It is too bad his friends and fame had to come between them. I know Elvis had great works ahead of him, despite that it would have been nice if he could have had a real life like a normal person. He had such a good heart and tried so hard to treat others well. June has a wonderful book and I highly recommend this! You will not be unhappy, but more of an Elvis fan than ever!

I first borrowed this book from the library when i need to do a project about a famous person.I found it by chance because i don't know any thing about Elvis Presley at first.But after i read this excellent book, i was so attracted by the Elvis that June wrote about, and i rushed to the bookstore to buy this book.In this book, you can find that you are with the king of rock'n' roll.

A refreshing, affectionate, funny and ultimately sad look back at what in Elvis' own words were 'the best years of my life'. June takes us on a golden trip down memory lane to a place that we all sometimes like to visit which is what gives the book such a hold...we can all relate to it on some level. Coupled with that June gives a new humanity to a man who has been picked at and slandered from almost every angle over the years. We see them on a day to day level facing the almost impossible rollercoaster ride that was everyday life for Elvis. June conveys so well the enormous pressures that Elvis must have been under for so long without being at all judgemental. The story ends too suddenly with no insight into the feelings that were and must still be left behind. June mentions briefly her sorrow at hearing 'Unchained Melody' being played on the radio the night he died, a song he had sung specially for her 20 years previously and one that she had been waiting for to appear on a record for all those years between. You are left with the feeling that maybe June Juanico, had she stuck around, might have been one person who cared enough and had enough clout to have made a differnce to a man who was so talented and yet lived such a lonely life with no one to really guide him through the turmoil that was his every day existence until the day he died.

An excellent book. A very valuable addition to what must be by now an enormous library of books on the King.

Glasgow, March '99

Over the years, I have thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Herriot's wonderful stories. When I found this book for my 7 year old daughter, I wasn't sure if she'd be able to follow along. What makes this book stand out is the fabulous drawings--they are full paged drawings, with not too much writing on each page. Each drawing is very detailed, perfectly matched to the accompanying text. I can't get over the talented illustrators (this book has two different ones, although the drawings are similar in appearance). I've loved re-reading these familiar stories and sharing them. This is one of the best books we've read this year, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it for a permanent library collection.

I think I have not had a more pleasant reading experience than sitting down next to a burning fire place, listening to my favorite antique clock ticking.. the patter of rain on the window panes and reading James Herriott. It is a memory of that afternoon that all these years later I have never forgotten. James Herriott is the most pleasant, relaxing, refreshing writer. Forget all the worries and cares and escape for a few minutes into a quiet world where the animals speak their own language.. A wonderful book, a wonderful writer. Thank You James Herriott for the memories.

I am a huge fan of any of James Herriott's writing. I love to read. My daughter, however, has a reading disability and the whole reading process is tedious and frustrating for her. We usually read together. This was one book that she requested to read again and again and again. James Herriott's heartwarming stories translate well into the youthful reader's world. Even if you are not an animal lover, you will find yourself falling in love with the lovable creatures and their eclectic owners!

The Dark Portal
Robin Jarvis
R.Graves
P.5

This book called The Dark Portal is about bloodthirty gangs of rats that roam the sewer tunnels. In the depths of blackness lies the mysterious god Jupiter. This god Jupiter is the lord of all the rats in the sewer and the most powerful.All Fear his wrath of evil. But one curious mouse named Audrey can't resist this evil place beyond the Grill. But before the altar of Jupiter himself, a small group of mice must face his evil of the entire city of London could be destroyed.
The part that I liked was at the end when they all came face to face with Jupiter. Here are some quotes, "Never" said Audrey. "But you must," murmured Jupiter. "My will is yours. Climb up, I command you." These quotes were from when Audrey was alone with Jupiter in his lair.
He was trying to make her worship him but she wouldn't. If she didn't worship him he would kill her. Finally the rest of the mice came to save but they would have to put up a fight to save her. He had fallen into the sewer water and said "You cannot defeat me" as he was digging his claws into the brickwork. But deep in the water there was something strange that had sank Jupiter to his death. It was every mouse that Jupiter had tortured that had came to get him.
My favorite part was basically the whole book. I say this because it was filled with a lot of drama,suspense,and terror. This book was filled with all these things which is what I like. This author Robin Jarvis is a terrific writer. Who has a great imagination for everyone to read and to love. He also has two more books on the same line as this one, which I will be reading soon I hope. I can truly say that this is my favorite book of all time.

This book is great! It all starts when the dark magic lures innocent mouse Arthur into the sewers. In the sewers you will find rats with mousepeelers instead of hands, rats wearing mouse coats as a trophy of slaughtering an innocent mouse, and a dark rat god. It will keep you on the edge of your seat in suspense.

This is one of the most amazing books I've ever read!! Robin Jarvis does an excellent job of writing a gripping story about a small group of mice confronting an evil band of rats in the sewers under Deptford. It may also please you to know that the main character (and the hero) is a girl. It has lots of action and the climax is genuinely scary! If you like animal fantasy you will LOVE this book (though I should warn you that it gets near-impossible to put down!)

Okay, let's set the record straight here. "The Flight Of Dragons" _has no plot_. Some of these reviews are referring to the wonderful characters, amazing plot line, etc. Obviously, these people haven't read the book. This book is a scientific view on how dragons could have actually existed. It gives theories on how they breathed fire, flew, lived, etc., drawing on evidence from story lore and legend. Now, for those of you who are thinking of the _movie_ "The Flight Of Dragons", yes, the movie was based on this book. But it was only based on it in terms of how the dragons were designed. The (very) basic plot and the wonderful characters were taken from Gordon R. Dickson's amazing book "The Dragon And The George". But the book "The Flight Of Dragons" is much different from the movie. For one thing, Peter Dickenson views dragons as lethargic beasts with a dull intelligence. He included a chapter on dragon-slaying, which, to me, was something of the last straw. Also, some of the pictures done by Wayne Anderson are horrific. I especially "enjoyed" the photos in the back of art from around the world----one had a picture of a troll-like "dragon" eating a man's head! . . . Now, don't get me wrong. This is a good book. Some of the pictures are fantastic. And most of Peter Dickenson's theories----especially the one about why there are no fossils of dragons------were really neat. And I love his saying: "Remember. The dragons live. Inside us." It's a decent book. But I spent nearly a year trying desperately to get my hands on a copy, and while it is interesting and a valuable addition to my collection of dragon lore, I was disappointed. But maybe I shouldn't judge something on my own expectations (obviously). But I did want all to understand . . . the book and movie are very different. If you want to re-meet the characters of "The Flight Of Dragons" from the movie, read "The Dragon And The George", an excellent book. And give the book "The Flight Of Dragons" a try. Just don't set your expectations too high!

This book breathes new life into the world of fantasy. It is a compelling read, but backed with scientific evidence and explanation to make it credible. Also, it is a beautiful book with lots of full-color pictures and illustrations. Whether you believe in dragons or not, The Flight of Dragons is interesting and a wonderful conversation-piece. The book deserves more recognition than it has gotten in the U.S., and I consider myself extremely lucky for having found it in a second-hand bookstore and picking it up there. I had never heard of it before, and have never seen another copy, but I haven't been disappointed. And, by the way, I am NOT interested in selling mine!

This is a book for all of you out there who know that dragons are more than just fairytale creations to frighten small children. And for those of you who ARE convinced that dragons belong purely to fantasy, I invite you to come, read, and have your mind changed by this beautiful, engagingly written book. (It's science-friendly, too!) Peter Dickinson does a wonderful job of building up a theory by which dragons could once have truly roamed the skies and terrorized innocent villagers. His ideas are sound, his message clear, and through it all he maintains a tone which keeps the reader asking for more.

This is a good book which will help you to perform better in basic troubleshooting but it's not great as I was expected. The best part of this book is easy to read and understand. However for anyone who is preparing the CCNP, this book will be very much useful.

This book is well-written and accurate. The writing is easy to follow. I read it very quickly, but didn't notice any errors. I plan to keep it as a reference for when I need to troubleshoot particular internetworking problems. I think it will be quite useful for typical problems. (It's somewhat basic, so may not cover the more bizarre problems, but that's OK. No book can cover every possible problem.) I have never met the author, but he seems like a wise fellow, with a lot of good advice to offer to the Cisco networking professional. This book is an accomplishment that he should be proud of.

Normally, I wouldn't buy a text that involves Cisco routers/switches from anyone else other than Cisco Press; but, after researching the author's background (and since this was backed by IDG books, which has a pretty good record of publishing quality texts), I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed (well, only that I didn't purchased it sooner).

The book is excellent! When a book is about troubleshooting, I expect it to contain real-life situations that can help me at closing time, on a Friday afternoon. This book does not lack that, as opposed to Cisco Press' CIT guide. If you're a network engineer or administrator in-charge of administering and maintaining your Cisco environment, buy this book! I am sure you would not regret it.

Do not let the title put you off FOR ANY REASON! This book has answers for those devoted to their religion and for those with little or no religion at all - it is a fantastic book full of info about LIFE and actual reality.

But he sure writes and talks like one. I just attended a workshop with this man and I found it very helpful. The book has amazing insights into science and God. You begin thinking about the limits of science in explaining the function of consciousness in the universe. I read the book in one sitting and came away with the clarity of mind that helps me understand the function of our true self in the world. He spoke at our church about the ideas in his books. He really brings God to the common people. Check the book out and marvel at the universe and God's presence!

I just finished reading this, which couldn't have come at a better time for me. After the murder of a loved one a few months ago, I've been catapulted into a search for understanding that is taking me through science, religion, metaphysics, philosophy, meditation, with lots of tears along the way. I can't say I found this book comforting, but it seems to be pointing in the same direction as other reading I'm doing. Wonderful tour of the history of physics for the layperson, it's also a compelling argument for taking up meditation. I also recommend How to Know God, by Deepak Chopra. I know, I know, I thought so too, until a skeptical friend recommended it to me. Both are mind-expanding.

While its coverage is encyclopedic...the descriptions that go along with the multitude of entries are sparse and lean on information.

The idea behind the book is brilliant. I sincerely hope that in future editions the authors will choose to put more meat on at least some of the more mainstream subjects covered here.

This source book contains brief entries on thousands of topics on Catholic history, traditions, etc. You won't find detailed information - but that's not the purpose of the book. It's meant to provide quick facts. I use this as a starting place - this gives me enough information to carry on with a more extensive search elsewhere, if I want to know more.

This book is so informative! I'm new to the Catholic faith, and this book answers almost all my questions! A great book for newbies like me!

Ralston is hardly the first fighter to realize there is more to be gained from internal martial arts than the ability to knock people down effectively, but few if any have written as effectively or honestly about the connection between the principles that make internal martial arts work and the exploration of one's own physical and conscious being. Ralston's Cheng Hsin cannot be 'explained' by a book any more than internal martial art can be learned from a book, but Ralston offers the reader both concrete, valuable advice on training, and a way for the reader to begin his or her own study of the connection between internal martial arts and ontology. The book is dense; the dedicated student will find multiple readings rewarding.

Also recommended: William C.C. Chen, _Body Mechanics of Tai Chi Chuan_. Tai Chi pugilism straight-up, from a consummate teacher and master of the art.

Every once in a while you find a high impact book. Something that awakens something deep within and lasts forever. This is the one. It is a book that you can pick up time and time again and always gets something new out of it, or something deeper than you ever did before. It is written by a man who is one of the most courageous I have ever met, some one who dared to venture into experiences we might dream about and others that we might never have considered possible. It is about fundamental ways of being, of connecting with principles - a source - that somehow we find ourselves disconnected from, and to the degree that we are disconnected, disempowereed, distressed, even suffering (though we may not acknowledge it). This book is about the effortless joy and freedom and power in our humanity that is available to us all, right here, right now, in every moment. Peter Ralston has made a huge diffence in my life. Allow him into yours.

As an American with an interest in internal martial arts, I am often frustrated trying to understand, both conceptually and bodily, the meaning of the traditional Chinese terms for the principles that are the foundation of these arts. This book communicates these ideas in a refreshingly accessible way for English speakers without diluting their power. However, this book demands repeated readings. The concepts that are discussed are not easily communicated by language but are best understood through direct bodily experience. With perseverance and dilligent training these principles can transform the skill of any martial artist. This is an indispensable resource and the most enlightening book I have ever read on this subject. I highly recommend it.