GBS wrote play with "approaching audiences as citizens capable of thought and prompting them to think imaginatively to some purpose" in mind, as Margery Morgan says. And there are plenty for one to think seriously about in Major Barbara.

The most interesting is his conviction that no money is untainted. That's interesting because it means the donations and public fundings the environmentalists take in come from no less than the evil polluters themselves, perhaps feeling, which GBS rightly agreed, as the Salvation Army would that they "...will take money from the Devil himself sooner than abandon the work of Salvation." But GBS also wrote in the preface that while he is okay to accept tainted money, "He must either share the world's guilt or go to another planet." From what I can gather from the preface and play, GBS believed money is the key to solve all the problems we have, hence his mentioning of Samuel Butler and his "constant sense of the importance of money," and his low opinion of Ruskin and Kroptokin, for whom, "law is consequence of the tendency of human beings to oppress fellow humans; it is reinforced by violence." Kropotkin also "provides evidence from the animal kingdom to prove that species which practices mutual aid multiply faster than others. Opposing all State power, he advocates the abolition of states, and of private property, and the transforming of humankind into a federation of mutual aid communities. According to him, capitalism cannot achieve full productivity, for it amis at maximum profits instead of production for human needs. All persons, including intellectuals, should practice manual labor. Goods should be distributed according to individual needs." (Guy de Mallac, The Widsom of Humankind by Leo Tolstoy.)

If GBS wasn't joking, then the following should be one of the most controversial ideas he raised in the preface to the play. I quote: "It would be far more sensible to put up with their vices...until they give more trouble than they are worth, at which point we should, with many apologies and expressions of sympathy and some generosity in complying with their last wishes, place them in the lethal chamber and get rid of them." Did he really mean that if you are a rapist once, you can be free and "put up with," but if you keep getting drunk (a vice), or slightly more seriously, stealing, you should be beheaded?

Shaw can be absolutely captivating even when he is being an evangelist for political philosophies that the twentieth century has proven to be nothing but vehicles for repression and mass murder (Communism - Shaw approved of Lenin even when the evidence showed him to be pure evil). This play-among his best (if you can see the movie with Rex Harrison, do not miss it)- has such brilliant dialogue and sparkling humor that it is easy to forget that one is being preached to. Shaw thinks human evil is due to socially deprived environments. Ergo, pour money into poor neighborhoods and social evils will vanish. Unfortunately for Shaw's argument, poverty and human evil are two different things entirely and only intersect occasionally and coincidently. The poor can be poor due to lack of opportunity or due to a culture of self-destructiveness (illegitmacy, drug/alcohol use, disdain for values that lead to achievement, disdain for skills that lead to steady employability). It is difficult to sustain an argument that the poor in the USA are so due to a lack of opportunity when recent immigrants have pretty much taken the available opportunities and ran with them, rapidly entering the middle classes within a generation of arriving here. Shaw simply cannot believe that anyone would choose to remain poor. Well, they can and do, when getting ahead means putting in 40+ hours a week, and not loafing all day on a street corner in an inebriated/stoned condition. Accepting that fact would have saved millions of lives that were sacrificed in the last century in the attempt to build a perfect "worker's paradise".
Leaving the silly premise behind the play aside, Shaw has crafted a startling piece of theatre and uses his magisterial command of the English language to amuse, provoke, and amaze the audience.

The playwright uncovers the debate about war and pacifism. Shaw also illuminates the poverty industry, and shows that all money is tainted. The play is a vehicle for a debate on philosophies, the burning issues of the day. Shaw shows that the audience can laugh and think, in the same play. Probably Britain's best known playwright, after Shakespeare, Shaw shines in Major Barbara

As an OT you are often in doubt of what to do for your cliet. This book helps you to gather your knowledge and focus it on the actual problem. Almost everything is there. A great book to get ideeas! But don't take it for a bible. Remember - You have to add yor own exprinces and, perhaps,a'lot of other sources to solve the problem. Never forget you and your knowledge is the most valuable resource for your client.

This book has been very informative. It has an abundance of information. As a new grad I refer to this book often and I have found it very helpful.

As a current OT student, this book is wonderful! The pictures and the understandable language is great!! This book helps with the understanding of the OT profession. I only hope that you get out of it what I have!!

If you're looking for a good read with some funny situations and interesting holidays - get this book. Each story is unique and a fast read. I disagree with the reviewer who said the stories were cliche. I thought the characters were interesting and quirky with the only cliche being that they each found "true love" in different settings and that really isn't cliche - it's a romance novel. Sit back with your cup of tea or coffee, a snack and enjoy this novel. You won't be sorry.

As in many anthologies, they are often more difficult to write than standard length publications. The writing must be fast in order to keep the flow and continuity from one story to the next. I thoroughly enjoyed "Romancing the Holidays". This isn't your standard, one-holiday anthology. There's everything from Jewish holiday traditions to Halloween. What a surprise and quite refreshing! If you'd like a fun-filled, whimsical, fantasy anthology, this is the one for you. I kept on reading until the last story was over!

As in all anthologies, writers are faced with pacing their stories faster and to the point. Authors must keep those stories flowing. Stories like these are often much more difficult to write than standard, romance-length publications. But I found the stories in "Romancing the Holidays" greatly enjoyable, light-hearted and extremely imaginative. I went from one story to the next without putting the book down. And what a wonderful premise! It's highly unusual to find a series of short romances based upon different holiday themes. Any lover of the romance genre will happily embrace these stories. Whimsical, fantasy-filled, fun and original, if you like stories about holidays, filled with romance and happiness, "Romancing the Holidays" is a great read! This isn't just your typical over-done, one-holiday anthology. There's everything from romances in the Jewish holiday tradition, to Halloween and everything in between. Very original!

BUD AND ME is one of those books that hold you spellbound while all of the time you are saying to yourself "this can't be true"...and yet, there are the photos to prove the story. My uncle was the stepson of Jack Abernathy, the Oklahoma US Marshall whose sons, Temple and Bud, journeyed across the US on horses, elephants, donkeys, cars and motorcycles. I have heard these stories for years and I must admit took them with a grain of salt...until this book was published. Now I believe! Anyone, whatever their age, with a little bit of wanderlust in their soul will have a very difficult time putting this book down. Can you imagine two lads 5 and 9 (I think this is close to their ages)walking to school today, much less from ocean to ocean on horseback...alone? Read about it...and read it to your kids and grandkids. For them to repeat this feat today would be more than a little difficult. But it certainly can teach them a little self reliance and independence...which can't hurt them at all!

This is my second review of this book. I use to teach fourth grade and read the last edition to my students for Oklahoma. What a joy. We wrote to Alta Abernathy, the author, and she wrote back to us. I'm not sure if she is still alive or not, but would love to know. What a wonderful book. I now teach third grade and still read this wonderful book to my students. I blew the pictures up and made a map for each child to follow all those boys adventures. A must read for all children and adults who love adventure. Jeannie Scott

In today's culture, it is hard to imagine two boys accomplishing everything that Bud and Temple Abernathy did. But they did do some wonderful things, and along the way became young ambassadors for the Southwest in 1910. It is great reading if you are 8 or 80. The book also gives readers a concept of what life was like at the beginning of this century as times changed before their eyes with each mile. The boys meet representatives of the old ways (Chief Quannah Parker) and the new (The Wright Brothers.) Just to name a few. Very enjoyable reading just by yourself and/or a book that you will want to read over and over to your children.

I enjoyed reading Ghosts in the Gallery. Jenny is an endearing character who wins your heart. Who wouldn't love a poor orphan child left to the mercy of relatives she has never met? The mystery is well written and keeps the reader guessing about what will happen next. At times it was difficult to keep all of the characters straight, but all comes together in the end. Barbara Brooks Moore writes in such detail that the reader feels as if she were at Graymark Manor itself.

Jenny had tragically lost her parents by the time she turned eleven years old. Although American, Jenny had lived her whole life in China and had no one to take care of her once her parents were gone. Prior to her death, her mother made arrangements for Jenny to travel to America to live with her only remaining living relative, her paternal grandfather Graymark. Upon arrival at Graymark Manor, however, she was told that, in fact, no arrangements had been made, it was not believed that she was actually related to the family she found there, and the only way Jenny would be permitted to stay would be as a servant. As Jenny slowly met and learned more of each of the family members and fellow servants, the truth about what was going on in this dark, mysterious house became more and more elusive, and we are taught that things are not always as they seem! Wallace's wonderful imagery and array of characters make for an exciting adventure into the past. This is historical fiction and suspense at their best, keeping the reader guessing until the very end. Although recommended for ages 8 and up, I would personally think it more appropriate for ages 10 and up.

Growing up as one of the few Americans in China during the Victorian era, young Jenny never knew her real father, who died when she was just an infant. The only father she knows is the kindly man who married her mother when she was a young widow struggling to provide for herself and baby Jenny. The three of them lived a spare but comfortable life over the years. But sudden tragedy strikes Jenny when she is just eleven, when her stepfather and mother die within weeks of each other. On her deathbed, Jenny's mother provides her with the instructions and money neccesary to make the long voyage to the American east coast to live with her paternal grandfather. Along the miserable ocean crossing and railroad trip across the United States, the one thing comforting Jenny is the fact that she will soon be with her grandfather, safe and loved. Instead, she arrives to misery: her mother's letter never arrived, her grandfather is ailing, and her uncle does not believe that Jenny is his niece, but is trying to swindle the family fortune. So Jenny is sent to a dank room in the cellar to become a servant. With many mysterious people surrounding her, she begins to wonder just what is going on in gloomy Graymark House, and whether someone could possibly be plotting against her. Bringing to life a brave, resourceful young girl, this novel spins a dark tale of treachery and sinister plots set against a shadowy 19th-century backdrop.

This book is about a girl who goes to England on a trip. On that trip she meets a boy that confuses her, and maybe teaches her something about herself. This is a very emotional book told from two different points of view.

Beheaded, Survived despite it's slightly gruesome title, is actually quite peaceful in all. The heroine, Jane is a fourteen-year-old girl with diabetes, who goes on a trip to England with her cheerleader-type older sister. Barbara Williams has a great sense of word-painting and a Sense Of Humor! I would like to find more of her books!

This was a very helpful book on how fluids and electrolytes work in the body

I have purchased this series for peds, med surg and fluids & electrolytes and critical care nursing. Without fail other students want these books. Class lecture follows these books nearly verbatim. Thus I can follow along in the book while listening. I don't even need to take seperate notes. Although sometimes I do write notations in the columns when my teacher stresses a particular point. The diskette that comes with the series is the best review that I have found. I am on the Dean's List in part to this series.

Jeremy Isn't Hungry - this is an adorable book that any mom can relate to! I bet most older siblings can relate to as well. The author, Barbara Williams wrote the story to be sweet and funny.

This book had me, my husband, and our 6 yr old daughter giggling and laughing from beginning to end. The story describes the woes of a mother and her kindergarten-age boy as he attempts to feed his baby brother while she showers and dresses in preparation for a school meeting. This tale really hit home, as we have encountered similar humorous consequences in our own home with our daughter and her baby brother.

An awesome way to ignite (or re-ignite) passion in your marriage. This was a great idea. The mystery, the romance, the anticipation is all wonderful! It is heightened by the fact that all of this is done to glorify God!

I HIGHLY reccomend this for couples (married of course) of all ages!

This is more than a book. It is a resource package for married Christian couples. No, there's nothing earth-shattering here, but the book gives so much background information about God's gift of sex. This, coupled with the 24 fantastic date ideas, is sure to renew any marriage bed!

My husband and I have loved doing the "date nights" in this book. I feel so special when he is planning and carrying out his dates, and I feel so close to him while I am planning and carrying out my dates! This is a great plan and so easy to follow! I highly reccommend it!!

good book

Psychology in Action by Karen Huffman, et.a

A terrific general psych book for the beginning of my psychology study. Very general, good intro into basic study. Easy to study from.