It is a shame that so much of Gertrude Stein's work is dismissed because of its unconventionality. Though sometimes difficult to read, Stein's writing has a lyrical quality about it unparalleled by the work of other writers. The Making of Americans is probably one of her best, and well worth the effort it might take to read it. I found that after only a few pages, I was moved along by the rhythm and cadence that carries the story. A wonderful read!

What starts of as an anecdotal recounting of what I imagine is Stein's forefathers and foremothers immigrant experience launches off into a brilliant, highly intellectual examination and rhapsody of individuality and conformity among other things (like death and consciousness and the battle between the sexes). This book will literally change the way you think you think. I think it should.

this is a wonderful childrens book. i am very fond of all of william joyces writings and illstrations, and this book certianly did'nt dissapoint me.

Then And Now Stories is a wonderfully presented anthology of ten enjoyable and original stories for children and young adults. The imaginative, diverse, and adventurous stories by Gertrude Stonesifer include An Unexpected Visitor; A Frightening Incident; Midnight; Kim's Wish; A Cat Named Grizzly Griswold; The Adventures of Whisker, Templeton, John Paul II; Mary Lou's Adventure; Jonathan's Walk in the Woods; Timmy Tadpole Grows Up; and The Cricket's Song. A fun book, and ideal for reading aloud at bedtime, Then And Now Stories is enhanced with occasional, whimsical, "blue-and-white" illustrations by William Nelson and Gertrude Stonesifer.

This is such a gentle, old-fashioned little book that it is a small miracle it's still around. It's about Jamie, a mute boy who lives with his sisters and widowed father in the hollows of Appalachia. The boy feels like he can't do anything and isn't special in any way, until Christmastime, when a teacher offers him a chance to be a shepherd in the school Christmas pageant. This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to him. But then the pageant is cancelled because of a blizzard, destroying his dream.

In the end, a poor, traveling couple appear. The woman is about to have a baby, and they are looking for any place, even a barn, to spend the night, but so far no one has had any room for them (Sound familiar?) Jamie's family gives them shelter, the woman has her baby, and finally Jamie gets his chance to be a shepherd -- he shows up in costume to bring the new baby a gift, and to speak his very first words. A Christmas miracle!

One of the things I love most about this book is the fact that Jamie is far from a perfect little boy, but the author obviously loves him and makes us love him and recognize that his anger and tantrums come from frustration over his handicap. No one yells at Jamie and tells him to behave. They find ways to help him behave. There is a Christian spirit of love and generosity coursing through Rebecca Caudill's portrait of this child.

An earlier reviewer was offended by how "unrealistic" the ending seemed. I don't think that's really true. Early in the book, Jamie's father talks to a doctor, who tells him that Jamie is physically capable of speaking, but he needs help learning to do so, help the family can not afford. Jamie's inability to speak seems to be more a matter of trauma (his mother died giving birth to him) than anything physical, and so it does not seem remotely unrealistic for him to be healed when something in his life gives him a sense of importance. He simply has to speak to this miraculous child!

But more than that, this is a Christmas story. And if we can't make room in a Christmas story for miracles, when can we?

This book is a family favorite. We read it aloud nearly every Christmas, along with "A Christmas Carol," "Gift of the Magi" and "Whistlin' Dick's Christmas."
I can never read it without choking up, and my kids end up finishing it for me. A real heart-warmer.

this is a great story .... I read it to the Rotary Club members several years ago and all felt the Spirit of Christmas.

Any serious student of factorial experimental design techniques should definitely read this book. It has a level of detail and sufficient explanation to move any practionier's competence along to the next level.

This book, however, is a bit too technically oriented for the begineer.

Gertrude Cox and William Cochran were both famous statisticians who were extremely good writers. This was the book on experimental designs in 1958 with a wealth of information on randomized block, factorial and fractional factorial designs. It is still a very useful and practical reference. However it does not include the modern advance in robust designs that can be found in a text like the recent one by Wu and Hamada. Box, Hunter and Hunter "Statistics for Experimenters" is another excellent text on the classical and practical designs in engineering and agricultural experiments.