I have about 38 "Serendipity Series" books from Cosgrove including about 15 printed in the 70's. I am now in my 20's and am adding to my collection. I understand that several of the books are out-of-print, and I am looking for those. I concur with others who want a complete set made available. I would also like to see a web site devoted to the books. I can't wait to read these to my children (when I have them).

Serendipity books are the best written books in childrens literature. Just this morning, up in the attick, I found 13 of my favorites. Also, in the box I found my stuffed animal, you know, the one you keep forever. Along with a cup of tea and a rainy day, I read, and re-read every book I owned. The lessons in these books tought me to be a better person (Little mouse on the Prarie) and connect with my brave friend leo...I highly recommend these books for your children, and you.

Hello to all Serendipity lovers
I have almost completed my collection of I believe at least 77 books from this series. I grew up reading and falling in love with all of the animals from Rhubarb to Fanny to Ming Ling. I encourage any reader (parent or child) to indulge themselves in the gorgeous illustrations and wonderful morals at the end of each story. Cosgrove and James have inspried me to start writing children's books on my own. I might be a famous author someday!

"Bitter Pills" is the real-life version of "Strong Medicine" by Arthur Hailey. With a very personal beginning resulting from his wife's near death and slow recovery from taking ONE PILL (Floxin), author Fried went on to find whether there were other victims (many), and why the drug was approved in the first place. Interviews in profusion show why the FDA has its problems. Examples are given of the tendency of drug companies to defend their drugs at any cost regardless of evidence. The end of the book contains addresses of many drug companies, organizations to whom to report adverse drug reactions, and a sample form to send to the FDA. Well thought-out advice for patients (or their helpmates) to investigate drugs are given. A number of other good books on the subject are listed.
Fried is to be congratulated for doing a very accurate job with a minimum number of accusations. I did not find a single technical error in the entire book, and I have about 12 years exploratory drug development and teaching about it as a professor of medicinal chemistry.
Even Fried may not have realized how many drugs not discussed in his book shorten life, because they are tested and accepted based on surrogate endpoints for short periods. This may not be so bad for antibiotics that are taken for two weeks, but can be very destructive for drugs intended to be taken for 20-40 years.

Five cheers! Have you ever taken a prescription drug? Has your doctor ever given you free samples and said, "Let's try this; it's new." Fried takes his wife's severe neuropsychiatric reaction to a new antibiotic as the jumping off point for a spell-binding review of the US drug approval process. I have some first-hand knowledge of the process, and found the book to be right on target (with a quibble over his account of his own emergency department visit). The book is especially timely this year, given the recent withdrawals of dexfenfluramine, fenfluramine, mibefradil, and bromfenac from the market,the growing realization of the dangers of troglitazone, and the push to force the FDA to move more quickly on drug approvals. Mr. Fried is to be commended for this stellar piece of work! We all send regards to his wife, Diane.

I didn't know about Stephen Fried and "Bitter Pills," much less quinolone antibiotics, until I myself was, like Mr. Fried's wife, "Floxed," just a few weeks ago. I began my search for information on reactions to quinolones after four days of gatifloxacin (brandname Tequin) left me with tingling and weak arms and legs, difficulty swallowing and breathing, visual disturbances, headaches, dizziness, and more. I seriously thought I had a stroke or Guillain Barre syndrome or rapid onset multiple sclerosis, I was so sick.

Let me say that first, Stephen Fried's book is an excellent overview of the circumstances of adverse drug reactions to quinolone antibiotics. And with the increased visibility and use of Cipro, and the ease with which doctors dispense heavy-hitting antibiotics like Levaquin and Tequin, I'm sure I'm not going to be the last person to suffer a reaction and end up being "Floxed" and needing the information and reassurance provided by this book.

But it is also much much more. It's an expose of the pharmaceutical industry's fast and loose way of dealing with drugs, drug safety and the American public. This is not a rant -- it's an impeccably researched and detailed presentation of the intricacies involved in drug approvals and tracking of adverse reactions that exposes the limitations of the system, and the dangers those limitations present to us as patients and consumers.

As a patient advocate and spokesperson for thyroid and autoimmune disease patients, I know all too well the feeling of being held hostage to big pharmaceutical companies at the expense of my health and wellness.

Stephen Fried has finally exposed and explained -- clearly and without rancor -- how the drug industry really works, and his book, including the excellent appendix on how to contact pharmaceutical companies, report adverse reactions, protect yourself against bad drugs, and generally protect yourself as a consumer -- is must-reading for every empowered patient or health consumer.

I highly recommend this book to doctors, patients, and anyone who prescribes or takes prescription drugs.

By showing the amazing collection of the American Museum of Visionary Art, this book provokes the reader to re-think the distinctions our society draws between genius and madness. I've actually been to the Museum in Baltimore and am thrilled that this artwork is now available on a large scale. This book may not be for everyone, but those willing to expose themselves to its often disturbing imagery will be rewarded.

"The End is Near" makes you yearn for Divine inspiration regardless of its source or circumstance. The artwork is stunning, the artist bios are awe-inspiring and the essays are thought provoking, empowering and spiritually comforting. This is an amazing gift to give to others...but do yourself a favor and give it to yourself first. And then go out and pick up a paintbrush, a pencil, or a piece of coal and create. This book will make you realize that the best art you ever see could be just below the surface of your own consciousness.

The End Is Near brings together interesting essays and most unsual artists. The quality of the images and paintings displayed in this book make it a MUST for any art collector and connoisseur of fine books. Essayists in this book bring new meaning to the art depicted. Visionary art and Outsider Art come together in this book beautifully. WELL DONE...a "must have".

This is a superb guide to world building, firmly grounded in physics yet pushing the envelope of imagination. It contains a number of fascinating ideas which I'm sure will add richness to my SF writing, and at the same time provides lots of useful equations for working out the details. The chapter on planets which might bear life "not as we know it" is the most fascinating, though far too short. However, my one complaint is about that chapter. Gillett is repeatedly too quick to assume that the absence of fire and uncorroded metals would trap an alien race in the Stone Age forever. An imaginative writer could surely think of other routes to technology. Overall, though, a splendid book and an invaluable resource for the hard-SF writer.

This is probably the best and only book that clearly states the current understanding of stars and formation/evolution of planets around them, in plain speech. The information is as extensive as it is scientifically accurate which is a great plus for an aspiring fiction writer who does not want to look over the countless pages of an Encyclopaedia Formulae on astrophysics. Besides the numerous formulas one needs to create a (scientifically) cohesive world, Gillett also gives many tidbits from the fiction writing over the course of time, allowing you to become familiar with the possibilities of several future technologies/discoveries. Also included are several studies of fictuous odd-ball worlds ( one is an ocean world filled with sulfuric acid). This book will likely be useful to the writer as well as the explorer within everyone.

Required reading if you're an aspiring SF Writer. This book provides the basic information needed to design an "authentic" planet that is scientifically consistant. Most of the equations are in sidebars so they can be easily located and entered in a spreadsheet making it easy to try out a variety of scenarios for your planet and its environment. The author has packed lots of information in a small book.

If you find this book useful you will also find "Energies: An Illustrated Guide to the Biosphere and Civilization" (available from Amazon) equally thought provoking and just as useful. While World-Building takes a look at planets in general it does focus on Earthlike planets in particular. Energies takes a wide-ranging look at Earth itself(its biomass, climate, animals and technology) with extensive charts, graphs and equations and fills in some areas where World-Building is thin. The books complement each other amazingly well. In addition, both list other references and resources for additional research.

My Father bought Up Front when it was released and I read the cartoons numerous times. Later, I read the text. This book does more to capture the human experience of war than any other of its time. It prefigures and anticipates the recent oral history books such as, "The Good War", "D-Day" and most recently, "Citizen Soldier". The last two, by the way, are well worth the read. Through Willy and Joe, Maulden protrayed the absurdity and the eternal human spirit in the everyday events that make up so much of the experience of war. The cartoons alone make this a book which even the most casual student of WWII should read. His text captures the experience on the ground, the mud and cold, the rain and heat, the boredem and fear and the workman like approach to war that made up the GI's life. Get it. Read it.

This book is, without a doubt, the greatest book on the World War II infantryman ever written. Why? Because it was written by and infantryman, for infantrymen. Sgt. Bill Mauldin claims on the first page that his business is drawing, not writing, and that his text is only there to back up the cartoons. However, the text is some of the most endearing, personal, and excellent works on WWII ever. Mauldin brings the war down from the lofty views of Generals and reporters to the personal level, to the point of giving you a basic narration of the average day in the life of an infantryman. The cartoons, naturally, are the main power behind the book, and they are, even to this day, still hilarious. Hilarious, but at the same time showing you the gripes and hardships of the average GI during the war. If you want to experience World War II from the GI's perspective, read this book!

I first read this book 20 years ago, as a senior in high school. My uncle, a Korean war-era Ranger, gave it to me. My Dad, a Vietnam infantryman, liked it too. Sadly, I lost that old, faded copy somewhere along the years.

Imagine my joy to find a reprint! The book means much more now that I can understand it. I've got 13 years in the Army myself, in Infantry and Special Forces. I'm a Major now, and I pay close attention to what Mauldin writes about officers. I want to be the kind of officer that he respects: always putting the welfare of my men first, respecting my men, and leading from the front. His narrative and comments are a constant reminder to me of the responsibility I hold for my soldiers.

If you are from the World War II era, you already know about Willie and Joe, and there's nothing new I can tell you. If you are an old soldier and you somehow have missed this book, then you are in for a treat. If you are a young soldier, or a prospective soldier, or the family of a soldier, then you NEED to read this book. For anyone else, it's a great window into a world that, thanks to some brave men 50 years ago, you will hopefully never have to see.

"German Boy, a Child in War"
Wolfgang W. E. Samuel
ISBN 0-7679-0824-4
2000

This autobiography of childhood by Wolfgang Samuel is the story of a German boy growing up during World War II. When the momentum of the war turned against Germany, the Russians attacked from the east and routed the German army and civilian population as well. The book recounts how Samuel and his family abandoned their home and possessions and fled for their lives. In the following years, they survived under circumstances that most of us can hardly imagine. This is a very touching story, largely about the writer‘s mother, who did whatever was necessary and paid any price for the survival of her children, the author and his younger sister. Although it is a story of deprivation and terror, it is also about acts of incredible courage and noble behavior under terrible circumstances by ordinary people.

This book is admirable in its originality and all the more powerful in having been written by the person who lived it. Above all, it is a remarkable story of courage and tenacity of the human spirit.

I bought this book because I was going on vacation and wanted something to read. Once I started it I could not put it down. Mr. Samuel's story is fascinating. I had no idea that for the German people the fallout from the war continued for many years. This book explains the horrors visited on people who were the victims of despots and murderers posing as "leaders". This story tells of his mother's struggle for the survival of the family. All of her actions were not perfect or moral choices but given his families desperate situation Mr. Samuels mother did what she thought had to be done to survive. I would think this caused pain to the author and was traumatic for a young boy.After many years Mr. Samuels has chosen to respect, forgive and understand his mother's actions in the context of the extreme circumstances with which they had to contend in post war Germany. I appreciated his heartfelt expression of gratitude for friends and strangers who helped the family. I was moved by the depth of his feeling for his grandparents. I was heartened by his continued optimism and his strong belief that America would offer him a better life. This book is a must read!

Review: German Boy is a beautifully written and moving story about life in Germany during the period 1945-1949. From the very beginning, I felt like I waa part of the ten year old German boy's world. His photographic memory retained the details of events and conversations which he relates in a pleasing and exciting manner. There is a universal message to be learned from the way the author saw the war, dictatorship and the goodness and badness in people. We are reminded that all human beings have the same hopes and fears. The reader will be surprised to discover how the author was influenced in 1948 by the United States humanitarian effort, - "The Berlin Airlift". I highly recommend this book, and predict that it will one of the top ten this year. A must Read Book

"There is little to be satisfied in reading this book"?? I couldn't disagree more. Bleak House left a profound impression on me, and was so utterly satisfying a reading experience that I wanted it never to end. I've read it twice over the years and look forward to reading it again. Definitely my favorite novel.

I don't know what the previous reviewer's demands are when reading a novel, but mine are these: the story must create its world - whatever and wherever that world might be - and make me BELIEVE it. If the novelist cannot create that world in my mind, and convince me of its truths, they've wasted my time (style doesn't matter - it can be clean and spare like Orwell or verbose like Dickens, because any style can work in the hands of someone who knows how to use it). Many novels fail this test, but Bleak House is not one of them.

Bleak House succeeds in creating a wonderfully dark and complex spider web of a world. On the surface it's unfamiliar: Victorian London and the court of Chancery - obviously no one alive today knows that world first hand. And yet as you read it you know it to be real: the deviousness, the longing, the secrets, the bureaucracy, the overblown egos, the unfairness of it all. Wait a minute... could that be because all those things still exist today?

But it's not all doom and gloom. It also has Dickens's many shades of humor: silliness, word play, comic dialogue, preposterous characters with mocking names, and of course a constant satirical edge. It also has anger and passion and tenderness.

I will grant one thing: if you don't love reading enough to get into the flow of Dickens's sentences, you'll probably feel like the previous reviewer that "...it goes on and on, in interminable detail and description...". It's a different dance rhythm folks, but well worth getting used to. If you have to, work your way up to it. Don't start with a biggie like Bleak House, start with one of his wonderful short pieces such as A Christmas Carol.

Dickens was a gifted storyteller and Bleak House is his masterpiece. If you love to dive into a book, read and enjoy this gem!

This is the second book by Dickens I have read so far, but it will not be the last. "Bleak House" is long, tightly plotted, wonderfully descriptive, and full of memorable characters. Dickens has written a vast story centered on the Jarndyce inheritance, and masterly manages the switches between third person omniscient narrator and first person limited narrator. His main character Esther never quite convinces me of her all-around goodness, but the novel is so well-written that I just took Esther as she was described and ran along with the story. In this book a poor boy (Jo) will be literally chased from places of refuge and thus provide Dickens with one of his most powerful ways to indict a system that was particularly cruel to children. Mr. Skimpole, pretending not to be interested in money; Mr. Jarndyce, generous and good; Richard, stupid and blind; the memorable Dedlocks, and My Lady Dedlock's secret being uncovered by the sinister Mr. Tulkinghorn; Mrs. Jellyby and her telescopic philanthropy; the Ironmaster described in Chapter 28, presenting quite a different view of industralization than that shown by Dickens in his next work, "Hard Times." Here is a veritable cosmos of people, neighbors, friends, enemies, lovers, rivals, sinners, and saints, and Dickens proves himself a true master at describing their lives and the environment they dwell in. There are landmark chapters: Chapter One must be the best description of a dismal city under attack by dismal weather and tightly tied by perfectly dismal laws, where the Lord Chancellor sits eternally in Lincoln's Inn Hall. Chapter 32 has one of the eeriest scenes ever written, with suspicious smoke, greasy and reeking, as a prelude to a grisly discovery. Chapter 47 is when Jo cannot "move along" anymore. This Norton Critical is perhaps the best edition of "Bleak House" so far: the footnotes help a lot, and the two Introductions are key to understanding the Law system at the time the action takes place, plus Dickens' interest in this particular topic. To round everything off, read also the criticism of our contemporaries, as well as that of Dickens' time. "Bleak House" is a long, complex novel that opens a window for us to another world. It is never boring and, appearances to the contrary, is not bleak. Enjoy.

After years without picking up a novel by Dickens (memories of starchy classes at school), I decided to plunge into "Bleak House", a novel that had been sitting on my bookshelf for about ten years, waiting to be read. Although I found it heavy going at first, mainly because the style is so unfamiliar to modern readers, after about ten pages I was swept up and carried off, unable to put the hefty tome down until I had finished it. This book is a definite classic. The sheer scope of the tale, the wit of the satire (which could still be applied to many legal proceedings today) and the believable characters gripped me up until the magnificent conclusion. One particularly striking thing is the "cinematic" aspect of certain chapters as they switch between different angles, building up to a pitch that leaves the reader breathless. I can't recommend "Bleak House" too highly. And I won't wait so long before reading more Dickens novels.

heard the taped version of stephen covey's the 7 habits of highly effective families . . . this was good, though not quite in the league of covery's most famous book, the 7 habits of highly effective people (put this latter one in your MUST READ category) . . . in highly effective families, covey relates the following habits to everyday family situations: 1. Be Proactive 2. Begin with the End in Mind 3. Put First Things First 4. Think "Win-Win" 5. Seek First to Understand . . . Then to be Understood 6. Synergize 7. Sharpen the Saw

i liked the countless examples that were used, along wtih the author's commonsense approach . . . one section, in particular, caught my attention . . . covey notes: The Emotional Bank Accountrepresents the quality of the relationship ou have with others. It's like a finanical bank account in that you can make "deposits," by proactively doing things that build trust in the relationship, or you can make "withdrawals," by reactively doing things that decrease the level of trust. And at any given time the balance of trust in the account determines how well you can communicate and solve porblems with another person.

he then proceeds to list some specific ideas--some "deposits" you can make in your own family--that may be helpful; e.g.: Being Kind, Apologizing, Being Loyal to Those Not Present, Making and Keeping Promises, and Forgiving.

In introducing "7 Habits for Highly Effective families," Covey writes that societal forces have changed, and that we can no longer rely on a family-friendly society to help us with our families. That approach, which he termed the "outside-in" approach was useful in the middle of the 20th century. But at the turn of the century, when societal forces are combining to undermine the family, Covey argues that we need an "inside-out" approach, where we take greater care as parents to create a family culture that encourages goodness, morality and love.

With that premise in mind, Covey applies the 7 Habits to family life. I'm not familiar with the 7 Habits as they are applied to individuals, but as I've tried to apply them in my family I've been impressed by the results. As a husband and father, I feel as if I now have a set of tools to build and strengthen my family, and an understanding of how to use them.

The use of the word "effective" in the title is a somewhat misleading. When you think of what you want from a family, you probably don't think of "effective", you probably think of "warm", "supportive" or some similar term.

But don't be thrown off. This book is an accurate guide to all of the positive things that we all want for our family. It cuts through the noise and points directly at the things that will lead to success in family life.

For those that have read "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" (another excellent book), this follows the same principles but is more than just a re-packaging of the material. The discussions on how to apply the principles to family life is well worth going over it again.

THE BEST AVAILABLE GUIDE TO LUCID DREAMING!

Although this inspiring book presents a new model of dreaming and consciousness, its approach is primarily practical, covering methods for inducing lucid dreams, and a variety of applications. LaBerge also includes a brief history of his scientific research; all is presented in an engaging and comprehensible manner. Reading the book gave me an appreciation for his dedicated pioneering in the field of mind/body mapping and the ingeniousness of his lucid dream induction methods and devices.

This book offers the most extensive collection of step-by-step techniques for increasing consciousness during sleep. It also includes accounts of what a variety of lucid dreamers have done with their dream lives. For me, the most important point was how the same skills and mindfulness developed through learning to lucid dream can also deeply enhance one's waking life.

Why sleep through dreams (and sleepwalk through waking life) when lucidity is a learnable skill? This excellent, easy-to-follow guide is essential reading for dream explorers of all levels of experience.

Lucid dreaming, i.e. dreaming with full awareness, is one of the most ecstatic experiences open to human beings. Yet creating this state of bliss has traditionally been difficult - the naive approach of autosuggestion produces only very low success rates.

In "Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming", Stephen LaBerge discusses far more efficient techniques, including one pioneered by himself - MILD, or Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams. He explains how to create conditions conducive to lucid dreaming, how to prolong a lucid dream once one has one, and how to use lucid dreams for creative problem solving, health, entertainment and spiritual growth.

I should point out, however, that there is no miracle method for having lucid dreams instantanously. The techniques that this book offers still need to be exercised, patiently and diligently over a period of weeks if not months before results will start to materialize. But if you are willing and motivated to invest the necessary work and effort, this book will be one of the best guides there is. For those readers who prefer a simple, step-by-step approach, I would also recommend "Lucid Dreams in 30 Days" by Keith Harary and Pamela Weintraub.

I have to admit this is the best book for the price on the market with scientific proof and probability of occurences for lucid dreaming. I have been trying months to have out of body experiences/partial dream ones and/or lucid dreaming and have to admit this book is very detailed explained and I have accomplished it with this book which many other books failed. I have looked at other books on awareness exercises, this one even talks about it in depth more and not to mention the WILD/MILD techniques are worth the price alone cause I had a lucid experience with those tehchniques atleast once every second day after reading their FAQ, I had to buy the book to support this author and found out there are many more treasures/techniques in this book which I can't wait to try out. This is my second best book on the market I will cherish and come back to many times, the other one is power of the subconscious mind by murphy, two of my favorite psychology books.

A great book for the large, multimillion-dollar corporate, government, B2B complex sales executive looking to enhance, hone and build their sales strategies. The New Strategic Selling system focuses on the big fish. Many tactics and ideas may apply to smaller business sales opportunities but the main focus is toward major corporate accounts where the sale must funnel through multiple channels before closing versus smaller business accounts.

I have many years of industrial sales experience, and I started my own manufacturing business with venture capital financing (Big time selling). This book has the best approach to strategic selling that I have encountered. I read it to get recharged and check my practices. I recommend it to all new sales people.

Many times a sales person can get confused identifying the players, the probability of change, the timing, the competition, the politics of a sales opportunity. Following the Strategic Selling process lays out an effective plan that leverages the key benefits of the sellers/buyers solution, and minimizes price as the principle buying criteria. Strategic Selling provides a process for what successful sale people do consistently-Plan. This book lays out a process that is also a two day class used by many global corporation's sales forces. The book is not a replacement for the class, but if you are selling B2B the process is well documented, and will put you on the right track. I have been teaching and using this process for 13 years and I have not found a better sales opportunity planning process. I think you can learn more from this book than from 100 sales calls.