The Very Hungry Caterpillar board book

Amazon.com Reviews

"In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." So begins Eric Carle's modern classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. More than 12 million copies of this book have been sold in its original, full-sized edition, and the beloved tale of science and gluttony has been translated into 20 languages. This five-by-four-inch miniature edition is truly tiny, with tiny type, but it is a nice size for small hands to hold and flip through the pictures. Despite its diminished state, the book is complete in every detail, following the ravenous caterpillar's path as he eats his way through one apple (and the pages of the book itself) on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, through cherry pie and sausage--until he is really fat and has a stomachache. And no doubt you know what happens next! Kids love butterfly metamorphosis stories, and this popular favorite teaches counting and the days of the week, too. A fun gift package for caterpillar fans. (Baby to preschool) --Karin Snelson

Customer Reviews:

Shipment Delay.......2007-10-09

The book was in excellent condition, but we did not receive it until at least a week after all the other items we had ordered were received. They were all going to be mailed to our grandson, so it was a little frustrating to have to wait on this one item.

Best of Eric Carle.......2007-09-15

This is one of Carle's best books (along with Brown Bear, Brown Bear). It teaches counting to 5, the days of the week, and how caterpillars become butterflies. The illustrations are, of course, stunning. My daughter has enjoyed this book since she was about 8 months old.

love it.......2007-09-09

My baby loves this book. It's an easy read. I read it to my 3 month old, who loves it. It has little holes where the caterpillar chews through the book.

My baby loves it!.......2007-09-06

My 11 month old will sit and "read" this book for minutes at a time (that's a long time for toddlers)! She loves the different sized pages and tries to stick her fingers through the holes. Eric Carle is a brilliant author/illustrator. You're safe buying ANY of his books.

Classic!.......2007-09-05

My one year old and my four year old love this book. They especially love the fruit on the pages, with holes where the Hungry Caterpillar ate through. A great book with lovely pictures.

Average customer rating:

For new baby
Good all-around baby book
Don't Like the Message
Family favorite
Wonderful - this really is a very good book

Guess How Much I Love You
Sam McBratney
Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 076360013X
Release Date: 1996-03-06

Amazon.com

All children want reassurance that their parents' love runs wide and deep. In Guess How Much I Love You, a young rabbit named Little Nutbrown Hare thinks he's found a way to measure the boundaries of love. In a heartwarming twist on the "I-can-do-anything-you-can-do-better" theme, Little Nutbrown Hare goes through a series of declarations regarding the breadth of his love for Big Nutbrown Hare. But even when his feelings stretch as long as his arms, or as high as his hops, Little Nutbrown Hare is fondly one-upped by the elder rabbit's more expansive love.

Anita Jeram's illustrations are bound to elicit an "aw" from even the sternest of readers; these loving rabbits are expressive, endearing, and never cloying. In turn, Sam McBratney tells a simple bedtime story of sweet familial love with humor, insight, and a delightful surprise at the end. Children and parents will love snuggling up for this one--a treat to be read again and again, just before the lights are turned out. (Click to see a sample spread. Text © 1994 by Sam McBratney. Illustrations © 1994 by Anita Jeram. Permission from Candlewick Press.) (Ages 4 to 8)

Book Description

The American Booksellers Book of the Year nominee is available as a sturdy board book for the youngest of children. Little Nutbrown Hare wants to show Big Nutbrown Hare how very much he loves him - but love as big as his is very hard to measure!

Customer Reviews:

For new baby.......2007-09-22

The first time I heard of this book was in my childbirth class. I loved it so much I had to buy it. I'm hoping it will become one of my baby's favorite books.

Good all-around baby book.......2007-09-19

I bought this baby book based on the reviews and the fact that Guess How Much I Love You is one of my favorite children's books. The book does a nice job of asking enough questions to make a complete record for your baby without being overly burdensome. Some of the other books I looked at seriously asked what the weather was on the day you found out your were pregnant. Seriously, who would care about that? This baby book also gives great suggestions for a few pictures which is helpful--like the place to put a picture of you pregnant. I am very pleased.

Don't Like the Message.......2007-09-15

I know many people love this book. I don't know why. We received one as a gift, and after reading it to my daughter, I was disturbed by the story. I felt sorry for the bunny whose parent invalidated his expression of love on each page. As many other reviewers said, it was a competition the adult wouldn't let the child win. This book contains a mean-spirited, misguided, sad, and disturbing message.

Family favorite.......2007-08-01

"Guess how much I love you" is a classic. The story is a simple dialog between a big rabbit (the parent) and a little rabbit (the baby), each professing and comparing the depth & "height" of their love for each other. We read this book almost every day to our infant daughter. She loves the watercolor illustrations & coos at the pictures. A lovely addition to a kid' book collection.

Wonderful - this really is a very good book.......2007-07-24

This is a fabulous book for little children and the grownups who read to them. When children are read to daily, they learn to love reading. Perfect bedtime stories, to calm everyone down and make us ready for sweet dreams. If you can find the LARGE size book get it- they're fabulous keepsakes. Perfect gifts for any child, and a perfect tradition in your own home and family!

Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days

Average customer rating:

Great content, awful format
Interesting Read
As Good as Everyone is Saying...Just Buy It!
Better than the 7 Harry Potter books together
A Mars Bar for your Soul

Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days
Jessica Livingston
Manufacturer: Apress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

High-Tech | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

ASIN: 1590597141

Book Description

For would-be entrepreneurs, innovation managers or just anyone fascinated by the special chemistry and drive that created some of the best technology companies in the world, this book offers both wisdom and engaging insights—straight from the source.

— Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine, and author of The Long Tail

"All the best things that I did at Apple came from (a) not having money and (b) not having done it before, ever." —Steve Wozniak, Apple

Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days is a collection of interviews with founders of famous technology companies about what happened in the very earliest days. These people are celebrities now. What was it like when they were just a couple friends with an idea? Founders like Steve Wozniak (Apple), Caterina Fake (Flickr), Mitch Kapor (Lotus), Max Levchin (PayPal), and Sabeer Bhatia (Hotmail) tell you in their own words about their surprising and often very funny discoveries as they learned how to build a company.

Where did they get the ideas that made them rich? How did they convince investors to back them? What went wrong, and how did they recover?

Nearly all technical people have thought of one day starting or working for a startup. For them, this book is the closest you can come to being a fly on the wall at a successful startup, to learn how it's done.

But ultimately these interviews are required reading for anyone who wants to understand business, because startups are business reduced to its essence. The reason their founders become rich is that startups do what businessesdo—create value—more intensively than almost any other part of the economy. How? What are the secrets that make successful startups so insanely productive? Read this book, and let the founders themselves tell you.

Customer Reviews:

Great content, awful format.......2007-09-20

There's plenty of great information here, as all the other reviews said. But this interview format is really excruciating to read. Casual speech is very hard to transcribe in such a way that it becomes readable. This is why journalists and other writers are trained in how to reduce a long, tangential speech into something meaningful and clear. These interviews tend to run on and on and on, with the subjects jumping around, sometimes contradicting themselves, or misspeaking; all the stuff we do when talking, but which doesn't really matter in conversation, where other cues like body language make up for it. It really takes a lot of work to read this stuff, you're constantly having to hear the subject "out loud" in your head for it to make sense.

This book's easily twice as long as it could be if these interviews were edited down to a few really useful pages each. Or better: rewritten as short essays.

Interesting Read.......2007-09-19

Founders at Work is a fairly interesting read but lacks some depth. I'm the founder of a startup at the moment and am always keen to learn more about other founder's stories. The structure of this book is more like an interview with the interviewer rarely delving into the deeper human emotions, problems, issues, feelings etc of the founders. This really gives a basic "guided story" approach about each of the founders without any "pearls of wisdom" or "lessons learned".

Good for a single read or the average person who has an interest in technology startups from a founder's perspective, not worth being made into a hardcover.

As Good as Everyone is Saying...Just Buy It!.......2007-09-16

Loved this book. The interviewer asked a similar set of questions for all participants yet improvised when needed to follow an interesting train of thought to it's natural conclusion. All of the participants were refreshingly candid. Almost as if they were unloading on a therapist. Each interview is just long enough to feel complete but not so long as to feel redundant. On another note, I'm pretty anal when it comes to the physical presentation of a book and this one passes all my criteria: Decent margins, pleasant type face, good line space and font sizes, flexible spine stays open easily without trying to close itself, and easy to browse logical organization. If you're an entrepreneur working on tech start up this is one of the few "must read" books.

Better than the 7 Harry Potter books together.......2007-08-12

Better than the 7 Harry Potter books together (wich is a bad comparison as I didn't like them that much). The book is a collection of interviews with founders of famous technology companies about what happened in the very earliest days and later. Within each interviews, you'll catch dozen of interesting infos. Believe me , when you start it, you'll finish it within the week.

A Mars Bar for your Soul.......2007-08-02

Hey, maybe I'm just an old-fashioned chocaholic but books like this are what I turn to to get a lift.

In the same way a quick snack on a Mars Bar gives me a physical energy boost, I get a spiritual boost from reading about other people's struggles. An author needs a special style to pull off this kind of book and Jessica Livingston deftly steers the reminiscing. Maybe the book is just well-edited but there were many times when I think she asked just the perfect next question to keep the stories flowing.

I wish I'd been in the room.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful healing tool for dog lovers who have lost their pet.
Dogs enjoy Heaven
To help a bereaved dog owner
Dog Heaven
This book should be in every vet's waiting room

Dog Heaven
Cynthia Rylant
Manufacturer: Blue Sky Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Short Story Collections | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0590417010

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful healing tool for dog lovers who have lost their pet........2007-10-06

This book offers peace as well as humor to those attempting to deal with the loss of their beloved dog. The illustrations are priceless, and the dialogue reminds us that dogs do, after all, go to heaven. I have bought numerous copies for friends in need, and they have all been so grateful!

Dogs enjoy Heaven.......2007-09-24

When my two young friends, boys aged 6 and 10 lost their lifetime friend, Charlie-the beagle, to illnes, I purchased several books to help them formulate their own feelings and perhaps talk about their loss.
This book stimulated the most conversation. The idea of 'Charlie' going to a special, dog-friendly, place in Heaven brought a few smiles as they read. This was a good 'read together' book for those under 7 years of age.

To help a bereaved dog owner.......2007-08-09

I first saw this book mentioned in the AKC magazine as an appropriate title for a bereaved dog owner. I am sure that, for an owner who had lossed a loved canine, this book would be a simple affirmation of the dog's importance. The book would also call up memories of precious times.

Dog Heaven.......2007-07-16

It was sweet, but I had expected and hoped for more. We just lost a dog after over 11 1/2 years and were looking for a book to really help the children cope. It was just alright.

This book should be in every vet's waiting room.......2007-06-25

Found this book in the veterinary ER waiting room the night we took in our 16 year old dog, and had to put her down. My 8 year old son couldn't stay in the exam room while they did the procedure, but found this book and read it out loud to me while it was happening, and then went into the room afterwards and read it to his dad and 2 sisters. I was so impressed I bought us a copy for my pastor-husband's office, and then 2 more copies for family members who responded to my email about losing our dog and my son reading this book to the family. I cannot say how much this helped our family.

Average customer rating:

A good one
MMMmmmm, meatballs....
cute story, incredible illustration
great for kids >=3
wow, memories

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Judi Barrett
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689707495

Book Description

If food dropped like rain from the sky, wouldn't it be marvelous! Or would it? It could, after all, be messy. And you'd have no choice. What if you didn't like what fell? Or what if too much came? Have you ever thought of what it might be like to be squashed flat by a pancake?

Customer Reviews:

A good one.......2007-10-01

This is one of my kids' favorites. A bit longer than most of the bedtime stories I read, but they really like it.

MMMmmmm, meatballs...........2007-09-25

This was one of my absolute favorite books when I was a child. It was silly enough to keep my attention, but not too silly as to be unbelievable. I WANTED to believe the town of Chewandswallow was real, and I wanted to live there! I still do! I still have my copy, which is now almost 30 years old- and I will be reading it to my children. I recommend this to all children, it's a super fun read!

cute story, incredible illustration.......2007-09-09

Awesome illustration. The story is cute. I'm not sure of a moral, but it's good entertainment for a young reader.

great for kids >=3.......2007-08-31

We read this to our oldest daughter when she was small -- many, many times. And then again to our younger kids. Just got it for our granddaughter, but at 2 she's a little young.

Great book.

wow, memories.......2007-08-01

I'm 26 years old now, don't have any children yet (He'll be here in a few months =D) I just happened to see a friend of mine mention this book somewhere and 20 years later, I immediately remembered this being one of my absolute favorites books when I was a child. Anyone with a child of reading age should def get this book!

Average customer rating:

Boynton's Best
cute book with interesting text
Barnyard Best
I have three books by Sandra Boynton for my four-month old
Best Baby/Toddler Books!

Barnyard Dance! (Boynton on Board)
Sandra Boynton
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

Board Books | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1563054426

Book Description

Everybody sing alongâbecause it's time to do-si-do in the barnyard with a high-spirited animal crew! From Boynton on Board, the bestselling series of board books, here is BARNYARD DANCE, with Sandra Boynton's twirling pigs, fiddle-playing cows, and other unforgettable animals. Extra-big, extra-fat, and extra-fun, BARNYARD DANCE features lively rhyming text and a die-cut cover that reveals the wacky characters inside. Guaranteed to get kids and adults stomping their feet. Main selection of the Children's Book-of-the-Month Club. Winner of the 1994 Gold Medal from the National Parenting Publications Award. Suitable for ages 1-4.

Customer Reviews:

Boynton's Best.......2007-09-15

My wife and I received this board book from a co-worker of mine about three months before our first son was born -- almost nine years ago. A daughter and another son later, this remains my favorite children's board book and definitely a favorite of my three children during their first couple of years. The tempo, simplicity and fun illustrations captivated them. Even though the books has been chewed, drooled on and worn down, it is one of those books that we'll save for our grandchildren because it holds special memories of what must be nearly a thousand readings that produced joyful smiles and laughter from our three children. We love Sandra Boynton books and we rate this one the best of all.

cute book with interesting text.......2007-08-23

This children's book is cute with all of the barnyard animals dancing around and contains more content than typical children's books out there. The only reason I rated it a 4 and not a 5 is because the illustrations are pretty colorless and one-dimensional. They really don't hold my child's attention at all. Maybe they will when she is a toddler, but for now, they just don't appeal to her. Being an artist, I can't say that I blame her! The text on the other hand is very lively and imaginative, so I sing the words and act them out to my child with over-the-top gestures, and that seems to do the trick!

Barnyard Best.......2007-08-03

My baby LOVES this book. We can read the story and then go through the whole thing again just pointing out animals and making each animal's sounds. This one is a must have.

I have three books by Sandra Boynton for my four-month old.......2007-07-17

I plan to buy more from the Sandra Boynton collection. My four month old loves this book and the other two we have (Snuggle Puppy and The Belly Button Book). She has shown interest since she was two months. Her books rhyme which makes them fun to read.

Best Baby/Toddler Books!.......2007-07-09

my mother-in-law got my son the barnyard dance and my son loves the book! I love reading it to him because you can sing to it and its fun. I already bought him Pajama Time and I am off to buy some of the box sets.

Average customer rating:

A Childhood Favorite
ferdinand
A classic you shouldn't miss
Brilliant gem of a tale for children and adults
Ferdinand

The Story of Ferdinand
Munro Leaf
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0670674249

Amazon.com

What else can be said about the fabulous Ferdinand? Published more than 50 years ago (and one of the bestselling children's books of all time), this simple story of peace and contentment has withstood the test of many generations. Ferdinand is a little bull who much prefers sitting quietly under a cork tree-- just smelling the flowers--to jumping around, snorting, and butting heads with other bulls. This cow is no coward--he simply has his pacifist priorities clear. As Ferdinand grows big and strong, his temperament remains mellow, until the day he meets with the wrong end of a bee. In a show of bovine irony, the one day Ferdinand is most definitely not sitting quietly under the cork tree (due to a frightful sting), is the selfsame day that five men come to choose the "biggest, fastest, roughest bull" for the bullfights in Madrid.

Ferdinand's day in the arena gives readers not only an education in the historical tradition of bullfighting, but also a lesson in nonviolent tranquility. Robert Lawson's black-and-white drawings are evocative and detailed, with especially sweet renditions of Ferdinand, the serene bull hero. The Story of Ferdinand closes with one of the happiest endings in the history of happy endings--readers of all ages will drift off to a peaceful sleep, dreaming of sweet-smelling flowers and contented cows.

Book Description

A true classic with a timeless message, The Story of Ferdinand has enchanted readers since it was first published in 1936. All the other bulls would run and jump and butt their heads together. But Ferdinand would rather sit and smell the flowers. So what will happen when our pacifist hero is picked for the bullfights in Madrid? This new edition contains the complete original text of the story and the original illustrations with watercolor tones added.

Customer Reviews:

A Childhood Favorite.......2007-09-16

You know how your child probably has a book that they want you to read again and again? Well, Ferdinad was that book for me. It was one of the first books I read by myself. I first fell in love with this book back in the 1970's. I was suprised to learn that it was written in 1936 but propbably should not have been. It is truely a classic in children's lit.

I'm sure your children will love it.

ferdinand.......2007-05-25

One of my favorite books as a child, my children enjoyed it just as much.

A classic you shouldn't miss.......2007-05-12

Great story about a peaceful bull. This award winning picture book should be read to all preschoolers!

Brilliant gem of a tale for children and adults.......2007-02-08

A brilliant, heart-warming story about non-conformity, stereotypes,
and being true to yourself ... superbly written, entertaining,
and illustrated for children, with an important and inspiring
message for adults too

Ferdinand.......2007-02-08

I will remember this book because he didn't figth.Ferdinands trait is nice because he didn't hurt anyone.

The Right Touch: A Read-Aloud Story to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse (Jody Bergsma Collection)

Average customer rating:

Wonderful story.
Every parent should read this book
Excellent book!
We love this book.
Very informative and Easy to Understand for kids

The Right Touch: A Read-Aloud Story to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse (Jody Bergsma Collection)
Sandy Kleven
Manufacturer: Illumination Arts Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0935699104

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful story........2007-09-17

This book is tastefully written, not scary, but led to good discussion about boundaries- with anyone he knows or doesn't know, and serious thought by my 3 1/2 year old son. He asks for the book about once a month, and refers to "touching problems" occasionally in general conversation, saying something like "you don't keep touching secrets and you say 'Stop it! I don't like that!' if someone tries to put their hand in your pants, and go tell Mom!"

It's a little shocking when your baby gets a grasp of something like that, but I'd really rather that be the case than the first time he knows of it is with a previously trusted person that betrays that trust. It's not graphic or detailed and doesn't attempt to explain why a pervert would do such a thing. It appears serious to him and has caused him to talk with me and plan his response (just like what to do if he became lost in a store), but it's no more scary to him just from reading about it and talking about it than a toothy shark or scary shadow in another book. I highly recommend this for parents brave enough to tackle this subject before your child starts attending birthday parties alone or going to neighbors' houses to play.

Every parent should read this book.......2007-08-31

This book provides the details all parents need to have to protect thier children. It gives great tools for parents to use. I will purchase this book for all my friends as baby shower gifts!

Excellent book!.......2007-05-13

This book helped to reinforce what I had already taught my 4-year-old son. He asked questions that he hadn't previously asked and opened up new discussion about the topic. It's well-written, common sense approach makes it easy for pre-schoolers to understand. The author is a therapist, which made me feel confident about the quality of the content.

We love this book........2007-05-12

My son and I read this book a couple of times a week. He even tells me now what he thinks is a "good touch" and a "bad touch". I recommend this to all parents!

Very informative and Easy to Understand for kids.......2007-01-05

I don't think it's an Easy subject for parents to talk to their kids about, So this book opened the subject up for me. It's hard to talk about, But an Absolute Must in the World Today. It talked about bad touch and Good touch like tickles, then the mom told her son a story about a little girl. The story was a Real Life possibility because it was a neighbor asking a little girl if she liked Kittens (what kid doesn't right?)then he asked her if she wanted to come see them at his house. The book states " since she knew this person she went with him" giving you the opening to explain it's not just strangers that can hurt you. The man wanted her to sit on his lap, then he tried to put his hand in her [...], she ran home and told her mom. Then the guy got in trouble. The mom telling the story to her son Then talks about it to him so he knows to tell her if something happens. Then they get into talk about what is Private on your body.... So here's on thing I wasn't Comfortable with.... The book has an illistration of the mom and son looking at a book, and their book has a picture of a little boy and girl naked so they can identify "private Parts". EASY FIX, My husband Took a Marker and Drew a pair of underwear on the little boy So it wouldn't be an issue. So you could just draw a bathing suit on the little girl, or underwear on the little boy If you're not ready for those pics if you have younger kids.
Overall the illistration are Great, not Scary, and just draw some underwear on the naked pic if you're uneasy about that. I would Buy this Book for any kid getting ready to Go to School or a Friends house.

Caesar and Christ (The Story of Civilization III)

Average customer rating:

Want a Good Start on an Education?
HISTORY WELL DONE
Civilization vs. History
Valuable reference for historical novel readers
Pearls before swine

Caesar and Christ (The Story of Civilization III)
Will Durant
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0671115006

Customer Reviews:

Want a Good Start on an Education?.......2005-02-06

"Caesar and Christ" is the third thick volume of an amazing 45-year life work by Will Durant. I strongly advise you do not heed the academic reviews of "The Story of Civilization." There is no reason to assume the critics even read one volume of Durant's work. Be aware that academic philosophy professors list Hanna Arendt, a second rate intellectual, as the only significant female philosopher and ignore one of the most powerful minds of the post WWII era, Ayn Rand. Sure, she is flawed but she is greater than a Camus or a Chomsky. I strongly recommend reading "Caesar and Christ" and the entire 10 volume set of "Story of Civilization" - if you truly seek to be generally educated. You will learn more from Durant than from years of liberal arts schooling in any university. I never heard a professor mention Durant to students but I saw the entire set on the shelves of the private libraries of some major historians. Would you buy, own, read and keep 10 volumes of books you knew to be worthless? Ignore the academic mantra and decide for yourself.

Let me introduce you to this remarkable man. Durant was a gifted Columbia philosophy student who earned a PhD in philosophy. He was a major teacher-staff member of a now forgotten, fascinating private school movement, The Modern School movement. He served primarily as a head foreign language teacher. A real scholar, Durant mastered six important languages. Durant wrote and published "The Story of Philosophy" in the 1920s. To his surprise, it was an instant best seller. Durant's prose style, bright mind, and sharp wit made the book a little classic that has never been out of print. The book made him famous & independently wealthy and professors wrote to inform him that "Story of Philosophy" had caused a sharp increase in enrollment in philosophy courses.

Durant's book income allowed him to quit working and pursue his fascination with history. He devoted the rest of his life to researching and writing "The Story of Civilization," still a unique work. Do yourself a favor. Read the Introduction to any volume. Read a chapter of any volume before you decide whether to buy or read a volume of the history. The books are thick but Durant was a major prose stylist. His prose style and his wit will make you love reading Durant.

Durant found history writing to be too divided and too provincial. A real historian, Durant wanted to know something about world history. As you read his history, you must remind yourself of the year when the volume you are reading was written, especially the first three volumes. They read like Durant wrote them today. He writes with keen insight about the Arab world. He tried to correct a major error still prevalent today: The muth that Irish monastaries and monks preserved civilization for the Western world. Durant discusses at length how and why the Arabic world was the leader in learning & science during the middle ages. Arab scholars knew Latin and Greek and they studied the great Greek thinkers. Arab mosques pioneered free education & wealthier muslims practiced charity.
Durant wrote total history (he called it synthesis) before it was a fad in France. He covers art, architecture, literature, geography. When Durant explains the importance of the Mediterranean and describes the coast, you comprehend what he conveys to you. He was there. He was not on a taxpayer paid vacation, thinly disguised as "research." He was "there", at his own expense, for weeks studying the area (with his wife who knew another five languages, including her native Russian). Durant and his wife invested in at least three lengthy world tours to see and study the areas Durant wrote about and He wrote about the civilized world.

American history majors should read at least the "Our Oriental Heritage" volume. Serious art majors should read the entire 10 volumes. You will never read a historian who writes so well or with greater knowledge about the art, architecture and skilled crafts of different times and different peoples.

Enough. I leave you with this. By all means, read modern academic trashings of Durant's "Story of Civilization." Also, read the introductory remarks in each volume. You may be surprised to learn that Durant wrote each volume twice. He sent his final drafts to well known academic historians, according to their region of specialty. Durant then re-wrote each volume in response to detailed criticisms these professors sent him. No volume of "Story of Civilization" contains the 'whole truth' but very few modern histories of one year of one institution are more factually accurate. And no academic historian can lay claim to possessing the 'whole truth.' If you have a liberal arts graduate degree, read all ten volumes. You may gain the basic liberal arts education you wanted but did not get in six years of college.

HISTORY WELL DONE.......2005-01-01

It this third volume, Durant continues the story of man through the time of the height of Rome and Christ. Like the other volumes it is quite well done and despite what another reviewer's opinion is, quite comprehensive. Granted, I you want to read more about battles, etc. they you should probably look elswhere. I am of the school that a time period can only be understood by what they left behind, i.e. art, literature, politics, etc. rather than who they defeated in battle, or who defeated them. This is only my opinion though, others look at it differently. Also, I suppose if you are teaching a college course addressing this period of time, you would certainly want to gleen information from other sources. That not being the case on my part, I thought this was a wonderful overview of a very important epoch. I thought it was quite well presented. Recommend highly.

Civilization vs. History.......2004-05-23

The book has wonderful moments. It is lovingly written and often witty. However readers should be aware of Durant's definition of civilization. According to Durant:

"Civilization is social order promoting cultural creation. Four elements constitute it: economic provision, political organization, moral traditions and the pursuit of knowledge and the arts. It begins where chaos and insecurity end. For when fear is overcome, curiosity and constructiveness are free, and man passes by natural impulse towards the understanding and embellishment of life"

If you want a history that incudes the brute forces of history (not solely its cultural creation) you will probably be somewhat disappointed. There is nothing wrong with Durant's msny sections on poetry, philosophy, painting etc. but it squeezes the space alotted to things like economic trends and military struggle. If you want to read this book, you should probably first read a regular history of Rome. You can then appreciate this book as icing on the cake.

Valuable reference for historical novel readers.......2002-11-04

It is an excellent history reference, although people may not read it from page one to the end like reading a fiction. College students may use it for academic reference and research papers.

However, if you are into Roman historical novels such as Colleen McCullough "First Man in Rome", "Grass Crown"..., Gore Vidal "Julian", Robert Graves "I, Claudius"..., Henryk K. Sienkiewicz "Quo Vadis"; Roman era fantasies such as Pauline Gedge "The Eagle and the Raven", Donna Gillespie "The Light Bearer", it definitely adds complimentary flavor to your reading by being aware of the political and social environment of Roman Empire. The chapters are not essentially in chronological layout, but, for example, a chapter devoted to Roman arts and letters, another for daily lives of the social classes. Whilst you are reading your novel in the middle and want to find out more about a particular topic, simply refer to the Index and the relevant chapters.

You would enjoy the novels, and possibly Shakespeare's "Anthony and Cleopatra", and the movies "Ben-Hur", "Spartacus", "The Fall of Roman Empire", "Gladiator" even more. And "Cleopatra" and "Quo Vadis" were made movies too.

The part of Early Christianity in the latter chapters, would help you in reading the Gospels, the Acts, and letters from Paul and the disciples. In the same manner, it helps you to appreciate more in reading Christian historical fictions such as Sholem Asch "The Nazarene" "The Apostle", Thomas Costain "The Silver Chalice".

An additional recommendation is Vol 4. "Age of Faith", sole focus of which is the discussion of the religions Judaism, Christianity, Islam in the Middle Ages.

Pearls before swine.......2000-01-03

It's too bad so few people have taken the trouble to read or even review Durant. "The Story of Philosophy" was a best-seller in 1929. Tom Clancy & Patricia Cornwell (sic) get listings as long as the day is long, but Durant just gets in left in the corner ignored. It's a shame.

Average customer rating:

Love this book
Charming story, Captivating illustrations, Good message
Absolutely Wonderful!
the perfect goodnight book!
Love this book!

How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
Jane Yolen
Manufacturer: Blue Sky Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0590316818

Amazon.com

"How does a dinosaur say good night when Papa comes in to turn off the light? Does a dinosaur slam his tail and pout? Does he throw his teddy bear all about? Does a dinosaur stomp his feet on the floor and shout: 'I want to hear one book more!'? DOES A DINOSAUR ROAR?" Most certainly not. Dinosaurs give their mommies and daddies big hugs and kisses, tuck their tales in, and whisper "Good night!"

Every sleepy little dinosaur will recognize the tricks of the trade in these bedtime shenanigans. The chuckle factor is sky-high here, with giant, full-page pictures of cleverly identified Tyrannosaurus rexes, triceratopses, and Pteranodons. A variety of human mothers and fathers trying to put their dinosaur children to bed will bring the point home that the story may have something to do with human kid behavior as well. This good-natured nighttime book is sure to be a winner (even though it might inspire a few noisy dinosaur antics), especially as it's written by Jane Yolen, prolific Caldecott Medalist author of Owl Moon. Yolen and Mark Teague have teamed up to create a fun, silly, playful read-aloud. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

What if a dinosaur catches the flu?Does he whimper and whine between each "At-choo"?Does he drop dirty tissues all over the floor?Does he fling his medicine out of the door? Just like kids, little dinosaurs hate being sick. And going to the doctor can be pretty scary. How DO dinosaurs get well soon? They drink lots of juice, and they get lots of rest; they're good at the doctor's, 'cause doctors know best. As in their first dinosaur book, Yolen and Teague capture children's fears about being sick and put them to rest with playful read-aloud verse and hilarious pictures.

Customer Reviews:

Love this book.......2007-09-07

I love everything about this book. My 10 month old will sit through this book and just look at all the beautiful colors and laugh at the silly things the dinosaur does.

Charming story, Captivating illustrations, Good message.......2007-08-15

Open the book to discover an enormous Tyrannosaurus Rex on a ridiculously small bed with his human father telling him it's time for bed. Each whimsical illustration tells the story of dinosaurs preparing for bed and asks if they pout, stomp their feet or cry at bedtime. In the end we learn that dinosaurs don't put up a stink, but instead give big hugs and kisses before going to bed. The illustrations are fun and the story is sweet with a great message subtly telling children the right way to go to bed. (It's perfect for any parent who has ever tried to put a stubborn child to sleep!)

Absolutely Wonderful!.......2007-07-21

My daughter loves this book. Mark Teague illustrates this book fantastically. The dinosaurs have so much emotion in their faces you can read your own childs face in each dinosaur. We have read this so much my little 3 year old memorized it. This is an absolutely amazing book and would be great to add to any collection.

the perfect goodnight book!.......2007-06-02

I have 3 year old twins and they love this book so much that they know all the words by heart, and it is fun to act out what is said on each page, we read several stories before bed, and this is their favorite one.

Love this book!.......2007-05-03

My girls and I love this book! It is the perfect rhyming book with ample opportunities to add life to it while you read. My girls love to stomp their feet on the floor, and we all stop when we get to "does a dinosaur" and real loud all three of us ROAR and they get such a kick out of that. They also like to show me the Mama and the Daddy at different points. We also have the clean up book and that is equally as good. And the illustrations are fantastic. A HUGE fan of this author/illustrator and I HIGHLY recommend this book.

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