Real Estate Finance: Theory and Practice (with CD-ROM)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • excellent condition
Real Estate Finance: Theory and Practice (with CD-ROM)
Terrence M. Clauretie , and G. Stacy Sirmans
Manufacturer: South-Western Educational Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
MortgagesMortgages | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Business & InvestingBusiness & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0324305508

Book Description

Based on sound economic and finance principles, the primary goal of this market-leading text is to promote a greater understanding of how real estate financial markets work. The authors blend theory with practice applying the theoretical aspects of financial economics to explain how Real Estate financial institutions and markets have developed and evolved to their present state, and why they take the forms they do. The impact of major federal legislation that applies to real estate finance (especially residential) is also addressed.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars excellent condition.......2005-09-19

Although the book was not shipped that quickly, the book was in excellent condition. I am very satisfied with the book's condition. I just thought I would have received the book sooner.
Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That's Right for Your Body
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Pay attention to the dissenting reviews!!!
  • Dress to Impress!
  • Great Breezy Read, But . . .
  • One time read
  • Fun to read, very instructive
Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That's Right for Your Body
Clinton Kelly , and Stacy London
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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  1. The Lucky Shopping Manual: Building and Improving Your Wardrobe Piece by Piece The Lucky Shopping Manual: Building and Improving Your Wardrobe Piece by Piece
  2. The 5-Minute Face: The Quick & Easy Makeup Guide for Every Woman The 5-Minute Face: The Quick & Easy Makeup Guide for Every Woman
  3. The Pocket Stylist: Behind-the-Scenes Expertise from a Fashion Pro on Creating Your Own Look The Pocket Stylist: Behind-the-Scenes Expertise from a Fashion Pro on Creating Your Own Look
  4. Sam Saboura's Real Style: Style Secrets for Real Women with Real Bodies Sam Saboura's Real Style: Style Secrets for Real Women with Real Bodies
  5. What You Wear Can Change Your Life What You Wear Can Change Your Life

ASIN: 0307236714
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Book Description

The 8 million fans of TLC’s hottest show, What Not to Wear, know it as the place to go for real-life fashion advice. Now the show’s hosts, Clinton Kelly and Stacy London, offer spot-on fashion wisdom—with an attitude—in this fully illustrated, authoritative, and irreverent fashion guide to dressing your best for every occasion. Clinton and Stacy’s surefire method for boosting appearance rests on their belief that we can all win admiring glances by selecting clothes that play up our positives and create a balanced body shape. In Dress Your Best, Clinton and Stacy match a wide range of female and male body types with the perfect work, casual, and evening attire, showing you exactly how to make your best parts “work” for you.

Dressing tips for 26 body types!
Features 18 women and 8 men: bigger on top, bigger on bottom, a little extra in the middle, not curvy, extra curvy, small-framed, athletic, and more!

Whether you’re searching for a way to accentuate your assets, puzzling over the right print pattern for your frame, or just looking for a solution to the dilemma “What do I need to wear to look fabulous?” you’ll find here the universal tips, dos and don’ts, seasonal alternatives, and must-haves that will deliver the answers. Dress Your Best is certain to become the standard by which all other fashion guides are measured.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Pay attention to the dissenting reviews!!!.......2007-10-10

I love What Not to Wear, but I was very disappointed in this book, especially after reading the reviews. The In Style or Lucky Manual has much more useful information. While this book has information for all types of bodies for men and women, as well as a must have wardrobe list, it is seriously lacking because there will not be more than three pages that pertain to you. If you can borrow a copy from a friend or library, and then take notes on the tips, then do that - because buying the book is a huge waste of money. The information is so limited that will be of any use to one person that it quite simply is not worth buying.

5 out of 5 stars Dress to Impress!.......2007-10-06

Yes, this book will teach you how to dress to impress. But I also highly recommend another awesome book- How to be a Super Hot Woman: 339 Tips to Make Every Man Fall in Love with You and Every Woman Envy You Both books are the ultimate beauty resources that are a must have for every woman!

4 out of 5 stars Great Breezy Read, But . . ........2007-09-28

I love Stacy and Clinton's witty banter and usually sane fashion advice on their show, so when this book came out, I was thrilled. It was (and still is) unavailable at my public library, but after two or three read-throughs, I will probably be donating them my copy. The basic concept of the show is repeated here: Three workable looks for a variety of challenging body types are modelled on 26 actual people who are a stunning array of ages and sizes. It was truly amazing to see these 'plain' Janes and Joes transformed by clothing and a little grooming. However, as others have pointed out, 26 bodies doesn't begin to cover the gamut of potential figure problems out there. Clinton & Stacy are unfailingly kind and encouraging, which is refreshing, coming from their backgrounds in the snarky, body-conscious fashion world. But their biases as lifelong New York fashionistas show through in some of their selections--do most women in America need 3-inch metallic heels for day? Is your average American guy really going to wear a Godfather-style topcoat out on the town? Also, I like many readers have more than one major figure problem; what is a girl to do if she is top-heavy, with more than a little in the middle AND has short legs? My pet peeve with this book would have to be Stacy and Clinton each posing in it as a catagory. At 5'7" and a size 4, Stacy is representing the 'Average Curvy' body type. I submit that there isn't much either "Average" or "Curvy" about Stacy, who has scant need of the tips on 'creating a slimming line' in her spread. Please! What does the woman weigh, 115 pounds? Clinton is the men's "Tall" feature. At 6'4" the boy is indeed a tall drink of water, but his looks are essentially Clinton (= sartorial choices for a NYC fashion maven who is a gay man). This is a perfect glossy read for an afternoon, and has some valuable advice but is too bulky to take shopping, and too limited in scope to refer to very often. Borrow this, or share a copy with several friends.

3 out of 5 stars One time read.......2007-09-03

I really liked this book but I wouldn't recommend buying it. I would try and find it at a local book store and look through it, making notes. The sections pertaining to each body type are very short. The most useful information for my type consisted of three whole pages, the rest of the book being useless for me. Once you read "your section" or body type you don't really need the book any more. Just my opinion.

4 out of 5 stars Fun to read, very instructive.......2007-08-31

Though the 26 body types are by far not enough (well, I guess there were limitations to the size of a book), it was very instructive to read. The photographs are much more illustrative than the usual drawings in books of this type. I laughed a lot and I learned a lot. I had problems with the american sizes, they seemed to be downsized a bit, measurements (bust, waist, ...) would have been helpful. Plus, I never wear high heels, due to a knee damage, and a lot of other women I know wear flats all the time, too. For me, the style in this book relied a lot on high heels, and some alternatives would have been helpful.

I liked the style, classic, simple and beautiful, and the way how Clinton and Stacy really found the beauty in all their models. It takes a loving eye to do, the loving eye one should have for oneself, and this is maybe the most important lesson in this book.
Throw Me a Bone: 50 Healthy, Canine Taste-Tested Recipes for Snacks, Meals, and Treats
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Lip Smacking and Tail Wagging!!
  • Beautiful Book
  • Great Pictures, but skip the recipes
  • Great recipes
  • Perfect!!!
Throw Me a Bone: 50 Healthy, Canine Taste-Tested Recipes for Snacks, Meals, and Treats
Sally Sampson , Cooper Gillespie , and Cami Johnson (Photographer)
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Care & HealthCare & Health | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0743255917

Book Description

Cooper Gillespie, an extremely intelligent and handsome Welsh springer spaniel, is a dog of discriminating taste and strong opinions. Now Cooper, with the assistance of cookbook author Sally Sampson and the transcription services of his favorite human, Susan Orlean, has put together 50 delectable recipes for snacks, meals, and treats for your canine companion.

Maybe you're cooking everything because your collie has colitis or your Akita has a wheat allergy or your older dog just isn't thriving on commercial kibble. Maybe you're mixing up the occasional biscuit or treat to help your best fur-bearing friend over that I-just-ate-a-tennis- ball-and-don't-feel-so-good episode. Whatever the reason, the recipes in this book (which have been approved by dog trainer and nutritional consultant Stacy Alldredge) will satisfy the most discerning doggie palate. Many of them, in fact, can be shared with a favorite human (though preferably not from the same dish).

Illustrated with more than 50 endearing black-and-white photographs of Cooper and friends by Cami Johnson, and liberally seasoned with stories, quotes, and nutrition tips, Throw Me a Bone makes a dog's dinner something to look forward to.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Lip Smacking and Tail Wagging!!.......2004-09-08

Of all the home made treats I have cooked up so far, the recipies from this book actually get my little doggy to do commands before being asked in the hopes of getting a tasty morsel. I packed a kong full of little bits and pieces from a couple different recipies and for the first time my little doggy made 'yummy' noises while he worked to get out the treasures. My doggy is very finicky, and has given two paws up for each batch made- I HIGHLY reccommend these recipies!!!

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book.......2004-03-08

Cooper Gillespie, an adorable Springer Spaniel, is quite the food connoisseur. With a help from his owner, Sally Sampson, he's put together 50 recipes for dogs, his favorite dog related quotes, and photographs. The book was beautiful and well written, but its recipes are high in fat and are not nutritious to a dog. For a treat served scarcely, these recipes are divine to a dog's taste buds.

2 out of 5 stars Great Pictures, but skip the recipes.......2003-12-28

Though I throughly enjoyed the photographs in the book and the writing style, and highly advise people to take control of their canine's (and feline's, for that matter) diet, I wasn't particularly enthused by the recipes in this book.
Often excessively high in fat, and regardless of the nutritionist involved in the recipes, these foods will improve your dogs mood, but not his overall health. The best diet for a dog is obtained through a balanced diet of phosphorus to calcium (protein to bone) comparable to what dogs would have eaten in the wild. Although certainly heads and tails above kibble (as is almost anything), I felt that this book didn't give enough information or research into the nutrition requirements of dogs.

To get the best information, and certianly if you're going to go to the trouble of preparing foods for your dog, then I suggest any of a plethora of books on the subject. "Give your dog a Bone" by Ian Billinghurst, or any of Billinghurst's books, Natural Nutrition for Cats and Dogs by Kymythy R. Schultze, or Raw Meaty Bones Promote Health by Tom Lonsdale. Any of these books will help you plan an effective road to health for your dog without catering to the coffeetable book set. (Although I still LOVED the pictures in this book)

5 out of 5 stars Great recipes.......2003-12-11

I'm giving this dog cookbook the full 5 stars, even though I'm getting rather sick of books "written" by people's pets. The photographs are worth the price alone, but the recipes are fabulous and healthful. There's also a Table of Equivalents included in the back. There are also marvelous quotations sprinkled throughout of famous people's feelings about dogs.

I'm giving this book as a gift, too.

5 out of 5 stars Perfect!!!.......2003-11-27

Between the recipes, photography, quotes and writing, this book is a perfect gift for anyone interested in dogs. I have tried a few recipes, mostly notably Goldies cupcakes and the tuna training treats, both of which my dog LOVED. Even if i never cook anything else (although i will), i love just looking at this book. It makes me laugh.
Thelan's Critical Care Nursing: Diagnosis and Management (Thelans Critical Care Nursing Diagnosis)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • pretty good condition
  • Thelan's Critical Care Nursing
  • Very good
  • Thelans Critical Care nursing
  • nursing knowledge
Thelan's Critical Care Nursing: Diagnosis and Management (Thelans Critical Care Nursing Diagnosis)
Linda D. Urden , Kathleen M. Stacy , and Mary E. Lough
Manufacturer: Mosby
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Critical & Intensive careCritical & Intensive care | Nursing | Medicine | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Nursing | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Critical & Intensive careCritical & Intensive care | Nursing | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0323032486

Book Description

This classic resource for critical care nursing is now a full-color text that provides a thorough examination of all the important aspects of critical care nursing with more appealing illustrations and design elements. Organized in ten units around alterations in body systems, this text's depth and scope will appeal to both novice and expert, while instructors praise its comprehensiveness and depend on its clinical relevance to inform their teaching and practice.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars pretty good condition.......2007-09-04

Great condition except it came with a portion of the front cover torn. Otherwise, it was great.

4 out of 5 stars Thelan's Critical Care Nursing.......2007-07-29

I have heard this book is the Cadillac of critical care nursing books. Good reference abilities, especially for a new RN like me.

5 out of 5 stars Very good.......2007-02-09

Book came to me within the time lot given. I payed a better price than I would have at my school book store. I am very pleased.

5 out of 5 stars Thelans Critical Care nursing.......2007-01-12

This is a great book for anyone in the critical care field. It contains a vast range of topics with clear concise information that is easy to read. I found it indespensible throughout recent studies.

Allan Newbold

5 out of 5 stars nursing knowledge.......2007-01-10

A great book for learning. It is written in an easy to understand outline. Written for nurses to understand and use on a daily basis. I use it for a quick reference, as well as for deeper understanding of the many topics found under critical care nursing. It is being used in Prince George Hospital as the main "textbook" for the critical care course. I highly recommend this book to all levels of nursing.
Basic English Grammar, Third Edition  (Full Student Book with Audio CD and Answer Key)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Very easy for beginners
  • Azar is great!
  • For teaching ESL
Basic English Grammar, Third Edition (Full Student Book with Audio CD and Answer Key)
Betty Schrampfer Azar , and Stacy A. Hagen
Manufacturer: Pearson Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

LinguisticsLinguistics | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Reference | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | English as a Foreign Language | Instruction | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
GrammarGrammar | English as a Foreign Language | Instruction | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
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  5. Essential Idioms in English:  Phrasal Verbs and Collocations, Fifth Edition Essential Idioms in English: Phrasal Verbs and Collocations, Fifth Edition

ASIN: 0131849379

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Very easy for beginners.......2007-08-24

This book has helped my wife a lot in understanding the english grammar beside her real life english course. The audio CDs are very practical way to practice both listening and writing. I strongly recommend it for any english learning beginner. No need for any instructor.

5 out of 5 stars Azar is great!.......2007-08-14

The best grammar series around! I like all the books in the series and have used them in my different levels of ESL classes in several international schools. Good for middle and high school students, as well as adults. Some can be used with younger children as well, although the content is sometimes for older students. Excellent workbooks, too!

5 out of 5 stars For teaching ESL.......2007-01-30

Azar books are a must for any ESL teacher. Can be used in the classroom as a textbook or as a guideline to the teacher for lesson plans.
Unstoppable Me!: 10 Ways to Soar Through Life
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Illustration
  • princess Fiona's nana
  • We need more children's books like this one
  • Unstoppable Me
  • book
Unstoppable Me!: 10 Ways to Soar Through Life
Wayne W. Dyer , and Kristina Tracy
Manufacturer: Hay House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

NonfictionNonfiction | Self-Esteem & Self-Respect | Social Situations | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1401911862

Book Description

Following in the footsteps of Dr. Wayne Dyer’s first children’s book, the bestseller Incredible You! this work goes even further toward expressing Wayne’s positive message for children. In Unstoppable Me! Dr. Dyer teaches children how to hold on to the no-limit thinking he believes they were born with, rather than just trying to “fit in.” In doing so, they can learn to truly enjoy life and become unstoppable as they strive to attain their dreams.
The 10 important lessons in this book include the value of taking risks, dealing with stress and anxiety, and learning to enjoy each moment. Each point includes an example showing how a child might apply the concept in his or her everyday life. Similar to Incredible You! there are questions at the end of the book to help spark discussion and to further reinforce Wayne’s message.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Illustration.......2007-09-20

Gorgeous illustrations, bright colors, really nice book and story! Thanks one more time to Dr. Dyer!

5 out of 5 stars princess Fiona's nana.......2007-09-07

My grand daughter will be 4 end of this month.She saw this book at my apt and got to looking thru it and said Nana this Is the best.She Is already unstopable we read It together and she will ask me what certain words mean so It Is a great read for both of us and she Is learning new ideas from this book go buy It!!!

5 out of 5 stars We need more children's books like this one.......2007-08-31

This is our second Wayne Dyer children's book, the first - Incredible You. Wayne has done it again, we love Unstoppable Me. The messages are simple and the illustrations by Stacy Heller Budnick are brilliant. My six year old son and I have read it a few times. We discuss two messages at bedtime and share daily examples. Being a big Wayne Dyer fan, I love sharing his message with my son. Plus, it's a great review for MOM, too. The questions section in the back of the book is fantastic too. Thanks, Wayne, Kristina, and Stacy. Keep 'em comin'. (We need to get them in the public libraries and school systems)

5 out of 5 stars Unstoppable Me.......2007-05-21

This is a great book to help children understand that they can deal with and handle their own issues. To most adults, this book would seem like common sense. Youngsters sometimes need to see things in print and read them more than once. This book talks to children through print and not from parent's constant reminding or nagging. It allows ideas to sink in slowly over time. I would highly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars book.......2007-05-18

Thank you very much for books - my mum, my sister and l are happy with them.
A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • A Wonderful Biography of Benjamin Franklin!
  • Benjamin Franklin deserves his place on the face of the $100 bill!
  • Ponderous & slow
  • The essential book to understand the importance of What Franklin did in France and how he did it.
  • I read about 40 pages and couldn't take it anymore.
A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America
Stacy Schiff
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Revolution & Founding | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0805066330
Release Date: 2005-03-10

Amazon.com

Benjamin Franklin began the "the most taxing assignment of his life" at the age of 70: to secure the aid of the French monarchy in helping the fledgling United States establish their republic. The job required tremendous skill, finesse, and discretion, and as Stacy Schiff makes clear in this brilliant book, Franklin was the ideal American, perhaps the only one, to take on the task, due in large part to his considerable personal prestige. One of the most famous men in the world when he landed in France in December 1776, his arrival caused a sensation--he was celebrated as a man of genius, a successor to Newton and Galileo, and treated as a great dignitary, even though the nation he represented was less than a year old and there were many doubts as to whether it would see its second birthday. Though he had no formal diplomatic training and spoke only rudimentary French, Franklin managed to engineer the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and the peace treaty of 1783, effectively inventing American foreign policy as he went along, in addition to serving as chief diplomat, banker, and director of American naval affairs.

Franklin recognized and accepted the fact that French aid was crucial to American independence, but some Founding Fathers resented him for making America dependent on a foreign power and severely attacked him for securing the very aid that saved the cause. Schiff offers fascinating coverage of this American infighting, along with the complex political intrigue in France, complete with British spies and French double agents, secret negotiations and backroom deals. A Great Improvisation is an entertaining and illuminating portrait of Franklin's seven-year adventure in France that "stands not only as his greatest service to his country but the most revealing of the man." --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

n December of 1776 a small boat delivered an old man to France.' So begins an enthralling narrative account of how Benjamin Franklin-seventy years old, without any diplomatic training, and possessed of the most rudimentary French-convinced France, an absolute monarchy, to underwrite America's experiment in democracy. When Franklin stepped onto French soil, he well understood he was embarking on the greatest gamble of his career. By virtue of fame, charisma, and ingenuity, Franklin outmaneuvered British spies, French informers, and hostile colleagues; engineered the Franco-American alliance of l778; and helped to negotiate the peace of l783. The eight-year French mission stands not only as Franklin's most vital service to his country but as the most revealing of the man.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Biography of Benjamin Franklin!.......2007-04-18

This is a wonderful biography of Founding Father, diplomat, and inventor Benjamin Franklin!

Author Stacy Schiff is a talented researcher and author who writes with a great deal of passion and humor. Her life of Franklin is filled with many, many interesting stories and individuals.

Schiff emphasizes the important role played by the French in the American Revolution. They financed Washington and the Continental Army and sent no less than two fleets, some 50,000 French soldiers, tens of thousands of muskets, thousands of cannon and barrels of gunpower, tens of thousands of uniforms, and millions in hard currency to support American independence.

Had it not been for French support, the war, which lasted seven years, would have ended quickly and with a British victory. But that same French involvement caused the French King to overextend his country financially, contributing to his downfall and the French revolution that followed.

Franklin, who was lionized by the French when he arrived in Paris to assume his duties as the Ambassador to France, was instrumental in soliciting military and financial support for the war. Without him there would have been no French involvement and without the French no American independence.

Unfortunately, like many of America's founding fathers, Franklin's greatest enemies were other Americans - small minded men, like John Adams - and especially the Continental Congress. He died without proper recognition of his important role in Paris.

5 out of 5 stars Benjamin Franklin deserves his place on the face of the $100 bill!.......2007-01-28

In my British ignorance, I had led myself to believe that there was only one version of the life of Benjamin Franklin - that of the unique and unparalleled polymath and all-American hero, born in the British Empire but buried at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the great republic that he helped to create.

But Stacy Schiff's extremely readable and obviously well-researched book that covers the period of Dr. Franklin's life when he was an envoy of the second Continental Congress to the Court of King Louis XVI of France also covers the controversy that surrounded this amateur ambassador, stirred most particularly by the brothers Arthur Lee and William Lee of Virginia and John Adams of Massachusetts, later to be the second President of The United States. The former seem to have been motivated by Southern superciliousness and arrogance, 'qualities' battered out of their kind in the later 'War for Southern Independence' by the descendants of the likes of the latter, possessors of their own special sort of sanctimonious superiority complexes.

I can forgive the Lee family for almost anything, for one of my all-time American heroes is General Robert Edward Lee, but it is clear that his older relatives, Arthur and William, disgraced themselves, Virginia and their infant nation by their constant sniping at the one man who was winning over French opinion and, more importantly, attracting French cash and much, much more, for General Washington's army. As to Adams, his distaste for the venerable Dr. Franklin is sufficiently well-documented not to be doubted. The motive for this distaste can reasonably be attributed in part to his narrow and God-fearing New England background, especially when contrasted with Franklin's leading and learned role in enlightening America. The one was old Massachusetts, through and through, whilst the other early 'escaped' to Philadelphia.

I don't suppose it suited some of his critics that Benjamin Franklin was a 'liberal,' not only in his personal and family life but also in his general tolerance of others and his enjoyment of the female attractions of the French Court and of Paris. Of course, they might just have been jealous of the old boy, who, well into his seventies, was getting away with what a twenty-year-old might not have dared to attempt.

Not all were detractors of the good doctor: I was delighted to read - and will remember - the marvellous quote (which I hope is not apocryphal) of the Virginian who was to become the third President of The United States. Mr Jefferson, upon arriving at Versailles in May, 1785, is said to have been asked: "Is it you, Sir, who replaces Dr. Franklin?," to which another of my all-time American heroes replied: "No one can replace him, Sir; I am only his successor."

But, for me, the most surprising portion of this book is its thorough cataloguing of the ingratitude of America and Americans towards Franklin and towards France, without whose financial sacrifices and physical support in the shape of armies and navies, the War of Independence was more likely to have gone the way of innumerable other local revolts. In the absence of French help and of the efforts of Franklin, King George III and his successors would likely have remained the supreme governors, based in London, of all of the squabbling colonies.

Indeed, it seems that it was not until 1917 that the American Government realised - even if it did then - that a deep debt of gratitude was owed to France. By then, of course, Dr. Franklin and King Louis XVI were long dead, but the damage of unpaid debts had been done. France, her treasury depleted by the equivalent of the many billions of dollars spent in the name of America, was riven asunder by her own dreadful revolution that has coloured the judgements of world statesmen and French politics ever since. I well remember, back in the 1960s, when my wife and I first took our young children to visit the areas of northern France that had been fought over so many times in two great wars. We stopped off in a small and attractive village to buy a newspaper and all that was available was "L'Humanité," the Communist party's organ. Some sections of the left-leaning French peasantry still contrast sharply with my right-facing fellow peasants of rural England, a reflection of our different histories.

By my British lights, perhaps Dr. Franklin should have done that which his contemporary critics claimed he was doing - fail. But succeed he did, and America and Americans, at least, can and should be grateful for that, to him and, of course, to France, as well as to her eminent foreign minister at the time of Franklin's vital assignment, the half-forgotten Comte de Vergennes.

On balance, I believe that Benjamin Franklin deserves his place on the face of the $100 bill, and Stacy Schiff's first-rate and five-star book deserves to be read; and not only read, but marked, learned, and inwardly digested.

3 out of 5 stars Ponderous & slow.......2007-01-12

This book is a potted history of the events surrounding the arrival of Benjamin Franklin in the court of Louis XVI and the attempts by the American delegation to gain recognition and material support for the fledgling rebellious states from the kingdom of France.
Ms. Schiff's writing brings to life the intrigue of the royal court and the foibles and petty vanities of the different personalities, French, British and American, describing particularly well the wonderful Franklin himself, in all his apparent absent-mindedness but in reality his single-minded forcefulness.

Within this large tome a slim interesting volume is trying to emerge. There is no doubting that Stacy Schiff writes well; however, given that at least three men named Lee are mentioned in the text, clarity of writing is an essential requirement of the history to avoid confusion; Ms Schiff, to my mind sacrifices clarity of narrative for the flowery phrase. Footnotes - often comprising anecdotes more interesting than much of the text - are included to the point of irritation on most pages; these would have been better included in the text proper.
On balance, the book is worth a read, but only just.

5 out of 5 stars The essential book to understand the importance of What Franklin did in France and how he did it........2007-01-09

Stacy Shiff is a great writer and thorough researcher. This is THE book anyone interested in Franklin's role and the importance of the mission in France should own. Ms. Schiff's book is a great achievement. Buy it, experience it and enjoy it.

1 out of 5 stars I read about 40 pages and couldn't take it anymore........2006-11-17

Flowery. Verbose. Rambling. Compound sentence upon compound sentence. This book was unreadable for me. I quit.
Who Owns the Sun?
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Who Owns the Sun?
  • This is a book that stays with you
  • Who Owns the Sun?
  • Exceptional book
  • Who Owns the Sun?
Who Owns the Sun?

Manufacturer: Landmark Editions, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0933849826

Book Description

This is a special reprinting of WHO OWNS THE SUN? and is also a part of THE FIVE IN A ROW curriculum.

WHO OWNS THE SUN? is a powerful plea for freedom! This emotion-packed story of a young slave touches an essential part of the human spirit. Made into a film by Disney Educational Productions.

Written in full-color impressionistic illustrations, WHO OWNS THE SUN? has a flow of narrative that transcends into poetry.

Gently affecting the minds and hearts of readers, WHO OWNS THE SUN? is an experience of rich texture and is destined to generate meaningful discussions in classrooms and in families and can be appreciated by readers throughout the world wherever freedom is challenged and valued.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Who Owns the Sun?.......2007-09-10

I borrowed this for free from the library. It is an excellant book for a 3rd grader. I used it with the Five in a Row study.

5 out of 5 stars This is a book that stays with you.......2007-02-14

The story unfolds as a dialogue between father and son. It reveals the heartbreak of slavery in a slave family. This is told in a manner that is neither preachy nor detached.

I have brought my copy to the library to encourage them to order it and have recommended it multiple times.

5 out of 5 stars Who Owns the Sun?.......2007-02-08

We homeschool and this book was recommended through the "Five in a Row" curriculum, by Jane Claire Lambert. Perhaps the main theme of Who Owns the Sun? is the value of uniqueness of a human being. Just as no one can own the sun or the wind, so no one can own the person's soul, even if the person is a slave.
This is a thoughtful, tender story introducing the reality of slavery and through it we discussed things like: family relationships, (listening to a father's wisdom, as the boy demonstrates when he listens carefullly to what his father says), perseverence through difficult situations, changes and seasons of life (the father lives long enough to see his children live as free men) It is packed full of opportunites for discussion and the pictures are vibrant and colorful. We really enjoyed this book.

5 out of 5 stars Exceptional book.......2007-01-08

Being a certified teacher and Homeschool mother of 2, I'm constantly on the lookout for great children's book that teach important messages, and this is a great one. It's written by a young student herself, and illustrated as well. The book content hits deep truths within us.

I used this as a springboard for many discussions and lessons, including studying Harriet Tubman and slavery in the south. My 5 year old loved reading it over and over, and was introduced to such a difficult topic in a simple and truthful way.

I stongly recommend this book!

5 out of 5 stars Who Owns the Sun?.......2004-07-02

Bring a tissue! Ms. Chbosky permitts the reader to experience the warm and tender relationship between a young boy and his father then rips your heart out the moment the child learns his father is a slave. One can feel a change in the once beautiful bond as adoration leans toward disgust and his innocence is forever shattered.
Courageous Virtue (Courageous Studies for Women)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Courageous Virtue (Courageous Studies for Women)
    Stacy Mitch
    Manufacturer: Emmaus Road Publishing
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 1931018006
    Grey's Anatomy: Notes from the Nurse's Station and Overheard at the Emerald City Bar
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Great purchase
    • this is a hoot!!!
    • The show is better
    • shallow
    • Good for extreme fans of the show.
    Grey's Anatomy: Notes from the Nurse's Station and Overheard at the Emerald City Bar
    Stacy McKee , and Chris Van Dusen
    Manufacturer: Hyperion
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: B000NA21KO

    Book Description

    A sexy, high-concept, behind-the-scenes peek at the lives and loves of Seattle Grace's most popular doctors . . .On ABC's mega-hit Grey's Anatomy, when surgical interns Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, George, and Alex (not to mention neurosurgeon Derek, aka Dr. McDreamy) aren't putting in long hours at Seattle Grace Hospital, they're flirting, gossiping, and drowning their sorrows at the Emerald City Bar. In one location, Nurse Debbie sees it all; in the other, Joe the bartender hears it all . . .Grey's Anatomy is styled as two books in one -- read from one side to get Debbie's hospital scuttlebutt, and from the other for Joe's alcohol-fueled tidbits. Notes from the Nurse's Station and Overheard at the Emerald City Bar are packed with new information on pivotal events. This is the book the show's millions of fans can't wait to read.

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Great purchase.......2007-09-10

    I really enjoyed this book and I've already purchse more books that I'll review soon.

    4 out of 5 stars this is a hoot!!!.......2007-06-08

    Just a fun book about the members of the staff from Seattle Grace--
    the inside look at the characters from a different angle--
    a nurse and bartender from the bar across the street---
    delightful summer reading!!!

    2 out of 5 stars The show is better.......2007-05-30

    I love the show, but if you have seen it you have no further need to read the book. It was boring and very simply written.

    1 out of 5 stars shallow.......2007-05-14

    This book was very shallow and seemed to appeal only to brainless teenagers. I enjoy the series and expected to enjoy the book but did not.

    3 out of 5 stars Good for extreme fans of the show........2007-05-09

    This is an interesting concept for a book, and if you are a huge Grey's Anatomy fanatic I'm sure you'll like it. But it's a little redundant because the two halves cover essentially the same things, just from different perspecitive. And if you've *just* rewatched Grey's as I had before reading it, it might not be that entertaining either... of course, conversly, if you haven't seen Grey's in a while, a lot of the little jokes in the book might not make sense. I think it honestly works best as the website/blog that they have it running as now, where you can read the thoughts of 'Joe' and 'Debbie' in a more current format as you watch the show.

    But by all means buy the book if you love Grey's as I do, because I did enjoy it.

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