The Year of Magical Thinking

Book Description

From one of America’s iconic writers, a stunning book of electric honesty and passion. Joan Didion explores an intensely personal yet universal experience: a portrait of a marriage--and a life, in good times and bad--that will speak to anyone who has ever loved a husband or wife or child.

Customer Reviews:

A Journal of Grief.......2007-10-09

I probably don't need to write a review for this book, but I did want to put my opinion out there.

I wanted to read Joan Didion because of her reputation and this was the most readily available book. I have read a few of her individual essays but this was first exposure to a full length work by Ms. Didion. The writing in all of her work is strong. This book, however, seems almost to be missing something.

With that being said, what a terribly hard topic to write about and still write well? I would still recommend this to anyone dealing with the loss of someone close to you, but I think there is other work by Joan Didion that is a better example of her expertise.

Loss.......2007-10-06

I have just finished reading, "The Year of Magical Thinking". I was unable to put the book down, once I started it. I have been a health care professional for 30 years. I have dealt with personal experiences of death and loss, and have also had the privilege of observing people, dying patients, and their grieving families, who have undergone the same experiences. The author was able to convey the tremendous sense of loss that a person goes through when a close family member, or friend, dies.
It is almost as if an arm or a leg, or, even, a heart has been excised from the person who has been left to cope. I have found that the only thing that really alleviates the pain, is time. There are people who are so afraid of losing a loved one that they live their entire lives without being open to love because they fear the inevitable loss. I would recommend this book to everyone because, in a lifetime, we will all be called upon to cope with death, loss, and grief. When we experience our own "magical thinking", we will at least be able to understand that we are not alone. There are others who have felt the same way we do and have reacted in the same ways as we have.

The Year of Magical Thinking.......2007-10-01

A well-written book and a good sharing of personal emotions. Sometimes seemed like name-dropping at it's best (or worst) but I suppose if you know all the best people you mention them and their effect on your life.

Do not read this book for empathy or comfort.......2007-09-27

After my mother died this summer, this book was recommended to me. I am not familiar with Joan Didion (and I won't be in my future readings), but this book was horrible. I feel sorry that her daughter suffered, but I didn't care to read about that. I wanted to read about how she felt about the sudden loss of her husband. I was told she was so "real" in her writing. Whoever edited this book liked things unfinished. Very disappointed at the waste of time and money spent on this book.

Hip Hip.....Hmmmm.......2007-09-26

The Year of Magical Thinking was both magical and mundane. As I read Joan Didion's winning but somber prose and understood that this was her first book written without her deceased husband's help, I thought of a comment he made to her "Don't tell me ever again you can't write." (p. 166). Although a voracious reader I had not heard of either Joan or her husband, John Gregory Dunne, before this book. I'd like to read more of her work.

What impacted me was reading and for some reason remembering, for the umpteenth time, a failed relationship I'd had well over a decade before and how it marked me. Somehow, was it the book's theme or the prose of the author?, I realized that the trauma had later led me to a beautiful gift that I never would have had without the breakup. The Year of Magical Thinking freed me from something that had long hurt me. Was this my way Lexington Avenue crossing (p. 225)? Was this my leis left at St. John the Divine (p. 226)? The book helped me see what I'd been blind to for years. As well, chapter 16 was candid and impressive as it dealt with her successful husband's concern that he had "frittered away" his life. It seems that her reconstruction of his final days discovered a feared futility. Finally, in chapter 17 Didion expresses, after relating their life's events, activities and relationships, what she learned from and about grief.

Didion and Dunne, who were married for 40 years, inhabited a world I know little about. They reported from Democratic and Republican political conventions, were successful novelists and screen-play writers, lived in Malibu and New York, ate out as a way of life and would send the laundry out to be done. In their world they would decide on the buying and selling of a home by flying to Hawaii to think about it. Paris on a whim was easily accomplished. I was intrigued when she wrote of his time in Princeton and mentioned that he thought the Nassoons to be absurd (p. 144). Am I supposed to know who they were? Do I as the reader need to look that up? It seems from reading they lived on their terms and left little room for religion or a deep quest for meaning outside of their own lives. I find it sad that she could would so easily dismiss near death experiences and look for omens from falling bird poop, all the while not believing in He who watches the sparrows (p.227), a biblical reference for God. I don't pretend to know her religious/spiritual attitude, but The Year of Magical Thinking, a book on death and grief, does not spare one page for the subject.

There are other Death and Grief books I've read: A Grief Observed, A Severe Mercy, A View from a Hearse, etc. all of which present death via memoir. I am continually buoyed by C.S. Lewis' fictional The Last Battle, which concludes the Narnia series. As Aslan (who represents God) comes to judge all those in Narnia and bring about its demise, many go through the door into Aslan's country. From there it is "Further up and Further In" as friends are reunited and magic begins:

"There was a real railway accident," said Aslan softly. "Your father and mother and all of you are--as you used to call it in the Shadowlands--dead. The term is over: Holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning."

And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One and the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before. (The Last Battle, final page)

Didion's work, while it brought healing to me, could finally only take me to her study of geology for buoyant hope and left eternal darkness for her husband and for her daughter Quintana, who was ill throughout the book and died just months after John Gregory Dunne did.

And there was very little that was magical about that.

Average customer rating:

Very Basic
Hidden Gem!
A great resource for any teacher!
An ESSENTIAL for All Educators!
THE Best new teacher book ever!

Why Didn't I Learn This in College?
Paula Rutherford
Manufacturer: Just Ask Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Policy | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Pedagogy | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Instruction for All Students
21st Century Mentor's Handbook
Fred Jones Tools for Teaching
The First Days Of School: How To Be An Effective Teacher
Leading the Learning: A Field Guide for Supervision & Evaluation

ASIN: 0966333616

Book Description

Because participants in our workshop series, Instruction for All Students, often ask, "Why didn't we learn this in college?" that question provided the inspiration for the title of this new book for teachers new to the classroom. This title is in no way meant to condemn those who direct our collegiate experiences. The realities are that we may well have studied these topics and earned a good grade on a test over the theoretical aspects of this information but had no classroom teaching experiences on which to hook the information, that we took an alternative approach to entering the profession, that our focus was elsewhere at the time or perhaps, in fact, it was not taught. Whatever the case may be, teachers new to the classroom clearly need support and a repertoire of effective teaching strategies during their first years of classroom work.

Why Didn't I Learn This in College? is based on the constructs that:

+ the best management program is a good instructional program,

+ if the end we have in mind is student learning, we do not want to concentrate on control and compliance but rather on building learning centered environments, and

+ we need efficient and effective organizational systems for ourselves, our students, and our classroom.

Customer Reviews:

Very Basic .......2007-05-15

This book did not meet my expectations. The information is extremely basic and is a review of college education courses. Although this book would be helpful, it could very easily be replaced with college texts.

Hidden Gem!.......2006-01-13

I happened to find this book while browsing the teaching section. It has truly been a great resource that every (new) teacher should have. Unlike most of our teacher ed. programs, this book gives practical information about how to run a classroom. You won't regret buying this book, it is a wonderful resource!

A great resource for any teacher!.......2004-09-30

My school district gave every new teacher a copy of this book. The new teacher that I am mentoring shared it with me. After reading through it I was excited to find a book that focuses on instruction instead of some silver-bullet discipline plan. The instructional strategies are written clearly and consisely. Both of us bring our copies of Why Didn't I Learn This in College? and use them as we plan our units and lessons every Monday for the following week. I highly recommend this book to any teacher.

An ESSENTIAL for All Educators!.......2002-09-15

Practical, positive, and pure Paula! WHY DIDN'T I LEARN THIS IS COLLEGE? is an ESSENTIAL professional resource for educators at all levels of experience! Paula Rutherford applies her 30 years of teaching and educational leadership to create this book of research-based teaching tips and user-friendly tools that will help increase student achievement in our classrooms. She offers a logical framework for creating learning-centered environments, planning "with the 'end' in mind", and organizing learners and professional tasks for positive results for students, parents, and teachers.

As a veteran teacher and coach for novice teachers, I use this resource as my NUMBER ONE traveling companion and "virtual" collaborator. Paula's pro-active and positive voice resonates through its pages as my teachers and I use this information to bring all students quality instructional programs and opportunities for maximum learning. Thank you, Paula, for being my constant "ride-along" learning buddy!

THE Best new teacher book ever!.......2002-08-28

As a long time mentor for new teachers, I have read many books for teachers new to the classroom. There are a lot of books out there that focus on everything but teaching. This book is all about helping teachers with great teaching strategies that they can use throughout their entire career. New teachers can try a new strategy every day. I am now buying this book for all of my new teachers!

Crazy '08: How a Cast of Cranks, Rogues, Boneheads, and Magnates Created the Greatest Year in Baseball History

Average customer rating:

A detailed look at one baseball season
An extra-base hit, but short of a home run
OK- Average look at an unforgettable year
Yankee
Interesting but Jumpy

Crazy '08: How a Cast of Cranks, Rogues, Boneheads, and Magnates Created the Greatest Year in Baseball History
Cait Murphy
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

History | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Gashouse Gang: How Dizzy Dean, Leo Durocher, Branch Rickey, Pepper Martin, and Their Colorful, Come-from-Behind Ball Club Won the World Series--and America's Heart--During the Great Depression
Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season
The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America
The Cheater's Guide to Baseball
The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs: Recrowning Baseball's Greatest Slugger

ASIN: 0060889373
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Book Description

From the perspective of 2007, the unintentional irony of Chance's boast is manifest—these days, the question is when will the Cubs ever win a game they have to have. In October 1908, though, no one would have laughed: The Cubs were, without doubt, baseball's greatest team—the first dynasty of the 20th century.

Crazy '08 recounts the 1908 season—the year when Peerless Leader Frank Chance's men went toe to toe to toe with John McGraw and Christy Mathewson's New York Giants and Honus Wagner's Pittsburgh Pirates in the greatest pennant race the National League has ever seen. The American League has its own three-cornered pennant fight, and players like Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and the egregiously crooked Hal Chase ensured that the junior circuit had its moments. But it was the National League's—and the Cubs'—year.

Crazy '08, however, is not just the exciting story of a great season. It is also about the forces that created modern baseball, and the America that produced it. In 1908, crooked pols run Chicago's First Ward, and gambling magnates control the Yankees. Fans regularly invade the field to do handstands or argue with the umps; others shoot guns from rickety grandstands prone to burning. There are anarchists on the loose and racial killings in the town that made Lincoln. On the flimsiest of pretexts, General Abner Doubleday becomes a symbol of Americanism, and baseball's own anthem, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," is a hit.

Picaresque and dramatic, 1908 is a season in which so many weird and wonderful things happen that it is somehow unsurprising that a hairpiece, a swarm of gnats, a sudden bout of lumbago, and a disaster down in the mines all play a role in its outcome. And sometimes the events are not so wonderful at all. There are several deaths by baseball, and the shadow of corruption creeps closer to the heart of baseball—the honesty of the game itself. Simply put, 1908 is the year that baseball grew up.

Oh, and it was the last time the Cubs won the World Series.

Destined to be as memorable as the season it documents, Crazy '08 sets a new standard for what a book about baseball can be.

Customer Reviews:

A detailed look at one baseball season.......2007-10-05

Cait Murphy observes that 1908 is an important season in the history of baseball in America. She closes the book with the statement (page 288): "In the sweep of baseball's history, 1908 is not the end of an era, nor the beginning of one. It is, however, the end of the beginning." She starts the work by answering why she explores 1908 (page xiii): "The best season in baseball history id 1908. Besides two agonizing pennant races, it features history's finest pitching duel, hurled in the white heat of an October stretch drive, and the most controversial game ever played." I'm not sure that I buy 1908 as the apogee of baseball; however, Murphy does make a nice case.

The book begins with some context, looking at the earlier years of the National League and American League just after the turn of the century. She also looks at the evolution of gloves and bats and the other artifacts of the game. There are glimpses of stadia of the time.

Also nicely done are the character sketches of some key figures from 1908--from Manager John McGraw of the Giants to John Evers and Frank ("Husk" or "The Peerless Leader") Chance of the Cubs to Honus Wagner and so on. The book takes a chronological look at the season thereafter, from opening day through the great replay of the tie game (when Fred Merkle didn't touch second base, leading to a tie score) to a brief afterword on the World Series (not much time spent on it, since it was a blowout, with the Cubs winning their last World Series over the Detroit Tigers).

Some interesting tidbits are scattered throughout: the seemingly large number of players who committed suicide (pages 66-67), the amazing variety of interests of Cubs' players on one train trip (if accurately portrayed by a reporter)--"Doc" Marshall reading a book on dentistry, Johnny Evers reading a biography of Savonarola, two players discussed how to raise alfalfa, Ed Reulbach reading a chemistry book, five playing poker, and so on.

There is the portrayal of some of the great moments of the season, for instance, Young Fred Merkle not touching second base after an apparent game-winning hit against the detested Cubs (pages 189-191).

There are also several "time-out" inserts that provide interesting side-bar discussions. One of these looks at Chicago and its bawdy politics of the early 1900s; another examines the howler that Abner Doubleday invented the game of baseball. An Epilogue briefly describes what happened to key players after the 1908 season, including Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown (there is a picture of his misshapen hand in the volume, suggesting how he might have created interesting movement on his pitches), Frank Chance, Hal Chase, Fred Merkle, "Cy" Young, and so on.

All in all, a nice detailed view of a fascinating season in baseball history.

An extra-base hit, but short of a home run.......2007-09-30

The 1908 baseball season provided plenty of excitement, suspense and story lines as one game separated the top three teams in the National League and 1.5 games separated the top three teams in the American League. Astute baseball fans have long recognized it as one of the greatest years in baseball history, if not the greatest. Author Cait Murphy writes an entertaining and informative account of Crazy '08, but it is also uneven.

Murphy thoroughly researched the 1908 season as evidenced by her extensive bibliography and footnotes, which I greatly appreciated as a reader and fan of the Deadball Era.

Murphy, however, decides to focus on the National League race among the Giants, Cubs and Pirates. She seems infatuated with John McGraw and the New York Giants and their rivalry with the Chicago Cubs. Although these two teams are colorful, readers interested in the equally exciting American League race among the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians will be vastly disappointed. Murphy considerably shortchanges the American League race.

While it's interesting to read about the characters of `08, Murphy gives scant details about the pivotal games they played. The games merit more attention. And, after battling to the last days of the season, how could Murphy dismiss the 1908 World Series between the Cubs and the Tigers in less than a page? It couldn't have been that boring. It seems as if she had run out of steam at that point or else she was just trying to finish the book before deadline. My guess is that if the Giants had won the National League pennant, Murphy would have considered the '08 World Series worthy of more coverage.

On the positive side, Murphy does an excellent job describing the infamous Merkle play and how and why it became pivotal. She also presents interesting portraits of the umpires and executives. And, she digs up some interesting informational nuggets.

Her six "Time Out" chapters, intended to put the 1908 season in context, were an unnecessary diversion for me.

OK- Average look at an unforgettable year.......2007-08-24

I expected more out of this book- I just found the writing to be pretty boring- It's a quick read but never really captures the emotion of the season- Wait until it arrives in paperback

Yankee.......2007-08-17

Loads of fun to read. My son who is 12 read it cover to cover too. It came right on time.

Interesting but Jumpy.......2007-08-15

I agree with some of the other reviewers. The book was interesting in it's depiction of players and the general cast of this era of baseball. But I was not overly impressed with the writing, or more specifically the editing. I noticed that many sentences jumped between past tense and present tense, for instance. And some of the chapters could have used more exposition. I also was annoyed by the number of footnote notations throughout the book. Just felt distracting. But for a fun read about old time baseball, it wasn't bad.

Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years

Average customer rating:

Unstoppable Global Warming - Singer and Avery
A Must Read
Global Warming Evaluation with Documentation
Book Review
Real science in a field full of Junk science

Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years
Dennis T. Avery , and S. Fred Singer
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Political Parties | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Weather | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming (and Environmentalism)
Shattered Consensus: The True State of Global Warming
The Chilling Stars: The New Theory of Climate Change
America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
Meltdown: The Predictable Distortion of Global Warming by Scientists, Politicians, and the Media

ASIN: 0742551172

Book Description

Singer and Avery present in popular language supported by in-depth scientific evidence the compelling concept that global temperatures have been rising mostly or entirely because of a natural cycle. Unstoppable Global Warming explains why we're warming, why it's not very dangerous, and why we can't stop it anyway.

Customer Reviews:

Unstoppable Global Warming - Singer and Avery .......2007-10-03

This is an excellent book that answers real questions and concerns about global warming. It counters the "sky is falling" syndrome propagated by those who do not know the real facts or insights related to the warming trends. The book focuses on adapting to a common cyclical environmental event versus approaches that are a waste of time trying to stop the warming. Overall the book is well written but is somewhat academic. There is a detailed effort to outline the warming trend with factual information and details. Is well worth the read.

A Must Read.......2007-10-02

Singer and Avery offered a well documented, heavily researched, and easily read analysis of the global warming issue.

Their conclusion: Yes, the earth is currently warming, however so slightly. No, man is not the cause of this warming. Rather, it is dependent upon 1,500 year climate cycles embedded within larger ice-age and non-ice-age shifts (which take millions of years, according to the authors). All of which is dependent upon the amount of the sun's radiance hitting the earth, which in turn varies upon the amount of solar winds intercepting said radiation. (Note: this is the summary of a layman, and is dramatically over simplistic.) This is supported by the analysis of literally hundreds of studies.

Accompanying the scientific support of the 1,500 year cycle and refutation of the greenhouse gas theory, Singer and Avery include a poignant and absolutely necessary look at the implications of acting upon the greenhouse gas theory. Truth in this issue is not a matter of simply proving one's point, of social/political standing, or of a voting platform, but one of life and death importance.

This being a heavily scientific book, perhaps "easily read" was an exaggeration. Rather, "well written" would suitably describe this readable, yet challenging book.

The authors, while being experts in the field of global climate studies, are not devoid of a sense of humor, one at which greenhouse gas theorists would certainly take issue.

The Amazon reviewer Crosslands sums up my personal opinion of this work well:

Pseudoscientists and others with a vested interest in controlling the global economy by use of the global warming hoax will not like this work. However informed readers concerned with human welfare and human progress will find this book invaluable. This book should be read by all Amercians and really by everone else in the world.

Global Warming Evaluation with Documentation.......2007-09-22

I have read this book thoroughly and enjoyed it very much. I was very impressed with the breadth, depth and documentation included with the book and range of topics presented by the authors. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in assessing the true status of the "Global Warming" Hypothesis.

Dr. James F. Howard, Ph.D.
Geo and Environmental Sciences

Book Review.......2007-09-22

I am interested in global warming and found in this book the technical basis for global warming. I don't believe Al Gores book is accurate.

Real science in a field full of Junk science.......2007-09-15

I've read numberous articles and several books on the global warming controversy, and I must say, this is far and away the best. Although Avery and Singer do explain the political basis and motivation of the global warming movement, their primary focus is on the actual science of a scientifically validated phenomenon that thoroughly and convincingly explains the global warming that has recently occurred. Most surprisingly, they offer a tremendous amount of data that illustrates that global warming has historically been of tremendous benefit to humans throughout history. The book presents so much scientific detail that at times at times I found myself thinking, "Alright already, I'm convinced!", which is just what this all-too-often fuzzy topic needs.

What to Expect the First Year, Second Ed

Average customer rating:

MUCH better than the pregnancy version
Just what a new parent-to- be needs!
Very Helpful
LOVE this series
Hand Tool

What to Expect the First Year, Second Ed
Heidi Murkoff , Sandee Hathaway , and Arlene Eisnberg
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Family Health | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

Child Care | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

What to Expect When You're Expecting, Third Edition
The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer
The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two (Revised and Updated Edition)
Baby Bargains, 7th Edition: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on baby furinture, gear, clothes, toys, maternity wear and much more! (Baby Bargains)
What to Expect the Toddler Years

Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
What to Expect When You're Expecting, Third Edition

Product Features:

Bestselling guide to baby care
Revision of the 6.9 million seller
Incorporates the most recent developments in child development
Updated coverage of issues like SIDS, newborn screening, home births, causes of colic
Focuses on issues for mommy like returning to work, resulting of at-home newborn care and the expanded role of father

ASIN: 0761129588

Product Description

America's bestselling guide to caring for a baby is now better than ever: announcing a two-years-in-the-making, cover-to-cover, line-by-line revision and update of the 6.9-million-copy What to Expect the First Year, the bible for taking care of a newborn through the milestone of his or her first birthday. The Second Edition incorporates the most recent developments in pediatric medicine. Every question and answer have been revisited, and in response to letters from readers, dozens of new Q&As have been added. The book is more reader-friendly than ever, with updated cultural references, and the new material brings more in-depth coverage to issues such as newborn screening, home births and the resulting at-home newborn care, vitamins and vaccines, milk allergies, causes of colic, sleep problems, SIDS, returning to work, dealing with siblings, weaning, sippy cups, the expanded role of the father, and much more. An updated cover and all-new black-and-white line illustrations complement the fresher book with a fresher look.

Amazon.com

Is our baby eating enough? Is this much crying normal? How do I know when she is really sick? This hefty, 671-page guide to your baby's first year is brought to you by the creators of the bestselling What to Expect When You're Expecting. The three authors, all mothers themselves, are calm, clear, and encouraging as they tackle the first year of child-rearing, month by month. The easy-to-absorb, chronological format includes sections such as "What Your Baby May Be Doing," "What You Can Expect at This Month's Checkups," "Feeding Your Baby This Month," "What You May Be Concerned About," and "What It's Important to Know."

Part Two addresses special concerns such as illness, first aid do's and don'ts, the low-birthweight baby, the adopted baby, becoming a father, and sibling relationships. You'll also find discussions of breastfeeding and bottlefeeding, selecting a physician for the baby, diapers and clothing, safety, and many ways of stimulating the baby's development. The recipes for babies and toddlers in Part Three are useful, as are the recommended home remedies; charts on common childhood illnesses; height and weight; and the thorough index. (A particular strength of the book is the authors' careful attention to diet and nutrition for both mother and baby, incorporating the American Academy of Pediatrics' latest recommendations on infant nutrition.) While some of the authors' perspectives are controversial (such as whether to let your baby "cry it out" or not), this book remains one of the most comprehensive resources for new parents as they toddle through their baby's first year.

Customer Reviews:

MUCH better than the pregnancy version.......2007-10-01

I hated what to expect when you're expecting. I found it totally paranoid and annoying. This book, however, was very useful. I enjoyed the monthly breakdown of developmental skills and issues that might come up. It's in a question/answer format, which is easy to read on only a few hours sleep.

Just what a new parent-to- be needs!.......2007-09-30

What To Expect the First Year, Second Ed

My daughter & son-in-law were delighted to receive this book and find it to be informative, helpful and easy to read.

Very Helpful.......2007-09-27

I felt this book was very helpful as a first time mother. Many things that you'll question can be found in this book, and more.

LOVE this series.......2007-09-20

An absolute must for the intelligent parent. This series is not for the paranoid (it will only make you more obsessed about where your child "ranks" amongst otherchildren. This great easy to read book series (what to expect when you are expecting,... the first year... the toddler years) does just what it says it does. It gave us a guide to lessen the shocks and surprises that my daughter kept in store for us. It also helps me to gauge if any social or developmental abnormalities are occuring so that I can seek help if neccesary. Because of this series (in good part) When my daughter had her first peanut reaction on her 1st birthday I knew what was possible, watched, caught it, and got her medical attention immediately. I now carry a life saving Epi-pen. If you are now paranoid , don't get the books. If you can be rational and want to be aware, then run to get it, love it.

Hand Tool.......2007-09-08

Its a useful book for any new parents. It begins by explaining what essentials to purchase for your new born, breast feeding vs. bottle feeding, post parteum then it goes into depth for the first year fo your baby's development. It will be my guide through the first year of my child's life for sure.

Average customer rating:

Truly beautiful book
To My Dog Loving Friends:
Absolutely wonderful
Unconditional non-judgemental love
Far Exceeded Expectations

Dog Years: A Memoir
Mark Doty
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Authors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog
A Three Dog Life
Dog Days: Dispatches from Bedlam Farm
The Dogs Who Found Me: What I've Learned from Pets Who Were Left Behind
From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava

ASIN: 006117100X
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Book Description

Why do dogs speak so profoundly to our inner lives? When Mark Doty decides to adopt a dog as a companion for his dying partner, he finds himself bringing home Beau, a large golden retriever, malnourished and in need of loving care. Beau joins Arden, the black retriever, to complete their family. As Beau bounds back into life, the two dogs become Mark Doty's intimate companions, his solace, and eventually the very life force that keeps him from abandoning all hope during the darkest days. Their tenacity, loyalty, and love inspire him when all else fails.

Dog Years is a remarkable work: a moving and intimate memoir interwoven with profound reflections on our feelings for animals and the lessons they teach us about life, love, and loss. Mark Doty writes about the heart-wrenching vulnerability of dogs, the positive energy and joy they bring, and the gift they bear us of unconditional love. A book unlike any other, Mark Doty's surprising meditation is radiantly unsentimental yet profoundly affecting. Beautifully written, Dog Years is a classic in the making.

Customer Reviews:

Truly beautiful book.......2007-10-02

This book moved me to write a review here, my first. I can hardly express how touching this book was for me. Sad in nature but told with such exquisite elegance it took me months to finish because though I enjoyed it throughly, reading it was an intense emotional experience, not unlike grieving. There are single lines and sections in this book that when thinking of them later, tears snap to my eyes. I am a true dog lover who can relate to the deep devotion and attachment to our dogs as expressed in this book. Mark has used language beautifully to tell his story.

To My Dog Loving Friends: .......2007-09-24

(I read this book and was touched by it enough to write an email to my Dog Loving Friends) Here is what I wrote:

Dear Dog Loving Friends,

Over the past few days I read a book that I checked out of the library called Dog Years written by Mark Doty.

The book moved me so much that I intend to buy a copy for me to keep as my own. (And I never ever buy books to own.)

I recommend it to you (if you will endure the more poetic parts of it and seemingly random diversionary discussions), and I recommend it to Connie's hairdresser given that he owns 14 dogs. Susanne, if you can pass this on to Connie or make mention, I would be grateful.

The book is told in the first person. It is a memoir of sorts - reminds me of a scrapbook in a way - with lots of "photos" (the photos being stories) of dogs, but other "momentoes" stuck in the book such as random musings on poetry and sidebar discussions on such non-dog related topics as Judy Garland, the difference between dispair and depression....and boy does he nail it when he decribes depression. I am not quoting directly but something like: "Depression moves in heavily and sits in the sink as the dirty dishes from yesterday" ....

As strange as all the pieces were, it comes together quite lovely. Like a meal or a recipe in which I would have NEVER thought to combine all those ingredients, but it worked beautifully.

This book all made sense to me (except for some of the poetry..ok, ok, so I admidt I am missing the Emily Dickenson gene along with the cooking gene, but I will go back and carefully re-read some of the poetry.) I especially liked the poem on the wind. See that is the great thing about this book. I just finished it and already I am eager to read it again.

The book starts slowly and gets much better after a few chapters. I was momentarily confused between a dog named Wally and a man named Wally, and I was mildly irritated that the author used the word "fierce" or a very similar word 3 times on the same page. jeeze, picky, picky.

But then on the other hand, I rather LIKED this "flaw" because I felt like he was not a honed pretentious writer following all those rules we learn in English and writing classes, but instead he was really writing from the heart. And I myself, of course, cannot even write one smidgen as well as Doty.

Doty, an artistic insightful angst ridden gay man, recollects his past and how important his dogs were to him. He brilliantly perceptively and precisely captures what I think we see and love in our dogs. I was constantly saying "YES, YES, YES!" outloud to myself while reading. I wept copiously at the end.

The manner in which he desribes his dogs "resonates" with me (I hate to use that overused word, but it really fits here).

Because Doty is a poet, he sees his dogs through poetic artistic eyes.

The book will make you laugh and cry. I hope you take time to read it. See the reader reviews in the link below. (and I copied in the link to Amazon for my friends to click to).

- later -

Absolutely wonderful.......2007-08-16

This book is eloquent, poetic, deep, funny and thoughtful. I have never felt so connected to other 'dog people'. So many things Mark describes about his wonderful friends I found myself saying 'yes, Pukka does that too!' 'I know exactly what he means!'. 'I know exactly how he feels!'

In addition to capturing the bond between human and pet dog, the book is also punctuated by real life events that have effected us all, like 9/11, and the death of a partner. Overall, the story is well written, (although it did go back and forth a bit in time), heart warming, heart wrenching, real, thought provoking and also explores issues of self worth, depression, relationships. And although the story revolves around a gay couple, it transends gender and sexual orientation as anyone can relate to their relationship with each other and with their dogs.

I cried too much at the end though! (Well done)

Unconditional non-judgemental love.......2007-07-07

A dog offers unconditional love and companionship throughout it's life. The unwavering devotion of the golden retriever and labrador is beautifully portrayed in this novel. These recollections are heartfelt and touching. I could not put this book down.

I am the author of-Dreams in August: Life, Love, and Cerebellar Ataxia

Far Exceeded Expectations.......2007-07-03

I picked up Dog Years for my husband, as he liked the Jon Katz books. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down. I expected a somewhat sentimental eulogy but this memoir is so much more -- it is really a kind of treatise on the inevitability -- and necessity -- of pain in any fully lived life. Further, it is about the limits of language to express experience, and the capabilities that dogs and humans have to communicate without words. Doty moves back and forth between the mundane and the sublime, from poop to poetry (he cites Emily Dickinson's poetry as language that tries to capture the eneffable, the unsayable). Of course he explores his own sadness but he lets us know early on that he had always had a melancholy bent. An important dimension of this memoir is his own journey down and through depression and his recognition that he was in need of help. I was reminded of other writers as I read -- John Updike, Andrew Solomon, Jane Kenyon and Donald Hall. Much more these than -- Jon Katz. Beautifully written, deeply affecting: a book that is an undeniable pleasure to read even while you're close to tears.

The Happiest Toddler on the Block: The New Way to Stop the Daily Battle of Wills and Raise a Secure and Well-Behaved One- to Four-Year-Old

Average customer rating:

Love it
Terrible book
Good But Not Great!
not the baby book...
Very helpful with my 2-year old!

The Happiest Toddler on the Block: The New Way to Stop the Daily Battle of Wills and Raise a Secure and Well-Behaved One- to Four-Year-Old
Harvey Md Karp , and Paula Spencer
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Toddlers Busy Book
What to Expect the Toddler Years
The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer
The Pocket Parent
The Girlfriends' Guide to Toddlers

Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0553381431
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Book Description

Toddlers can drive you bonkers…so adorable and fun one minute…so stubborn and demanding the next! Yet, as unbelievable as it sounds, there is a way to turn the daily stream of “nos” and “don’ts” into “yeses” and hugs…if you know how to speak your toddler’s language. In one of the most useful advances in parenting techniques of the past twenty-five years, Dr. Karp reveals that toddlers, with their immature brains and stormy outbursts, should be thought of not as pint-size people but as pintsize…cavemen.

Having noticed that the usual techniques often failed to calm crying toddlers, Dr. Karp
discovered that the key to effective communication was to speak to them in their own primitive language. When he did, suddenly he was able to soothe their outbursts almost every time! This amazing success led him to the realization that children between the ages of one and four go through four stages of “evolutionary” growth, each linked to the development of the brain, and each echoing a step in prehistoric humankind’s journey to civilization:

• The “Charming Chimp-Child” (12 to 18 months): Wobbles around on two legs, grabs everything in reach, plays a nonstop game of “monkey see monkey do.”
• The “Knee-High Neanderthal” (18 to 24 months): Strong-willed, fun-loving, messy, with a vocabulary of about thirty words, the favorites being “no” and “mine.”
• The “Clever Caveman” (24 to 36 months):
Just beginning to learn how to share, make friends, take turns, and use the potty.
• The “Versatile Villager” (36 to 48 months): Loves to tell stories, sing songs and dance, while trying hard to behave.

To speak to these children, Dr. Karp has developed two extraordinarily effective techniques:
1) The “fast food” rule — restating what your child has said to make sure you got it right;
2) The four-step rule — using gesture, repetition, simplicity, and tone to help your
irate Stone-Ager be happy again.

Once you’ve mastered “toddler-ese,” you will be ready to apply behavioral techniques specific to each stage of your child’s development, such as teaching patience and calm, doing time-outs (and time-ins), praise through “gossiping,” and many other strategies. Then all the major challenges of the toddler years — including separation anxiety, sibling rivalry, toilet training, night fears, sleep problems, picky eating, biting and hitting, medicine taking — can be handled in a way that will make your toddler feel understood. The result: fewer tantrums, less yelling, and, best of all, more happy, loving time for you and your child.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Love it.......2007-09-11

I bought this book because Dr. Karp's book The Happest baby on the Block saved my sanity. His advise really works, and helped me feel as if I had some control, and ways to cope with an unpredictable child. Even if only half of his advise works for your child it is worth it. Good luck.

Terrible book.......2007-09-06

Here is the book, in summary:

Your child acts like a caveman and pretty much is a cave man in every way. You act like a cave man too so that he understands you and he is happy.

Read the above paragraph 500 times. The end.

Good But Not Great!.......2007-09-02

I was expecting the amazing tips and tricks that Happiest Baby on the Block offered. I liked it but it wasn't as good as his previous book.

not the baby book..........2007-08-09

I loved Karp's baby book! Could not have made it through the first few months w/out it. Do NOT like this one though. I recommend 123 Magic 2-12yr old.

Very helpful with my 2-year old! .......2007-07-12

Dr. Karp provided specific examples with direct guidance about how to respond to challenging behavior. I tried the "fast food" response and it worked. I would skip to Chapters 8 & 9 if I didn't have enough time to read the entire book. These chapters were the most helpful.

The Book Thief (Book Sense Book of the Year Children's Literature (Awards))

Average customer rating:

good book
Insightful...
Riviting and Emotionally engaging
Fighting against the Reich
My truly favorite book of all time.

The Book Thief (Book Sense Book of the Year Children's Literature (Awards))
Markus Zusak
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

Historical Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

I Am the Messenger
Water for Elephants: A Novel
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
Suite Francaise
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party

ASIN: 0375831002
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Book Description

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

Customer Reviews:

good book.......2007-10-10

The book was in good shape. The print was large enough to read comfortaby. I liked the book.

Insightful..........2007-10-10

It is a romance with a historic background...some would say the other way around, where the author talks about the 2WW thru the personal drama of this little girl, Liesel and her peculiar way of getting satisfaction on a life full of difficulties. What I most liked about it was the way the author talks about the 2WW using an unusual perspective.

Riviting and Emotionally engaging.......2007-10-10

I haven't been so emotionally engaged in a book in I can't remember how long. The only fault that I find is that reviews keep saying that the target audience for this book is teens! While I find the story and the historic significance important, I would argue that the reader who gets more out of this book is a reader who has experienced more out of life. I loved all of the figurative language and the perspective that Zusak wrote from. And although I was a bit annoyed that Death was a blabber-mouth, in the end it didn't take away from how I felt reading the last 80 pages of the book. This book was our community book for 2007 (a grant provides them at no cost to anyone who wants to read one). Everyone I've talked to has literally sobbed through the ending, feeling everything that Liesel does along the way.

Phenomenal. I recommend it to everyone.

Fighting against the Reich.......2007-10-08

Wow. First of all, my 12 year old daughter also read this book, and she cried for a while towards the end and after finishing it. I was already reading it also, but having several books going at once, I kept putting it down, until finally on a Saturday afternoon I plowed through to the end. So emotionally wrenching and heartbreaking, this book (and the book thief) deserves nothing less than your full and undivided attention.

A story of loss, courage and love, the subject of this book, while written for the "young adult" audience, is very mature. But it is subject matter we all need to be reminded of so we never forget it. The book thief is a young foster child, growing up with a new family after losing her parents to circumnstances surrounding the start of WW2 in Germany. Not all Germans were blindly following Hitler, as Liesel and her neighbors stand up to do the right thing for their neighbors and themselves. Her "Papa," Hans, is a WW1 veteran, who is prevailed upon by the son of someone who he knew back then for help, and Hans does the right thing; and then some. Liesel's best friend, the lovely Rudy Steiner and his family are the same. Brave people who know in their hearts what is wrong and right, and that listen to their hearts as well. Fear is rampant, but these are brave, enduring souls.

I don't want to give away the ending, but this is a book I am encouraging all my children to read, and I will also recommend it to my friends. I will never forget Liesel, Rudy and the Steiner family, Max or Hans and Rosa. A story with a bittersweet ending.

My truly favorite book of all time........2007-10-07

Simply and to the point, this is the most moving and beautiful book I can ever remember reading. I'll be buying this for many, many people.

Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats--A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners (A 30-Minute Meal Cookbook)

Average customer rating:

Sorry, Rachel...
Yum-o
Nothing I would eat!
30 Minute Meals
It's just ok.

Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats--A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners (A 30-Minute Meal Cookbook)
Rachael Ray
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Quick & Easy | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals: Eat Healthy Without Going to Extremes
Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals: What to Keep on Hand, What to Buy Fresh for the Easiest-Ever 30-Minute Meals
Comfort Food: Rachael Ray Top 30 30-Minute Meals
Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds
30-Minute Meals

ASIN: 1400082544
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

Even your favorite dinner can lose its appeal when it’s in constant rotation, so mix it up! With her largest collection of recipes yet, Food Network’s indefatigable cook Rachael Ray guarantees you’ll be able to put something fresh and exciting on your dinner table every night for a full year... without a single repeat!

Based on the original 30-Minute Meal cooking classes that started it all, these recipes prove that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every night. Rachael offers dozens of recipes that, once mastered, can become entirely new dishes with just a few ingredient swaps. Learn how to make a Southwestern Pasta Bake and you’ll be able to make a Smoky Chipotle Chili Con Queso Mac the next time. Try your hand at Spring Chicken with Leeks and Peas and you’re all set to turn out a rib-sticking Rice and Chicken Stoup that looks and tastes like an entirely different dish.

As a best-selling cookbook author and host of three top-rated Food Network shows, Rachael Ray believes that both cooking and eating should be fun. Drawing from her own favorite dishes as well as those of her family, friends, and celebrities, she covers the flavor spectrum from Asian to Italian and dozens of delicious stops in between. Best of all, these flavor-packed dishes will satisfy your every craving and renew your taste for cooking. With so many delicious entrees to choose from you’ll never have an excuse for being in a cooking rut again.

How about a brand-new 30-minute dinner every night for an entire year?

Tired of making the same old same old, week after week after week?

With Rachael’s most varied and comprehensive collection of 30-minute recipes ever, you’ll have everyone at your table saying “Yummo!” all year long.

It’s amazing what a half hour can do for your tastebuds … 365 days a year!

Customer Reviews:

Sorry, Rachel..........2007-09-18

I bought this book with great anticipation; however, after making several recipes, I am very dissapointed. Many dishes I've tried have absolutely NO FLAVOR at all. If you like dinners from the 1950's, you may like this; but for experienced cooks with sophisticated palates, this is not worth buying. The fact that there are 170 of these used books for sale should tell you something.

Yum-o.......2007-08-25

I liked the listing of recipes so it was easy to choose what to make without flipping through the entire cookbook. Lots of easy recipes for chicken. When you have normal ingredients, you can still make something taste spetacular.

Nothing I would eat!.......2007-08-24

I didn't like this book. It wasn't very clear. My family would NEVER eat any of the recipes. I was looking for a well-rounded list of recipes, (like joy of cooking) but found this was too "kid friendly" and unhealthy. I returned the book.

30 Minute Meals.......2007-08-12

I was somewhat disappointed. There is a lot more time to get the meal together than I expected.Otherwise it is well written and organized.

It's just ok........2007-08-07

I did make some kind of turkey burgers with butter and tobasco sauce...I think they were buffalo turkey burgers...don't have the book in front of me...and they were quite good. It had a blue cheese sauce, YUM-O! (To quote Ms. Ray). She finished off the patties in the sauce...

I made a variation...I take the buns and soak them for a few seconds in the butter/tobasco sauce and grill them...it's the only way my picky son wants his burgers now! So, the girl is inventive...it's just not my first pick for a cookbook at supper time. Know what I mean?

Average customer rating:

Decent book, but one sided.
LOVE this series
It's a Good Book
It's okay but please do independent research
terrific reference

What to Expect the Toddler Years
Arlene Eisenberg , Heidi Murkoff , and Sandee Hathaway
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

What to Expect the First Year, Second Ed
The Happiest Toddler on the Block: The New Way to Stop the Daily Battle of Wills and Raise a Secure and Well-Behaved One- to Four-Year-Old
The Girlfriends' Guide to Toddlers
The Toddlers Busy Book
Toddler 411: Clear Answers & Smart Advice for your Toddler

Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
Mother's Intuition Tummy Honey Cream
Reader Rabbit: Playtime for Baby
What to Expect When You're Expecting, Third Edition

Product Features:

Another piece of the What To Expect When You're Expecting Series
Covers the basics for children from 1-3 years
Covers growth and development phases
Hundreds of questions answered from eating and sleeping problems to day care issues
Valuable for the seasoned parent

ASIN: 0894809946

Product Description

They guided you through pregnancy, they guided you through baby's first year, and now they'll guide you through the toddler years. In a direct continuation of What to Expect When You're Expecting (over 9.6 million copies in print) and What to Expect the First Year (over 5.6 million copies in print), America's bestselling pregnancy and childcare authors turn their uniquely comprehensive, lively, and reassuring coverage to years two and three. Organized month by month for the second year (months 12-24) and quarterly through the third year (months 24-36), What to Expect the Toddler Years covers each growth and development phase parents are likely to encounter-when they're likely to encounter it. Hundreds of questions and answers treat everything from eating and sleeping problems to day care, tantrums, bottle mouth, shyness, self-esteem, and more. An entire third section of the book is devoted to toilet training, safety, and health, and a fourth covers special concerns-the exceptional child, siblings, and balancing work and parenting.

Customer Reviews:

Decent book, but one sided........2007-10-10

This book is great at describing the normal stages and development of a toddler. It is biased towards no spanking, vaccines, and working parents.

LOVE this series.......2007-09-20

It's a Good Book.......2007-09-16

I love this book and the 2 previous ones (What to expect when you are expecting and the first 12 months). They are informative for new mothers like me.

It's okay but please do independent research.......2007-09-15

Beaing a conscientious parent like everyone else her I would say this book is a good reference but warn everyone to take the information with a pinch of salt! Parenting is both an art and science and a good parent will research for an evidence based approach to healthy parenting. Unfortunately this book, depite well written, false short of that expectation! I would still recommend it for someone who would want a qucik reference guide on the go!

terrific reference.......2007-08-25

We use these books at work. I highly recommend all of them starting with pregnancy through the Toddler years!

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books