Cast a Pebble in the Ocean

Book Description

Before Man and insectlike Thranx had become allies, when the reptilian AAnn were just occasional raiders of Thranx colony worlds, one young Thranx agricultural expert lived a life of quiet desperation.
A dreamer in a world of sensible, stable beings, Ryo buried himself in his work -- reclaiming marshland from a tenacious jungle -- until he came across a letter describing a relative's encounter with horrid, two-legged, soft-skinned space-going beasts . . .

Customer Reviews:

One of the great books in the Humanx universe........2006-04-25

Like many of the other single book stories set in the Humanx universe, this is a great story from start to finish. I was very glad when the "founding of the commonwealth" series came out and knew that this book would really be the foundation of that series as it should be. Having just started the "foundation of the commonwealth" trilogy, I only went a few pages before realizing that I should read this book yet again (and like others here, I have read my first edition copy several times.)

A good first contact and a good place to start........2005-03-07

More than ten years after first reading it and having read many other first contact books this one is still my favorite. While doing first contact from an aliens view has been done more realisticly, such as the The Chanur Saga, none has done it quite as fun. Foster has an ability to capture both seriousness and fun in his writing and this book in no exception. This book is a good jumping off point for potential Fosterites and a great book for long time fans.

Nicely done first contact novel........2004-10-21

A very nice science fiction novel which explores first contact between two very different alien races and does it from the point of view of both species. The novel is compact and efficient, managing to capture the major political reactions without needing to make them overly byzantine or complex. Conspicuous villains are not on offer. Rather, Foster tackles the origins of prejudice and offers a possible model of moving forward. The book points out that contact between unlike peoples can also offer important opportunities for change within both affected cultures.

The resolution, like the rest of the book, is very gentle. At this point in science fiction and world history it may feel slightly dated or overly hopeful. On the other hand, perhaps a healthy dose of resolvable conflict is a welcome and necessary thing. You decide.

A look at first contact from the other side.......2004-08-09

This is a very creative first contact story. Told from the alien point-of-view, it illustrates the dangers that prejudice and fear create when alien species first meet.

Foster does a good job of describing a insectoid civilization, and provides great insight into the traits of such a species. It is especially interesting to note the relative relationship of mammals on this world, and the attitudes towards them. This sets the stage for the potential conflict when contact with Earth's humans.

This book holds a mirror up to our own prejudices and attitudes and serves as a cautionary tale about making quick judgements when encountering new cultures. It is all too easy for misunderstandings to create enemies, when patience might lead to understanding and friendship.

Alan Dean Foster's best work.......2001-11-23

I rate "Nor Crystal Tears" as Alan Dean Foster's best work, and as one of the best books I have ever read. It is a masterfully written story of first contact. With rarely a dull moment, it really is worth reading.

If you haven't read anything by Alan Dean Foster, this is a good place to start.

Average customer rating:
NOR CRYSTAL TEARS

Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H38GEC

Average customer rating:
Nor Crystal Tears
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXW4OY

Average customer rating:
Nor Crystal Tears

Manufacturer: Severn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IHF550

Average customer rating:
Nor Crystal Tears
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVS6RY

Average customer rating:

My favorite cocktail book

Pros and Cons

great book

Good Drinks Good Fun!

Very good!

The Bartender's Best Friend: A Complete Guide to Cocktails, Martinis, and Mixed Drinks
Mardee Regan
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Turtleback

Bartending | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Cooking, Food & Wine | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
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The Bartender's Bible: 1001 Mixed Drinks and Everything You Need to Know to Set Up Your Bar

The Bartender's Black Book, Eighth Edition: 2,800 New and Classic Recipes

Big Bad-ass Book Of Shots

The Ultimate A-to-Z Bar Guide

The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft

ASIN: 0471227218

Book Description

The ultimate bartending guide!

Proven recipes, step-by-step instructions, and much, much more

Congratulations! You’ve just discovered the ultimate bartender’s guide that’s up-to-date, practical, and easy-to-use. Inside you’ll find recipes for hundreds of delicious cocktails and mixed drinks, plus step-by-step directions for making virtually every contemporary and classic drink ordered at bars and restaurants today–from an A.B.C. to a Zorbatini.

You’ll also find total coverage of bartending basics, including equipment, ingredients, techniques, glassware, and garnishes.

More than 850 recipes–listed alphabetically
Clear, step-by-step instructions and problem-solving tips
Fast-find icons–for classics, shooters, party punches, and more
Waterproof, wipe-dry cover with place-keeping ribbon
Mini-course on professional bartending

Customer Reviews:

My favorite cocktail book.......2007-05-19

This book is indispensable! It contains recipes for old-fashioned cocktails (and their history) as well as new "foofy" drinks. I much prefer it over Mr Boston for its variety. I enjoy drinks that are simple and use bitters or aperitifs, and this book has plenty of them! It also includes non-alcoholic drinks for the tee-totaler.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking to build their bar and learn how to make some delicious drinks that go far beyond the boring martini-bar cocktail.

Pros and Cons.......2007-01-24

Pros: Awesome book. Easy to follow. Cheaper than bar-tending sites offer.

Cons: It doesn't have EVERY drink you're looking for, but it has a good enough selection you won't be disappointed.

great book.......2007-01-05

This was a great book. I just wish it had listed the drinks by alcohol ingredients. But overall, I loved it.

Good Drinks Good Fun!.......2005-01-25

This is a good book for people who want to know how to mix drinks and how to mix them well. It also has some non-alcholic mixes for the kids parties and stuff! And the cover is water proof and has a place keeping ribbon too!

Very good!.......2004-06-30

Got this book and was immediately impressed by the loads of recipes. However, there are some good ones missing and some of the recipes are tinkered with a bit (as most are), but that's just nitpicking. Overall an outstanding recipe book! Well worth the price!

Customer Reviews:

Very Timely.......2006-11-10

I got what I ordered in swift time. The product was in great condition and if there were more books I needed, i would order them from this person again. Thanks so much.

How to Train Your BIchon Frise.......2002-01-13

This is a excellent book on the total care of the Bichon Frise. It is the only book necessary to answer all your questions. I'd definitely rate this book a 5+ ! It is a wonderfully illustrated hardback that you will want to keep as a reference. It offers great advice from littering to the elderly adult dog.

Average customer rating:

Don't waste your money!!!

Beautiful book... Could offer more information...

A Collector's Guide to African Sculpture (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
Theodore Toatley , and Douglas Congdon-Martin
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Art | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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The Tribal Arts of Africa

African Forms: The Traditional Design and Function of Objects

Africa: The Art of a Continent (African Art)

The Power of Form: African Art From the Horstmann Collection

Spirits Speak: A Celebration of African Masks

ASIN: 0764310666

Book Description

The power and beauty of traditional African sculpture has influenced 20th century art and design around the world. Found in many museums, its abstract forms, skillful rendering, and deep symbolism has also made it a welcome addition to the homes of private collectors. This new book offers a broad survey of the traditional sculpture that is available in the marketplace. The sculpture shown here covers a span of 100 years and focuses on masks, statuary, and architectural carvings in wood, bronze, and terracotta from sub-Saharan Africa with a sampling of the contemporary work in stone. The works are presented in beautiful color photographs, and accompanied by helpful, informative captions and a guide to values in today's market. The book helps the collector evaluate the quality and authenticity of African sculpture.

Customer Reviews:

Don't waste your money!!!.......2003-07-28

Vanity publication and advertisement for parties (who are) more interested in self-promotion than education. Sophomoric descriptions and overly inflated prices for less than mediochre examples of touristy junk.

Beautiful book... Could offer more information..........2001-08-15

This book has a brief introduction followed by many outstanding color photographs of African sculpture, including figures and masks. For each of 19 countries, there is a list of the major tribes, the predominant religious beliefs, and when the country gained its independence. The photography is excellent and it gives you an idea of the types of artwork that are representative of the different regions and tribes. The book also lists the dimensions and pricing of each work. I would have liked to have seen more information about the tribal traditions in which some of the objects are used. It would also have helped to see some suggestions on how to tell whether a work is real or has been faked. Overall though, it's a beautiful book.

Book Description

-Transfer a home of any style into a relaxed, cabin-like refuge.

Book Description

A lively and lavishly illustrated history of decorative arts from 1950 through 2000, this survey presents 130 key examples of later twentieth-century design in their cultural contexts. The primary focus is furniture-- both one-of-a-kind examples and mass-produced works-- by international designers and architects. Here are classic designs for chairs, shelving units, and lamps by well-known masters from Aarnio to Zanuso, as well as provocative works by newcomers. All the works in Design for Living are from the Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection of the Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts/Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

The furniture is presented in five chapters which establish decade by decade, the historical, artistic, and technical currents that led from Good Design and traditional Modernism to Pop Art and Post-Modernism, and to concerns for ecology, pluralism, and spirituality. Full-color photographs and entries on each object profile the design process and the designer, while illustrations show these works in their original period settings. All this recommends Design for Living to the general reader, as well as to the designer, collector, and scholar. Here is an accessible guide and resource to the fifty years of exuberant creativity that mark the second half of the twentieth century.

Customer Reviews:

nice intro, like an appetizer.......2003-04-10

THis is a very brief history of post-war furniture and lighting design to accompany an exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Design. There are 5 essays, each on a decade of design starting in 1950. They are succinct, very well written, and interesting in that they look at the more general history of the period as well as covering the design movements. However, they are so short that you can read them all in a single sitting, which is what I just did. As I am quite ignorent of design history, it was extremely enlightening for me - I now feel ready for a bigger meal. It was the ideal preparation for a project I am embarking on on design. Furthermore, there are wonderful photos and features on many famous objects, all of which have solid descriptions of what the design innovation represented and what is new about them. All in all, it is a masterful book even if I expected just a bit more.

Recommmended to beginners in the field and as a reference.

Book Description

Germany of the 1920s offers a stunning moment in modernity, a time when surface values first became determinants of taste, activity, and occupation: modernity was still modern, spectacle was still spectacular. Janet Ward's luminous study revisits Weimar Germany via the lens of metropolitan visual culture, analyzing the power that 1920s Germany holds for today's visual codes of consumerism.

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

conflicting impressions

Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress
Thylias Moss
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0380793628
Release Date: 1999-07-06

Amazon.com

Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress is enough to convince loving parents never to leave their children in the tender care of a baby sitter again. Thylias Moss's memoir begins when she is 5 and a family with an older girl moves into the apartment downstairs. The girl, Lytta, becomes Thylias's baby sitter, and over the course of several years her propensity for cruelty blossoms into a full-fledged reign of terror culminating in young Thylias's rape. Though she never tells anyone of the abuse, its effects have already begun to poison her life: "Evil, presumably the only product of hell, perhaps it is like a virus, but given what certain strains of virus can do, given the way these viruses can completely possess (and usually ravage) their hosts ... then a virus actually becomes a possible model of God." She goes on to add, "From what appears evil emerges the best established symbol of goodness." And indeed, though Thylias Moss recognizes the terrible evil that was visited upon her and its destructive aftermath, she also realizes that she wouldn't be who she is now--an award-winning poet, a wife, a mother--if not for what she experienced then. Moss's memoir is often grim yet through it all runs a steady undercurrent of hope. "Joy is too necessary to abandon," she writes, and in this story of a difficult life overcome, the author is as good as her word. --Margaret Prior

Book Description

Within my life's present unified theory of being, splendor divests itself of its own integrity, splitting to belong to everything that notices it, each part as effective as the whole splendid thing. It belongs to whatever wants it and is inexhaustible even as someone lays dying, even as someone else cries thinking there is none, their tears becoming prisms. . .

With these words, the acclaimed poet Thylias Moss proclaims a hymn to the power of light over darkness, both in her own life, and in the wider world. In this, her first prose work, the author of six books of poetry and winner of the most distinguished honors--including a MacArthur Fellowship Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, an NEA Fellowship and a Writing Award--delivers a brilliant, passionate, and utterly moving memoir.

It is the story of the only child of a maid and factory worker who moved to Ohio from the segregated South of the fifties. Raised with much love, she flourished until the age of five, when disaster struck, in the form of a girl in sky-blue dress. Her childhood was shattered by this girl, her babysitter, who took pleasure from infliction pain, and whose reign of terror, even after its abrupt end, would send poisonous tendril further into her life.

Yet ultimately, TALE OF A SKY-BLUE DRESS is about how a young woman retrieved her life from the grasp of darkness. It is about refusing to accept tyranny. It is about feasting on splendor. How can there not be pain in a world spinning madly, in the lovely calculable chaos. . .? asks Thylias. But, she says, I am saying that joy is too necessary to abandon.

Customer Reviews:

conflicting impressions.......2003-07-17

I'm not sure if this book deserves two stars or three. Its strong points are definitely in the language as well as the fact that the author did triumph over her past--and I wanted to be happier for the author than I ultimately was. However, after a while I really couldn't feel much sympathy/empathy for the author. The idea of a likable character may not apply in nonfiction/memoir, but still--I felt that by trying so hard to show that she was above what happened to her, she seemed to imply that she was above most other people as well. Her diction shows her intelligence, and it seems that she is trusting the reader will understand the language, but then she condescends with useless parenthetical definitions of relatively obvious words--"presenting" and "genetics", for example, and that "negro" is Spanish for "black"--as if the reader, lacking her superior intelligence, cannot figure them out. I don't have the author's education, but I winced when I encountered this. Perhaps I read too sensitively, but I felt mocked. Her condescension spoiled the effect for me, making beautiful phrases such as "denigration of crown" look merely pompous. If writers want readers to feel for them & where they're from, they should not alienate themselves by letting bitterness or gloating get in the way.

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