Pests and Pathogens: Plant Responses to Foliar Attack (Environmental Plant Biology Series)

Book Description

Since its creation in 1973, the award-winning Moon Handbooks series has become a top choice among travelers who want a completely unique experience, a new perspective -- and a few new stories to tell. Want to know about your destination's history, culture, and social issues? Looking for the lowdown on recreational opportunities, dining and accommodations options, and the most interesting regional sights and entertainment? No problem. Big or small, mainstream or obscure, every worthwhile detail is included in these books. Moon Handbooks: Yucatan Peninsula provides eye-opening coverage for those looking to dig beneath the tourist culture and touch the true heart of Mexico. Now in its seventh edition, Chicki Mallan's groundbreaking work guides you from the caves of Balankanche and the haunting ruins of Palenque to the pulsating nightspots of Cancun and Cozumel. It also contains new maps, color photos, illustrations, and updated information on shopping, culture, and practicalities. "Don't even think about going to the Yucatan without Chicki Mallan's book." -- New Orleans Times-Picayune

Customer Reviews:

Another jewel by Moon.......2003-04-16

I have come to rely on the quality, detail and accuracy of Moon's guidebooks. They have added to my enjoyment of vacations for years. This book is no exception. It provides meaningful information on in-town attractions and out-of-the-way destinations alike. A must for anyone visiting the Yucatan!

Worst guidebook I have ever read.......2003-03-04

This is possbily the worst guidebook of any kind I have ever read. Loaded with meaningless phrases such as "Nighttime activities are not to be missed," and other high-school-yearbook-type observations, it is absloute torture to ferret out any helpful information buried in the inane prose.

Average customer rating:

Hold out for the new edition...
There are much better guide... skip this one.
Well Done!
Good book from some who knows Guatemala

Moon Handbooks: Guatemala
Wayne Bernhardson
Manufacturer: Avalon Travel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Tourist Destinations & Museums | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Moon Handbooks | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1566913241

Book Description

In this extraordinary new handbook, author Wayne Bernhardson provides ample coverage of Guatemala's traditional highlights: soaring Maya Pyramids, imposing volcanoes, lush rain forest, stunning architecture and spectacular celebrations. Also included are lesser known market towns and archaeological sites, plus the best places to stay and eat.

Customer Reviews:

Hold out for the new edition..........2007-08-21

This book is much too old (2001) and has almost nonexistent internet coverage. Hold off and buy the new, updated second edition of Moon Guatemala due out in September. It's written by a new author who is very familiar with Guatemala. See the link below:

Moon Guatemala (Moon Handbooks)

There are much better guide... skip this one........2004-03-03

I have just returned from Guatemala (my sixth journey) and was there for 10 days. I took this guide with me and, honestly, wish I hadn't.

Though Bernhardson covers all the standard guide topics in his Introduction Section (Land, Flora & Fauna, History, Government, Economy and People) but his writing is uninspired and you will find yourself skimming past much of it. ie. "Independence from Spain was achieved indirectly, as Mexican General Iturbide declared Mexico's independence in 1821 and demanded that Guatemala join it." At the end of the book the `recommended reading' section does contain adequate recommendations in Literature, History, other Guidebooks and Archaeology and is worth considering. His writing of the archeological sites, his strong suit, is good, howbeit, dry and languid.

Each hotel and restaurant that I checked out did conform to his evaluations (though some were definitely pre-2000 evaluations) and you can trust those that he does recommend. The indexes for accommodations and restaurants are excellent time-saving additions and should be in all guides. Kudos.

A CRITICAL FLAW. Missing from this guide is any significant reference to the Internet. There is no connectivity in this book. This is a huge short-coming, especially considering the publication date (2001). You will get zero Internet references for additional information, zero webpages for hotel or tour operators... nada.

Guatemala excels in having excellent Spanish language schools (and cheap too!). In Antigua alone there are over 50 schools, yet Bernhardson lists only 10 and does not give you significant information that would help you make an intelligent decision. Again, the fact that there are NO website addresses (and every school worth its `buenos días' has a website), and the fact that he gives you very little information on selecting a school, makes this guide virtually worthless. Try http://www.123teachme.com for more information on Spanish language schools.

Maps are an essential and critically important aspect of any guide. And the maps themselves are good as maps go, however, the city maps in this guide don't have the usual "user-friendly" reference numbers for locating the recommended restaurants and accommodations. Thus, you have to scan the map for the name of the establishment, and when you're in a bouncing vehicle, on Guatemala's roads, this task is more difficult then it should be.

Bottom line: Save your money. This guide is not up to the quality of other `Moon Handbooks' and you will be better off purchasing `Lonely Planet' or `Rough Guide'. Conditional Recommended

Well Done!.......2002-07-09

Veteran guidebook writer and trained geographer Wayne has done a nice job on this book. It's interesting to read and has a great deal of practical information. In addition to a full range of hotels, language schools, restaurants and the like, there's also a comprehensive history and politics section. The other background info is in the mark as well. There are many budget hotels here, and the author has definitely done his homework.

Good book from some who knows Guatemala.......2002-03-09

General Info: Introduction and On the Road section has general information about the country. These sections talk about History, Government, Economy and some other topics in good detail. It even gets into the issues like photographic etiquette and people customs, that are very important in a country like Guatemala.

Places Info: It details the most important places to visit. It tells you what it's worth seeing and what not. Information is accurate and shows that the writer has spent very good time in Guatemala or doing research, just don't trust the movie theathers suggested in the book.

Comments: The book seems to be written by a very informed author. Some of the stories told in the book show a great involvement in the culture and that the author really knew deep details about some places and events. It has very good side notes about interesting people, traditions, history and events.

Average customer rating:

Better Than Rough Guide or Lonely Planet...

Moon Guatemala (Moon Handbooks)
Al Argueta
Manufacturer: Avalon Travel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Moon Handbooks | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Central America | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
Guatemala | Central America | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Lonely Planet Guatemala

Guatemala Map (Travel Reference Map)

The Rough Guide to Guatemala 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

Guatemala - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette (Culture Smart!)

Pocket Adventures Guatemala (Hunter Travel Guides) (Hunter Travel Guides)

ASIN: 1598800574

Book Description

Part-time Guatemala resident Alvaro Argueta provides travelers with an insider's view of Guatemala's rich ecological gems, including idyllic surfspots and popular volcanoes. Argueta is the perfect tour guide — providing trip ideas like Highland Adventure and Exploring the Maya Past and Present. Packed with information on dining, transportation, and accommodations, Moon Guatemala has lots of options for a range of travel budgets. Every Moon guidebook includes recommendations for must-see sights and many area, regional, and city-centered maps. Including experienced advice on visiting Lake Atitlan, La Antigua, and the variety of museums in Guatemala City, Moon Guatemala gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience. With expert writers, first-rate strategic advice, and an essential dose of humor, Moon guidebooks are the cure for the common trip.

Customer Reviews:

Better Than Rough Guide or Lonely Planet..........2007-09-24

This guidebook is hands down THE best guidebook if you're planning a trip to Guatemala. On the practical side, it's surprisingly lightweight despite being almost 500 pages in length. It also features some excellent photography (by the author who is also a photographer) including a great color section with accompanying intro at the start of the book.

The author, Al Argueta, is Guatemalan-American and obviously knows Guatemala intimately. He has a good grasp on the history of Guatemala and shares his insights without sounding like a boring textbook. There are all sorts of facts and tidbits included throughout that make this guide interesting. It's also very humorous in places and you can tell he had a good time researching the topic - on which he is clearly an expert. There are some well-written sidebars, too. My favorites were on "Pollo Campero", a Guatemalan fried chicken franchise that has gone global: Be sure you check out their TV comercials when you get there - They're a kick!

The maps are straight-forward and easy to read. As with other Moon guides, place names are located directly on the maps so you don't have to go looking for a key on a separate page. The book's organization is also very well thought-out. He includes a whole section on the often overlooked park known as the Maya Biosphere Reserve with tons of information on remote Maya sites. There's also a section on the cloud forests of the Verapaz region, which I haven't seen done as well elsewhere. Guatemala's more traditional destinations are covered equally as well. The Guatemala City and Antigua restaurant reviews are alone worth the price of admission.

All in all, this is a great book that gives great options for any budget. Comparing it with the other recent Guat books, this is my top pick and I expect to see others toting it on my next visit. It's raised the bar for guidebooks on Guatemala and it was about time someone with this kind of knowledge & experience wrote such an excellent guidebook to one of my favorite countries.

Customer Reviews:

This books is well-deserving of the word "great".......2007-03-03

There is no mystery why Great Puzzles in History is a great book. Fred Neff, lawyer, advocate and teacher, has written a book that is appealing to readers of all ages. Although the book was written for the juvenile school library market, it should not be overlooked by anyone interested in real life puzzles. The book, which is well researched, covers 9 separate historical puzzles with clear and concise writing that is appealing to young and old alike. Fred Neff, lawyer, has written a book that clearly demonstrates why he is the recipient of numerous awards including a Commendation for Distinguished Service from the Sibley County Attorney's office, the Lamp of Knowledge from the Twin City Lawyers Guild, the HLS Justice Award, the Presidential Medal of Merit and others. I strongly recommend this book and encourage those interested in historical mysteries to add this to their bookshelves.

This is a "5 Star" book........2001-06-12

This book is a must for anyone who enjoys real life mysteries and is definitely a "5 Star" book. Too many times history books present nothing but a recitation of the events and dates, but this is not the case with Fred Neff's Great Puzzles of History. The book tells the stories of famous historical situations that to this day have unanswered questions related to them. There is no definitive answer to these situations, which has made them classic mysteries. Historians continue to speculate on the answers, which is part of the fun in the exploration of these puzzling historical events. The well written book is a great vehicle for that exploration. Great Puzzles of History presents individual stories such as the Lost Dauphin, the Anastasia Controversy, the Man in the Iron Mask and many others in the tradition of the best story tellers. At the same time, the author skillfully weaves into the narrative questions that challenge the reader's problem solving skills. This approach not only makes for a good read, but also gives the reader a chance to solve their own questions related to the stories presented. Great Puzzles of History makes history come alive and is an excellent choice for reading. I highly recommend this book. It is informative, well laid out and encourages the reader to evaluate the evidence, think for him or herself and to look more deeply into the subjects covered. Great Puzzles of History gives the reader a lot of information that can be used as a jumping off point for more in depth research into the subject matter of each mystery thus providing excellent entertainment and educational value. While this book would make an excellent summer (or anytime) reading project for children of all ages, adult readers will also enjoy the challenge of looking at the evidence and drawing their own conclusions.

Great Puzzles in History book is fun!.......2001-06-06

Trying to solve the mysteries presented in the book Great Puzzles of History is fun. I found myself riveted to the pages of this book's mysteries such as the controversy over whether the Russian Princess Anastasia actually survived the Russian Revolution. Other historical mysteries I especially enjoyed were the ones involving King Arthur, Robin Hood and the identity of the man in the iron mask. The writer Fred Neff did a lot of research that provides substance for this surprisingly easy to read book. Anyone who likes either a mystery or history would find this book immensely enjoyable reading.

Intriguing reading tells the story behind the movies.......2001-06-03

Two of my favorite pastimes are reading and watching movies. I especially like adventure movies based on historical themes. For this reason, I enjoyed the unique book "Great Puzzles of History" by Fred Neff. It artfully spun the story behind some of my favorite novels and movies. I was delighted to find a chapter on Robin Hood, the focus of which was whether he really existed or is only a myth or legend. I have read books and seen movies about Robin Hood and often wondered if there was any truth behind this adventure hero. The book gave me a lot of interesting information on the subject. Other chapters that I especially liked included the controversy over the deaths of the Russian royal family and the intrigue surrounding Anastasia and whether she had or had not been killed by the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution. The historical puzzles in Great Puzzles of History provided a lot of information that had not been provided in the various movies that I have seen or novels that I have read. For instance, The Man in the Iron Mask, years ago I read the book and recently watched the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The information provided in Great Puzzles of History shed new light on the subject and made for entertaining and thought provoking reading. The book's thorough research and outstanding writing style make for enjoyable reading. Every chapter provides a new "puzzle" and a fascinating glimpse of history. There was enough information to get me involved in each puzzle and at the same time, caused me to examine for myself the evidence presented to reach a conclusion regarding each of the puzzles. Great Puzzles of History is the kind of book that you can read and reread.

Customer Reviews:

Angelfish Book Review.......2002-01-09

This book is the same as the authors' The Guide to Owning Angelfish: Disease, Varieties, Care, Species, Breeding. The only difference is the title, binding and cost. Buy The Guide... instead.
Both seem a bit slim on information as all Axelrod/Tetra books are.

Guppies (Fish : Keeping & Breeding in Captivity)

Average customer rating:

Highly recommended for breeders and lovers of Guppies

Guppies (Fish : Keeping & Breeding in Captivity)
Homer Mozart
Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended for breeders and lovers of Guppies.......2000-04-29

This book is highly recommended for serious breeders and lovers of Guppies all over the world. The quality of pictures is impressive and moreover, the explanations are superb! Though it seems a small book, 64 pages, it details each variety. It also offers breeding strategies! A+ for it.

Setting Up Your First Aquarium (Fish--Keeping & Breeding in Captivity)

Average customer rating:

An okay guide, but not complete
Disappointed
Gorgeous, glossy full-color photographs.

Setting Up Your First Aquarium (Fish--Keeping & Breeding in Captivity)
Herbert R. Axelrod
Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0791050874

Customer Reviews:

An okay guide, but not complete.......2003-10-30

This is not a bad guide, but it could have been better. Of what information on beginning fishkeeping is included, it does a good job. The guide provides information on choosing an aquarium, selecting equipment for it, plant and fish selection, tank maintenance and feeding, and how to deal with fish illness. The color photos are nice. When it comes to fish selection, the emphasis is on freshwater tropical fish--livebearers, schooling fish, cichlids, bottom dwellers, and anabantoids; the exception to this would be goldfish and koi. The reason I do not find this guide to be a solid reference tool is because the author eludes to, but never elaborates on biological filtration (the nitrogen cycle)--this is disappointing. Other than that, this guide contains useful information; it just is not complete. I actually rate this guide 2.5 stars.

Disappointed.......2003-07-18

This book is, at best, an overview of setting up your first freshwater aquarium. It does not delve into any one topic deeply enough to benefit the beginner, and although nicely illustrated with various fish species, I felt it was a total waste of my money. I could have learned as much - or more - just from browsing on the Internet.

Save your money and buy something with a little more substance if you are looking for specifics on the set up and maintenance of a tank.

Gorgeous, glossy full-color photographs........2000-05-02

This is a fabulous resource for the beginning aquarist, written simply and directly. Adults will appreciate the brevity of the material and the ease with which desired information can be found as much as the young readers for whom this book is meant will. It's amazing that such a range of topics can be so completely covered in such a short book. From choosing an aquarium to outfitting it properly, from selecting real and/or plastic plants to sorting through the dizzying array of fish available, Axelrod has ALL bases covered--thoroughly! The brilliant, true-to-life colors in the photographs accurately portray dozens of varieties of tropical fish that are available. Included are lots of pertinent details that are characteristic of the types of fish (temperament, ease of care and breeding, etc.--even relative costs of different breeds). The author even describes how the home/hobbyist aquarist can tell male fish from females! This book has it all.

If you plan to set up an aquarium of your own--or even if you already have one--Herbert Axelrod's book will help you plan ahead and save yourself lots of time, worry, and money. Tropical fish can be a very time-consuming and expensive hobby, and your first step should be reading this book in order to learn as much as you can before making a huge investment in the wrong tank and/or fish. The price of this book can easily be recouped by the mistakes you'll avoid.

Average customer rating:

Mixed feelings

Basic information about bettas with nice pictures

Not Very Informative

Pretty Good

Leaves something to be desired.

Siamese Fighting Fish (Fish : Keeping & Breeding in Captivity)
Gene Wolfsheimer
Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Nonfiction | Fish | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Nonfiction | Pets | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books | Fishing | General & Anthologies | Hunting | Shooting
Similar Items:

Bettas Bettas

Betta Care (Quick and Easy)

The Betta Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)

The Betta: An Owner's Guide toa Happy Healthy Fish (Happy Healthy Pet)

Aquarium Care of Bettas (Animal Planet Pet Care Library)

ASIN: 0791050882

Customer Reviews:

Mixed feelings.......2007-10-01

The book did not offer any information in the way of betta care, which makes it a poor resource for the general fish owner. However, it is a valuable resource for people wishing to breed Bettas as it contains extensive information on this topic. Personally, I enjoyed reading the historical background surrounding Betta breeding and evolution. This is truly a remarkable species of fish, and the author brought this out nicely. In addition, the photographs were better than any I have seen and the text was well composed.

However, like some other readers, I had a big problem with the information presented on Betta fighting. I know that the text is dated, written for a different era of betta owners (in the 1980s maybe?). Regardless, it was disturbing that such a practice would be discussed with such overt enthusiasm.

Basic information about bettas with nice pictures.......2004-11-01

This book offers basic information to starting hobbyists about the physiology, care, maintenance and breeding of the Betta splendens species, as well as the rearing of fry. The chapter on show standards and betta competitions has very nice pictures, including the albino strain that was successfully bred in Japan by Tanaka in 1994.

Not Very Informative.......2002-11-20

For anyone looking to find a detailed resource on the care of betta splendens, this book is not for you. A great deal of space in this book is devoted to the history of the fish, how they fight with other males (there are even explicit pictures of this process, which I was certainly not interested in seeing), and how to breed them. The sections covering their care are woefully lacking - the page on diseases merely lists the ailments and then offers a recommendation for another book in which to find more information. The tone of this book also stunned me - it is apparent that the author thinks of these fish as a source of income rather than as pets. Mention is made of fish that are not "exciting or saleable," and how sub-standard hatchlings should be culled or disposed of. I was quite offended by this - even the most dully-colored betta could find a happy home somewhere! The only reason I'm giving this book one star at all is because there are a lot of beautiful photos inside. It looks more like a picture book than anything else, actually. Very disappointing.

Pretty Good.......2002-01-05

I thought this book was pretty good. It showed you a lot of good pictures of the betta fish and it was very helpful in the history of betta fish, but some of the stuff that i was looking for in it, wasn't there, it just had a lot of pictures, and the history of bettas, it took up like 7 pages on the history where as they only did 3 sentences on how to take care of them!! if you are just looking for cool and good pictures of betta fish then you should buy this book, but if you are looking for information on betta fish then maybe you should look for a differnt boook, it was a great book, just not what i was looking for. I love betta fish and i think they are the cooles fish ever!

Leaves something to be desired........2001-09-22

After I rescued 2 beta fish from very poor conditions, I needed some really good information on their care. I did not find it in this book. It has a couple paragraphs about diseases, absolutely no charts or diagrams for biology or anything, and while the pictures were really beautiful, they had nothing to do with the topic on the same pages. There is a lot about how to have beta fights, and speaks of it in a very condoning tone! This is quite cruel and inhumane. There is I grant you some decent very basic info that you could glean off the internet yourself in an hour or two.

Starting Your Marine Aquarium (Fish: Keeping and Breeding Then in Captivity)

Average customer rating:

Starting Your Marine Aquarium (Fish: Keeping and Breeding Then in Captivity)
David E. Boruchowitz
Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0791050920

Tropical Fish (Fish : Keeping & Breeding in Captivity)

Average customer rating:

Tropical Fish (Fish : Keeping & Breeding in Captivity)
Neal Pronek
Manufacturer: Chelsea House Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0791050947

Average customer rating:

Creative Flower Arranging by Betty Belcher

Dare to be Different

Loved by garden club members!

Creataive Flower Arranging

The title of this book should read creative vases

Creative Flower Arranging: Floral Design for Home and Flower Show
Betty Belcher
Manufacturer: Timber Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Flower Arranging | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Fine Art of Flower Arranging: A Garden Club of America Book

Paula Pryke's Flower School: Mastering the Art of Floral Design

Teach Yourself Flower Arranging

Complete Guide To Flower Arranging (DK Living)

Flowers: The Complete Book of Floral Design

ASIN: 0881922293

Book Description

This informative and encouraging book is written by an author with more than 35 years' experience. It explores flower arranging as an art form, with special emphasis on creativity and developing one's own style, while not neglecting functional uses such as table settings.

Customer Reviews:

Creative Flower Arranging by Betty Belcher.......2007-03-11

Received the new paperback promptly and in excellent condition. It was exactly what I expected. Good job!

Dare to be Different.......2007-03-09

My promptly delivered Floral Design for Home and Flower Show is excellent!
A book filled with wonderful ideas, helpful hints and top class photographs.
I enjoy 'thinking outside the square' and am looking forward to trying out ideas as I get the opportunity.
Top quality printing and layouts.

Loved by garden club members!.......2006-03-10

Cover to cover, this book shows and explains many of the aspects of working with flowers and design.

Creataive Flower Arranging.......2003-09-09

For a garden club member who wants the most concise and helpful guide to arranging for Flower Shows, this is the best text I have seen. Although I have been entering shows for over 25 years, I found it very educational. The detailed descriptions of each type of design, along with great color photographs, were able to provide a framework to try new types of creative arrangements.

The title of this book should read creative vases.......1999-11-21

The entire book is devoted to most unusual vases which would be used by very few people. The actual floral designs used do not require a great deal of creativity.

Book Description

Color is the most important decorative aspect for any room, but knowing which colors work together can be difficult. Whether you want a complete theme or simply wish to add a dash of color to an existing scheme, Vital Color is packed with inspirational ideas for introducing color into every room. Joanna Copestick and Meryl Lloyd guide you through basic lessons in color theory and explore the fundamentals of color and light, space, texture, materials, proportion and paint, and show how different colors influence a room's atmosphere. Armed with this information you can now apply color to your home-walls, floors and furniture-to create just the right mood. The book is organized into five main color groups-Linen, Paper and String; Chocolate, Amber and Silver; Ice Cream, Sherbet and Biscotti; Sea, Sky and Driftwood; and Red Wine and Roses. With inspiring large-scale photographs of whole rooms combined with guidance on incorporating soft furnishings and other accessories to add that i

Customer Reviews:

This is an old book with a new title.......2003-06-11

If you already own "Color (The Essential Style Guides, Vol 2)" by Joanna Copestick and Meryl Lloyd, DO NOT buy this book! The pictures and text in both are virtually identical! I don't know why Ms Copestick would reissue her old book with a new name. It certainly isn't fair to those of us who supported her by buying her earlier book.

If you don't own her earlier book, however, this is a worthwhile book to own. The pictures are very attractive, thoughtfully laid out and accompanied by interesting text. The pictures Ms Copestick uses combine modern and antique furniture with aplomb and invigorate the mix with exciting color.

Book Description

Fly-fish the pristine waters of the Owens River. Step up to the microphone in a California honky-tonk. Surf the biggest waves California has ever seen. Mingle with ducks in an urban oasis. Roller skate through L.A.'s Union Station. See California through the eyes of 27 of the state's finest writers in this delicious travel and adventure anthology. All of the contributors to MY CALIFORNIA donated their work so proceeds of this book can benefit the beleaguered California Arts Council, an agency forced to suspend school writing and arts education programs in 2003. The arts council has earmarked money from MY CALIFORNIA for writing programs for children statewide. Join contributors Pico Iyer, Michael Chabon, Thomas Steinbeck, Dana Gioia, Matt Warshaw, Patt Morrison, T. Jefferson Parker, Edward Humes, Mark Arax, Deanne Stillman, Rubén Martínez, Percival Everett, Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Mary Mackey, Gerald Haslam, Aimee Liu, D.J. Waldie, Héctor Tobar, Firoozeh Dumas, devorah major, Carolyn See, Chryss Yost, Anh Do, Derek M. Powazek, Daniel Weintraub, David Kipen, and Veronique de Turenne in a good read for a good deed!!

Customer Reviews:

For the Californian--or sociologist-- in your life........2007-01-04

A neighbor (in Long Beach, California) loaned her copy to us--my husband was born in Long Beach--and we went out and bought copies as Christmas presents for the native Californians in our extended family. It's a book of nostalgia and confirmation for them--"I remember that! Yes, it was just like that!"--and one of sociological interest for anyone who likes people and wants to be invited into the lives and homes of a broad spectrum of the ingredients in our state melting pot.

I'm not sure I'd call all the authors "great writers" but most of them were comfortable with words.

Jessica Shaver Renshaw,
Author, Compelling Interests,
Gianna: Aborted and Lived to Tell About It

Interesting and beautifully wriiten.......2006-10-24

I really liked this book! There are many essays written in it, each one about a different area of California. It's really upbeat and interesting, and the authors are top authors who write beautifully. It's fascinating to read about times and places in California that I didn't know about. All the stories are modern stories, in that they are about growing up in California within the last forty years or so.
This book flows very quickly, and before you know it, you've finished it and wish there were more!

MY CALIFORNIA:JOURNEYS BY GREAT WRITERS.......2005-09-07

This is the book selected by the City of Long Beach,CA for their 'One book read by all' 2006,or something like that.It's a GREAT choice!.

I loved this book (and I normally don't read short stories).......2005-09-01

I loved this book too, as I see others have, and this prompted me to write a review. I have tried to give it as a gift whenever possible and will continue to do so, as I think it is a great idea to benefit CAC. I wish local bookstores would display it more prominently. I grew up in California but this book allowed me a personal look at histories from different corners of the state. Fascinating, well written and truly enjoyable.

A Wonderful Book.......2004-08-24

This is an amazing collection of essays and the point of the book is not just to provide eloquent perspectives on the state. Every cent that the publisher receives in revenue goes directly to the California Arts Council,whose budgets were cut by 97%. When you buy a "used" book none of that money goes to CAC. Please think twice about saving the 40ish cents.
This book is a good read and you will feel very good about your deed!

Book Description

Everyone knows of St Patrick, but what do we know about him? Simply that it was he who `converted the Irish to Christianity'. The strange fact is that for two hundred years or so after his death, although his name was remembered with respect, everything else about him was forgotten. E.A. Thompson pieces together the story of his life, drawing his evidence from the only real clues that exist, Patrick's own writings, not from the later Lives. He reveals him as coming from a well-to-do nominally Christian family in Britain, being captured by Irish raiders and forced into slavery in Co Mayo, converting to a most earnest Christianity, and eventually escaping from Ireland to the fulfillment of his calling. As a bishop, he is shown to have been a man of profound originality, and his writings - his Confession and his Letter to Coroticus - further display his character. It is no surprise that a host of legends became attached to his name, and the biography is completed with a look at some of those early legends. Preface to paperback edition by COLMAN ETCHINGHAM, Maynooth.E.A. THOMPSON was Professor of Classics at Nottingham University.

Customer Reviews:

Discover Saint Patrick!.......2006-09-11

For the 'man in the street', like myself unable to confront the Latin texts, this is a magical account, written with understated authority and un-academic fluency - but, to my mind, with convincing authority, not to mention mercurial wit. I've read it twice.

no latin, but still no good for laymen.......2001-10-24

I got E.A. Thompson's _Patrick_ because it was billed as a book for those interested without Latin. Unfortunately, it did little to sate my curiosity about the man.

This has much to do with the state of "Patricology" as a field. In the 1960's, D.A. Binchy delivered a lecture that convincingly showed that all the secondary sources on St. Patrick were untrustworthy guides to the actual man. This left "Patricologists" with Patrick's two writings, comparative anthropology and archeology to work with.

With so little to go on, Thompson approaches his subject with what amounts to a passage by passage exegesis of _The Confessions_ and _Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus_. The only assumption that Thompson sticks with throughout his book is that Patrick was an awful composer of Latin. Fair enough, after all Patrick confesses the want himself, but you can see how it leaves Thompson room to lean this way or that without much justification. When it's convenient, Patrick is just incomprehensible; other times he "must" have meant x.

Most startling, the exegesis rarely tries to fit the Biblical allusions -- of which Patrick's writings are rife -- into the senses Thompson argues for even though they would seem to be the most obvious clues. Thompson appears to dismiss the great majority of them as a literary convention of the times.

Thompson doesn't even back up his other interpretations consistently by referencing the audience Thompson deduces for each work. This at times leads him to contradictory outcomes.

Also, having read a translation of Patrick's works I wouldn't have guessed that he was such an awful writer. Perhaps his Latin grammar fell way short, but the sense generally seems to come right through, in translation anyway. If Thompson means that Patrick's grammar was off, that would really not mean much vis-a-vis his skill as a writer given that grammar is only a tool for conveying meaning. If you can do so without it, you don't need it. The read also begs the question: how is it that such a miserable piece of prose managed to survive 1500 years when nearly nothing else did? This is especially surprising if, as Thompson argues, Patrick's contemporaries didn't think of him as that much of an august personage. In any case, Thompson does not address this question.

I gave this book three stars because it is plainly written and easy to follow. (Although there are many places where Thompson appears to be addressing his colleagues more than the general reader.) I think you could glean an idea of Patrick and his times by reading E.A.'s book. At times it can be pretty funny, although a tad twee.

Thompson recommends for further reading _The Life and Writings of the Historical St. Patrick_ by R.P.C. Hanson, a layman's version of _St. Patrick: His Origins & Career_, which was published in 1968 and as of 1985 was "likely to hold the field for many a year." I haven't read it so I can't vouch for this. Although it's outdated, I would recommend over Thompson the narrative section of Bury's _The Life of St. Patrick and His Place in Hisory_ for beginners interested in him.

Note: No endnotes, all extra commentary in footnotes. His bibliography doesn't indicate which publications would be good for the Latinless reader. It appears to be addressed to the specialist.

Saint Patrick was not Irish.......2001-08-27

It is doubtless that Irish medieval Christianity differs from the rest of the Christian world not only because of the difference in the date of Easter or the tonsure's shape. All the historians agree that that was an exceptional type of religiousness. To understand this difference one has to look back to the very beginnings of Irish Christianity and to its founder - St. Patrick. This is a figure about little certain is known. All the knowledge we have we derive from two of his writings Confessio and Epistola ad Coroticum. Thompson in his book discusses line by line these writings speculating about their explicit and implicit meaning. This resembles a deductive work of a detective and requires a broad knowledge not only of history itself, but also geography, theology and mentality as well as of course - medieval Latin and paleography. He also discusses a controversial figure of Palladius in a relation to St. Patrick as well as Coroticus and his conflict with the Saint. This book is addressed to people truly interested in the matter and is a serious, scientific work, one of the most discussed among the historians, yet it is written in a simple, comprehensible way, making reading it a real pleasure for history adepts as well as history students. It discusses all the controversies among the historians about certain details of St. Patrick's life, from the date and place of his birth to his death, so that a reader may not only get to know the author's point of view, but also of other historians, and try to judge him/herself. Thompson, however, is very convincing in his way of writing and gathering evidence justifying his opinions. He also treats the opinions of his opponents - historians with a witty, yet mischievous sense of humor. The author leaves us not only with a broad and detailed knowledge about the Saint but also with some open questions left for further future investigation.

Big sinners who became great saints.(Saints Behaving Badly: The Cutthroats, Crooks, Trollops, Con Men and Devil Worshippers Who Became Saints)(Book review): An article from: National Catholic Reporter

Average customer rating:

Big sinners who became great saints.(Saints Behaving Badly: The Cutthroats, Crooks, Trollops, Con Men and Devil Worshippers Who Became Saints)(Book review): An article from: National Catholic Reporter
Patrick Marrin
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from National Catholic Reporter, published by Thomson Gale on December 22, 2006. The length of the article is 525 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Big sinners who became great saints.(Saints Behaving Badly: The Cutthroats, Crooks, Trollops, Con Men and Devil Worshippers Who Became Saints)(Book review)
Author: Patrick Marrin
Publication: National Catholic Reporter (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 43 Issue: 9 Page: 18(1)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Average customer rating:

Who Was Saint Patrick?
E.A THOMPSON
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTP72S

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books