Classic Planting: Featuring The Gardens Of Beth Chatto, Christopher Lloyd, Rosemary Verey, Penelope Hobhouse And Many Others

Book Description

Match the stunning effects that expert gardeners achieve by understanding the reasoning behind their choice of plants and successful planting combinations. Among the inspirational ideas and lush color photographs, there's advice on everything from formal styles to containers. Penelope Hobhouse's garden reflects her desire for simplicity united with ebullience, while Christopher Lloyd indulged his sense of adventure as he experimented with color. Once you see what makes a garden great, apply the same principles in yours!

Book Description

Explore the richest underwater kingdom on the planet, tuck into kangaroo, camel or emu, see towering rock formations carved by the ocean, ponder Aboriginal rock art —Fodor's Australia 2005 offers all these experiences and more! From Perth to Manly Beach, our local writers have traveled throughout the Land of Oz, to find the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities to prepare you for a journey of stunning variety. Before you leave for your journey down under, be sure to pack your Fodor's guide to ensure you don't miss a thing.

The San Francisco Chronicle sums it up best —"Fodor's guides are saturated with information."

-New compact trim size make these guides even more portable
-Two-color interior design makes it easier to find the information you need
-Fodor's Choice Ratings flag must-see sights and hidden treasures
-Hotel and restaurant reviews cover all budgets
-Plus multi-day itineraries to help you build the right trip for you and/or your family

Customer Reviews:

A brief comment.......2005-07-29

I've been ploughing thru Oz guides lately researching and planning a possible trip, and this one is comparable to the Frommer's guide. A good guide, less photos than the Dorling-Kindersley, Nat'l Geog., and Insight Guides, but then you're getting two to three hundred pages less of info for five to seven dollars more in those books.

I have a suggestion on how to use these two different types of guides, which is these beautiful, lavishly illustrated, glossy guides are great for looking at the photos of the sights and doing basic research, and for zeroing in on where you want to go, then you can pick up the Frommer's and Lonely Planet and Fodor's guides to get more information.

For a country as big and as diverse as Oz, one guide really isn't enough, so you could buy one of each, and you'd probably do quite well. (The only problem was, after I'd looked at all the spectacular photos in the Insight, DK, and N.G. guides, I felt like I'd almost been there, and was reluctant to spend several thousand dollars on an actual as opposed to an armchair trip :-)). Overall, a well written, detailed, and enjoyable guide on that mysterious and fabled land Down Under.

***Nerdy paleontological footnote. I have to say one more thing about Australia, which is that millions of years ago, I once read in an Encyclopedia Britannica article on Australia that there were 10-foot high, 600-pound carnivorous kangaroos that could probably have made short work of us puny humans. Fortunately, they all died out long before the arrival of the first Aborigines 60,000 years ago. :-)

I can't get used to the 'fodors layout' but it's really good........2005-06-28

In spite of the fact I'm not used to the fodor's books layout, I think it's a good guide.
Sometimes I feel it aims to a 'not low budget' public. (and I always backpack on low budget)...
Regarding the "paperback" quality: some pages got lost, the book spine got 'broken', that's something I miss about lonely planet quality.
The overall result of this guide, was, for me, good.

Amazon.com

In the opening pages of Flawed Giant, readers meet a downtrodden politician whose greatest ambition--the presidency--is tantalizingly close but seemingly out of reach. JFK's elder by almost 20 years, Johnson was a reluctant and unenthusiastic vice president. When he finally realized the office, his satisfaction there was marred by his difficulty in reconciling his deeply held beliefs and political expediency. In this sequel to the critically acclaimed Lone Star Rising, biographer Robert Dallek concentrates on Johnson's White House years. In addition to expertly covering the major events of Johnson's presidency, Dallek probes lower-profile episodes that help expose Johnson's character. His agonizing search for a vice president in 1964 is one such example--in order to salve his ego, Johnson was adamant that he should win reelection without a Kennedy on the ticket and resisted both the Democratic party and Robert Kennedy right up until the convention.

Dallek is skilled at laying bare the man's complicated and even contradictory nature. At diplomacy, Johnson often seemed like a loud, brash American, yet successful trips to Southeast Asia and Africa as vice president prove his occasional adroitness in this area. One of Johnson's Achilles' heels, it seems, was paranoia; a firm believer in the fact that knowledge is power, Johnson rarely communicated his true intentions or feelings, even to his closest confidants or cabinet members, until the last. And he secretly tape-recorded thousands of conversations with people at all levels of government. Dallek avers that Johnson's impenetrability is the reason why much of his action on Vietnam defies explanation. And the dark cloud of the war now largely obfuscates Johnson's impressive congressional record. Careful to neither vilify nor deify his subject, Dallek devotes large sections of the book to both Vietnam and Johnson's major accomplishments in the area of reform and funding for programs such as civil rights, Medicare, clean air and water, the NEA, public broadcasting, and food stamps.

This engrossing biography is peppered throughout with snippets of its subject's trademark: colorfully idiomatic speech that brings him vibrantly to life. Based upon exclusive interviews with Lady Bird Johnson and Bill Moyers, as well as recently released papers and transcripts, Dallek's biography is a major contribution to the collective understanding of this man whose passions had a major impact on American society.

Book Description

Lone Star Rising, the first volume in Robert Dallek's biography of LBJ, was hailed as "a triumphant portrait of Lyndon Johnson as rich and oversized and complex as the nation that shaped him." Now, in the final volume, Dallek takes us through Johnson's tumultuous years in the White House, his unprecedented accomplishments there, and the tragic war that would be his downfall. In these pages Johnson emerges as a character of almost Shakespearean dimensions, a man riddled with contradictions, a man of towering intensity and anguished insecurity, of grandiose ambition and grave self-doubt, a man who was brilliant, crude, intimidating, compassionate, overbearing, driven: "A tornado in pants." Drawing on hundreds of newly released tapes and extensive interviews with those closest to LBJ--including fresh insights from Ladybird and his press secretary Bill Moyers--Dallek takes us behind the scenes to give us a portrait of Johnson that is at once even-handed and completely engrossing. We see Johnson as the visionary leader who worked his will on Congress like no president before or since, enacting a range of crucial legislation, from Medicare, environmental protection, and the establishment of the National Endowment of the Arts and Humanities to the most significant advances in civil rights for black Americans ever achieved. And we see for the first time the depth of Johnson's private anguish as he became increasingly ensnared in Vietnam, a war he did not want to expand and which destroyed his hopes for The Great Society and a second term. Exhaustively researched and gracefully written, Flawed Giant reveals both the greatness and the tangled complexities of one of the most extravagant characters ever to step onto the presidential stage.

Customer Reviews:

A dry take on a fascinating time.......2005-12-04

I sped through last year reading all three mammoth books in Robert A. Caro's Pulitzer Prize-winning LBJ biography series, and found them an incredibly readable, detailed portrayal of a man who was half megalomaniac, half incredibly gifted politician, a complex American Shakespearean character whose presidency crumbled into self-induced tragedy. Caro hasn't written the final book in his series yet concentrating on LBJ's presidency, so I decided to check out a competing LBJ biography by Dallek focusing on those years. And it's solid history, with great insight into LBJ's character and the disastrous decisions he made in Vietnam that undermined all the powerful social changes he achieved in civil rights and Medicare. Yet "Flawed Giant" is also kind of a slog, which Caro's books weren't. I can't quite put my finger on it, but Dallek lacks the fluid prose, deft research into place and era, and storytelling talent that Caro brought to LBJ - I was able to read hundreds of pages about dry as toast subjects like congressional redistricting and vote tallies and found them compelling reading under Caro. Yet here, I ended up getting bored silly by Dallek's bland recitation of the ups and downs of Vietnam, which you think would be interesting stuff. Dallek is a bit more even-handed in his appreciation of LBJ than Caro, but it just all felt a little too much like work. Guess it goes to show that it's as much in the storyteller as it is in the story. I'll be eagerly awaiting Caro's take on this same era, whenever it comes out.

Greatness and Disenchantment.......2005-11-16

Robert Dallek completes his two volume biography of Lyndon B. Johnson with "Flawed Giant". Its a well written book that tells the story of a brilliant politician who is overwhelmed and outmatched by events he failed to anticipate.

The book begins with Johnson in the unhappy position of serving as Vice President under John F. Kennedy. A most difficult place for a man of Johnson's ego and stature to find himself. Nevertheless, Johnson struggles and does the best he can with this job obtaining recognition in his efforts to further U.S. diplomacy abroad and advance the space program.

On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy is assassinated and Johnson becomes President. No one could ever accuse Johnson of not seizing the moment and this he does masterfully. Within a year, he obtains passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and a number of domestic initiatives aimed at reducing poverty and improving quality of life for Americans that become known as the "Great Society". Johnson's accomplishments as President all took place during the first two years of his presidency. Some of those accomplishments include the Head Start Program for disadvantaged children, a federal student loan program for college students, the Job Corps program for kids who dropped out of school, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which enfranchised millions of blacks, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Medicare.

Johnson proves his skill as a politician by defeating opponent Barry Goldwater with almost 62% of the vote in the 1964 election. Unfortunately, these same skills waned as time went on. By the end of 1965, the positive accomplishments of the Johnson Presidency had come to an end. Johnson inherited the Vietnam War from his predecessor, John F. Kennedy. However, he made a series of mistakes after doing so. First, he concluded that America had to hold onto South Vietnam and prevent a "take over" by the North. He never grasped that the conflict was not an attack by the communist world upon the free world, but simply a regional civil war that had gone for decades. Second, he failed to grasp early on that the conflict was not winnable by conventional means, so he committed 500,000 American soldiers. Third, he failed to understand that the American people wouldn't stand idly by for years supporting such a war with no measurable progress being made. Fourth, he failed to consider steps such as simply withdrawing when it did become apparent that the war was unwinnable.

As the Johnson Presidency unfolds, the accomplishments of the Great Society are overwhelmed by the Vietnam War. Johnson finally realizes his mistake at the end of his presidency. He announces he won't run again and initiates peace talks with North Vietnam.

One must look at Johnson carefully and not jump to conclusions. He was a complicated man who did much good during his presidency. Sadly, though, he will most likely be remembered for the Vietnam War which cost America 58,000 lives.

Well written, comprehensive, and timely but depressing.......2005-09-08

Over the last several years I've read more than 30 presidential biographies, usually letting Amazon reader's guide me to the best choice. While I would place Dallek's LBJ Volume 1 in the top five presidential biographies, Volume two is not quite in the same class. Dallek continues to write well, and I think he presents a complex man and a very difficult time in a balanced way. But over half of this biography details the morass of Viet Nam, and it is truly depressing to read as Johnson and his advisers relentlessly lead the country over the cliff.

During the first two years of LBJ's presidency he led the US Congress to pass some of the most significant legislation in our history - Medicare, greatly increased low income housing, legal aid, increased funding for education and student loans, the most important civil rights legislation of the 20th Century, and the Great Society legislation, a muddled effort to end poverty.

Then, slowly and inexorably LBJ took the US deeper and deeper into Viet Nam. Dallek argues that whatever other geo-political factors were involved, LBJ's drive to be a great president and his fear of failing made the Viet Nam catastrophe inevitable. Johnson simply could not admit to being the first president to lose a war, he couldn't cope with the reality of the corruption of Viet Nam's leadership, and he couldn't stand to be honest in telling the American people just how poorly the war was going. Dallek presents a president who was increasingly paranoid of a nonexistent communist menace influencing the anti-war movement and of Bobby Kennedy leading JFK's ghost to steal LBJ's legacy.

Today, there are numerous editorials comparing the war in Iraq to Vietnam (or denying any comparison). I've yet to see an article comparing President Bush to LBJ, and in most ways they are polar opposites. Still, this biography is very timely. There are unmistakable similarities between America's descent into the two wars, Iraq and South Viet Nam's lack of resources to provide leadership to their own people, our leaders' reluctance to level with the US, the isolation each president sought to avoid criticism, and a society that was so polarized by other issues that it is somehow ok to not take an objective look at the facts of the war.

Johnson Placed the USA Squarely in the Vietnam Morass.......2005-05-15

Capt. Lance Sijan, USAF Medal of Honor winner, was tortured to death while a captive in a North Vietnam prison. Gerry Coyle, Army PFC, died in Tay Ninh . Bill Fahey, Marine PFC, died in Quang Tri . Leo Matylewicz, an Army Spec 4, had his body literally blown to pieces in Kontum. Dave Rozelle was killed in Quang Tri while a Marine Lance Corporal. Tom Malloy, Army Spec 4, died in Bien Hoa. Mike Turose's body was never recovered for a return home or even a burial when his F-4 was shot down over North Vietnam. Dick Christy was killed over Cambodia when his forward air control aircraft was shot down. Mike Bosiljevac's remains were not recovered until Vietnam opened up to allow forensic search teams years after the war was over - 20 years after he was shot down over North Vietnam. Mike Blassie's remains were placed in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. in 1998 DNA testing identified the remains as Mike. He had been shot down over An Loc.
Why do I list these men killed in Vietnam as the introduction to this review of Robert Dallek's biography of Lyndon Johnson - "Flawed Giant"? Because Lyndon Johnson as President of the United States from Jack Kennedy's assassination until 1968 might as well have pulled the trigger or pressed the button that sent them to their deaths. Jane Fonda may have posed on the North Vietnamese anti-aircraft weapons but Lyndon Johnson placed those men in harm's way - for no reason other than his fantastic ego. Let me quote Dallek's afterword:
"Vietnam was a larger mistake. It was the worst foreign policy disaster in the country's history. Aside from the sacrifice of the many brave men and women who lost their lives or suffered because of the conflict, there seems nothing heroic about the struggle. ... Vietnam was a morass. The battlefield clashes and constant discussions in Washington and Saigon about the war were a confusion leading nowhere. ... the planning for Vietnam led to unproductive commitments in what came to seem like an open-ended conflict.
...
"The principal products of administration discussions about the fighting were false hopes, self-generated illusions, and paranoid fears of domestic opponents, who were not the Communist dupes Johnson believed them to be but men and women devoted to the national security and well-being as anyone in the government and military."
"Johnson knew from the first that he might be pursuing a losing case in Vietnam."
"Even less flattering to LBJ is the reality that he also pursued the war for selfish motives. To admit failure on so big an issue as Vietnam would have been too jarring to Johnson's self-image as a can-do leader."
During the 1964 presidential campaign when Johnson ran against Goldwater, one of the Democrat slogans was "If you vote for Goldwater your sons will be in Vietnam." Well, my parents voted for Goldwater and I ended up in Vietnam.
This book covers the years from 1961 to Johnson's death in 1973. Of course there is more than Vietnam. Johnspn's outstanding record on civil rights is well covered. But, for me, I cannot help but think about being in the Boy Scouts with Mike Turose and wondering what our futures would be after we got out of engineering school. Fortunately for me. I ended up with a future. Thanks to Lyndon Johnson, Mike didn't.

Lack of true leadership.......2005-03-22

Dallek presents a sympathetic yet accurate portrait of Johnson's time in the White House. I was amazed at the weight given to political considerations by Johnson and his administration. Johnson's focus on his Great Society programs and re-election trumped his concerns over American men sacrificing their lives in Vietnam. The lasting impression I got from Johnson's handing of Vietnam was that he was completely befuddled and hoped the problem would resolve itself with the insertion of more men and more money. Grave foreign crisis require leaders. Unfortunately for the people of America, Johnson was not up to the task. Dallek's portrait of Johnson shows a President unwilling (or unable?) to make the hardest decisions in the realm of foreign affairs.

Book Description

When a loved one slips into the mists of Alzheimer's disease, where are we to turn? For Wayne Ewing, the answer was clear. Only by delving into the world of biblical spirituality was he able to come to terms with his jumbled emotions. Tears in God's Bottle chronicles these devotional struggles eloquently and honestly. For anyone whose life is touched by Alzheimer's disease, this book sheds new light on the power of prayer and the soul's wisdom.

Customer Reviews:

a real gem..........2002-03-27

Why this book is relatively obscure is a mystery to me. Perhaps the size of the publisher had a part to play in this. This book should be read by anyone coping with a loved one afflicted with this horrible nightmare. Read the book.

...

Deeply moving testament of love and the human spirit........2000-03-03

Tears In God's Bottle: Reflections On Alzheimer's Caregiving is the moving story of Wayne Ewing and his wife of 40 years, Ann Margaret Wentz Ewing. Ann fell victim to Alzheimer's, a progressive disease that destroys the brain and the personality/identity of the afflicted. The role of a caregiver to someone with this relentless affliction is unique and painful, and the need for understanding the demands of their responsibility are enormous. Tears In God's Bottle is a poetic, spiritual, and inspirational work of valued information for both the caregiver and the patient. It is both an important revelation for those who share the tragedy that is Alzheimer's, and a deeply moving, highly recommended testament of love and the human spirit for others.

A Psalm of Hope.......1999-08-27

Like a modern day biblical story. Ewing gives hope and encouragement and perspective to Alzheimer's caregiving. Using scripture and personal perspectives a story of increasing faith and love emerges out of the devastation of Alzheimer's disease. This book is a love story, a story of faith and most of all a story of hope. Whether you are a person of faith or a person who is struggling with the why of Alzheimer's, this book is a MUST read.

God's Bottle for Believers' Tears; by one who has a tear for others, as well as Himself

Average customer rating:

God's Bottle for Believers' Tears; by one who has a tear for others, as well as Himself
A - of Abercorn) Anon (said to be Currie
Manufacturer: Thomas Grant
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MWQOY2

Average customer rating:

Instructions Very Hard to Follow... Errors in the Patterns

Great Book with Unique Ideas

I'm not sure the frustration is worth the effort

Sexy Unique styles, but definitely not for Beginners

fun fun

Sexy Little Knits: Chic Designs to Knit and Crochet
Ashley Paige
Manufacturer: Potter Craft
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Crocheting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Fashion | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Knitting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker

ASIN: 0307236579
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Book Description

Knitting and crochet just got sexy. Celebrity swimsuit designer Ashley Paige reveals knit and crochet patterns forflirty, fabulous bikinis and more.

They’re flirty, they’re fun, they’re fresh. They’re gracing the pages of Elle, Seventeen, InStyle, and the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and they’ve been spotted on the hot bods of Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefani. They’re the crochet and knit swimwear designs of Ashley Paige, and now they’re available in Sexy Little Knits, a collection of twenty-four patterns for chic summer pieces—from swimwear and tanks to dresses and shorts.

Ashley’s most popular knit and crochet patterns combine sophisticated color and fun stitches with elegantly form-fitting shapes. This assortment of stylish knitwear is presented in three chapters:

“Peace, Love, and Bikinis” celebrates classic bikinis and one-piece swimsuits.

“Sunshine, Good Vibes” includes patterns for dresses, tank tops, miniskirts, and short-shorts.

“Cozy Homebodies” features slinky garments perfect for lounging, such as camisoles, bathrobes, and sleepwear.

Each pattern is accompanied by clear instructions and helpful suggestions for customizing these designs with fun trims, clever color choices, options for more (or less) coverage, and creative stitch possibilities. Lushly photographed by fashion favorite Yu Tsai, Sexy Little Knits makes it easy to create a whole summer wardrobe at home or on the beach.

Customer Reviews:

Instructions Very Hard to Follow... Errors in the Patterns.......2007-05-13

Wonderful designer, but she needs help with the pattern writing.

I've been knitting and crocheting for 28 years and was very exicted to begin making these items. However, I found a definite error in the very first pattern I tried (suede bikini bottom) and finally gave up, making it my own way (I had to pay $21.95 to design it myself?). I went onto the halter and am already frustrated at row 3. The author's pattern writing style is such that she assumes that you know what she means, leaving out specifics which are VERY IMPORTANT in patterns.

Perhaps the celebrity status of the author caused her editor to be hesitant in pointing out the numerous errors and omissions in her patterns.

Most of the five star reviews on Amazon are from people who have not attempted to make any of the patterns yet.

This was an expensive book, and not worth the frustration. I've seen previous posts where knitters have contacted the publishers for help only to be ignored. Therefore, I cannot recommend this book to anyone, regardless of level of experience.

Great Book with Unique Ideas.......2007-03-19

This book is filled with trendy, stylish patterns. It's really different from most of the knitting books available. There are no hats, scarves or bulky sweaters here. Great summer fashions and cute lingerie. The only problem I'm having is deciding which design to make next. If Ashley Paige does any more books I will definitely buy them. Her designs are wonderful.

I'm not sure the frustration is worth the effort.......2007-02-19

I loved the patterns in the book and bought it on the spot. There are however alot of errors in the patterns that can be overcome with alot of patience and work which is an annoyance when the book cost thrity something dollars new when I got it. I have written the publisher and the artists website but have yet to hear from either. The book offers great starts to wonderful projects that you will spend alog of your own time trying to figure out because her instructions are wrong at some point. I have still made a couple of the peices however and have been very happy with them once I finally figured out what in the world I should do to make it work. I would not recommend this to a beginning knitter at all. They will get frustrated... I still am.

Sexy Unique styles, but definitely not for Beginners.......2007-02-15

This is one of my favorite knitting books right now. I'm obsessed with making everything in it. LOL. I initially passed on it when I first leafed through it, but after knitting Winter-y ponchos, armwarmers, hats, etc. this book is definitely a breath of fresh air! I went to the author's (Ashley Paige) store in Hollywood for inspiration and immediately started the faux suede bikini. The other reviewers were right when they said the gauge was off and the instructions are lacking. I had to make a lot of adjustments (smaller needles and removing 10 rows off the front and back of the bottom to get the dimensions and fit correct). You definitely should chart the patterns to save yourself a LOT of time! Half of the yarns she uses are beautiful, but hard to find. You should also be at least an intermediate knitter, i.e. if you don't know that skip skip knit (ssk) is a decrease technique, you'll be lost. There is no techniques section and not even an abbreviations list. Even given all of that, I adore this book. I love almost every style in it and they are all fun and fairly quick to knit. They are super sexy too! The kinds of things people pay $400 an item for in her boutique.

fun fun.......2007-02-12

Some really cool stuff in here. Now the trick is to get my girlfriend to make it...

Book Description

The fifth Ellie Quicke mystery The body of a young girl is found in next door's neglected garden, to the horror of the occupiers, who are friends of Ellie's. How long has the body been there, and is it someone who once lived there? Ellie seems to be the only person who has known all the families who have lived in the house ?{ a house that seems to attract misery.

Delightful Places: A Book Tour of English Country Houses and Gardens

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Delightful Places: A Book Tour of English Country Houses and Gardens
Josephus Nelson
Manufacturer: Library of Congress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Average customer rating:

we're not alone!

A 'must' for any parents facing the teen years

Please, please sedate me!

The best parts are funny and poignant. . .

Beautiful Mosiac - This is for Everybody

I Wanna Be Sedated: 30 Writers on Parenting Teenagers

Manufacturer: Seal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Child Development | Babies & Toddlers | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Teenagers | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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The Orange Girl

Accessories:

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 1580051278

Amazon.com

Comforting a colicky baby sounds like a cakewalk in comparison to the tales in these essays. As Anna Quindlen puts it: "Those of you waiting for your babies to sleep through the night will be amazed at how quickly they come to sleep through the afternoon after a night out." Typical parental woes regarding teenage rebellion—mood swings, drugs, drinking, sex, and Marilyn Manson concerts--are all included.

Editors Conlon and Hudson chose to include several humorous pieces, most notably the one from Dave Barry, who chronicles his son's madcap solo trip to Europe. Despite Barry's hounding and reminders, the teen promptly lost his passport—during the flight to Frankfurt. But the humor serves to temper the most pervasive emotion in the collection—reluctance—as moms and dads bittersweetly watch, mostly helplessly, as their kids struggle to grow up and find their identities and independence. Any parent who's tired of being called "inadequate, clueless, or simply annoying" [p. 171] will find comfort hearing about the travails of these moms and dads.

Former Newsweek reporter Daniel Glick gives a heartfelt account of his "drug talk" with his son, a long-dreaded event since, as he puts it, "I definitely inhaled." His son's reaction? "I'm just glad you didn't lie to me 'cuz I wouldn't have believed that an old hippie like you never smoked dope." The standout essay is by Debra Gwartney, a mother of four from Eugene, Oregon, whose two oldest daughters repeatedly ran away: "they had to go and keep going until they decided to return." [p.189] A more fitting title for the anthology might be Janis Joplin's "Another Piece of My Heart." It's true these parents feel like they're going insane, as Joey Ramone sang, but as the teens here get tattooed, sneak lovers into the basement for overnight trysts, and blow off their college applications until the last possible second, their parents' souls are what suffer, even more so than their sanity. --Erica Jorgensen

Book Description

Teenagers: they roam in packs, mope silently in their rooms, sneak out, talk back, sneer, yell, roll their eyes, and think their parents just might be the dumbest creatures on Earth. Raising a teen is perhaps the most challenging phase of childrearing, a time when kids push every known hot button and wreak havoc with carefully thought-out parenting strategies. I Wanna Be Sedated brings a sense of humor and perspective to some of the deepest worries of parents. Joyce Maynard explores the house rules for boy-girl sleepovers in "The Girlfriend Sleeps Over," Dan Glick writes about drug dilemmas in "I Definitely Inhaled." Debra Gwartney speaks candidly about every parent's worst nightmare in "Runaway Daughter." And, Anna Quindlen reflects upon her rapidly emptying nest in "Flown Away, Left Behind." Featuring dynamic, top-caliber writing, this delightful collection speaks to the challenging, exhilarating, and occasionally mind-blowing task of parenting teenagers.

Customer Reviews:

we're not alone!.......2006-04-14

Reading this book came at a time I was feeling overwhelmed with teenage issues and it gave me a sense of perspective that I sorely needed.

A 'must' for any parents facing the teen years.......2005-09-04

Thirty writers offer their wisdom, humor and insights on the challenges of parenting teens in I Wanna Be Sedated: 30 Writers On Parenting Teenagers. Writings come from many notable literary sources, from columnist/humorist Dave Barry to novelist Barbara Kingsolver and more. Each presents their own stories of experiences with teens; from handling sexual issues to racial profiling, drinking parties and more. A 'must' for any parents facing the teen years.

Please, please sedate me!.......2005-07-02

I don't know if I feel better or worse after reading this incredible book. I could see myself and my teenagers in so many of the stories. I'd laugh, I'd tear up, I'd holler to one of my three teens to "listen to this, sounds like us (you, me)"
This is must reading for every parent of teens, it is our lives. No family is perfect, nor even close, but it's so easy to think everyone else has it easier than we do.
We all have our struggles, most mutter through somehow.
It's just the getting there that's so roller-coaster.
Teenagers are so roller-coaster.
Great book.

The best parts are funny and poignant. . ........2005-06-14

Anna Quindlen, Dave Barry, and Roz Chast are brilliant, and I'm one of those people who uses such an adjective mighty sparingly. Like any anthology, this collection is, of course, uneven, but in general, it helps parents of teens laugh, feel less alone, and recognize what they are and are not doing right--and that's worth a lot!

Beautiful Mosiac - This is for Everybody.......2005-06-04

I read this book in one sitting and was delighted. This book offers a smorgasbord of honest views in re parenting teens/young adults and offered refreshing insights. I was delighted to see two of my favorite authors, Joyce Maynard and Louise Erdrich among those included in this book. Each author has helped shed even more light on an interesting aspect of their lives.

The essay format personalized the accounts and made the reader feel included. Joyce Maynard, a gifted writer included an essay about her son's girlfriend spending the night. Her essay was unflinchingly honest; clear, sharp and direct as are all her works. That is what makes them outstanding and effective. I like the honest conversations she had with her three children and how she took a healthy and honest approach to sex and sexuality. To her credit, she taught them the correct names for genitals instead of silly, infantile euphemisms. One funny anecdote she shared was when her youngest child, then 4, sang about vaginas on a city bus, much to the consternation of his fellow passengers. I like the way she responded and kept communication lines open for her children.

Erdrich's account of her daughter's driving was touching and funny. One can almost feel the snow and ice as they navigate the icy streets of Minnesota. The inclusion of fathers' essays helped make for a nice balance and richer picture. This book is a beautiful mosiac, pieced together by the brilliant works of each author.

Amazon.com

She posed for Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec; Degas was so impressed by her drawings that he became the first to purchase a work by this self-taught female artist. But though Suzanne Valadon (1865-1938) gloried in the carefree, bohemian artistic scene of Paris's Montmartre neighborhood in the 1880s and '90s, she really came into her own during the early years of the 20th century, when a passionate love for a man 20 years her junior led her to abandon a bourgeois husband and devote herself anew to art. She set to work with a renewed serenity but the same "unfeminine" boldness of line and earthy sexuality that had dismayed tradition-minded viewers from the beginning. It was she who taught her illegitimate son, Maurice Utrillo, to paint in a desperate attempt to wean him from his addiction to alcohol. His fame surpasses hers today in part because male art historians preferred salacious tales of Valadon's many loves and scandalous exploits to sober assessments of her artistic gifts. British art biographer June Rose restores Valadon to her proper place as a peer of the great postimpressionists in a readable narrative that puts her freewheeling personal life into perspective as a product of the same refusal to be constrained by conventional wisdom that fired her art. --Wendy Smith

Book Description

The illegitimate daughter of a poor country woman, Suzanne Valadon first earned her living as a circus acrobat. Mingling with Impressionists in the clubs and cabarets of Montmartre, she caused a stir with her provocative stunts. When she was eighteen years old, Valadon gave birth to an illegitimate son, the future artist Maurice Utrillo. Posing regularly for Renoir, she became his lover, as well as the lover of others, including Erik Satie and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec.

Eventually Valadon's own art won the admiration and support of Degas, with whom she shared a close friendship. Yet many were disturbed by Valadon's works, especially her candid and earthy nudes which, like her sexual conduct, defied convention. After an attempt at marriage to a respectable businessman, she fell in love with Andre Utter, an artist twenty-one years her junior. At nearly fifty years of age, she wed Utter and returned to a bohemian life.

Suzanne Valadon reproduces the artist's bold paintings and drawings, as well as letters and personal documents from a woman who left behind few written records. June Rose's assiduously researched biography chronicles Valadon's colorful life and her significance as one of the finest artists of her day.

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful read.......2006-08-06

I read The Mistress of Montmartre and found it fascinating in so much detail.The reaerch that June Rose must have carried out was most inspiring and it was also a wonderful read.
I have read all her previous books and if they are still available I cannot recomend them enough

Suzanne Valadon:The Mistress of Montmartre by June Rose.......2002-04-06

This book is a devourable treat for anyone who loves Paris...the look, the smell, the taste, and the feel of Paris. Lovers of Impressionists...an existential experience is in store. If you didn't know Suzanne Valadon before, you will wonder why. She was the heart and soul of "The City of Light" before and beyond the time when the lights were there! She was a lover to many and a friend to all. The photographs and historical tidbits truly enhance the already delightful time well spent with this book. I hated for it to be over! June Rose is an engaging writer. I want to read more of her work.

Average customer rating:

Mistress of Montmartre
June Rose
Manufacturer: Metro Books,London
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1860660703

Suzanne Valadon The Mistress of Montmartre

Average customer rating:

Suzanne Valadon The Mistress of Montmartre
Rose June
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UE2PTA

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