Trees in Britain, Europe and North America

Book Description

This guide makes it simple to choose the perfect ship, itinerary, cabin, and dining options with information, ratings, suggestions, and tips.

Book Description

The last defining years of John F. Kennedy, Jr.At thirty-four, John F. Kennedy, Jr. was still a man in search of his destiny. In 1995, all that changed when Kennedy launched George, a bold and irreverent magazine about American politics. Over the next four years, Kennedy's passionate commitment to the magazine-- and to the ideals it stood for-- transformed him. One witness to this transformation was Richard Blow, an editor and writer who joined George several months before the release of its first issue. During their four years together, Blow observed his boss rise to enormous challenges-- starting a risky new business, managing the pressures that attend a high public profile, and beginning life as a married man.In American Son, with Blow as our guide, we see the many sides of Kennedy's personality: the rebel who fearlessly takes on politicians and pundits; the gentleman who sends gracious thank-you notes to his colleagues for their wedding gifts; the vulnerable son struggling under the weight of a mythic family legacy. Simply and sympathetically, Richard Blow offers an affecting portrait of a complicated man at last coming into his own-- sometimes gracefully, sometimes under siege, never without the burden of great expectations.#1 New York Times Bestseller; includes a new introduction

Customer Reviews:

While interesting is seemingly irrelevant.......2005-11-09

Richard Blow is a former coworker of Joh F. Kennedy Jr. who seems to be attempting to make a couple of bucks off of a respected celebrity who has passed on with this book. While Richard obviously knew John, after reading this book it is apparent that he barely knew him outside of work. Judging by the cover and name of this book one would suspect that it is about JFK Jr. In reality this book is about George magazine and Richard's experience working there, with tales of dinner with John placed randomly about. If you are looking for a book that will give you an idea of what type of person JFK Jr. was, I would recommend "The Men We Became" by Robert Littel. He was John's best friend and knows far more about John than nearly anyone else ever did.

Better than most.......2005-07-13

After reading the sleeper by Robert Littell"The Men We Became", this book wins hands down. First "Littell" criticized "Blow", because he (Blow) signed a confidentiality clause when he signed on for George Magazine. First Littell was a friend of JFK Jr.'s, and he NEVER should have written about him.(He should have had his GOOD friends sign waivers too I guess) As I stated in my review of his book, his REAL friends would never write about his personal life and I do not think that John every alluded to him (Littell) that he wanted him to write about him, he threw that line in to cover himself. However, Mr. Littell is the reason I read the book by Mr. Blow.He trashed his book, so I had to read it. This book I bought, the book by Littell I borrowed. Richard Blow does not hold himself up to be John's best friend, but rather a friendship developed through work.( He was not one of the people invited to the wedding, but certain relatives were not invited because of the small place where it was held.) Mr. Blow does not delve to much into the private life of John, or his marriage to Carolyn Bessette. What is written about Carolyn and John's marriage to her, I think were positives in the book. He painted Carolyn as a nice woman, taken off guard by the complete fasination of her. She seemed to be a helpmate in the beginning of the magazine, but is not portrayed as an overbearing instigator,( again Littell makes her out to be a shrew, weeding out friends, calling people freaks etc..) nor does she come off as cold and indifferent again, the way I felt that Mr. Littell had portrayed her. He showed that the world of journalism is a tough nut for anyone to crack, even with the Kennedy name behind it.After awhile it seemed that even the staff of George were coming to terms with their "celebrity boss". Would the magazine went on if John had lived? No one can ever answer that....but all that were involved really tried to make it work, everyone, not just JFK...

An Unpretentious, Sympathetic Examination Of JFK, Jr........2005-03-15

This book was a non-exploitive story of JFK's last few years in relation to his "George" efforts and peripheral personal and professional life. There are no shocking revelations or cutting evaluations, just an honest presentation of an interesting piece of that young man's life. Be forewarned, however (and the reason I rated this as 3 stars instead of 4): there is not one single photo within, and I believe this is a serious oversight in any biography.

Who's this book about?.......2004-10-30

Is this book about JFK, Jr. or is it about Richard Blow? After reading this book, it appeared to me that the author just wanted to make sure that in remembering JFK, Jr., that we all remembered that Blow worked with JFK, Jr. It's sad that someone like Blow, who is obviously talented in his own right, would decide to cash in so openly on his association with Kennedy.

the best JFK Jr. book.......2004-02-15

I'm sure all the controversy helped sales of this book, but it definitely gave me a misleading impresson of both the book and its author. I didn't read American Son for a while after it came out because I was turned off by the controversy. But eventually I broke down and bought it and I'm glad I did. In retrospect, some of the people who trashed the book didn't even seem like they'd read it, but were just reacting to the hype about it, or had some personal ax to grind. (You can definitely tell that some of the reviews on Amazon were written by people with a hidden agenda.) Anyway, American Son is well-written and easy to read, and feels a lot more honest than most of the Kennedy books out there. You really get a sense of what JFK Jr. was like-funny, warm, likeable, but surpringly vulnerable and unsure about his future. Also, I enjoyed reading about what it was like to work at George magazine. I was a charter subscriber, and I always thought it was an underrated magazine. So the book's not just about JFK Jr., but about the magazine business, politics, and New York in the 1990s. I've read all the books about John Jr., and this is definitely the best.

American son : a portrait of John F. Kennedy, Jr. / Richard Blow

Average customer rating:

Another Friend Cashes In

American son : a portrait of John F. Kennedy, Jr. / Richard Blow
Richard (1964-) Bradley
Manufacturer: New York : Henry Holt & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VZNFAG

Customer Reviews:

Another Friend Cashes In.......2007-10-07

Excellent book. I like reading about the Kennedy's too, I admit and I liked this book, because it did not trash his wife. Poor Carolyn, her so-called friends (Rob Little,Bill Noonan)all wrote about what a shrew she was. oh they sugar-coated it so if you are truly a nit-wit you would not see it (Rob claims his wife adored Carolyn,Billy claims she was "magnificent") but still you get th idea she ruined friendships, could not stop using drugs. Disgusting. Have they thought about the impact of her family? Never mind his they are used to it, but hers, like Carolyn, I do not think they wished to be in the spotlight. This book really captures Carolyn like Carol Raziwell's book did.Richard Blow does them justice and Rob Littel has the nerve to talk about Richard Blow's book. Why because Blow didn't trash them as he did. If you would like to read a book from someone who DID know them without Carolyn being bad-mouthed, this is the book.

American Son: a Portrait of John F. Kennedy, JR.

Average customer rating:

American Son: a Portrait of John F. Kennedy, JR.
Richard Blow
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTHW8A

Book Description

A biography that shows the strength within Down syndrome children, as well to the power of putting trust in God. A story of discovery, challenge, and joy unfolds as she continues to lead a full and independent life.

Customer Reviews:

unfortunate title perpetuating old fashioned words.......2006-08-04

once again it's really unfortunate that the author, who wrote a nice little book, used such old fashioned terminology by putting the "Down syndrome" in front of her daughter.
A person is a person FIRST and having Down syndrome is secondary to that, and should always come after the PERSON.
So, please don't say Down syndrome person, Down syndrome baby or daughter or whatever.
Our children are children FIRST. They just also happen to have DS...but it doesn't define them.

Delightful!.......2006-07-22

Reading technical and how-to books about Down Syndrome can be depressing and frustrating after awhile. I needed a break, something up-beat and positive, about a real family.
This book is it! I loved every minute of it - couldn't put it down - had to read it all in one sitting. It is about Becky, the Icenhower's delightful daughter, and her journey from baby to independent adulthood. It is just the sort of encouraging, heartwarming story parents of children with DS need to hear. In the coming years, I will read and re-read this book. Wonderful!

Couldn't Put It Down!.......2004-04-13

This absolutely delightful book was a "page-turner" that I couldn't put down! I read it all in one afternoon. It's the story of a regular family with problems like everyone else, and who have a deep faith in God. Becky, the down-syndrome daughter, puts them in their place time and time again with comments like "Can't you people act normal?" I laughed so hard and yet was so touched. I recommend this book not only for families with a down-syndrome child but for every family who grows, laughs and cries together.

Delightful!.......2001-02-13

This is a delightful book. I will never see a Down Syndrome person the same again. My forced concerned will now be a smile. The part of me that did not understand is now ready and able to embrace and accept all children as precious gifts from God. Although this book teaches, it is not heavy reading. It reads like a story. Each line entices you to the next. At the end, I was wishing for more. This is a story of an average, normal family whose love for the Lord gave them the courage and strength to accept their precious daughter the way the Lord handed her to them and prepare her for a life that would touch us all. Thank you, Rosalie!

Average customer rating:
The Harmony Guides 440 More Knitting Stitches, Volume 3
Harmony Guide
Manufacturer: Collins & Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MBCRJO

Book Description

Jack Sanders's colorful tribute to wildflowers is bursting with odd facts, ingenious uses, and bizarre superstition about some of North America's most beautiful and common plants. There are more than 10,000 varieties of wildflowers in North America, some rare, some so plentiful that they are designated as invasive weeds. Each has a unique story.
There's Bouncing Bet, a perennial common along the roads and railroad tracks of America. Like many of our most abundant summer wildflowers, Bet was brought over to fill colonial gardens. It's a beautiful plant, but also a useful one. Open up the stalk and its sap makes a fine soap. Colonial beermakers used to put a dab in to help the head on a brew. Doctors used it to wash wounds. Generally considered a weed, it's everywhere.
Or Coltsfoot, which pops up almost alone in winters, and was used in New England as a cure for coughs, the leaves boiled down in water. Asthmatics, Sanders tells us, used to smoke it for relief. For many years, apothecaries in France used Coltsfoot as its symbol, a surprising pedigree for a neglected "weed."
More a companion than a field guide, THE SECRETS OF WILDFLOWERS is a must-have for anyone who enjoys a walk in a meadow or a gaze outside.

Flora's Feast: A Fairy's Festival of Flowers

Average customer rating:

A Year Long Parade of Flowers

Flora's Feast: A Fairy's Festival of Flowers
Walter Crane
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0486418588

Book Description

Created by a celebrated late-Victorian era illustrator and painter. Features 40 full-color depictions of ethereal figures clad in flowery garments, each of which appears with a whimsical verse. A treasure for admirers of fine book illustration, this charming volume will also delight flower lovers of all ages and anyone enchanted by fairies and make-believe.

Customer Reviews:

A Year Long Parade of Flowers.......2003-01-10

This beautiful book, so affordable in its paperback edition is the unabridged republication of Flora's Feast: A Masque of Flowers, first published in 1889. It contains 40 color illustrations by the English illustrator and painter Walter Crane (1845-1915). Crane was a leading designer of Art Nouveau textiles and wallpaper and his Art Nouveau stylings are seen in these whimsical and romantic illustrations. Children as well as adults will enjoy this beautiful book which opens with Flora, the Goddess of Flowers waking the flowers from their slumber. "The sullen winter nearly spent, Queen Flora to her garden went, To call the flowers from their long sleep, The year's glad festivals to keep." Attired in Greek-styled drapes, sandals, tunics, and gowns the various flowers, beginning with the earliest crocuses and snowdrops, begin a parade across the pages of this book that proceeds through the seasons from summer through autumn and finally back to winter. Each season's favorite flowers are accompanied by quaint poetic descriptions written by Crane and bear the look of familiar blossoms incorporated into their costumes. We are fortunate indeed to have this rare treat available to us once again. Don't miss it.

Flower Fairies Magical Moonlight Feast (Flower Fairies Friends)

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Flower Fairies Magical Moonlight Feast (Flower Fairies Friends)
Cicely Mary Barker
Manufacturer: Warne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0723257841

Book Description

In this beautiful new addition to the Flower Fairies Friends series, the fairies are planning a last-minute midnight feast, but there's one problem. How will the guests find their way through the forest? Turn the pages of this lavish picture book and discover beautiful newly commissioned artwork and sweet little pop-ups on every page. Flip to the final spread and prepare to be amazed by a fantastic pop-up scene with built-in dancing lights.

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Flora's Feast: A Masque of Flowers
Walter Crane
Manufacturer: Wh Smith Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A Feast of Flowers
Francesca; Stowbridge, Cybthia Tillona
Manufacturer: Gramercy Books Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MHSLR0

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A feast of flowers
Francesca Tillona
Manufacturer: Funk & Wagnalls
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006BZC5G

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A Feast of Flowers

Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000CRKIPS

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FEAST OF FLOWERS CL
Jacqueline Heriteau
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Ornamental Plants | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0395628849

A Feast of Flowers. Old-Time Uses of Flowers In Medicines and Cosmetics and Historic Recipes Made Practical

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A Feast of Flowers. Old-Time Uses of Flowers In Medicines and Cosmetics and Historic Recipes Made Practical
Francesca and Strowbridge, Cynthia Tillona
Manufacturer: Funk & Wagnalls
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NUNTPK

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Flora's Feast A Masque of Flowers
Walter Crane
Manufacturer: Cassell & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J2XDD0

Average customer rating:

No other book like this

Great ideas, but it DOES take two to tango...

Great for a small piece of mind

Great for some peace

TheStepfamilyLife - Review of Step-Wives

Stepwives: Ten Steps to Help Ex-Wives and Step-Mothers End the Struggle and Put the Kids First
Louise Oxhorn , Lynne Oxhorn-Ringwood , and Marjorie Krausz
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books | Codependency | Conflict Management | Dating | Divorce | Friendship | General | Interpersonal Relations | Love & Loss | Love & Romance | Marriage | Mate Seeking | Nonmonogamy
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Stepparenting & Blended Families | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Ex-Wives and Ex-Lives: Survival Guide for the Next Wife

The Single Girl's Guide to Marrying a Man, His Kids, and His Ex-Wife: Becoming A Stepmother With Humor And Grace

Stepmotherhood: How to Survive Without Feeling Frustrated, Left Out, or Wicked, Revised Edition

The Enlightened Stepmother: Revolutionizing the Role

The Courage to Be a Stepmom: Finding Your Place Without Losing Yourself

Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0743222466

Book Description

Stepwives: (n) (1) ex-wife and current wife to the same man, mother and stepmother to the same children; (2) women destined to battle for the love and control of their families...until now!

Lynne and Louise were stepwives for ten years. While they managed a barely civil relationship, each was seething with anger on the inside. It all boiled over in an ugly scene on the day Lynne saw that Louise was wearing shoes identical to her own favorite pair, and then they knew they had to find a new way of being a family.

With the guidance of marriage and family therapist Marjorie Vego Krausz, Lynne Oxhorn-Ringwood and Louise Oxhorn developed a ten-step program that has helped thousands of women begin to go from sworn enemies to CoMamas. You don't have to follow the program together with your stepwife; even if only one of you follows the plan, your stepwife relationship and the happiness of your family will improve. Learn how to:

Establish a good working relationship with your stepwife
Put the children first
Understand your husband's/ex-husband's role and how he can help
Handle vacations, holidays, and other big occasions

Packed with quizzes, lists, and other helpful tools, Stepwives can show you how to step into her shoes and have a peaceful, cooperative relationship with your stepwife.

Customer Reviews:

No other book like this.......2007-07-11

This is the only book that I have found that touches on the ex-wife/step-mom relationship. I ordered an extra copy for my "step-wife" and I pray that she doesn't throw it at my face when I give it to her. A great read when dealing with all of the mixed emotions involved with blended families.

Great ideas, but it DOES take two to tango..........2006-08-23

I bought this book very shortly after it was published when I saw the authors on some morning talk show, and voraciously read every page in search of the magic solution to the problems between me and my husband's ex.

Some background: Like Louise, I became a stepmom at a tender young age with none of the proverbial "baggage" to speak of - no ex-husband, no kids. And thus, no parenting experience. To say I was unaware of the issues surrounding divorce, however, would be untrue: My parents divorced when I was 10, and I was one of the truly lucky kids whose parents both remarried wonderful people, each with one child of their own, who provided very stable, happy homes for me and all of my siblings (in fact, my two sets of parents are going on 23 and 16 years of marriage now!). My husband, on the other hand, is eight years older than me, and his daughter was just 2 when we met, a year after his divorce. His ex-wife is 2 years older than him, and despite her hastily initiating and persuing their divorce and remarrying just a year later, she has a long and troubling history of trying to insert herself in our business and control everything about their joint-custody situation. To make things more interesting, she behaves like she has multiple personality disorder in her dealings with us - and we never knew which one we were going to get! One minute she goes on ad nauseum about how lucky she and her daughter are that I'm her "other mom," and the next she's calling to complain (to my husband) that I wouldn't let their daughter go outside, in the dead of winter in 30 degree weather, wearing just her nightgown so she could ask her father the same question I'd just answered for her (which she wanted to do because my answer was "no"). Believe me - I was desperately searching for something that would help me in this situation!

So, I read the book, and felt like I had finally found some tools I could work with. Honestly, I felt so energized and optimistic in the aftermath of reading this book, that I immediately bought a second copy, which I inscribed with a very nice message to my "comama," telling her that I hoped we, too, could find the strength and grace to move past our issues with each other and raise the little girl we both cared about in the best way possible. I gave it to my comama after one of my stepdaughter's school functions, and she was all appreciative of this gesture and promised to read it and get in touch so we could talk about it, blah, blah, blah. Needless to say, I never heard a word from her about it after that, and absolutely nothing changed. Did she ever read the book? I can't say for sure. My best guess is that she DID read it but saw none of herself in Lynn, and so the whole message was lost on her!

So, while she has continued to be bizarre, meddling and controlling, we've set our boundaries and enforced them, and we try to minimize the damage she does as much as possible, both for ourselves and our little boy, and for my husband's now 10-year old daughter.

My point is as much as I had hoped that the tips in this book would be the answer to our problems, you really DO need both comamas to be on board to make the concepts work. Both women have to be mature and willing enough to put their differences aside if this is to work. I am living proof that one woman alone cannot change the actions of another, no matter how much she may wish it so.

To all the other stepmoms out there, I wish you the very best of luck! I know it's not easy and that the road can be very, very long (and full of some serious potholes) at times, but you've got to have faith that it's all worthwhile in the end. Good luck!

Great for a small piece of mind.......2004-04-01

This book really helped me to visualize how that stubborn ex-wife is or has been viewing the whole situation. I do not get as worked up as I had been doing in the past. I have learned to pick my battles and let the bio-parents deal with eachother as much as possible. I have a little more patience with her and I am thinking about buying her a copy as well. It may not help her, but it sure did me and it is worth a shot.
If you have a "step-wife" and there is a child involved this book may be the way to building small bridges for that child's sake and for that small piece of mind.

Great for some peace.......2004-04-01

This makes you take a look into that other woman's life. It forces you to possibly gain a little knowlegde about the ex. It was great to finally feel a little of much DESERVED peace in my life.

TheStepfamilyLife - Review of Step-Wives.......2004-03-13

Lynne Oxhorn-Ringwood and Louise Oxhorn were the best of enemies for ten years. Then they learned how to put the struggle behind them and unite for the sake of raising a great kid. Dubbed the original "co-Mamas," Lynne and Louise write from experience about their struggles to understand, communicate and get along. They partnered with family therapist Marjorie Vego-Krausz to assemble this book and their ten step program for moving your stepwife relationship beyond antagonism.

One of the things that I liked about this book is that it pointed out - in glaring honesty - the natural hostility found in the stepmother/ex-wife relationship. So often many of us, bruised by awkwardness, just don't want to admit that we are two women trying to share a space originally carved out for one. So we dance politely sidestep the true issues, all the while misunderstanding what the other says and layering onto our relationships years of acrimony and pain.

Louise and Lynne describe the turf battles familiar to many stepmoms and ex-wives. Lynne is the ex-wife of Greg - Louise is the woman who replaced Lynne. Lynne describes going into a rage when Louise would volunteer at school with her son Evan's class. Lynne recalls feeling like Louise was just waiting "to pounce" on her and reclaim her old life. How can the two get along?

The first thing the authors do is offer some subtle vocabulary switches. Let's be honest - when you hear the words ex-wife and stepmom together in a sentence your first thought is cat fight. "Step-wife" is a term coined for the book and used interchangeably for both stepmoms and ex-wives when both are being discussed together.

So how do the "step-wives" keep the peace? According to these former family warmongers, it's not easy to bury the hatchet and get along, but they've devised a ten-step plan (known by the acronym PRESCRPTON) that can yield results:

P - Put the kids first.

R - Respect each other.

E - Empathize and acknowledge feelings.

S - Set limits and boundaries.

C - Claim your own baggage.

R - Remember realistic expectations.

P - Problem-solve.

T - Talk and communicate effectively.

O - Organize consistently.

N - Nurture yourself.

PRESCRPTON may seem simplistic, and the actual chapter space devoted to explaining it is fairly limited. However, the authors draw together several topics affecting stepmother and ex-wives and explain how to apply PRESCRPTON to real-life situations. They cover some of the most sticky subjects common to stepfamilies - telling your stepchildren when a new baby is on the way, deciding if an ex should attend the funeral of an in-law, dealing with drug abuse or mental illness, and sorting out disciplinary differences between households.

Suggestions on how to get along and draw boundaries will be much appreciated by stepfamilies trying to delineate roles. They recommend at least a "basic 5" for interaction between step-wives at public events. The "basic 5" are: (1) smile, (2) make eye contact, (3) say "hello, _______(her name)," (4) be aware of your body language (5) if others are present then introduce and include your step-wife in the conversation. They point out that these basic courtesies are often ignored in stepfamilies still reeling from emotional upheaval but that everyone should be able to manage at least simple civilities.

One of the book's strengths is that it shows the reader how to see the points of view felt by others in the stepfamily equation. A chapter on the man in the middle examines the plight of the ex-husband/new husband and identifies common coping strategies men employ to stay out of the cross-fire.

Throughout the book, ex-wives and stepmoms are encouraged to empathize with each other and their respective situations. Each chapter addresses stepmoms and ex-wives individually with recommendations and comments. A chapter on second wife syndrome (which afflicts ex-wives) and ex-wife envy (a stepmom illness) discuss the feelings of jealousy common to "step-wives" of all stripes.

When the chapter on in-laws recommended that stepmoms should be allowed to go to Thanksgiving dinner without their husband's ex-wife looming over the turkey, I was ready to stand up and cheer! At the same time, I also learned to empathize more with my husband's ex-wife and her situation by reading this book.

This book holds plenty of insight and wisdom for any one involved in a stepfamily. The authors recommend that stepmoms and ex-wives both read the book and then have a meeting to outline boundaries. Even if you can't get your "step-wife" to read the book or apply the steps, you will still benefit from it.

Book Description

Son of a convicted felon whose early death left the family impoverished, Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) went on to lead a staggeringly full and successful life. A portrait painter who produced an unparalleled body of work, including the iconic The Artist in His Museum, Peale was also a revolutionary soldier, a radical activist, an impresario of moving pictures, a natural historian, an inventor, and the proprietor of one of the first modern museums. His many other interests included a lifelong preoccupation with writing; in fact, his autobiography is one of the first examples of the genre in the United States. David C. Ward's engaging book, richly textured with references to the history and culture of the time, is the first full critical biography of Peale. It links the artist's autobiography to his painting, illuminating the man, his art, and his times. Peale emerges for the first time as that particularly American phenomenon: the self-made man.
Before Peale's time, autobiographies had been written mainly as religious and confessional documents. Peale, however, produced his secular work to describe, not how God made him, but how he worked to make himself. This compelling study, drawing extensively from Peale's extraordinary autobiography, shows how Peale's life itself documents the development of American independence and individualism. Ultimately Ward addresses Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur's great question, "What then is the American, this new man?" as he sheds light on one of these new men and on the formative years in which he lived.

Customer Reviews:

A masterful exercise in balance........2004-11-25

As Peale was a wonderfully typical yet extraordinary Enlightenment man, so David C. Ward reflects these sometimes complex combinations in his multi-layered style. Written with elegant poeticism yet laiden with fact and academic detail, this book is a joy to read. A wonderful balance between autobiographical insight into Peale's character and a scholarly take on 'enlightened' American society, Ward triumphally balances both the subject and the reader's attention. By applying, for example, philosophical insight to his subject, to art and to historical events with seamless ease, Ward makes a great contribution to the study of an age and a man.

Average customer rating:
An Essay Upon the Life, Writings, and Character of Dr. Jonathan Swift. Interspersed with Some Occasional Animadversions Upon the Remarks of a Late Critical Author, and Upon the Observations of an Anonymous Writer on Those Remarks Â… To Which is Added, That Sketch of Dr. SwiftÂ’s Life, Written by the Doctor Himself, Which was Lately Presented by the Author of This Essay to the University of Dublin.
Jonathan] SWIFT, Deane. [SWIFT
Manufacturer: Charles Bathurst
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TTPC96

Average customer rating:
Disciplining and Dismissing Doctors in the NHS
L. Swift , and A. Scotland
Manufacturer: Mercia Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Law | Subjects | Books
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Emergency Medical Services | Allied Health Professions | Medicine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0948087528

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Doctor Swift

Manufacturer: Harvard Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Irish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 031754487X

Average customer rating:
Swift's Verses on the death of Doctor Swift--the notes
Clive T Probyn
Manufacturer: s.n
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00072XRKG

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