Fresh Fish: A Civil War Prisoner's Story

Book Description

Two books in one, Advice to the Serious Seeker is an introduction for scholars to the perennialist school of comparative religious philosophy and at the same time a guidebook for the general reader who is looking for intellectually serious but accessible answers to questions about the spiritual life.

Scholars will find a comprehensive introduction to the work of Frithjof Schuon, the leading contemporary figure in the perennialist or traditionalist school of comparative religion. Written by James S. Cutsinger, one of the world's foremost academic authorities on the perennial philosophy, the book provides a detailed commentary on the full range of Schuon's spiritual writings.

But the book is also intended for inquisitive and searching readers in general. Composed in a style that is simple and conversational, it reads as an open letter to the author's students. The aim is to cut through the banality of much that passes for spiritual instruction today and to provide intellectually serious but accessible answers to questions typically posed by cynics and skeptics, conservative believers, and persons attracted to the so-called "new age" religions.

The author's Advice takes the form of a series of meditations on Truth, Virtue, Beauty, and Prayer, which Schuon regards as the fundamental elements in every authentic spiritual path. Covering a range of issues both theoretical and practical, topics include proofs of God, the problem of evil, classical virtues, predestination and freedom, symbolism and cosmic hierarchy, sacred art, the relationship between spiritual method and grace, techniques of concentration and meditation, the role of the spiritual master, and human destiny. The book concludes with an epilogue on Schuon's well-known thesis concerning the "transcendent unity of religions."

Customer Reviews:

A lamp on the path.......2005-01-03

Once a while you stumble on a book that has the right signs to help you further on a path of knowledge. I discovered and benefited tremendously from this book while trying to understand and intend to follow a path for purification of soul. It helped me introduce to Frithjof Schuon's writings in simple language and also brought to me metaphysical discipline in a straight forward vocabulary. Although, this book is written with a Christian reader in mind, I (a Muslim) still benefited by relating most of the discussion while keeping Islamic and Sufi symbolism in mind.

Dr. Cutsinger approached this book by addressing several fundamental questions that one can expect from a curious mind (who has received the blessing to start to hear the Call) and he did a good justice in answering these throughout the book. He also kept various audiences (e.g., skeptic, serious seeker) in mind while explaining metaphysical view-points very clearly.

I am looking forward to read his next book on Prayer (based again on Frithjof Schuon's writings). I felt a test of writings of Seyyed Hossein Nasr (who has also written several books on similar topics but more from Sufi and Islamic view-point) while reading this book.

Great book for the journey.......2002-12-24

I do not have anything to add to the card catalogue description of the book, available above. I only want to say that for those friends of mine who have read the book a few times, they have all been helped on a deep level to think more clearly about the nature of faith and religion. Truly it is above all a relationship with a living person (or three!).

Customer Reviews:

An enlightening biography.......2006-05-16

Suny Press has just published a book on Frithjof Schuon, which undoubtedly will constitute a landmark in Perennialist studies. Based on unpublished documents, this book unveils some aspects of the works and life of Schuon not accounted for in previous publications.
This book, co-authored by Jean Baptiste Aymard an Patrick Laude (Georgetown University) includes some essays already published in France and Canada. The first two chapters and most original part of the work, offer a biography and a spiritual portrait of Frithjof Schuon. As we read them, a hieratic portrait of Schuon is unraveled: a born-Gnostic, a fideli d'amor and a true spiritual master whose influence is not limited by a specific religion but whose teachings are better defined as an expression of the Religio Perennis itself. His spiritual stature is truly located at the intersection of three major influences, according to J.B. Aymard:

Concerning the Vedantic ternary [Cat-Cit-Ananda], three paternities or spiritual « god parentages » can be recognized as being linked to one of the dimensions of Schuon's personality. The Cit aspect, which we briefly described earlier, can be related to the authority of René Guenon who is, unquestionably, the one who introduced him to metaphysics and who, he stressed, had the « noteworthy merit of presenting and making explicit crucial concepts of pure metaphysical science, of integral tradition and traditional orthodoxy, of symbolism, and of esoterism. (...)
In turning to the Sat aspect of Schuon's nature, which we previously discussed, it resonates with that of the strong personality of Shaykh Al-Alawi, from whom, it should be pointed out, he claimed part of the « spiritual heritage ». By conferring initiation upon him the old Shaykh in fact became his veritable spiritual father toward whom he was to feel indebted throughout his life. (...)
Finally, in connection with Ananda aspect of his nature, it seemed that it was Schuon's link with Al-Khidr, the « Master of the masterless », that could shed light on certain facets of his personality and thereby show the exemplary coherence of his spiritual life. » (p.67)

Al-Khidr also being the master of the Afrad or Solitaries, J.B. Aymard adds:

« In our opinion, many of Schuon's attitudes which were not understood by some people, such as his sovereign independence with regard to formalism, his genius for the essential, and his all-inclusive taste for all manifestations of Beauty, take on a different meaning in the light of the Afrad. » (p.45)

J.B. Aymard makes also a definite mention of the specific link Schuon had with the Virgin Mary (Seyyidtna Maryam). Through her luminous presence and visitations, she inspired Schuon from early childhood on. The term « adoption » is appropriate and one can even witness a true heritage (wiratha) of a virginal nature which gives the full measure of the elevation of a master whose name of initiation was Shaykh Isa Nur el-Din Ahmad al-Shadhili al-Alawi al-Maryami.

The next chapter by Patrick Laude is more directly centered on the metaphysical aspect of his teaching. In a few pages of a surprising quality and density, P. Laude offers a most lucid synthesis of the quintessential aspects of Schuon's teachings. He makes a point to situate his teaching with respect to that of other Perennialists and Traditionalists and to dispel a few misunderstandings. Schuon's multi-layered work is, according to P. Laude, centered primarily on the notion of quintessential esoterism and on Religio Perennis. Religio Perennis is not a super-religion (as it has been wrongly supposed) but the one and only "subjacent" religion, the transcendent norm establishing the intrinsic orthodoxy of any given traditional form. In its essence, Schuon's perspective is Shivaite rather than Vishnuvite. It is not meant to arbitrarily justify all cultural manifestations of a given tradition but to break with dogmatic limitations in order to reach the essence, identified to pure metaphysics and to the Language of the Self. According to Meister Eckhart: « If you would have the kernel, you must break the husk. » P. Laude also refers in the same chapter, to some methodological aspects of his teachings such as the alchemy of virtues and some meditative practices which have been described in « The Stations of Wisdom ». P. Laude also stresses the difference between Schuon's metaphysical perspective and that of Akbarian Sufism. The later, according to Schuon, has a tendency to create a confusion between the metaphysical point of view and theological opinions. As Schuon said elsewhere, his point of departure is not Sufism but Advaita Vedanta. P. Laude thus explains:

« In a sense, much of Sufi Metaphysics is pulled apart between its sublime non-dualism and its legalistic straps. Schuon's esoteric formulation allows us to bridge the gap between these two incommensurable dimensions by insisting upon the « multileveled structure » of the Divine Will. (...) In spiritual matters alike, esoterism reaches to the essential trough the veil of surimpositions and accretions, while elucidating the partial legitimacy of mystical emphases, excesses, and subjective or collective detours. As such esoterism is nothing less than the most direct and comprehensive language of the Self. » (p. 105-106)

The last chapter, also written by P. Laude exposes Schuon's aesthetics, his poetical writings and paintings, representing as many expressions of his teaching in a synthetic mode. P. Laude is thus able to detect the intimate connection of the aesthetic dimension of his work with his Virginal inspiration. He even recognizes here a tantric and shaktic dimension in the person of Schuon, thus linking him another time to the Shaykh Al-Akbar but also to the Iranian Sufi Ruzbihan al-Baqli. In Schuon's eyes, women are invested with a theophanic function. Woman manifests an essential aspect of the Principle in the immanence of the cosmic spheres: God in his infinite dimension. Eternal Man and Woman thus appear in Schuon's teachings as the two complimentary aspects of what Coomaraswamy called « the Tantric Biunity ': Atman and Maya, Brahman and Shakti, Absolute and Infinite.

Frithjof Schuon, Life and Teaching will become a primary source for all those who are not only interested in the metaphysical teachings of Schuon but who also try to understand the spiritual dimension of this great sage who died in the U.S. in 1998. We very strongly recommend this book to all readers and spiritual seekers.

Essential Reading .......2004-11-09

In the summer 1987 issue of Parabola magazine a reviewer of "The Essential Writings of Frithjof Schuon" mentioned the 'severe intellectual quality of Schuon's writing'. He stated that he would like to have a 'simple' introduction with which to begin the study of Schuon's work. Although "Frithjof Schuon: Life and Teachings" is not a work which can be read without serious concentation and reflection, neither is it exclusively for the academic specialist. It should be of great interest to both the spiritual seeker and the scholar endeavoring to better understand Schuon's philosophy.
This is the first biography of Schuon since his death in l998, and it includes a detailed history of the events which shaped his life, as well as two penetrating essays which explore in depth virtually every key theme in the Schuonian opus. This work is especially useful in terms of distinguishing and clarifying Schuon's relationship with Guenon, Sufism, and the Plains Indian Sun Dance religion. Also, it sheds much light upon the distinction between esoterism and tradition, religio perennis and syncretism, and the significance of beauty and celestial femininity which are important dimensions of Schuon's perspective.
Given the access Aymard and Laude had to previously unavailable oral and written sources, as well as their masterful knowledge of Schuon's published works, this book -- alongside James S. Cutsinger's "Advice to the Serious Seeker: Meditations on the Teachings of Frithjof Schuon" -- must now be considered primary and essential texts for all interested readers.

Average customer rating:

must buy!

Use this with the EmWave

Anger Management

No more raging maniac

Timely exploration of mind-body emotional health

Transforming Anger: The HeartMath Solution for Letting Go of Rage, Frustration, and Irritation
Doc Childre , and Deborah Rozman
Manufacturer: New Harbinger Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Mood Disorders | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Stress Management | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Psychotherapy, TA & NLP | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Emotions | By Topic | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Anger Management | Stress | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Transforming Stress: The Heartmath Solution For Relieving Worry, Fatigue, And Tension

Transforming Anxiety: The Heartmath Solution to Overcoming Fear And Worry And Creating Serenity (Transforming)

The HeartMath Solution: The Institute of HeartMath's Revolutionary Program for Engaging the Power of the Heart's Intelligence

Freeze-Frame: One Minute Stress Management: A Scientifically Proven Technique for Clear Decision Making and Improved Health (Heartmath System)

Overcoming Emotional Chaos

ASIN: 157224352X

Book Description

Neuroscientists have discovered that getting the heart into a positive rhythm can send a signal to the brain, allowing the two to synchronize and transform anger, frustration, and irritation into compassion, empathy, and calm. Transforming Anger shows readers how thoughts and feelings get stored in the nervous system and create cellular triggers of anger. In order to get beyond the mechanical negative pull of their triggers, readers learn to control their heart rhythms through a "freeze-frame" technique that allows them to clearly see their options for dealing with anger. Readers learn how to turn their emotional deficits into assets; build personal strengths; depersonalize actions of others; and identify resistance to change.

Customer Reviews:

must buy!.......2007-05-07

i gave this as a gift to my brother who gets angry easily, it brought tears to his eyes and he's much better now. we all have stress and anxiety and it's killing us slowly whether we know it or not. the heartmath approach to dealing with stress and anxiety is excellent. highly recommended for ALL! :)

Use this with the EmWave.......2006-10-31

I am using the EmWave along with reading this book. It's been most helpful in reducing stress. The EmWave is a pocket size heart monitor that takes your pulse and equates it with how your heart reacts to positive and negative thinking. This book hits home as it uses real life thinking patterns that if continually used will eventually map a person's everyday thinking. So, if you're a negative thinker, your heart and mind eventually get mapped into thinking negatively. And who wants to be around negative people. This book helps a person "re-map" their heart and mind into a more positive attitude. With all the stress the news reports everyday, this book along with the EmWave will help to reduce the stress, be happy and of course, have better relationships.

Anger Management.......2006-08-17

The book is excellent for someone with an anger management issue. For someone who wants to manage stress/anger, I'd recommend the book "Heart Math" which is more resourceful.

No more raging maniac.......2006-08-07

I am so thankful that I found this book. I had fallen into a terrible pattern of screaming uncontrollably at my kids and then later having to apologize. My kids were afraid of me and how I would react. This book made sense to me from page one. Every page has been an "Ah-ha" moment of how I have conditioned my heart and mind to respond with anger. It has been so worth the money. I am now using the teachniques and ideas from the book to recondition my heart and mind to respond more calmly. My kids and husband have noticed a difference. And I definitely have. I feel so much better physically and mentally (less outburts mean less guilt and shame for how my anger was affecting my kids). I highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for real and doable ways to reduce your anger. Good luck!

Timely exploration of mind-body emotional health.......2004-06-24

This book builds on the most recent research from the Institute of HeartMath about the connections between the heart, nervous system, and emotional processing. It promotes a type of biofeedback application called FreezeFrame which uses heart rhythm coherence monitoring with emotional skill-building techniques to help handle anger, anxiety, and other negative emotional reactions. By integrating the body (especially the heart and nervous system) with subconscious emotional processing and conscious awareness a holistic model of resolving emotional issues is outlined. This approach is quite valuable, and both experimental and clinical evidence are increasingly showing the superiority of mind-body approaches as compared to drugs and talk-oriented therapies. A new book by a University of Pittsburgh doctor called "Instinct To Heal" discusses this trend further. In fact, my own clinical observations lead me to conclude that medications tend to perpetuate psychological difficulties, as they merely repress natural symptoms produced by the mind-body feedback system and often trigger further impairment of internal balancing mechanisms. Just as people can feel "better" while they are taking alcohol and other recreational drugs [especially when they have ongoing access to drugs to avoid the withdrawal phase], people will often feel better under the influence of prescribed psychotropics, not realizing that they are just suppressing a natural feedback system and temporarily escaping from an opportunity for healing and integration. Once the drugs wear off you can have major problems in addition to any immediate adverse effects that may have been triggered by drug use. Fortunately, HeartMath techniques can be used with or without medications or any other types of therapies and interventions, and I suspect that they would be very useful in helping people wean themselves from drugs by helping restore the body's natural coherence and regulatory abilities. The HeartMath approach can provide lasting emotional healing and is supported by solid research, some of which has significant implications about the nature of consciousness and reality that challenge status quo beliefs in the healing arts and sciences. This book explains the HeartMath research and therapeutic approach clearly, and anyone seeking more information about the technology and software can visit the Institute's web site.

Book Description

Cooking by Moonlight. Learn how to prepare mouthwatering temptations that feed your body and spirit; from fresh-picked herb salad and ginger-frosted pineapple cake served under a sultry summer crescent moon, to the soul-satisfying comfort of maple-glazed turkey meat loaf and spicy pumpkin soup best eaten during the chilly winter moons.

Cooking by Moonlight invites you to begin cooking with intention, in harmony with the seasons and moon phases. Inside, you'll find lunar menus, tips for using herbs and spices magickally, and guidelines for stocking a moonlit pantry. With over 100 tasty and nourishing recipes for you to savor, beverages, appetizers, soups, breads, main dishes, side dishes and vegetables, salads, and desserts, you can reconnect with the seasons in a delicious way.

Customer Reviews:

Must have for the Kitchen Witch.......2007-09-10

This book is the best Witchy cookbook I have found. I've looked through many of them, only to be disappointed. Most of the Witch cookbooks out now, are redundant, full of the same old Wicca 101 dogma. . .not so with Cooking by Moonlight. I found this book to be really FUN! Allrich sets the mood with chapters on Love and Practical Magic, Using herbs and spices magically, and Lunar lessons. . .then goes on to present some DELICIOUS recipes! Every dish I have made from her recipes has been wonderful, and enjoyed by my entire family, kids included. I have many Wiccan, and "Witchy" cookbooks...this one tops my list by FAR!

Seasonal Moonlit Culinary Magic.......2004-09-12

LOVE this book!! The blessings are very nice, and I like how she explains the concept of seasonal eating, and how different foods are complimentary to the seasons. This information goes well with her other book 'Cooking By the Seasons', which I also highly recommend.

My favorite recipes are: chilled roasted red pepper soup, chilled avacado soup with lime, savory muffins, balsamic roasted chicken with peppers (this one is DIVINE!), crabmeat enchiladas (not authentic Mexican food, but not meant to be; VERY good!), and lemon herb cookies, pumpkin cheesecake (yummy!). Like her other cook book, the recipes are exotic enough to be exciting, but not so exotic that it's hard to find the ingredients. Unlike her other cook book, this one is NOT vegetarian.

If you are a Pagan, then you will probably love this book. If you are not, then you should try to look past the things that you don't like and go straight to the recipes. They are worth any skimming you might have to do.

A great cookbook with a neo-pagan spin.......2004-01-26

Advice on what to keep stocked in your kitchen, as well as attributes of various 'love foods', which foods are best to eat under which moon and season, and why. Excellent recipies, most of the ones with meat ingredients have vegetarian alternatives, which, being a vegetarian, I consider very thoughtful.

I do own a few cookbooks, but they're quite dusty, as I don't generally cook. I've got a few recipies and things I know how to assemble, but that number doesn't top a dozen. And half of them simply require adding milk to a package of dried flakey bits. If it can't be made in 10 minutes or less I dunno how. But a cookbook was sent with a neo-pagan spin, and how could I resist giving it a go?

I made the Cinnamon Zucchini Bread (pg. 117), the ingredients were simple enough, but I had no idea what it meant to 'fold in the zucchini', I called my sister who is a baker, and she told me, thinking I was an idiot for not immediately understanding. This easily could have been idiocy on my part, but an apendix of 'Baking Terms for Dummies' would have been helpful. At any rate, the bread turned out to be absolutely delicious.

Very Gooddess-centric (there is little mention of the God throughout this book) it contains many references to 'Wise Woman' (though none to Cunning Man), this is a cookbook clearly meant for women. Though I'm sure both sexes will appreciate the tastey recipies found within, however it would have been nice to see a bit more of a nod to the fellas. That, and a gloassary would be my only complaints, otherwise it's a delightful book, an excellent addition to the library of any kitchen witch.

Magical Recipes.......2003-08-19

I was very fortunate to receive this book as a gift by someone who shares my interests and tastes. I especially loved the chapter on Love Foods and Practical Magic. The author has a wonderful way with words and a true connection with the power of foods.
The recipes are both creative and delicious, with Coconut Whipped Winter Squash and Flourless Dark Night Cake being my favorites of the ones I have tried thus far.
There are so many heavenly recipes in this book I am undecided which to try next.

Fabulous.......2003-07-28

Karri Ann Allrich does it again in this new cookbook, Cooking By Moonlight.

In this book, she explains what foods, herbs and spices should be eaten with each lunar phase as well as which season, and provides details why these food items are so important to us physically and spiritually, as well as why each lunar phase is so important to us as well.

She includes a dictionary that gives explanation to the meaning behind each food item, plus ways in which to utilize them.
The book includes ideas on how to stock your pantry, which is extremely useful if you are new to cooking on a regular basis, or if you are trying to eat healthier as one will if you use this book.

She also offers menu ideas for each moon, and describes the meaning behind that lunar month.

She also clarifies how we should listen to out bodies as to what they need. The manner in which she described this made so much sense to me, it made me feel better about my body size and shape.

Her recipes are easy to read, effortless to prepare and delicious to eat. Examples of some of the delectable dishes you too can enjoy from this book are: Santa Fe Rice, Grapefruit and Spinach Salad, Balsamic Roasted Chicken With Peppers, Chilled Cucumber Soup, and Strawberry Snow.

This cookbook was so good, I also recommend Karri Allrichýs new cookbook entitled: "Cooking by the Seasons".

Average customer rating:
White Ibis Wetland Wanderer
Keith L. *Author SIGNED!* Bildstein
Manufacturer: Smithsonian Institute
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J142JK

Average customer rating:
White Ibis: Wetland Wanderer
Keith L Bildstein
Manufacturer: Smithsonian Inst Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J3N5MS

Average customer rating:
White Ibis: Wetland Wanderer. (book reviews): An article from: Wilson Bulletin
Malcolm C. Coulter
Manufacturer: Wilson Ornithological Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Science | Subjects | Books
Science & Technology | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B00093KN9Q
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Wilson Bulletin, published by Wilson Ornithological Society on March 1, 1995. The length of the article is 563 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: White Ibis: Wetland Wanderer. (book reviews)
Author: Malcolm C. Coulter
Publication: Wilson Bulletin (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 1995
Publisher: Wilson Ornithological Society
Volume: v107 Issue: n1 Page: p190(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Average customer rating:

White Ibis: Wetland Wanderer
Keith L. Bildstein
Manufacturer: Smithsonian Inst Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OM3IRG

Book Description

A collection of over 40 cross stitch designs inspired by William Morris, the famous 19th century decorative artist, whose designs are as popular today as they were during his lifetime more than a century ago.

The Art of William Morris in Cross Stitch

Average customer rating:

A brilliant interpretation of William Morris's Work

The Art of William Morris in Cross Stitch
Barbara Hammet
Manufacturer: David & Charles Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cross-Stitch | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0715311433

Customer Reviews:

A brilliant interpretation of William Morris's Work.......2007-02-03

Barbara Hammet has created a wonderful tribute to William Morris in this work. For those unfamiliar with William Morris, she provides a work biography of the master artist. Though short, she gives examples of his work, and explanation of his background. Once this is explained, she launches into the rest of the book, where she offers more than 40 charts that are Hammet's interpretations of Morris' style. Pillows, bell pulls, small motifs, wall hangings, broaches, bookmarks, and even a full alphabet are some of the items she offers. She even gives the design and instructions for a 3-D treasure box! There are small motifs in a few colors, or larger items in less than 4 colors which would be very well suited to the beginning stitcher and many things that are large and complex for the experienced stitcher.

Another reviewer said these are poor examples of William Morris's work. I must disagree. These items are beautiful, and they are Barbara Hammet's art she BASED on William Morris. Still, any of these finished works would be the perfect compliment to Morris's art.

Because of the wide variety of skill levels and project scales I would highly recommend this book to any level of cross stitcher. Even those needle artists not interested in Morris might find a few projects they find enjoyable in this diverse volume. Hammet does offer instructions for finishing the projects and a few basic cross stitch instructions, but I would recommend purchasing the Cross Stitcher's Bible in addition if you have NEVER cross stitched before, as you will probably need more instruction than is provided here.

Highest recommendations!

Average customer rating:

San Francisco microclimates explored by masters

Bay Area Gardening: 64 Practical Essays by Master Gardeners

Manufacturer: Travelers' Tales/Solas House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Essays | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
West | Regional | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Northern California Gardening: A Month-by-Month Guide; Updated, 2nd Edition

Plants And Landscapes For Summer-dry Climates Of The San Francisco Bay Region

California Native Plants for the Garden

Wild Lilies, Irises, and Grasses: Gardening with California Monocots

Golden Gate Gardening: Year-Round Food Gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area and Coastal California

ASIN: 1932361308

Book Description

San Francisco Bay Area gardeners know that the region has its own unique rewards and challenges. The mild weather is ideal for year-round gardening, but chilly fogs, frequent droughts, heavy clay soil, and a host of microclimates can vex even the greenest of thumbs. Written by local master gardeners, this collection of articles addresses the subject of Bay Area gardening in a no-nonsense manner that places an emphasis on environmentally friendly solutions. The book covers important issues ranging from garden design and landscaping to improving soil and managing garden pests with minimal toxic chemicals. Topics include fire safe landscaping; planting under oaks and redwoods; drought tolerant plants; gardening for butterflies and songbirds; as well as individual garden species, including ferns, heucheras, fuchsias, and California native bulbs.

Customer Reviews:

San Francisco microclimates explored by masters.......2006-03-12

Local master gardeners lend their insights on the peculiarities and special needs of California Bay Area gardens in BAY AREA GARDENING: 64 PRACTICAL ESSAYS BY MASTER GARDENERS. The San Francisco Bay Area's unique attributes, from mild climate and microclimates to changing soils, lends to a diverse gardening environment in turn: these essays are critical to understanding the Bay Area's special needs and should be on the reading lists and in the libraries of any local gardener.

Customer Reviews:

the best book.......2001-04-28

this book is the great book. Each of the story have it own lesson for the reader. I like this book because end of each story there is an inner thought from the author of what is the lesson to learm from the story. this make it easy for young children to understand the valuable lessons behind the story easily. this book also bring an ultimate entertainment to the family. Even i am 23 years old, i still enjoy reading this book. I really think parents should buy this book and read to their children.

Just Silly Enough!.......2001-02-02

I bought this book for my 7 yr old, thinking it would introduce her to the standard bedtime stories of my childhood, before Arthur & Nicklodeon became such a part of our kids everyday life. Don't get me wrong - I love Arthur, but this book puts just enough spin on the stories to make my daughter laugh out loud when she reads. The author has suggestions at the beginning on how to make reading these stories more fun for all! Just when you think The Three Little Pigs couldn't be improved, Mark Binder throws a curve!! Nice & short, perfect for those sometimes rushed bedtimes. I definitely recommend this book for all kids!

The Everything Fairy Tales Book: A Magical Collection of All-Time Favorites to Delight the Whole Family (Everything Series)

Average customer rating:

A wonderful addition to your children's library!
Must-Have Book for Kids and Adults Alike!
Must-Have Book for Kids and Adults Alike!

The Everything Fairy Tales Book: A Magical Collection of All-Time Favorites to Delight the Whole Family (Everything Series)
Amy Peters
Manufacturer: Adams Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1580625460

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful addition to your children's library!.......2003-11-13

This is a fabulous book. It's full of fun and creative retellings of your favorite fairy tales as well as other more "obscure" classics that you'll really enjoy discovering!

Must-Have Book for Kids and Adults Alike!.......2002-10-11

A wonderful sense of humor can be found throughout this thoughtful, thorough compilation of everyone's favorite fairy tales. I would highly recommend this book as a must have for all families. It will help children become acquainted with all the wonderful fairy tales out there, and renew old "relationships" with the tales for adults. Buy this Book!

Must-Have Book for Kids and Adults Alike!.......2002-10-11

Average customer rating:

Everything Bedtime Story Book; Familiar Favorites and Brand-New Classics Th
Mark Binder
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0613793080

The Everything Bedtime Story Mini Book (Everything (Adams Media Mini))

Average customer rating:

The Everything Bedtime Story Mini Book (Everything (Adams Media Mini))
Mark Binder
Manufacturer: Adams Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Short Story Collections | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1580623905

Average customer rating:

God Takes Care of Everything

Manufacturer: The SMCHIA Publishing Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1886544743

Product Description

This timeless collection of parables is presented as a series of beautifully illustrated comics. Each story is a delightful combination of pictures and words, told in such a heartwwarming manner that the messages are as compelling as the tales. "The Two Brothers and the Star-fruit Tree" shows how inner motivation can make all the difference in what happens outwardly in our lives. And in "The Real Treasure," we see how a pure kind of love can bring the greatest wealth of all. Adapted from stories originally told aloud by The Supreme Master Ching Hai, each tale in this collection invites you to step into another world -- one where greater simplicity, kindness, and love is the norm. At the same time, each conveys a sense of the deeper truths or values that we would all want to uphold for our children and strive for ourselves. Whether reading aloud to young ones at night or enjoying on your own, "God Takes Care of Everything" is sure to captivate the hearts of young and old alike.

Everything Bedtime Story Mini Book: 20 Favorite Family Classics to Make Bed (Everything (Adams Media Mini))

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Everything Bedtime Story Mini Book: 20 Favorite Family Classics to Make Bed (Everything (Adams Media Mini))
Adams Corporation Media
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0613793102

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"What I am writing is not a chronicle biography," cautions Victoria Glendinning of Jonathan Swift, but rather what the early-18th-century satirist and his contemporaries would have thought of as a "character," a prose portrait in which, as she puts it, Glendinning "[circles] a little, gradually zooming in on the man himself, until the central questions about him can finally be confronted in close-up."

Swift (1667-1745) is best known to many as the author of Gulliver's Travels; for others, he is more vividly remembered for A Modest Proposal, in which--with the textual equivalent of a deadpan expression--he offered Ireland's British rulers a solution to Irish overpopulation and poverty:

I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout.

Glendinning quotes extensively from Swift's prose and poetry, probing the political and aesthetic sensibilities that led him to such dark assessments of human nature, but she is just as strong--if not stronger--in her assessment of the two great romantic relationships in his life, with Esther Johnson ("Stella") and Hester Vanhomrigh ("Vanessa"). Here she draws upon extensive epistolary evidence, as well as contemporary accounts of the affairs. While there are some questions that cannot be conclusively answered--Were Swift and Stella secretly married? Did he ever consummate his relationship with Vanessa?--the ways in which Glendinning frames the possibilities make Swift come alive for modern readers, restoring a personality of great depth and complexity to a figure many know only by the name on a single book's title page. --Ron Hogan

Book Description

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) is an inexhaustibly intriguing figure in literary and political history. He was an ordained clergyman whose enemies thought he did not believe in God. He became a legendary Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, and for four intoxicating years he was the intimate of Queen Anne's chief ministers, acting as their publicist and propagandist.

His private life was intense and enigmatic. Two younger women, whom he called Stella and Vanessa, moved to Ireland to be close to him. He made both of them unhappy.

Poet, polemicist, pamphleteer, and wit, Swift was the master of shock. His furious satirical responses to the corruption and hypocrisy he saw around him in private and public life have every relevance for our own times. Like his Gulliver in the land of Lilliput, Swift is a problem in perspective and scale. In this entertaining biography, Glendinning takes a literary zoom lens to illuminate this proud and intractable man.

Customer Reviews:

Well written personal view.......2003-05-10

This is no day by day chronicle of a life. Rather, a gerneral view and personal description, 'what Swift is to me'. Once this premise is accepted, the book reads easily, the style is great,the few pictures helpful. The author can be seem to be opinionated or not, but she is always in the background. I had a great time reading this,and I knew very little of Swift beforhand. Now I would like to travel to Dublin, so I guess the book achieved at least something...

PARTLY INTERESTING PARTLY TEDIOUS.......1999-07-03

Glendenning's follows an excellent life of Trollope with a soso effort on another writer who spent a lot of time in both Ireland and England- Jonathan Swift. The book is a curious effort... she calls it a portrait but its more an impressionistic portrait then a realistic biography. She dismisses the standard biographical form with an 8 page summary of Swift's life in chapter one. Her style than is more thematatic than chronological and for the newcomer to Swifts life this is confusing... Stella appears and then disapears for many pages...Glendenning is best discusing Swift's literary life in London from 1710-4 when he hung with Pope and Dr. Arbuthnot. These pages are informative as is the discussion of Swift's relationship with William Temple, his benefactor. Overall, Glendenning's effort is tiresome. She does not appear to have much sustained interest in Swift or to really have enjoyed his books.

An ordinary biography about an extraordinary man.......1999-05-12

This is an ordinary biography about an extraordinary man. Swift is the author of some of the greatest satires ever written -- funny, vicious, scatological -- full of the strength of conviction and powered by a great command of the English language. A lot of that comes through in this biography by Victoria Glendinning, but a lot of it does not.

One of the main annoyances with this book is that there is too much of the biographer in it. The biographer talks about the process of her research. She peppers the book with many instances of "I think" and "I believe", often without any indication of why she thinks or believes these things. The reader is sometimes left concluding: why does her perception of things have any more credence than anyone else's? How has she proved her case?

Glendinning's analyses of some of Swift's work also often seem a little thin and obvious. Granted, she does not have the space to provide in-depth literary criticism, but the assessments she does provide are so thin sometimes that the reader feels he could do without them altogether. The same applies to her mini-critiques of the former biographers of Swift.

The book is not all bad though. The writing style is good and plain, and she does not engage in too many speculations based on slender biographical data. She does not "make things up", does not try to paint the (imagined) scene just so the reader can have "atmosphere". The book is readable and the most of the basic facts about Swift's life are there.

The book ends on a bad note with the last chapter, however, with Glendinning engaging in some generalizations about Swift's life and about literary art which come off as very judgmental and facile.

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Jonathan Swift: A Critical Biography.

Manufacturer: The Noonday Press NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IB8774

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Jonathan Swift: A Biographical and Critical Study
John Churton Collins
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0543909247
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Product Description

This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1893 edition by Chatto & Windus, London.

Savage Satire: The Story of Jonathan Swift (World Writers)

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Savage Satire: The Story of Jonathan Swift (World Writers)
Clarissa Aykroyd
Manufacturer: Morgan Reynolds Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 1599350270

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Account Books of Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Manufacturer: University of Delaware Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0874132401

Cadenus: &, Swift's Most Valuable Friend: Two Books on Jonathan Swift

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Cadenus: &, Swift's Most Valuable Friend: Two Books on Jonathan Swift
Sybil Le Brocquy
Manufacturer: Lilliput Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1843510170

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