Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte - The Court of the First Empire : Volume II

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Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte - The Court of the First Empire : Volume II
Baron C-F De Meneval
Manufacturer: P.F. Collier & Son Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VT1P7W

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Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte - The Court of the First Empire : Volume II
Baron C-F De Meneval
Manufacturer: P.F. Collier & Son Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VSZPWE

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Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte in Three Volumes (Volumes, I, II, III present)
John S. Memes
Manufacturer: P. F. Collier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W7KCRW

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Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Court of the First Empire Volume II
Baron C-F de Meneval
Manufacturer: P.F. Collier & Son
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J5977S

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An Interesting Idea, but an Artificial Context

This survey blends science, history and biography in a coverage perfect for college-level collections strong in science history.

Incoherent and Rudimentary

112 Mercer Street: Einstein, Russell, Godel, Pauli, and the End of Innocence in Science
Burton Feldman
Manufacturer: Arcade Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Scientists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1559707046

Book Description

In 1944, Albert Einstein invited three close friends, giants of contemporary science and thought, to his home at 112 Mercer Street in Princeton, New Jersey to discuss science, philosophy, and world events.These were Bertrand Russell, the incomparable logician, philosopher, and humanist; Wolfgang Pauli, the great physicist; and Kurt Godel, the groundbreaking logician.Using these historic meetings as a starting point, Burton Feldman provides a highly original examination of these four very outsized personalities as friends, colleagues and rivals-particularly the stubborn and supremely self-confident Einstein and the aristocratic Russell.Masterfully researched, this accessible book illuminates the feelings of these great men about the world of science that was then beginning to pass them by, and about the dawning atomic age that terrified them all.

Customer Reviews:

An Interesting Idea, but an Artificial Context.......2007-09-17

As a biologist who is always interested in exploring other areas of science, I find books on the development of physics quite fascinating. For one thing physics and chemistry are basic to biology (I had to minor in both as an undergraduate) and for another the history of the ideas is helpful in understanding applications of the scientific method as practiced by the best minds in the field.

This book would have been much more interesting had it not started with meetings between Einstein, Russell, Gödel and Pauli which were never documented. This artificial means of introducing a subject that has been covered by numerous authors detracted very much from the book as a whole. Katherine Williams took an unfinished manuscript by Burton Feldman and tried to edit and complete it. It would have been much better if there had been more editing and in fact if the artifice of the "meetings" had not been used at all.

Still, "112 Mercer Street: Einstein, Russell, Gödel, Pauli, and the End of Innocence in Science" has some good points. I found it most interesting in the overview of the work at Los Alamos and in the epilogue. The closing quote from Bertrand Russell highlights the state of science today- we may in some areas of research have come to a brick wall in being able to test theory empirically! The "truth" is either so complicated that our brains may not be capable of coming up with empirical tests to falsify it, or it may be simple in such a way that we can't see it! It is too early to declare an end to physics (as was rather wrongly done in the 1890s). Still we should be aware that the difficulties are mounting, rather than lessening. Not the least of these difficulties is the ever increasing expense for the experimental equipment to further test physical realities!

Unfortunately I cannot recommend this book as the best to read on the subject. There are many better books on Einstein and on the development of atomic theory.

This survey blends science, history and biography in a coverage perfect for college-level collections strong in science history........2007-09-03

112 MERCER STREET: EINSTEIN, RUSSELL, GODEL, PAULI AND THE END OF INNOCENCE IN SCIENCE is edited by Katherine Williams, who offers up biographical sketches of these men and their revolutionary work. As World War II was ending Einstein invited three of his close friends to his home at 112 Mercer Street in New Jersey to discuss science, philosophy and current events: thus a series of historic meetings between Einstein, Russell, Pauli and logician Godel would change the world. This survey blends science, history and biography in a coverage perfect for college-level collections strong in science history.

Incoherent and Rudimentary.......2007-09-02

This book is reminiscent of the Seinfeld comedy series -- -- much about nothing. The authors freely admit that the supposed meetings held among Einstein, Russell, Godel, and Pauli are a total conjecture without any documented history. And so, the book becomes a brief narrative on the history of these four men and several of their colleagues.

All of this would be okay if the authors had limited themselves to such a history; however they wander into the technical fields of physics and mathematics for which they are apparently unqualified. The book is riddled with meaningless assertions such as "Once acceleration appears, so does gravity", and many more like it.

The final chapters of the book described the Manhattan Project that developed the first atomic bomb. But, the four main characters described in the book had absolutely nothing to do with that project.

What is most disturbing is that the dust cover of the book cites numerous quotations from prominent reviewers -- -- but the comments are for a different book! This is a blatant attempt at cheap merchandising.

Average customer rating:

Older people people doing incredible poses, Discouraging!

A book for all ages

the best for elder yoga addicts

BEST yoga book for seniors

Response to Previous Review

The New Yoga for People Over 50: A Comprehensive Guide for Midlife and Older Beginners
Suza Francina
Manufacturer: HCI
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Yoga | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Aging | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Hatha Yoga | Hinduism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause: A Guide to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Health at Midlife and Beyond

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 1558744533

Amazon.com

"No segment of our population can benefit more from yoga than people over 50," says author Suza Francina, Iyengar yoga instructor and director of the Ojai Yoga Center, where she specializes in classes for people over 50. The New Yoga for People over 50 shows how to adapt traditional postures to suit any age or fitness level with step-by-step instructions aimed at the older beginner. Photographs, quotes, and personal stories of yoga teachers and students--many in their 70s and older--add inspiration.

One key to modifying postures for older, stiffer bodies is the use of props that provide support to let the yoga student get into strenuous postures and hold them longer without pain or fatigue. The book illustrates how to adapt many postures with the aid of chairs, walls, wall ropes, bolsters, back-bending benches, and straps. Yoga decreases stiffness and inertia, and enhances health, energy, flexibility, posture, breathing, independence, and balance (physical and emotional). Francina explains how yoga may prevent the shortening and rounding of the spine and ward off osteoporosis. This book is an excellent companion to a yoga class or an inspiration to begin one. --Joan Price

Book Description

Many seniors are searching for ways to improve their quality of life and remain active as they enter midlife and later years. Nationwide, people are recognizing yoga for its ability to slow down and reverse the aging process. A complete health system, yoga not only restores vitality to the body, but also expands the mind and soul. Yoga transforms the years after 50 from a time of deterioration to one of increased perspective and illumination. In The New Yoga for People Over 50, readers will learn how the health of the spine and posture affect every sustem of the body, and how yoga positions and breathing exercises benefit the circulatory system, the heart and other vital organs, relieve menopausal symptoms, and remove stiffness and inertia from the body. In this comprehensive guide, Iyengar yoga expert Suza Francina describes and illustrates how to begin and maintain a yoga program through personal stories and over 100 easy-to-follow instructional photos of older teachers and students.

Customer Reviews:

Older people people doing incredible poses, Discouraging!.......2007-09-22

I thought it would be a beginner's guide but I guess the astounding photographs of older people doing incredible poses was meant to inspire. It didn't help me get started!

A book for all ages.......2007-07-30

This book would be helpful for anyone (of any age), it is very readable and understandable. Buy it and you (too) will be pleased

the best for elder yoga addicts.......2007-05-14

I loved this book for it's optimistic and practical attitude towards aging.

BEST yoga book for seniors.......2007-01-15

This body/mind turned 60 last year. I have been practicing yoga (off and on) since 1975 and have started a yoga and meditation teacher training program with the Aura Wellness Center. I have over 30 yoga books and feel "The New Yoga for People Over 50" is THE BEST yoga book for seniors; it is my yoga bible! Very inspiring stories of seniors into yoga with great pictures. AND very readable...the print isn't too small!
Clark Elliott
Santa Fe, NM

Response to Previous Review.......2006-03-23

After recently reading Amazon review by "More hype than hope", I would like to counter her negative opinion with a few positive thoughts on "The New Yoga for People Over 50" by Suza Francina.

I first read this book (and subsequently reviewed it) in 1999. My enthusiasm has not waned. This, to me, was and is the most common sense yoga book I have ever read.

Its purpose is to inform the reader about various issues affecting those over 50 and the ways yoga can help. It is a serious and helpful resource for older students and teachers who instruct seniors. The "success stories" (term used by reviewer) are meant to inspire and encourage and do not include any specifically by the author (to glorify herself as suggested by the reviewer).

Yoga classes are not "elitist" (term used by reviewer). They are commonplace in many locations and range from YMCA, gyms, senior centers, etc. Additionally, many yoga studios offer instruction for all ages and levels of ability, from beginner to advanced.

I still feel this book is an inspiration to learn and practice yoga. The models are real people, over 50, which in itself is an incentive. While some are longtime practitioners and famous teachers (like BKS Iyengar who wrote the foreward), many began yoga while in their 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. Perhaps someday "More hype" will meet Ms. Francina in person. She is an empowering teacher as well as a talented author.

Average customer rating:

Intimidating to Seniors
Inspiration and Encouragement for life-long yoga practice
Excellent Starter for Beginners of any Age
A very easy to use book with helps for the older beginner
Not recommended -- ignores basic safety issues

Yoga Over 50
Mary Stewart
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Yoga | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Family Health | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Hatha Yoga | Hinduism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 0671885103

Book Description

TEN MINUTES A DAY CAN TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE

As our bodies begin to show the signs of daily wear and tear, and workout programs which once seemed effective no longer meet our changing needs, yoga can be the ideal exercise. Low impact and non-competitive, invigorating rather than exhausting, and with an emphasis on keeping the body supple and the mind relaxed and focused, the ancient discipline of yoga can be practiced at any time of life. The programs in Yoga Over 50 feature:

* Step-by-step descriptions of yoga positions for active and resting poses
* Programs suited to varying degrees of fitness, experience, and flexibility
* Exercises to relieve specific problems, including headache, stiffness, and insomnia

Whether you're looking for an alternative to more strenuous exercise, or a gentle yet efficient way to stay fit, Yoga Over 50 will enable you to reach new levels of physical vitality and mental clarity.

Customer Reviews:

Intimidating to Seniors.......2006-11-05

Anyone over the age of 50 who is interested in trying yoga for the first time would be intimidated by this book. MANY of the poses are shown at the most advanced level. There are few examples of poses being modified for the less flexible senior and very little mention of contraindications.

Inspiration and Encouragement for life-long yoga practice.......2000-06-25

I had done yoga seriously for 10 years in my 30's, but when I took it up again, to attempt to alleviate increasing 'aches and pains', I thought I was becoming 'too old' at age 53, because I couldn't do it as well as when I was younger. This book showed me that people older than I am were continuing to practice yoga. Now, at 57, I'm enjoying yoga more than I ever did when I was younger; I'm appreciating it on many more levels than simply the physical; AND my back pain is gone, my shoulder tension and sciatica are reduced to mild discomfort when tired, my ankles and wrists are more flexible than they've ever been. All this, thanks to the encouragement of a picture book, (as well as an excellent teacher who trained with the author) to reinforce the previous experience I've had with yoga. Now my 59 year old husband is beginning yoga, using the book. It's excellent.

Excellent Starter for Beginners of any Age.......1999-03-05

I started using this book at age 41, and found it is extremely practical & provides easy to follow directions. The recommended programs at the back give guidance that other books don't. I have mild sciatica now rather than the crippling back pain I suffered from 2 years ago, before following the programs in this book.

A very easy to use book with helps for the older beginner.......1999-01-04

One of the main reasons I bought this book after borrowing it from the public library is the very useful set of routines at the end. This allows someone to put together an effective set of exercises to meet various levels of flexibility and suit different purposes. The pictures are excellent illustrations of the different poses, and good hints are provided on working toward accomplishing them, with helps if necessary. Explanations and background of yoga are clear and concise, so you don't have to wade through reams of philosophical material.

Not recommended -- ignores basic safety issues.......1998-04-04

This book is filled with pretty pictures of seniors doing easy to difficult postures. No attempt is made to discuss the precautions anyone, but especially older people should take in practicing yoga, and I would definately not recommend it for an older beginner, especially anyone with injuries. A far better book is The New Yoga for People Over 50, Suza Francina, which discusses the changes that take place as we age, and shows many asanas with appropriate use of props and modifizations for safety, and which are suitable/unsuitable for injuries, high blood pressure -- a much, much better book.

Average customer rating:

New Yoga For People Over 50, The
Suza Francina
Manufacturer: Health Communications, Inc., 1997
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1558745807

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Yoga Over 50
Mary Stewart
Manufacturer: Fireside Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7CJ4A

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Clever Former Texan Cooks up some powerful stories & suppers

The Only Texas Cookbook

Worth Every Penny

Learn how to make rattlesnake stew

Good food , great fun, big laughs, True Texas fare

The Only Texas Cookbook (Lone Star guides)
Linda West Eckhardt
Manufacturer: Gulf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
South | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0877191239

Book Description

This cookbook is an exciting patchwork collection of authentic recipes as varied as the ethnic makeup of Texas.

Customer Reviews:

Clever Former Texan Cooks up some powerful stories & suppers.......2005-12-20

I keep buying and giving copies of The ONLY Texas Cookbook...starting with my daughters-in-law who want some of my favorite recipes. But you don't have to be a cook to hunker down with this powerful book of classic Texas tales you'll never forget because Linda's voice rings so true. It is an oldie but goodie! ~ Shirley (Shirleybarr PR, Houston)

The Only Texas Cookbook.......2002-03-03

I had borrowed the book from my sister and found it to be just wonderful!! Being a Native Texan, I am always on the look-out for recipes that are "Texas". The recipes for Duck Gumbo, Crawfish Etouffee andFuzzy's Fantastic South Texas Road Meat Chili are among my favorite from the book. My sister is demanding her copy back, so, I am ordering my own!!

Worth Every Penny.......2001-06-11

I picked up this book a few years ago while visiting a friend in Houston. There are so many good recipes in here, I don't even know where to begin! Lots of basic, easy to make Texas-style and Tex-mex recipes, plus a smattering of exotic wild game dishes. But it's not just the recipes that make this book -- the author, Linda West Eckhardt -- has filled the pages with humorous stories and factoids about the Texas lifestyle.

Learn how to make rattlesnake stew.......1999-03-25

This is not only a cookbook but a collection of excellent short stories by Linda that give you an insight into Texas culture as well as cusine (recipes are good too).

Good food , great fun, big laughs, True Texas fare.......1998-05-11

I read cookbooks for more than recipes. This book has it all. Curl up on a cool evening, or a torrid afternoon, to learn abut Texas and the great humor of Linda West. She talks about her family and friends in a way that makes you want to meet them and sit down and enjoy a hearty meal with them all. The recipes are easy to follow, and true to her description. Thoroughly enjoyable!

Average customer rating:

The Only Texas Cookbook

Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0553233203

Product Description

Cookbook

Stolen recipes: Recipes stolen from only the finest of Texas cooks living on only the finest of Texas ranches

Average customer rating:

Stolen recipes: Recipes stolen from only the finest of Texas cooks living on only the finest of Texas ranches
Mary Sue Koontz Nelson
Manufacturer: G & R Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0967557607

Product Description

Recipes stolen from only the finest of Texas cooks living on only the finest of Texas ranches.

Average customer rating:

The Only Texas Cookbook
Linda West Eckhardt
Manufacturer: GRamercy Publishing Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K19PKU

Book Description

Pets need proper care, especially young ones. This innivative guide helps you care for your new best friend. From choosing the right pet to celebrating its first birthday.

Your New Kitten Week-by-Week: A Weekly Guide from Birth to Adulthood

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Your New Kitten Week-by-Week: A Weekly Guide from Birth to Adulthood
Hugh Washington
Manufacturer: Sweetwater Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1581733224

Best care for a new kitten: there are different, important components to the best care for your new pet. Here's how to build a healthy foundation.: An article from: Cat Watch

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Best care for a new kitten: there are different, important components to the best care for your new pet. Here's how to build a healthy foundation.: An article from: Cat Watch
Erin Tomb
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000MV9HUG
Release Date: 2007-01-25

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Cat Watch, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1633 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: Best care for a new kitten: there are different, important components to the best care for your new pet. Here's how to build a healthy foundation.
Author: Erin Tomb
Publication: Cat Watch (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 10 Issue: 12 Page: 6(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

New read alouds for spring: These 30 best-of-the-year books for K-8 kids demand to be acted out, written about, and shared with your students.(BOOKTALK)(Book ... Review): An article from: Instructor (1990)

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New read alouds for spring: These 30 best-of-the-year books for K-8 kids demand to be acted out, written about, and shared with your students.(BOOKTALK)(Book ... Review): An article from: Instructor (1990)
Judy Freeman
Manufacturer: Scholastic, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Instructor (1990), published by Scholastic, Inc. on March 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1787 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: New read alouds for spring: These 30 best-of-the-year books for K-8 kids demand to be acted out, written about, and shared with your students.(BOOKTALK)(Book Review)
Author: Judy Freeman
Publication: Instructor (1990) (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2005
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Volume: 114 Issue: 6 Page: 65(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Your new kitten
William H Starbuck
Manufacturer: Pet Pride
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007I00KU

Average customer rating:

Excellent Starting Point...

Fabric Shopping with Alex Anderson

Relax and LISTEN to Alex...

Really Helpful

Packed with important shopping tips.

Fabric Shopping with Alex Anderson: Seven Projects to Help You: ¥ Make Successful Choices ¥ Build Your Confidence ¥ Add to Your Fabric Stash
Alex Anderson
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Rotary Cutting with Alex Anderson: Tips, Techniques and Projects (Quilting Basics)

Keep Quilting with Alex Anderson

ASIN: 1571200894

Book Description

Consulting this helpful resource, quilters can take the guesswork out of selecting materials and learn exactly how to choose the perfect fabrics for every quilting project.

The book helps shoppers recognize fabric character, determine the quantity needed for a project, maximize use of colors, and decide which fabrics should be in every quilter's stash. Instructions are included for seven appealing projects.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Starting Point..........2005-04-29

I just recieved this book and think it is an excellent place to start for someone just starting out and building a stash. I also think it could be helpful to the more experienced quilter who is looking to put that extra "sparkle" in their quilts with the use of color.

Fabric Shopping with Alex Anderson.......2002-04-24

I LOVE Alex on HGTV, but I was disappointed in this book. I thought she would give advice on what KIND of fabrics to purchase for quilting, NOT what colors. I found it lacking in the information that would have helped beginning quilters like myself.

Relax and LISTEN to Alex..........2001-10-29

We all start out life as little artists. All parents have at least one wall with crayon to testify to this. Yes somewhere along the way that little artist gets lost. The joy of getting 64 crayons is too much, so when faced with a fabric store of 1000's of colors, people need to reconnect with their love of colors and that is where this book succeeds.

Really Helpful.......2001-01-16

I have been quilting for many years and have never found a book as helpful as this in choosing fabric. It can be very intimidating going into a fabric store and seeing thousands of bolts of fabric. Alex's book gives great advise on picking out a focus fabric and going from there. I would recommend this book to beginners and experienced quilters alike.

Packed with important shopping tips........2000-07-04

Alex Anderson's Fabric Shopping displays seven projects and advises on choosing perfect fabric combinations for projects. From basics which should be in every quilter's drawer to guidelines for buying, this packs in important shopping tips.

Book Description

The genus Galanthus, commonly called snowdrops, numbers among its species the most charming of the late-winter- and early-spring-flowering bulbs. They are hardy, and their ethereal white flowers appear when all else in the garden is still bound by winter.

Average customer rating:

Nice calming music CD

Beautiful Book for Nurturing a Mother-to-Be

Joyful Birth: A Spiritual Path to Motherhood (Includes 2 CDs)

Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Pregnancy & Childbirth | Women's Health | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 1579546528

Book Description

Joyful Birth teaches pregnant women to diminish fears and stress and instead focus on creating calm within. The books sections deal with each of the key aspects of pregnancyfrom the changing body to the miracle of the birth itself. Each chapter invites women to join the community of motherhood, through stories and interviews, readings and rituals drawn from spiritual traditions around the world. Joyful Birth helps moms-to-be embody the profound transformation that occurs in pregnancy. The book features beautiful four-color images that evoke the sacred nature of this transition.The CDs hold six guided meditations and breathing exercises set to the relaxing sounds of acoustic music and natural tones. Mothers-to-be learn to use the meditations to adjust to the powerful physical and spiritual changes they are experiencing. The mental focus helps them relieve stress and develop the meditative stamina they will need for childbirth.This special set will appeal to todays mothers-to-be, who actively seek out the means to a positive and meaningful preg- nancy and birth experience.

Customer Reviews:

Nice calming music CD.......2007-02-14

I liked the calming music for rest, but didn't find the meditations all that fantastic. I did feel disappointed with some foul language the author used in the book.

Beautiful Book for Nurturing a Mother-to-Be.......2003-03-23

I'm not a "new age" person and I probably wouldn't have even browsed through this book in a store, however I received this book as a gift during the peak of holiday stress and the beginning of my second trimester. I found this book a wonderful antidote to the popular pregnancy "manual" I was reading at the time -- a weighty book that left me feeling overwhelmed and convinced that I wasn't living up to all of those expectations. In contrast, Joyful Birth helped me relax and enjoy my pregnancy by accepting the profound life-changing nature of this transition.

The book consists of five essays by five different authors. Each essay focuses on a different aspect of becoming a mother with each author lending her unique point of view. I can't remember how many times I've re-read the first essay by Anne Cushman. She recounts the huge variety of experience that different women have with pregnancy and birth, from smooth by-the-What-to-Expect-book deliveries, to the moments during her own natural labor when she screamed for an epidural. The essay is refreshingly honest and fully admits the discomforts and worries of pregnancy and birth, while never losing sight of the joy of the transformation.

The second essay, "Nurturing Your Body," describes the benefits and provides guidance for practicing yoga to ease physical discomfort and promote relaxation. It includes pictures of specific, basic poses, and detailed descriptions. If, like me, you have trouble translating a pose in a book into movement, you'll want additional help. Ideally, I recommend taking a prenatal yoga class with an experienced instructor -- there's just no substitute for having someone who can work directly with you to improve a pose. As another option, I'd recommend using the DVD version of Yoga Journal's Yoga for Beginners (ASIN: B000067D1C) -- in the pose guide section of the DVD, you can select specific poses one at a time and hear Patricia Walden's serene, detailed instruction on proper and safe form for each pose. Unfortunately, the DVD doesn't include all of the poses in the essay, but the basic ones are included. With or without additional help in mastering the form of the poses shown in the book, once you learn them, you can use them at home to relieve stress and the aches and pains of pregnancy.

The third essay focuses on bonding with your baby, inspiring and reassuring readers that bonding is something you simply let in rather than force. Celia Straus writes, "If we can stop second-guessing ourselves and forcing ourselves to feel whatever we're conditioned to believe we ought to feel, bonding will simply happen."

In the fourth essay, "Calming Fear," the author, a Buddhist teacher, relates her personal experience and balances down to earth admission of the fears and anxieties that seem to be an inseparable part of pregnancy and offers guidance on releasing them.

The fifth essay, "Setting Intentions," helps the reader visualize what kind of mother she wants to become. I expect to revisit this essay again and again in the final months of pregnancy, as well as the first years of motherhood.

In addition, there are 5 "practices," 1 or 2 pages of instruction on a specific meditation, aromatherapy, or journaling exercise. Each practice follows one of the essays, reinforcing elements of the essay without making the book feel like a workbook.

The first CD is a companion to the meditation practices -- the calm, steady voice of Acharya Judith Lief guides the listener through four brief (5-8 minutes), non-threatening meditations.

Finally, the book includes a second CD, "Music for New Moms," based on the principles of psychoacoustics. I'll confess, when I put the CD in the first time, I dreaded hearing pan flutes and droning bells. Instead, the CD contains two tracks of classical music, played on harp, cello, violin, piano, flute ... and ok, there's one part with Tibetan bowls and tubular bells, but by then I was so relaxed, I barely noticed. The first track, "Ease," is 20 minutes of variations on a classical theme (Clair deLune, I think) designed to leave you feeling relaxed but alert -- it makes great background music at the office in the morning. The second track, "Deep Sleep," is 40 minutes, designed to prepare you and baby for sleep.

The book itself is beautiful, trim and square, printed on good quality paper, with every page illustrated or washed with a soothing color. All in all, this book is a gift that I treasure.

Book Description

First recorded in February of 1952, this remastered recording of Dylan Thomas reading his A Child's Christmas in Wales recalls all of the sights, smells, and sounds of a long-ago-Christmas.

Thomas's wonderful recollection of this holiday in the seaside town of his youth is captured in this vivid performance. Also included are five other selected poems read by Dylan Thomas, including his well-known Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.

Whether sharing his wistful memory of a holiday spent with people long past, or addressing the perennial problem of our mortality, Thomas gives us great pleasure in our personal and common memories while affirming life with a resounding "Yes!"

Contents:
A Child's Christmas in Wales
And five poems: Fern Hill; Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night; In The White Giant's Thigh; Balad of the Long-Legged Bait; Ceremony After a Fire Raid

Customer Reviews:

A Christmas Tradition.......2007-01-10

This reading of A Child's Christmas in Wales is tops! It wouldn't be Christmas for us without hearing Dylan Thomas tell his story. He recounts a holiday of simple, family and neighborhood doings, and paints a picture of snowy, seaside Wales of the 1920's.

from a little bit of Wales comes universally human warmth..........2007-01-05

I love this story, as do all my children, who, from their earliest years, have not much struggled with the density of the language nor the scatteredness of the story. 5 of my 8 great-grandparents are from Wales, and the remaining 3 have the blood in them as well, so maybe it is like drinking water for us.:-D Our minds are all scattered, and words, even English words ;-D, fall on us in clumps....which makes it doubly hard to keep a clean house. LOL

The sort of prose-poetry imaginative way of seeing and describing the world unique to Welshwomen and Welshmen and Welshchildren, which does not seek to keep up the pretense that history can be separated from myth, story and desire, and which requires loving with eyes wide open to [and eventually embracing] one's own and others' bumps, bruises and idiosyncracies included, is extraordinarily well represented here. So, by the way, is speaking and listening to the close and Holy darkness!

My favorite version isthe one illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. To me she has captured the complexity of the Welsh personality best, though i have nothing to say against the other illustrators praised in these reviews. I DO have a warning for you: there are some skinny versions flying about which do not have the poem-story complete and correct. This sort of work cannot suffer removal or modification, IMHO.

gbg

The voice.......2006-03-24

If you have read A Child's Christmas in Wales, you know that it has to be a classic. But you can't fully appreciate it until you have heard Dylan Thomas read it. What a deep, expressive, poetic voice. For years, I have listened to the recording on a Caedman record. It is wonderful to have it on a CD.

a treasure.......2005-12-28

For me, "A Child's Christmas in Wales" is the single most beautiful piece of Christmas literature in the English language.
And once you hear the author himself reading it, you will be forever enchanted. Dylan Thomas' deep humanity is expressed in every word, and in the spaces between them, in this masterpiece.

DB

It does not go gentle into that good night........2005-09-25

Like so many other children's books, Amazon.com takes a perverse pleasure in lumping together all version's of Dylan Thomas's, "A Child's Christmas In Wales". So if a reviewer, like myself, wants to review the book that was illustrated in 2004 by Chris Raschka, I'd better make it as clear as possible right from the start. So here it goes. Ahem. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it gives me the greatest of pleasure to announce that I will now be reviewing "A Child's Christmas In Wales", penned by the great Dylan Thomas and illustrated with grace, aplomb, and a hint of frenzy by accomplished children's book illustrator Chris Raschka. Thank you.

If you, like myself, have gone most of your natural life in ignorance of this story, I'll try to summarize it here. Problem is, summarizing "A Child's Christmas In Wales" is akin to herding cats. This isn't one of those books with a neat little beginning, middle, and end. There's not what you might call "a plot". If the book is ever summarized anywhere it's simply stated that this is Thomas's reminisces of Christmas when he was a child. In doing so, the poet fills this relatively short work with patches of memory, amazing descriptions, and evocative sentences like, "The wind through the trees made noises as of old and unpleasant and maybe webfooted men wheezing in caves". If you're looking for a straightforward Christmas tale with characters, a plot, and a point, go get yourself a copy of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and enjoy it. If, on the other hand, you would like to begin a tradition in your family of reading aloud this magnificent and truly beautiful collection of evocative images, this the only place to go.

There is no tradition in my family of listening or reading this story during the holiday time of year. In fact, prior to reading this book with Raschka's illustrations, I had never even heard so much as a phrase from it. Basically I came to this book as a clean slate. I was just a former college English major with some mild associations with Dylan but certainly no baggage of any kind. Not knowing the history behind the book, I was under the vague and misguided belief that Dylan had written this tale with the full intent that it be a children's book. Not so much. According to the helpful Foreward at the beginning of this tale, I learned that this book was actually a combination of two separate pieces produced during Thomas's lifetime and put together after. So this isn't like when Michael Chabon or Joyce Carol Oates writes a children's book. More like when Woody Guthrie songs are turned into picture books. A posthumous and lucrative printing.

For the child that has never heard this story read before, I found that Raschka was a perfect fit. Certainly I understand that the book has, in the past, been illustrated by the great Trina Schart Hyman. Hyman, however, is a very literal illustrator. She's excellent at realism and intricate characters, but how well does that work when she's paired with Mr. Thomas? This is a book that contains lines like, "All the Christmases roll down toward the two-tongued sea, like a cold and headlong moon bundling down the sky that was our street; and they stop at the rim of the ice-edged, fish-freezing waves, and I plunge my hands in the snow and bring out whatever I can find". Hyman doesn't even bother to deal with sentences like that one. Raschka is another matter entirely. Using a gouache, ink, and torn paper technique, the man who brought the world the manic, "John Coltrane's Giant Steps" has finally met his authorial match. The sentence I just wrote above is accompanied by a snowblown seaside town, so filled with cresting waves and freezing snow that you shiver just looking at it. These are pictures that work on the reader's emotions. I have all the respect in the world for Hyman or even Edward Ardizzone, but as accomplished as they are, they're not the right fit. Raschka is.

I was a little baffled by the blurb on the cover of this version of the tale that read, "This beautifully illustrated edition should bring Dylan Thomas's work to a new generation of children" - President Jimmy Carter. I'm a Carter fan myself, but even I can't see what this perfectly nice former president has to do with poetry, children's literature, or even Christmas itself. It might have been better to put a blurb by the Number 1 poet in America. Problem is, who is that person? And would anyone buy a book if they recommended it? These problems aside, it's wonderful for me to hold this book in my hands and know that at long last a great problem has been corrected. Thomas's book has existed for years without proper packaging. Raschka single-handedly has corrected this problem and the world is a better place for it. So thank you, Mr. Raschka. Thank you.

A Child's Christmas In Wales CD: And Five Poems

Average customer rating:

A Child's Christmas In Wales CD: And Five Poems
Dylan Thomas
Manufacturer: Caedmon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEC9UQ

Customer Reviews:

Engaging and Inspiring Memoir.......2007-01-20

I have read many Holocaust survivor stories and "Close Calls" is one of the better ones I have read. It is readable, engaging and inspiring. The author did, in fact, have many close calls. It's very interesting how many times she wiggled out of danger by cleverly talking herself out of a bad situation. Three other fine memoirs are: "The Survivor" (by Jack Eisner)-a book so enthralling, it's a wonder they never made a movie of it; "Defy the Darkness" and "The Dentist of Aushwitz".

A hopeful, thoughtfully written and recommendable memoir.......2003-02-11

There are countless books, fiction and non-fiction, that recount the horrors of the Holocaust and the struggle to survive the Nazi destruction. Yet, each recounting is unique and important as a piece of history and a plea to never forget. Holocaust stories or studies are most often frustrating, heart wrenching and the actions contained in them incomprehensible. Memoirs of survivors are all of these things, yet they are tinged with the bittersweet as well. While the details of each survival story are different, much is similar --- the fear, the violence and the hope.

Felicia Berland Hyatt was raised in Chelm, Poland, the town immortalized in Jewish folklore. World War II brought Nazi occupation, bombs, ghettoes and concentration camps to Poland, tore Hyatt's family apart and, to understate things, changed her life forever. She survived the war, like others, through patience, intelligence, cunning, sheer luck and good timing. Her memoir, CLOSE CALLS, recounts her survival, lovingly remembers her friends and family and vividly portrays the confusion and terror of the war and its victims. Hyatt survived via several tactics, which included fleeing the Nazis, posing as an Aryan and escaping a concentration camp. However, it was mostly her strong determination to stay alive that ensured her survival. CLOSE CALLS, as the reader will discover, is aptly named.

CLOSE CALLS is written simply, but in its simplicity, is a beauty and honesty not found in all memoirs. Hyatt's memoir was a catharsis for her and is an inspiration for her readers. It is intense but very readable. Felicia Berland Hyatt is a very likeable narrator and is admirable as an understated heroine. She does not write to shock or scare her readers but simply to tell her amazing story. While the tale is honest and emotionally brutal, it is appropriate for readers of all ages. Hyatt does assume the reader knows the necessary background information on the Holocaust, which is essential for understanding, but she steers clear of analysis or theories.

As a survivor, Felicia Berland Hyatt believes she has an obligation to share her life story with the world, so that such devastation will never be repeated and that those who lost their lives will always be remembered. As time passes and the survivors age, it is becoming more imperative that as much of their experience as possible is recorded in a variety of forms. What will soon remain are the stories, poems, paintings, songs and films, as well as the collective memory and inspiration they foster. The world will be, and indeed already is, a richer place for Felicia Berland Hyatt having shared her painful but important story.

CLOSE CALLS, as with all Holocaust literature, is immensely important. But it is also a hopeful, thoughtfully written and recommendable memoir.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

A Story of Courage & Resourcefulness.......2002-02-14

The book is appropriately named Close Calls because her life under Nazi occupation was a series of extremely close calls. Felicia describes her wonderful childhood in Chelm. Contrary to Yiddish folklore, Felicia grew up in a climate of scholarship and culture, and graduated from the Gymnasium.

Felicia, 19 years old and an only child when Germany invaded Poland, found herself separated from family and alone, after escaping from the ghetto. It was necessary to keep her wits about her to survive, for each day had new dangers. Although fluent in Polish and German, and being familiar with Catholic liturgy, she lacked the "kennkarte"(papers) identifying her as a non-Jew.

A most unusual way in which she hid her identity, was working as a maid in the home of an SS officer. Eventually, she was discovered and taken to the ghetto prison in the Cracow ghetto where she remained until being deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Through luck and her resourcefulness, she narrowly escaped the gas chambers. Felicia remained in Auschwitz for two years. In her book she describes the fear, depression, humiliation and the dehumanization she felt. She also describes how she was able to help others survive and how, with the help of friends, escape Auschwitz by hiding herself in a labor contingent that was leaving to work at a munitions factory in Czechoslovakia.

Felicia Berland Hyatt's memoir provides a rare insight into the difficulties of growing up as a Jewish girl during the Holocaust. Providing an historical perspective, Ms. Berland Hyatt relates the pivotal events of her youth, being a young woman in Nazi occupied Poland, where the populace was hostile, or at best, indifferent to their Jewish neighbors.

These memoirs should be read by anyone interested in gaining insight into how one person was able to act to survive and maintain her integrity in a stressful environment. This book is an important addition to Jewish, Holocaust and women's studies.

Remember..........2001-05-27

I met the author, Felicia, at the Holocaust Museum in DC this past April. She was there for a book signing and I was fortunate enough to get the last copy sold that day. She is such an amazing woman and having the opportunity to meet her and look back on our small time together to talk while I read her book made it so personal. I have read many books on the Holocaust and her story is one to REMEMBER...

The best holocaust book.......2001-03-31

I've met Felicia, she is the cousin of my English teacher and she gave a speech to the 7th and 8th grades. It was amazing, she told the story of her life, as a runaway Polish Jew, and I began to wonder how much courage could fit into such a small woman. She is a role model for all, and her book was amazing. Congratulations to her, go pick up the book, you'll be amazed by how much courage one woman can have.

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