Warriors and the Battle Within

Product Description

The story of one Canadian who was engaged in the Cold War from his youth through his career path to the lamentable demise of Canada\'s proud armed forces.

Book Description

Advance Praise for Louis Breger's FREUD
"Louis Breger's rich and readable study of Freud offers a thoughtfully complex account of a great but flawed man. Everyone with an interest in psychoanalysis and the psychoanalytic movement will enjoy exploring, grappling with, arguing about, and learning from this absolutely fascinating book."-JUDITH VIORST, AUTHOR,
Necessary Losses and Imperfect Control "Written with brilliance and insight, Freud: Darkness in the Midst of Vision takes us on a daring, at times chilling, journey to the early years of psychoanalysis, revealing both the human weaknesses and the professional triumphs of its founder. . . . Cutting away the accretions of fabrication and romance cloaking Sigmund Freud, Breger has reinstated historical honesty to its rightful, high place, but the figure who emerges at the end of this breathlessly honest biography is quite as extraordinary as the legend concocted by Freud and perpetuated by his followers. Fresh, vigorous, and lucid."-PHILIP M. BROMBERG, Ph.D., CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
"Louis Breger's fine new biography of Freud is a welcome contribution to the existing literature and a corrective to much of it. It is also one of the best intellectual histories of the origin and development of psychoanalysis I have read in recent years. Breger is to be commended for his original research, the objectivity of his views, and the elegance and grace of his writing."-DEIRDRE BAIR, NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER FOR Samuel Beckett AND AUTHOR OF A FORTHCOMING BIOGRAPHY OF CARL JUNG
"Finally, the Freud biography we have long been waiting for. With the history of Europe in the background, we follow with fascination Freud's journey from an impoverished childhood filled with losses to worldly fame, ending in exile in England. We come to understand the impact of Freud's difficult personality on the development of his brilliant as well as questionable theoretical ideas. Breger writes with compassion and fairness toward Freud as well as toward the many interesting personalities who cross his life, with their complicated relationships to the great man."-SOPHIE FREUD, FREUD'S GRANDDAUGHTER AND PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF SOCIAL WORK, SIMMONS COLLEGE
"Louis Breger's magnificent book is the definitive work on the personal psychology of Sigmund Freud. it brilliantly illuminates how the darkness in Freud's vision has affected psychoanalytic history. This book will be central for psychoanalytic scholarship for decades to come."-GEORGE E. ATWOOD, Ph.D., PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

Customer Reviews:

Though His Sins Be As Scarlet, His Heritage Continues.......2007-07-05

It has been a long time since I have come across a book title that so aptly summarizes its subject, in this case the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. Louis Breger provides a splendid historical overview of Freud's importance in the development of the healing art of mental health, but it is certainly not an attractive man who emerges from these pages. It is to the author's credit that he makes every effort to explain why Freud does not engender in the public arena the warm regard of the second generation psychoanalysts, many of them orphaned by their autocratic intellectual leader.

Himself a practicing psychoanalyst, Breger traces Freud's Austrian developmental years and his early forays into medicine. Freud was born in 1856; his family was numerous and poor; his mother appeared to do most of the worrying for the family while his unruffled father carved out a precarious existence. Freud's disillusionment with his father and his jealousy for his mother's attention amidst a near constant stream of young rivals--mostly girls--in an environment of little privacy is usually given as the traditional spawning ground of his best known theories regarding the Oedipus Complex and the natural role of women.

Breger, however, examines this childhood more critically. Young Freud suffered several significant losses in his early years--the death of his infant brother Julius, for example, or the firing of his beloved housemaid Monika, who actually served as a surrogate mother for a time when his own mother was afflicted with grief and depression. But most of all, Freud missed his mother, who understandably was emotionally unavailable to him, though as a youth Freud could certainly not understand her predicament. Breger observes that her son could never bring to his consciousness his deep anger at her, and it is the author's contention that this subconscious pain was the fuel for the father-son warfare so central to the Freudian system; in essence a subterfuge for what really ailed him. The masculine oedipal trauma as the source of neurosis was the only explanation Freud would tolerate for nearly all of his 80 years--and it would impair his work and cost him his closest friends in years to come.

And yet, Freud's predicament was hardly unusual in his time. There were many poor children who did not get what they needed from their parents. My only critique of Breger's analysis is his omission of treatment of Freud's driving ambition to "be someone great." The author does note that in his escapes to imagination, Freud throughout his life identified with Hannibal, an interesting military choice for a scientist.
Freud's first medical work was highly technical for the time, neurological research under the gifted Ernst Brucke, but after some years he left organized research to work with the charismatic Jean-Martin Charcotte, "The Napoleon of Neuroses." Charcotte made some respectable progress in the understanding of hysteria, though his cultivated flamboyant style was no doubt an obstacle within scientific circles.

At the very least, Charcotte opened Freud's eyes to the stimulating and monetary possibilities of psychiatry. Now married, Freud opened a private practice in what was called at the time neuropathology. His survival depended in no small part upon the financial and personal support of a more seasoned physician, Josef Breuer. Breuer, it may be recalled, is remembered for his modest but innovative success with his "talking cure" for neurological symptoms. Working together, Freud and Breuer spent a decade refining the treatment of hysteria until Breuer finally refused to endorse Freud's hypothesis that all traumas of loss were ultimately sexual in origin. Freud turned his affections to Wilhelm Fliess and abruptly dismissed the kindly physician Breuer, the first of many men to be taken into Freud's bosom and then discarded for perceived doctrinal [read: personal] disloyalty.

With a thriving practice and a highly developed [albeit skewed] theory of neurosis and personality, Freud became the father figure for young men who shared his passion for psychoanalysis and who generally were in search of father figures themselves. Nearly all of the early practitioners were Jews from Austria and Switzerland; the ethnic identity, coupled with Freud's fondness for military imagery, tended to mold the movement into a kind of defensive zealotry for some years. It was not unusual for colleagues to psychoanalyze each other or interpret each other's dreams. Confidentiality and boundary ethics were poorly defined, creating enormous professional and personal problems for many practitioners and their patients.

Breger observed that for all the talent surrounding Freud, there was little by way of innovation or verification to discern if psychoanalysis was truly effective. Moreover, those who did advance their own personality theories [as did Jung] or therapeutic styles [as did Rank] were excommunicated from Freud's associations and publications with virtual liturgical solemnity. It should come as no surprise, then, that the heretic who may have been most dangerous to Freud was Alfred Adler. Adler, like Breuer, realized that a multitude of traumas could set off neuroses, not merely fatherhood or sexual issues. [Amazingly, Freud learned nothing from soldiers' traumas of World War I.] Adler, whose own interests took him into family dysfunction, came to understand not just Freud's past, but what was worse, how Freud was repeating the sibling rivalry pattern with his present colleagues.

Breger assesses Freud's counseling style from copious notes and correspondences, and concludes that the master frequently disregarded his own rules of objectivity and impersonal pose. He credits Freud with making the critical connection between trauma and neurosis, even if excessively limiting the boundaries of trauma. Moreover, Freud provided the springboard for gifted men and women to develop the psychological healing arts, unhealthy dynamics notwithstanding. He does not evoke outright admiration today, and yet I myself felt sympathetic as cancer and Nazi persecution ravaged his last years.

Less biography than over-long monograph.......2006-12-02

To read this book, you'd wonder why psychoanalysis ever had the inordinate success it enjoyed. Though Breger does say at various points that Freud's contributions opened up whole new vistas on human life, and he states that Freud had a compelling personality, that's about all he does--he just says it. Thus this book fails on a fundamental criterion of good writing: It says, but does not show.

The book really isn't a biography, but an over-long monograph. That is, it aims to prove one point: That Freud, unable to deal with his own emotional life, concocted his major theories to protect himself, then created the psychoanalytic movement through harsh, often slanderous, authoritarian strategies, in service to his own emotional needs.

If you buy the idea that early childhood determines adult character and behavior--a view not much in vogue these days--you'll probably judge that Breger makes his point well enough. Even so, he makes the point over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over, and always basically the same way. It gets a bit tedious.

If you don't buy the idea that early childhood determines adult behavior, there's no point in your reading this book at all. Without Breger's highly speculative account of the influence of Freud's childhood on his subsequent life, there's little of interest here. None of Freud's very real, often-disgusting sins discussed here are news.

I have two major complaints, beside the tedium of repetition and the recherche modes of thought:

First, even if Breger's point is accurate, the book offers no sense of the genuinely awe-inspiring intellect that radiates from the pages of most of Freud's work. Even if you find many of Freud's central doctrines utterly bizarre, as I do (and always have--which caused me no end of grief at my training institute), you can't read Freud (unless you come at the work with extreme prejudice) without a humbling sense of the presence of genius. The hundreds of millions of copies of Freud's works don't sell because of Freud's authoritarian control over the buyers!!!! Likewise, to read accounts by many estimable souls of their experience with Freud, you cannot but realize that, for all the deep character faults he suffered, he was a most remarkable, often-generous, human.

Second, Breger decries the penchant of the psychoanalytic community for "debate through diagnosis." But I can't see how this book can escape the same charge. If the book were really a biography, Breger's thesis might be an interesting aspect of the story. But the book does not give a comprehensive or rich picture of Freud's life, history, or personality. This simply is not a biography--it's an argument.

I'm reminded of a point Bertrand Russell made, that one's biography is better served by a brilliant enemy than a second-rate sympathizer. Yeah, Breger's sympathetic, in his own way, and probably a kind-hearted, honest man. But he gives no evidence of much brilliance of his own--and doesn't convey Freud's.

highly recommended.......2006-01-15

It is refreshing to come across a biography of Freud--and an analytical biography at that--without an obvious agenda or an ax to grind: in other words, without idealization (Jones, Gay) or retaliation (Crews at his most sarcastic).

Professor Breger's fine book eschews the pleasure of peeling the narcissistic Freud like an onion and instead looks into his early woundings, repressed longings for love, and lifelong grandiosity and thirst for fame while never losing sight of Freud's accomplishments. I teach depth psychology to graduates and undergrads and have recommended this scholarly and lucid book to them as a means for understanding (as Jung put it) "a man in the grip of his daimon."

"Darkness" is Illuminating.......2004-06-20

As one contemplates purchasing this biography, attention must be paid to the subtitle: "An Analytical Biography." This is not an all-encompensing portrait of Freud, in that it's not focussed on his many contributions. Rather, the biographer provides a rare glimpse into a man who's name has been omnipresent in all of psychology as well as the arts since his works first began to be published at the end of the 19th century.

Frued's influence is undeniable and inescapable. Yet, there remain very few studies into the psychology of the man himself. What is found mostly are brief accounts of Freud's genius and heroism. Now, at the beginning of the 21st century, what we have with this biography is a psychological profile of the man himself.

In this biography, there is no "hero worship" to speak of. I would like to say that the biography is balanced, but it's not, and that is not even the point. I believe the reason to read this book is to gain account of historical facts that have been white-washed and profound insights that are missing in other Freud studies. We learn, for instance, of the dynamics between Freud and his mother, which (fascinatingly) were characterized by avoidance, fear, guilt, and denial. We also learn of Freud's far-reaching, heavy-handed influence in the early days of psychoanalysis, a level of control that managed to destroy careers, even lives.

One could be left with a vision of Freud-as-tyrant. In this case, pick up another biography of Freud, and you will find some "lightness" to counter the darkness presented in this biography. This book is not, however, some sort of hatchet job. It is vital, important, clear-headed, insightful, and absolutely necessary to gain an understanding of Freud the man. He was no different than the rest of us. This biography helps to balance unreasonable "hero-worship" that, after all, isn't helpful or conducive to level-headed understanding human nature.

Our Golden Sigi.......2004-05-01

He was the founder and autocratic (some would even say dictatorial) leader of one the most controversial, yet profoundly influential, intellectual movements of 20th century. While his own thought sought to systematically dismantle the prevailing medical orthodoxy of his era, it simultaneously introduced a new and even more rigid orthodoxy. Though he was largely uninterested in politics, he proved himself to be the consummate politician, always carefully calculating the effects his actions would have on his movement, the psychoanalytic movement, as a whole. He zealously recruited the best and brightest minds of the time, only to shackle and ultimately squander much of their individual creativity through an endless series of loyalty tests in which the more sycophantic and unquestioning you were, the higher you rose within the inner-circle. His fateful obstinacy extended even to his own physical well-being, as he continued to smoke his trademark pipe even after much of his lower jaw had rotted off from the cancer that eventually killed him.

Freud is a legend, no doubt. But, as this skillful biography of the man makes clear, his legendary status is marked as much by deep personal flaws as by personal greatness. This is only fitting for the man who invented psychoanalysis. We all have tendencies toward self-mythologization, towards the creation of a narrative which minimizes our weaknesses (either by ignoring them outright or blaming their causes on others) and maximizes our strengths. Indeed such narratives are but the linguistic manifestation of our unconscious defense mechanisms. And consequently much of analysis centers around penetrating the core of this chain of signifiers and discovering the breaks, infinite loops and ideological repetitions within. And while he is no Lacanian (the Frenchman is never even mentioned in this text), Breger's analysis is completely given over to this psycho-linguistic imperative, an imperative which is governed and ultimately enforced by the biographical narrative of Freud himself.

This is because so much of what has been written about Freud's life has been directly influenced by Freud's pathological desire to craft a public persona that fits within his own neurotic view of himself as the great conqueror . And so Breger's destructuring of the typical Freudian biographical narrative is tantamount to a bloody confrontation with the man's well-fortified psycho-linguistic defense mechanisms (Freud himself always spoke of analysis in military terms). Whether we're talking about Freud's own autobiographical hero narratives ("On the History of the Psycho-Analytic Movement", "An Autobiographical Study"), Jones' dutiful doting, or even the more recent version of the same by Peter Gay, the man himself is almost always lost in the excremental haze of pre-digested meaning. Thus Freud's neuroses--his travel phobia, his dislike of music, his prudish attitudes towards sex, his desperate, inverted oedipal desire to slay his adopted male children (Jung, Adler, Rank, Ferenczi)--are rarely given the hermeneutical space necessary to stand in their proper relation to the events of his life. Breger's diegetic approach places the events of Freud's life in their proper socio-historical context, but without simply substituting history for personal responsibility, as is so often the case. Freud's cruelty (towards his fellow analysts, towards his patients) is shown to be a symptom of his neuroses, rather than mere juridical technique. (Freud constantly claimed that utter coldness and neutrality was required in the relationship between analyst and analysand, but he was most successful as a therapist when he befriended his patients and showed them warmth and sympathy.)

As you may have guessed, Breger is a practicing analyst, which obviously brings certain prejudices to his account of Freud's life. But Breger shows a remarkable level of honesty by pointing out this fact himself in a section at the end the book. And though I may quibble with him over his emphasis on the primacy of personal trauma over the primacy of sexuality and the role of larger social institutions in the formation of the individual ego, I still think this is a superb example of that particularly personal form of insight which only the very best of psychoanalysts can achieve.

A fine piece of work.

Average customer rating:

The importance of pH

New thinking on health

The Battle for Health Is Over pH
Gary Tunsky
Manufacturer: New Century Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Acid-Alkaline Food Guide: A Quick Reference to Foods & Their Effect on pH Levels

The pH Miracle: Balance Your Diet, Reclaim Your Health

The AcidAlkaline Diet for Optimum Health: Restore Your Health by Creating pH Balance in Your Diet

Secrets of an Alkaline Body: The New Science of Colloidal Biology

The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health: Restore Your Health by Creating Balance in Your Diet

ASIN: 0972063617
Release Date: 2005-01-01

Book Description

Are you aware of the important role the body's acid-alkaline balance plays in maintaining optimum health? Many top research scientists and microbiologists have shown scientific evidence that proves balanced pH is a foundational component to health and wellness. One of the contributing factors in all disease can be boiled down to one very simple thing — TOO MUCH ACID! In this groundbreaking new book you'll learn the simple secrets that the medical elite are hiding from you. Gary Tunsky is one of the world's foremost experts on the subject of pH and in this book he explains in eloquent detail how properly regulating your pH is the secret to beating almost every known disease today. If you're sick and tired of the confusion and mystery medical science has attached to disease, this powerful new book will cut through the clutter and show you how to bullet-proof your body from the ravages of disease.

Customer Reviews:

The importance of pH.......2007-05-16

I recommend this book to all of my customers who inquire about the pH of their water. While Tunsky's work covers a wide array of tactics to bring the body into balance my own work focuses on the pH of the water we drink. Most tap water is already alkaline but well water is often acidic.

Tunsky isn't the only person to emphasize the importance of bringing the body into an alkaline condition, but his work is perhaps the most concise and helpful description. And his suggestions are most helpful.

The conclusion is this - it's important to be alkaline. Yet most of our beverages and foods lead our body toward an acidic state. And with acidic conditions we open our bodies to invasion by disease.

This issue is far more important than most people consider. It is generally passed over entirely and yet offers hope for many individuals fighting to regain their health.

Tunsky's book is a must read for anyone who is thinking about the pH balance of their body and perhaps for anyone trying to regain their health through diet.

New thinking on health.......2006-11-13

I purchased this informative book after hearing the author interviewed on a community radio station, KGNU. KGNU airs a program called "Tributaries" that discusses all sorts of health issues in ways that the medical establishment avoids. There is simply too much money at stake for the pharmaceutical industry and other businesses to expect honest discussions of alternatives from them. So, we need to seek out our own information. Fortunately doctors like Andrew Weil have brought complimentary medicine into the mainstream with several best-selling books.

One of the interesting aspects of Tunsky's book, and the topic of pH generally, is how it provides a different approach to health than the "kill the germ" approach of so much conventional medicine. We spend a fortune on anti-biotics and various germ killers - products that often create a more viulent strain of what we're trying to get rid of. It's kind of like our approach to this so-called "war on terror," we spend a fortune trying to "kill the terrorists" and we end up creating more people who resist US militarism; meanwhile, the environment in which "terrorists" are being created is largely ignored.

Tunsky recommends we eat more whole foods - foods that have not been heavily processed, or irradiated, or canned. There is a healthy food movement going on across the country, with stores like "Wild Oats" and "Whole Foods" popping up in cities across the nation. Even fast food chains are feeling pressure to change, providing better options like salads and more items that aren't fried and don't contain trans-fats.

If people want to discover their own pH levels, they can buy strips at health food stores that will indicate the pH level of your saliva and urine. Tunsky's book provides all sorts of tips on how to put your body into a better acid-alkaline balance.

Average customer rating:
The best of the Beautiful Cookbooks : Three Hundred of the Best Recipes from Italy, France, Asia
Lorenza de'Medici; The Scotto Sisters; Jackie Passmore
Manufacturer: Beaut Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1875137459

Average customer rating:
Asia the Beautiful Cookbook: Authentic Recipes From Japan, Korea, China, the Phillipines, Thailand, Laos, and Kampuchea, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, India, Burma, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka

Manufacturer: Stonehenge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0867066253

Product Description

Beautifully illustrated over-size cookbook with numerous color photographs of dishes and the countries of their origin.

Average customer rating:

The Title Says It All,...
Fabulous in many ways
Buy the Hardcover version
Light on Korean dishes
Absolutely, Superb!

Asia: the Beautiful Cookbook
Jacki Passmore
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0067575897

Book Description

Enjoy the culinary creations of fourteen Asian countries fi rst-hand as you embark on a temptation-fi lled tour that begins in Japan and ends on the enchanting isle of Sri Lanka. To capture the essence of Asia's cuisines, author Jacki Passmore spent more than fi fteen years gathering the best recipes from hundreds of expert cooks. In this book she shares her fi nds; here are over 200 memorable dishes-from appetizers to desserts—beautifully photographed in glorious detail.

Customer Reviews:

The Title Says It All,..........2006-03-13

Just that,...The title says it all. Beautiful photographs of the finished products with both American AND metric measurements included in the directions for each recipe.
ASIA-The Beautiful Cookbook starts in Japan and ends in Sri Lanka. The two main countries of focus with the most recipes and pages, would be China and India. This book includes all types of dishes from each country,.. appetizers, soups, salads, desserts and main dishes. The only thing I can think of that would make me like this book more,... a larger section on Korea. ASIA-The Beautiful Cookbook includes recipes from each country and a history about the unique cuisine that represents it. A cultural background surrounding the people and their food is also lightly explored in this book. It's part cookbook, part history text book. I love it.

Fabulous in many ways.......2004-09-29

This is without a doubt one of the best "practical" cookbooks I have ever seen. It also offers spectacular views of the lands, people and especially, food of the region.

Each nation has an individual section, starting with a general introduction as to the factors that influence the cuisine of that particular land. Interspersed with the colorful recipes are incredibly luscious landscapes. Many of these photographs are of museum quality.

I have made many dishes from every country and all turned out well. The Indonesian section was a suprise and the Nasy Goren was a hit for a dinner party. The Korean beef, the Thai lime beef, all the Chinese food - everything looked and tasted sumptous.

Buy the Hardcover version.......2004-01-04

This is an excellent cookbook. We have enjoyed EVERY recipe we have made - my Chinese father-in-law (who politely overlooks my need to follow recipes) declares many of the dishes from China, "authentic." The pictures are fabulous and the historical information about each country/region is very interesting. This book offers a delicious "peek" at select culinary delights of each culture represented. The hardcover version rates 5 stars - the paperback is the same oversized format/dimensions as the hardcover, making it VERY cumbersome. There is virtually no way to store nor use the book; hence, the 3 stars for the paperback.

Light on Korean dishes.......2003-01-23

This is a beautifully put-together book with a number of great recipes. My rating is simply due to the fact that there are VERY few Korean recipes in this book. I mistakenly believed that since Korea is second in the list of countries covered, a significant number of recipes would be included. This is an excellent sampler for anyone wanting to experiment with the dishes of a variety of countries, but don't buy it if your interest is in the cooking of a specific country.

Absolutely, Superb!.......2000-12-20

Having lived in Asia for years, and having a highly particular taste for authentic flavors, I can tell you without reservation that the "Asia, the Beautiful Cookbook" is the most perfect for authentic savory Asian cuisine. Novice cooks can easily obtain exquisite Asian flavors successfully. Experienced chefs can use the receipes for launches into their own creations or cusine nouveau. The beautiful photograpy and graphic design will make you want to keep it on your coffee or reading table for culinary inspiration, and visual pleasure.

I am very picky and critical. I have used the "Asia, the Beautiful Cookbook" since it was first published. I find no flaws in this Asian culinary creation text. I find no flaws in any of the "....., the Beautiful Cookbook" series. Worth every cent that I paid for them. (No, I'm not in any way associated with the publishers or Amazon sales departments.)

P.S. Say, how about getting the "Mexico, the Beautiful Cookbook" back into print too!

Average customer rating:
ASIA THE BEAUTIFUL COOKBOOK
JACKI PASSMORE
Manufacturer: GALLEY PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SHNA48

Average customer rating:
Asia The Beautiful Cookbook
Jacki (Editor) Passmore
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NUMZCI

Average customer rating:
Asia The Beautiful Cookbook
Jacki Passmore
Manufacturer: Ken Fin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1875566317

Average customer rating:
Asia The Beautiful Cookbook - Authentic Recipes From Japan, Korea, China, The Philippines, Thailand, Laos...
Jacki Passmore
Manufacturer: Knapp Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RIYX1M

Average customer rating:
Asia: The Beautiful Cookbook
Jacki Passmore
Manufacturer: HARPERCOLLINS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000WSFLCC

Average customer rating:
ASIA THE BEAUTIFUL COOKBOOK
ELAINE RUSSELL
Manufacturer: TED SMART
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SHNLSI

Average customer rating:
Asia: The Beautiful Cookbook
Jackie Passmore
Manufacturer: Beautiful Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8WCZE

Product Description

This book is a complete guide to understanding and treating separation distress in dogs.

Average customer rating:

Catering to experienced knitters

more than knitting!

A bit disappointed

Andean Folk Knits

Great substitute for a lost masterpiece on Andean Knitting

Andean Folk Knits: Great Designs from Peru, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador & Bolivia
Marcia Lewandowski
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Knitting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Andean Inspired Knits: Designs in Luxurious Alpaca

Arctic Lace: Knitting Projects and Stories Inspired by Alaska's Native Knitters

Folk Mittens: Techniques and Patterns for Handknitted Mittens (Folk Knitting series)

Traditional Scandinavian Knitting

Knits from a Painter's Palette: Modular Masterpieces in Handpainted Yarns

ASIN: 157990582X

Book Description

With these attractive ethnic patterns from the Andes, knitters not only expand their design repertoire, they literally knit a connection with other cultures. The fabulous selection of 25 projects includes vibrant bags and other accessories based on the rich traditions of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. Knit fingerless mittens and a purse from Peru's Ollantaytambo region. A wonderfully functional Argentinean felt bag fits around the waist, and is perfect for holding money and other small belongings; a matching hat makes for an attractive ensemble. Or try making a chic and simple Chilean striped bag and scarf, or an adorable Bolivian purse in the shape of a llama. Every chapter offers interesting facts about the Andean people, history, and culture, too.

Customer Reviews:

Catering to experienced knitters.......2007-09-06

Lovely bags and accessories based on Andean knitting traditions are covered in a unique guide holding over thirty knitting projects of Andean-based patterns. Experienced knitters receive both color photo examples and step-by-step instructions on creating unique Andean patterns which translate not only to these projects, but will be easily applied to any knitting endeavor. Libraries catering to experienced knitters, especially those with multicultural focus, will appreciate the many unique projects here.

more than knitting!.......2007-01-14

This is such al lovely book in all aspects! Marcia gives us, devoted knitters, not only a lovely range of completely original knitting patterns, but also she tells al lot of really interesting things about the countries she visited. She gives interesting explanations about the symbolism of the motivs and their background and gives a lot of information about the materials and the various animals they come from. The book has a very appealing layout and the many foto's and explanations makes it interesting even to people who don't knit. One of my daughters (no knitter) spent a whole evening reading and enjoying it.
But if you are a knitter, this is a must have. There is a tradition of making intricate pouches (all with their own symbols and meanings) in Northern South America that is thouroughly explained and there are many lovely challenging projects in this book. It's great to use leftovers in your stash. And it's inspiring to try variations on the themes that Marcia Lewandowski presents.
It's certainly the best book with knitting patterns I bought in a long time.

A bit disappointed.......2006-11-13

I wanted to like this book: the author has such obvious affection for the hand-knits of Peru, Chile, et al., and her designs, which are based on Andean themes and motifs, are, for the most part, charming. But the emphasis is on folkloric purses and bags that look as though they might have come from one of the better South American airport shops. They'd be fun to make but not very functional for actually carrying your stuff (unless you happen to be an Andean shepherd). The introductory section has the feel of a personal travelogue, snapshots and all. But I wanted to learn more about the origins and techniques of indigenous knitting, and in these areas the coverage was, to my mind, superficial.

At the same time I bought this book I also purchased Marianne Isager's "Knitting Out of Africa," and found it much more satisfying. Inspired by African patterns, Isager used them in creative ways to design knitwear that is immensely original, beautiful and wearable. Wish I could say the same for the Andean book.

Andean Folk Knits.......2006-11-10

The knitting projects in this book can expand your knitting horizons beyond sweaters and socks to interesting bags and purses. The designs shown are all derived from the author's observations of objects knitted by men and women of the Andes. The beautifully designed book describes the role of these knitted objects in the lives and customs of the Andean peoples.

Great substitute for a lost masterpiece on Andean Knitting.......2006-06-18

There is a wonderful book on Andean Knitting (LeCount's worthy volume) that is now out of print, so Marcia Lewandowski's book is long overdue on the knitting scene.

The Andean knitters, some of them, well a lot of them men, do patternwork of fine detail in glorious colors. They use a lot of embellishment. Typical garments are the well-known chullo hat but they also make wonderful wrist bands and leggings. For pure colorwork and inspiration for the knitting designer, this is a must-have in your library.

Average customer rating:

Difficult Topic

Great!

Good for preteen and young teenage girls (10 to 13)

Great Series of Books

What a Book!

The Period Book: Everything You Don't Want to Ask (But Need to Know) (But Need to Know)
Karen Gravelle , and Jennifer Gravelle
Manufacturer: Walker Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Maturing | Health | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Nonfiction | Girls & Women | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls (American Girl Library)

Growing Up: It's a Girl Thing

The Feelings Book: The Care & Keeping of Your Emotions (American Girl)

Ready, Set, Grow!: A What's Happening to My Body? Book for Younger Girls

What's Going on Down There?: Answers to Questions Boys Find Hard to Ask

ASIN: 0802774784

Amazon.com

Called "warm and positive" by Booklist, this user-friendly book about menstruation and puberty doesn't just give the facts, ma'am: it addresses many private worries that girls may have a hard time talking about and offers truly practical tips that most girls have had to figure out for themselves -- the hard way. Light-hearted cartoon illustrations help keep the tone sympathetic and upbeat.

Book Description

What is my period exactly? Do I need to see a doctor? What does it feel like to wear a pad? What if I get my period at school?

Karen Gravelle and her fifteen-year-old niece, Jennifer Gravelle, have written a down-to-earth and practical book that answers any questions you might have about your period, from what it is and what it feels like, to how to choose pads and tampons, to how to talk to your parents about it. The Period Book will help guide you through all the physical, emotional, and social changes that come with your period, as well as related issues like dealing with pimples, mood swings, and new expectations from friends and family. Debbie Palen's funny and sympathetic cartoons ease the confusion and exasperation you might feel, and celebrate the new sense of power and maturity that your period can bring. Perfect for sharing, The Period Book is a trusty friend that can help you feel happy and confident about this new phase of your life.

Customer Reviews:

Difficult Topic.......2007-08-11

A very good book. This book helps talk about and answer questions about a very touchy subject.

Great!.......2007-03-31

I bought this when my daughter was 12. We read it together and then she kept it as a review for future reference. She continued to look back at it as she had questions over the next few years. It was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone with a daughter nearing puberty. It was age appropriate and gains a stamp of approval from a conservative mom.

Good for preteen and young teenage girls (10 to 13).......2007-02-02

My [...]daughter was excited to read this book on her own. I scanned through it and read parts of the book to make sure it was appropriate for her. She asked me questions about things in the book and even wanted to try inserting a tampon but got to scared!

I got my period a few days before I turned 12 so I really wanted to wait and get it for her when she was 10 or 11 but I'm glad I got it over with earlier because now she knows ahead of time. I remember when I was a preteen some girls got their periods as young as 9 and 10.

The only thing I didn't like about it was the graphic nature of the book and how my daughter seemed to get scared reading the book but I think it was because she's only 9 and in [...].

Great Series of Books.......2007-01-19

Good book bought it for my daughter she really enjoyed reading it. A+++++++++

What a Book!.......2006-06-28

I gave this book to my 11 year old daughter, she took off with it and I never saw it again. She told me she was reading it and that it was "really good". I wouldn't know...I haven't seen what's between the covers! Based on my daughter's reaction, I would recommend this to all parents of girls. If your daughter is like mine and the slightest HINT of the "visiting friend" comes up in conversation, she runs screaming. With this little volume, she can lock herself in her room and get all her questions answered. A must-have.

The Period Book, Updated Edition: Everything You Don't Want to Ask (But Need to Know)

Average customer rating:

NOT THE BOOK YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!
GET THIS BOOK FOR YOUR DAUGHTERS.
A Concise and Comprehensive Book for Tweens
Excellent for the "tweener" set
Wonderful, engaging introduction to puberty for girls

The Period Book, Updated Edition: Everything You Don't Want to Ask (But Need to Know)
Karen Gravelle
Manufacturer: Walker Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

Sexuality | Health, Mind & Body | Teens | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0802777368
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Book Description

The essential guidebook for every girl.

The Period Book is a reassuring must-read for every girl about to have her period, and every parent wishing to prepare a daughter for this important milestone. With more than 300,000 copies sold, The Period Book stands out from the pack by specifically addressing younger girls. And with eleven now the average age at which girls get their period, this supportive and practical approach, providing clear and sensitive answers to common questions, is evern more welcome today.

The revised edition includes a new introduction for parents and an additional chapter about body image.

Customer Reviews:

NOT THE BOOK YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!.......2007-07-08

This book is NOT the book you are looking for. Find the American Girl book on this subject and you will be so impressed and pleased with the beautiful way it handles this subject. Your little girls will become so confident and feel secure about the changes, rather than worried and confused by the inappropriate material that is in this book.

BTW, my daughter has been raised on a ranch and probably knows more about reproduction and sex than all the four and five star givers on here that think I'm being naive or "prudish" about this topic.

The title of this book, "The Period Book", is SO misleading, and would cause many to believe it is a book for young girls learning about the changes coming to their bodies and why they happen. It is not, and the material in this book would be more for older girls or young women who have made the choice to become sexually active(and have started and learned about "periods", etc. so why this title?).
Read it, word for word before handing it to your young daughters!
BE VERY WARY AND SUSPICIOUS OF THE ONES ON HERE HYPING THIS BOOK AND GIVING GOOD REVIEWS!! THEY HAVE NO OTHER REVIEWS ON ANY OTHER PRODUCT FROM AMAZON! THEY ARE HERE TO HYPE AND SELL THIS BOOK!

For instance, this book tells you that you can get pregnant if sperm is on a finger and it is put "inside of you". This is absolutely ridiculous in a book they are recommending to nine year olds to learn about growing up, emotions, body changes and starting menstruation! (As if getting pregnant is the only troublesome aspect if someone is "placing a finger with sperm" in them at their ages?)

ThIS author has written supernatural and horoscope books before, and other odd titles and how does that even qualify her to write about such a topic regarding OUR kids and a company like Amazon to even carry it? Simply she is qualified because she has a 14 year old neice?! Give me a break! This book also goes on into how to position legs and behave for an OBGyn, birth control pills, etc.
If you want a book that will make your daughter feel beautiful, confident, in control of her body and what happens to it, and proud to be growing up, look at the American Girl book here on Amazon.
I literally threw this "period" book in the trash. You will too.
To the author of this book:
SHAME ON YOU for using clever illustrations, a misleading title, and presentation on such a poorly written, completely off the mark book for young girls. You are taking financial advantage of moms looking for that special book about growing up for sharing with their young daughters.

GET THIS BOOK FOR YOUR DAUGHTERS........2007-07-03

My mother got this book for me before I actually started my period and truth be told, I WAS HORRIFIED. We picked it up in Target and I wouldn't even stand in line with her because we had this sketchy book about "gross stuff." But then I actually read it and it spoke to me. Periods ARE scary when you first get them and talking about it with parents can sometimes be a hard road. However, this book advocates girls getting to know their bodies and being open with themselves and parents.
Yes, the book does address sex. But I knew about sex back then (oh, 8 years ago) and kids definitely know about it now. It's not pornographic, it's educational. Girls often wonder WHY they are getting their periods and sex is apart of that. It's the body telling a female that they were able to have a child and now with the period the window of opportunity is over. It also advocates taking your period and being responsible. Taking care of yourself is the main issue in this book. There is plenty of information in the pages of this book that helped me when I started my period. Some stuff people just don't talk about which is unfortunate. It's good to know there is a community of females out there going through this as well.
Anyone who negates the fact that sex is apart of periods obviously does not know what's going on with their bodies. And honestly, it's better to get the lines of communication going between parents and children and this book definitely does so.

A Concise and Comprehensive Book for Tweens.......2007-05-26

I'm very impressed with this book. As my 10 year old has begun to ask more detailed questions about getting her period, I chose this book. I was very pleased to find how straightforward and helpful this book is.

Covered topics include most changes with puberty, choosing sanitary products, a helfpul and thorough overview of the developing female anatomy, visiting the gynecologist for the first time, personal health and body image. Every chapter conveys the necessary information while being brief and casual in tone.

Unlike some reviewers, I found the extremely brief introduction to sexuality was perfect and appropriate. The images of male anatomy are very simple cartoonish illustrations and in good context to the sections they appear in. The focus is not rushing into sex and encourages open communication with parents. This small introduction appears near the end of the book.

Excellent for the "tweener" set.......2007-02-22

Even though my 10 year hasn't gotten her period yet, she loves this book. It holds her interest and speaks to her level. A great preparation tool.

Wonderful, engaging introduction to puberty for girls.......2006-09-23

Although the main topic is menstruation, this book covers all of the physical changes a girl can expect as she approaches and moves through puberty. It addresses, in an interesting and calm tone, all of the questions a girl might face, from where the blood comes from, to being patient if your breast development is slower than your best friend's. It is reassuring, thorough, and my 10-year-old couldn't put it down! I found her awake way past bedtime, reading this book. She is engrossed in it, and this has led to some wonderful discussion between us, on the responsibilities of growing up, and needing to respect your own body.
I would recommend this book for any girl over 10.who is starting to wonder about her period.

Average customer rating:

The Period Book, Updated Edition: Everything You Don't Want To Ask (But Need to Know)
Karen Gravelle
Manufacturer: Walker Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

Sexuality | Health, Mind & Body | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0802780725
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Book Description

Set of 2 Books - Girl Talk: Staying Strong, Feeling Good, Sticking Together; The Period Book: Everything You Don't Want to Ask (But Need to Know)

Average customer rating:

Set of 2 Books - Girl Talk: Staying Strong, Feeling Good, Sticking Together; The Period Book: Everything You Don't Want to Ask (But Need to Know)
Judith Harlan , Karen Gravelle , and Jennifer Gravelle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WBJLO8

Product Description

Set of 2 Books - Girl Talk: Staying Strong, Feeling Good, Sticking Together; The Period Book: Everything You Don't Want to Ask (But Need to Know).

Average customer rating:

Period Book: Everything You Don't Want to Ask, but Need to Know
Karen Gravelle
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Book Description

At the beginning of 1992, no one had heard of Quentin Tarantino. By mid-1995, Quentinmania was in high gear, and he was being hailed as the hip new Oscar-toting messiah of film making. In this irreverant personal biography and in-depth study, Jeff Dawson interrogates Tarantino about his early influences, his use of violence, and accusations of plagiarism. Dawson takes the reader behind the scenes of Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs and Destiny Turns on the Radio, to get a glimpse of Quentin through the eyes of Harvey Keitel, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth and other Tarantino gang members interviewed for this book. Includes dialogue that didn't make it into the final cut, as well as the original plot twists for True Romance and Natural Born Killers that got axed by the censors. Includes great color and black and white photos throughout.

Customer Reviews:

The Cin-enema of Fools.......2004-04-23

(...) Tarentino's films are universally and fundamentally boring for anyone who has ever lived a real life and not just fantasized about having one. His dipictions of violence eminate from his own personal lack of sexual energy. Sadly, teenage males without girlfriends seem to like these slammed together video games that are being called brilliant, and continue to support the trash factory that generates this type of hyper garbage. (...)

THE pop bio of the quintessential 90's pop auteur.......2000-08-08

Well-paced and revealing, this "not-too-long," "not-too-short" bio reads like the Everyman-movie-geek fantasy that it is. The author spent considerable time following Tarantino around as he began his attack on Hollywood in 1992, with Reservoir Dogs, and as such, he was given enviable access to the celebrities that found their way into the young director's orbit. Extensive one-on-one interviews-- with such H'wood players as Samuel L. Jackson, Tony Scott, Harvey Keitel, as well as collaborators Roger Avary and Laurence Bender, not to mention the man himself--offer an entertaining glimpse into the mind of the struggling actor who decided he would have a better shot at success if he wrote his own screenplays, and went on to direct arguably the best film of the 1990s, Pulp Fiction.

Bonus revelations include Tarantino and Co.'s experience acting in the indie flick Destiny Turns on the Radio, QT's reaction following both the 1994 Cannes D'Or Award and the predictable Forrest Gump Oscar landslide of 1995 that left Tarantino & Avary holding only the Best Screenplay statuette, as well as Tarantino's side of the story regarding his battle with the producers of Natural Born Killers. An all-around good read that is honest enough to suggest Tarantino as perhaps the next Orson Welles-as-washed-up-has-been, and wise enough in the end to bet against it.

Average customer rating:
Quentin Tarantino Cinema of Cool
Jeff Dawson
Manufacturer: Applause
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NZRGM2

Average customer rating:
Quentin Tarantino: The Cinema of Cool
Jeff Dawson
Manufacturer: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000QHHU2I

Average customer rating:
Quentin Tarantino: The Cinema of Cool
Jeff Dawson
Manufacturer: Applause Publ.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LBYPPY

Book Description

A unique memoir that interweaves poetry, narrative, meditation, and social history, A Spiritual Life explores the complex facets of a Jewish woman's spiritual coming-of-age, capturing the emotional and spiritual reality of contemporary Jews as well as religious seekers of all types. From the experiences of early childhood, to the spiritual awakening of a secular adolescent encountering Jewish tradition, to the alternately funny and searing tales of new-found independence, early married life, young motherhood, and midlife, Feld comments with remarkable honesty and clarity on the many stages of spiritual and artistic exploration and growth. Overarching all these accounts is the picture of how the cycle of the Jewish calendar year comes to provide an ever-renewing source of sustenance for the author's deepening spiritual expression.

Customer Reviews:

A Spiritual Life.......2007-04-08

This book written by Merle Feld was extremely good. I couldn't put it down. Merle takes us on a journey through her early days as a child with lovely poems to enhance our reading and onto her married years where she explores the many areas of women in Judiasm. It is a true story of her journey which I truley enjoyed.

Read Spiritual Life, A Jewish Feminist Journey- A must read!.......2001-05-12

An amazing story of self-discovery, " A Spiritual Life, A Jewish Feminist Journey" by Merle Feld, fills her book with beautiful prose and poetry. I identified with this book immensely as the author echoed my inner thoughts that I never took the time to write. Ms. Feld voices the struggle to grow and develop into a special person, concerns about doubts how woman relate to others, professional growth and motherhood. She discovers a gift with words and poetry and along the way - confidence. Her book, a triumph of realization and actualization, expresses her developing passion, hones social action and true friendships. Read this book from cover to cover or open the book and select a poem at random. Each poem allows an opportunity to remember who we are, engage in a dialogue with self and friends, to encourage where we need to be in our lives. Several favorite passages discuss marriage, Israel, re- interpretation of some biblical stories, Shabbat and agonies about menstruation. This book will make you a new friend. Excellent!

I'm waiting for the sequel.......2000-03-17

Merle's Feld's poetry is so down to earth and fun to read as to appear simple--and nothing can be further from the truth. Her beautiful and touching poems are little jewels, each reflecting her deep connection to Judaism as well as her own humorous and profound insights into life as a Jewish woman. Through her poems and the personal narrative story that she weaves around them, Merle shares her experiences and journey as a Jewish feminist, mother, daughter, American in Israel, and wife.

This book will speak to anyone, regardless of gender or background, who has ever felt that spirituality is in competition with the overwhelming demands of everyday life. Without offering formulas or prescriptions, Merle's voice speaks to a part of myself that I struggle to find; it says that holiness can be found right in the midst of the most mundane tasks and minutae. It is a transcendent experience in itself to realize that we have the power to transform everyday life into something holy.

Reflections on hidden memories.......2000-02-22

"A Spiritual Life" gave me permission to digest my past. At the end of each vignette I was surprised to find myself face to face with "me"-my own experiences of decades ago. I suddenly slowed down and felt deep parts of my life that I had been too frightened to listen to long ago. I keep it on my night table and read it again and again reflecting on my own memories. Reading "A Spiritual Life" has been a healing experience for me.

Reflections on hidden memories.......2000-02-22

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books