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Great book.
George Patton knew how to write, that's for sure. Action packed! This book is great. Thanks Amazon for quick processing. | 4 |
Helpfull book
This book is very helpfull in helping children come to grips with having to give there favorite shoes away because they are too small. It helps them to see the advantages to growing older and getting new things. | 4 |
This is a great little book
My son received this book for Christmas, and we both loved it. The story line is really cute, and the pictures in it are great! I'd recommend this book to anyone with small kids. | 4 |
Chilhood Favorite
This adorable story is about a little girl who outgrows her rainboots and gives them to her little brother. She is resentful at first that her little brother gets to enjoy her boots when she no longer can. When she sees how happy he is with them, she soon joins in on the fun. My older sister and I loved this book growing up, and I just got it for her for christmas for old times' sake. | 4 |
Great Book!!
I used to read this to my fifteen year old when she was little,she remembered it still, so I ordered it to read to my three year old.I had forgotten how well it was illustrated, and how kid friendly it was.I defenitely will NOT mind ready this one over and over again,,,,,again!Great book,cute storyline, and wonderful illustrations are sure to make this a favotite of your children too. | 4 |
They Don't Make The Right Sound!
Sarah's old boots make a special sound and the fit just right. But then one day they have shrunk and no amount of stretching by filling them with rocks and other means will ever make them fit her again. When they go to the store to buy a new pair of boots the only ones they have are yellow with a fire engine red stripe and Sarah will never like them! They are taken home. She gives her favorite boots to her brother and he loves them because they fit him perfectly. After it's rained again Sarah's family pulls on their boots. And when they play in the puddles Sarah's new boots make a different sound, but she doesn't mind after a while because they are just as much fun as the old ones and now she is enjoying the puddles with her brother.The Pictures are well done because they cause you to be drawn into the story and feel exactly how Sarah felt thru the detailed expressions on her face and the characters used to compliment her.Opinion: Most well done childrens books (at least in my experience) become memories when children grow up, thru the illustrator's pictures, if they're done well. And then the story is remembered thru that art not usually the other way around, in ages about 1-8 or so, then as they start to get into books that are more grown up they create their own pictures thru imagination so illustrations aren't as important in older childrens books. | 4 |
Not too happy
I wasn't too happy about the shape that the book was in. I wasn't expecting it to be perfect, but there were alot more tears and pages bent then I expected. | 1 |
Suitable Only For Starting A Fire
If you're ever trapped in the woods, you could use this badly written tripe to start a fire. That's all it's good for. Trust me: DON'T BUY IT. | 0 |
Wet Blanket
This sort of combination of gossip and innuendo mixed with a few facts would be harmless except that it really hurts people. The real person who is the subject of one chapter has recently run across a copy & is agonizing over the vicious potrayal of her in the book. She's also angry at the fellow inmate who agreed to talk to Ms. "Wensley Clarkson" and upset that people will read it and believe it.I told her that no one whose opinion she cares about will read this book. I also explained that this book is a descendent of those pulp magazines like TRUE CONFESSIONS and TRUE CRIME that most of literate society has outgrown.I suppose there are still some people who find this sort of thing entertaining, but it's too bad. | 0 |
Excellent Bible story for even young preschoolers
Of all the books in this series this is perhaps the very best for very young children, mine getting interesting in it between 10 months and year old - just watch them as you read - these are paper pages that tear easily when little fingers grab!The illustration are cute and easy for children to relate to. The story lines simple and the message sweet and reassuring. | 4 |
Five stars for historical value
Even if this book sucked, I couldn't rate it lower than five stars, if for no other reason than that this book is IT.It's the only record of this particular part part of the Southwest from before the area was overrun by Spanish and Anglo settlers. It's the book that guided decades of explorers and missionaries, and that has mercifully survived to offer us hints of what life in the West could be like BACK THEN.It's the story of Francisco Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, two Spanish friars, who were tasked in 1776 with the goal of forging a route from a mission in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to a mission in Monterrey, California, and of locating sites for new missions along the way-to convert Indian "heathens," "barbarians," and "infidels."Domínguez was in his mid-thirties, but Escalante was only about twenty-five years old. The two, with a small group of others, decided to avoid a northern route--out of fear of an Indian tribe rumored to eat light-skinned travelers--and as a result were among the very first to make maps and to record details of the Southwest's rivers and mesas. Their group started late in the year though, a sudden blizzard soon made progress impossible, and when they reached north-central Utah, they decided to head south and work their way back to New Mexico. They ran out of food, lived by eating their horses, and suffered unbearable cold, rebellious group members, and severe, frequent thirst. They reached the Colorado River around present-day Lees Ferry, southwest of where Glen Canyon Dam is now, and worked their way north along the river, looking for a way across.They passed the often-photographed Castle Rock and Gunsight Butte, chipped steps into the slickrock to allow their pack animals to get down to the shore, lowered their belongings over a cliff with ropes, and after some scouting, found an ancient Ute Indian river crossing, where the water was slow and shallow enough to ride across. That place became known as the Crossing of the Fathers, and is right around where Lake Powell's Padre Bay is now.Their trip made an approximately two thousand-mile-long circle through mostly unexplored terrain, took nearly six-and-a-half months, and explored more undocumented, unknown land than Lewis and Clark would later in their over two-year-long journey. When the fathers got back to Santa Fe, however, only their failure to reach California mattered much to anyone, along with their apparent waste of funds, horses, and supplies.Escalante was practically exiled, and died within five years as the result of bad health obtained from his trials in the desert.Domínguez was demoted, his possibilities of advancement destroyed, and he died anonymously as an old man, never recognized for what he'd done.If you are interested in the West, or the Colorado Plateau, or Glen Canyon, you need to read this. There's just no way around that. It contains information you will find nowhere else, and it's actually a fairly enjoyable read. (I never would have thought Spanish priests could be so SARCASTIC....) | 4 |
The first written account of Utah
In all practical aspects, the Dominguez and Escalante expedition was a failure. The two Spanish fathers were unable to locate an overland route between the Spanish colonies of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Monterrey, California, and in 1776 it seemed that all the two men had done was wander aimlessly in the north for six months. The lasting impact these two men have had on history (and particularly Utah's history), however, are far greater than they could have known.The expedition made a map, but it is basically worthless in its inaccuracy. Still, the description they left of their route, and most notably that of Utah Valley, was later a great resource for subsequent explorers of Utah, especially John C. Fremont. Their expedition, failed though it was, nevertheless is important as the first written record of the territory that would later become Utah. In addition, the journal did not outlive its usefulness in 1844, when the second of Fremont's expeditions was completed, or even later when Stansbury, Gunnison, and others surveyed the territory. This journal is important even today, because it provides us with a natural look at the Native Americans of the area, before they were disturbed and corrupted by hordes of encroaching whites. This journal is a great document in Utah's history, both as the first written account and as a fascinating look at Utah more than 75 years before it would be settled by the whites. | 4 |
Santero
This is a great book and in great condition. I am a historian of spanish history in the United States. It is unfornute that spanish history gets breezed over/ignored in our country. I search for books like this all the time and Amazon has always been the best source. | 4 |
Super!
Being a Colorado native and having been to many of the places mentioned in this book I'm entranced with it. A superb read. | 4 |
Entertaining.
Quick read, entertaining stories, most of which had me laughing out loud. While reading, though, I thought that my husband would probably appreciate it a bit more than I did.Even though I did like this book, I did see some likeness to the whole "chicken soup for the soul" stories which sorta put me off. Every story seemed to have some sort of moral or whimsical observance of humanity. And the structure for each essay took away from the reading in my case. I also don't love...more Quick read, entertaining stories, most of which had me laughing out loud. While reading, though, I thought that my husband would probably appreciate it a bit more than I did.Even though I did like this book, I did see some likeness to the whole "chicken soup for the soul" stories which sorta put me off. Every story seemed to have some sort of moral or whimsical observance of humanity. And the structure for each essay took away from the reading in my case. I also don't love baseball enough to be able to identify with the author's sentiments about the sport. I understand the parallels to life and the extended metaphor that baseball was for he and his son, though, and I appreciate that.In all, though, I'm glad that I read it. It's nice to read a collection of essays from the same person so that I can get a feel for it as a writer - and a reader - as to what makes collections like that "good" or "bad". In this case, I just know that I enjoyed it. | 2 |
Save Your Money and Your Time!!
If I could give negative stars I would have. Terrible writing, terrible analysis of why couples kill. It was like he took all the junky drafts of books he was thinking about writing and slapped them together with chewing gum and came up with this mess. One "chapter" is basically a page and a half description of a couple who murdered two children, a graphic description of the injuries and then an box where the authors gives his "Conclusion" which amounts to about 4 sentences of rambling. Lazy, lazy stuff here. So bad I had to look this joker up on the internet and found all kinds of strange stuff. Save your money and your time. Go read "Helter Skelter" or an Ann Rule book. | 0 |
Awful!
One of the worst books I have ever read. Skimps on descriptions and even when the descriptions are adequate, it's just boring! Skips back and forth using first names and last names of characters (for example, the author sometimes refers to Douglas Clark as "Doug" and other times as "Clark"). This book is so bad that it has now inspired me to write my OWN book and try to make some money off of bored, gullible people who have nothing better to spend their money on! Christopher Berry-Dee is a genius! (although thankfully I didn't buy this - I checked it out of the library). | 0 |
Shared Madness
THIS WAS A ''NOT PUT DOWN''BOOK, I NEVER KNEWTHEIR COULD BE THAT MUCH MADNESS AND CRUELTYIF THIS BOOK IS IN YOUR AREA,AND YOU LIKE THISTYPE OF BOOK IS AN AREA THAT YOU ARE IN, THEN THISBOOK IS FOR YOU...THIS BOOK WAS PURCHASED BY ME,THE DEALER WASEXCELLENT ON THE TIME FRAME,AND THE BOOK WASJUST LIKE NEW..THIS COMPANY,I WILL USE AND USEAGAIN... | 4 |
Exactly what I needed for my research
I have been hunting this book down for a while and was ecstatic to find it on Amazon. It arrived so quickly too! Carol Smart's pioneering critique of legal constructions of sexual consent has provided a clearer and unique understanding for my research. | 4 |
A good source of information.....
I acquired this book at a swap meet many about 13 years ago.Back then i was the kind of person who thought a knife was a thing you kept in your pocket for peeling fruit etc.After reading the book I was bitten by the knife collecting bug!!I now have several hundred knives and I have always relied on this book as a concise yet informative history of 20 Century combat knives.I feel this book should be on the bookshelf of anyone who has an interest in or collects military knives. Highly Recommended! | 3 |
A complete book
A book which has all the necessary information that you need about fighting knives, specially those used in different wars. Excellent! | 4 |
a bible
helloafter long year a actually books for fighting knifes of worldregards | 4 |
Correction of book description
This book is not 700+ pages long. It is 79 pages long.This book is a reprint of a book published in 1944 by the Dutch government in exile in England. | 2 |
The best book you will ever read on menstruation!
Lara's Owen's book, "Honoring Menstruation" is a revised, updated and expanded edition of her brilliant and masterful earlier book, "Her Blood is Gold." "Honoring Menstruation" offers the reader a profound perspective on the role of menstruation in the life of women and society. It is a well-researched, beautifully crafted and elegant book. It explores the physical, emotional, spiritual and practical dimensions of menstruation and provides a new and powerful view on this still taboo topic. Owen's book is a classic and a must read for every woman and every man who wishes to understand this powerful part of feminine life. Her book changes lives. You will never look at menstruation in the same way again. Owen's book shows women how to use their menstrual cycle to nourish, restore and balance themselves physically and spiritually by embracing the three phases of menstruation: releasing, emptying, and wisdom. She explores the role of PMS and menstrual cramps and offers new meanings and solutions to these experiences. Everyone should read this innovative, thoughtful and powerful book. A major contribution. | 4 |
Every woman should read it!
A nightmare experience at the hands of a brutal doctor who was giving her an internal exam sent Lara Owen off on this fascinating exploration into the rich underworld of the female body. It's a well-written, passionate and thoughtful plea for a return to body-consciousness and acceptance of what it is to be female. The case studies are inspiring, the ideas for self-healing and developing the creativity inherent at this time of the month very intriguing. There is no strident hectoring - Lara Owen writes from the heart - or should I say the womb - and has made a pioneering track for all women, whether interested in enjoying rather than enduring their periods, or the hidden depths of the female psyche. Men who want to understand women should read it too! If you read one book this year, let it be this one! | 4 |
Important Reading for All Women
I was thrilled to discover Lara Owen's book, Honoring Menstruation. I myself have been exploring my menstrual process in-depth since 1988, and teach workshops to women who want to transform menstrual symptoms into menstrual empowerment and pleasure. I say these things about myself to indicate that I am reviewing this book from a particular vantage point, that of a woman who has been honoring her period for many years.I found that Lara put into words many things that I've been thinking for years, and also introduced me to new ways of thinking about and responding to my menstrual cycle. This is a wonderful book for any woman who wants to become more empowered, more herself, more creative, more joyful.Mothers, grandmothers, and aunts will also find it useful for helping them introduce young women into a menstruation-positive view of their upcoming or just-started periods.I know that if you take the time to read this book and apply its wisdom in your own life, you will not regret it. | 4 |
Physically, Emotionally and Mentally Stimulating
A great read for women who are conscious of their bodies and what they are capable of. Also a great read for those beginning on the road to awareness. Women are amazing creatures and it is time we honor ourselves. It is also time we stop whining about what others have done to us and fix what we have enabled to occur.If you are looking to truly honor the gift of the Goddess and your ability to create life without cursing that gift, this is the book is for you. | 4 |
Far Above Rubies
This book is a refreshing look into the soul of a young black male. It's open, honest, and it leaves you wondering what he'll say or do next. I love the way the author shares intimate details of his personal experiences with the Lord. His writing stirred many emotions in me....laughter, crying, rejoicing, and praise as God seemed to take him by the hand and walk him through a journey called life. The author's love story really touched and captivated me. It's not often that we get a peek into the heart of a man. He is transparent and real, and I liked that. I recommend this to both men and women, as we can all benefit from the lessons he shares in this book. | 4 |
Good edition, linked table of contents
This is a Kindle edition of a late 19th century translation of Plutarch's Moralia, so that it is in rather charming old-fashioned English. It has a linked table of contents (one slight niggle - there is no link to this from the index so that you have to flick through a few pages of introduction to find it), and linked footnotes. Some of the references are in Greek script, so would probably only be legible on a Kindle 3 or later. And just occasionally a character has defeated the software so that there are slight corruptions of the text, but I have found nothing that obscures the meaning. A good edition of a little-read work. | 4 |
Building up my library so no time to read-then-review but looks good at first glance. Sorry I can't be of more help but it will
Building up my library so no time to read-then-review but looks good at first glance. Sorry I can't be of more help but it will be a while before I do. The title caught my eye! | 2 |
great book
I hate cars, don't like to drive, and when I had to buy one I was determined that I might as well know what goes on inside one. I never thought the engineering and design of a car could be so fascinating, I stayed up reading this book. If you have even a mild technical bend you will enjoy the book, even if you don't like cars (I still don't). | 4 |
This book explains it
This book takes you from the evolution of the first engine to the modern day automobile. It has clear illustrations. In my opinion it is not easy reading, but if you own a car you might want this book. It explains how everything in your car, electrical and mechanical, works. | 4 |
good book if you don't know alot
Like most tech books this is not something that you can read from cover to cover. However it is a good book for people just starting out in the trade or for people who want to understand how engines work. My biggest complaint with this book is its layout, in places its just crap. For example when your reading the text and it has see figure 2.5, alot of the time that figure isn't even on the same page and in a number of places that figure is 3 to 4 pages ahead of where your reading, which leaves you constantly flicking through pages. Surely its not that hard to get text and a picture on the same page? Other than that its OK. | 3 |
Readable, Intelligent, and Detailed
This is a fantastic book! It explains difficult concepts in easy-to-understand language, but it never patronizes the reader. The depth and breadth of the coverage are also very good - while reading it, I never found myself wanting information that I couldn't find somewhere within this book.The most surprising feature is the book's readability. For starters, the grammar and spelling are great, with no typos or conflicting information, which is (sadly) exceptional for this sort of small-press technical book. The text flows nicely from one topic to the next, complemented by the ample diagrams and photos. It's rare that I find myself not wanting to put down a industrial textbook, but this one kept me turning pages.The book deals primarily with the 'theoretical' side of auto mechanics, meaning that it answers questions like 'What is x?', 'What does y do?', and 'Why did they do z this way?' rather than 'How do I fix component x on a y model car built in year z?' But the text is plainly oriented toward working mechanics (unlike Bosch's Automotive Handbook), offering much practical info as well as many general rules and guidelines of interest to mechanics.In short, if you want to learn how automobiles work with a view toward fixing them, you can't go wrong with this book. If you were born with a wrench in your hand, you probably won't learn a lot here, but anyone else from neophyte to advanced intermediate will get his money's worth. | 4 |
Great Book
This is an excellent book that explains the purpose, function, and development of every aspect of a car from the beginning right up to the complicated vehicle systems of today. It is easy to read and features plenty of illustrations and diagrams taken right from car manufacturers. I found that many of the parts illustrated in the book appeared exaclty as they did in my own engine, making it very easy to apply the book to your own car. This book is suitable for anyone, no matter how much or little they currently know, who wants to learn more about cars. I gave it a 4 out of 5 because I felt that certain explainations could have been clearer, but that is the only fault of this book. It should also be noted that this is not a "how-to" book. It explains how an engine works, but if you're looking to learn how to perform repairs etc., that is beyond the scope of this book. | 3 |
Excellent book, but too much detail for beginners
This book provides excellent explanations and great diagrams. But I feel that it provides so many details that it can be very confusing for a beginner like me. For example, the book devotes 6 pages of the first 40 pages to just piston rings! I set out with the goal of understanding roughly how all of the parts of a car fit together and was overwhelmed with minutia about piston design. And it talks about the different procedures used to make different parts (whether they're cast iron or die-cast metal or pressure cast or pressed or forged or drop-forged or cam-ground, etc.) without describing what these mean (or, more importantly, the physical differences of the result, which is what presumably makes it worth knowing how each is made). I think the book would be significantly improved if it were reorganized to provide an introductory chapter of how the major parts of the car work (explain the four-stroke engine, for example, without mentioning considerations in piston shape and without distractions like discussing two-stroke engines, etc.) It seems like you have to read all 600 pages before everything starts to fit together. I would also like to see more discussion about why certain features make cars faster. Rather than just a taxonomy of the ways to design a certain part, I'd like to understand how the design choice affects the overall car. For example, when I go to the website of a car manufacturer and see the extra features in the sports-car version of a vehicle, I'd like to understand why exactly those make the car faster. | 4 |
This book is wide in scope and easy to understand.
This is that rare type of technical book which one might choose to read purely for pleasure. I searched local bookstores for a single volume which contained fundamental information of all automotive systems and could find nothing. This book has it all. It is writtten in language which any person of average intelligence can understand and is illustrated throughout. I would recommend it to anyone who feels his or her knowledge of automobiles is weak. | 4 |
Fascinating book !!!
This is a really good book !! Stockel explain step by step how automobiles systems work with each other in a very understandable way. Even if you have no experience with cars mechanics, you will like this book. I just bought the second part: Autorepair fundamentals, hoping to find it as good as the first part. Two greassy thumbs up !! | 4 |
This is a must for any real car enthusiast!
Reading 'Auto Fundamentals' is like taking a college Auto Tech class at your own leasure! Pretty much every question you have about the fundamental automotive systems WILL be answered by the time you finish this textbook. This is an absolute must-read for anyone looking to get into an automotive field, no matter what branch. Plenty of pictures (with thier own accompanying explanations) are placed throughout the book to give you plenty of visual aides to go along with the text. Although this is an excellent read, there are a few parts of the book that can overwhelm you (eg. automatic transmissions/transaxles and power steering systems we're so over my head I had to skip those chapters). The author goes into extreme detail at the beginning of the book, but that detail kind of tapers off near the end. Not so much that you won't be able to comprehend what your reading, but enough that it may get a little frustrating to read. I'm still giving this 5 stars though, it more than deserves it for it's wide variety of content and (for the most part) clarity. | 4 |
Outstanding!!
This book is a good read for anyone who has an interest in automotive technology/mechanics. A begineer/novice will learn an immense amout, and an advanced person will find this book to be a good referance. It can be read front-to-back, or by individual chapters. Each chapter isolates a particular area of a vehicle and then proceeds to break it down. Truly a great book. | 4 |
This book is just incredible
I purchased this book to gain a better understanding of the inner workings of engines. I was a bit hesitant at first because of the somewhat high price tag, but after reading only the first part of the book, the amount of knowledge I have gained is priceless. The book is incredibly detailed but everything is explained quite clearly and in easy to understand laymans terms. The authors have taken a very technical engineering subject and have successfully made it enjoyable to read. The abundance and clarity of diagrams and technical cut-away drawings in the book is astounding. Everytime I turn the page I found myself saying 'Wow!', then spending 10 minutes looking at all the cool pictures before I begin reading. If you are thinking about becoming a do-it-yourself mechanic or just want to know anything and everything about the workings of automobiles, this book is excellent. | 4 |
Awesome book!
As an avid car lover, I have always wanted to know what makes them "tick". With literally no prior automotive experience, this book fit my needs exactly! You, too, will be talking "compression ratios" and "camshafts" in no time at all! And this book makes it fun to learn, easy to learn, and is simply enjoyable to read, put down for a bit, read some more, etc....I looked at several other books as well (Bosch, ACE, etc.), but this is the best $40 I have ever spent!Now, I'll be able to talk with the mechanics about my repairs, and help to make sure I am not getting taken for a ride! Plus, I can now understand what makes my 'Vette go 180+ mph! Yeee-Hah! | 4 |
Excellent textbook that complements a shop manual perfectly
I've always been interested in cars but never knew very much about what was under the hood other than the very basics. All I'd previously done to my cars is top off any fluids, change burned out bulbs and change flat tires. So, I finally decided to learn about cars and do some maintenance myself which led to this book. It took me a full year to read completely (maybe 2 months actually reading) but with a new baby and a move to a new house mixed in, I think I did pretty well! I was very serious about learning and that is almost a requirement as this book is very detailed and needs to be studied in many areas to really understand the concepts, especially if you have nothing else to go on.This is a multi-semester text book intended for students in an auto shop class that covers all automotive systems from engine internals to wiring to air conditioning. Everything is covered in detail with multiple designs of components covered where appropriate.My only complaints are that many times the text references figures that are on the next page so there's a lot of flipping back and forth. Also, some illustrations are a little difficult to make out to really visualize a complex part while some exploded views (many direct from manufacturers) are so overly detailed that the important information discussed in the text is lost.These are small gripes though as the few gaps left from a few sections with bad drawings can be supplemented with an internet image or animation from sites like howstuffworks.com. These really help with things like differentials and transmissions.Otherwise, armed with the knowledge in this book you will have no problem understanding any shop manual and doing most auto maintenance yourself. Where the Haynes manual you buy at the auto parts store goes over your specific car and what bolts to loosen to fix whatever and the torque required when you bolt it back together, this book goes into much more detail on all systems in a more general but complete way. It doesn't assume you know any of the basics. The layout is pretty good too. Things are broken up so you don't have a lot of very detailed chapters all bunched up like engine internals, carburetors and transmissions. They are seperated by chapters like Tool identification and use, electricity fundamentals and wheel alignment. The best part is how everything builds on previous chapters or sections. For example, the engine internals section starts with just a piston in a cylinder, then they add valves, then cooling, then timing for those valves, etc until all the major components are added to the final engine drawing.I can't say enough good things about this book. It's obviously a mature work (previous edition copyrights go back to 1963!) and I can't see much that can be improved. So buy this book, a service manual for your car, a jack and some tools from Sears and do your own work and be able to knowledgeably discuss more complex procedures with your mechanic when it comes to that. Also find a forum on the internet for your car (such as automotiveforums.com) for help troubleshooting. | 4 |
Patent Attorney
I am new patent attorney working on patent applications related to the automotive industry. I was looking for a great book that was easy to understand and had tons of diagrams. I have found it!!!! | 4 |
Great reference
I am an enter level weekend mechanic. This book has pretty much everything I want to know how a car works. You can find every car parts with explanation in this book. Love it. A must have for anyone who is interested in automobile mechanic. | 4 |
Very great book for automotive.
This book has alot of good information about automotive technology. It has the basics and foundation to get you started in your career as a technician or if your just curious about the industry in general. Great book. | 4 |
Are You Into A Lot of Diagrams?
Using many diagrams and a utilitarian style, this book aims to train future mechanics. No chances are taken ("inverted" is defined) and no fact is too obvious (dipsticks are explained). The authors struggle with the science: the two contradictory conventions for depicting current flow are explained as an ongoing scientific controversy; engine oils are "distillated".There's nothing special about the content; it follows the format of the ASE auto tech tests. The abundant manufacturers' diagrams help, but I feel sorry for anyone forced to learn from this book. | 2 |
Very Good Read
I don't know a whole lot about what is going on under the hood, so I got this book and it explains things very clearly. I am very satisfied with my purchase. | 4 |
Comprehensive Resource
I bought this book to go beyond my very basic understanding of engines. thumbed through the pages and found myself mezmorized by all the great information. My copy is an older edition, but still very relevant to all vehicles. It's a shame though, the book arrived in great condition and fast, however, this is definitely one book that will get referred to and used frequently so I don't know how long that great condition will last. | 4 |
So helpful
This book was so helpful for my son. He used it as a second book to use at home. Its the book he uses in Auto Shop. It helped him keep up with his work. | 4 |
i'm exsited to get though this book!
i got this book and read though the first chapter. and it's really explanatory down to earth and easy to understand. I'm existed to go though it this semester. i would recommend this to people like me that don't know anything about engines. | 4 |
Excellent book
This book provides an explanation of just about every bolt in an engine. To be honest, before I read this book, I didn't even know what a oil filter was, but now I can identify countless components and their uses. I never thought I would know what a connecting rod precision insert bearing locator tab was, but now I do.This book covers everything, including engine, exhaust, electrical, coolant, suspention, braking, etc. It's even got a complete crash-course on basic electricity. Best of all, it's easy to understand, and is loaded full of diagrams. Must have for persons getting into an automotive field. | 4 |
Great Book
I am not, in any way or fashion, an automotive expert. In that sense, this book was exactly what I was looking for. The book gives great explanations on every aspect of the car in ordinary terms, but still discusses the more complex systems in advanced terms. Until now, I wasn't able to find the right level for my automotive knowledge: past-beginner but not quite mechanical engineer. | 3 |
An excellent book!!
I learned everything about cars from this books. The colors diagrams are very clear, and the text is novice-friendly. For car enthusiasts and people who've just grown fond of cars, this is an excellent starting point. I've recommended this book to at least two friends. | 4 |
Well done
Finally a book that describes the complete mechanics of a car. It has excellent drawings, and the information is well presented, and easy to follow. Especially usefull for "weekend mechanics" (like me) who enjoy working on a engine, but sometimes find themselves confronted with some or other problem. This book will give all the answers and wil be usefull even for complicated jobs. It even has chapters on electronics, and a whole range of "gadgets" subjects found in new models. | 4 |
Auto mechanics explained
For the reader who is looking to finally understand precisely what is going on under the hood of the family car, this is the book for you. The authors methodically cover every component and system in today's automobiles, starting with the very basics and continuing on to the operational details. This book is also full of clear illustrations and photographs that really help one follow the text. One can get as much or as little out of this book as one wants. It also serves as a great reference book complete with a fairly exhaustive glossary and metric conversion tables. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to better understand the operation of his or her car. | 4 |
A comprehensive book for all mechanics
This book explains in detail almost anything a person would want to know about cars. It is great for the beginner to the intermediate mechanic. The color illustrations explain visually everything taught by the book. | 4 |
Wow, this book is amazing!
Don't let the name fool you, this book will actually go a bit beyond the fundamentals and will do it all in a way where you don't have to have any previous experience to begin reading this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about cars. It's very updated and very extensive. GREAT BOOK! | 4 |
Great attention to detail
This book has clear explanations of the form and function of all the fundamental auto parts. Excellent for the beginner and a good reference for the intermediate and advanced auto geeks. | 4 |
Great Reference Book!
My wife and I spent the weekend getting the alternator replaced in 1997 Altima. My wife ask me what the alternator was and I didn't have a clue. I hit the book store that day and looked at a huge number of books. No other book went into the level of detail I wanted about alternators. What's it purpose? Where is it located? What can go wrong with it? All this is covered in Stockel's book and about every part of the car. | 4 |
Excellent in-depth book
This book covered everything I wanted to know (and more) about how carswork. It's detailed and can get quite technical but if you can getthrough it, you'll have a good understanding of auto-mechanics.This is a text-book for high-school Auto Mechanics courses andcovers every aspect of how cars work. There are definitely quickerand easier car books to read but if you really want to understandAuto Mechanics, it's a good read. | 4 |
study time
I'm reading the book right know and it's very informative. It is indeed a textbook and has to be read carefully and more than once to grasp the principles of the complex automobile. So if you're serious about learning cars, get the book, and set some time(like a class)aside to be able to grasp the information. | 4 |
Perfect to Learn the Basics to Advanced
This is an excellent book to learn the basics of how the different mechanisms of a car operate and how they all work together. It also expands into more advanced subjects, but still uses laymen terms so that even a novice can follow. It covers both old and modern technologies. This is written in a text book format which makes it easy, in my opinion, to follow the progressive logic. I wish I had this when I was 16 years old! | 4 |
A Missed Opportunity
Within the corpus of technical American fly-fishing literature an innovative and influential text on the finer aspects of flat-water trout angling eludes us. For years I anxiously awaited "Spring Creeks" and had automatically incucted Lawson into the "KLM club" (i.e. the best American fly-fishing authors to date: Kreh, LaFontaine, and Marinaro). Unfortunately, this book is a missed opportunity and certianly does not deserve a "must read" distinction.Why have I elected to write such a harsh criticism of Lawson's "Spring Creeks?" Foremost, Lawson has been working on this project for a long time (10 or more years I belive), which provides ample opportunity for critical and innovative research. Additionally, he has the best labratory imaginable--Harriman State Park on the Henry's Fork. These two factors, I argue, should have resulted in something new and profound (e.g. fly design theory pertaining to flat-water trout, technical "how to" features that expand upon current tactics, unique insect and trout behavior, and more) but "Spring Creeks" is largely anecdotal and undisciplined; more importantly, it does not expand upon the previous contributions provided by other authors. A beautiful book it is, a fine addition to any angling library--sure, but a text that consumes one's free time--no. | 2 |
Beautifully photographed, Highly Informative
This is a fantastic book for those seeking to build a deeper understanding of the ecology, entomology and fly fishing techniques for spring creeks and tailwaters. The book is so informative that its information is useful for any type of trout water. The author writes in an understandable and enjoyable way. This is a nice bonus since some of the more advanced fly fishing books tend to get ponderous. This one does not. A great book and a proud addition to my library! | 4 |
Great
Superb book. The author is the master of spring creek and tail waters and explains all that very well to the reader. Pictures are fantastic.Every fly fisherman, experienced or novice, needs to have this book. | 4 |
Great reference
I think I have learned something from virtually every page. This book is absolutely fantastic and belongs on every fly fisherman's or fisherwoman's bookshelf. | 4 |
A must read--carefully--for trout anglers
Except for the last 1/4th, whichis more directly instructional, Lawson writes in a casual conversational style that must be read carefully to pick up many little bits of information and insight. He credits others for all his know-how, but I watched him fish a difficult stretch in front of his shop. He and Will Godfrey were the only ones who caught anything that afternoon. He knows western spring creeks as few others do. One minor criticism--he mentions midwestern spring creeks only in passing. (He also ignores his own advice concerning red shirts.) | 4 |
Very detailed, very severe, very diligent
Some say Sinclair Lewis' talent declined with every major work of his in the '20s. Certainly, Mark Schorer's 1961 biography, a decade after Lewis' death, promoted this argument. It helped diminish the already fading legacy of this chronicler of Americana. Like John Dos Passos' "contemporary chronicles," Lewis heard the post-WWI era and transcribed it vividly, full of detail, but so much that it threatened to overwhelm its message, as the medium dominated by its massive, rapid, chattering, and certainly frenetic pace. Both outlived early success. Lewis seems nearly as ignored by many today as "Dos."As for me, I like this sociological strain in lit despite its flaws. Schorer locates in Lewis' first novel (1914) his characteristic contribution: romantic as it looked backwards, a "coy sentimentality" that crept into the naturalism and realism that he pursued archly but with an underlying unease. Melodrama played off unsparingly imitated American speech, pop culture contending with idealism.By thirty-five, before "Main Street" sent him skyrocketing, this prolific plot spinner's stories betrayed contrivance and fixation: "The audience he was addressing demanded the explicit, the demonstrated, the heavily documented, the overdrawn and the broad. The style, like the man, was made." (241)It made him a millionaire many times over. Philandering, scoffing, a bore, a scold, he defied his critics and proclaimed his genius to all. He continued to live out of hotels or with friends, but he kept moving as he promoted himself for a Pulitzer (and after "Babbitt" was passed over, he wished to get it for "Arrowsmith" so he could then turn it down) or Nobel. He continued to pile up floor plans, indices, jargon, consultants, and collaborators to assist him with his busy dramatizations of realtors, bacteriologists, preachers, and manufacturers. Schorer post-"Arrowsmith" sums up Lewis, monocled and spat-wearing, at his '20s peak: "Attacking materialism, he doubled his bank account." (415)Even with that third novelistic success, Lewis knew the run wouldn't last. He confided that "Babbitt" was what he'd be best known by and that "Arrowsmith" remained his favorite. "Elmer Gantry" gave another title to the demotic, but the predictable immersion in research, Schorer avers, resulted only in another static plot: the trap of detail that confirmed only what Lewis wished it to. By "Dodsworth," its European setting shared Lewis' own aspirations to a parody of his rambling, part-poetic, part-satirical, yet mechanical and imperfectly plotted evocations of success. A success he, as "The Nation" summed up in 1927, craved as "proletarian plutocrat, bourgeois gypsy, patriotic expatriate, unmannerly critic of manners, and loud-speaking champion of the subdued voice." (qtd. 483)With the Nobel Prize won in 1930, Lewis felt the long slide down. His drinking, the failure of two marriages due to his peripatetic infidelity, his inability to settle down and leave behind his cruel gifts of unedited imitation and louche garrulousness, his derision, his self-lacerating moments: it wore him down, and wears us down. Schorer shows how Lewis struggled to capture the downside, the fate of labor in the Depression, a topic that predated it and that he'd longed to write about, but he failed. Did "It Can't Happen Here" (see my review in Aug. 2012) channeled some of his heartfelt passion for common folks into his last bestseller?Lewis dismissed this chart-topper, even if he kept writing. Two years later, he met a seventeen-year old amateur actress, and he fell in love. Even if Marcella Powers' hold over him did not keep him from letting her arrange liaisons with men closer to her age than the fifty-something celebrity, he managed to find contentment for a while, and with her mother as a companion-housekeeper now and then. He courted conventionality even as he, like so many American observers, found eventually a vantage point abroad. The second postwar era could not compete with the mores, the slang, the patter he captured of the first. He died after Florentine lassitude in a hospital on the Roman outskirts, of paralysis of the heart.Schorer places him within the tradition of those who examined social class, the final follower of Thoreau, Whitman, and the early Twain to find a wide audience. Like them, he championed the individual's attempt to break out of routine; the system, society, it seemed, hammered the rebel down. While the "worst writer" in modern American literature, in his biographer's memorable conclusion, Lewis nevertheless sought to remind us of the forces of our nation, and he shaped its literary culture.The book that looks at Lewis delves into intricate detail, from schoolboy marginalia to often awful poetry, from garrulous letters to colleagues' catty reminiscences. Many call Schorer's biography, nine years in the making, a hatchet job, with a marked distaste for its yammering, bumptious, yearning subject. Certainly, the relentless, obsessive nature of Schorer's quest to know Lewis from his every scribble shows a determination, beyond even scholarly precision, to peer into Lewis' hidden strife.However, I find sympathy: Schorer as a near native neighbor--from Sauk City WN to match Lewis' Gopher Prairie neé Sauk Centre MN--went to Harvard; Lewis to Yale. His diligent biographer after a Wisconsin Ph.D. then taught at Dartmouth and Harvard before he chaired Berkeley's English Department in the first half of the '60s. This context allows Schorer to enter into Lewis' Ivy League dissidence, his Carmel-by-the-Sea "Hobohemia," New Thought flirtations and "New Masses" rejections after Yale, and their contrasts with a Main Street-oriented outlook looking to the frontier, but pulled East as his American, if indelibly Midwestern no matter where he roamed, predicament. Schorer's correct: early readers of "Main Street" weren't sure if Lewis meant to caricature Carol Kennicott or to praise her, but the novel captures her stasis as much as Doc Will's: both made Lewis.While Lewis knew every nook of his hometown, he "had never possessed it, nor it him: the result was that he could never really leave it." (10) Mocked as a "Moon-Calf," embodying the gawky, red-headed jape, Lewis represented the lanky literary lumpish farmboy braying in New Haven or Greenwich. In college diaries, he limited his revelations of despair. He scattered seven lean years before his first novel, of cattle-ship voyages, off-on magazine yarns, grunt-level journalism, virginal swooning, gauche flirtation, mooching (Californian bohemians and sponsors, dad), and earnest patronage. Lewis' self-censorship, for Schorer, portends "perhaps the kind of novelist he would become: one who could never be able to project in art the forms of his suffering, one who would never wish to allow--if he could--his writing to confront his subjectivity--if it was there." (56-57)The nature of that claim, in the dashed qualifiers, shows its hesitancy. I limn more self-awareness in his conflicted characters than Schorer, however exacting his scrutiny of every scrap from Lewis he tracks down, slots, and interprets. His biographer hears "a life of noisy desperation" in this admirer of Thoreau; Clifton Fadiman called Lewis a "Mercutio of the prairies," exhausting in his rhetorical excess. So far, if from more limited reading and that gleaned from some of his most prominent novels' protagonists, I sense sympathy within the satire; Lewis cocked his ear closely, even if he couldn't hear himself as much. | 3 |
Hard to take, harder to forget, impossible to ignore
It feels weird even trying to review this book, but since no one else has, I thought I'd give it a shot. Sotos is one of a kind and his work is a sexual ground zero; he writes the most disturbing, provocative material (this book, as well as his other ones - TOTAL ABUSE, SPECIAL, and LAZY) about sex and pornography available today. He could be called a misogynist, a racist and a homophobe, except his disdain for humanity in general is so apparent that I'd just call him a misanthrope. As precise and articulate as he is (possibly) insane, Sotos may well be the De Sade or Bataille for the 21st century. | 3 |
Sotos is great, but he's no Bataille
As a sort of cultural compass that points to a very odd magnetic south, Sotos is fairly without peer. His earlier writings are by nature, more vitriolic; this book shows his matured writing style and personally I find it more disturbing than his former "shock for shock's sake" style. He's also lost some of the irritating "serial killer fanboy" tinge he had. Total Abuse should still be sought out though, to trace the course his writings have taken.When discussing the gray areas that humanity slips into, Sotos is perfect. I love his work, and though I love him, I see him as being closer to de Sade than to Bataille. Nothing wrong with that, however! | 2 |
Vile, Cowardly, and (Ultimately) Truly "Misogynistic"
The "flatline" of the "voice" in his prose gains momentum, pushes through chapters (4 parts), and then . . . ends.That's it."Curious" parties may want to check out the interview with "PROTESTOS" [an anagram of his "name" -- whatever THAT means!] in Adam Parfrey's collection "Apocalypse Culture." The interviewer, querying "PROTESTOS" around-abouts the time of his "broken-minded" pub. "Pure" narrowly-avoiding [beyond "obscenity"] prosecution, maintains a "HOW do you ... like, EXIST?" tone throughout the (admittedly brief) convo, while "PROTESTOS" blithely rattles off such choice quotes as "Hitler & Himmler are great geniuses whom I admire" and "Women [are] dogs, of course ... except for my uses [for them --guess which THOSE would be?]."Of course, the way these things work -- like all "limits," including the need for "control" [as Burroughs readers & Jarmusch fans well know] -- one ends up, if nothing else, giving oneself away, boxing oneself in, stuck with only ... one's "SELF"!HENCE: this lil' concept I, myself, have come up with called: "motivational fingerprints" (sort of like "C.S.I.," but simply & purely a case of "who" would be behind the "why" of whatever-it-is)."WOMEN ARE MEAT / LEGALIZE RIPE" it read in pencilled hand-lettering in the Reynolds Club foyer at the University of Chicago circa '92 or so [I was a student there, at the time; and, no, whomever-it-was didn't misspell the last word, there ... but, why quote it exactly?]."Lil' beyond the standard frat-boy chauvinism," I remember thinking at the time.WHICH IS TO SAY: "Uh ... at best ... !"----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN "NON-COWARDICE":[1.]Demonlover (Unrated Director's Cut)[2.]In Extremis: The Most Extreme Short Stories of John Shirley[3.]Why Bother[4.]War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning[5.]Writ In Blood: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain[6.]Carrion Comfort[7.]Scared Stiff: Tales of Sex and Death[8.]THE INHUMAN CONDITION[9.]Gravity's Rainbow (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)[10.](NEUROMANCER ) BY Gibson, William (Author) Paperback Published on (07 , 2000) | 0 |
Give it a break, Sotos!
At one time shocking and confrontational, Sotos seems content on taking us to the same ol' places in a cut-up, avant garde style. One would have a time coming up with a follow-up after "Total Abuse" and "Pure" magazine, however. | 1 |
Lahaina in Watercolor
I was looking for a Watercolor Workshop for the Island of Kauai just to get some angles on painting the Islands this was the closest I came to finding one. I have been to both Islands, Kauai and Maui. This is okay as far as the Ocean content however there is not the Tropical Beauty that the Island of Kauai holds. There is a page or 2 of Downtown Lahaina but for the very most part the book is mostly about boats in the ocean. Well what did I expect? Maui does just not hold the same beauty as the Beautiful Lush Tropical Kauai. Almost all the content that my Husband and I had on film was taken when he died by family member's who while in our home at the time of this Death took all our Digital Camera's with 14 year's worth of Island Summer Vacations Disks etc., that we had taken while on the Island of Kauai. Otherwise I would use the pictures we took while there for a good Watercolor reference but they are gone and all I have to draw on now is my memory. Anyway I think this is a very nicely done Book, it's perfect for a Coffee Table conversation piece, in a Doctor's Office etc. Not a good reference for Island Travel Guide. The Paintings in this Book are nice, bright and easly to follow for some different angle's on Painting Ocean's.I have purchased several of these type of Sketchbooks from different places all over the World, this one is very nice I would have liked to see a bit more Island content however. These Sketchbooks are interesting, I have truly enjoyed looking at different places we have traveled to in the World from someone else's prospective in "Sketching" I only wish I had thought of that myself. | 4 |
A fascinating look at bears from a different perspective
From the Canadian Annual Book Review - by Patrick Colgan:This richly illustrated book opens with a map and chronology of artist Maureen Enns' travels in Western Canada. The flowing and candid accounts of these travels include discussions of the biology and management of bears; bears training aand relocation; the high wilderness and its wildlife; and the political, financial, and logistical frustrations of arranging filming and sketching (Grizzly Kingdom is linked with a televison documentary and a series of paintings of bears). The closing material includes a useful set of backcountry tips, a strategy for saving bear habitat, addresses of relevant conservation groups, and a bibliography.From the Saskatoon Sun - by Tom LoranPeople who have not had a lot of experience with bears seem, in general, to be petrified of them. That was the case with Maureen Enns. And her terror was magniied many times over when it came to grizzlies. But today, Enns can sit almost beside a grizzly in the wild and talk to it. What made the difference? Enns is a painter and wanted to do something about the big bears which are under threat across North America, even with very rigidly controlled hunting. To do something, she had to understand the animals, and to do that, she had to go out to them, and spend time with them. So Enns got permission to go into the backcountry of Banff National Park and use park facilities while there. The result was a greater understanding and appreciation of the silvertip, a collection of art and a book describing her fears and her experiences and including some of her art. | 4 |
Disappointing
I expected to see several drawings or sketches of grizzlies and found interpretive art - not what I expected, nor cared for. | 2 |
SM Sex Through the Ages
There are six novelletes in this book, the stories being set from Ancient Rome to the next century. The extremes of torture as eroticism are explored, not always with happy results, just about never with consensuality: that's what makes for the plots. This is not a book about happy, carefree people having lovely fun: its the dark side, and if that is your thing you will probably enjoy it. If you are only willing to entertain the politically correct, then avoid this book by all means and read Rebbeca of Sunnybrook Farm Does Dallas. Oh yeah; this is Gay SM, not Straight. They are very different fantasies, so be aware of that. Also, if you are looking for an introduction to the topic, this is not it: go to a primer. This is not stuff to try at home, nor is it for kids. But it is recommended for those who (a) understand what it is about, and (b) like this sort of reading.Mason Powell | 3 |
An incredible educational journey for children that works!
What a cute little book, with beautiful illustrations and catchy music. I sent the MATTHEW book to my two small grandsons, and could not believe how well it grabbed their attention, but more importantly, was so impressed when the 3 year old began to count in Spanish and German. It has become their favorite book, and they cannot wait for future additions of Matthew's Travels. | 4 |
boring
Not much to this story...3 & 6 year old did not enjoy it. The illustrations are actually ugly. (No talent) I would not buy this again for anyone of any age. | 0 |
near-enough-is-good-enough...NOT
This book and tape set came highly recommended, and I did find the diction and sound quality clear. That and the very simple format make it suitable for pre-schoolers.As far as the quality of information provided goes: I should be used to it, but I'm not. Totally wrong pronounciation for the Chinese word "dui" (repeated in the chorus jingle on every page), inauthentic chop-suey Asian music, bogus pronunciations of "Matthew"'s name in languages which have no "th" sound -- if this is internationalization then I guess green tea tastes like cola!Some of the tape time taken up with an adult-oriented song promo of PC values could have been used instead to provide a chunk of real music representing each country, instead of the brief, unidentified bitelet provided.Sorry to sound so condemning -- if you feel you can overlook the cliches and the inaccuracies, you will at least have a product which is honestly aimed at the simple needs of the under-5 set. | 1 |
A "fun" introduction to international culture for small kids
My children (ages 5 and 3) love this book and I enjoy it too. Matthew visits several countries and continents. The book includes a cassette tape and children can sing catchy lyrics and count in the different languages with Matthew. Matthew also announces his favorite food in each country. This is a great way to introduce small children to international culture.I hope this is the first in a series so my children can enjoy more Matthew. | 4 |
AN INNOVATIVE CONCEPT IN LEARNING - CONNIE MC HUGH DID IT!!
A fresh example of children's literature utilizing sensory effects to the fullest! While introducing music, rhythm, and adventure, Connie Kawehi Mc Hugh bridges the gap between a geography lesson and a child's sense of adventure, curiosity, and energy. New standards in education are currently being reviewed and introduced globally. The United States has been working diligently setting a criterion. The New Jesrey Core Curriculum Standards have already incorporated more geography, social studies, and foreign language. Connie Kawehi Mc High's first in a series of learning adventures helps to link these stanards in a way NO CHILD COULD RESIST. While the introduction to a whole new world for yound children can be overwhelming, her book touches the reader in a way any child will be sure to want to TRAVEL WITH MATTHEW and EXPLORE THEIR WORLD. It is certainly a VALUABLE TEACHING RESOURCE which helps to make their initiation into our multi-cultural world a little cozier. The illustrations are colorful and warm. MATTHEW TRAVELED AROUND THE WORLD also comes complete with a read along musical cassette which also teaches pre-schoolers and young children reading, counting, and foreign languages while singing, dancing, and marching to lively rhythms of Connie's ORIGINAL MUSIC representing fascinationg regions around the world. LANGUAGE FLASH CARDS are also provided for each country. Volume I includes visits to Mexico, Brazil, Itlay, China, Japan, Australia, Africa, Antarctica and Hawaii. | 4 |
Musical---fun to sing along with!
I found this book very entertaining. The music was excellent and had very high quality. The illustrations were plentiful and professionally prepared. I recommend this book highly! | 4 |
So Cute!
This book was adorable! My child absolutely LOVED it! I highly highly recommend it! The illustrations are amazing, and easy for a child to understand. I enjoyed the book myself, not only my children! Great idea! | 4 |
A "fun" introduction to international culture for small kids
My children (ages 5 and 3) love this book and I enjoy it too. Matthew visits several countries and continents. The book includes a cassette tape and children can sing catchy lyrics and count in the different languages with Matthew. Matthew also announces his favorite food in each country. This is a great way to introduce small children to international culture.I hope this is the first in a series so my children can enjoy more Matthew. | 4 |
A good introduction to a mind-bending subject.
Trying to learn Georgian is like banging your head off the wall. It is an incredibly difficult language, the main problem being the verb, which frequently must agree with the subject, the direct object and the indirect object. Not only that, but verbs can take different cases depending on what tense they are in.But if you still want to learn Georgian after all that, this is a good book to use. The dialogues are interesting, the vocabulary rich and varied, and the exercises are quite funny.Learning Georgian is no lark, but this is a well designed book that can help the persistent learner on his way. I'm on chapter seven, but I still have a lot to learn.jalian kargi cignia (It's a very good book) | 3 |
Coming from a Georgian Pofessor...
Professor George Hewitt obviously did not condescend to have his manuscript checked by a native speaker. probably having assumed his knowledge of Georgian is flawless. BUT GEORGIANS DO NOT SPEAK THE WAY MR. HEWITT ASSUMES THEY DO! Besides numerous grammatical mistakes, many syntactically clumsy sentences can be understood only if they are translated verbatim back into English. The author constantly mixes different speech styles, polite formulas with rude or substandard expressions. Here is a piece of "friendly" conversation among two students: "Oh dear, what are those boils (that have) popped out on your face?!", asked one student. "There are no pimples (on my face), you good for nothing", retaliates the latter. The Georgian equivalent of "good for nothing" is far more insulting and far less expected to be used among friends than in English.The book also contains a number of thoroughly politicized dialogues that refer to extremely complex and sensitive political and ethnic problems plaguing contemporary Georgia. The author, however, has no problem finding the "right" answers and never hesitates to offer (through the mouth of his fictional characters) "wise" advise to Georgians, who are invariably presented as obnoxious, servile, and vulgar. On page 172, a Georgian congratulates his British acquaintance who "has guessed the Georgians' boastfulness. In another dialogue a speaker asks his friend: "Was it our obnoxious character that caused the mistakes we made?" (page 334) A certain Paata is telling his interlocutor (his boss or someone his senior) that he, just like every Georgian, "doesn't give a damn" what the words on his T-shirt mean, as long as it is foreign made (page 191) The Georgian equivalent of the expression "don't give a damn" (literally "it's hanging on my legs") is much ruder than the English, and nobody would use it while speaking to his superior, unless one would want to be intentionally rude.In order to demonstrate a certain type of verb conjugation, Professor Hewitt found it admissible to use the obscenities "you pee" and "you take a crap", which he translates as "you urinate" and "you defecate" respectively (page 52). One can imagine how embarrassed a person would find himself if he were to use these words in a conversation with a doctor, for instance. Professor Hewitt must have decide to "improve" even Georgian folklore and has transformed a humorous tongue twister: " A frog is croaking in the water" into " A frog is croaking in the putrid water" (page 5). An English speaker would certainly be surprised to read something like: " Peter Piper Picked a peck of putrid peppers". Professor Hewitt is known as a talented linguist and it is a pity that he has disgraced himself by writing a textbook which is insulting and humiliating the people whose language he is supposed to be teaching to unsuspecting students. Furthermore, Georgian a Learner's Grammar should be subtitled "Hate the Georgians!" Such a title would best reflect the sense of venom which permeates the entire book. Sincerely, Professor Dodona Kiziria Indiana University | 0 |
Learner's grammar is an improper title
Hewitt's book may be considered useful as long as you need only an exhaustive and detailed description of Georgian grammar but you will never learn Gerogian with it. The book completely lacks an effective and efficient language teaching method and is very poor didactically for many reasons, among which the following, that immediately catch the eyes: a) the texts and the words in the first lessons are given in latin transliteration only - a very confusing transliteration indeed! - without the corresponding Georgian; switching to Georgian in further lessons is almost shocking. b) The abundant and complex grammar information (nouns, verbs, declensions...) are cumulated without the clarity necessary for learning (no tables, no schemes). c) The dialogues, translated only in the first lessons, are pointless, even sensless, and abstract from real conversation topics; you come out with the impressions that Goergians can't do anything but sitting on the grass! In complete desperation, I have quitted reading Hewitt's grammar after the very second lesson and I've switched to a very good grammar in Russian edition Hewitt's grammar is definitively neither optimized for self-learning neither a practical language tutorial! I do not recommend it! | 0 |
Godawful book
If you are interested in learning Georgian, avoid this book! I lived in Tbilisi for two years and studied Georgian with a tutor, who (mercifully) used a locally-produced book that was infinitely more accessible. I already owned the Hewitt text and for awhile I attempted to use it on the side, hoping to flesh out my understanding of Georgian grammar. But I quickly realized just how bad this book was.I found Hewitt's explanations of grammar to be difficult and unhelpful -- perhaps a trained linguist would find this text easier to use, but I (who have no such training) found it merely frustrating. Along the same lines, the transcription he uses for Georgian was confusing in comparison with the way Georgian is "normally" transcribed (why use an "x" for the unvoiced velar fricative, which is much more commonly transcribed as "kh," for instance?).But by far the most annoying thing about this book is the author's choice of examples. Unlike one of the other reviewers, I am in no position to comment on the authenticity or correctness of the grammar, syntax, registers, etc. But I have formally studied a number of other languages, and the sample sentences chosen here are simply some of the worst I have ever seen. For instance, here are a few representative sentences from his "English-Georgian phrase list" at the back of the book:"I don't fancy tripe today.""Without so much as a by-your-leave that woman got up and ran out hell-for-leather -- what's going on?""Let's gather together the relevant documents.""A fish-bone apparently got stuck in her throat."I understand that perhaps Hewitt was trying to illustrate very specific grammatical points here, but couldn't he have made more of an effort to provide examples that are based in the real world of everyday life?If you want to learn Georgian, I would recommend anything BUT this textbook. Howard Aronson's "Georgian: A Reading Grammar" from Slavica Press is much better than this "tripe" which I did not fancy at all. | 0 |
Not really all that suitable for learners
Georgian is unquestionably a difficult language for a lot of reasons. It would be good to have a book that teaches, say, the 1000 most important words, introduces verb conjugations gradually and simplifies a very complicated subject. Although the book does cover a lot of information, it isn't really all that suitable for learners. Perhaps in the next edition it could be revised to simplify the presentation of difficult grammar, to include more repetition of the vocabulary. It could be accompanied by a cassette of the vocabulary and the dialogues. That would make it much more valuable. However, Georgian is not an easy subject to teach and the author deserves commendation for at least making a brave effort. As to the comments of the other reviewers, perhaps they should be less sensitive to perceived slights. Why don't they write a book on Georgian language? Mr Hillary has made it possible for willing students to get a grasp of this fascinating language. | 1 |
How to make the Georgian language even more difficult to learn
I agree with many, at least, of the criticisms already voiced of this book. The presentation is too often indigestible and confusing (for one thing, Hewitt apparently expects the student to learn whole lists of verbs or verbal phrases, including "you scratch your head", "you clean your ear", "you dye your hair" and "you wipe your nose", as examples of particular verb forms), and the dialogues generally seem more Martian than Georgian ("How green the grass is!", etc.). Could the author have been laughing up his sleeve? | 1 |
A shockingly bad book that reflects poorly on Routledge
I was utterly mystified and dismayed when I received my copy of Georgian: A Learner's Grammar. Georgian grammar is inherently difficult to learn, but Hewitt's way of explaining things will go over the heads of everyone except perhaps the most advanced linguist. I studied Georgian for two years before picking up the book and still couldn't make sense of what Hewitt was talking about.What is worse, the vocabulary and phrases he uses as examples are utterly inappropriate for a beginning language textbook. Reading the sample sentences, you would get the impression that Georgians are a crude and violent people. I felt insulted reading this, and I'm not even Georgian! At any rate, there is no way you can use Hewitt to glean the kind of useful everday conversational language that an introductory book like this ought to provide.Routledge, a respected academic publisher, really dropped the ball on this title. There appears to be absolutely no editorial oversight; any self-respecting editor would have refused to publish a book like this. Read Prof. Kiziria's critique below for more details--she really hits the nail on the head. | 0 |
Ok, to an extent
While I understand that Georgian textbooks are a small commodity, it does not mean that one should buy anything about Georgian. I do have a copy of 'Georgian: A Learner's Grammar,' as well as 'Beginner's Georgian,' 'Georgian: A Reading Grammar' and 'Georgian Language and Culture.' As far as this book is concerned, I was not aware of it's short-comings when I bought it. Though I do have the 2005 version as apposed to the earlier version. The 2005 version has been 'revised and corrected' and two Georgian speakers have proof-read the book, but I wouldn't know how much has changed between the two versions and if it has been improved to be a viable textbook. The grammar is comprehensive (though I don't know how correct it is, yet). The explanations are still a little dense and hard to follow. The book attempts to be very through with the grammar that is introduced. I think that is the books greatest flaw. It tries to present so much in such a short time. And the explanations are not the clearest for non-linguists. Also there is no audio for the book. Audio is essential for anyone learning another language, especially one this different from English.I find it very compelling that Dodona Kiziria (a professor of Georgian language, and native speaker!), wrote a review herself, and pointed out the short-comings that us learners could never see ourselves. My thanks to her. Though she did write it about the '96 version, not the revised '05 version.I would steer people towards the other books I cited in my review first, and then if they wish, to use this book (with caution) after getting a good foundation in the language.Georgian: A Reading Grammar, 'Georgian Language and Culture' (which is a bit hard to come-by now-a-days), andBeginner's Georgianare your best bet to start in Georgian. | 1 |
Comprehensive and UTTERLY WORTHLESS!
I bought this book in hopes of learning Georgian when I was 18, and it was way, way, way over my head back then. Now, nearly 10 years later, this book still collects dust, and I've forgotten pretty much everything.The book luckily starts with the alphabet and some easy phrases, but then drops you off in the deep end, introducing rather heavy topics that will go over the heads of anyone who is not extremely well versed in linguistic and grammatical terms (which I now am, yet still loathe this book). The pronunciation is all based on English English, and gives examples which are different in other forms of English, or just obscure.The worst part is that a lot of the material here is not useful outside of the book. Just have a look at the "handy phrases" in the back of the book, if you need any more proof! The explaination of the grammar makes this already daunting language even more difficult, and I'm sure will turn many people off from learning Georgian if they start with this book.One review stated that this "has no serious rival." I hope that will soon change, and some other book will knock this waste of paper off that pedestal. Just because it is the only book on the subject, does not mean that it is good. In fact, in this case, it just flat out sucks, to use the parlance of our times. | 0 |
A good introduction to a mind-bending subject.
Trying to learn Georgian is like banging your head off the wall. It is an incredibly difficult language, the main problem being the verb, which frequently must agree with the subject, the direct object and the indirect object. Not only that, but verbs can take different cases depending on what tense they are in.But if you still want to learn Georgian after all that, this is a good book to use. The dialogues are interesting, the vocabulary rich and varied, and the exercises are quite funny.Learning Georgian is no lark, but this is a well designed book that can help the persistent learner on his way. I'm on chapter seven, but I still have a lot to learn.jalian kargi cignia (It's a very good book) | 3 |
Polyglot
I was looking over the other reviews for this book and I would have to say they're a bit over exaggerated. I'm not a native speaker of Georgian; however, I've been learning for 1 week already and I would have to say this book is very good. It sort of reminds me of the teach yourself series. What I would recommend anyone who uses this book to do, is to make sure they use this book along with other resources. It's a very good book, but I would advise you to use other resources along with it. I felt a bit bad for the reviews this book has received so I thought that I would put my two sense in. Thanks for writing this book for serious Georgian learners Mr. Hewitt.best,Moses M McCormick | 4 |
Interesting, but . . .
THEORY is the third and final volume of Alister McGrath's A SCIENTIFIC THEOLOGY, a work of over 400,000 words. This series seeks to study the methodology of the natural sciences and attempt to correlate and apply them to the study of theology. Prof. McGrath is clear that it isn't a work of systematic theology, but rather a methodological prolegomena to a soon to be published systematic theology. (For some reason, the book jacket for all three volumes describes it as a "systematic theology" anyway.)As I've mentioned in my previous reviews, these books contain numerous interesting background studies that would be of help to anyone interested in the relationship between religion and science. On the other hand, these books come across as something like a collection of encyclopedia articles interspersed with a few observations by Prof. McGrath setting forth his own positions in a somewhat cursory manner.Reviewing the final chapter, entitled "The Place of Metaphysics in a Scientific Theology", shows what is wrong with this work. McGrath discusses Ayer, Mach, Carnap, John Milton, Ritschl, Schleiermacher, Iris Murdoch, Ayn Rand (that's not a misprint), protocol sentences, etc. All of it is highly informative. I didn't know that Milton wrote an anti-metaphysical treatise on theology that wasn't rediscovered until 1823. Yet the points that McGrath makes are relatively few and general: we cannot escape metaphysics, even those who advocate a "functional Christology" are implicitly making metaphysical claims, and the like.The entire series gives indications of being hastily written. Besides being repetitive, it appears that Prof. McGrath has read and written more on these issues than actually thinking about them. For example, on page 272, he states that E. O. Wilson's book CONSCILIENCE is "important" and discusses it in some detail. Yet in volume two, he said that the book was "disappointing." On the next page he tells us that B.B. Warfield was Charles Hodge's "colleague" at Princeton. In fact, Warfield didn't start teaching at Princeton until after Hodge died. | 2 |
Couldn't get enough!! Hope there's a Part 2!!!
There's so much new information that I didn't know even though I followed the case from the beginning. Another wonderful aspect of the book is the way Dave Holloway gives us various theories to consider. He doesn't come out and blame anyone specific. He lays out the facts and lets us come to our own conclusions, while offering different ideas as to what may have happened to his daughter. He is a father who is desperate to find out what happened to his daughter and in writing this book, he is also helping others by donating money to help other families search for their missing loved ones. For those people who thought this was about money, think again! Dave Holloway has done everything he can to find Natalee and writing this book is another way he thought he could get information. With the latest arrest, it seems to be working. People are obviously coming forward with new information! No wonder this book made the New York Times Best Seller List only 4 days after its release! | 4 |
A Must Read Book for all Parents of Teens
Dave Holloway's book chronicles the story of his search to find his daughter against all odds, the greatest obstacle being a corrupt island determined to sacrifice his daughter and protect it's status quo. He speaks passionately within his commitment to his daughter and also his commitment to working with his ex-wife to find her. I found much of his book very insightful in terms of the lack of respect afforded this missing American, the subsequent obstacles their law enforcement place against this family finding their daughter, and the pain and frustration of this ordeal. | 4 |
Best True Crime Book Out There!
"Aruba" is a fantastic timeline of one of the saddest stories that has hit the news in years. The book lets it all be known and the love that Dave Holloway has for his daughter rings through loud and clear. His words are concise and he is careful to let readers decide for themselves what happened by just laying out the facts as they happened. I learned so much even though I had followed the news stories. There were numerous surprises and anyone who reads Aruba will definitely want to join in the boycott against that corrupt little island! Read it. You won't be sorry! | 4 |
Subsets and Splits