The Secret Garden (HarperClassics)

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Mistress Mary is quite contrary until she helps her garden grow. Along the way, she manages to cure her sickly cousin Colin, who is every bit as imperious as she. These two are sullen little peas in a pod, closed up in a gloomy old manor on the Yorkshire moors of England, until a locked-up garden captures their imaginations and puts the blush of a wild rose in their cheeks; "It was the sweetest, most mysterious-looking place any one could imagine. The high walls which shut it in were covered with the leafless stems of roses which were so thick, that they matted together.... 'No wonder it is still,' Mary whispered. 'I am the first person who has spoken here for ten years.'" As new life sprouts from the earth, Mary and Colin's sour natures begin to sweeten. For anyone who has ever felt afraid to live and love, The Secret Garden's portrayal of reawakening spirits will thrill and rejuvenate. Frances Hodgson Burnett creates characters so strong and distinct, young readers continue to identify with them even 85 years after they were conceived. (Ages 9 to 12)

Book Description

When orphaned Mary Lennox, lonely and sad, comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire moors, she finds it full of secrets. At night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors. Outside, she meets Dickon, a magical boy who can charm and talk to animals. Then, one day, with the help of a friendly robin, Mary discovers the most mysterious wonder of all--a secret garden, walled and locked, which has been completely forgotten for years and years. Is everything in the graden dead, or can Mary bring it back to life?

Customer Reviews:

A classic for girls.......2007-09-22

The Secret Garden is a book about a spoiled girl who uncovers the mysteries of the house around her which include, but are not limited too, what is behind the wall, and why is it kept secret. It is a good classic, but girls will enjoy it much more than boys do.

Classic.......2007-08-06

Even if you are an adult you should reread this book. Helps you to see how fun it was to be a kid.

Seeds the child's imagination..........2007-07-29

This has always been one of my favorite books since childhood. When I read my first story in this book it gave me so much inspiration to use my imagination as a child should. A child's imagination is so real! This reality soon takes the form of abstract, which paves the road to anywhere he wants it to go - or not...

The Secret Garden.......2007-07-05

This edition is printed on really cheap, unappealing paper. I can't imagine anyone wanting to give this version of a children's classic as a gift, or even to read from it to a child yourself.

Spellbinding Book.......2007-07-03

This book is the best book I have ever read. It's a light, happy book that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Ilove the theme of hope in the book, that will convince readers about the Magic inside themselves...if they hope. If they believe something will happen, it will. That theme is so beautifully conveyed. I couldn't put it down, and it is most definitely my new favorite book. A MUST READ!!!!!!!!

I ALSO RECCOMEND THE FOLLOWING:
Arthur and the Invisibles, Artemis Fowl Series, The Book Without Words, The Kingdom Keepers, the Prophecy of the Stones, The Game of Sunken PLaces, Midnight Blue

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Secret Garden (The Illus Children's Library)

Average customer rating:

A very fine book to read
One of the best books ever written
Secret Garden

The Secret Garden (The Illus Children's Library)
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0517221152
Release Date: 2002-09-03

Book Description

What secrets lie behind the doors at Misselthwaite manor? Recently arrived at her uncle's estate, orphaned mary Lennox is spoiled, sickly, and certain she won't enjoy living there. Then she discovers the arched doorway into an overgrown garden, shut up since the death of her aunt ten years earlier. Mary soon begins transforming it into a thing of beauty--unaware that she is changing too.

But Missalthwaite hides another secret, as Mary discovers one night. High in a dark room, away from the rest of the house, lies her young cousin Colin, who believes he is an incurable invalid, destined to die young. His tantrums are so frightful, no one can reason with him. If only, Mary hopes, she can get Colin to love the secret garden as much as she does, its magic wil work wonders on him.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

A very fine book to read.......2007-02-08

For anyone who is teaching their 8 or 9 year old how to write this is one fine book to read because it is so well written. I am a homeschooler who is using IEW to teach my children to write and this book is loaded with "dress-ups". All that aside, the story line is captivating, the characters are memorable, and there are lessons to be learned here that will last a lifetime.

One of the best books ever written.......2005-10-02

THIS REVIEW IS ONLY ABOUT THE ORIGINAL VERSION, NOT THE MODERN REWRITE!!!

When I first read this book (at around 9), I loved it because of the main character, Mary. She was described as "disagreeable," but I liked her -- and I was disappointed when she changed from her "contrary" self into a nice little girl. I also loved the other characters (especially Martha, the "sturdy" housemaid and the "robin who showed the way" and Ben Weatherstaff), and the descriptions.

For example, Mary explores Miselthwaite Manor on a rainy day; she's heard that the house has over a hundred rooms-- and the book is so vividly written that all these years later, I can still remember her playing with a set of ivory elephants, finding a mouse and her young family in a sofa....Other vivid small moments are the maid talking about the moors and opening the windows which made me long to go to Yorkshire and breathe in the moor air. THe story itself is quite suspenseful and I loved that, too.

Now that I'm grown up, I still love all those things, but I understand why Mary had to change (though I still wish she hadn't!). Now, parts of the book (like her reaction to the flowers starting to grow in the garden) make me cry -- they're touching and Mary is too. I appreciate the descriptions and characters and plotting even more than I did as a child and agree that this is probably the best children's book ever written -- and one of the best books ever written, too.

It inspired me as a writer. I am the author of BLOW OUT THE MOON, which is also about a contrary child (but an American) who transforms herself as a result of kind-hearted English people in the English countryside. I didn't copy THE SECRET GARDEN, but the English boarding school I went to as a child (which is the subject of Blow Out the Moon) did remind me of that book!

Secret Garden.......2004-12-01

This is a classic book about a girl, Mary, who is forced to go to her uncle's mysterious mansion to live. But when a boy is discovered in a secret passage, Mary gets suspicious, and a little scared.
All that suspicion is gone when the mean gardener tells her the story of a secret garden. Of course, her curiosity gets the better of her and she goes to find it, that is, with the help of her new birdie friend. The two of them embark on a journey that will change their lives.
Every night when I read this book, I could not put it down because it was so good! When you think the problems are over, another one joins in. I enjoyed reading this book, and I hope you do too!

-6th Grade Student-

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Robert Doisneau's Paris
Amazing book!
Paris

Paris
Robert Doisneau
Manufacturer: Flammarion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 2080304917
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Book Description

As a photographer, Robert Doisneau is known for his ability to infuse images of daily life with poetic nuance that imbued his photojournalism with an enduring popular appeal. The unprecedented scope of this collection provides the opportunity to study his more composed, aesthetically structured images alongside his snapshots, which offer a more anecdotal account of Doisneau's Paris. Organized thematically, the book leads us on an entrancing tour through the gardens of Paris, along the Seine, and through the crowds of Parisians who define their beloved city. More than 600 photographs-many rare, forgotten, and previously unpublished-are assembled in this beautiful volume to create a unique portrait of Paris. From toddlers scrambling to cross rue de Rivoli to fresh-faced accordionists, from elegant dog walkers to exuberant roller skaters, and from the indelible kiss in front of the Hétel de Ville to cyclists beneath the Eiffel Tower, the magic of Paris in black and white is a timeless treasure. The photographs, edited by Doisneau's daughter, are complemented by citations from the photographer himself, which reveal his profound fascination with the city where he lived and worked.

Customer Reviews:

Robert Doisneau's Paris.......2007-01-11

This is an outstanding compilation of pictures of Paris somewhat like I remember in the last 50 years.

I love black & white photography and he excelled at it.

Amazing book!.......2007-01-10

If you love the famous Robert Doisneau "Kiss" photo, then you will really love this book that shows hundreds of other amazing photos of people/life in Paris. He is able to capture the spirit and the mood of Paris and its people so well. Highly recommended!

Paris.......2007-01-04

Beautiful. Whether you have been there or not, this will make you fall in love with the city.

French or Foe?: Getting the Most Out of Visiting, Living and Working in France

Average customer rating:

Best Friends We've Ever Had
Indispensible
Informational, educational and fun!
Foreign Country Vacation prep a MUST
How to enjoy the French

French or Foe?: Getting the Most Out of Visiting, Living and Working in France
Polly Platt
Manufacturer: Culture Crossings Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0964668408

Amazon.com

Let's face it: the French have gotten a bad rap. Mention that you're considering a trip to France and everyone will warn you about rude waiters, supercilious shopkeepers, and snooty concierges who won't give you the time of day--and worse, pretend not to understand your high-school French. Not so, says Polly Platt, author of French or Foe?; "The French are generous, exhilarating friends," but they are different--wonderfully so. The trick to getting along in France is understanding the culture and learning to accept it on French terms instead of your own. Though the book is designed primarily for people who will be living or working in France for extended periods, the lessons Platt teaches about manners, attitudes, and culture are invaluable for even those visitors just passing through.

Customer Reviews:

Best Friends We've Ever Had.......2007-07-05

As the relatively new kids on the geopolitical block, we Americans often misunderstand how the rest of the world operates, none more so than our amis ancien the French. I came across this book in a Genevan bookstore shortly after moving there and it has helped me immeasurably over the years. My Parisian friends have enjoyed and confirmed the truth and wisdom contained in its pages.

Who knew that approaching the French in a typically American way with a big smile and focus on the task at hand is considered disingenuous and rude? How amazingly different is the response I consistently get with a deadpan expression, proper greeting and speaking French first before getting down to business!

A whole host of helpful tips, from playing devil's advocate during an evening together, politically incorrect flirtation, and the customer not always being right, are covered here in a humorous and easy-to-remember fashion. Understanding builds the bridge to friendship. After all, the French have been our friends since before we became a sovereign country, even if it, as President Sarkozy has said, "friendship means accepting that friends can have different opinions."

Indispensible.......2007-05-28

The single most indispensable book for anyone planning on living in France for longer than five months.

More than a mere study of facts and procedures, "French or Foe" explores the worldview of the French that make all that they do comprehensible. Without reading this work, France is incomprehensible, and you will be confined to a social and hermeneutic ghetto.

Highly recommended.

Informational, educational and fun!.......2007-03-01

I am an American woman married to a French husband, and when I came across this book, I was unprepared for such thorough explanations of and insights into my husband's often inexplicable behavior. Polly Platt's book goes a long way in demystifying the French, and makes you laugh along the way. A great guide for anyone planning to visit or live in France.

Foreign Country Vacation prep a MUST.......2007-02-10

French or Foe is a well written book that is a thoroughly enjoyable read AND was of immense help in preparing us for dealing with our first trip 'across the big water.' Despite our having very limited French at our disposal, the understanding of the French - through this book- allowed us to not only get along, but to thoroughly enjoy ourselves (in contrast to an unprepared fellow American Travelor, at our motel, who appeared to be about ready for a straight jacket).

How to enjoy the French.......2007-01-26

This book is an excellent guide to people proposing to live/work, of just visit in France. While it is directed mainly to Americans, it would be equally useful to Australians, or anyone from any other culture. It explains the culture, and particularly the codes of behaviour that non-francophones find so baffling. There is a rather long, complex potted history section which explains much of the background to the code, but for the short-term visitor, just having knowledge of the codes and how to respond to them will suffice. Armed with the contents of this book, one should have a trouble-free time in France.

Paris in a Basket: Markets : The Food and the People (Cookery/Food and Drink)

Average customer rating:

Very creative
A Parisian's Paris ...
A lovely gem of a book
Perfect Christmas Gift!
Paris in a Basket

Paris in a Basket: Markets : The Food and the People (Cookery/Food and Drink)
Nicolle Aimee Meyer , and Amanda Pilar Smith
Manufacturer: Konemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3829046243

Book Description

"Paris in a Basket" is the first in a series of books dedicated to exploring the food markets of the world. Entertaining as well as informative, this attractive hardcover book guides the reader through the over 80 food markets of Paris. Written and photographed by two young American women, "Paris in a Basket" is a complete and novel tour that brings to exuberant life the authentic market culture, traditions, and lifestyle that bewitch every food lover and traveler visiting this magnificent city.

Over 400 vivid photographs illustrate the colors and sights and a fresh and personal narrative captures the unique atmosphere of each and every market and the different areas of Paris. Punctuated with historical tidbits and charming anecdotes, in addition to 65 of the vendors favorite recipes, there are insightful portraits, helpful cooking tips, practical maps and charts, and the addresses of tempting bakeries, mouthwatering specialty shops, neighborhood restaurants, local cafs, and hidden places of interest.

The world renowned chef Paul Bocuse, who shares with the authors a passion for open-air markets, has written the foreword to "Paris in a Basket".

Customer Reviews:

Very creative.......2006-08-20

Nicolle Aimee Meyer and Amanda Pilar Smith have created a book that is part travel guide, part cookbook, part biography -- and all wonderful! The photographs are terrific. The text brings the markets and their people to life. And I can't wait to try some of the recipes, which are for many classic French favorites. Altogether a complete success! Bravo!!

A Parisian's Paris ..........2001-08-06

A must for anyone seeking out the real Paris, off the beaten track of tourist traps. Even if you can't visit more than two or three markets per visit to this wonderful city, this book will continue to be a major reference for seeking out these fascinating places of food, drink and 'objets'. Happy exploring!

A lovely gem of a book.......2001-07-04

I love this book! The cover roped me right in and before I knew it I was buying it. I am so glad I did. The book is organized by arrondissement; each chapter is devoted to one of them. They tend to focus on the biggest or best market in each arrondissement but they devote paragraphs to the others. The text itself is gracefully written and yet very convivial. For each of the main markets, the authors start you out on a typical Parisian morning and gently suggest the path you might want to follow as you navigate that particular market; it is almost as though they are walking along with you. They tell you what's available at each market and what are each market's strengths and weaknesses. You will be introduced to a lot of people - the butcher at the Marché d'Aligre, the poissonier at the Richard Lenoir, the organic farmer at the Batignolles market, the interesting old fellow who hawks bath salts as he soaks his feet in green water... I feel as though I'd be able to walk up to them and say hi. There's some history mixed in there, too, so you'll get to see some nice old photos and learn about everday Parisians of the past. And of course there are the recipes. Most of them appear delicious and a few rather exotic. Many of them come from the very people that you "met" in the chapter preceding, so you know they're authentic and the human element makes you want to try the recipe all the more.

I love Paris. This book really gives you a sense of what it is like to be there - colorful, vibrant, stately, modern, classic, young, old... Paris is all of these things and more at once. I went there seven years ago and I don't think I hit a single market. This book makes me feel incredibly well-equipped; I think that without it I would feel a bit intimidated. I plan to go back and I'm gonna bring this book with me!

Perfect Christmas Gift!.......2000-11-01

Beautiful photography and lively writing make this a perfect gift this holiday season (or any time) for anyone who likes to eat and loves Paris. Even for a longtime resident of the City of Lights like myself, this book brings another Paris to life, one you will want to explore again and again, in these pages and of course like the authors did themselves, bicycling through every arrodisement, leaving no quartier unvisited, no fromage untasted, no croissant unfinished! A magnificent and original hommage sure to earn its place among the classics of cuisine and travel.

Paris in a Basket.......2000-08-15

The photography is beautiful and the content is very informative and well written. I would like to visit the markets in Paris more than ever now that I have this book.

Average customer rating:

With a sense of humor and a bit of sarcasm San Souci brings to life this....
Extra Ordinary
cendrillon
cendrillon
Cendrillon is great

Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella
Robert D. San Souci
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689848889

Book Description

You may think you know this story I am going to tell you, but you have not heard it for true. I was there. So I will tell you the truth of it. Here. Now.

Customer Reviews:

With a sense of humor and a bit of sarcasm San Souci brings to life this...........2007-06-12

Author, Robert D. San Souci uses a touch of sarcasm in his voice as he retells this Caribbean version of Cinderella. The sarcasm adds an element of humor and makes this rendition more appealing to young readers. Teachers and readers can use an index in the back of the book to explain the Creole words in the story. The large number of Creole words helps to authenticate this story. There are many similarities between the Caribbean version of Cinderella and Disney's. The nanny uses a magical wand to change a breadfruit into a gilded coach. The breadfruit resembles a small pumpkin except for the fact that the breadfruit grows on a tree instead of a vine. The only main differences between this retelling of Cinderella is that there is only one stepsister,the glass slipper is a pink embroidered slipper, and the godmother is a wacky nanny with a sense of humor. The illustrator uses scratchboard, luma dyes, goache, and oil paints to create these magical illustrations for this wonderful picture book. By Jill Griffin 6 10, 2007

Extra Ordinary.......2007-05-25

Ravishing colors, strokes of Caribbean, the illustrator is at his best here. And the story, told by Cinderella's godmother, has a totally different ring to the usual, passive, goody-goody Cinderella.
The ending changes the whole outlook on this classic fairytale.
If you're tired of telling the same Cinderella story over and over again to your princess-toddler and you're longing for more... color, go for it.

cendrillon.......2005-08-06

the book is excellent and the pictures are very pretty. the delivery was fastest than I expected.

cendrillon.......2004-12-07

cendrillon by Robert D. San Souci is a good book. I expecially like Vitaline's character. She is so evil.
Cendrillon's mom dies at the beginning. She gets a step-mom and sister (Vitaline). They make her and her godmother do all the work. The step-mom doesn't let Cendrillon go to the prince's ball. her godmother helps her go to the ball. the prince and her danced atill 12:00.then when she was running out the door she lost her sliper. the prince went to every girl in town and he will marry the girl who fits into the sliper. he got married to cendrillon.
I liked the story because it has some french words, and it isn't like the oringinal version.

By: Electro guitar

Cendrillon is great.......2004-12-07

This book is O.K but it copys a diffrent story but I still like it a little. This book is about a washer women who has a godmother who turns the washer women into a prinsess.
I like this story because it is kind of a magic story. the author describes what it would be like to be a poor washer woman and the author adds details to it well. Just read the book!!

Photographing People: Portraits, Fashion, Glamour

Average customer rating:

sorry but really not very good
dissapointing book..
Solid Book, Some Silly Setups
Ok book
Cool book!

Photographing People: Portraits, Fashion, Glamour
Roger Hicks , and Frances Schultz
Manufacturer: Rotovision
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 294037807X
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Book Description

The best-selling lighting guide--now updated with even more photos and diagrams

* 100 great photographs and the setups behind them
* Side- and plan-view diagrams for each photo
* Revised and expanded to include more pictures and the latest technology

Now available revised and updated in paperback, the best-selling Photographing People is an inspiring and comprehensive showcase of exciting work from photographers around the world--and full explanations and diagrams of the lighting setups behind each picture. Portraits, fashion, and glamour photography are included here, all accompanied by detailed 3D diagrams plus expert explanations and advice on solving problems that might arise in similar situations. Helpful to beginners and professionals alike, this book is packed with inspiring photographs--and all the details needed to re-create the lighting and obtain remarkable results.

Customer Reviews:

sorry but really not very good.......2007-10-11

the idea and concept for this book is brilliant . BUT the diagrams are the only thing that look modern in this book, the pictures are really old and theres not one i'd aspire to take. Infact by todays standards of photography they look amateurish. Theres a shot of two supermodels , but they are obviously 20 years old and probably amongst the first and the worst they've done. This book should be retitled ' how not to photograph people' . If the authors kept everything the same but had decent modern looking pictures by people that would not be laughed out of a picture editors office then it would be worth its weight in gold!

dissapointing book.........2007-09-24

I was looking for a good lightning book and got this one because of the relativ good reviews. BUT BUT.. i dont even think the authors are pro photographers - just have a look at their web site - a joke!!. Anyway this is not a book with images done by them but by other pros. But it is their text, one must assume, made for every lightning setup and it is lacking everything. Just diagrams - sometimes with up to 9 umbrellas / heads for one shot without any further explanation. Totally waste of money - for learning; get cristopher greys " master portrait lightning".

Solid Book, Some Silly Setups.......2007-09-10

This is a good book, definitely not for beginners, and some of the setups shown are ridiculously overimplemented.

Ok book.......2007-08-03

This book is better to give you ideas and lighting help anything else. not techinical enough for me though.

Cool book!.......2007-01-19

This book is such a great way to find out how to shoot a wide variety of incredible portraits, with easy-to-understand diagrams and the equipment used listed. Gerat book to add to any portrait photographer's bag of tricks.

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

Average customer rating:

Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Average customer rating:

And everyone knows you cannot have a DOG in school.....
Good book
Miss Genevieve, the noblest dog in France, rescues Madeline
A long-time favorite!
To the tiger in the zoo...

Madeline's Rescue
Ludwig Bemelmans
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0670447161

Amazon.com

It took Ludwig Bemelmans years to think of Madeline's next adventure after the 1939 original Madeline, but he did it, and the result was Madeline's Rescue, winner of the 1954 Caldecott Medal. One day on a walk through Paris (a "twelve little girls in two straight lines" kind of walk), Madeline slips and falls off a bridge right into the Seine. Everyone feared she would be dead, "But for a dog / That kept its head," saving her from a "watery grave." What choice do Madeline and the girls have but to take the heroic pooch home, feed her biscuits, milk, and beef, and name her Genevieve? Sadly, when Lord Cucuface gets wind of the new dog, he decrees that no dogs will be allowed in the "old house in Paris that was covered with vines," and kicks Genevieve out on the street. Madeline vows vengeance, and the girls scour Paris looking for the pup: "They went looking high / and low / And every place a dog might go. / In every place they called her name / But no one answered to the same." As we've come to expect from Bemelmans, all's well that ends well chez Clavel, and young readers will be tickled by this heartwarming, quirky dog story with a surprise finale. (Ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

When Madeline falls into the river Seine and nearly drowns, a courageous canine comes to her rescue. Now Genevieve the dog is Madeline's cherished pet, and the envy of all the other girls. What can be done when there's just not enough hound to go around?

( Winner of the Caldecott Medal

Customer Reviews:

And everyone knows you cannot have a DOG in school............2007-03-25

I read this book to my first grade Friday and showed a Christopher Plummer narrated Madeline video as a follow up.
I'm rather enjoying the fact I bought Madeline sets of class-books and videos years ago in Whole Language and have such wonderful resources to use with my Sheltered Immersion first graders. They really all did think the Eiffel Tower is in Vegas, but I won't go into all the confusion the casinos have brought to my spring attempts to teach the landmarks of the world.

Using books and maps, experiences with video and song, food and visitors I try to build global awareness. Madeline is such a wonderful series as she goes to London, New York and the Wild West ,and just all over. And this series has things I need in teaching reading, rhymes, pattern, interest and motivation plus a charming female model of bravery and wit. Bemelman's made a lovely series. Of all of the versions this one and The Bad Hat (about that irrepressible Pepito) are my favorites.

My love of this particular story is multi-fold. First Madeline falls in the canal showing her spunk. A teacher loves this if only for the "See, what happens," feature. I mean reading that every year is something that brings me infinite pleasure. Then she is heroically saved by a dog. And it was just yesterday a student who reads maybe twenty five words, he screams out God ahead of my saying dog. Reversals at this age, that's what happened but there was more to it than that. Just as I read the book and he sat close enough to see I could look at where he is in a natural way, as a Mom might. That told me he is tracking words and it made sense to him (because God might save you)so he is fitting text to logical thoughts-or we used to say "good guessing" or apprehending. And then I gently referred him to the picture and he self-corrected to say "dog". Perfect.

Yes she is rescued by a charming hound eventually named Genevieve. As a child I was extremely afraid of dogs as one tried to bite my stomach and did make marks at 15 months. I never got quite over the attack. So I had to build, as I do about many things, ways into my living to begin to face my fears and aversions and take on the issue. This book I read over and over as a child to that end. Pretty common I address those same fears with first graders with this text. Way to go at it , not so directly but embedded within story work. This way too, when they bring over the police dogs for the demo every year we've already heard about it via a talk Madeline's Rescue spurred. So that is a great thematic piece. I love to work on "dozens" also at this time with their twelve little girls in those two straight lines as we look at number families. So Madeline moves curriculum. Now another fine feature is the amount of expression one can teach in animating this text. Terrific.
I suppose my greatest love is the pictorial work in this book. By far some of the loveliest plates. Bemelmans has the most charming Paris scenes from Sacre-Coeur to the markets. That alone makes it award winning. And I give it the big hug from first grade. I am working in times now where public education is being destroyed in areas of poverty under "reforms' and I just decided I would teach this and I would allow these children to experience the pleasure of reading. Can you imagine a life where everything is proscribed, where it is all scripted and everyone did the same thing at the same time everyday? Madeline would never allow that. And to the bullies in the systems, I say as Madeline, children shall have their Vengeance.

That of course coming from text where the lovely dog Genevieve, is made to leave by Lord Cucuface the Board Director. Not to worry by books end there is plenty of hound to go around. And with a charming repetition children are laughing with delight at all the night wake up calls.
Do get this for your kids...it's adorable. And I think a little bravery is great to promote in a world full of those who have very little in their desire for position and comfort. In the long run this series has lots to offer a class or home.

Good book.......2007-01-20

My 3-year old recently discovered Madeline. While this book did not become a favorite, it was read several times. It's over-sized, so not as easy for small hands- she has to put it on the floor or on a table to look at it as opposed to in her lap.

Miss Genevieve, the noblest dog in France, rescues Madeline.......2006-03-25

By this third book in the series, readers know that Madeline is the smallest one of the twelve little girls in two straight lines who live in an old house in Paris that was covered with vines. They know that she is not afraid of mice and that "nobody knew so well, How to frighten Miss Clavel." In fact, Ludwig Bemelmans accompanies those familiar words with a simplified version of the same scene accompanying the same words from the original story of "Madeline." That is because things happen differently this time, as Madeline slips and falls into the river. "Poor Madeline would now be dead, But for a god, That kept its head."

"Madeline's Rescue" is actually more about Madeline's rescuer, the aforementioned dog that "dragged her safe from a watery grave." Miss Clavel and the other girls take Madeline and the dog home, and when she turns out the light for the night, there is a fight among the girls as to where the dog should sleep. The dog proves to be clever and helpful and is named Genevieve (rhymes with "beef"). Things are happy for six months and then comes the day of the annual inspection by the trustees, and these wretched people declare that "DOGS AREN'T ALLOWED IN SCHOOL" and order Miss Clavel to get rid of "it." They are also bigots (Genevieve is "of uncertain race") and they send Genevieve out into the world.

This is where we learn that we were wrong about the title, because it is not about the rescue OF Madeline but the rescue BY Madeline, Miss Clavel, and the other girls. For it is Madeline who jumps on a chair and declares: "Miss Genevieve, noblest dog in France, You shall have your VEN-GE-ANCE!" This is the best part of the book, because this is where Bemelmans shows his characters searching high and low for their beloved dog in some of the landmark sites in Paris (including Le Pere Lachaise, the celebrated cemetery, where Bemelmans has worked in the final resting places of Oscar Wilde, Rossini, Bizet, Chopin, Sarah Bernardt, Honore Balzac, Hugo, Moliere, Heloise et Abelard, and many more).

But we also love the way Bemelmans plays with his familiar storyline, because in the middle of the night when Miss Clavel turns on her light and says, "Something is not right," she does it not once and not twice but three times this time around. So there is a happy ending and a happier ending. Actually a perfect ending given all of the fighting and the cutest drawing of the twelve little girls in two straight lines. As always, Bemelmans' childlike illustrations are captivating (and I see a touch of Thurber in his drawings of Genevieve). Any kid can draw a face with dot eyes and U-shaped mouths, and they have to appreciate that Bemelmans does not always color within the lines. But for me it is the full color illustrations of the sights of Paris that I like to look at and catch all of the details. I would love to have a pitcher book that just collects Bemelmans' Paris scenes, even without the rhyming text that is another part of what makes these stories enjoyable and classics of children's literature.

A long-time favorite!.......2005-03-06

My sisters and I loved this book when we were small and I'm having fun reading this book to my little one. Poor Madeline, always ornery, never learning, falls into a river and a dog rescues her. It's very sweet to see how the girls fight over the dog but, when she gets out one night and returns, there was enough "hound to go around," as the book says when dear Genevieve has a litter of puppies, one for each girl. This is a darling classic and quite worthy of the Caldecott Award it received.

To the tiger in the zoo..........2004-03-22

If you were to walk up to the first person you met on the street and asked, "Are you familiar with the works of Mr. Ludwig Bemelmans?", you would probably get a funny stare. If, however, you were to walk up to another person on the street and said, "In an old house that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines", you might still get a funny stare but at least they might be familiar with darling "Madeline". Though its author hasn't received much interest over the years, the Madeline books have garnered a great deal of love from many members of the literary world. And of these, the only Caldecott winner was "Madeline's Rescue".

Just as they do every day, the little girls attending a French boarding school (run by the pleasant nun Miss Clavel) take a walk across the Seine. On one day in particular, however, the feisty Madeline (who beyond her near drowning gets short shift in this book) falls into the river and nearly drowns. Thanks to a plucky mongrel nearby, Madeline lives and the dog is adopted by the school. To the dismay of the students, however, several trustees coming for an annual inspection are chagrined that such a dog (a mixed-breed undoubtedly) would be allowed to live in one of their schools. Genevieve (for such is the dog's name) is cruelly turned out into the streets and it's up to the girls to rescue their faithful pup.

The book is ostensibly for children, but I suspect it is far more loved by Paris-adoring adults. As the little girls search for their doggy they walk about a variety of well known Parisien sights. Here they search amongst the patrons of the trendy Deux Magots. Yonder you can see them in a breathtaking search across Le Pere-Lachaise. I ask you, in what other picture book are you likely to see a full quote on Oscar Wilde's tomb (not to mention nods to Chopin, Moliere, Balzac, and more)? Bemelmans has a lovely lilting ear for his own prose as well. Just consider the line...

"Miss Genevieve, noblest dog in France,
You shall have your VEN-GE-ANCE!"

You just can't beat it. On top of that are some wonderful illustrations. Though most of the book is black on white with yellow, there is always the occasional full page spread that is deftly colored in deep greens and dark blues. On the whole, there is much to love in this book. Beloved for more than fifty years now, it shall continue to be just as loved for centuries to come.

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