Wizardology: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin (Ologies)

Book Description

Aspiring wizards can tune in to the age-old wisdom of Merlin with this dazzling compendium of all things magical — unveiling novelty elements throughout.

For any apprentice determined to learn the arcane arts of wizardry, could there be a better teacher than . . . Merlin himself? Originally discovered in 1588, this remarkable text by history's most respected wizard is revealed to the world for the very first time. Lavishly illustrated by four delicate artists, WIZARDOLOGY's intricate design even conceals a series of hidden symbols that spell out a secret message when their code is deciphered — if the reader is clever enough to find them.

Among WIZARDOLOGY's special features are:

-a glittering crystal ball-like jewel on the front cover
- a world map showing locations of wizards around the globe
- tactile samples of a "fairy flag" with one wish remaining and a phoenix feather to aid in flying charms
- booklets explaining the proper use of spells, familiars, and potions
- a removable dragon pendant allowing the user to dowse for mythical beasts
- a pack of eight removable fortune-tellling cards
- a 48-page mini book of divination on the final spread

Customer Reviews:

Awesome book!.......2007-08-02

These "Ologies" books are great! I even love to look at them. They're crammed full of interesting information and all the little pull out items and 3D trinkets are really cool and engaging. These books keep my kids occupied for good periods of time, and they'll go back and look at them again and again.

Excellent book, sure to capture the young imagination.......2007-07-21

If the saying "don't judge a book by its cover" is true for 90% of books out there, then Wizardology falls into the other 10%. Captivating from first sight and not letting up all the way to the end, this book is just right on so many levels. Consider:

1. Its rich graphics are anything but boring. Elaborate designs, drawings, old-style text font, and drawings make every page rich and colorful.
2. Almost every page has something to touch, pull, or feel. This book engages the kinesthetic learner very well.
3. The author clearly knows what kids like. Wizards, dragons, magic, spells--they're all here.
4. Topics for discussion are everywhere. What does it mean to say yes to Magic and no to Science? Can animals communicate with us in ways we can understand? That's just the tip of the iceberg.

The one caution is that this book contains a lot of big words. However, in my experience, children are so engaged by everything else going on that they really don't stumble over them. Even so, I'd recommend this to about the 4th grade and up. Younger kids might get confused and overwhelmed, which would be a loss, because the actual text is arguably Wizardology's strongest attribute. Also, as some have said, I wouldn't worry about this book convincing kids to start casting spells everywhere or actually believing that Science isn't a good thing. The book's style is clearly presented as fiction, and young people quickly pick up on this.

All in all, I highly recommend this book for the upper elementary student, whether you're a parent, tutor, teacher, or a kid yourself. And it's pretty fun for adults as well.

Great book like all of the other ones!.......2007-07-13

A must have for the fan of the "ology" series!!! My son loves this book and so do I!

the secrets of merlin.......2007-07-04

This book is absolutly beautiful. Full of secret doors and pockets, it keeps you searching for more! a wonderful edition for young and old alike.

Wizardology.......2007-06-28

The book arrived in time. It had a few scratches on the cover by otherwise all was fine.

Bone Volume 5: Rock Jaw Master of the Eastern Border

Average customer rating:

more fun adventures
Good Series -- Too Slow to Release
My son loves these books
Amazing
Once Again, Great Color with a Hitch

Bone Volume 5: Rock Jaw Master of the Eastern Border
Jeff Smith
Manufacturer: GRAPHIX
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 043970636X

Book Description

In this fifth volume of the BONE saga, Fone and Smiley Bone strike out into the wilderness to return a lost rat creature cub to the mountains. It doesn't take long before they run smack into Rock Jaw, "Master of the Eastern Border," an enormous mountain lion with a none-too-friendly disposition. Life gets even more complicated when they befriend a group of baby animals who are being orphaned by rat creature attacks. Everything comes to a head in an earth-shattering clash between Rock Jaw and Kingdok, the leader of the rat creatures.

Customer Reviews:

more fun adventures.......2007-08-17

The Bone series just gets better with every volume. This volume follows the adventures of Fone and Smiley as they travel to the eastern end of the valley and the difficulties they encounter along the way. As in the previous volumes, the characters are wonderful and fun, and the plot takes many twists and turns, making for great reading. I love Bone!

Good Series -- Too Slow to Release.......2007-05-07

This is an alright series, somewhat enjoyable, but not as exciting as say Harry Potter. But, I have found that it has been a great way to get my kids interested in reading a bedtime story. I want the whole set, but Scholastic really needs to re-evaluate this release schedule of only one every six months. I bet they wind up losing a lot of their early audience that drops off after the first one or two.

My son loves these books.......2007-04-03

My seven-year old literally jumped for joy when we received book 5. He loves these books, and I had great difficulty not reading the entire book to him in one sitting. As it was, he looked at every page of the rest of the book. At bedtime, he went to sleep with the book beside him.

Amazing.......2007-03-11

I go to the bookstore and find a book that looks good by the cover. I enver read it. I am very picky about finding the "perfect" book. And i just found it back in early March of 2007. I was on a band trip [took 3 hours] and my friend pulled out the 3rd Bone series book. I was curious and started to read it. I got a little bit confused because I didnt read the 1st or 2nd one. The coloring is amazing! It must of took forever to make it! It has alot of adventure, and keeps you wondering. I finished the 3rd book [175 paages] before we even got to our destination. I couldnt put it down! It is such an AWSOME book! on March 9th I bought book 4 and 5... I read both of the books in 3 strait hours! I cant wait untill the 6th book comes out so I can start to read it!!! If your kid wants a exciting book.. This is the book for you!

Once Again, Great Color with a Hitch.......2007-02-04

The fifth and middle installment of the Bone series returns to the epic's beginnings, temporarily putting aside the Valley's violent political upheavals for a fast-paced and funny story of Fone Bone and Smiley Bone encountering an assortment of cute talking animals as they try to return a baby rat creature to its home in the mountains. On the way, they run into the opportunistic Rock Jaw, a giant mountain lion, and the two stupid rat creatures, who are still bent on baking Fone Bone into a quiche.

Probably the weakest of the Bone series, Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border is nonetheless exciting and entertaining, and does contribute further development to the story's unfolding mysteries.

Steve Hamaker's coloration is again bright and pleasing, but once again he mixes up the two stupid rat creatures. Physically identical but with distinct personalities, the rats are color-coded (brown and purple) in the color version, but at one point Hamaker switches them, causing some puzzlement.

Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon AF Speedlight Flash System: Master the Creative Lighting System! (A Lark Photography Book)

Average customer rating:

It's a good book
Finally!
SB-800 Guide
Throwing a Little Light on the Subject
Expected better

Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon AF Speedlight Flash System: Master the Creative Lighting System! (A Lark Photography Book)
Simon Stafford
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1579905889

Product Description

Nikon manufactures some of the most sophisticated accessory flash equipment found in today's marketplace, and the Magic Lantern Guide shows photographers exactly how to master the complex equipment and operating modes of the company's AF Speedlight Flash System. That's why it's destined to be the most often used reference on photographic flash technique. From advice on Multi-sensor balanced fill flash, bounce flash, rear-curtain sync to high-speed sync, or multiple flash set-ups, this manual explains everything. It comes complete with a course on the basics of flash handling, specialized flash technique, and a model-by-model review of using current flash gear with Nikon cameras. 5 x 7-1/2". b/w illus. throughout

Customer Reviews:

It's a good book.......2007-01-24

I like this book. Unlike most of the book in this series that mostly written for people who lost a manual this one goes far beyond manufactures manual. Even if you a not a Nikon flash users it contains some information that could be interested for anyone in flash photography.

Finally!.......2007-01-18

I have been looking for help with the Speedlight system for over a year - since first purchasing my SB-800. There only ones I found were out-of-print and obviously too outdated to matter anyway! If you think figuring out how to access all the power of one model is difficult, just imagine trying to cover all the models Nikon has produced since it introduced TTL. Add to that the fact that Nikon bodies change the available features. (The current digital bodies like D200 are covered as well). A daunting prospect for any author. So the good news is that I found the book very helpful and it clears up a lot of my confusion. The bad news is that you must sort thru a lot of info about Speedlight models and film bodies that you are unlikely to own.

SB-800 Guide.......2007-01-10

This book was WAY over my head. It was a struggle to understand and I did not finish but about half of it. If you are not an advanced lighting technician you should look for a more simple SB-800 guide. I wish I had known this before I purchased it. Nikon has a CD that I wish I had purchased instead. This book was too technical for me.

Throwing a Little Light on the Subject.......2006-11-20

Here's a book aimed at Nikon camera owners using the speedlights that make up the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS). Perhaps the most innovative function of this system is the ability to exercise a new degree of control in the use of multiple lights.

The book starts out providing some basic flash concepts and explaining Nikon's nomenclature (which is often confusing because of the similarity of terms over the years) for its different flash modes. The author follows with a discussion of flash techniques, including direct flash, bounce flash, and repeating flash. The most practical chapters tell you how to use a single speedlight to take pictures, and how to use multiple speedlights. Finally, there are descriptions of both the early digital speedlights, i.e., the SB 28DX and the SB-80DX and then the components of the CLS. There is an addendum on the D80 which has a built-in speedlight that works with the CLS, and which probably was necessitated by Nikon bringing that camera to market as the book was going to press.

The book is aimed purely at the technical side of using these speedlights and does not touch on the artistic use of the lights. This book probably was in response to the difficulty that some people had in understanding the manuals that come with Nikon products, and integrating the manuals from several different products. But this effort at integration creates its own brand of confusion. The author tries to tell you how to use the products with both film and digital cameras, but since the automatic features of the CLS have to be handled differently for film and digital cameras, the instructions are somewhat confusing. I suggest you go through the book with a magic marker and highlight the sections applicable to your type of camera (and if you shoot both film and digital, you'd better use both a yellow and a blue marker!)

Moreover, don't think you can skip over any of the material, because important information may just have a passing reference in an unusual place. It took me several readings to understand that I could not use my SB-28DX with a digital camera for multiple speedlight use. (That's not altogether true - it's possible to shoot in manual mode, but if you are going to do that, you lose all the advantages of modern speedlights. You're better off junking your old SB-28DX and getting a new CLS speedlight).

There are several pictures included in the book but they are of a rather pedestrian nature and add nothing to one's understanding of Nikon speedlights. Additionally, except for the cover there is no color printing in the book. Finally, for a system that has been on the market for a couple of years, this book looks like it was rushed to market with many typographical errors.

The Nikon CLS system offers unprecedented opportunities for photographers to use flash for better pictures. However, if you are looking for ideas on increasing your creativity, look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you are still having a problem with the technical side of your speedlight, like how to set your SB-800 to control the lighting balance of a second flash, this book will prove useful to you.

Expected better.......2006-11-11

I have Simon Stafford's "The new Nikon compendium" and use it all the time as reference. I purchased the current book before purchasing a Nikon R1 flash kit. While Mr. Stafford mentions the compatibility problems between various camera bodies and this kit, no mention is made (in the book) of the fact that you CANNOT use the R1-kit, or the SB-R200 flash system, with a stack of Nikon LENSES - they are incompatible - and serious damage may result, esp when using AF. Nikon says "the weight of this Speedlight when attached to the front of the lens will cause excess strain on the barrel and helicoid, affecting lens performance". Whilst thankfully I have not damaged my lens (found the fine print in the manual before using the kit), I would have liked Mr. Stafford to have done his research, and I would have liked to have been warned! I have spent a lot of money on the R1-kit after reading this book. Not happy.

Then I tried to refer to the book on how to use the Nikon D200 camera in commander mode with the new Nikon CLS speedligths. And while I could find the info on how to set up the SU-800 controller, I just could not find any info on how to set up the camera itself to act as a commander, when not using the SU-800 commander. My camera does not need the SU-800 commander, so I don't own one. So I ended up refering back to the Nikon camera manual to find out which menu item to set and how. Hmmm. Shouldn't this info be in the book? Easily accessible and indexed?

Anyone want to buy a slightly used book about the Nikon AF Flash system?

The Wizardology Handbook: A Course for Apprentices (Ologies)

Average customer rating:

My review
Charm a whole new generation of aspiring wizards
Interesting...............

The Wizardology Handbook: A Course for Apprentices (Ologies)
Master Merlin , and Dugald A. Steer
Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 0763634018
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Book Description

The ultimate companion to the best-selling WIZARDOLOGY — an indispensable handbook for would-be wizards everywhere

Calling all aspiring wizards! Do you know the appropriate tools (including flattery) to have on hand should you encounter a Western wizard? Have you memorized the spell for summoning a unicorn familiar? Can you follow the steps for releasing magical powers in a lump of rock or piece of metal? What role do natural objects and animals play in the mysterious ways of the shaman? From charts to booklets to lessons, from fascinating stories to free-form spells to create on your own, this elaborate workbook contains all the elements needed for transforming the reader into a wizard
worthy of Merlin himself.

Customer Reviews:

My review.......2007-08-30

I found this book rather childish, mostly for children . I did not find it helpful. The book is beautiful to see , with beautiful pictures. I guess I am just to advanced to find it of any use.

Charm a whole new generation of aspiring wizards .......2007-06-05

"Those who study the art of wizardology must remember that all magic is an act of the imagination." So says the legendary Merlin in Dugald A. Steer's THE WIZARDOLOGY HANDBOOK: A Course for Apprentices. When we last heard from the Master conjuror, he had fashioned a journal --- known to magic enthusiasts as WIZARDOLOGY: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin --- from the trunk of a tree in which he'd been imprisoned, divulging centuries' worth of knowledge and insight on the mystical world, in hopes of finding his next great successor.

In this companion volume, scribbled on the remaining pieces of his wooden confines, he once again extends the invitation to wizards-in-training and supplements his already abundant lessons with even more fascinating facts, humorous anecdotes and spellbinding illustrations that focus on the natural world and seasons. This enchanting and in-depth course for Wizard apprenticeship describes everything a student of magic would need to follow in Merlin's footsteps --- from dealing with genies, fairies and elves, casting spells and harnessing weather, to making wands, using magical plants and interpreting the positions of stars.

Replete with a glossary of magical terms, stickers to decorate your workshop and a section for your own spells, this fantastical handbook will surely fire the imaginations of readers young and old, and charm a whole new generation of aspiring wizards worthy of the great Merlin himself.

--- Reviewed by Marisa Emralino

Interesting......................2007-04-15

I am Wiccan, but I thought this book was interesting. Some of this book includes lots of real occult information like the elements and it talks of an athame, but at the same time, they have incorrect information regarding fairies, nature spirits, witches and that's only naming a few. This book would be a great gift for kids who are interested in spells or Wizardry, but not necessarily interested in real Wicca, but if you are trying to buy for a beginner Wiccan this book would only provide confusing or unhelpful. More advanced Wiccans may find this book amusing, despite the lack of correct information. All in all, this is an interesting volume and it was done quite creativley, so for that I grant it four stars.

A Witch Alone, New Edition: Thirteen Moons to Master Natural Magic

Average customer rating:

Good Material for Paganism 101 Instructors
Timeless Truths
Overly General
A good alternative beginners book.
Painful to Read

A Witch Alone, New Edition: Thirteen Moons to Master Natural Magic
Marian Green
Manufacturer: Thorsons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0007133235

Amazon.com

Written for serious practitioners, Marian Green's Witch Alone: Thirteen Moons to Master Natural Magic guides those who wish to learn the "old religion" without the aid of a coven. Densely written in a serious tone, Witch Alone is nonetheless an inspiring and poetic read. Exercises at the end of each chapter are designed to take a full 28 nights to accomplish, and are designed to progressively lead one down the path to success. Worshippers of the goddess and those interested in exploring the deeper aspects of their own souls will find this tome deeply informative, but for the neo-pagan committed to learning solitary witchcraft, Witch Alone is a must-read. --P. Randall Cohan

Book Description

Invaluable to the newcomer to paganism.--Mystical Realms

Customer Reviews:

Good Material for Paganism 101 Instructors.......2006-11-30

Maron Green is a highly respected author and workshop facilitator. I've never met her but I have a great deal of respect for her reputation. Overall, I think it's a pleasant read, despite my disagreement with some of the material in the book.

Even so, this would NOT be the book I recommend to newcomers to Paganism or Wicca.

The reason is that while much of what is in the book is very good, some of it may be confusing for newcomers. It's not that the material is advanced, it's more that many of the authors stated opinions in the book are not opinions shared by all Pagans and Wiccans. This is not to say they are not popular opinions, but I think it's optimal if the newcomer is aware of the diversity of thought within the Pagan religions.

Here is random example, on page 61: "Real witches do not, and never have, called themselves 'witches'; that is a term applied by others." Someone learning about Paganism might read this as gospel, I personally have known several people who proudly refer to themselves as witches, and would take offense if anyone tried to say they really weren't. As a Pagan my experience is not uncommon. There are many similar examples throughout the book.

I heartily recommend this book for a discussion group. Experienced Pagans might enjoy discussing the author's opinions, whether they agree or disagree. An interesting topic of discussion might be that the book seems to reveal some differences between the English Pagan experience and the experience of those of us who live in the U.S.

I also would highly recommend it for people who wish to teach a Paganism 101 class. An experienced teacher would be able to find and make good use of the many gems within this book, particularly the exercises.

Timeless Truths.......2006-10-09

'A Witch Alone' is one of the first few witchy books I ever bought,
and I often refer to this book, time and time again, for the wisdom
contained within it. One Reviewer complained that this book was "too poetic"
or contained too many references to "the olden days", in which the Reviewer
felt he/she be sitting around the campfire (listening to tall tales?)
To me, it is exactly 'the old days', the old tales, which teach us
how to be! "How to be" for today, and "how to be" for tomorrow.

Overly General.......2006-02-05

I bought this book because I liked the idea of a moon based cycle. Though coven life is structured around the moon, most of the literature out there today is based on the Sabbats and the sun cycle. As a high priestess, I was looking forward to reading a more lunar perspective. But Witch Alone is not really based on a lunar cycle. It is simply thirteen lessons. They don't really connect to the cycles of the moon, or the wheel of the year for that matter. And there are much more basic than I realized reading the description. Basicly, it is a 13 lesson wicca 101 book, and not a great one at that. The exercises are quite basic. It is of course good to ponder what your conception of what the goddess is, or what the sun cycle means to you. But these are things that most wiccans do anyway. There weren't any ideas presented that I hadn't done before.

A good alternative beginners book........2005-11-29

If you want to read about Wicca it's best to read books by original wiccans such as Doreen Valiente, The Farrars and Vivanne Crowley-(who does excellent beginner books). This book by Marian Green is written more about Witchcraft and it won't really tell you about the original religion of Wicca that was created by Gerald Gardner in 1950, if that's what your looking for.

However this is a wonderful book which really brings a sense of the wild natural world into the practice of witchcraft which no other author has ever really captured. Which is what witchcraft is all about really. It is effectively an accessable precusor to books on English Traditional witchcraft, by authors such as Evan John Jones, Nigel Jackson and Robert Cochrane. Which is based on, (supposedly) pre-Gardnerian witchcraft which tends to be stongly nature based and skewed more towards worship of the horned god.

Infact I would say for Americans M.G books- would be the perfect beginners books for those interested in the 1734 tradition (the Roebuck tradition in America.) Those living in a historical village in England or Europe will get more out of this than Americans, due to the proximity of old and sacred sites. But if you are thirsty for a refreshingly non-fluffy informative beginners book, that doesn't go on about chakras, unicorns and crystals this could be just the tonic.

Painful to Read.......2005-01-20

I purchased this book along with Marion's "Natural Witchcraft" and was so disappointed in both. I felt as if I could have written it myself (after just reading about 4 101-type books). Marion writes in a such a flowery and general manner. Good for poetry, but not very informative. Too many, "In the days of old" comments. It's like your sitting by the campfire listening to tall tales. I also found it difficult as most of the text reads like "You should do this or that". I'd pass.

The Master of Disguise (Star Wars Jedi Quest #4)

Average customer rating:

The Best Yet!!!
Top 10 Percent Of The Series

The Master of Disguise (Star Wars Jedi Quest #4)
Jude Watson
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0439339200

Book Description

Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi find themselves caught on a hostile planet. and facing their savviest enemy yet, a master of disguise named Granta Omega.

Customer Reviews:

The Best Yet!!!.......2003-01-12

For some odd reason, it seems that all the reviews for the various books in this series are posted under all of the books. For the record, this review is for Jedi Quest Volume 4, The Master of Disguise.
First of all, don't be deterred by this book's apparent kiddy exterior. In my opinion, they continue to outdue many of the adult novels by leaps and bounds. This one literally had me sitting on the edge of my seat, unable to put this book down until I came to the conclusion at three in the morning. I identify more with Anakin all the time, as his character continues to develop into the complicated, multi-faceted young man he is by Episode 2. Obi-Wan as well is enjoyable as ever, as are all of the supporting roles.
This book opens on a war ravaged planet where Obi-Wan and Anakin have been sent along with another Jedi team (old favorites Soara and Darra) to find and rescue a missing team of scientists caught in the crossfire. But when one of the two padawans is badly injured, the mission must be cut short, and when it becomes apparent that old enemy Granta Omega could also be involved, things become even more complicated...
All I can say is, this series truly is something special, good for Star Wars fans of any age.

Top 10 Percent Of The Series.......2002-11-19

The error may be corrected by the time this is posted, but these comments are on, "Jedi Quest #4, The Master Of Disguise". There appears to be confusion between the pages showing the book together with the description of the third book in this series. Jude Watson has contributed more books to the Star Wars Saga than any other author. This is not due to the scope of her work rather that she has been the sole author for these series that are targeted at younger readers. Although meant for persons decades my junior, I have enjoyed many of her books and I am not the only ancient reader who takes these books to the checkout and is rewarded with incredulous looks by cashiers. I joined the Star Wars Universe when the first film opened and have remained a fan, and chatting with youngsters in bookstores about these books have made the experience all the more enjoyable.

The most recent film, "Episode II", was a success by traditional standards and the envy of virtually every filmmaker. It is now in the IMAX theaters and will probably reach the all time top 10, not accounting for inflation. In terms of its box office performance as a Star Wars film it was anything but impressive, and this has nothing to due with other films that it competed with. Star Wars films do huge numbers because of repeat business, and the fans simply are not responding.

I think at least one reason was readily apparent for the recent film falling over $100 million shy in this ,and even showing more poorly worldwide. Jude Watson corrects the defect in this book, and she is to be commended.

These books are for kids, and PG films also are for kids, the messages they either share through words or images are important, and Star Wars has a huge influence and needs to create its products as though they are aware of this. "Charisma is a trait, not a virtue", explains one teacher in this book, accomplishing a goal via imperfect motivation is a failure, not a success as explained by the same instructor. We often hear, "the ends do not justify the means", as an indictment of questionable conduct. This is an issue with me for the statement is incomplete, and it has become accepted "wisdom" through repetition, not because there is substance to the statement.

The statement should read, is the end justified by any means? The word, "any" changes the entire meaning, and also makes the statement worth considering. Even at this point a person needs to know what end is being sought, and what means are being used to achieve it. When these are known, the discussion can begin, and answers offered.

These books and the three final films are showing Anakin making choices that lead him in to an abyss that will eventually cause the deaths of countless life forms, and finally will kill him. And these are his choices. Anakin is a very gifted young man who lacks the ability to control his feelings regardless of his age. This book does a wonderful job of demonstrating how easy it is to become evil, and it does so better than the most recent film.

Anger is a legitimate emotion; it is not one that generates good decisions. When Lucas made, "Episode II", he let anger take over the film, and several characters, not just Anakin. The decapitations that were routine in the film were all unnecessary, and most were cut from the IMAX version of the film. Mace Windu still executes a human in front of his son by this method, it was not needed, and I believe it cost the film 50 -100 million dollars. Windu executed the character in front of the man's son, I believe it turned people off, and parents kept some kids away.

The greatest Jedi of all, Yoda, was forced in to personal combat in the recent film. He did not instigate it, he did not harm much less kill his opponent. Like many martial arts, and the experts that teach them, they are for defense and not offense, the wise old master is the role model, a protector, never a seeker of vengeance.

There are times violence becomes unavoidable, killing is supposed to be the last possible, and most regrettable, option used by a Jedi, and that should follow in life as well. This book shows how a person can loose himself to violence through bad influences, easy alternatives, and lack of discipline.

Book Description

Robert Masters presents the wisdom of ancient Egypt through the perspective of contemporary research in psychology and religious studies in his profound study of The Goddess Sekhmet: Psycho-Spiritual Exercises of the Fifth Way. The fifth way refers to the Egyptian theory that humans consist of five bodies: the (most subtle) Spiritual Body (Egyptian: Sahu); and, after that, the increasingly less subtle: Magical Body (Khu); Shadow (Haidit); Double (Ka); and Physical Body (Aufu).

Book Description

When Sakura Avalon opened the mysterious Clow Book in her dad's library and released the cards inside, she inadvertently signed on for the challenge of a lifetime.

Customer Reviews:

Sakura's Back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-10-11

Sakura, the Clow Card girl, is back! She's not capturing the Clow Cards again... She's got to find out who else is making mysterious situations! Her magic is weaker than somebody else's. Who is this person and why is he(or she) doing this? Sakura's gotta find out, and get stronger than this person. One day, she defeats the magic with the firey card, but the card changed. Then, she figures out she makes this card and names it a Sakura Card. Now, she's got to change all of the cards too! Double trouble! Can she do it when she has to go to school and with her sixth sense brother lurking around?

Just when you thought the fun was over...........2006-08-30

Sakura and her friends are back in the first book of the follow-up series to Cardcaptor Sakura. Sakura has passed the trial by Yue the Judge and rightfully become Master of the Clow Cards. But when a new force shows itself, Sakura's magic isn't strong enough to defeat it. Can she somehow find a strength in herself to overcome?

I was so happy to find this book and to revisit my favorite Cardcaptor characters once again. Full of the same wonderful story, art, and characters as the first series, this book is sure to please any manga-lover. Find out what happens next!

A NEW MAGIC IN TOWN.......2006-06-12

Master of the Clow is the sequel to the original 6-part Cardcaptor Sakura manga. Sakura has collected all of the cards and has even beaten and subjugated the other guardian, Yue, to prove that she was worthy of being the "Master of the Clow". Perhaps, after that, Sakura believed that she would be able to go back to a normal life. But in a vision in the last volume of the first series, Clow Reed, who is believed to be dead, appeared to her and told her that he "might cause her some trouble". Now, what this means is anyone's guess. But soon after some unnatural occurences begin to happen and Sakura steps in to stop them, she finds her card magic is useless! Sakura is going to have to step it up a notch to face this new threat. And do two mysterious transfer students have a hand in this magical test?

I don't know if I'm going to like this second series. I enjoyed Cardcaptor Sakura a lot and got in her corner as Sakura had to overcome trial after trial to prove her power of spirit. But I think it's a little cruel to have to start all over again from scratch. To me, it's already been done. The formula of discovering new powers to lick new enemies just doesn't sound promising the second time around. Don't get me wrong, this book wasn't bad, it just seemed to be a repeat of something I've already read. I'll go one more volume to see if it has any surprises.

Just when you thought it was all over..........2004-12-03

SF : THIS REVIEW IS RATED SPOILER-FREE

After watching the CCS anime up to the part when she faces Yue in the final test, I was agast (sp??) that my beloved Sakura had ended. But, much to my glee, I discovered a WHOLE NEW ARC OF CCS!!! Bigger, bolder and far, far better than the first arc, sakura faces a whole new posse of villains (or ARE they?) out to get her, the plot becomes even thicker than before, and relationships begin to develop. This is the bigger cliffhanger EVER -- the plot out-does LOTR, Harry Potter, Sailor Moon...in fact, ANY OTHER BOOK I'VE EVER READ!!! it is simply incredible. I am told the next books are even better. Don't know how that one works..............

Yay! Yue is sooooooo cute!.......2004-10-23

Hiya! I'm an otaku-girl living in the U.K, where it's DAMN difficult to get manga! I wish I lived in the U.S,waaah! But anyway, I get all my essentials imported, so it's not too bad! Enough about me, let's talk about Cardcaptor Sakura! I didn't actually buy the manga, I reserved it from the library! Infact as I'm writing this, it's only been the second day since then! I LOVED it! I recommend it to everyone who loves art from CLAMP, and the previous series of Cardcaptor Sakura! The art is just BEAUTIFUL, the story is great and you'll just want to read it all over again once you've finished! Here are some of my favourite scenes:
1. When Li blushes when Sakura says she can't wait for the day he'll come back to visit from HongKong.
2.When Eriol and Li have an encounter over him holding Sakura's hand.
3. The way Li blushes when he sees Sakura.
4. The teddy-bear scene.
5. Rika giving the bear to Mr. Terada.
6. Li thinking of giving a bear to Sakura."Return your love......"

Well that's all, hope I didn't spoil too much! By all means buy this book, 'kay!

The Magic of Alan Wakeling: The Works of a Master Magician

Average customer rating:

Steinmeyer's writing...
Good Bio
The very best book that you can get about Mr Wakeling

The Magic of Alan Wakeling: The Works of a Master Magician
Jim Steinmeyer
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786718072

Book Description

Alan Wakeling’s acclaimed magic has for years been the “secret source” for leading professional magicians. His career featured stage magic, illusions, close-up and stand-up effects, including several complete acts. This book contains professional material developed by Wakeling and used by magicians. Fully illustrated, beautifully and clearly described, this book is a treasure for any aspiring magician. Just ask the magicians, designers, and producers of today, who continue to integrate Wakeling's routines into their acts. Such people include the authors of this book's brief introductions: Mark Wilson, Steve Dick, Don Bice, Mike Caveney, Norm Nielsen, Earl Nelson, Ricky Jay, and Channing Pollock.

Customer Reviews:

Steinmeyer's writing..........2007-08-28

... is at all times crystal clear. His descriptions of performance and method are clear and concise and (to me at least) fascinating. A true magician in life and in his writing, he conjures performances from a half century ago that make the reader feel as if he has actually witnessed the work of the master magicians. Highly recommended.

Good Bio.......2007-05-11

Orgiinally bought this because of the claim it teaches tricks, however the tricks are outdated and mostly bar room oriented. It's plus side is it reveals alot about the magician Alan Wakeling's life and magic inspiration.

The very best book that you can get about Mr Wakeling.......2005-10-23

This book is a MUST have for you magic book collection and since it is out of print the price of this book has been going up because its now a collectors item!

Math Magic: How to Master Everyday Math Problems, Revised Edition

Average customer rating:

Not for Teaching Kids!!!
Good book even though it comes up short in some areas...
Boost for Math Dummies
Well written book
Great to improve your math and impress your friends

Math Magic: How to Master Everyday Math Problems, Revised Edition
Scott Flansburg , and Victoria Hay
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060726350
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Book Description

Don't live in fear of math any longer.
Math Magic makes math what you may never have
imagined it to be: easy and fun!

Scott Flansburg -- "the Human Calculator" who believes that there are no "mathematical illiterates," just people who have not learned how to make math work for them -- demonstrates how everyone can put their phobia to rest and deal with essential every-day mathematical calculations with confidence. This is the book for millions of otherwise successful adults who are afraid to balance their checkbooks and don't know how to figure interest on savings or credit, and for the millions of students who dread their math classes and live in fear of the SAT math section.

In Math Magic, Scott Flansburg shows the reader how to:

Master the basics, including the real way addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division work
Simplify calculations through estimation
Quick-check answers
Convert metric measures to more familiar ones
Figure tips, taxes, and percentages -- never get short-changed again!
Master algebra using the nine easy steps to algebra

Math Magic is for all of us who need and want to improve our understanding of math. With the help of Flansburg, the Guinness World Record holder as the Fastest Human Calculator, you can do math just like magic.

Customer Reviews:

Not for Teaching Kids!!!.......2006-04-23

This book is inadequate to explore the concepts that it puts forward, and the reader will not be able to use it effectively until they go through and fill in the wide gaps left by the author. The techniques within it are not universal to all numbers, and the author fails to mention this on numerous occasions. All in all, this book was designed to make money, while offering the illusion of "cheating" your way through math. Some methods within it are useful, while others only overcomplicate, and ultimately undermine, standard education techniques for mathematics, the standard way oftentimes being the more accurate, and quicker, way to do the examples within. Math is hard, sure, and that does make a lot of people hate it, but this book will make you hate it more, at least until you figure out what a scam it is.

Good book even though it comes up short in some areas..........2003-07-03

I wanted to read this book ever since seeing the infomercial of Scott doing his thing on tv. I couldn't afford or justify the expense to buy the big commerical package so this book had to do. The methods are easy to follow and Mr. Flansburg does a good job expressing his mind set in how he mentally did the problems. The basic addition and multiplications methods are good but the examples were insufficient when dealing with mixed numbers of different lengths. There were also exceptions to many of the rules that weren't expressed. Finally, the last part of the book with special rules were so numerious it would take a year to effectively learn and apply them all from memory. This leads me to believe that Mr. Flansburg didn't tell everything he knows, like the quick way to determine change -- by changing say ten bucks to 9.99 and subtracting that from the amount owed; then add one cent to get the correct change. It's easier to subtract 9 since its the highest value you can have in each column. This was presented by him on a night time radio show he was a guest on. I do give him prasie for getting people young and old to stop depending on calculators and learn mental speed math.

Boost for Math Dummies.......2002-07-28

A reading of this book quickly reveals our public education system as stodgy and nonprogressive. If you or anyone you know is having problems with math of any kind, please spend a little money on this book before spending a ton of money on tutors and such! If I'd had this book, or been exposed to the information therein, when I was in k-12, my math scores would have been much higher!

Well written book.......2002-04-23

This book is well written and easy to read. It is a really great book and gives insights into various interesting methods to calculate rapidly. However, Mr.Flansburg and Ms. Hay seems to claim that these methods are either theirs, or Japanese. They fail to give proper reference. This preposterous misrepresentation is possibly due to their sheer ignorance or intentional need to hide the real source. In reality, these fast methods were invented during the Vedic Period in India around 400 B.C. One can refer to all these and more methods in "Vedic Mathematics or Sixteen Simple Mathematical Formulae from the Vedas", by Sri Bharati Krishna Tirthanji at Amazon.com. Nevertheless, the credit should be given to these authors for putting these concepts in a easy to understand format and encouraging kids to learn math....

Great to improve your math and impress your friends.......2001-12-18

I bought this for my kids to help them in school. They loved the tips and tricks and actually started really liking math. Can't beat that! I just bought another for my Dad since he loves brain teasers and math tricks. This is a great book for people of all ages and math skill levels. Something for everyone here.

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