Reference Books - Page 6

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

Jared Diamond

List Price: $24.95 By: Audio Scholar Amazon Marketplace: 6 new & used starting at $6.86

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Subjects -> History -> Ancient -> Early Civilization
Subjects -> History -> General AAS
Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> Literary

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1075 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great subject and treatment - shakey science 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I know everyone says this - just adding my voice.

The author needs to define his terms - what does he mean by 'smart' when talking about the New Guineans. What does he mean by calling Australia 'backwards'? I wish he developed these vague/biased terms.

Fascinating! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

It took me a while to open this book, as I was absolutely convinced that, with a title like Guns, Germs and Steel, the subject could only be war. Eventually, however, I opened the book, and was absolutely fascinated by it. The premise of the book is Yali's question. Yali, a native of New Guinea, has never been out of his country, is "Why is it that you white people developed so much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but we black people had little cargo of our own?"
The answer to this question takes about 430 pages of very interesting reading, going back to the rise and spread of food production, from food to guns, germs and steel, around the world in 5 chapters. The writer, Jared Diamond delves into pre-history, how and why the nomadic hunter/gatherers became more stationary, and started to form villages, and what effect that had on their way of life. What is necessary to sustain villages. The advance of specialisation. Why some areas were more susceptible to change than others. The geographic climate that helped or hindered.
As I say, this is a very interesting book, and one that will long live with you. However, it is perhaps rather hard reading, insofar as it is written probably for college students. It is not a book that should be read in a hurry, but should be savoured.

Editorial Review:

13,000 years of human history,beginning when stone-age gathers constituted the entire population.

First, Break All The Rules: What The Worlds Greatest Managers Do Differently

Curt Coffman

Amazon Price: $16.50 List Price: $25.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Simon & Schuster Audio Amazon Marketplace: 43 new & used starting at $9.99

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Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Management & Leadership -> Management
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 262 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Best book ever about leadership! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Of all the books I've read about leadership, this is the one that gave me the most. I've been able to use the information in this book every single day and guess what? It really works. If you're interested in management and leadership, start here!

Editorial Review:

In First, Break All the Rules, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman of the Gallup Organization present the remarkable findings of their massive indepth study of great managers.

In today's tight labor markets, companies compete to find and keep the best employees, using pay, benefits, promotions, and training. But no matter how generous its pay, or how renowned its training, the company that lacks great front-line managers will suffer.

Buckingham and Coffman explain how the best managers select an employee for talent rather than for skills or experience; how they set expectations', how they motivate people by building on each person's unique strengths; and, finally, how great managers find the right fit for each person, not the next rung on the ladder.

First, Break All The Rules provides vital performance and career lessons for managers at every level. This audiobook shows you how to apply them to your own situation.

Encyclopedia of Immaturity (Klutz)

Editors of Klutz

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Klutz Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $10.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

excellent gift for that nephew in your life 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Great fun book for the younger set. Good to let them get a little crazy in this up-tight P C world!

Love it! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book is truly perfect for all ages! I bought it for my tween (10-14 yr old) niece and nephews but found myself reading the book all the time. I even had to buy another one for my coworker as a parting gift which was a big hit. Several other coworkers expressed interest in buying one for themselves! Absolutely love it :)

Great book! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I ordered this book for myself and my kids. They thought it was the coolest book ever. I think I could have written most of it. I then sent a copy to my brother for his 35th birthday. He has two sons and they both enjoyed it.

Fun for Everyone 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The entire family has enjoyed this book and many have tried out some of the "suggestions". Even some rather staid members of the family - all in good fun.

Excellent birthday gift for a 10 yr old boy 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My sons LOVE this book. Lots of silly gross stuff perfect for boys. My 4th and 5th grade sons love this.

Editorial Review:

How to never grow up, the complete guide.

A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes

David Tanis

Amazon Price: $23.10 List Price: $35.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Artisan Amazon Marketplace: 18 new & used starting at $17.71

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Gastronomy -> Essays
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Special Occasions -> Seasonal
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Special Occasions -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Forget about getting back to the land, David Tanis just wants you to get back to the kitchen

For six months a year, David Tanis is the head chef at Chez Panisse, the Berkeley, California, restaurant where he has worked alongside Alice Waters since the 1980s in creating a revolution in sustainable American cuisine. The other six months, Tanis lives in Paris in a seventeenth-century apartment, where he hosts intimate dinners for friends and paying guests, and prepares the food in a small kitchen equipped with nothing more than an old stove, a little counter space, and a handful of wellused pots and pans.

This is the book for anyone who wants to gather and feed friends around a table and nurture their conversation. It’s not about showing off with complicated techniques and obscure ingredients. Worlds away from the showy Food Network personalities, Tanis believes that the most satisfying meals—for both the cook and the guest—are invariably the simplest.

Home cooks can easily re-create any of his 24 seasonal, market-driven menus, from spring’s Supper of the Lamb (Warm Asparagus Vinaigrette; Shoulder of Spring Lamb with Flageolet Beans and Olive Relish; Rum Baba with Cardamom) to winter’s North African Comfort Food (Carrot and Coriander Salad; Chicken Tagine with Pumpkin and Chickpeas). Best of all, Tanis is an engaging guide with a genuine gift for words, whose soulful approach to food will make any kitchen, big or small, a warm and compelling place to spend time.

Spark Notes The Fountainhead

Ayn Rand, SparkNotes Editors

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Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> Authors, A-Z -> ( R ) -> Rand, Ayn -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 967 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Get your "A" in gear!

They're today's most popular study guides-with everything you need to succeed in school. Written by Harvard students for students, since its inception SparkNotes™ has developed a loyal community of dedicated users and become a major education brand. Consumer demand has been so strong that the guides have expanded to over 150 titles. SparkNotes'™ motto is Smarter, Better, Faster because:

· They feature the most current ideas and themes, written by experts.
· They're easier to understand, because the same people who use them have also written them.
· The clear writing style and edited content enables students to read through the material quickly, saving valuable time.

And with everything covered--context; plot overview; character lists; themes, motifs, and symbols; summary and analysis, key facts; study questions and essay topics; and reviews and resources--you don't have to go anywhere else!

Kaplan GRE Vocabulary Exam in a Box

Kaplan

Amazon Price: $16.61 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Kaplan Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 29 new & used starting at $11.82

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great idea but poor definitions 3 out of 5 stars.
13 of 13 people found this review helpful.

As others have written in, while the cards cover most of the frequently used GRE vocab words and are an extremely helpful way to study, be wary of the some of the definitions. Kaplan doesn't always provide the best definitions or example sentences. They often define the word as a verb and then use it as an adjective in a sentence, for example. In addition, they often don't provide all of the possible definitions, and it's the secondary definitions that get you on the GRE. The card design is extremely helpful, but I had to relearn many words from other vocab sources.

Good words, but TERRIBLE definitions 1 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Embarrassing quality from Kaplan. The words they have chosen may be appropriate and certainly seem like "GRE Words", however, the word choice, sentence examples, and even the definitions are terrible. Did they even have an English instructor take a look at them?

The example sentences often use an obscure or not-intuitive usage of the vocab word. For example, "inimical":

"Even though a cease-fire had been in place for months, the two sides were still inimical to each other."

The point being: You would NEVER see this sentence in a newspaper or book...why didn't they use a more common usage of the word as an example? Like "...inimical to good health...".

More examples abound. This terrible work and an embarrassment from Kaplan.

Editorial Review:

-500 flashcards covering the most-tested GRE vocabulary words

-Sample sentences provide the words in context

-Also includes synonyms and a pronunciation key

Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition

Paula Begoun, Bryan Barron

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 By: Beginning Press Amazon Marketplace: 16 new & used starting at $16.33

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Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Beauty & Fashion -> Cosmetics
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 324 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

I'm impressed! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wow! This book really stands out with its scientific references. How often do you find complete references including even the page numbers of the scientific journal, in a popular book? I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though cosmetics are not really my thing (I'm too lazy or "busy" to bother). Now I actually find myself using face creams and sunscreens. I used to think all cosmetic products were a waste of money but now I'm convinced that some products actually do help the skin.

Some of the critical reviewers here have clearly not read the book very well. I don't know where they get the idea that Begoun is against natural ingredients or plant oils. Quite the contrary, her own products are full of these and nowhere in the book did she say that she is against them. What she is against is using natural ingredients (or any ingredients) that have not been proven effective by scientific studies. In other words, she only wants to use those natural ingredients that actually work.

The same goes for essential oils. She is not againts using them if they have proven to be effective. Some essential oils have been and you can find those in her own products. What she does not like is for essential oils to be added to products solely because of the scent. And I agree: why would you want to put ANYTHING on your skin that does not have any purpose? If you want to enjoy the scent of essential oils you can use them in candles or spray them onto your clothes. You don't have to expose your skin to something that nobody really knows very much about.

Editorial Review:

This well-organized, authoritative book helps women find products that make them look great without spending a fortune. From drugstores and home shopping to department stores and catalogs, Paula Begoun reviews all the major cosmetic and skin-care lines, product by product, with more than 30,000 total. Regardless of cost, there are good and bad products in almost every line, and with the turn of a page, readers can get concise reviews and fast answers. A user-friendly rating system makes it easy to find items worth trying.

Guess How Much I Love You

Sam McBratney

List Price: $16.95 By: Magi Pubns Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $43.50

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 292 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

This is a good one 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Both my kids got into this one. They we reaching and hugging as we read. Really neat.

Children's Book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The book was a good price and was delivered promptly. Great service and experience as always.

Not for my two year old 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

My son who is two had no interest in this book and he loves all types of books from Dr Seuss to the Byron Barton vehicle series. This book was too wordy and slow moving. I also thought it was confusing that the character in the book is a "hare" which is a tough word for a toddler that is already figuring out why sometimes they're called rabbits and other times bunnies! Anyway, we'll save this one for later.

Great Book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Not only did this book bring back wonderful memories of my mother and I reaching as far as we could reach to show how much we loved eachother, but my son absolutly loves it. It's all in how you read the book. The more fun you put into reading, the better the book will come across. As my 5 month old son gets older, I'm sure we will be standing on our tip-toes reaching up to the sky to show how much we love one another. Those crabby people that said this book only makes it seem like love is a compition, are the same people looking for fault in every childrens show/movie, in order to do what they do best, which is crab. They're looking too much into it. Children do not look at it that way. It's all in good fun!!

Editorial Review:

The American Booksellers Book of the Year nominee is available as a sturdy board book for the youngest of children. Little Nutbrown Hare wants to show Big Nutbrown Hare how very much he loves him - but love as big as his is very hard to measure!

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Amazon Price: $19.79 List Price: $29.98 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hachette Audio Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $14.40

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Subjects -> Biographies & Memoirs -> General
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Subjects -> Entertainment -> Humor -> Essays

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 736 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Not as funny as I'd hoped. 2 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Sedaris describes vignettes from his life in this wry-humored self-deprecating autobiography.

He and I do not share the same sense of humor, so though I did find some of his stories throughout the middle of the text quite funny (particularly the way he described learning French and moving to France), I found the beginning and end of the book tedious reading. Perhaps I didn't read it in the right frame of mind. If I had approached it as a collection of short stories instead of a continuing narrative, I might have enjoyed it better, and I am willing to take the blame for that oversight, though I didn't see any reference to this book as a collection of short stories in any reviews.

In the beginning, Sedaris describes himself as a vapid and shallow child, and a pretentious and annoying art student. As a reader, I simply didn't care about him.

If you can stick with this novel until chapter nine, when Sedaris moves to NYC, his humor kicks into gear and the book becomes very amusing through chapter twenty-three.

After that, subsequent chapters about uncomfortable self-revelations and insomniac fantasies are at times both repulsive and tedious, and divorced from any of the previous text. But then Sedaris finishes with one of the funniest chapters of the whole lot which leaves the reader laughing, but does nothing to draw the whole book together in conclusion.

Many people have loved this book, but I did not find it very appealing or satisfying.

C.A.Wulff - author of Born Without a Tail

Editorial Review:

David Sedaris' move to Paris from New York inspired these hilarious pieces, including the title essay, about his attempts to learn French from a sadistic teacher who declares that "every day spent with you is like having a caesarean section". His family is another inspiration. "You Can't Kill the Rooster" is a portrait of his brother, who talks incessant hip-hop slang to his bewildered father. And no one hones a finer fury in response to such modern annoyances as restaurant meals presented in ludicrous towers of food and cashiers with six-inch fingernails.

Free to Be ... You and Me

Marlo Thomas

List Price: $12.95 By: Mcgraw-Hill Amazon Marketplace: 14 new & used starting at $5.97

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Issues -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

My childhood favorite is now my daughters' favorite 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I'm convinced that I grew up to be a feminist, independent thinker, and lawyer - open to people from all backgrounds - because of Free to Be You and Me. The issues and songs and images are just as relevant today. It's fun for me to watch and hear the celebrities I grew up knowing and my young daughters don't know it's dated - bell bottoms do not deter them from the wonderful messages in these stories.

35 years later.... still relevant and powerful 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I have had the great honor and pleasure of working with Marlo Thomas and Carole Hart on the 35th edition of this classic book. The book has inspired millions and it will continue to do so. This book is as powerful today as it was when it was first published. It is often pegged as a book to empower girls, but it speaks to boys equally - after all, isn't that our goal -- to be treated as people, not labels? I am hoping that the human race can evolve into a kinder, more generous and sensitive people. This book, given at an early age, (or ANY AGE, in fact!) will continue to help in that process.

Editorial Review:

A number of stories, poems, and songs which demonstrate that people can choose to do or be whatever they desire.