Book Description

"Softly he brushed my cheek, then held my face between his marble hands. 'Be very still,' he whispered, as if I wasn't already frozen. Slowly, never moving his eyes from mine, he leaned toward me. Then abruptly, but very gently, he rested his cold cheek against the hollow at the base of my throat." As Shakespeare knew, love burns high when thwarted by obstacles. In Twilight, an exquisite fantasy by Stephenie Meyer, readers discover a pair of lovers who are supremely star-crossed. Bella adores beautiful Edward, and he returns her love. But Edward is having a hard time controlling the blood lust she arouses in him, because--he's a vampire. At any moment, the intensity of their passion could drive him to kill her, and he agonizes over the danger. But, Bella would rather be dead than part from Edward, so she risks her life to stay near him, and the novel burns with the erotic tension of their dangerous and necessarily chaste relationship.Meyer has achieved quite a feat by making this scenario completely human and believable. She begins with a familiar YA premise (the new kid in school), and lulls us into thinking this will be just another realistic young adult novel. Bella has come to the small town of Forks on the gloomy Olympic Peninsula to be with her father. At school, she wonders about a group of five remarkably beautiful teens, who sit together in the cafeteria but never eat. As she grows to know, and then love, Edward, she learns their secret. They are all rescued vampires, part of a family headed by saintly Carlisle, who has inspired them to renounce human prey. For Edward's sake they welcome Bella, but when a roving group of tracker vampires fixates on her, the family is drawn into a desperate pursuit to protect the fragile human in their midst.The precision and delicacy of Meyer's writing lifts this wonderful novel beyond the limitations of the horror genre to a place among the best of YA fiction.(Ages 12 and up) --Patty Campbell 10 Second Interview: A Few Words with Stephenie Meyer Q: Were you a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Angel? What are you watching now that those shows are off the air? A: I have never seen an entire episode of Buffy or Angel. While I was writing Twilight, I let my older sister read along chapter by chapter. She's a huge Buffy fan and she kept trying to get me to watch, but I was afraid it would mess up my vision of the vampire world so I never did. I don't have a ton of time for TV, and my kids get rowdy when I have on "mommy shows," but I do have a secret fondness for reality shows (the good ones, at least in my opinion). I always TiVo Survivor, The Amazing Race, and America's Next Top Model. Q: What inspired you to write Twilight? Is this the beginning of a series? Why write for teens? A: Twilight was inspired by a very vivid dream, which is fairly faithfully transcribed as chapter thirteen of the book. There are sequels on the way--I'm hard at work editing book two (tentatively titled New Moon) right now, and book three is waiting in line for its turn. I didn't mean to write for teens--I didn't mean to write for anyone but myself, so I had an audience of one twenty-nine year old (and later one thirty-one year old when my sister started reading). I think the reason that I ended up with a book for teens is because high school is such a compelling time period--it gives you some of your worst scars and some of your most exhilarating memories. It's a fascinating place: old enough to feel truly adult, old enough to make decisions that affect the rest of your life, old enough to fall in love, yet, at the same time too young (in most cases) to be free to make a lot of those decisions without someone else's approval. There's a lot of scope for a novel in that. Q: What is your favorite vampire story? Fave vampire movie? A: I guess my favorite vampire story would be The Vampire Lestat, by Anne Rice, simply because it's one of the only ones I've ever read. I keep meaning to pick up Bram Stoker's Dracula, because I get asked this question so often and I should probably start with the classics, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Again, I'm afraid to read other vampire books now, for fear of finding things either too similar, or too different from my own vampire world. Ack! I can't even answer the movie question. I can't remember ever seeing a single vampire movie, outside of clips from Bela Lugosi movies on TV. I don't like true horror movies--my favorite scary movies are all Hitchcock's. Q: What other young adult authors do you read? A: My favorite young adult author is L.M. Montgomery I also enjoyJ.K. Rowling (but who doesn't?), and Ann Brashares. As a teen, I skipped straight to adult books (lots of sci-fi and Jane Austen), so I'm rediscovering the world of teen literature now. Stephenie Meyer's List of Books You Should Read Anne of Green GablesRomeo and JulietDragonflightTo Kill a Mockingbird The Princess BrideSee more recommendations from Stephenie Meyer Amazon.com's Significant SevenStephenie Meyer graciously agreed to answer the questions we like to ask every author: the Amazon.com Significant Seven. Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?A: The book with the most significant impact on my life is The Book of Mormon. The book with the most significant impact on my life as a writer is probably Speaker for the Dead, by Orson Scott Card, with Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier coming in as a close second.Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?A: The CD is easy: Absolution by Muse, hands down. It's harder to give myself just one movie, but the one I watch most frequently is Sense and Sensibility--the one with the screenplay by Emma Thompson. One book is impossible. I'd have to have Pride and Prejudice, but I couldn't live without something by Orson Scott Card and a nice, thick Maeve Binchy, too.Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?A: My lies are all very, very boring: "No, you really look great in hot pink!" "My children only watch one hour of TV a day." "I didn't eat the last Swiss Cake Roll--it must have been one of the kids." That's the best I've got.Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.A: It's late at night and the house is silent, but I'm still (miraculously) full of energy. I have my headphones in and I'm listened to a mix of Muse, Coldplay, Travis, My Chemical Romance, and The All-American Rejects. Beside me is a fabulous, and yet mysteriously low in calorie, cheesecake....Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?A: I'd like it to say that I really tried at the important things.I was never perfect at any of them, but I honestly tried to be a great mom, a loving wife, a good daughter, and a true friend. Under that, I'd want a list of my favorite Simpsons quotes.Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?A: I'd love to have a chance to talk to Orson Scott Card--I have a million questions for him. Mostly things like, "How do you come up with this stuff?!" But, if he wasn't available, I'd settle for Matthew Bellamy (lead singer of Muse).Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?A: I'd want something offensive, rather than defensive. Like shooting fireballs from my hands. That way, you're really open to going either way--hero or villain. I like to have choices.

Customer Reviews:

Quite honestly..........2007-10-17

...this the best book I've read in YEARS. My 22 yr old daughter was talking and talking about this book. So, finally, I decided to read it myself. Now keep in mind I'm 49 and no fan of science fiction.

But this book, this book keep me enthralled throughout. You'll fall in love with the characters Bella & Edward.

Take my advice, get all 3 books now and save yourself the trip back to the bookstore.

wow.......2007-10-17

My little sister bought this book and she was urging me to read it after she finished. I was skeptical because it was a young adult reader's book, but one night I was bored (needed a break from studying) and I started reading it. I stayed up till 4:30, reading it from start to finish! I think it's a great book and definitely worth reading. You know it's an awesome book when you're still thinking about it the next day (at random moments). I am definitely getting Book 2.

BEST BOOK EVER!.......2007-10-17

Stephenie Meyer is probably one of the most creative writers I have ever read. Her interpretation of vampires is so much better than the Hollywood versions that have fangs and can not come out except for at night. The story line may seem immature, as it takes place in high school - but I assure you, this is not the case. Twilight can be read, and should be read, by people of all ages. I can't imagine another book that has made me enjoy reading as much as the Twilight Series.

Twilight.......2007-10-17

I really enjoy this author, anyone who reads twilight should also read her other two books New moon and Eclipse. You will not be dissapointed. I cannot wait until her next book in the series next year.

Awesome.......2007-10-17

When I was a teen, great "teen" books didn't exist. I skipped that whole thing by reading adult novels, so now at 21 I'm kind of going back and making up for lost time. I loved Twilight and can't wait for New Moon and Eclipse to arrive at my front door. (I just ordered them a few days ago!) I recomended this book to an older co-worker of mine and she just adored it too. It is so believeable. And I can totally relate to Bella. I would recomend this book to anyone, it was a wonderful easy read with a great ending.

Average customer rating: Nicely done, accessible account of the human brain Entertaining? A Very Refreshing Book On Brain Science A Perspective-Changing Read about the Brain For your thinking and reading friends....

The Accidental Mind: How Brain Evolution Has Given Us Love, Memory, Dreams, and Gods David J. Linden Manufacturer: Harvard University Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books General | Science | Subjects | Books General | Medicine | Subjects | Books Neuroscience | Neurology | Internal Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books General | Evolution | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books Neuroscience | Neurology | Internal Medicine | Medicine | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books Similar Items: The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature Evolution for Everyone: How Darwin's Theory Can Change the Way We Think About Our Lives Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts The Art Spirit Forty Studies that Changed Psychology: Explorations into the History of Psychological Research ASIN: 0674024788

Book Description

You've probably seen it before: a human brain dramatically lit from the side, the camera circling it like a helicopter shot of Stonehenge, and a modulated baritone voice exalting the brain's elegant design in reverent tones.

To which this book says: Pure nonsense. In a work at once deeply learned and wonderfully accessible, the neuroscientist David Linden counters the widespread assumption that the brain is a paragon of design--and in its place gives us a compelling explanation of how the brain's serendipitous evolution has resulted in nothing short of our humanity. A guide to the strange and often illogical world of neural function, The Accidental Mind shows how the brain is not an optimized, general-purpose problem-solving machine, but rather a weird agglomeration of ad-hoc solutions that have been piled on through millions of years of evolutionary history. Moreover, Linden tells us how the constraints of evolved brain design have ultimately led to almost every transcendent human foible: our long childhoods, our extensive memory capacity, our search for love and long-term relationships, our need to create compelling narrative, and, ultimately, the universal cultural impulse to create both religious and scientific explanations. With forays into evolutionary biology, this analysis of mental function answers some of our most common questions about how we've come to be who we are.

Customer Reviews:

Nicely done, accessible account of the human brain.......2007-08-08

David Linden's "The Accidental Mind" is a neat little book. He has two main purposes: (a) to write a readable introduction on brain science, accessible to nonspecialists; (b) to make the case that (page 6) `. . .the brain is an inelegant and inefficient agglomeration of stuff, which nonetheless works surprisingly well." As to the first point, this volume is a far cry from the magnificent work, Michael Gazzaniga's The Cognitive Neurosciences III: Third Edition. However, if one is not well steeped in knowledge and understanding of the neurosciences, Gazzaniga's edited work is close to impenetrable. This book is well and crisply written, explaining simply how neurons work the structure of the brain, how the brain develops, and so on.

As to the second point? He asserts that, quoting Francois Jacob (Page 6), "'Evolution is a tinkerer, not an engineer." That is, evolution operates on organisms as they are and then the process of change takes advantage of the material already existent to adapt to new conditions and challenges. Thus, the human brain is mounted on older, more primitive structures, in an ill fitting complex. As he says (page 21): "The brain is built like an ice cream cone (and you are the top scoop): Through evolutionary time, as higher functions were added, a new scoop was placed on top, but the lower scoops were left largely unchanged."

Thereafter, he speaks of the structure of the brain, how the fully mature human brain develops (with both nature and nurture having roles to play), how the brain is associated with all manner of emotions, learning, religion, and so on.

The Ninth chapter has a title that speaks directly to Linden's first theme--"The Unintelligent Design of the Brain." Here, he slyly critiques advocates of the "Intelligent Design" perspective by noting that the brain is hardly an exemplar of some great design. As noted already, he sees the brain as inefficient and "jury-rigged."

This is a book that provides plenty of insight into how neuroscientists study the structure and function of the brain--and presents some of the exciting possibilities for future research.

In sum, this is a work that ought to be attended to by those interested in the brain sciences, but who cannot readily read the technical literature.

Entertaining?.......2007-07-30

This is a great book for readers who are interested in an overview of the anatomical and physiological functions of the brain. If you have had any previous A+P, this book may give you flashbacks (and does a good job of explaining how those feelings were "created.") You may even recognise many of the examples and case studies right from classic lectures.
If you are approaching "The Accidental Mind" as pure entertainment, enjoy. If you are looking for juicier or more in depth case studies, keep browsing.

A Very Refreshing Book On Brain Science.......2007-07-18

The addition of this review is to fill in one gap in particular. Dr. Linden is the first scientific author I have read in quite a while that wasn't flip with schools of thought. He has distilled research with varied hypothesis and has enough respect for his field and the reader to frankly state when "We just don't know." My only regret is that Dr. Linden didn't make this book the "larger tomb" he mentions when wrapping up the research that didn't make it into the book. Highly recommended to anyone who is mystified by belief and dreams.

A Perspective-Changing Read about the Brain.......2007-07-04

Why do we sleep? What is love? What is happening when we dream? These questions seem so basic to our human experience, and yet the average person in at a complete loss to explain even the most common of our daily experiences. This is where the Accidental Mind comes in. Linden's book offers a refreshingly different perspective on the brain. After reading this book, you will have a much better understanding of how your brain shapes your experience, it's limitations, and what is going on "behind the curtain." Intelligence, gender identity, sexuality, are all covered with an eye to how these factors play out in the architecture of the brain.

This book also provides a great deal of information on the biological basis for issues that are being debated in our culture, which many people will find enlightening and necessary for making informed comments.

If you are considering picking up this book, read Chapter 7 on sleep, available for free from Linden's website:

[...]

While the book may sometimes goes into great detail on the biology, most readers will find plenty of compelling information in these pages. People who enjoy this book and are interested in some of the practical insights that new research is providing about humans, how we work, and practical advice for improving our lives should check out The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt.

Happy reading!

For your thinking and reading friends...........2007-05-31

I found The Accidental Mind a well written, humorous and thought-provoking introduction to neuroscience and to some profound ideas about evolution and other topics. It's the kind of book that makes you interrupt your partner's reading every five minutes with "Hey, listen to this...." If Dr. Linden lectures as entertainingly and interestingly as he writes, his classes at Johns Hopkins University must be in great demand.

Average customer rating: Almost inspiring Where's my book. On My Own: The Art of Being a Woman Alone The power of flying solo

On My Own: The Art of Being a Woman Alone Florence Falk Manufacturer: Harmony ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books Love & Romance | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books Personal Transformation | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books Gender | By Topic | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books Women | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Prime: Adventures and Advice on Sex, Love, and the Sensual Years How Not to Be Afraid of Your Own Life: Opening Your Heart to Confidence, Intimacy, and Joy A Weekend to Change Your Life: Find Your Authentic Self After a Lifetime of Being All Things to All People The Water Will Hold You: A Skeptic Learns to Pray Single: The Art of Being Satisfied, Fulfilled and Independent ASIN: 1400098106 Release Date: 2007-03-20

Book Description

At some point over the course of the average American woman’s life, she will find herself alone, whether she is divorced, widowed, single, or in a loveless, isolating relationship. And when that time comes, it is likely that she will be at a loss as to how to handle it. As a society, we have an unspoken but omnipresent belief that a woman alone is an outcast, inherently flawed in some way. In this invigorating, supportive book, psychotherapist Florence Falk aims to take the fear, doubt, confusion, and helplessness out of being a woman alone. Falk invites all women to find their own paths toward an authentic selfhood, to discover the pleasures and riches of solitude, and to reconnect with others through a newfound sense of self-confidence.

Like so many women before her, Florence Falk found herself divorced, alone, and unsure of herself. Soon she realized that by embracing her solitude for what it was—a potentially enriching and life-altering experience—she could turn what once would have felt like “loneliness” into a far more positive and empowered “aloneness.” Falk notes that each of us has two opposing drives: one causes us to yearn to make close connections with others, and the other pulls us back into ourselves, into the need for selfhood and certainty that can only be shaped through solitude. In order to be whole, she says, we must heed both of those impulses. But in our modern culture, the former is stressed while the latter is neglected, even vilified. On My Own boldly shifts that paradigm.

With inspiring, intimate stories of women from all backgrounds, Falk illuminates the essential role that being alone plays in women’s lives. Whether she is in a stable relationship or on her own, every woman must learn to be by herself; for if she can be fully free, unfettered by society’s stigmas about being alone, life and all its possibilities will open up for her. And as Falk demonstrates, once a woman has discovered the richness of solitude, she is not likely to give it up so easily.

Customer Reviews:

Almost inspiring.......2007-08-24

The Art of Being a Woman Alone - now there's a subject which needed to be addressed. Women today (and for most of recorded history) have been culturally expected - even driven - to sacrifice themselves for others. More recently, ideals emerged which allowed women to seek their own interests and careers, and in todays world, most women know instinctively that they HAVE to be able to support themselves (and children if they have them) as men are no longer required to support them.
This, understandably, creates pressure.

In our modern drive to have everything, women have lost their Self. By losing one's Self, according to Falk, a person loses the ability to stand alone, to be self-sufficient, to enjoy solitude without being lonely and bereft. In addition, when one's Self is damaged or missing, there is nothing protecting you from psychic damage from friends, lovers, and the world in general.

In many ways, our culture resists the import of a woman who is able to stand alone. If you are valuing your own self, you are selfish - a horrible accusation to make of any girl or mother. If you cultivate your own interests, or enjoy your own company, you are self-absorbed - again, a negative. Falk wants us to take joy in selfishness, as we re-imagine ourselves and make peace with who we truly are. She wishes that more women would take time to be self-absorbed, to glory in the creative, WHOLE person who has been submerged for so long by our society, our relationships, and abuse.

Which brings me to the "almost inspiring." Falk finds it necessary to trace in microscopic detail the failed relationships, parental and peer abuse, and overarching societal pressure which causes modern women to lose their Self. This is an amazing downer in a book intended to inspire. In those pages (which are a majority of the book) there is a passivity - a helplessness in the face of a powerful and malevolent grinding cultural poverty. Comparing this to her stirring call for Self-awareness, I found it difficult when she failed to transfer this individual awareness into culture at large.

One example speaks of a girl, gifted and pretty, from an "academic" hippie family, and the teasing and social abuse she suffered at middle and high school. The girl, now a middle-aged woman, is only now dealing with this pain. Nowhere is it suggested that if the girl had a Self-aware mentor, she could have learned to stand ALONE and to rise above the taunts of her peers. Repeatedly, women and girls in her examples are left with gaping psychic wounds which are bemoaned as evil and spirit-breaking, but with no counter-examples to show HOW, if one is taught to grow into her Self from the start, those wounds could be minimized or avoided.

Much of this comes from the author's own experiences, as late in life she rediscovered herself and fought free of years of living for others. I do applaud women who, at any age, realize that no matter what or who is in your life, a healthy person's focus must be on themselves FIRST. However, I think that a celebration of women's rights to be whole people in themselves should try to show how to achieve that from the start, rather than passively accepting the damage until some midlife "eureka" is reached.

In spite of this, this book is stirring and powerful, and begs for women to accept that we CAN be alone and powerful, we CAN be at peace with our true Selves, and we CAN recover from childhood trauma and the pressures of life. This is an important message for everyone.

Where's my book. .......2007-07-07

I'd love to write a review and I'd love to have the book, but apparently it was sent to my old address, wasn't forwarded, and was sent back. I'd love it if you'd reship it to me at my new address: Barb Haynes, 108 Panico Trail, Murphy, NC 28907. Thanks

On My Own: The Art of Being a Woman Alone.......2007-05-14

This book was in great shape and was very inspirational. I have recommended it to several women of my age group.

The power of flying solo.......2007-04-17

On My Own is a revolutionary book. Florence Falk offers deep insight about the social and cultural frames that encourage women to see being alone as a "problem". Beautifully written, it traces, with true sensitivity, the many complex and often conflicting forces that 'contribute' to a woman's 'aloneness'. She boldly encourage us to shatter the paradigm, and reframes solitude as a positive state, a place of power, to be celebrated and explored with enthusiasm.

Around this country, millions of women, single or deeply lonely in their relationships, wrestle with questions about the role and place of partnership in their lives. This remarkable book offers us a way to see our aloneness in a new way....helping us to celebrate our solitude as a state of liberation.

It's hard to imagine a woman whose life would not be touched by reading this book. For many women, Falk's message will come as a key, unlocking a door they may never have known was even there.... and lives will change, forever. For some, perhaps, it will be revolutionary, and the change will come with great force. For others, it may be like a small stone, dropped into water, the rings rippling out gently, wider and wider... but either way, I am convinced, lives will transform. Give this book to a woman you know who is ready for freedom!

Average customer rating: Good story, but not a training book A non-reader, dog lover and shelter volunteer sounds good to me Excellent tool Terrific book - even if you don't have a dog!

For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend Patricia B. McConnell Manufacturer: Ballantine Books ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover General | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books Training | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books General | Behavioral Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books General | Zoology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books Animal Behavior & Communication | Zoology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books General | Zoology | Biological Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books Similar Items: The Other End of the Leash How to be the Leader of the Pack...And have Your Dog Love You For It. ("How to" booklets from Dog's Best Friend) The Cautious Canine On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals I'll be Home Soon ASIN: 0345477146 Release Date: 2006-08-29

Book Description

Yes, humans and canines are different species, but current research provides fascinating, irrefutable evidence that what we share with our dogs is greater than how we vary. As behaviorist and zoologist Dr. Patricia McConnell tells us in this remarkable new book about emotions in dogs and in people, more and more scientists accept the premise that dogs have rich emotional lives, exhibiting a wide range of feelings including fear, anger, surprise, sadness, and love.

In For the Love of a Dog, McConnell suggests that one of the reasons we love dogs so much is that they express emotions in ways similar to humans. After all, who can communicate joy better than a puppy? But not all emotional expressions are obvious, and McConnell teaches both beginning dog owners and experienced dog lovers how to read the more subtle expressions hidden behind fuzzy faces and floppy ears.

For those of us who deeply cherish our dogs but are sometimes baffled by their behavior, For the Love of a Dog will come as a revelation–a treasure trove of useful facts, informed speculation, and intriguing accounts of man’s best friend at his worst and at his very best. Readers will discover how fear, anger, and happiness underlie the lives of both people and dogs and, most important, how understanding emotion in both species can improve the relationship between them. Thus McConnell introduces us to the possibility of a richer, more rewarding relationship with our dogs.

While we may never be absolutely certain what our dogs are feeling, with the help of this riveting book we can understand more than we ever thought possible. Those who consider their dogs part of the family will find For the Love of a Dog engaging, enlightening, and utterly engrossing.

Customer Reviews:

Good story, but not a training book.......2007-10-17

I was looking for a book to teach me some training tips. This is not it. I can't seem to find one that simply says, "Do this, and this and the dog will do this and in two weeks he/she will be a happier dog and you will be stress free!" There ain't one. This is a story about her love for her dogs and it is a great story, but buy it for a story, not training.

A non-reader, dog lover and shelter volunteer.......2007-10-13

I am not much of a reader and decided to get this cd set to listen to in the car during my commute to work. I just finished the last (10th) cd. I don't know what to do with myself while driving now. The radio doesn't interest me anymore. I began listening to the cds again! I am going to buy 2 of the books, one for me and one for a friend. I will use mine to highlight items I want to reference regularly.

Truly, if you want to understand your dog, and any other, better, you can't beat this book! It was very worthwhile. Too bad every dog trainer hasn't read this book.

I volunteer at a shelter as a dog walker. I walk the dogs who are new to the shelter and they have yet to be behavior evaluated. Tips in this book will help me "read" the dogs and understand what they are feeling.

Get this book (or cd set)!!! You won't be sorry!

sounds good to me.......2007-10-10

Not all the way thru yet but the book shares much of my own philosophy. Worth reading.

Excellent tool.......2007-09-30

This is one of the best tools I've found for helping me understand the world my dog lives in. As a sidebar - there is a series of photos including both humans and canines, showing expressions and pointing out what they mean. Having looked through it thoroughly, I was in hysterics after logging in to a blog and seeing a group of "happy party photos" - once I'd looked at her photos, the *real* message of the party shots was unavoidable, from the smile that said "take one more photo and I'll drown you in the gazpacho" to the frozen, fear-filled shy person, barring her teeth in one of the most uncomfortable smiles I've ever seen. So this is not only good for understanding your dog - but also for paying attention to the real messages on the people faces around you!

Terrific book - even if you don't have a dog!.......2007-09-29

This is a great book! I first purchased it as an audiobook, then purchased the hardcover. Now, I am listening to the audiobook for the second time, and am amazed all over again. If you are interested in the way your brain works, the way dogs learn, the way animals in general learn, this book is fascinating. It is not a how-to book, so you won't be able to train your dog after reading this book. But it will help you understand your dog (and yourself!)

Average customer rating: Great Advice! 'Love' in quotes. Insightful Thank you, thank you.... A Great discovery

Women Who Love Too Much ROBIN NOEWOOD Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books General | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books Similar Items: Daily meditations for women who love too much Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself How to Break Your Addiction to a Person Smart Women/Foolish Choices: Finding the Right Men Avoiding the Wrong Ones When Am I Going to Be Happy?: How to Break the Emotional Bad Habits That Make You Miserable ASIN: 0671733419

Book Description

This is the world-renowned, inspiring, practical program for women who believe that being in love means being in pain. Based on the multi-million-copy bestseller, Women Who Love Too Much presents a clear, comprehensive, 10-point recovery plan for women who are addicted to the wrong men for the wrong reasons. Among the vital lessons you will learn in this program are: How the search for the love you never got from your parents can become a crushing obsession in adulthood. How to change from loving someone so much it hurts, to loving yourself enough to stop the pain. How to free yourself from destructive loving and build a healthy, meaningful relationship. This step-by-step self-awareness program offers help, understanding and, above all, hope -- the pathway to making love the truly happy event it is supposed to be.

Customer Reviews:

Great Advice!.......2007-09-06

This is GREAT BOOK! Another new bestseller which I love and recommend - How to be a Super Hot Woman: 339 Tips to Make Every Man Fall in Love with You and Every Woman Envy You

'Love' in quotes........2007-09-04

For any woman, or for that matter man, who has experienced personally or vicariously the agony of being held in thrall to painful relationships, this book is essential. The author presents numerous examples from her clinical practice of women whose lives have spiraled into painful despair, and while our familiarity with what we read can encourage us, the author's unflinching look into every woman's complicity is not for the faint of heart. This is not 'love' but degrading self-torture. I urge you, if you are such a woman, if you know such a woman, get this book and get reading.

Insightful.......2007-08-07

When this book first came out I read it and it opened my eyes. I then went into private and group therapy for about 4months and then just group therapy for being an adult child of an alcoholic. It was something I wished I had done earlier. The cost of therapy after my covrage changed and new responsibilites ended my therapy after around 7 months. I had a great therapist. The author really explains the dynamics of how our relationships develop very well. I've read both of her books. In the second one " Letter's from Women Who Love Too Much" ( it also includes letters from men)she points out how peer therapy seems the most effective form of therapy for such issues. She had stopped doing private therapy at that point. A worthwhile book.

Thank you, thank you...........2007-08-04

I have to honestly say, when it comes to this book, it is like the Bible in my life on relationships. I was sexually abused as a teen and my mother was an alcoholic/drug abuser, and my father was a philanderer, resulting in my parents' divorce when I was 11. I loved my father dearly but it seemed as I got into adulthood I would seek out partners, subconsiously, who were like my father, resulting in immense pain for me. I am the oldest of my parents' 3 children so you can imagine how much responsibility was on me when my mother was absent. I have had this book for 5 years now and it has helped me to gain strength to become emotionally free of my ex, who hurt me repeatedly over the years because without realizing it, I LET him. I have recently let go of a narcissist who deeply wounded me after I found out about his lies, manipulation, and cheating. I have learned, though this book, that I have to love myself more and recognize the self-defeating behaviors I displayed that allowed these men to hurt me. I would rather be alone and wait patiently for the right man to love me in the manner I deserved to be loved, than to put up with unacceptable behavior from emotionally disturbed men. I realized that I needed to change in order to stop the pain, not them. Self absorbed, selfish men are incaple of change because they are incapable of empathy, remorse, or even love. Thank you, thank you Robin for writing such a inspirational, helpful book!

A Great discovery.......2007-07-30

This book leads the reader to discover how unhealthy some behavioral patterns are and also the way they can be change.

Average customer rating: Well... *that* sorta took all the fun out of it! A Masterpiece In Its Field & Springboard for Future Studies book review The Science of Sex Hasn't Yet... Peaked Fernando Camacho MD.

The Science of Orgasm Barry R. Komisaruk , Carlos Beyer-Flores , and Beverly Whipple Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover General | Sex | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Sex Instruction | Sex | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books Human | Sexuality | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Gender Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books General | Biology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books General | Science | Subjects | Books Physiology | Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books General | Medicine | Subjects | Books Neurology | Internal Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books | Alzheimer's Disease | Audiology & Speech Pathology | General | Headache | Neuroscience | Sleep Disorders General | Biology | Biological Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books Similar Items: The G Spot: And Other Discoveries About Human Sexuality The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution Coping with Erectile Dysfunction: How to Regain Confidence and Enjoy Great Sex Coping With Premature Ejaculation: How to Overcome PE, Please Your Partner & Have Great Sex Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't ASIN: 080188490X

Book Description

This fascinating and comprehensive book is the first to explore the complex biological process leading to orgasm. Here, sexuality researcher and nurse Beverly Whipple, coauthor of the international best-selling book The G Spot and Other Discoveries about Human Sexuality, joins neuroscientist Barry R. Komisaruk and endocrinologist Carlos Beyer-Flores to view orgasm through the lenses of behavioral neuroscience along with cognitive and physiological sciences.

The authors explain how and why orgasms happen, why they fail to happen, and what brain and body events are put into play at the moment of orgasm. No topic is left unexplored, as the book describes the genital-brain connection, how the brain produces orgasms, how aging affects orgasm, and the effects of prescription medication, street drugs, hormones, disorders, and diseases.

Covering every type of sexual peak experience in women and men -- from intense to phantom -- this informative and entertaining work illuminates the hows, whats, and wherefores of orgasm.

Customer Reviews:

Well... *that* sorta took all the fun out of it!.......2007-08-08

OK... I was wandering through the library aisles (really!), and this book sorta jumped out at me... The Science of Orgasm by Barry R. Komisaruk, Carlos Beyer-Flores, and Beverly Whipple. I thought it might be fun to learn a little more about what happens at that "YES!" moment. But this book really takes all the fun out of it. You pretty much have to have a medical degree to understand a majority of it, and there's little spractical material for the layman (pun not intended... much).

Contents: Definitions of Orgasm; Different Nerves, Different Orgasmic Feelings; Bodily Changes at Orgasm; Are Orgasms Good for Your Health?; When Things Go Wrong; Diseases That Affect Orgasm; How Aging Affects Orgasm; Pleasure and Satisfaction with and without Orgasm; The Nervous System Connection; The Neurochemistry of Orgasm; Effects of Medication; Counteracting Medication Side Effects; Recreational Stimulant Drugs and Orgasm; Depressant Drugs and Orgasm; Herbal Therapies; Hormones and Orgasm; Mechanism of Action of Sex Steroids; Nonreproductive Hormones in Orgasm; Atypical Orgasms; The Genital-Brain Connection; Orgasms after Brain Surgery or Brain Damage; Imaging the Brain during Sexual Arousal and Orgasm; The Cast of Characters - How Brain Components Contribute to Orgasm; Consciousness and Orgasm; Glossary; References; Index

Anyway... this is an extremely clinical look at the physiological and psychological components that make up the, you guessed it, human orgasm. If you ever wanted to know exactly what role 5-alpha-DHT or dehydroepiandrosterone play in your body, this book will tell you... in detail. Probably every study on human sexuality in the past 50 years that's ever been published is referenced in here... multiple times. After a couple pages of explanation on evidence that a genital sensory pathway goes directly to the brain, bypassing the spinal cord, I was ready to switch over to something much lighter... like Reinventing Project Management. This was one of those library books that got renewed a number of times, as I just couldn't bear to read more than 10 to 15 pages at a time. Maybe I need a book on why I feel I have to finish a book if I start it. :)

Seriously, I can see how someone in the medical field would find this very useful. Also, if you're dealing with major issues like a spinal cord injury or severe reactions to medication, you'd probably be motivated to dig through the information to find answers and solutions. But for the average male or female with relatively normal functioning parts, this is written at a level that requires far more work than it's worth.

And now I think I'll go find something a bit more readable...

A Masterpiece In Its Field & Springboard for Future Studies.......2007-06-04

This book is technically challenging to wade through, and unless a person has a strong personal interest in the subject matter, or is doing a college level research paper, be aware it is difficult reading. I expected the 'psychology' of orgasm and a better understanding of the relationship between men and women but this book is almost exclusively about the purely physical mechanisms of desire, arousal and orgasm; in other words, the nuts and bolts of how it actually happens. It is like reading a car manual when the reader may be expecting a driver's guide.



Every paragraph, and many times every sentence, is loaded with parenthetical citations to other books, authors and researchers, and/or definitions of the medical terms for physiological body parts and functions, which admittedly are necessary considering it is a scientifically technical assessment of orgasm; however, it seriously impedes the natural flow of the steps in acquiring a new thought, assimilating that thought into one's schema, and retaining the new information into the subsequent overall emergent pattern that the authors are striving to bring to a point. This is not the authors' fault however, but rather the current style for citation as opposed to an earlier style of footnotes which in my opinion is preferable because it leaves to the reader whether to make use of the extended information in the footnote or to have an unimpeded reading experience.



I can imagine that those readers familiar with physiologically technical terms and/or whose discipline or field of study this is will also find it laborious to suffer through the multitude of parenthetical definitions for the benefit of those of us unfamiliar with the advanced medical terminology used throughout the book.



On a positive note, it probably brings together into one source every piece of important data on the physiology of orgasm from a medical perspective accumulated over time in many other venues such as books, studies, and research papers submitted to medical magazines and conferences, and it is no doubt an invaluable tool for the library of a professional who deals with the phenomenon of orgasm in the human species.



The reasons for my interest being subjective rather than academic, I was disappointed initially in the strict adherence to professional jargon employed by the authors to lend scholarly credibility to their work, and to the prevalence of the purely physiological aspects of orgasm; however, I did glean a few gems of personal interest hidden in the profuse amount of detail.



One such piece of data reveals women in general can have many motives other than orgasm for engaging in sex with their partner, while men are linear in their efforts to satisfy their drive with defined steps of desire, arousal, and orgasm following a standard pattern with an intentional ultimate end result. My conclusions after completing this book are that there is now a scientific basis for the paradigm and age old belief that "men give affection to get sex and women give sex to get affection" in the vast majority of women. I am hopeful that there will now be a new round of psychological studies to find other common traits in those women who have a more linear purpose for engaging in sex, and in the majority of women who do not. For example, there are some insights in one chapter of the book about natural herbs that stimulate desire, arousal, and orgasm in humans that have been confirmed by studies, so it would be interesting for future studies to investigate whether those in the minority have taken these herbal remedies over time. I for one have been a health nut since my teenage years and one of my daily regimen is Gingko Biloba, one of the herbs sited in the book, as well as ginseng among others, as having been conclusively found by studies to increase desire, arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual satisfaction.



The book cited many studies dealing with various physical impacts on orgasm but nothing on how light affects the positive or negative aspects of the human sexual response. I would be very interested in future studies about light's effects (as in our solar spectrum) on orgasm, and in particular how exposure to specific colors in light affect sensuality. I have slept with a blue light in my bedroom for over thirty years since I was twenty-nine. I believe this has had an anti aging effect on me as well, since I look, act, and feel much younger than I am. The Universal Mind that channels through me has many dictums on light therapy and the nutritional value of different colors. Over the last decade there have been many discoveries about light and its effects on us which have validated information I have been channeling and documenting for years; it would be fascinating for future studies to determine what effects light, and the individual colors in light, might have on the complex biological process leading to orgasm and the human sexual response.



In one of a few rare excursions away from the 'physical' into the 'psychological' regarding women and their ability to reach climax, studies are cited in the book that reveal women need to be given "permission" to enjoy sex. I believe this is probably more of a cultural problem in America than in other areas of the world because our societal moors have deleterious psychological effects on the physiological process of orgasm. In my opinion, Americans have an aberrant negative fascination with sex as reflected by pornographic demand, a staggering divorce rate and a huge incidence of violent crimes against women such as rape and domestic violence, and Americans are among the most depressed and unhappy culture of people on earth. God does not, and never did, intend this negative perspective about sex. When the Angel told Sarah she would have a son, her immediate response was to ask if she was to have pleasure in her old age, and instead of going in the tent to start knitting a pair of baby booties, she went in and started getting dolled up for Abraham. Women - and men - need to understand that sex is a healthy, natural phenomenon and is to be enjoyed in a monogamous relationship only to prevent the negative side effects of promiscuity, not because sex in itself is wrong. It does beg the question of why women are physically hot wired to experience orgasm if they were not meant to do so joyfully since orgasm is not a requisite for becoming pregnant.



If one is more interested in the psychological and social aspects of sex, there are probably better choices than this book which deals with the brain's relationship to orgasm in a purely physiological way and not much in terms of psychological behavioral factors. It is definitely not a 'how to get it more and do it better' type of book, although the effects of drugs, both legal and illegal, on achieving an orgasmic response is discussed, as well as the aforementioned herbs, but again in a medical application and not a social application.



The single most surprising statement in the book for me was that a few women have reported the ability to have orgasm just by thinking about it and without genital stimulation, for which the authors cited their own study in 1992. I would have been interested in other common traits among those women, but that too would have taken the authors outside this book's scope of the purely physiological aspects of orgasm, its processes, and the positive and negative effects of various environmental factors on desire, arousal, and orgasm such as illness, drugs, and disabilities. I hope future studies will look at what traits those who fall within a particular set of parameters have in common, such as right brain expressions like art, writing, and music, or, like myself for which creativity is but a hobby while my functional daily life is more left brain both receptively and expressively. I am looking forward to many new studies utilizing the science in this book.



I'm glad I did finish the book because the last segment of the last chapter was of utmost surprise and fascination for me in which the authors acknowledged nobody knows exactly where orgasm originates, and they speculate it may be in a fifth dimension which they also attribute to possibly being the home of consciousness! They offer the information that many physicists are comfortable with there being as many as ten dimensions. Most people differentiate between the four dimensions we are aware of as 'science' and all other dimensions as 'faith'. This is the first time I have read of a group of people that are swayed by 'science' alluding to something that lends credibility to what I have been channeling for fifteen years. A very exciting "find" for me.



The book is fascinating, albeit difficult to read, and I learned a lot about both women and men that I did not know. I expect this book to be a cornerstone in future knowledge and enlightenment through studies on this subject. I have no doubt it will be a masterpiece in its field.

book review.......2007-05-08

This book was overkill on the scientific explanation and not enough on the practical side for those having problems.

The Science of Sex Hasn't Yet... Peaked .......2007-04-27

So many people and organizations over-emphasize sex for their own agendas, while for others sex is a source of unhappiness and guilt. But the fact is that for most people a balanced sex life is an essential part of healthy living. Yet despite the deluge of information about sex, it is amazing how much ignorance still exists. Most people working in psychology will have seen people who were convinced that they had an illness because he or she had failed to have an orgasm or had sometimes been less interested in sex.

This is the kind of book that will probably get thumbed through a lot at the local lending library, but it is not in any way a "how to" book. It is instead a scholarly work on what is known about orgasm. It is a book of facts and figures, a few diagrams and a lot of scientific references.

I have some minor gripes: the proofing could have been better: bromocriptine is one of a number of words that is misspelled. There is only a short discussion about why female orgasm exists at all. The male orgasm seems to have a straightforward evolutionary function, making males want to have sex more often, which in turn makes them more likely to have offspring. But how to account for female orgasm, when nearly three-quarters of women don't always reach orgasm during sexual intercourse? If the female orgasm had developed because of the same evolutionary pressures, females should have adapted to be as consistently orgasmic as males. (There is an excellent discussion of this issue in the recent book by Elisabeth Lloyd from Indiana University, which is referenced in this book). At some points in this book there is not enough of a distinction made between orgasm and arousal. For instance some women report that arousal rather than orgasm is what drives them to enjoy sex. There is also an over-emphasis on biochemical theories of orgasm, and an under-emphasis on the psychological, subtle and spiritual aspects. Even the topic of consciousness and orgasm gets only a brief chapter.

If you are interested in a more comprehensive view of orgasm, you may want to supplement this book with the works of David Deida, Jenny Wade, Mabel Iam and Mantak Chia.

But all that being said, this is the best single book on the physiology, biochemistry and pathology of orgasm. It also highlights that there is still a great deal that is known.

The book also gives quite a good summary of some of the approaches that may help people who feel that they have a problem with achieving orgasm. It is essential reading for anyone working with relationship problems. And if the only thing that comes from this book is a greater understanding that orgasm is not the only consideration in intimate relationships, that would be worthwhile in itself.

This book is almost unique, and apart from the points that I have raised, I recommend it to anyone who needs a reliable account of the physical aspects of orgasm, and suggestions for helping with problems.

Fernando Camacho MD........2006-12-24

A must have for everyone who is interested in sexuality and its scisnce.

Average customer rating: Sociology of the family through the lens of Conflict Theory Women Studies

Sociology of Marriage and the Family: Gender, Love, and Property Scott L. Coltrane , and Randall Collins Manufacturer: Wadsworth Publishing ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Marriage | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books General | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books Marriage & Family | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books Culture | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books General | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books Families & Marriage | Sociology | Social Sciences | New & Used Textbooks | Stores | Books All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books Parenting & Families | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books Similar Items: Families and Society: Classic and Contemporary Readings (with InfoTrac®) (The Wadsworth Sociology Reader Series) Marriage and Family: Using MicroCase ExplorIt Sociology of Marriage and the Family: Gender, Love, and Property (Cram 101 Series) Deviant Behavior (8th Edition) Bookmarks: A Guide to Research and Writing (3rd Edition) Accessories: Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer ASIN: 0534579604

Book Description

This sociological analysis of the system of marriage and family focuses on the family as an institution in society. It uniquely encompasses many facets of society, and students are able to learn about family seen through a cultural and historical perspective. The book sets a high conceptual standard, but uses informal writing and minimal jargon. It presents the perspectives of critical and questioning academics (feminists, progressives, anti-racists, independent-thinkers, cross-disciplinary types, etc.) within a scholarly, well-researched text. It addresses a host of real world issues and practical concerns.

Customer Reviews:

Sociology of the family through the lens of Conflict Theory.......2005-08-01

Using conflict theory as their starting point, Coltrane and Collins provide an excellent introduction to the sociological study of the family.

Women Studies.......2005-05-24

I am a Latino, Mexican American, male femenisth. I read this book for my Women Studies minor family course named The Family in Cal State Dominguez. I really recomend this book to all the people that really want to know the true history of the human family and how it has been changing and why it will always will change... at the same time you will start to see that gender roles were never started at the beggining of humanity...that gender roles were created in diffrent cultures at the hurticultural stage of society and were very strong at the agregarian stage... but right now in industrial societys gender roles are becoming more simmilar little by litlle to be able to survive... I can tell you more about this book...but you need to read it and I really recomended.

Average customer rating: Get this book to finally understand the opposite sex Very good overall A misleading title written solely for advertising purposes Oh, GOD! This is the most stupid book EVER. Laughable and Questionable

Why Is Sex Fun?: The Evolution of Human Sexuality (Science Masters) Jared Diamond Manufacturer: Basic Books ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback General | Sex | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books Human | Sexuality | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books General | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books General | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books General | Medicine | Subjects | Books Similar Items: The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal (P.S.) Collapse Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies Why Sex Matters: A Darwinian Look at Human Behavior. The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature ASIN: 0465031269

Amazon.com

Many of us pursue fitness because we want to remain attractive to partners and potential partners, and we stay healthy so we can continue to have sex with those partners. But why do people care so much about sex? This book, written by an evolutionary biologist, explains how all the weird quirks of human sexuality came to be: sex with no intention of procreation, invisible fertility, sex acts pursued in private--all common to us, but very different from most other species. Why Is Sex Fun? asks us to look at ourselves in a brand-new way, and richly rewards us for doing so.

Book Description

In Why is Sex Fun? Jared Diamond argues that, in our evolutionary history, humans' strange sex lives were as crucial to our rise to human status as our upright posture and large brain. He explores questions such as, `Why are humans one of the few species to have sex in private? Why do human have sex any day of the month or year? Why are human females one of the only mammals to go through the menopause?' Diamond concludes that, by the standards of the world's 4,300 species, we are the ones that are bizarre.

Why is Sex Fun? is a delightfully entertaining and enlightening account of the evolutionary forces that have shaped our sex lives: of the book Diane Ackerman writes that it offers `fascinating reading for anyone curious about why lovers do what they do'.

Customer Reviews:

Get this book to finally understand the opposite sex.......2007-09-12

Are men and women basically alike, save the obvious physical differences? Absolutely not! This quick read explores the different evolutionary pressures that shape human sexuality. The "Battle of the Sexes" has evolutionary roots millions of years old. Diamond explains how each gender of a given species seeks to leave as many off-spring as possible, and how biological gender differences lead to different strategies and behavior. Diamond convincing promotes an evolutionary paradigm of human sexuality that goes quite far in explaining why men and women act the way they do. Witty and concise throughout, this book is enjoyable and illuminating.

Very good overall.......2007-07-05

There is a bit of overlap in this book with "The Third Chimpanzee," and this is to be expected. (Many of us have noticed that authors tend to cover the same points again and again.) On account of this, it loses one star.

On the good side, this book is very concise and light to read. There are almost no graphs in the book (for maximum simplicity).

The best points:

1. There wwas a good discussion of the process of going about testing a theory/ hypothesis, and though this may need to be read several times to be understood it is something that is interesting to know.
2. There were lots of neat little factoids about animals (such as elephants having 5 sets of teeth over the course of a life).
3. The questions surrouding the function of concealed ovulation were dealt with in a very easy-to-understand way that didn't bog the reader down with excessive technical details.
4. Diamond's beginnings into analyzing the male/ female division of labor were, by far, the best part of the whole book. It was sufficiently quantitative to be believable, but not so much as to be boring.

A misleading title written solely for advertising purposes.......2007-06-24

The book is a blend of "Animal Planet" and Maxim, so at times many of its theories sound more like folk tales than well researched data and at the end you feel that it lacks a clear conclusion. There are many generalizations such as: Women tend to be more responsible with their off spring because they have invested more time and resources on their creation, (ii) That there is a war of the sexes going on, as the reproductive interest of women and males is often at crossroads, as we are more promiscuous and they prefer the company of a single by very well endowed male who could provide security. That ovulation in females is hidden and they are sexually available 24/7 so that their partners will be more inclined to keep them company and not run away looking for sex somewhere else, leaving them abandoned and at peril. Each one of them could be true but at the same time is possible to point out to certain facts which could prove that the premise is wrong. For more interesting observations and analysis buy a book of Desmond Morris.

By they way the book never really tell you why sex is fun (I mean outside the fact that we all know that is fun) and why we humans like to keep it private in practically every society.

Oh, GOD! This is the most stupid book EVER........2007-04-09

How does this man actually get his work published? He is an absolute idiot. This is the most nauseating drivel, I just can't believe anyone can take this guy seriously. He should retire from writing and someone should hide his laptop just incase. Perfectly pointless.

Laughable and Questionable.......2006-10-02

Diamond spends twenty one laughable pages on male lactation. What's next? How about implanting a uterus? After all, men are stronger and could probably carry babies better.
Big game hunting by the males of indigenous tribes was probably more effective when there was more game. But, for Diamond, it leaves the question open as to "What are men good for?"
My question is "What is Jared Diamond good for?"

Books:

1. New Perspectives on Microsoft Office Excel 2003, Comprehensive (New Perspectives (Paperback Course Technology))
2. Norton Anthology of Western Music: Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century
3. Pharmaceutical Reason: Knowledge and Value in Global Psychiatry (Cambridge Studies in Society and the Life Sciences)
4. Physical Education: Teaching and Curriculum Strategies for Grades 5-12
5. Physics for Scientists and Engineers (Study Guide and Student Solutions Manual)
6. Piranhas (Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)
7. Plastic Part Design for Injection Molding : An Introduction (Spe Books.)
8. Political Science: An Introduction (9th Edition)
9. Power System Analysis and Design (with CD-ROM)
10. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology w/ Brief Atlas

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books

1. Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower
2. Jesus for the Non-Religious
3. i never knew what time it was
4. History: Fiction or Science
5. Jack London : Novels and Stories : Call of the Wild / White Fang / The Sea-Wolf / Klondike and Other
6. Ideals, Varieties, and Algorithms: An Introduction to Computational Algebraic Geometry and Commutati
7. History: Fiction or Science
8. To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson
9. Fred Pontin: The Authorised Biography of Sir Fred Pontin
10. The Folk and the Education of Private Ambrose