Customer Reviews:
Super book!.......2003-11-22
This is such an incredible book. I came across it after going through the National Wildlife Federation's Habitat Steward program (which was enlightening!). This is an incredible book. It covers all sorts of different habitats - each type of habitat is profiled (e.g. Sandy beach, salt marsh, lake and pond, river and stream, cattail marsh, sedge meadow, bog and bog forest, northern floodplain forest, southern floodplain forest, grassy field, transition forest, appalachian forest etc etc.) In each ofthese chapters it talks about howthis particular habitat was formed, characteristic plants, what types of wildlife you're likely to see there and why that habitat is beneficial to them, signs to look for to see if that wildlife has been there, and where to see that habitat. There are great drawings and handdrawn tables throughout. Its just packed with interesting facts - its hard to write a review of so much variety ind interesting info. If you're looking for a book that will give you a great understanding and appeciation for the different types of habitat and how hte web of life weaves together then this book is a good one for you! Highly recommended. Lots to learn about from justthis one source.
an amazing find for the naturalist in all of us.......2000-06-15
This book is a useful tool for all people who love the outdoors. This book has insightful discriptions and lovely drawings that make you crave an outdoor adventure. It is very easy to follow and the tables are useful as well. I would reccomen this book to any teacher or person willing to gain more knowledge about the world around them
Book Description
A unique guide that will teach complete beginners how to paint a beautiful floral watercolour in just one weekend.
Beginners recognise that they need to acquire basic painting skills - but at the same time they are eager to produce their first finished painting. This popular 'weekend' formula allows them to do both in a limited amount of time - to build skills gradually and to produce an attractive, frameable painting that they can hang on their walls by the end of the weekend.
The author starts by introducing the materials required, and then leads readers through a series of watercolour technique exercises designed to provide a basic grounding in the skills needed for this subject area.
This instruction is followed by six weekend projects for painting a range of popular floral subjects: a single flower; a group of white flowers; an indoors still life; an outdoors close-up; autumn flowers; and wild flowers in the landscape. Each course starts with practice exercises to be completed on the Saturday; readers are then ready to complete the full watercolour painting on the Sunday.
Clear instructions accompany step-by-step photographs throughout, and technical information is given in special feature boxes.
Customer Reviews:
Thanks, Jill!.......2004-04-11
After months of sitting with my preschooler at the easel and painting nothing but crude daisies, I bought this book. It's been three days and I am already painting flowers that look like flowers. The techniques are simple and are explained well with text and photographs. I find that many how-to-paint books are filled with the artist's own finished works but never show the intimidated beginner how to get there. This book is different in that it takes the reader through a step-by-step process that begins with the first stroke and ends with the final product. I highly recommend this book to the beginning watercolorist.
Amazon.com
Daniel Keyes wrote little SF but is highly regarded for one classic, Flowers for Algernon. As a 1959 novella it won a Hugo Award; the 1966 novel-length expansion won a Nebula. The Oscar-winning movie adaptation Charly (1968) also spawned a 1980 Broadway musical.
Following his doctor's instructions, engaging simpleton Charlie Gordon tells his own story in semi-literate "progris riports." He dimly wants to better himself, but with an IQ of 68 can't even beat the laboratory mouse Algernon at maze-solving:
I dint feel bad because I watched Algernon and I lernd how to finish the amaze even if it takes me along time.
I dint know mice were so smart.
Algernon is extra-clever thanks to an experimental brain operation so far tried only on animals. Charlie eagerly volunteers as the first human subject. After frustrating delays and agonies of concentration, the effects begin to show and the reports steadily improve: "Punctuation, is? fun!" But getting smarter brings cruel shocks, as Charlie realizes that his merry "friends" at the bakery where he sweeps the floor have all along been laughing at him, never with him. The IQ rise continues, taking him steadily past the human average to genius level and beyond, until he's as intellectually alone as the old, foolish Charlie ever was--and now painfully aware of it. Then, ominously, the smart mouse Algernon begins to deteriorate...
Flowers for Algernon is a timeless tear-jerker with a terrific emotional impact. --David Langford
Book Description
Oscar-winning film Charly starring Cliff Robertson and Claire Bloom-a mentally challenged man receives an operation that turns him into a genius...and introduces him to heartache.
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful, heartbreaking novel!.......2007-10-04
I think this is one of the best books I have ever read! The story takes place mainly in New York City, USA. Charlie Gordon, 32, is mentally retarded, and is taught by Miss Alice Kinnian. The book is written in the form of chronological Progress Reports written by Charlie. (His early reports were filled with spelling mistakes.) He is given the opportunity to be the first to take part in a scientific procedure that can triple his intelligence. After the operation, he is timed in a maze race against a mouse, Algernon, who has had the same operation on his brain. He begins to beat Algernon after a few times.
Charlie's rapid increase in intelligence makes him eager to learn more and more. He recalls memories of his past life. Once Charlie has reached his peak in intelligence, he and Algernon are to be presented at a psychological convention. He realizes during the presentation that one of the doctors believes that Charlie was not yet 'created' before the operation. This infuriates Charlie. He travels back to New York City with Algernon. He notices that Algernon is becoming lethargic. Charlie begins to worry that this regression Algernon is experiencing may soon happen to him. Sure enough, he soon begins to notice some signs of deterioration. He visits his family for the last time. He sees that the masked, retarded Charlie, deep in him, is returning. Then, Algernon dies. Many of the people that were close to him get very sad for him. (During these last few pages, I almost began to cry!) His last request of all of his freinds is: "Please if you get a chanse put some flowrs on Algernons grave in the bak yard."
I believe this novel is a fascinating must-read for everyone. It teaches you that not everyone may have the talents you do, and that you should respect them. There are many other lessons nestled in this page-turner that you should definitely discover.
--Aidan Bevacqua
"Brilliant" And "Masterpiece" Are Not Hyperbole In This Case.......2007-09-24
If you are a true lover of literature, you probably have a handful of novels that will always be cherished for as long as you live. For me, "Flowers For Algernon" is such a book. (I have read both the original 'novella' as well as the expanded novel, and like the novella the best. Also, I eventually saw the movie "Charly", based on this story, and thought it was hugely inferior to the book).
I will never forget my beloved 7th grade ('76-'77) 'high-English' teacher, Mrs. Colette Heideman -- my favorite I ever had, I think. Among the many terrific things she did was to assign this story for us to read. It moved me deeply, and does to this day. The story shows so powerfully how profoundly wrong it is to equate a human being's true worth simply to their IQ, and such like. No, the essence of what makes a person worthy of dignity and decency is something much deeper. (I believe it is derived from their being created in the image of God Himself).
Spoiler Warning.
The hardest I've ever cried while reading a story happened with this one. At the end, as Charlie's intellect is deteriorating, he realizes what is happening. In his journal he writes something like (I'm going from memory), "i dont know why im dum agen. maybe I dint try hard enuff." When I read these words my insides collapsed in a gush of tears. Fortunately I was alone in my room.
I use words like "brilliant" and "masterpiece" sparingly, but "Flowers for Algernon" truly merits such superlatives. BTW, adding to this story's poignancy for me, dear Mrs. Heideman was killed in a car accident three years after I had her as my teacher. I loved her and always remember her when I think of this story.
I love this story!.......2007-07-12
I read this book when I was in high school and it made me cry...twice! I cannot wait to finish it again and to see if it has the same effect.
Easily one of the best books I've read this year........2007-07-05
Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon (Bantam, 1966)
There are some people who simply deserve to be beaten with their own severed limbs for being such monumental genetic screwups. No, I'm not talking about Charlie Gordon, the protagonist of Daniel Keyes' wondrous little novel Flowers for Algernon; I'm talking about his mother Rose, a woman for whom getting stoned (in the Biblical sense) is not good enough.
Perhaps, though, I'm getting ahead of myself. The plot, in case you (like me) are one of the handful of people who never got the book assigned to them in school: Charlie Gordon is a mentally retarded adult who is chosen to undergo what is believed to be a breakthrough treatment. After the surgery, the treatment slowly beings to work, but then the changes pick up speed; soon Charlie is a supra-genius, far outstripping those who put him under the knife in the first place. Therefore, it's Charlie, with the help of Algernon, a mouse who has also had the surgery, who finds the devastating monkeywrench about to be thrown into the works. The book is narrated from Charlie's point of view, as well, which adds that little extra twist to the knife.
You get the feeling, though, that so many of the kid's problems (that come through with him to his adult life) could have been avoided had his mother not been a braindead Neanderthal who's so incapable of seeing what's right in front of her face that it causes her more pragmatic husband to flee the household. There is a method to Keyes' madness, and it is named Rose. It is a testament to both Keyes' ability to draw character (even minor characters; aside from in Charlie's memories, Rose only gets a few pages of screen time) and his ability to manipulate through perspective that make Rose the monster she is. That, of course, is secondary to the overall plot here, but it is synecdochic of the brilliance in this novel; I'm not pointing it out because it's the bright spot in an otherwise dull affair, but because it's one of the many highlights in a scintillating character study. Charlie himself is equally convincing as both a mentally challenged individual and a supra-genius. (And imagine the rage if this book, which uses such terms as "bright-moron" and "retardate", were released today; I'm honestly rather surprised I haven't stumbled across reports of its being challenged in schools, and I figure this has more to do with my not coming across the reports, rather than it simply not happening.) Just as important, if not more so, his perceptions of others, as they change, remain faithful.
While I'm spending a great deal of time rhapsodizing over the characterization, I'm neglecting the plot. Which I shouldn't do, because it's amazing. But--and this is a point I try to make repeatedly when I give bad reviews (maybe it'll come across better in a good one)--the plot is only as strong as its supporting acts. You can have the best plot in the world, but if you don't fit it with realistic characters, it's just not going to work. I'm going to start using Flowers for Algernon as a shining example of how the two, packaged together, make for a much stronger book than either piece standing on its own.
Add to this Keyes' eye for detail. He adds just enough extraneous detail to the book to add another thin veneer of plausibility to it; stuff that you might notice in passing and forget about. Charlie notices these things, and since he's (in the latter half of the book, anyway) dictating into a tape recorder, he notices them, talks about them, and then goes on his way. I mean, think about it. As a side note, given a performance worthy of the material, this would make an awe-inspiring audiobook.
Flowers for Algernon is beautiful, it's heartbreaking, it's funny and sweet and sexy and spiteful and nasty and hateful and just plain great. If you managed to avoid it during your school years, I cannot recommend highly enough going back and reading it as an adult. Put simply, it's genius. **** ½
Great on many levels.......2007-06-03
I really, really like this book, and one of the best things about it is that it's accessible and enjoyable on many levels.
On the most basic, it offers a fascinating premise with memorable characters that behave and change in believeable ways. It's well written -- extremely well written -- in a journal style that eloquently captures the changes the main character undergoes as he gains (and loses) over 100 IQ points. This sort of style is difficult for an author to pull off because not only does the voice have to be believeable, but it has to be evident to the audience what's REALLY going on even when the narrator himself doesn't "get it." Keyes accomplishes this, masterfully, and the result is a riveting read.
That said, I really mainly enjoyed the novel for the themes it struggles with. There's the obvious one, the one about the loneliness that comes from being "abnormal" (in either direction - super smart or super stupid) in our society ... it's a good theme, and very well explored by the novel -- neither tendentious nor overly schmaltzy, and always honest. But it's also a bit of an overused, feel-good theme, and if that were all this novel was about I would like it less than I do.
The book is actually a meditation on knowledge, and an honest, piercing exploration of the dual questions, "Is ignorance bliss?" and, "If so, should we then choose it?" (The book doesn't give easy or clear answers, either, which is one of its great strengths). The obvious instance of this in the character of Charlie himself, as he first chooses to become smarter without ever really understanding what it will mean, then wrestles with the consequences and implications of this choice, and finally he deals with the shattering loss of his intelligence. Some of the most amazing parts of the book are when new knowledge causes great pain: as when, for instance, he realizes that the people he once saw as his friends were making fun of him; or when he returns to his original IQ level but can no longer be as happy as he once was because he now knows what he is missing. The same theme is explored in the scientists themselves: you can't read the book without wondering if their work is moral, if it's really "right" in a deep sense to manipulate IQ this way. And would the answer to that question change if their experiment had worked?
It's just a very good book. The writing is accessible even to young teenagers, but the theme and ideas make it worth anyone's time.
Book Description
First there is a sunflower.
Seasons pass ... and soon there is a patch of sunflowers.
Budding young gardeners will discover that what makes this happen is not magic - but is most definitely magical.
Customer Reviews:
Good Read-aloud science book for early grades!.......2000-07-03
A wonderful read-aloud book for Pre-school through grade 2. Children love the rhyming repetitive verse and with the bold, beautiful illustrations by Donald Crews it will keep an entire classroom's attention. Very good book for a science unit on seeds. It's hard to find fun things to compliment a lesson on seeds, but this book fills that gap. Every elementary school library should have this book in their collection.
Customer Reviews:
Shows young readers how a child's lemonade stand sets off a chain-reaction of kind deeds and unassuming actions.......2005-12-14
The collaborative and highly recommended work of author Allison Stoutland and illustrator Cathy Hofner, What Can I Do Today?: To Make This World A Happier Place shows young readers how a child's lemonade stand sets off a chain-reaction of kind deeds and unassuming actions which expands from the neighborhood into the broader community and beyond, "happying" hearts and lives along the way. The simple one-line text and on-page picture format makes What Can I Do Today? a perfect combination for entertaining beginning readers and has the added attraction of a worthwhile message that each and every one of us can make the world a happier place by our everyday activities.
Shows young readers how a child's lemonade stand sets off a chain-reaction of kind deeds and unassuming actions.......2005-12-14
The collaborative and highly recommended work of author Allison Stoutland and illustrator Cathy Hofner, What Can I Do Today?: To Make This World A Happier Place shows young readers how a child's lemonade stand sets off a chain-reaction of kind deeds and unassuming actions which expands from the neighborhood into the broader community and beyond, "happying" hearts and lives along the way. The simple one-line text and on-page picture format makes What Can I Do Today? a perfect combination for entertaining beginning readers and has the added attraction of a worthwhile message that each and every one of us can make the world a happier place by our everyday activities.
Amazon.com
One winter morning a seed lies on the ground. "What's this?" wonders a little girl passing by. Together with an equally curious bird and a wise ginger-colored cat, she plants the seed and begins the wondrous process of growing a flower. What will it be? Every day she waters the patch of soil, and watches over the tender sprout when it emerges. And one summer day, when she runs outside, there is a giant sunflower, beaming up at the sun! The little girl continues to nurture her flower, visiting it, telling all her secrets. And when the fall day comes that the sunflower's head droops, the little girl carefully carries it to school and gives it to her teacher, who helps the class begin the cycle anew. Next summer, every child in the class has a magnificent sunflower!
Caroline Mockford's exquisite acrylic paintings fill every page with lush seasonal color and almost childlike depictions of the girl, the cat, the bird, and the flower. In the simplest and sweetest of terms, Mockford describes the natural life cycle of a flower. Following the story is a page for grownups who may want to go into greater depth with children about roots, shoots, flowers, seeds, and growing sunflowers. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter
Customer Reviews:
Ready, set, grow!.......2000-03-31
"What's This?" is the perfect springtime book for preschoolers interested in the newly sprouting flowers all around them. It shows the (very) basics of a seed growing into a sunflower, in a way that very young children can understand. The illustrations are vibrant and fun. This book and a packet of sunflower seeds would make a perfect gift!
Average customer rating:
- A Wonderful Book!
- This Land of Flowers
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This Land of Flowers
Maryhelen Clague
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0595364683 |
Book Description
In 1835 Lea Hammond arrives with her married sister and two nephews at the isolated outpost of Fort Brooke, Florida to join RachelÂ's husband, Captain Ben Carson. Unlike her sister, Lea is drawn to the wild, tropical beauty of the country. She plans to return north but instead, the violent outbreak of the Second Seminole War and an unexpected marriage tie her to the territory she has come to love.
As pioneer settlers, Lea and her husband work the unforgiving land and survive the dangers of building a home in the wilderness. Eventually they return to the growing village of Tampa, only to find they must overcome more challenges by man and nature before they can fully realize their love for each other. Only then can they face the future.
Download Description
In 1835 Lea Hammond arrives with her married sister and two nephews at the isolated outpost of Fort Brooke, Florida to join Rachel's husband, Captain Ben Carson. Unlike her sister, Lea is drawn to the wild, tropical beauty of the country. She plans to return north but instead, the violent outbreak of the Second Seminole War and an unexpected marriage tie her to the territory she has come to love.
As pioneer settlers, Lea and her husband work the unforgiving land and survive the dangers of building a home in the wilderness. Eventually they return to the growing village of Tampa, only to find they must overcome more challenges by man and nature before they can fully realize their love for each other. Only then can they face the future.
Customer Reviews:
A Wonderful Book!.......2006-05-08
This is a beautifully written book with a page-turning plot that's combined with a fascinating look at pioneer Florida. Highly recommended.
This Land of Flowers.......2006-05-07
This is a wonderful book. I have lived in this area of Florida for over 50 years and could picture all of these locations.
I could not put this book down. I didn't want it to end.
Hope Maryhelen Clague writes more books like this one.
Book Description
In her vivid, sumptuous style, photographer Deborah Schenck has transferred photos of lush flowers onto manuscript paper from the turn of the century. These notecards are a tribute to the delicate colors, nostalgic imagery, and textured look of antique correspondence.
Customer Reviews:
Very Nice Cards !.......2007-03-24
the quality of color and card style are just so nice! The flowers chosen are vibrant and a very nice selection. They are simple and calming, anyone would love to receive a card like this.
Great!.......2003-12-13
These notecards are very pretty. They are extremly handy to have on hand, I've used them as thank you cards, wedding cards, and last minute occasions. they are universal, well worth the money.
Beautiful cards.......2000-07-21
These notecards by D. Schenck are thoughtful and tasteful. The colors are soft and beautiful. They are great for any occasion, from a birthday card to a friendly note.
Average customer rating:
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Cyprus Insight Guide (Insight Guides)
Manufacturer: APA Publications Pte Ltd,Singapore
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 9812348913 |
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Insight Compact Guide Cyprus
Ralph Braun
Manufacturer: Langenscheidt Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Cyprus
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ASIN: 0887295118 |
Book Description
One of over 400 titles in the Insight series, Insight Guide Cyprus. This 316-page book includes a section detailing Cyprus's history, 6 features covering the island's life and culture, as well as information on its cornucopia of flowers and its blend of pagan superstition and Christian rites, a region by region visitor's guide to the sights, and a comprehensive Travel Tips section packed with essential contact addresses and numbers. Plus over 280 high quality photographs and 12 maps, including a handy map of walking trails.
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Cyprus Insight Compact Guide (Insight Compact Guides)
Manufacturer: APA Publications Pte Ltd,Singapore
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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Cyprus
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ASIN: 9624213240 |
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Cyprus Insight Compact Guide (Insight Compact Guides)
Manufacturer: APA Publications Pte Ltd,Singapore
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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Cyprus
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ASIN: 9812584463 |
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Cyprus Insight Guide (Insight Guides)
Manufacturer: APA Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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Cyprus
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ASIN: 9624214336 |
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Cyprus Insight Compact Guide
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Manufacturer: APA INSIGHT GUIDES (
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K43Q5W |
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Cyprus Insight Compact Guide (Compact Guides)
Manufacturer: APA Publications Pte Ltd,Singapore
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Asia
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Cyprus
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ASIN: 9812344640 |
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Cyprus Insight Compact Guide (Compact Guides)
Manufacturer: APA Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Asia
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Cyprus
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ASIN: 9812340149 |
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Cyprus Insight Guide
*
Manufacturer: APA INSIGHT GUIDES (
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K2JDX8 |
Books:
- The Fossil Book: A Record of Prehistoric Life
- The High Sierra of California
- The Land of Little Rain (Classic, Nature, Penguin)
- The Names of Things
- The Octopus's Garden: Hydrothermal Vents and Other Mysteries of the Deep Sea (Helix Books)
- The Reef Aquarium: A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebrates (Volume 1)
- The Search for Life in the Universe (Third Edition)
- The Seasons of Cumberland Island (A Wormsloe Foundation Nature Book)
- The Things That Matter: What Seven Classic Novels Have to Say About the Stages of Life
- Tom Brown's Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants (Tom Brown's Field Guide)
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