Horizons: Exploring the Universe (with TheSky CD-ROM, AceAstronomy?, and Virtual Astronomy Labs)

Book Description

This newly revised and updated Ninth Edition of HORIZONS shows students their place in the universe ? not just their location, but also their role as planet dwellers in an evolving universe. Fascinating and engaging, the book illustrates how science works, and how scientists depend on evidence to test hypotheses. Students will learn to focus on the scientific method through the strong central questioning themes of "What are we?" and "How do we know?" Students are also provided with an assessment tool, AceAstronomy, to help test their knowledge of the concepts through assessment, tutorials, and post-tests.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Introductory Text.......2007-02-21

All beginning astronomy books have to cover about the same material. You know what they are: the Big Band, the Time-Line of the Universe, the Sun, the Solar System, the stars -- and that's just what this book covers.

So why would I recommend this book over others?

1. It's updated frequently. This gives Dr. Seeds frequent opportunities to update it with the latest theories (i.e. Pluto, Planet No More), and even more important the latest pictures, which seem to be coming at us with ever increasing speed.

2. It's about the right length. At 516 pages it seems like a bit much for an introductory course. But that's before you consider how profusely illustrated the book. Were it reduced to just text, like the first course I took oh so many years ago, it would probably be about a hundred and fifty pages.

3. It has a student centered approach. It's not just a dry lecture on what's happening to the Cosmos, it's a 'where are we,' 'how do we know that,' 'where are we going' approach that (hopefully) the student can see to relate herself to a bigger world.

4. Beyond just astronomy, this book teaches the whole scientific approach: peer review of articles, use of theories to predict discoveries, etc. This is a subject sadly lacking in today's education.

This book could be used as a course taught at either a first year background course for science/physics/astronomy majors, or would be good for a non-science major science course.

mediocre.......2005-12-08

I adopted this text for my first try at teaching intro astronomy. It has lots of pretty pictures but I was not impressed with the content. This includes the text, the organization and the question/problem sets. If this text is better than most of its competitors, I am in real trouble. =-)

So, so..........2005-07-05

The delivery time was very quick, that was good, and the price was great. The condition of the book was very used and they said it was like new. Other then that I guess it was O.K.

Superb textbook - beautifully illustrated, clearly written!.......2004-02-01

This is the Eighth Edition of a truly superb textbook for an introductory astronomy course, or for anyone (amateur astronomers?)who is looking for a great and beautifully illustrated general reference source on astronomy. I've been teaching intro astronomy for many years and keep my eye on all the textbooks. Aimed primarily at non-science majors, Seeds' book is a hum-dinger and really the best I see out there at this time.

The author has a very clear and quite intertaining writing style, and each edition of the book is even more beautifully illustrated than the last. The artwork especially in the last two editions is simply super, and clearly illustrate many phenomena that students often have trouble with. This textbook covers every topic needed in a survey course from the nature of light, a bit of astronomy history and telescopes, properties and formation of stars and galaxies, the planets, and very current data on cosmology, dark matter, life in the universe and so on. Very up to date!

Mike Seeds' book goes fairly easy on the math (although all important concepts are covered)compared to some other "intro astronomy" books. Overall, I find this book ideally suited to a survey course for non-science majors. For science majors or a textbook that might also be useful in somewhat higher level astronomy courses, I would recommend Kaufmann/Freeman's "Universe" as an excellent choice.

Seeds' book is comprehensive and about 500 pages in length - similar to almost all intro astronomy textbooks. To a great extent, literally all these 500 page textbooks are way too lengthy for a one semester survey course. It is difficult to get students to read this much for each class. I keep hoping that Mike Seeds, and excellent author, will produce a 250-300 page (maximum) version of Horizons specifically for one semester courses. Until someone creates a shorter version of the same high quality, I'll keep recommending this textbook.

Can a good thing get better?.......2000-10-03

As a freshman in college (majoring in Astronomy) I had to use Horizons 4e for an Intro Astronomy course, and fell in love with it. I loved it so much that I bought Horizons 6e! I think this great book just keeps getting better! The art and photos are fantastic, and tie in well with the text, which is an easy read, great for majors and non-majors alike. In summary, Horizons 6e is a great text, well worth the money.

Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden And Your Neighborhood into a Community

Average customer rating:

Despite what others have said...
An inspired 40-something
completely false advertising
if you are over 40 skip it... so gen X
Not just Gardening--A guide to Activism and Environmentalism

Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden And Your Neighborhood into a Community
Heather C. Flores
Manufacturer: Chelsea Green
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Agronomy | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Crop Science | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 193339207X

Book Description

Gardening can be a political act. Creativity, fulfillment, connection, revolution--it all begins when we get our hands in the dirt. Food Not Lawns combines practical wisdom on ecological design and community-building with a fresh, green perspective on an age-old subject. Activist and urban gardener Heather Flores shares her nine-step permaculture design to help farmsteaders and city dwellers alike build fertile soil, promote biodiversity, and increase natural habitat in their own "paradise gardens." But Food Not Lawns doesnÂ't begin and end in the seed bed. This joyful permaculture lifestyle manual inspires readers to apply the principles of the paradise garden--simplicity, resourcefulness, creativity, mindfulness, and community--to all aspects of life. Plant "guerilla gardens" in barren intersections and medians; organize community meals; start a street theater troupe or host a local art swap; free your kitchen from refrigeration and enjoy truly fresh, nourishing foods from your own plot of land; work with children to create garden play spaces. Flores cares passionately about the damaged state of our environment and the ills of our throwaway society. In Food Not Lawns, she shows us how to reclaim the earth one garden at a time.

Customer Reviews:

Despite what others have said..........2007-10-17

...this is an excellent book. I might not agree with the author on every point, but there is enough good material in it that I am glad I purchased it.

An inspired 40-something.......2007-09-04

Food Not Lawns speaks to my heart and has inspired me in my home gardening. I bought copies for two dear gardening friends who are in their 20's and 30's, and they are also excited by the ideas presented in the book. The author takes a holistic view of community and gardening, of working with Nature as an orchestra of forces influencing each other and working collectively together. Heather Flores encourages us to think out of the box and some might find that uncomfortable, but I still think her vision and sense of hope is so needed in our world today. Share this book with family and friends!

completely false advertising.......2007-07-05

I see that this books appears a hit with many reviewers, but I am unfortunately going to dissent. I was excited to read this book when it arrived and was subsequently dissappointed in the overall quality of the work as a whole. First and foremost, Flores leaves out a great deal of detail with regard to the actual work involved in any form of agriculture, be it animal husbandry, permaculture, or anything between. I say this not only as an avid reader, but also an environmental studies major reviewing the work for a class as well. Second, Flores' method of combining the topics of agriculture and social change is facetious at best, with no real segway from the former to the latter. In other words, this is literally two unconnected books sharing the same binding. Finally, and most disheartening of all, the work gives faulty advice at best, especially with regard to her advice on dealing with numerous aspects of gardening (traditional and permaculture), pending jail time, and conflict management strategies(with latter are potentially dangerous). I will also note that I resold this book immediately upon completion due to the above. Those interested would be better served to read The Good Life by Helen and Scott Nearing, or other such related books by other reputable authors such as Joseph Jenkins, Eliot Coleman, Louise Riotte, or John and Martha Storey. In short, do not purchase this book if you are serious about either agriculture or social change.

if you are over 40 skip it... so gen X.......2007-05-25

This is a very shallow book by the new generation of writers that find fault with everything done in the twenty years before they were born,
Its very shallow, big type and very preachy.
If you are interested in gardening, try Giaas garden, a much more serious study of permiculture.
In this rambling book, the aurthor boasts of not making over 8 k a year, but inherited the money to buy her farm!
I liked camping living until I was thirty, now I am 45 and really like my freezer and new stove.( yes, I have my own three hens and belong to a CSA)
I know a number of the original flower/farm people, and as they got older they liked having a few more comforts.

So this is one of the new gen X books, shallow to a fault. Nothing but sound bites.
the aurthor sems all hyped about third world living, but I am not sure she has ever been to a third world and seen how hard that style of life is,,it is easy to glamorius the distant!!!

Not just Gardening--A guide to Activism and Environmentalism.......2007-01-23

I picked up this book to learn practical application of permacultural principles applied to urban yard scales--and there is a wealth of such information here. However, I do feel like Flores preaches just a little too much about the environmental destruction and political problems currently plaguing our country. In my view, anyone picking up a book called Food Not Lawns probably is already well-versed in such issues, and Flores is essentially preaching to the converted. That said, this book DOES have tons of practical information, and I would recommend it as an excellent counterbalance and companion book to Toby Hemenway's Gaia's Garden.

How a Seed Grows (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1)

Average customer rating:

Great Science Project for Little Learners
Seeds for little kids
My five year old enjoyed this book
Life Springing Forth.
A Kids First Science Book

How a Seed Grows (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1)
Helene J. Jordan
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Botany | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0064451070
Release Date: 2000-01-26

Book Description

Seeds

How does a tiny acorn grow into an enormous oak tree? At one time, the tree in your backyard could fit into your pocket! Look inside to learn the simple steps for turning a packet of seeds into you own garden.

Seeds

How does a tiny acorn grow into an enormous oak tree? At one time, the tree in your backyard could have fit into your pocket! Look inside to learn the simple steps for turning a packet of seeds into your own garden.

Customer Reviews:

Great Science Project for Little Learners.......2007-09-03

If you are looking for a simple "experiment" for the budding scientist in your home, this is an excellent book. As you read this with your young child, he/ she will certainly be inspired to do what the kids in the book are doing; planting a bean seed and watching it grow.

As you read along with the story and follow-up with actually doing the experiment your child becomes part of the story, waiting and watching as his (or her) own seeds develop. Children learn the essential elements of growing seeds. Once you have successfully grown your first bean plants, there is a page at the rear of the book that guides you through additional "experiment" ideas to go even deeper.

This book, because it is on the Stage 1 level, is a bit less informative than the other Let's Read and Find Out Science books that we already have in our growing collection which are primarily Stage 2, but certainly worthwhile in that it guides parent and child through a very simple Science project.

Basic concepts covered in this book in addition to the seed growing are:

1. Counting (stage 1 is geered toward preschool to early kindergarten)
2. Patience (in that you must wait days to see things begin to happen)
3. The ability to follow instructions (the steps to perform the experiments)

Seeds for little kids.......2007-08-27

This book is a lil juvenille... not as information. But it covers the basics... I wished it was a bit more scientific.

My five year old enjoyed this book.......2003-01-10

We enjoy the "Let's - Read - & - Find - Out" series of books. This one is a good addition, explaining seeds on my five year old son's level of understanding . Something that many adult writers of childrens' science books sometimes aren't very good at getting across. It is in my child's library at school.

The books in this series are informative and interesting for their target audiences. The illustrations are well done and add to understanding the process being described. They make it easier to follow for kids.

Life Springing Forth........2002-03-28

This book should have been more appropriately titled HOW TO WATCH A SEED GROW. Instead of discussing the various stages of development and explaining what happens, the book is basically an extended science project explaining how students can watch a seed grow into a plant. The book talks about the different stages, but only discusses what the planted beans should look like in those stages, not really explaining what is happening or why. Nevertheless, the book does outline a good science project for younger children, but isn't much as a book to read to kids.

A Kids First Science Book.......2000-04-13

This is one very good science book. If you would like to do a seed project then this is a good guide to lots of young peoples questions about plants. It has colorful illustrations about what is happening with your project. It is written in detail, but not like a boring high school science textbook that goes on, and on, and on about one thing, giving every detail that there is. So what I'm trying to say is that this is a good book.

Average customer rating:

the carrot seed
don't give up!
cute and easy
I don't get it
The Carrot Seed

The Carrot Seed Board Book
Ruth Krauss
Manufacturer: HarperFestival
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0694004928

Amazon.com

Ruth Krauss, author of A Hole Is to Dig, has crafted a story almost Zen-like in its simplicity. A little boy plants a carrot seed and waits patiently, tending to it carefully, while everyone around him insists that "it won't come up." His conviction is steadfast, however, and sure enough, a carrot worthy of first prize at any state fair springs forth from the earth. Krauss's husband, Crockett Johnson (creator of Harold and the Purple Crayon), illustrated The Carrot Seed, and while the little boy is rendered with uncomplicated lines, all of his hope, confidence, and serenity shine through. The image that resonates most strongly in this minimalist tale is the unfaltering faith of the mild-mannered little boy. Young readers learn that standing your ground in the face of opposition and doubt can often result in twice the reward expected (even thrice the reward, if judging by the girth of this carrot). (Ages 4 to 8)

Book Description

When you are very young,
there are some things that you just know....

This treasured story of childhood faith
rewarded is now avaliable in a board book
edition for the youngest child.

Customer Reviews:

the carrot seed.......2007-10-15

i was happy to receive the book. it is exactly the book i remembered and its nice because it is hard.

thank you

don't give up!.......2007-07-16

This book had a huge impact on me as a child.

Everyone told the boy his carrot seed would not come up. Even the adults. My reaction was this: adults know everything, so why is this boy still trying? I was truly surprised when the carrot seed sprouted, and I clapped and cheered. My next reaction was this: maybe *I* shouldn't give up, even when other people tell me to. This is one of the greatest lessons I've ever learned.

I read this book to my own kids now, and they love it as much as I do.

cute and easy.......2007-03-16

Pictures are very cute and this book is so easy to read and make my son attacted! We love it!

I don't get it.......2007-02-02

Maybe I'm being a bit too hard on this book, but after reading it I felt it was a very odd story. Sure it has a good message of not giving up because of peoples doubts. But somehow having the parent tell the child that they were afraid the seed wouldn't come up left me feeling yucky about the parents in the story.

The colors are ugly brown and orange. The illustrations look a bit like old fashioned comic strip characters; however they are clear and understandable. The text large and clear. The story is simple and repetitive. Its a okay book, but not the best available.

I much prefer Growing Vegetable Soup by Ehlert and A Seed Grows by Hickman. However, this book is probably the easiest of the 3 for a child to understand.

The Carrot Seed.......2006-11-13

I love this book. And even though it is clearly intended to be a children's book, I gave it to my daughter for her birthday, turning 24. Then I wished I'd gotten a copy for myself, so I did. It's on my coffee table. The graphics are great, so simple, so 40's, but it's the message that I come back for; trust your gut, and don't give up your dreams. In this charming book, everyone around the young child pessimistically tells him "It won't come up." But he continues to water and hoe the seed he planted. He doesn't listen to all the negative chatter, and the outcome really brings a smile to your face. A great gift book.

Average customer rating:

Profound
New Seeds for the times!
Merton's New Seeds of Contemplation
Powerful contemplative spirituality standing in a world of action
The great Classic on Contemplation and Spitiruality

New Seeds of Contemplation
Thomas Merton
Manufacturer: New Directions Publishing Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 081120099X

Amazon.com

"It can become almost a magic word," Thomas Merton says of contemplation; "or if not magic, then inspirational, which is almost as bad." With these words, Merton takes us through the reality of contemplation, which is, the author says, "life itself, fully awake, fully active, fully aware that it is alive. It is spiritual wonder." Above all, contemplation is "awareness of the reality" of the Source, "with a certitude that goes beyond reason and beyond simple faith." As these definitions should suggest, in this 20th-century classic on the contemplative life, as in the best of Merton's work, this Trappist monk wonderfully combines a disciplined and deeply learned intellect with the lyrical passion of the poet. It is this rare combination that makes this book not only informative but also moving. Covering a diverse range of subjects ("Faith," "The Night of the Senses," "Renunciation"), it moves the reader through certain traditional "phases" of contemplation, and gives an idea of what to expect in this spiritual process (including despair and darkness). The book describes, but it also enacts. In its own prose it invites the reader to "cast our awful solemnity to the winds and join in the general dance." --Doug Thorpe

Product Description

One of Father Thomas Merton's most widely read, translated and beloved books is once again available in audio form. This invaluable reflection on meditation awakens the heart through a spiritual journey inside what makes us human. It guides the listener through a very personal soul searching toward the goal of contemplative spirituality and enlightenment. No book in modern times so defines the modern meditative tradition.

Customer Reviews:

Profound.......2007-07-24

One of Merton's deepest books, especially for the contrast between the false self and the true self.

New Seeds for the times!.......2007-06-13

New Seeds of Contemplation is a much needed book for our times. It is a guide to help seekers establish a connection between themselves and the divine. It is an extremely important counter-weight against the Fundamentalism that we are seeing today. Thomas Merton is a great guide and teacher to all those who are seekers.

Merton's New Seeds of Contemplation.......2007-04-11

"New Seeds" is Merton at his best. As a University Professor of Religion (now retired for ten years), I have used Merton's books for at least thirty five years, and to the great acclaim and enthusiasm of my students. I ordered this book recently after having worn out two previous editions that now look as if they had fallen prey to rats in the attic. Whatever your religious orientation or lack thereof, you will find Merton an honest blessing.

Powerful contemplative spirituality standing in a world of action.......2007-02-28

In 'New Seeds of Contemplation' Thomas Merton, in the terse style of the monastic tradition, describes the fruits and hardships of the life totally dedicated to contemplation and prayer. Despite being a master of the word, Merton never decorates his words with flowery qualifications or ornate rhetoric, but instead writes in a very precise, pointed and clear manner, often with a bluntness which seems to prick the reader to the very core.

The path to God, in Merton's eyes, can take place in an instant, or over many years of struggle. The struggle is never really to unite with God himself, since God loves all of us dearly and wants the most intimate union with each and every one of us, but rather in letting go of every aspect of our selfishness and egoism which makes us turn from God and to our own power and resources, the part which happily says I can do it all on my own, I don't need you, to God. This in Merton's view is the fruit of original sin, the rule of the 'false self' of the ego over our 'true self', which is our own image, made in the image of God himself.

At times Merton sounds like a Zen monk, saying there is no path and no goal, and at other times we are already there but don't know it. I don't think though Merton unconciously injects Eastern spirituality, rather, his insights are much like those of John of Cross, Ruusbroec, Evagrius or Meister Eckhart, who like Merton emphasize the need to self-empty into a deep poverty of sense and spirit before the soul is ready for the awesome and majestic prescence of the Holy, Living God who is the object of all prayful Christian life. In losing our life we find it; and in so doing we find a peace which surpasses understanding. This is the mustard seed from which the spiritual life grows, and it has few better modern exponents than Merton.

The great Classic on Contemplation and Spitiruality.......2007-02-14

New Seeds of Contemplation, Thomas Merton. New Directions, 1961; Shambhala Publications Corporation, Revised edition, 2002. Quotes from New Directions.

This spiritual classic of Christian writing (Pearl's favorite) is divided into 39 brief chapters (seeds), each written in a meditative style modeled after similar works by Pascal, St. John of the Cross, and Thomas à Kempis. It is the most widely read of Merton's works. It contains many wonderful entries on the true and false self and the metaphor of the seed as gifts and grace. The book covers a diverse range of subjects, "Faith," "The Night of the Senses," "Renunciation," and it moves the reader through certain traditional "phases" of contemplation, and gives an idea of what to expect in this spiritual process (including despair and darkness). In this highly quotable work, here is but one example:

Every moment and every event of every man's life on earth plants something in his soul. For just as the wind carries thousands of invisible and visible winged seeds, so the stream of time brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that come to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of men. Most of these unnumbered seeds perish and are lost, because men are not prepared to receive them: for such seeds as these cannot spring up anywhere except in the good soil of freedom, spontaneity and love. . . . But every expression of the will of God is in some sense a "word" of God and therefore a "seed" of new life. (p. 14).

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was a Cistercian (Trappist) monk, a branch of the Benedictines, who, though raised with limited exposure to Christianity, found himself inexorably drawn to Roman Catholicism and the life of a priest and monk. His life before the monastery was filled with loss, raucous behavior, brilliant academics, and the ever deepening call of Christ. (See his autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain). Within the monastery and the Church, he was a rebellious and creative force for change, writing on behalf of the civil right's struggle, poverty, against the Vietnam war (until silenced by the Vatican and then lifted at the start of Vatican II), and pushing the monastery into the return to a more contemplative life style against its growing dependancy on the business and "noise" of making and selling products to the public. As an ecumenist, he was largely responsible for today's Christian-Buddhist connection, and the reintroduction of Christian Meditation often called Centering Prayer.

There is much in this work of Merton - writing as a mystic - one who aims at the unitive experience with God through self transformation. Mysticism goes back to the earliest Christian times even in the New Testament where Paul wrote in Galatians: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Mystics are hard to grasp by nature, as Merton can be at times in this book, because they are trying to capture the ineffable through paradox, compressed phraseology, nuance and allusion.

For the contemplative there is no cogito ("I think") and no ergo ("therefore") but only SUM, I Am. Not in the sense of a futile assertion of our individuality was the sense of a futile assertion of our individuality as ultimately real, but in the humble realization of our mysterious being as persons in whom God dwells, with infinite sweetness and inalienable power. (p. 9)

Merton was a world figure who, aside for medical trips into Louisville, KY, left Gethsemane Abbey only once on a fatal trip to a Bangkok conference where he was accidentally electrocuted coming from a shower and grasping a poorly grounded floor fan. Merton was a mental giant whose 60-some books, five hundred-plus articles, journals, letters, translations and poetry influenced millions including Pope John XXIII, Nobel Laureates, the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Martin Luther King, Jr who planned to visit Merton following his fateful Memphis trip.

In print for more than forty years, New Seeds of Contemplation is one of his most accessible and timeless books. It is as fresh today as when it was penned. Contemplation means taking time to get behind the busyness, noise, wordiness, and information overload of today's world. Contemplative prayer does not replace all other types of prayer; it simply balances words and activity with silence and repose.

Countless books have been and continue to be written about his life and ideas. For a list of such works visit the web site of The Thomas Merton Center at [...] as well as a unique bookstore dedicated to him: Bardstown Art Gallery * 214 West Stephen Foster Ave. * Bardstown, KY (502) 348-6488 jcantrell@thomasmertonbooks.com.

Merton was troubled by what he saw as the de-sacralization of the world. Humans had been so overtaken by industrialization that they had traded in their role as workers and creators to become tools of production and profit. Can we not say the same today? If you are seeking and cannot find, let this penetrating collection of observations concerning the life of prayer and the search for God be your guide.

John L Laughlin

Hellboy Volume 1: Seed of Destruction (Hellboy (Graphic Novels))

Average customer rating:

I LOVE HELLBOY!!
Graphic SF Reader
Not Quite Right...
FROGS!
Mignola and Byrne tell weak stories.....

Hellboy Volume 1: Seed of Destruction (Hellboy (Graphic Novels))
Mike Mignola , and John Byrne
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Horror | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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Dark Horse | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Hellboy | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1593070942

Book Description

Hellboy is one of the most celebrated comics series in recent years. The ultimate artists' artist and a great storyteller whose work is in turns haunting, hilarious, and spellbinding, Mike Mignola has won numerous awards in the comics industry and beyond. When strangeness threatens to engulf the world, a strange man will come to save it. Sent to investigate a mystery with supernatural overtones, Hellboy discovers the secrets of his own origins, and his link to the Nazi occultists who promised Hitler a final solution in the form of a demonic avatar.

Customer Reviews:

I LOVE HELLBOY!!.......2007-09-07

Great collection at a great price. I am a big Graphic Novel fan, and Hellboy is without a doubt my favorite. Mike Mignola is a real talent. I've read them all, but this is the first that I have purchased. I am sure that I'll get the other collections soon.

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

The Seed of Destruction starts with the origin of big red, but does include a couple of other short stories.

A group of soldiers, with the support of some paranormal researchers raid an operation by some nazis and a sorcerer. Things blow up, and a baby Hellboy is found.

Skip to later, and some frog monsters are menacing Hellboy's human father, Bruttenholm. He dies, leaving Hellboy and the organisation to stop what is happening. Events tie in to his coming to our world.

Not Quite Right..........2007-07-21

Having read some of the Hellboy spin-off B.P.R.D. (a mixed bag) and a Hellboy guest artists comic, I've finally got round to reading Mike Mignola's Hellboy (Vol.1) proper. Sadly I found it a bit of an underwhelming experience. All the ingredients for an entertaining or slightly tongue in cheek adventure (a la League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) are here - including Rasputin, lost Himalayan temples, Lovecraftian monsters and Nazi Occultists - but somehow it is not witty enough to be satirical, nor dark or mysterious enough to have real resonance. Hellboy's Chandler-esque narration is also rather cliched and quickly grates. The almost abstract artwork however is very interesting and effectively conveys the shadowy paranormal world in which the story takes place. Overall an artistically ambitious comic let down by a rather limited premise.

FROGS!.......2007-06-26

'Hellboy: Seeds of Destruction' is a brilliant beginning to an awesome series. The art is breathtaking, yet dark and gritty. The storyline is captivating and toughly entertaining. The characters are completely unbelievable, yet feel so real. This series is defiantly one worth reading.

'Seeds of Destruction' is basically the origin story of Hellboy. HB is investigating the death of his father figure, the only lead he has being frogs. A frog demon creature was responsible for the attack, but HB can not put two and two together on this case. He and the rest of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense follow a new lead to a cursed mansion that is sinking into a cursed lake where all hell breaks loose (almost literally). All the while we're learning more and more about Hellboy and his past.

There are also two bonus stories, one being Hellboy vs. Anubis (aka Giant Dog Monster) and the other Hellboy vs. Brutus and Herman Von Klempt. These two tales were penned too give people a sample of Hellboys flavor before the comic officially hit shelves. So, they are short and to the point, but still decent for what they are.

BUY THIS COLLECTION! You defiantly will not regret it, the book is worth every penny.

Mignola and Byrne tell weak stories............2007-02-02

The Hellboy stories are an example of post internet era comics which are weak in story and try to sell the concept more on the artwork.

But the artwork is awful to look at, I don't know what looks more unstyled, Mignola's concept or Byrne's drawing. Maybe both. Don't let Dark Horse Comics hype fool you, this comic has a smaller audience then you think, and the recent movie was only a moderate success, Very Moderate. I think the weak story is to blame. Then again, I don't think anyone at Dark Horse Comics really knows how to write or read.

Average customer rating:

A wonderful book
Lotus seed
This book is awsome
Symbol of a Lotus Seed
The Lotus Seed

The Lotus Seed
Sherry Garland
Manufacturer: Voyager Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152014837

Book Description

When she is forced to leave Vietnam, a young girl brings a lotus seed with her to America in remembrance of her homeland. “Exquisite artwork fuses with a compelling narrative--a concise endnote places the story effectively within a historical context--to produce a moving and polished offering.”--Publishers Weekly

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful book.......2007-09-12

This has to be one of my favorite children's books and being a soon to be teacher I have read a lot of children's books. One of the reasons it's my favorite is that it touches a subject that is close to my heart, the Vietnamese culture. My mom came to America after the Vietnam war with my sister who was 5 and brother who was 1. I never knew how important the lotus seed could be, but growing up I enjoyed eating the fruit and peeling it off the seed. This book is truely one of a kind and as I read it I learned more about my mom's culutre and just how special it is.

This is one book that I'll keep for many, many years even when I retire from teaching.

Lotus seed.......2006-11-05

This book is great for encouraging students to ask questions and infer meaning! Try it out in the classroom!

This book is awsome.......2006-06-21

The lotus seed is about someone's grandmother who gets a lotus seed to remember her emperor. It takes place in Vietnam. It has lots of information obout what they used to flee from the Vietnam war. I think Tatsuro Kiuchi did a good job with the illustrations. I think every one from 5-8 should read this book.

Symbol of a Lotus Seed.......2006-05-23

This book helps me remember more about Vietnam and why I appreciate my culture so much. The significant symbolism of the lotus seed is the culture Vietnam and what the woman endurance in her past. Ba picked out a lotus seed from the imperial garden because of its beautiful and fresh scent. The lotus seed has never left her side as she carries it with her through the tragedy times and moved to a new country after the Vietnam War. One of her grandchildren planted the lotus seed in the backyard and it grew into a beautiful lotus flower. The beauty of it reminds Ba of her country.

This is definitely one of the best children's book I have ever read. The images are beautifully drawn as they describe Vietnam and the story. The symbolism of the lotus seed reminds me of my culture and I should never forget it. I really like how the author added a Vietnamese poem at the back. A must read for all young and old!

The Lotus Seed.......2006-05-23

This book is touching. The grandma passes on the lotus seed to her grandson. One day, she sees a lotus flower in her backyard and it made her remember her ruler.

Average customer rating:

Great for VERY specific type of child
Juneau 2nd grader
Strange word choices; does not work as a board book
not the best for intended age group
LOVE IT!!!

The Tiny Seed (Aladdin Picture Books)

Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689842449

Book Description

In autumn, a strong wind blows flower seeds high in the air and carries them far across the land. One by one, many of the seeds are lost -- burned by the sun, fallen into the ocean, eaten by a bird. But some survive the long winter and, come spring, sprout into plants, facing new dangers -- trampled by playing children, picked as a gift for a friend. Soon only the tiniest seed remains, growing into a giant flower and, when autumn returns, sending its own seeds into the wind to start the process over again.

Eric Carle's eloquent text and brilliant collages turn the simple life cycle of a plant into an exciting story, a nature lesson, and an inspiring message of the importance of perseverance.

Customer Reviews:

Great for VERY specific type of child.......2007-08-16

My son has been fascinated with this book. He understands so much more than I gave him credit for. He's only 2.5 years old, but he's EXTREMELY verbal and very bright when it comes to books. However, I agree with the english teacher/mommy that it is NOT for the average toddler. I think a bright preschooler or for the child who is fascinated with plants and flowers, it is quite appropriate. I can see an OLDER child in first, second or third grade getting more out of it science wise, but that doesn't mean that a toddler can't enjoy it. I remember reading books and understanding more and more of the details as I got older, which made it a "new" book for me with each passing year, if that makes sense. I re-discovered the story or read it in a new way with more life experience with which to process it. So with that in mind, I think it's a terrific book overall. I do not find it at all disturbing that a seed should drown or burn up. It's a fact of life that seeds don't all survive. If you think of it in terms of humans, sure it's disturbing, but I think that's a paralell that cannot and will not be drawn by a toddler, preschooler or even a young elementary school child. In my view, the English teacher is reading too much into that and reading the book from the viewpoint of an adult with a whole lot more life experience. HOWEVER, I totally agree that the book ends abruptly, which is why I add my own ending when I read it to my child which goes something like this, "and off the seeds sail in the wind to hopefully become beautiful plants and flowers NEXT spring. The end." I'm kind of surprised nobody told Eric Carle or his publisher that the ending was too abrupt. But it's not a big deal. Eric Carle's biggest hits with my son have been "Head to Toe", "The Very Hungry Catepillar," and "Brown Bear, Brown Bear," as well as this title. The rest have been a flop. Luckily we check them out at the library and do a test run on them first. :)

Juneau 2nd grader.......2007-03-21

Did you know that the tallest sunflower in the world is 25 feet tall? Well,now you know. This book, The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle, might give you an idea how that happened. This book may also give your girl or boy a message, that if you're strong you can do almost everything.

Strange word choices; does not work as a board book.......2006-07-25

I understand the power of overcoming adversity, but as the seeds travel, one of the "drowns," one dies in the desert, one is eaten by a bird...I think it is a disturbing little book, actually. It certainly should never have been made into a board book. There are too many words on the page to keep the attention of a toddler or preschooler. The ending seems abrupt as well. I haven't been impressed with the Carle books I have read.

not the best for intended age group.......2005-07-25

I think this book is fine, but not for the preschool crowd. I would use it with older children -- elementary age -- to discuss the life cycle of an annual, the role of the seasons, and the challenges of reproduction which must be overcome by all plants. The Tiny Seed introduces us to many of the hazards faced by seeds and seedlings as they attempt to grow (from falling in water and drowning, being eaten by birds or mice, being overshadowed by large weeds, being stepped on by children, and more) and shows how the ideal environment is a necessity. It covers the role of sunshine and rain, how the seed swells and bursts open, how the plant develops as it grows, and how it produces and disperses its seeds to carry on the next generation. It's not a book for small children, though, since its mostly non-fiction tone is dry, the phrases are stilted, and it doesn't read aloud well. I find it difficult to "cheer on" the tiny seed; where others see him as a hero facing difficult odds, I think the book is too grimly determined to be educational and becomes boring for the youngest child. If you want a book to introduce a unit on seed dispersal, this is the one. If you want to talk with your three year old about the cycle of the seasons, you'd be better off with the Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter collection by Gerda Muller.

LOVE IT!!!.......2003-08-23

I absolutely adore this book! It is soooooo well written! Its pictures are absolutely beautiful! This book is a must for anyone with children! It is just that good! You should buy this book right away! I PROMISE that you will LOVE it too!

The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds: A Book About How Living Things Grow (Magic School Bus)

Average customer rating:

Fantastic
Excellent Read for Young Curious Minds...
The earlier books are much better
Great fun!

The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds: A Book About How Living Things Grow (Magic School Bus)
Joanna Cole
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0590222961

Book Description

Ms. Frizzle's class is growing a beautiful garden. But, Phoebe's plot is empty. Her flowers are back at her old school! So, the class climbs aboard the Magic School Bus. And, of course, the kids don't only go back to Phoebe's school, but they go inside one of Phoebe's flowers! Follow the kids' adventure and learn how living things grow.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic.......2007-06-12

My son was so excited because we planted seeds a nd watched what happened in "real' life as explained by the book.

Excellent Read for Young Curious Minds..........2006-05-30

As a 3rd Grade School Teacher, I found this book instrumental to my lessons on plant life. Ms. Drizzle and her class answer many of the questions my students come up with before we've read the book so I know that we're reading the right materials for our lessons. Great series for the imagination and for provoking interest in the sciences early in the child's development.

The earlier books are much better.......2004-09-12

We were given a copy of "Magic Schoolbus and the Ocean Floor" as a gift. I then bought "Dinosaurs" and "Senses." There is a difference between the books written only by Joanna Cole and the later books that are basically a comic-book version of the TV show. It takes us a solid 45 minutes to read "Senses", and I even learned some facts. "Plants Seeds" is about a 15 minute read-aloud. I say stick with the earlier books.

Great fun!.......2000-04-04

I enjoyed this book very much because it is such a fun way to learn about science. This is the first of many Magic School Bus books I purchased, and I've been hooked ever since.

Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating

Average customer rating:

A good reason to eat organic and avoid processed foods
A must read
If you think GM foods are safe, think again.
No one is harder to teach...
What americans don't know...

Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating
Jeffrey M. Smith
Manufacturer: Yes! Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0972966587

Book Description

Without knowing it, Americans eat genetically modified (GM) food everyday. While the food and chemical industries claim that GMO food is safe, a considerable amount of evidence shows otherwise. In Seeds of Deception, Jeffrey Smith, a former executive with the leading independent laboratory testing for GM presence in foods, documents these serious health dangers and explains how corporate influence and government collusion have been used to cover them up. The stories Smith presents read like a mystery novel. Scientists are offered bribes or threatened; evidence is stolen; data withheld or distorted. Government scientists who complain are stripped of responsibilities or fired. The FDA even withheld information from congress after a GM food supplement killed nearly a hundred people and permanently disabled thousands. While Smith was employed by the laboratory he was not allowed to speak on the health dangers or the cover-up. No longer bound by this agreement, Smith now reveals what he knows in this groundbreaking exposÃ©. Today, food companies sell GM foods that have not undergone safety studies. FDA scientists opposed this, but White House and industry pressure prevailed and the agency's final policy--co-authored by a former Monsanto attorney--denied the risks. The scientists' concerns were made public only after a lawsuit forced the agency to turn over internal documents. Dan Glickman, former Secretary of Agriculture, describes the government's pro-biotech mindset: "You felt like you were almost an alien, disloyal, by trying to present an open-minded view. . . . So I pretty much spouted the rhetoric. . . . It was written into my speeches." In Seeds of Deception Smith offers easy-to-understand descriptions of genetic engineering and explains why it can result in serious health problems. This well-documented, pivotal work will show you how to protect yourself and your family.

Customer Reviews:

A good reason to eat organic and avoid processed foods.......2007-09-18

Jeffrey Smith has done an excellent job in exposing the truth about genetically modified foods. Seeds of Deception is easily understandable, compelling and well documented. It's disheartening that the people in control of the food supply are so focused on their bottom line and don't seem to care about the long-term health and safety effects of introducing foreign genes into the food supply. Genetically engineered ingredients are already in foods on the grocery store shelves right now. If you care about your health, you need to read this book, avoid processed foods and buy organic.

A must read.......2007-06-22

About three years ago I saw a "debate" about genetically modified food on public television. The panel had two people who were gung ho in favor of GMO food, and one who was on the fence about it, an appalling lack of balance. Just yesterday I was telling someone that, sadly, I no longer eat Hersheys because they've started using genetically modified ingredients, and he replied "what's that?" The lack of news or discussion of this issue in the past decade has left most people completely in the dark about what's going on. This book could save the planet if enough people read it. We are our genes. Humans, animals and plants have survived by our genetic makeup. Our relationships with plants and animals is based on our genetics and theirs. The unadvertised, sadly un-discussed mutilation of the genetic heritage of our natural world is a planetary suicide that has just begun. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to understand the GMO movement, its history, its motivations, its scandals and its dangers.

If you think GM foods are safe, think again........2007-04-12

I have not tracked the genetically engineered food issue carefully, having only seen mainstream media reporting.

BEFORE I started reading this book, I thought that:

1. The genetic engineering technique is very precise and duplicatable, inserting single genes into a plant's DNA that do a precise job.

2. Genetically modified (GM) food is essentialy the same as the non-GM counterpart.

3. There are few if any known serious health risks from eating most GM food

4. GM practices can reduce pesticide use because the plant has its own pesticide. This is an environmental benefit.

5. GM food can increase yields, given the same amount of land for growing - which has been a great benefit in some third world countries.

6. There are considerable environmental risks that have probably not been ade1quately studied. For example, monarch butterflies were being harmed in GM fields.

Overall I felt that the issue was not very clear cut, there were great advantages, but caution is also advised.

AFTER I read this book, I learned that:
1. The GM technique is extremely imprecise, it is like shooting a shotgun of genes at a bunch of DNA strands, and hoping a few stick. Furthermore, the surrounding genes suffer considerable collateral damage that is impossible to predict the effects of.

2. This collateral damage results in GM food often being very different from the non-GM version, especially in increase of toxins and allergens.

3. There are a number of well documented cases of people getting very sick, and some cases dying from these toxins and allergens.
Yet, the FDA and GM biotech industry and mainstream media continues to say that there is little evidence of health risk.

4. One of the most pervasive GM foods is Monsanto's Ready Roundup soy bean. It is specifically designed to be resistant to Monsanto's brand of pesticide. This results in MORE of that pesticide being used.

5. The argument about increased yields to save the planet is often used as a last resort when you point out the truth about GM being an imprecise technique, and that there are serious health risks. It is a way of bringing in a moral dimension that most people will buy. Yet, the planet already has much more food than it needs to feed everyone. This is not the reason for GM foods. Profit is.

6. The environmental risks may be many and unstudied, to be sure. Much more shocking is that there are hardly any careful studies demonstrating that GM food is safe. Basically, scientificaly weak arguments are use to argue that there is no reason to conduct such studies.

This is barely scratching the surface, this book is extremely well written and documented. It tells a sobering story of:
* Corporate greed,

* Rampant conflict of interest with industry being in bed with the FDA, for example:
- Scientists warnings are routinely ignored
- Monsanto officials come to work at the FDA to make policy, then return to Monsanto
- The doctoring of information is much like what the current Bush adminstration has done with scentific reports about global warming.

* Most funding for research in GM comes from industry.

* People are afraid to do research that might discover inconvenient truths about the safety of GM foods - because they are bullied, threatened and can lose their careers.

* Massive media manipulation filters out virtually all anti-GM stories; books have gone unpublished for fear of lawsuits by pro-GM companies

* Pro-biotech companies and the FDA itself have ample evidence of safety concerns, and they consistently lie about it. It reminds me of the tobacco situation.

Some may complain that this book does not present a balanced view. You be the judge. And anyway, even if it is one one-sided, its about that that this side was aired.

But don't take it from me, or from the author. Read the book, check the references, and reach your own conclusions. Even if only a few things in this book are true, it has major consequences.

I recommend that anyone who cares about their health, and their future read this book right away!!! You are not going to find out about this information from the mainstream media.

No one is harder to teach..........2007-03-29

...than someone whose job depends on not understanding what you're trying to tell them!

Interesting how the only country in the world selling this Frankenfood is the one sufficiently industrialised (that there could be a market for something other than "just plant this seed and eat what grows out of it"), which also happens to have a government wholly bought and paid for by the megacorporations pushing this junk. In the rest of the developed world--where governments (and their regulations) are at least somewhat responnsive to the people and not just their corporate masters--no one will touch the stuff. They won't pay a penny for it. They're literally fighting to keep it fron contaminating their food supply.

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. And yes, what is the "balanced" view? OK, in this chapter we take a look at the benefits of putting untested weird gene-tweaked crap into your body and the biosphere...

What americans don't know..........2007-02-17

...is that biotech companies are stealing your right to decide what you want to eat!
This book reviews - among other subjects - how a handful of multibillion companies are mixing their genetically modified ingredients into the food you and your children eat - without your knowledge. And worse: aided and abetted by the FDA.
If you care about your consumer rights, this book is an eye-opener. In this case the old saying that "what you don't know can never hurt you" proves absolutely wrong.
People in the EU have already given GMO foods the bashing they deserve. But not people in the US. Want to know why? The info is in this book.

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