2 comments about Scott 2007 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue: Countries of the World So-z (Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol 6 So-Z).

1. Any one who has ever thought of collecting stamps in the US, is familiar with the Scott stamp catalogs, the backbone of the collectors world. Yeah, they're a bit pricy, but then look at the work that has gone and continues to go into them! NEW for 2007.....COLOR!!!!! OMG!!!!! Most of the illustrations are now in COLOR!!!!!
   
   I am in the process of inventorying my Grandfather's massive stamp horde to try and sell it off. At ChicagoPex this year, I was drooling over the new catalogs, mumbling something about "color......". My sister wasn't overly impressed with the concept (she's since changed her mind!) and balked at spending that much money for a new set of catalogs. We've been working out of a 1999 set.
   
   Needless to say, I won! Hallelujah! Especially for the "not so informed" or anyone with not so good eyesight, the color makes a HUGE difference! It is SO much easier to find a stamp that you're looking for! I can not thank Scott enough for their huge effort in rescanning every single stamp in existence (that they could get their hands on).
   
   Bottom line......if you're thinking about it, but doing the "well, my catalogs aren't that old yet" or "boy, that's a lot of money to shell out", my advise is BUY THEM!



2. 
   I really like all of the color photographs of the stamps and how the series are grouped together. It makes it easy to find the stamps and country you are looking for.

5 comments about The Country Ahead of Us, The Country Behind.

1. My son told me i had to read "Snow Falling on Cedars", and hey, moms thrill at such. So I read "Snow Falling on Cedars" and was enamored with Guterson's wordsmithing. As much for myself as for my son (a Christmas gift), I bought this collection of stories - i'm thinking, "Guterson's a good story teller...........my son is a boy entering adulthood........this collection is thematically appropriate.....". I found it hard to believe these stories were even written by the same person. I was disappointed. My son was disappointed. Let me know if the author of "Snow Falling on Cedars" writes another book.......



2. I'm surprised how many really did NOT like his stories. It seems that after reading his novel, they wanted greater things from these early short stories. I found lots of promise in these short stories with much of the subtle style that he uses later in Snow Falling. The strongest stories in the collection involve young boys growing up in the Northwest. Although the action is lots of hunting and fishing, there is a major undercurrent of emotional tension and frustration. In some ways, these remind me of some of Hemingway's early stories, not so much in terms of style, but setting. The Hunters, for instance, brought back images of Hemingway's The Battler. If I could have given this collection 3 1/2 stars, I would have, but it's just short of 4. Still, I enjoyed almost every story in the collection. Guterson is a "show" not tell type of writer, so I suspect some readers weren't watching closely enough. There's beauty and depth in some of these stories.



3. I'm aghast when I read the reviews of my fellow readers but then I take in account the common misperception that a short story is somehow easier to write or a lesser achievement than a novel. The truth is that short stories are more difficult to write, every sentence must punctuate, there is no breathing room. In the two novels I have read of Guterson, the endless pages of description are wonderful but can be top-heavy at times, whereas these stories are lean creations, leaving me wanting more. While it's no Pigeon Feathers, Guterson has been handed the wordsmithing baton from Updike, and the rich prose reminds me of Updike, satiating a yearn I have for quality short stories. I thoroughly enjoyed these, I liked them better than either of his novels, I hope he writes more.



4. This audio collection contains two cassettes and unabridged versions of many of the short stories in Guterson's collection, but not all stories are included in the audio version. Sorry I can't tell you which ones are here, cause the cover for some reason has no contents listed, and narrator Campbell Scott often moved so fast from one story to the next I never heard the title of half of them.

   By and large, I liked the stories on tape number one, especially the poignant tale of two brothers growing up in the 1960's whose family leaves their Oregon coastal motel and moves to Seattle. I think that one was titled "Day of the Moonwalk" or something like that. There is a real sense of nostalgia here, and the interplay between the brothers was heartwarming as they realized they didn't share a bedroom anymore, and as they scoured downtown Seatlle for a basketball hoop.

   I also enjoyed the duckhunting tale (probably "Opening Day"), as well as the doomed romance between a bookish young girl and a minor league pitching prospect. I thought the book was narrated effectively by actor Campbell Scott (he of the movie "Singles"), who handled dialogue especially well.

   However, especially once we get to tape two, Guterson sometimes lapses into an overly descriptive, somewhat experimental style that probably would give creative writing professors nationwide fits. I was particularly appalled by the story involving the young guy who wanders over an old man's land in Massachusetts, on his way to a nursing home to care for the elderly. Throughout the story, Guterson bombards the reader with an endless array of adjectives and adverbs, over-extending his sentences with unnecessary verbal flourishes that ruined the otherwise mediocre story for me. Hemingway, always a proponent of lean, unflowery prose, would have spun in his grave had he heard this one.

   I really liked Snow Falling on Cedars, and Guterson has a knack for writing about the Pacific Northwest and using the setting as an integral part of the story. These stories show a young writer first experimenting and finding his voice, with a handful of successes surrounded by an occasional clunker.




5. The short story much more demanding of an author than a novel is, yet David Guterson's writing is much better here than in Snow Falling on Cedars. Fantastic.

5 comments about Emotional Alchemy : How the Mind Can Heal the Heart.

1. Books have been written about mindfulness and they have been written about cognitive-behavioral therapy. The strength of this book is the way in which the author seamlessly combines them and convincingly shows how they complement and enhance one another. In short, mindfulness allows one greater access to experience, to one's own thoughts, emotions, sensations--including the troubling ones, which we so often suppress or avoid. In terms of therapy, awareness is invaluable. But even for someone not in therapy, it's equally essential. Mindfulness allows us to understand and break out of automatic, self-harming patterns. Bennett-Goleman gives a good roadmap of how to accomplish that.



2. I have not read the book but tried to listen to the audiotape version and found it hopelessly tedious. Some of the problem may be as a reviewer of the CD version mentioned, that the author has no gift for narration.
   
   The mix of Buddhism and psychology, two subjects I usually find interesting, doesn't work, at least as far as I got - two tapes on - before I stopped listening.
   
   The Buddhism focused on the author's near obsession with the Zen tea ceremony, which she describes in a way that makes it sound about as spiritual as operating a Mister Coffee. Whatever she gets out of the tea ceremony, she is not communicating it here. And if you are not fascinated with the Zen tea ceremony this book may not be for you.
   
   Meanwhile, the psychological bits are mostly based on case studies of the type that an old newspaperman used to call the "suspicious anecdote." The author always seems to be a heroic therapist, and the patient seems to attain Buddha-like insights within minutes of their encounter. The stories sound like outtakes from a "can-you-top-this" contest in the bar of a psychotherapists' convention.
   
   In the end, listening to this book felt like having my teeth cleaned by a well-meaning but ham-handed dental hygienist. The best part was the Zen silence after I stopped listening.



3. I became so excited about this book that I wanted to see what other people thought about it. While the reviews in the book itself were positive the ones I read here were disappointing. I wanted to write a review that would encourage people to read this book because I found a lot of answers for my personal dilemmas in Tara's book. I was so pleased with the information I got from the book that I bought the CD even though the review I read here for the CD was not positive. I loved her voice and the background music. I identified with the tea ceremony because some one once told me how concentrating on the act of making tea in a teapot added to the relaxation one is usually seeking when stopping to have a cup of tea. I am replaying the CD over and over because my mind wants to resist the enlightenment I experience each time I hear it. I even found a schema that is particularly troublesome for me when listening to the cd that I did not see when I was reading the book. That proved to me how my schemas want to keep me deluded about my true feelings. I have had similar experiences to most of the examples in the book and I got great ideas for addressing them. I particularly got the part about the quarter second opportunity to make a different choice. Now when I get a feeling of dis-ease I turn my awareness on it and begin dialoging with myself about what I am feeling. Now I find that most of the time if I will not react a better outcome will result. I am not willing to do long meditation retreats but i am very interested in meditating more in order to experience that gap where real peace resides. I know it is there and I have felt it in the past and hope to achieve it on a regular basis. I believe we all have the ability to experience it. I do not believe you have to be a Zen monk to achieve the tranquility she speaks of. I am glad I did not read the reviews until after I read the book. If you are co-dependent like I have been it is one of the best explanations for why we are co-dependant and what to do about becoming interdependent like we were supposed to be. I want to thank the Author for writing this book. I especially like the index and Notes. I am grateful to have found this book.



4. This is a psychological self-help book which takes the approach of combining 'mindfulness' with 'schema therapy'.
   
   Mindfulness is a Buddhist method of meditation in which the practitioner pays attention to the free flowing thoughts in his mind in order to understand precisely how he thinks and what is behind his thoughts. This is very different from the more well know meditation practice in which these thoughts are dismissed and the mind concentrates on a relaxing point of focus, such as inhaling and exhaling.
   
   Schema therapy is a new form of cognitive therapy which identifies repeat patterns of behavior that originate from disturbed childhood experiences. A schema is a cluster of habits (automatic thoughts and behaviors). There are ten different schemas. The first five schemas originate in early childhood and have to do with parental influence They are Abandonment, Deprivation, Subjugation, Mistrust and Unlovability. The next five schemas originate later in childhood, or even in adulthood, and have to do with peer-group influence. They are Exclusion, Vulnerability, Failure, Perfectionism, and Entitlement. The therapy challenges these bad habits replacing them with more logical, conscious patterns of behavior. Schema therapy was developed by Dr. Jeffery Young, who is a protégé of Dr. Aaron Beck, the founder of cognitive therapy.
   
   The main emphasis of the book is on mindfulness as a method of exploring the motivations of schemas, and of distancing oneself from the habitual behavior by maintaining a calm, distant observation of ones thoughts and emotions. The notion of building equanimity features strongly. Most chapters end with mindful exercises you can try by yourself at home. Schema therapy receives a brief three chapter overview. Then in the next eight chapters schemas are mentioned largely in terms of providing examples of maladaptive behavior on which mindfulness is demonstrated to act. The last four chapters of the book develop the idea of meditation as a method of 'spiritual' development beyond ordinary psychological self-improvement.
   
   If you are interested in learning more about schema therapy try Schema Therapy: A Practitioner's Guide.



5. This book goes beyond simple meditative practices, by helping the reader free themselves from established maladaptive habits that not only harm others but deteriorate our well being. Tara Goleman combines Buddhists fundamentals with schema therapy to give us a deeper understanding about the dynamic-self that help us to come to better terms with reality.

4 comments about The Rituals of Dinner: Visser, Margaret.

1. This is a fascinating book. Everyone who reads a bit of it wants to own it. You can learn lots of trivia and impress your friends as well as develop a whole new outlook on food, eating, dinner parties, etc.



2. I can't imagine doing the research for this tome. And I don't use the word tome lightly. This book is chock full of little tidbits of trivia that are fascinating, but that you will probabaly never need nor have an opportunity to share. What is the origin of the word, 'menu?' How did the fork evolve; how did table cloths come into use? "The ritual of Dinner" digs down to the tiniest of details, the most remote possible history and the widest variety of customs. If you expect such questions when you appear on Jeopardy, or when quizzed by your mother-in-law to be, this book is thorough and very well written. My, is it thorough!

   But, is this the information that you seek? I was looking for a book that went into more detail than Amy Vanderbilt in the proper placement and use of dishes, utensils and glassware. I wanted to know the difference between a 'rim soup' bowl and a 'cream soup' bowl, and which spoon goes with which dish as well as which type of soup. Although some of this book was fascinating reading, it didn't really answer my questions. Well, maybe some of them, but you have to research and work at finding any guidelines. Visser insists that you learn the why and history of a ritual before letting you in on it's current practical use, and how it may be applied.

   If you are not a museum curator and just want to set a proper table, I suggest you turn to "The Art of the Table" by Susanne Von Drachenfuls instead. And no, I'm still not sure about the soup bowls.




3. Margaret Visser's advice has been quoted on Sage Asian Advice on Soup Etiquette, and the advice looks to me entirely misleading. It reads: "A Chinese banquet often begins with fruit and ends with soup." Being a Chinese myself and have attended numerous banquets, I have never seen fruit being served at the beginning and soup at the end. It will help if Ms. Visser can clarify what kind of banquet she had actually observed or attended. The regular way is soup being served close to the beginning after the cold and hot appetizers, and fruit is served at the very end together with dessert.



4. I enjoyed this book until I came to a description of Passover (p. 35) that is entirely garbled. It is not a feast of the New Year; does not stress cleansing; does not provide initiation; and there were ten plagues, not seven. It is a celebration of deliverance from oppression and slavery with a fillup of spring festivity. Visser says the Christian Eucharist was born directly from Passover, but outside of the Last Supper being a seder, other aspects of the Eucharist fly directly in the face of Jewish law (i.e. the cannibalism and blood drinking). (I'm sure libraries of books have been pubished on this subject, but kosher law forbids the consumption of blood.)
   
   Given that Visser can't even get the number of the plagues of Egypt right--it's right there in the Bible, a book that is doubtlessly familiar to her--I don't feel comfortable with this book. I'm giving it two stars because she supplies references. If only I could find the one that states there were seven plagues . . . .
   
   Overall, I'm glad I picked this up in a used book store.

5 comments about The Big Book of John Deere Tractors: The Complete Model-by-Model Encyclopedia, Plus Classic Toys, Brochures, and Collectibles (The Big Book Series).

1. John Deere tractors are often older vintage collectible models and this provides an excellent encyclopedia to tractors from around the world, providing a fine model-by-model historical reference and including European models in its assessment of tractors from 1892 to modern times. Photos showcase the tractors and add appeal.



2. then this is the book for you. I bought it as a gift for a knowledgable friend and he was in raptures. I now know more about John Deere tractors than I ever dreamed it was possible to know! This book covers every John Deere tractor ever made and covers them in great detail. The photos and vintage posters add to the appeal of this tractor encyclopedia.



3. Hi I received my book in good condition. I was very pleased with your company. I will shop with you again. I know my dad will be happy with his Christmas gift. Do you sell glass lamp globes. I have a pink lamp with only the bottom half. I am looking for the top. It is pink with roses and a small covered wagon with a couple of stands of wheat around it. It is raised design that you have to look close to see.

   Thanks
   Joan




4. I purchased this for my dad for Christmas and he loved it!



5. The big book of john deere tractors has a bunch of different types of tractors in all kinds of different styles. John deere tractors are very interesting.
   I really like reading about tractors they are very interesting to learn about. It seems like every time I read about a tractor I learn a new fact. One fact that I really like that it tells the exact year that they were made. As you go along you find new ways to work on older John deere tractors.
   
   I really liked this book because I like learning new things about tractors. I like looking and reading these books because you can find tractors that you may own yourself. It was very interesting to know all those facts.
   
   Nothing was very confusing about this book I really enjoyed this book. There was only one confusing thing it was the diagrams. Other tan that there was nothing confusing about this book.

3 comments about Circling the Globe: A Young Peoples Guide to Countries and Cultures of the World.

1. I liked this book alot it taught me a lot of interesting things that I never knew about the world and it got me interested in geography!

   I would reccomend it to everyone who is interested in world facts!




2. I got this as a Christmas present in Christman of 1995 and let me say that this is one of my favorite history books that I own considering that I love reading about World history.

   The way they illustrate the various styles of cultures in the various countries and regions of the world is just amazing and the description is vivid without being too overwhelming for younger readers eager to learn about foreign countries around the world.

   I really enjoy the statistics of each country mentioned in this book and while some of them are a bit heartbreaking, it's true and satisfies my curiousity about the numerous countries and the societies in them.

   I also like the illustrations of the landscapes and the pictures of the tribes, populations, and city illustrations. It really makes this book fun to read.

   This encyclopedia is very outdated considering that it was released way back in 1995 but I still read it a lot because they did a great job at creating a great educational tool not just for kids but also for older kids and adults and elders of all ages to enjoy reading as well.




3. In this book, I find myself very good at memorizing the capital cities of each country. My I.Q. was improved by this book. Circling the book is one of the best atlas books ever made. They give additional information about every country, its emblem, facts and figures, delicacies and even some languages. Reading the whole books is even better than just peeking at its pictures. Worth the read! ^_^enjoy

2 comments about Twelve Old-Time Cats Bookmarks (Small-Format Bookmarks).

1. These are very cute. My only gripe is that they are only printed on ONE SIDE, and I like my bookmarks to be printed on both sides.
   But, they are very cute, and I gave these as a gift.



2. It's so handy, and better than dog-earing my books.
   
   I love buying this because when I just need another buck or two to push me over into the $25 range to get free SuperSaver shipping. I don't get why I have to pay the extra buck in processing fees though...

No comments about Masterpieces of the Hermitage (Masterpieces).

3 comments about Hats: A History of Fashion in Headwear.

1. This book has alot of printed information in it. A great deal of history. If you are looking for a book to teach you how to make head wear and hats then this isn't the book you need. However for a historical aspect I reccomend it, as long as you can visualise the written word. Its an ok book, not great but not the worst either. I bought it expecting it to contain more practical information, so from that point of view I was disapointed.



2. This is a rather scholarly work on the history of hats covering the past two thousand years. The arrangement is chronological, by century. If one's interest is identifying or organizing headdress by country of origin, this book is particularly useful as the illustrations include the country where the hat was worn along with the drawing. I am always impressed when the same author does a book's text and illustrations, as is the case with this work (see Sibley's bird book if you really want to be blown away).



3. This book may give some overwiev of the history of hats but it is not to be recomended for serious studies of costume history.
   The illustrations are drawn after works of art and other sources. In the cases where I'm quite certain which work of art it is drawn from I must say that the drawings are often more or less inaccurate. As for the text, I'm from Scandinavia and familliar with the custom "Lucia" on the 13th of december. Reading Amphletts explanation accompanying the illustration of a Lucia crown from Norway I'm amased as it's total nonsense! Belive me, fertility rituals and witches was not the explanation given when i read cultural history at university! [It is a mix of seweral older customs among them serwing an extra breakfast as this was belived to bee the longest and darkest night of the year,and youngsters dressing up and going around singing and begging for food contributions to either their studies or a party. One of the dress up costumes being the christ child with a halo of candlelight around the head. Nowadays (and since about a 100 years ago) the lucia crown on a girl or woman serving ginger snaps and saffron bread together with coffee as she and her followers sings!} If the rest of the text has some more faults as big as this i don't know but it certainly makes me very suspicuios.

No comments about The Inside Story Of The State Quarters (Official Whitman Guidebooks).