5 comments about Merriam-Webster's Spanish-English Dictionary.

1. This book is easy to use and full of excellent vocabulary for a beginning Spanish speaker. On a few occasions I was not able to find the word I was looking for but I did find close substitutes and was able to complete my assignments for my Spanish class.



2. The best SPanish-SPanish dictionary is of course the academy dictionary agreed upon by all the Spanish language academies in every spanish-speaking country. However, for smaller ENglish/Spanish, this dictionary is pretty good. It's the one I give to relatives or friends studying Spanish.



3. Great little pocket dictionary for those who don't want to carry around a heavier full-sized eng/span diction. It's not 'quite' as complete, but it's about 99% there. It's going to have all of the important words



4. Great little pocket dictionary for those who don't want to carry around a heavier full-sized eng/span diction. It's not 'quite' as complete, but it's about 99% there. It's going to have all of the important words



5. I use this dictionary quite a bit as it is small enough to be light and easy to carry and big enough to contain most everyday words. I think that the content is good but I compared to my other (larger) dictionary by Harper Collins the paper is somewhat gray and the words don't stand out as well. Also the ink is not the most permanent so if you are not careful you can end up with gray stains on your fingertips. I would recommend spending slightly more to get something with a higher quality of paper and printing.

5 comments about Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.

1. I love love LOVE this book! So much so that it's a "keeper". Anne Lamott makes you want to write. While reading this book you feel like you can be a writer, even if haven't written a word previously. She made me laugh out loud numerous times, and the advice she gives has a real, crystal clear ring of truth. Anyone who loves to read and dreams of writing will want to read this book.



2. This is the only text book that I've actually enjoyed. I picked it up last night to skim it and I ended up reading the first 7 chapters. It's a pretty thin book, but if you need to learn how to write, you should really pick this up and give it a try it's really REALLY good. I literally laughed out loud at one part and everything the author talks about when it comes to starting to write really is true. I highly encourage anyone who has even the fleeting desire to write to pick it up.
   
   Excellent book!



3. I purchased this book on a whim and found my soul. Seriously. It's that good. I have dreamed of writing for many years and this book gave me the strength to move beyond just dreaming. Anne teaches you to value and respect the process without focusing on the end result. She also validates every fear that a writer has ever confronted, making it seem that I'm not quite as crazy as I thought. I read this book every couple of months just to remind myself that it's worth it, even if I never get published. Thank you, Anne Lamott, for saving my sanity!



4. "1. PLACE YOURSELF IN THE BACKGROUND. Write in a way that draws the reader's attention to the sense and substance of the writing, rather than to the mood and temper of the author. If the writing is solid and good, the mood and temper of the writer will eventually be revealed and not at the expense of the work. Therefore, the first piece of advice is this: to achieve style, begin by affecting none - that is, place yourself in the background...." - Strunk and White: The Elements of Style.
   
   It seems every page in Bird by Bird is a gaggle of I-I-I-I, frequently seasoned with "me" and "my" - overwhelming egocentricity - SELF indulgence.
   
   Her use of expletives is not attractive, nor welcome. The occasional cuss word has it's proper place, least of all as turgid gimmickry.
   
   I accept minority review status, and take my leave wondering what audience positrons see that I do not. Beauty in eyes of the beholder, perhaps.
   
   I seek voices of masters. For me, Bird by Bird flew the coop.
   
   Recommended: The Art of Dramatic Writing - by Lajos Egri; Becoming A Writer - by Dorthea Brande; Stein on Writing - by Sol Stein; More than Cool Reason: A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor - by George Lakoff; Story - by Robert McKee; and, anything you can get your hands on by Joseph Campbell.



5. A terrific book... whether you are an aspiring or established writer, or not a writer at all, but someone who is interested in the human -ness of life. The phrase 'authenticity of feelings' springs to mind when I read Ann LaMott's Bird by Bird. Not New Age, not preachy or high brow, just honest advice about writing and living a purposeful life that is worth its weight in gold. Some poignant and sad moments but it's also very funny!

5 comments about 501 Spanish Verbs: with CD-ROM (Barron's Foreign Language Guides).

1. I recommend it to everyone. It has what is required in my homework and I have improved my Spanish with this book. I recommend it.



2. This product is most excellent. I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to improve their grasp of Spanish Verbs and their many conjugations. I have had a copy of this Book in the past and am very happy to have the most recent edition in my possession now.



3. This is a very convenient guide to verb congugation in an easy to follow format. I have not found much use for the accompanying CD yet but in studying irregular verbs, it helps you rapidly see stem changes, etc. I am currently just beginning the preterite tense so I cannot comment on using it for other than the present and preterite tense yet. I think you will be happy as a student to have this handy reference.



4. This book will really help you in Spanish for all levels. Everyword I needed to know was in there and different sturctures of the words. This I will always keep and use.



5. I stumbled on a copy of this book down in Peru last summer. It is really helpful for the beginner to intermediate Spanish speaker as it has every useful verb with all the common conjugations. Me gusto mucho!

5 comments about Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses.

1. This book on Spanish verb tenses is the best I've ever seen. In fact, it is probably the only book of its kind. I haven't seen any other books like this one, probably because it would be a waste of time for someone else to write a book like this.
   
   The book first explains the present tense in great detail. It explains how the present tense is used in every possibleway. Although, it doesn't explain that the present tense is often used to convey a future action more often than the actual future is.
   
   Richmond's explanation of the past tenses is also very good, but I didn't like how the imperfect and the preterit were explained. What I did like was how the author explains that the irregular preterit conjugations have predictable patterns.
   
   The subjunctive is explained towards the end, which is one of the most difficult things to master in Spanish grammar. I didn't particularly care for the author's explanation of the subjunctive because it seems to be a "regurgitation" of how other books explain it.
   
   All in all, this book is well worth its price. Every Spanish student (and teacher) should have a copy of "Practice Makes Perfect: Spanish Verb Tenses."
   
   Brandon Simpson



2. Easy to use with worksheets that make the subject clear. I particularly like the written paragraph exercise. After writing the paragraph you can check your Spanish phrasing in the answer section.



3. This is one in a great series of Spanish study books. Lots of exercises so you can really practice. Also the organization makes for a great reference. My English grammar is terrible so I have a hard time figuring out what tense I want to use. The beginning of each section has an explanation of how the tenses translate. The pronouns and prepositions book is also great.



4. This is a great reference grammar book, excellent for beginners and intermediate students of the spanish language, covering all aspects of prepositions and pronouns with numerous examples covering all types of usage. Very useful and thorough exercises in both languages, that if you manage to complete them all, you become a master of the subject.
   This book along with the one covering prepositions and pronouns are the top best that I could find to assist me in my spanish classes.



5. This is the perfect book for someone that has had a year or two of spanish in school and has forgotten most of it via lack of use. I've searched for many books but this is the best by far. The author has done an incredible job of keeping things simple and presenting grammar in a manner that's easy to understand without overwhelming the student.
   
   I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT !

5 comments about Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary.

1. Rick does a great job with all his travel materials and this is no exception. The book can definitely be a lifesaver when trying to communicate. There is good effort on Rick's part to get the phrases and structure passable without getting bogged down in grammar. Like Rick says, "you will be stringing together words in caveman like language in no time." He also has some fun stuff in the book that will make you laugh. I paricularly liked the descriptions for the quantities of alcohol- from a pint to a barrel he has you covered!



2. This is a great guide book that I can stick in my travel bag while in Italy. I love it!!!!



3. Rick Steves has done it again. The organization of this book is perfect. It's very useful and has tons of helpful phrases. Plus, it's witty and fun to use. I recommend using a cd to learn some basic Italian and to practice pronouncing the language. Then use this phrase book while you're travelling, and you'll be able to ask for directions, decipher a menu, and charm the natives.



4. I like this Italian guide because it is pocket size (so I can carry it in my Pocket and HAVE IT WITH ME! when I need it) and because it includes more useful phrases than other guides (I don't need to know how to say "Where's the Vatican" I DO need to know how to tell the Taxi to SLOW DOWN! and this guide tells me how, in a way that makes sure the driver listens!



5. I have gotten half way through Rick Steve's Italy 2008 and part of me feels like I've already been on vacation. I plan on taking the book to Italy when we go as a reference guide. The book is simply written therefore easy to understand, plus it's witty. I am sure it will be a huge help on our trip in June. We also purchased Rick Steve's ITALIAN phrase book and dictionary, that will accompany us on our trip as well!

5 comments about The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary.

1. Book serves its purpose, but for scrabble-players who like to carry the board around with ourselves to coffee shops on the weekends, the dictionary is way too heavy and cumbersome to lug around as well.



2. Great supplement to the Scrabble Game. I thought my kids were making up their words for the game - well, they weren't - at least not all of the words! Great purchase.



3. I boiught this book for my sister because she plays a lot and it is good for on the go.



4. I received my scrabble dictionary very fast and it has been in use ever since....very speedy service...very happy consumer.....



5. This book is very handy, however we're looking for a different one. I do agree with the person who said that there are so many odd words that almost anything goes. I was a librarian and there were some words that I was convinced were not real "words" - Agentry for example! In other dictinaries they aren't listed but they are in this book. We bought the paperback version - not the large print. That was a mistake because it's very small print and it takes forever to find a word. However, we're big scrabble fans and use it often but since finding the word agentry we may throw it away. If you have great eyesight and like the strange words, then it's a good buy. However, I would recommend the hardback or the large print paperback.

5 comments about The Elements of Style.

1. A very good book and a great reference for anyone to have with them at school, home, work.



2. If you are serious about being a writer, this book is required reading.
   
   Required.
   
   Learn it, live it, love it.



3. This book has been around for so long, but always seems up to date. I just bought it for our college bound daughter, as our shelf copy is pretty old. Consider it required reading for everyone who wants to sharpen their writing skills.



4. Book arrived almost immediately in perfect condition. I will use it in my class work.
   D.S



5. I bought my first copy of The Elements of Style in 1982. Now over 26 years later I have found my old college friend. The laws of good writing have not changed and one only gets better at it. A must have book for anyone who cares about what they write.

5 comments about The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead.

1. This book provides the most in depth analysis on how an individual can survive if the undead rise. I found myself laughing hysterically just after the first few pages, but at the same time most of the things Brooks discusses make total sense. What an awesome read for the zombie geek or not. Great book!!!



2. Max Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide is a fantastic and fun read, a total blast from beginning to end, but its not for everyone. In fact, its important to understand what this book really is before you buy it. So, lets clear up a few misunderstandings.
   
   1. It is not a laugh out loud comedy. In fact, placing this book under the "comedy" heading is some what of a misnomer. I don't know where else it could possibly go, but I think that categorization is what gives people the wrong impression most often. I mean, honestly, I don't know what some of the numb nuts out there were expecting or why ANYONE would want to buy a book of one note, stupid "zombie" jokes in the first place, but whatever... Bottom line: this isn't a joke book. There's no knock-knock zombie jokes, there's no lame zombies-slipping-on-a-banana-peel sight gags and there are no rehashings of those age old, tired clichés of the "zombies as consumers" type (oh no, I'm sorry, suburban rebel, you really are the first to use that metaphor, really, I mean it and its not obvious and worn out in any way, really, I promise, its very fresh.) The "joke" of the book, if there is one, is to skewer all those asinine home preparedness survival manuals that swept the market in the wake of 9-11. The idea of Joe Average Nobody buying a book that upon reading would fully ready him for a radiological/biological type terrorist attack is as laughably stupid as the average real world person buying a book to prepare for a zombie apocalypse. Get it? Its not a laugh out loud joke, its not even a slight chuckle joke, it's a middle finger to a market built on instilling and perpetuating people's fear and exposes it all for the sham that it is. For some reason though, this confuses the hell out of certain slope fore-headed mouth breathers, like they expect the book to be Jim Carrey versus zombies or something and for some reason, seem to think that this would be a good idea. Let me assure you, this is NOT the case and if this is what you are looking for... GO AWAY!
   
   2. Make no mistake, though, this is NOT a novel either. There is no story, with the possible exception of occasional linking threads running through the "History of Outbreaks" section towards the end. There are no characters, there is no climax or resolution. It is a survival guide. That is it and yes, the book does take itself seriously. No, it does not break character and wink at you knowingly, it plays it straight all the way through. The delivery is part of the joke, understand? Deal with it, okay? Now, get ready for the hard part. Okay ready? Here goes: The joke is not the main and only point. Do not expect it to sustain the book for its entirety, that duty belongs to the fact that...
   
   3. Its made for fans of the genre. If you are not a fan of zombies, then don't bother, man. This book is NOT accessible to non-fans, that's just the way it goes and if you expect otherwise then you are a fool. Look, I don't watch Sex & the City and you know what else I also don't do? I don't buy crap related to the show and then go on-line and complain about how much I don't like it. If you don't like zombies and the stuff that goes with it, then this book isn't for you. If you don't have a favorite version of the original Dawn of the Dead, then this book isn't for you. If you have never made a mental plan in your head one long boring day at work as to what you would do if the Zombie Apocalypse caught you out at the job, then this book isn't for you. If you've never found yourself considering how to defend your regular person home from a horde of zombies and how to turn it into an impromptu fortress, then this book IS NOT for you. If you do NOT relate to those type of things, then do NOT buy this book. But on the other hand, if you do relate... well then, my friend, you MUST buy this book and you must do so right now.
   
   The reason a fan needs to have this book is because it is made for you. It is a total analysis of our much loved culture based on our silly zombie apocalypse speculation. It is full of all the things you've thought of and some things that you have not. It is full of all the things you like and all the things you disagree with. It is endless fodder for excited discussion with your fellow zombie heads and it is a fertile field ripe with inspiration for your own projects.
   
   My Recommendation: This is a complete and total good time and as necessary on your shelf as your Romero films. No zombie fan is complete without it.



3. I have grown up aware of the living dead, but always thought of them as silly or a joke. This book really opened my eyes to the real plague that is the living dead. It's not a matter of "if," but "when" this plague will actually happen. Brooks goes into great detail cataloging all of the possible weapons, defenses, scenario's, etc. that will help to keep you alive. This book is no joke. It seriously discusses survival tactics for when the dead arise.
   Solanum is a mysterious and nefarious virus that must be stopped. Why our government is doing nothing to research and stop the next outbreak is beyond me. Since we can't convince Congress to do anything about this upcoming threat, we must prepare for this Armageddon on our own!
   Bar the windows, store plenty of supplies (food, weapons, and ammo-for the love of God!) and get ready for a brain-splattering good time!
   Make sure that you have enough room for this survival book when the plague hits because you'll need it!



4. But will you be laughing when there's your undead neighbor chewing on your brain? I didn't think so. Get this book. Read it. Memorize it. Prepare. You never know when there could be some sort of "virus" outbreak. I'd rather be prepared then be the one's without a plan.



5. I'd owned a copy of this book, but it was stolen. I needed a new one, because this is pure genius. It has influenced the genre of survival comedy books by being (one of) the first(?) I must-buy for fans of his father's work.

5 comments about Easy Spanish Phrase Book: Over 770 Basic Phrases for Everyday Use (Dover Easy Phrase).

1. As someone with basic spanish language skills which allows me to get most of what I need in Mexico, I bought this book to use as quick reference. It's not very good. First, it's too large for your pocket. Second, it doesn't lend itself to easy and fast reference. Third, it is not geared towards "Mexican" spanish. I would recommend the "Lonely Planet Guide to Mexican Spanish" instead.



2. I recently spent two weeks in South America and this little brief pamphlet was indispensible. Its small size made it easy to carry in a pants pocket. It is organized by groups of phrases that one needs in particular travel situations such as on an "Airplane", in the "Bank", at a "Restaurant" (particularly useful). This made it easy to find a needed phrase quickly. It is the perfect thing to study on the airplane as you begin your trip. But perhaps the most useful feature of the book is the phonetic pronunciation guide for each phase. Knowing the phrase is not very useful if you totally mangle the pronunciation. These pronunciation guides will get your meaning across in most situations. This book will not teach you Spanish and its brevity means you will encounter many situations it does not cover, but it will certainly get you around in most large Spanish speaking cities where many folks speak English and all you need is some occasional help.



3. With as much Spanish that is now being spoken in the US, we must learn just to keep up and retain what we have.



4. As someone who knows almost no Spanish, I thought this book was helpful. Though my husband, who is a pretty good Spanish speaker, said that some of the phrases in here too formal and aren't really used by people who speak Spanish as their first language.



5. This book is compact and it is easy to find a lot of common Spanish phrases quickly and accurately.

5 comments about Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

1. It is undeniably "the source" for APA style/ Any grad or undergrad studnet must have this to write research papers in the social sciences or education. Although APA is simple, this manual helps do it just right. I carry it for all of my classe. Great source!!!



2. I just love the book. I needed it for college classPublication Manual of the American Psychological Association



3. this is a very informative and useful book I m a grad student and barely learning how to use APA style, it was easy to read and understand even for a beginner like me.



4. This is an
   APA must, like a Bible for professional papers required for submission. Some parts are so scholarly written and this makes it a little complicated to understand. However, a highligher, sticky notes and make a 3 x 5 card with favorite pages are helpful tips for success. Highly recommend.



5. the condition of the book is not bad but the cover is a little bit old