Audiobook Books

I bought this a while ago, tried it several times to read to my four children, and was a little frustrated. So I waited until Flip Flop French: Ages 3-5: Level 1 was available, did the first three lessons in that, and voila! We're enjoying this book immensely. I agree the audio tracks aren't so great, but at least I can hear the pronunciation, which is nice with any language learning activity and comes with Flip Flop French too.

Sra. Gose
Author of Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 1 & Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 2

My kids and I love the book. Illustrations are great the translations are great. Unfortunately, the audio is poor quality. It sounds like the reader is inside a vault. Very hollow and tinny sounding. Still worth the price and it does help with pronunciations, but probably not something you'll listen to a lot.

Quite a neat family centered book, easy to read both in English and French.

I purchased this book for a [...]. Product details in the description state reading level 4-9, however, I didn't see that back cover intends this book for[..]children. I am a bit disapponted with this discrepancy from Amazon, as I wanted a book that would be appropriately challenging.

My children--2 and 4 years old--have enjoyed listening to me read Goldilocks in French. I haven't had as much use for the CD, but it is fairly well produced (the female French voice is, in fact, BEAUTIFUL; I'm not as crazy about the male English voice, but that's a personal opinion). Those uncomfortable reading aloud in French could certainly depend upon the quality of the CD.



I think that the illustrations, though cartoonish, really elucidate the text well. I base this on the fact that I read the story to my kids in English only once, and yet they can obviously follow along with the French page by page.



I would recommend this resource for parents interested in introducing young kids to French through reading. Also highly recommended: Le Petit Chien Se Trouve Un Ami and similar books in the I Can Read French Barron's Educational Series, and the Complete Lyric Language: French CD.

As usual, Dr. Bernie Seigel's voice is smooth and hypnotic. He is very helpful, and seems very empathetic with regards to those with chronic pain.

I was cautious because of some reviewer calling Bernie Siegel's CD sentimental. It is not mawkish sentimentality, no. Bernie is constructive and tactful because he has people who are ill in mind. I suffer from a lack of neutrophils. I listened to this constructive self-hypnosis and it did me good. I do like when Bernie says to call "the staff and all the white blood cells; ... and if any are self-destructive, eliminate them, out the door!" For me, it is this sort of imagery that helps seeing a well functioning body. I was poorly and depressed with this illness. Bernie Siegel has turned my attitude around. This in itself made me feel better. Bernie Siegel encourages you to consider your body with wonderful healing mechanism. When you cut yourself, he says, your body knows what to do to heal.If you acknowledge this and work to help and love your body you will go a long way to healing. He does not deny that you will need medicine; on the contrary, they will help even better if you imagine your circulatory system bringing the medicine right where it is needed. Love and gentleness are not "sentimental", they are necessary assets in the healing process. The CD is very constructive. Knowing that Dr Siegel was a surgeon gives credibility to the experience that he is imparting. Very good CD.

I have many meditation tapes I love, but this isn't one. I love all of his books, so I thought it would be great... but I expected more relaxation and visualization techniques, more hypnosis kind of work in healing. This did nothing for me.

I bought this CD for a friend who has cancer. I promised her that I'd review anything before sending it to her. Boy, am I glad I did!

It is frustrating to listen to and seems to me to break the rules of guided meditition. He mentions a lot of negatives, i.e. "this is not a time for guilt or fear." Well, of course it isn't, we're trying to "enhance" the immune system, not depress people. My opinion is bringing up such words or ideas during a healing meditation is bringing them into awareness. The sub-conscious mind doesn't understand that this is NOT a time for guilt...it just hears "guilt."

I was looking for something that would talk about positives and focus on healing. This is not one I'd recommend.

This CD has been a healing balm that has greatly helped me to relax and be more positive! When I listen to this CD before going to sleep, it gently relaxing me with the soothing meditations on the CD. Dr. Siegel's gentle and soothing voice really helps me to relax so I can drift off to sleep.
To anyone who is thinking about purchasing this CD, I will say, of all of Dr. Bernie Siegel's CD's, THIS IS A MUST TO OWN. It can be played over and over and each time, it will be just the thing to help you!

I found the CD very succinct and very informative. It was not long but it was very helpful and the points Louise Hay made were very useful and practical. I have listened to it 4 times and I still am getting wonderful guidance from it. If one is willing to make changes in their life and realize they need to make changes then this CD will definitely benefit them!

This tape showed me that I am not alone going through change, how normal my feelings, emotions and fears are and tought me how to cope with difficult moments... not to get lost in transition. Excellent messages to keep hope and good guidelines for a successful change.

This is a good one, folks. Its a good synthesis of her beliefs. If you're doing affirmative and mind work and you're getting stuck- this is a good CD for you.

Diamond traces the spread of human culture, language, and empire-building across the globe in terms of "geographic determinism"--a pejorative term he deplores: ". . . Societies developed differently on different continents because of differences in continental environments, not in human biology."

Specifically, he traces the ultimate causes that some human societies who (literally and sometimes figuratively) developed guns, germs and steel were able to subjugate the continental areas of the globe: domestication of plants for food, domestication of animals for food, transportation, power, and military purposes, and east/west continental axes that enabled food production techniques and the resulting political organization, language, and technology to spread most quickly.

Diamond makes a compelling case in a way that takes the racism out of much of the "manifest destiny" writing that surrounds this topic. Doing so, however, he takes a purely evolutionary view of human history. No allowance is made, for example, for events such as a single point of creation, dispersal of language from Babel outward (even though it would address a mystery he is unable to solve), or a world-wide flood which wiped out existing patterns of human dispersal and restarted human history from another single point.

This book is interesting for those who prefer non-fiction. I bought this book for a friend.

While this book is difficult for many high school students, its ideas and the methods used to create his thesis are concepts your students can get. This would be a great jumping off point for an interdisciplinary unit and as the years go on, history and social studies teachers need to change the way we present history if we want students to be ready for the 21st century. In a time when students can get facts right off of Google faster than we could give it to them, we need to teach history as concepts and not focus on students learning only facts. Diamond interprets the facts to create a a thesis on why certain societies excel and come out on top. You could compare and contrast his thesis to the Human Web or the Kennedy's Rise and Fall of Great Powers. On its own, GGS could be a powerful tool in the classroom and teachers of all disciplines should read this text. All texts are biased and no one should expect perfection so if you want to be convinced of one particular view then you shouldn't read it. But if you are open to learning more and having more questions when you are finished (which is not a bad thing), then you should read this and give select passages to students.
For non-teachers, this book really makes learning history easy and interesting which may be different from your own educational experience.

Many reviews claim this book to be biased and bereft of some important additional components that have influenced human evolutionary history. Diamond actually does mention many of these components, but seems to think they're merely subsidiaries of the broader agents behind history's patterns (which he lists as government/religion, germs, writing, and technology).

This book isn't perfect, but it's a great start and leaves the door wide open for those interested in pursuing the study of human evolution. It's boldest claim is that geography was the greatest SINGLE determinant of the evolution of human societies (continental axes, climate, biology, geology, etc.). He doesn't claim geography did it all and does indeed discuss important other factors such as cultural receptivity to new technology, progress, and change. But I think it's interesting that he goes so far as to claim that the essence of it all is mere geographical location, and from that simple starting point our many complex differences have spawned.

Without a doubt, this has got to be the worst book I have read in a long time. What would have been an interesting blurb in the sociology section of 'Time' magazine, becomes hundreds of pages of pure mindless dreck in the hands of Jared Diamond. Let me save you a few days of your life by summing up the book: The reason why white, western / European societies flourished and the rest of the of the non-white, non-western world did not was because the European climate and terrain favored domestication of plants and animals while the rest of the world's terrain and climate did not. Therefore, western man had more free time on his hands to invent stuff and put a man on the moon, while the rest of the world, to this day, is still screwed up. Wow. I am so annoyed I read this book and wasted so much time doing so.

Found these lean french language to be very helpful. Listen to driving in my car. great for basic french. now I want to lean more.

Don't let the intro fool you, this tool needs a lot more in order to understand and speak french

When I started listening and practicing with these CDs in my car, I was very pleased with the method. But by the time I got to the end of all the lessons I was disappointed. I expected to learn more than just how to ask someone if they want to have lunch with me, or drink something, and at what time (not even learning ALL the hours on the clock, but just four or five of them.) There's too much repetition of the same thing over and over... and over... With 5 CDs and 10 lessons total, I'm sure I could have learned a lot more. After all, if I want to go back and repeat something, I can just slip the CD into the player and go over the materials I need to review.

it's a very good aid for someone that whants to learn the basics of French

there are definitely strength and weaknesses about these CDs. first of all, it does not come with any written material. If you can't see how a word is spell, how can you memorize it efficiently? The syllabus is very restricted. There are you and I, but how about he, she and they? The strength is that they repeat themselves over and over again, so by the end, you've heard it enough times that it does start to stick. They do emphasize on the correct pronunciation, which is very helpful. I'd give it a 3 star at best.

John Kotter, professor emeritus of the Harvard Business School, has just written his newest book, A Sense of Urgency. It's an excellent explication of the first tenet of Kotter's now well known 8-step change theory (From his book Leading Change):

1. Establish a sense of urgency.
2. Create a guiding coalition.
3. Develop a vision and a strategy.
4. Communicate the change vision.
5. Empower employees for broad-based action.
6. Generate short-term wins.
7. Consolidate gains and produce more change.
8. Anchor new approaches in the culture.

Kotter believes that urgency is critical to this whole process; simply put, no urgency--no change.

Kotter drills down into the weeds on establishing a sense of urgency and gives the reader some clear reasons for improving companies:

Successful companies tend to be complacent and do little; companies that raise a false sense of urgency run around like chickens with their heads cut off--frazzled; only those companies working off a true sense of urgency tend to produce change that matters. Kotter further explains that complacent and under-fire companies are too focused on the internal (strengths and weaknesses) and very little on the external threats and opportunities. If you'll recall the well-known strategic planning mantra S.W.O.T (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats), Kotter's urgency theory makes a lot of sense. Again, the progressive and productive companies look not just inward but especially outward--at how opportunity and threats must be faced squarely.

To increase this sense of urgency, the author provides a simple but effective strategy: "Create action that is exceptionally alert, externally oriented, relentlessly aimed at winning, making some progress each and every day and constantly purging low value-added activities--all by always focusing on the heart and not just the mind."

You'll need to read the book for the valuable detail that Kotter provides. The following is a cursory overview:

1. Bring the outside in (connect to the customer and the world outside the corporate walls).
2. Behave urgently every day (make urgency--not anxiety or anger--part of the culture focused on external opportunities and threats).
3. Find opportunity in crisis (be careful but look for opportunity in the midst of any crisis).
4. Deal with the NoNos who block change (neutralize and remove those urgency-killers, who will keep the group in a deadly complacent static state in an ever-changing world. Healthy skeptics are not a threat, but the NoNos are).

Kotter has hit the nail squarely in this easy-to-read book. Having seen all sorts of companies up close, I think Kotter has described a practical method for getting people to be productive--by creating a real sense of urgency.

One of my long term favourite expressions is "set a pace you can maintain forever but sense of urgency wins". Sense of urgency is very much tied to Time Management. People and companies with a sense of urgency win. Its that simple.

Sense of urgency has been one of my secret tricks over the years. Now, John Kotter has written a very simple, fast, easy to read book on the topic called "A Sense of Urgency" that not only explains why we need a sense of urgency but explains strategy and tactics on how to develop it and make it real.

Kotter especially speaks of the need for urgency in times of change.

He also speaks of the dangers of false urgency - how to identify it and deal with it. All appearances of high activity and action are not neccessarily true or positive urgency.

Some text from the book (greatly summarized):

Crucial first step in his framework: creating a sense of urgency by getting people to actually see and feel the need for change.

1. If a sense of urgency is not high enough, everything else becomes so much more difficult.

2. Success easily produces complacency.

3. The opposite of urgency is not only complacency. Itâ(tm)s also a false or misguided sense of urgency that is as prevalent today as complacency itself and even more insidious.

4. Mistaking what you might call false urgency from real urgency is a huge problem today. People constantly see the frenzied action, assume that it represents true urgency.

5. It most certainly is possible to recognize false urgency and complacency and transform each into a true sense of urgency. There is a strategy.

6. Urgency is becoming increasingly important because change is shifting from episodic to continuous.

Put simply a strong sense of urgency is moving from an essential element in big change programs to an essential asset in general.

The number one problem they have is all about creating a sense of urgency - and that's the first step in a series of actions needed to succeed in a changing world.

False urgency is a condition that is very different from complacency. While complacency embraces the status quo, false urgency can be filled with new activities. While complacency often has a sort of sleepy quality, false urgency is filled with energy. False urgency is built on a platform of anxiety and anger.

Anxiety and anger drive behavior that can be highly energetic - which is why people mistake false for true urgency. But the energy from anger and anxiety can easily create activity, not productivity.

The Strategy

Create action that is exceptionally alert, externally oriented, relentlessly aimed at winning, making some progress each and every day, and constantly purging low value-added activities - all by always focusing on the heart and not just the mind.

The Tactics (you really have to read to book to understand these)

1. Bring the Outside in
2. Behave with Urgency Every Day
3. Find Opportunity in Crises
4. Deal with the NoNos

Speed will only increase. A sense of urgency will only become more essential.

I thought Leo the Lightning Bug was great but this is even better. Once again Eric Drachman has produced a book that every family should have. The pictures are awesome and so is the CD. I love the story that you can do anything you want. So what if it is not easy for you to do what you want. But if you really want it, there is always a way to do it. What a great lesson to teach our children.

But there is also another lesson to learn, you will never know how the people you have helped, can help you fulfill your dreams. We need to help others when they are in trouble, because it is the right thing to do. But who knows may be they can help you.

A Frog thing is a great story for the young and old. The message is- you can do whatever you set your mind to do. Follow your dreams. Be the best you can be. I am always looking for books with a message and this is a good one! Great for 6-66 year olds!

This is a charming book. It teaches a lesson about life without being preachy. The drawings throughout the book are delightfully stylized, using soft colors. My two-year-old grandson pretends he is flying every time we read it. I am glad I purchased this book, and will buy others by the same author.

My 2-1/2 year old daughter received this book for Christmas from her aunt and uncle (because she was enchanted by the frogs in their pond when we visited earlier in the year). She and I love this book. It's so much fun to read and it's a great story. The other day we were going for long car ride so I gave her the book while I popped in the CD. WOW! It was wonderful - she could follow along easily with the page turning sound effects. The voices add a whole new dimension to our enjoyment of the book. We can't wait to see what the author produces next. THanks.

My son is 2.5 and loves this book more than I can possibly describe. I purchased it in conjunction with Ellison the Elephant, by the same illustrator and author, and literally these two have been in his nightly request list since they arrived. The illustrations are lovely, and the 'lessons' are great and not in a heavy-handed delivery. There are audio CD's but I prefer to read them to my son.

Enjoy!

Even if I dont take everything in this to be gospel, some of is just common sense, it is still a good book reference good information

I'd give it no stars if possible. Don't fall victim. Wish I hadn't. I was so mad at myself for not reviewing this BEFORE ordering. NOW I'm going to try to get money back. I'm sure it won't happen, but I'm going to try. The only thing ordering this book did was increase my credit card debt by $140 instead of the $19.95 I agreed to.

There are a lot of books out there about tackling debt. Find one not written by Trudeau. Many are cheaper and written better than this book. It's hard to read this book if you of average IQ because it's repetitive and dull. A fifth grader could read this book and learn something from it I'm sure. But, unless it's a gift for your child whose opening up their first checking account, I recommend something with a little more useful information and less finger pointing (great for scaring those young teens away from credit cards). I would recommend Suzie Orman. Though you will find everyday information in her books too, she helps you make sense of it all and create a plan for financial success. Oh, and it's written on an adult level so you may find it less annoying.

I bought this book at the store prior to reading the reviews here. ONE star is too much to give! There is no good information in this book. If you need help, check out Jerrold Mundis and Dave Ramsey. Both write sound advice. Forget this book. I wish I had! What a waste of money!!!!!!!!! DON'T BUY IT!!!!!!

I am so glad I looked up "Debt Cures" on Amazon. I saw about 5-10 minutes of the infomercial; I know you can negotiate interest rates, so I thought the book looked interesting and figured I'd rather buy it at Amazon. I've been had before, as smart as I like to think I am, so knew I'd better check the reviews. Thanks to all the reviewers for the warnings, especially the two men under their real names who listed Trudeau's rather rich criminal past.

Now that I know about "Kev", I watched the rest of the infomercial to learn what a con man looks like. Trudeau's mannerisms and speech patterns, his enthusiasm, the adoring panel of women who were so amazed and appreciative, the phone calls from guys who supposedly `bought the book' and how much they knocked off their bills with Kevin Trudeau's "two secret words" (one guy claimed he bought the book to help a friend who'd been dogged by a huge bill for years, to have it completely wiped out)...very interesting once you know his history. Lots of hand-rubbing, even on the cover of the book, like greedy b******* everywhere I guess.

If you're not a con, and thank goodness most of us are not, you expect ethical behavior. We don't think like cons, they're sociopaths, whereas I think most of us are golden rule types. Kev, who calls himself a `consumer advocate,' says things that are easy to agree with; example, credit card companies are not ethical. So you say "yes, he's right" and now he's got a hook in you. People like this know every trick in the book to influence people to do what they want. (One book I recommend is Dr. Robert Cialdini's "Inside Influence" for the science behind the main influencers: scarcity, authority... Cialdini stresses ethics and admits to being had a few times himself. It's a fascinating read, and you learn how guys like Kev push all the buttons.)

The people who say they don't care that this guy has a long history of fraud must be crazy - or more likely, their real name is Kevin Trudeau.

This book was recommended to me by a classmate and it should be read by everyone; the title says it all. Man's inhumanity to man, human frailty and even some humor. It's a book to make you think. Product-wise, the book was received in a timely fashion and in good condition.

This book is amazing. I love biographies and autobiographies and this is definitely one of my favorites. I got the chance to meet the authors and they are very genuine guys, with a desire to tell their story to encourage others. I have given this book as a gift many times because I think everyone should hear their story.

This is one of the most moving books I have read in a long time and I read every day. It's a modern day story of faith, trust and obedience in what God has called them to do. As you share their journey you will laugh and you will cry. Most of all it is a true story to take deep into your heart.

One of the most compelling books I've read. The doubts and fears of Ron Hall are raw, humorous and convicting. Denver's life in US slavery and his later friendship with Hall and his wife are true evidences of the redemption on Jesus Christ. A real roller-coaster ride of emotions! A must read!

I borrowed this book from a friend around lunch and by bedtime, I had it read. It's that compelling. I wanted to know what happened to the people I met in the first several chapters. It has enriched my life and caused me to think outside my little world. The best thing I have to say about this book is that many people I know who have read it, have done something about it. It caused them to get out and do something to help other people.

Very good collection of bird songs. Great companion to 'Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America'. Includes list of songs and calls. Very interesting!

The CD is marvelous! Bird songs that I have heard for years now can be identified. Birds that I did not realize are in our area can be given a name. The CD coordinates with Peterson's 5th Edition Field Guide to Birds of Eastern & Central North America.

On the positive side, there are a LOT of different bird songs recorded in this cd. It would be much more user-friendly, however, if each track contained only one bird. The sheer number of different bird songs, combined with the not-so-convenient access to individual bird songs, makes this cd more appropriate as a comprehensive reference for use with the written field guide, or perhaps a field guide for someone already an expert, rather than a usable field guide for a more casual birder. Not something I would recommend if you simply want a cd that will help you recognize common bird songs as you are walking through the woods.

A good CD and helpful index booklet. A booklet with color pictures of the male and female birds would be a helpful option even if it was at an additional cost.

An interesting compilation of songbird sounds along with the name of each bird. Does not go into the wide variation of song that many birds are capable of, eg. the Carolina Wren. Somewhat helpful as an addition to Peterson's field guide to birds.