Nonfiction Books

As expected, this 65th edition is an updated version of the tried-and-true Chapman's. The photos and examples are current, and the plain language is easy to read and understand. It would be nice if everyone on the water had a good look at this book before untying and heading out onto the water. If you're a rag-head (or and aspiring one), supplementing this book with the Annapolis Book of Seamanship for a deeper dive into sailing-related detail is a really good idea.

This is a very large and complete manual for looking up various subjects. Full color, nice text good size pages and easy to understand. I saved half the store price buying it on Amazon. If you don't like it you can always use it for an anchor.

The "Boaters Bible" at the best price available ! Amazon repeatedly has delivered SOONER than the estimated time--others could learn from this company.

Anyone that has or is planning on getting a boat should be required to read
through this text. It may save lives. It will add to your enjoyment of
boating by teaching you about seamanship. A must read for any one who will
be on the water for recreational purposes.

This book Chapman Piloting & Seamanship 65th Edition (Chapman Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling) was recommended to us when we bought our first boat some 14 years ago, and has become a bible for boating to us. We've given it ever since to good friends in need of some fundamental boating instruction, and they all love it. Not all information might be useful for everybody, but everybody will find some valuable information for their specific boating needs and skills.
It's fun to read, easy to understand and extremely informative. Two thumbs up!

I teach Spanish in Edinburgh, I have masters in media and I want to congratulate people who were working on that soap. First, Cast is brilliant, I know them because they have been on many soaps in Chile (I'm from Argentina in case) I don't agree with bad reviews, I'd advise this soap maybe better in classroom and not self-study cause many things (even there is a guide) you could miss contexts. About speed, look I'm using with intermediate and it's great. Other review said it's slow, great you might be master-advanced in Spanish, have a look at film "Nine Queens" (Nueve Reinas) to test how fast you are catching a true speed of spoken Spanish!
I highly recommend this soap Sol y Viento but maybe linked to a proper Spanish course, so Sol y Viento as part of ways to learn the language!!

This series is awful. The soap opera is extremely slow-paced, boring, and cheasy. There are very, VERY long musical interludes and a LOT of talking in English. In one of the first episodes, they spent about 3 minutes talking in English about looking at the expressions on the characters faces to figure out what's going on. Uh, isn't the idea of learning Spanish supposed to be that you can understand SPANISH, not basic human interaction? This is just one example of the overuse of English. It's boring, it's long, and there isn't much Spanish on it. A huge waste of money. It teaches you little and takes so long to do it. And what little it does say is very difficult to understand - you just get the broad strokes from the exaggerated acting, but you're not really LEARNING anything. If you're a teacher, try just finding free Spanish video clips online ([...]) and take a few expressions and explain them. If you're an independent learner, dear god, don't put yourself through this childish video.

Genius move combining a soap opera with a textbook. The book is easy to follow, hits relevent topics to learn Spanish and for travelling in Spanish-speaking countries. This book lasts for 4 semesters and it makes me want to take all 4 just to see the end of the drama. I'm amazed that I can speak full sentences on relevent topics after a one night a week class for 7 weeks now. Bravo!

they took almost a month to ship the book to me.

As the educational jargon increases and changes, it is important to keep abreast of the latest. This book provided information which I really needed

Today the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported that although American high school seniors are getting better academic grades, their literacy and mathematics skills are actually regressing. The most likely culprit: grade inflation. Yet the drumbeat among elite educrats to adopt the Professional Learning Communities fad throughout the nation's high schools continues unabated. While PLC is certainly not to blame for the trend documented by these latest NAEP figures (it hasn't been around long enough), its dumbfounding popularity among education reformers is proof that the current educational leadership in this country is not to be trusted. How should we define "academic achievement"? Both PLC and (to a lesser extent) the federal No Child Left Behind law define it as all students performing at the same level and all teachers teaching their subjects the same way. In other words, the goal of PLC is conformity--the exact opposite of what a quality education in a democratic society should stand for.

When teachers and students are pressured to conform to the same standards, it is inescapable that the standards themselves must be mediocre. The kind of school climate advocated by DuFour will only lead to more teachers handing out more A's for less work, or for inferior work. The most gifted and motivated students will have to be ignored because of the constant pressure on teachers to keep the low end of the student population from failing. But what if we started at the high end of the spectrum instead, teaching everything as if it were an honors class? Our brightest and most hardworking students might achieve their full potential and save us all from the intellectual wasteland our country is becoming. The middle and low-end students would have to struggle to keep up. And yes, a lot of them would be likely to fail...at least until they discovered the will to apply themselves and take their own education seriously. It would be a hard lesson for them, but a valuable one in the long run.

Unfortunately, there are no well-funded think-tanks, education professors, or consultants advocating this approach at the moment.

The collaborative work of Richard DuFour (Superintendent of Adlai Stevenson High School District 125, Lincolnshire, Illinois) and Robert Eaker (Dean of the College of Education, Middle Tennessee State University), Professional Learning Communities At Work: Best Practices For Enhancing Student Achievement offers the reader informed and informative information on how to transform any private or public school into a results-oriented "professional learning community" based upon practices from some of the best schools in the country. Professional Learning Communities At Work covers curriculum development, teacher preparation, school leadership, professional development programs, school-parent partnerships, and assessment practices. Of vital interest to education professionals, Professional Learning Communities At Work is completely accessible and highly recommended reading for parents and other non-specialist general readers with an interest in improving their community schools and school systems.

Professional Learning Communities at Work (Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement) by Dr. Richard Dufour and Dr. Robert Eaker, is a well-written/user-friendly piece of literature. This book may be useful as a text for graduate and/or post-graduate level students who are studying and/or working within the area of education, administration, and/or curriculum and instruction. It is also an excellent resource to have if you are dealing with staff and/or curriculum development. The basic premise of the book goes about showing how (via PLC's (Professional Learning Communities)/Small Learning Communities) school staff and administration can work collaboratively to help change, redefine, and/or shape their school's mission and goals. Through this teaming process and through the steps/best practices the authors suggest; school improvement, cultural change, and positive curriculum development and implementation can more likely be achieved.

I bought this for my autistic son when he was small as a way to help engage him. We sang and read together every night for months. It left such an impression on me, that when I discovered that my son had lost the CD, I became a little panicky. I really think Philadelphia Chickens is destined to be a children's classic. If you want to delight and entertain, this is the way to go. The Boyton/Ford collaborations have become my new favorite baby gift. If I know you and like you and you're pregnant, you better make room on your bookshelf 'cause you're getting these CDs. They are just too much fun.

"Cows, we're remarkable cows, and wherever we go it's a Fabulous show, Yes we are Cows - COWS !!!"

We have to here this song ever time we get buckled in the car and start down the driveway, and It never gets Old, great Cd Fun,fun,fun !!

We purchased this along with Blue Moo for our 4 yr old grandaughter and we love them both. Have loads of fun dancing with her to the music.

MY whole family LOVES this CD. There are only about 3 songs that we generally skip over, the rest are all really really great!!!! I would recommend this for anyone with kids who wants to also enjoy music with them. It's not boring at all!!!!

After recently purchasing another copy of this to give as a birthday gift I am reminded of how much our family has enjoyed these songs over the years. As a child, I remember listening to Free to be You and Me and I believe Philadelphia Chickens belongs in the same category-it is creative and fun-it is a classic!

As a copy editor and proofreader in the medical and pharmaceutical advertising and communications industries, this text is necessary for my work, as most of my clients use AMA style as THEIR style. However, I have found that this series of texts changes every few years simply as a money maker for the AMA. Only minute changes seem to be made from edition to edition. (I will say, however, that this edition seems to cover many more topics and issues.) In addition, it never seems to fail that what I am looking for, I can't find. The Index could use quite a bit of work. In addition, this text is quite expensive, in my humble opinion. But, as I said in the title for this brief review, this text is "A Necessary Evil."

A must for any science writer. This book is concise and has helpful information.

This is a great resource for editors/proofreaders/medical writers, especially since the style varies so much from the usual MLA and AP styles. Mine is tagged up and sits on my desk, at the ready, as I proofread and edit.

At long last, the 10th Edition of the AMA Manual of Style is finally available, and I am happy to say it was worth the wait. As an editor who has worked in medical journals, scientific Web sites, and an agency specializing in pharmaceutical advertising, I found the 9th edition to be, at times, a bit dated and not as easy to navigate as I would have hoped. Most of those problems have been resolved in the 10th edition, as well as the inclusion of some new information that I didn't even know I was missing until I found.

The following is a list of changes in the new edition of the style guide that I found particularly helpful and relevant, and will hopefully be a quick go-to guide when you're debating whether to buy the new version or hold fast to the 9th edition.

- The section on Correct and Preferred Usage has moved from Chapter 9 to Chapter 11 and includes a wealth of information that was not in the previous edition. There is more information about the difference between race and ethnicity and when it's relevant to include sexual orientation in a scientific manuscript.

- An extended section on electronic references (3.15, 63-72). This new info is highly relevant considering since 1998 (when the 9th edition was released) there have been a number of innovations with the Internet and a number of authors choose to use the Web as sources of information.

- The section on manuscript preparation is vastly improved and expanded (Ch 4). It includes more information on the different types of tables and figures as well as new guidelines for the use of symbols and footnotes.

- Of particular interest to journal editors, there is more information on authorship requirements, conflicts of interest, sources of funding, and copyright and permissions basics (Ch 5).

- The section on capitalization demonstrates that, not only can the AMA editors laugh at themselves, but that they're also familiar with the lyrics of Coolio (eg, There is no party like a West Coast party because a West Coast party doesn't stop. 10.3, 375). The section on capitalization also includes newer terms like iBook and eBay that are more relevant to modern writing (10.8, 380).

- In terms of grammar, some of the rules that always give editors trouble are more explicitly outlined and in more detail. There's a longer section on the use of that and which (7.2, 318), which I still have to look up occasionally. A final ruling on the health care vs healthcare debate (always 2 words, per AMA, 11.1, 395). And more specific rules on false/parenthetical plurals and sentences with compound subjects (7.8)

- A change in the use of states in references. All will use postal codes now, instead of the former abbreviations (14.5, 451-455).

- An expanded section on international currency (18.5.12, 817-819).

- The section on terminology has been expanded to include information about different specialties, including psychiatry, ophthalmology, and obstetrics (Ch 15). This section also includes a new chart with human viruses that is expanded and easier to navigate (15.14.3, 762-767).

- There is a more comprehensive copyediting section, including information on editing numerical information (21.1, 907; 23.1, 929-933).

- And finally, and most importantly for all newer medical editors and writing, there is a more informative resources guide with professional organizations aimed at scientific writers and editors as well as grammar and editing resources (25, 967-976).

As a whole, I'm very pleased with the new edition of the AMA style guide, and can't wait to incorporate the new changes into my own work.

I've been waiting for this book since becoming a medical editor 3 years ago. It is completely updated for modern-day medical communications and now includes extensive sections with Internet-related information. I use it nearly every day and absolutely love it.

This book is a great sampling of Charley Harper's work and a great ABC board book for kids.

There is something interesting or cute in nearly every picture. Harper's unmistakable style makes the alphabet enjoyable.

This book is BEAUTIFUL! What a fantastic way to learn the alphabet and be inspired at the same time. Harper's artwork is gorgeous, inspired and whimsical.

Slightly less gorgeous than I had envisaged from the pics on Amazon. This is because it's a board book, so the colours are a little duller than if it was printed on paper stock. Plus I find I get less tactile pleasure from a board book as compared to a hardback (maybe cos I'm not three years old?).

Still, Charley Harper's designs don't disappoint, and this is a reasonably priced 'entry level' book for those wishing to learn more about his work.

I have always loved the illustrations of Charlie Harper and this children's book is no exception. You and your child will love it.

I've been keeping an eye on the release of this book and it was worth the wait!
This is a very fun book with a clever and funny mix of some of Charley Harper's most notable images. Each time you open the book, there is a classic picture that will make you want to go through the whole book.
Delightful for any age and an excellent gift for any Charley Harper fan.

My son has some challenges getting his ideas on paper...he is being tutored by a retired teacher who is a reading specialist. She just loves this book for my son. They already completed the HEART project and it is coming along pretty well, can't wait to see the finished project.

"How to Write your Life Story," by Ralph Fletcher, presents an interesting and entertaining introduction to writing about the most important people in the world--yourself and your family. You can get additional ideas from larger books, but this little book, written for young people, covers the most important points about writing an autobiography.

It debunks a few common lies that people use to convince themselves they don't have a story worth telling--that you have to be a famous celebrity, have an amazing life, or be old and gray.

You already have everything you need to start writing: a character (yourself), a setting (places you have been), and a plot (the events that happened to you). Fletcher recommends making a list of memorable events and then writing about the ones that seem most interesting. These events will probably be the ones that are told and retold every time the family gets together.

He suggests gathering up the artifacts that have soaked up your personal memories and holding them in your hands until the memory rises to the top. Drawing maps of important places in your life, and a heart map of the things that really matter to you, will help you uncover the treasured and terrible tales you want to tell.

Whether you choose to write a group of vignettes, a chronology, or a multi-genre collection of short pieces, you can always switch to another form until it feels well-suited to the story you're trying to tell. The most important message in the book is that writing about your life will help you understand it better. So, read the book and start writing.

Excellent resource written for young students. I teach fifth graders and read to them regularly from Fletcher's other books... A Writer's Notebook in particular. How To Write Your Life Story brings the task of memoir to their fingertips -- makes it feel doable, important, and exciting. Fletcher cites two of my favorite authors of other resources: Katherine Bomer and Barry Lane, whom my students know well by the time we finish our inquiry into memoir. Many examples of writing from Fletcher, and other 4 - 7 grade students enrich this book and bring it home. Great for read aloud, introducing mini-lessons, or even as a class reading book if you can swing a whole set. Any teacher who investigates memoir or autobiography with young students should have this book in the classroom.

I had seen the the Homicide: Life on the Streets TV series before. Also was a big fan of David Simon's "The Wire".

This is an excellent book and I am looking forward to reading his other book, The Corner.

Homicide is one of the better of the crime reporting novels I have read. Simon was definitely at the top of his game.

He manages to write the book with more of a novel feel then a biography of the people involved. Other similar books, such as 'Homicide Special' try for the same thing, but you still feel the writer in their presence. Simon makes the reader feel as if they are there without feeling that the writer is intruding on anything.

The cases the officers work on are all interesting, and not all are slam dunks or even solvable. Many authors would feel a need to make their book have cases with endings. I applaud Simon for not giving in to that temptation.

Baltimore definitely plays a role in this book, and you get a real feeling for the city. You can see in this book the seed that would eventually sprout the series 'Homicide'.

If you are interested in detective work this is an excellent read. I highly recommend this book.

great book - heard David Simon on NPR and he knows the streets of BMore

Journalist David Simon's homicidic tome, published in 1991, follows a group of detectives from the Baltimore Police Department's Homicide Unit for an entire year, beginning in January 1988. It is a gritty, great read about the matter-of-factness of murder in a city with one of the highest rates in the nation. An article in a recent (April 19, 2008) issue of New Economist highlights a recent drop in that rate (from 282 homicides in 2007). During the year of Simon's internship, there were 234 murders, followed by (p 618) 262 in 1989 and 302 in 1990. Based on those four years, that's an average of one violent death every 18 hours.

What Simon was able to put together from his year's worth of journalistic scribblings on life with the good guys and the bad guys is a fantastic fly on the wall's eye view: the graphic violence of crime scenes, the raunchy humor of and banter between the detectives, the despair of the victims' family members, and the utter stupidity of many of the criminals: (p 16) "the investigator's saving grace is the killer's overwhelming disposition toward incompetence or, at the very least, gross error." His Guidebook of Death Investigation Rules are remarkable: (p 34) "Rule Number One...the page 1 entry in a detective's lexicon: Everyone lies." Rule Five is equally profound (p 237), "It's good to be good: it's better to be lucky." Best of the book: Simon's ability to capture the events in a comprehensive and cohesive manner, even with several welcome change ups to the overall chronological format. Covering every aspect of "life on the killer streets" Homicide is a perfect read for tome-loving crime buffs, neither category of which I belong. Also good, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer, and Green River, Running Red by Ann Rule.

I read this book after watching - several times over - David Simon's most recent work, The Wire. I have always been interested in detectives and was drawn by this book because it is non-fiction. As well as being a highly enjoyable read, I would say there were three main takeaways. First, the detailed first-hand account of actual cases and methods of investigation (including related disciplines such as interrogation, medical examination, ballistics, trace evidence, etc. as well as the legal processes and challenges that lead to conviction) have made me much more familiar with the actual process of solving murders. Second, a basic understanding of the structure and organization of a homicide unit within the police department and how the system is incentivized to solve crimes. Third, an appreciation of how these detectives - through late-night drinking sessions and office humor - manage to make their lives livable when they are not dealing with the darker side of their profession. Simon's first book is really special, I look forward to reading it again someday.

My girls love to do their workbooks! They are learning incredibly fast - and the Kumon books are colorful, engaging - and easy to understand! I would highly recommend the entire series.

This book was great for starting my daughter out with writing skills. My wife and I blindly assumed that we should start with the letters in her name (R) but the book has the kids starting out with straight lines (T, H, E, etc...). That makes a lot more sense. My daughter looks forward to working on her letters.

One watchout: I was told that most parents teach their kids to spell there names in all caps. However, I'm told this is very hard for teachers to correct once the kids start school.

Only reservation that I have about the book is that I'm guessing I will to need to buy several of them since the pages are single use.

My daughter is 4, and just started preschool. She loves the workbook. It teaches her to make different lines before she started the letters,which helped her make them correctly. Great for beginners.

I really like the straight forward and fun approach this book uses to help the student learn to write uppercase letters. This allows learning to write to be fun instead of boring. A + book.

I've bought several Kumon books for my 3 yo daughter, this being the lastest. The layout is wonderful. It groups letters together by shape and pattern instead of order, moving from simple to complex. It offers many variations of the same skills and keeps my daughter's interest. I've never ask her if she wants to work in the book, she picks it up periodically and works in it as long as she wants. She effortlessly learned how to write L, H, T, I, E and F.