Average customer rating:
- Sorry, just didn't care for this one. Parents should pre-read.
- I really wanted to like Ida B.....
- Really disappointed after all the hype
- Ida B.
- The Best Book
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Ida B: . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
Katherine Hannigan
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0060730269
Release Date: 2006-12-26 |
Book Description
Who is Ida B. Applewood? She is a fourth grader like no other, living a life like no other, with a voice like no other, and her story will resonate long after you have put this book down. How does Ida B cope when outside forces—life, really—attempt to derail her and her family and her future? She enters her Black Period, and it is not pretty. But then, with the help of a patient teacher, a loyal cat and dog, her beloved apple trees, and parents who believe in the same things she does (even if they sometimes act as though they don't), the resilience that is the very essence of Ida B triumph...and Ida B. Applewood takes the hand that is extended and starts to grow up.
This first novel is both very funny and extraordinarily moving, and it introduces two shining stars—Katherine Hannigan and Ida B. Applewood.
Customer Reviews:
Sorry, just didn't care for this one. Parents should pre-read........2007-07-10
Boy was I disappointed in Ida B. Just looking at the cover, reading the back, etc. you would NEVER expect the main plot to center around the anger that the main character experiences when her mother is diagnosed with cancer. But the main part of the book is just that. Ida B being (justifiably) angry and sullen at having to return to public school after four years of home-schooling. I normally do not pre-read the books my kids get at the library but this one I did and I don't think I want my daughter reading anything this depressing.
Aside from the overall plot, I found the details in the story totally unbelievable. Little Ida seems to get VERY little supervision in her idlyic world before she goes to school. Does anyone let their kid roam unsupervized and alone for hours on end over sprawling acreage to climb trees, lay in the brook, etc. in this day and age? And I understand that Ida B. is supposed to be a precocious girl, but I seriously doubt any 5 year old would describe her new teacher's smile as "a small sad-happy smile, where your mouth turns up but your eyes look pained, almost all of the time".
In keeping this review short, this book left me sad and depressed. I wouldn't want my third grader reading it. Perhaps if we discussed it beforehand so she'd know what to expect then it could be okay.
I really wanted to like Ida B............2007-06-08
*SPOILERS*
Ida B. Applewood has the life: no siblings, no sitting through agonizing hours locked in a classroom to learn, no smoggy city apartment. Instead, she is homeschooled by her loving parents in their ranch home, hangs with her slobbery dog Rufus, and talks to trees as she skips through the family's large prized apple orchard with a smile on her face and adventure in her eyes.
Sounds adorable. That was exactly what I thought, too. I would just die to feel the warm summery breeze blowing through the trees while I wrote essays on how to keep nature alive instead of being stuck in a stuffy room with a bunch of kids who don't want to be there, either. But once I started reading "Ida B", I realized something about her was just not turning me on.
The book is well-written with sections of amazing description and carries and typical, easy-to-relate-to moral...that change is hard. But Ida B, for me, did not turn out to be the cutesy nature-lover I hoped. I tried to like her. Really. But it just didn't click. As others have mentioned, the author almost seemed to push you too hard on the narrator. She was a Ramona Quimby, an Opal Buloni, and a Junie B. Jones on an apple orchard who seemed to know she was creative. The scenes were pressing for you to like her, as if little Ida B was waving a "Look what ELSE I can do!" sign.
The one scene that made me wince was a dinner table scene. Ida B and her parents were sitting around the table eating, and they were quizzing her on math. Her mother told her she gave her $20 to buy flour at the store, and immediately Ida B blurted out about which store it was and if she was walking, and her mother just pulled an "Oh, Ida B." And, of course, a page later Ida B had to throw in that she tallies up her mother's money at the store and the cashier coos over her genius. *wince*. Her parents were an annoyance sometimes. The fact that they pulled her out of school two weeks into kindergarten because she complained that she wasn't having "fun" was a bit strange. And when Ida B finds out she must return to this "Place of Slow but Sure Body-Cramping, Mind-Numbing, Fun-Killing Torture" due to her mother's cancer, instead of recognizing the fact that her parents are going to the extent to send her to a public school for both social and academic help, Ida B sulks and complains the chapter afterwards and tells herself she must hate this school and made the plan that she would have "no friends, no play, no smiling, no happy" and stick to her plan no matter what happened. Although Ida B's nicknames for the bus and school itself were humorous, I couldn't help but think how utterly depressing the book was turning. The book seemed to stress that Ida B was creative and optimistic at the beginning of the book, but that didn't seem to be happening later; sometimes, this little girl did not live up to her character.
The ending was satisfying--complete and well-written, where Ida B comes to her senses that she really could have been a bit selfish during the transition period between paradise and nightmare. Give her a shot; maybe you'll enjoy her antics more than I did. Overall, good, original story, but the main character really wasn't all I'd hoped.
Really disappointed after all the hype.......2007-06-01
I have to agree with my fellow reviewers who did not like this book. I don't think I made it past the second chapter, I found Ida to be so sappy and annoying (she talks to trees? What???)
Before you order your own copy I would borrow one from the public library and see if the book turns you off as much as it did me.
Ida B........2007-05-03
Lesley Benson Ida B
By Katherine Hannigan
The book I read is called Ida B. It was an awesome book. The book was about a girl called Ida B. She lives on an orchard farm. Her dad is very into nature. One day the apple trees tell Ida that trouble is coming. She goes to the brook and asks him if this is true but he doesn't answer. Then she goes to the old tree and he tells her that hard times are coming.
Ida B is home schooled. She went to school for two weeks and three days. Her teacher was Ms. Myers. She was mean. One day Ida B's mom came to school. That was the last day Ida B went to school.
Before the school year starts Ida B's mom gets sick. She is diagnosed with cancer. Now Ida B's dad is forced to sell some of the land. That meant cutting down some of the trees. Ida B also had to go to school.
Ida B comes up with lots of plans to make her life, as well as everone's around her, miserable. The only one she will talk to is her teacher Mrs.Washingon. There is a fun twist at the end of this story.
I think everyone should read this book because it is fun to read is has lots of suprizing thingss that you don't think are coming. You never know what Ida will do next. It is a woderful book that everyone can read.
The Best Book.......2007-04-04
I have read the book Ida B. by Katherine Hannigan and it was a very good book.
Ida B. always talked to the trees and the brook. She played with them every evening. Then one day Ida B.'s mom got a lump on her body.She went to the doctor and found that the lump had Cancer. Before Ida B. had been home schooled by her mom and dad, but Ida B.'s dad couldn't take care of the farm, school Ida B. and take care of mom.Ida B.'s dad ended haveing to sell a little bit of the valleys and mountains thay he owned and he had to send Ida B. to school. A school buddy, Claire, moved into the land that had to be sold. Ida B. got into a fight with her and can't find a way out. Then when the school year ended mom got better, but did Ida B. end the fight with Claire? Find out in this book.
I was stunned when I found out that Ida B.'s mom had Cancer. It would not be fun to have to sell some of your families land and go to school and have your mom sick and tired. I also think that it would not be fun to not have any friends at school and be in a fight with someone in your own class. It was a hard time for Ida B. Therefore, if you want a good book, read Ida B.
Amazon.com
This "call for reform" reads like an open letter to the Muslim world. Irshad Manji, a Toronto-based television journalist, was born to Muslim parents in South Africa. Her family eventually fled to Canada when she was two years old. Manji shares her life experiences growing up in a Western Muslim household and ask some compelling questions from her feminist-lesbian-journalist perspective. It is interesting to note that Manji has been lambasted for being too personal and not scholarly enough to have a worthwhile opinion. Yet her lack of pretense and her intimate narrative are the strengths of this book. For Muslims to dismiss her opinions as not worthy to bring to the table is not only elitist; it underscores why she feels compelled to speak out critically. Intolerance for dissent, especially women's dissent, is one of her main complaints about Islam. Clearly, her goal was not to write a scholarly critique, but rather to speak from her heartfelt concern about Islam. To her fellow Muslims she writes:
I hear from a Saudi friend that his country's religious police arrest women for wearing red on Valentines Day, and I think, Since when does a merciful God outlaw joy—or fun? I read about victims of rape being stoned for "adultery" and I wonder how a critical mass of us can stay stone silent.
She asks tough questions: "What's with the stubborn streak of anti-Semitism in Islam? Who is the real colonizer of the Muslims—-America or Arabia? Why are we squandering the talents of women, fully half of God's creation?" This is not an anti-Muslim rant. Manji also speaks with passionate love and hope for Islam, believing that democracy is compatible with its purest doctrine. Sure, she's biased and opinionated. But all religions, from Christianity to Buddhism to Islam should be accountable for how their leadership and national allegiances personally affect their followers. One would hope that this honest voice be met with a little more self-scrutiny and a little less anti-personal, anti-feminine, and anti-Western rhetoric. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
"I have to be honest with you. Islam is on very thin ice with me....Through our screaming self-pity and our conspicuous silences, we Muslims are conspiring against ourselves. We're in crisis and we're dragging the rest of the world with us. If ever there was a moment for an Islamic reformation, it's now. For the love of God, what are we doing about it?"
In blunt, provocative, and deeply personal terms, Irshad Manji unearths the troubling cornerstones of mainstream Islam today: tribal insularity, deep-seated anti-Semitism, and an uncritical acceptance of the Koran as the final, and therefore superior, manifesto of God. In this open letter to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, Manji asks arresting questions. "Who is the real colonizer of Muslims - America or Arabia? Why are we all being held hostage by what's happening between the Palestinians and the Israelis? Why are we squandering the talents of women, fully half of God's creation? What's our excuse for reading the Koran literally when it's so contradictory and ambiguous? Is that a heart attack you're having? Make it fast. Because if more of us don't speak out against the imperialists within Islam, these guys will walk away with the show."
Manji offers a practical vision of how the United States and its allies can help Muslims undertake a reformation that empowers women, promotes respect for religious minorities, and fosters a competition of ideas. Her vision revives Islam's lost tradition of independent thinking. This book will inspire struggling Muslims worldwide to revisit the foundations of their faith. It will also compel non-Muslims to start posing the important questions without fear of being deemed "racists." In more ways than one, The Trouble with Islam is a clarion call for a fatwa-free future.
Customer Reviews:
The Trouble With Islam Today.......2007-10-09
A very revealing text--open, honest, frank. I have lived in the Middle East, however, and found most Muslim people very kind, tolerant, and peaceful but often offended by what they perceive is the typical American culture which involves immorality, drugs, violence and anti-religious. That, unfortunately, is not the way it really is. The text, The Trouble With Islam Today, really has a lot of truth but probably doesn't reflect most of the typical Muslim culture or mores. We must be careful not to ascribe all radical and hate mongering to the average Muslim just as they must be cautious about perceiving American or Western culture and values which is commonly portrayed in TV, news media, or in films.
Insiders View.......2007-08-26
Wow, what a different book than what I expected. It had thought that it would simply be a personal rant against the preceived evils of islam from the authors preceptive. Want the book turned out to be was a well written thought out discussion of the development of the rigid self defeating culture of rigidity that islam has become. It was a treatment of the history of islam that was fresh and helpful. If you are loooking for a book to help a non-muslim to understanding what is going on in the world today, with the muslim world this is the book to get
A Candid View of a violent religion.......2007-08-14
I purchased this book after hearing Ms Manji speak on CSPAN. She is a very dynamic woman with a machine gun delivery. Her book reads like she speaks and appears to have been dictated at her lightening speed, so the qulity of the writing is only so-so hence the 4 stars. HOWEVER, what she has to say really needs to be said. She dissects Islam for what it is -- a violent religion practiced by a bunch of people who seem incapable of critical thinking. If you are cheated in a Christian society the cheater is condemned as immoral and in most cases brought to trial. In a Muslim society if you are cheated the cheater is admired and the person cheated is viewed as being stupid and thus deserved to be be chaeated. Ms Manji points out in the west of a man forces a woman into sex he is charged with rape, tried, and jailed. In the Islamic world if a woman is forced into sex she must produce 4 MALE witnesses willing to testify in her behalf otherwise she is viewed as an adulteress and stoned to death -- no trial is necessary and the man is not punished. Ms Manji cites example after example of the moral bankruptcy of Islam. But her objective really isn't to destroy Islam but rather to point out how it languishes in the 7th Century, how it has become petrified, how it is dominated by the Saudi's and how Islam is really an Arab based religion that rests on Arab Tribal culture. She points out how the Muslim community blames everyone but themselves when they are the reason for the failure of Islam to help the people. This is a very good book, and easy and quick read, and a very candid view of Islam today. I thought one of the most intersting passages was where she points out how the Muslims hate America but actually want to be American. How they adopt our culture and pursue American clothes, technology, foods, etc while hating America. A very interesting analysis of the conflicts within Islam today.
Informative.......2007-08-11
The book covers basic Islam religion and ask for open review of the Islam faith that could bring Muslums together with other religions. It bring up many questions that everyone should be concerned with. A good read to learn more about Islam and the drive to open up the religion to reform and discussion.
The Trouble with Islam Today.......2007-08-10
Irshad Manji states her case wonderfully. It was an eye opener for me, a woman. What I can't understand is why she is still a Muslim. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about Islam and it's treatment of women.
Customer Reviews:
Exactly what I was looking for........2006-01-02
I absolutely love this book! She gives you lots of facts about how the original priests worshiped Isis and then gives you advice on how to use that in a modern way. Oodles of stuff to keep you active like recipes, rituals, great chants, meditations and how to craft your own ritual tools. Truly a great and essential book if you are drawn to Isis and are looking for a way to bring more of Her into your life.
Truely magical in all respects!.......2005-08-23
I absolutely adore this book! It is basically a handbook for Egyptian devotees who have an affinity for Isis as the great Mother. It is well researched but not too scholarly or longwinded like most books on the subject.
Within are charming rituals, recipies for making natron(special bath),ritual tools, how to make a shrine to Isis, healing rites, dinner recipies, virtually everything under the sun about this multi purpose diety! It is all done with great love and devotion to Isis.
It is true there is not much else about the other gods of Egypt but it says right on the cover-Mysteries of Isis! This is all about the great mother, who faithfully answers most cries. I cannot think of any other goddess who was so revered in popular Western society since Roman times. Maybe the virgin Mary? who is really an emanation of Isis. I remember being in Paris at the old Roman site of her temple, now a Christian church. Her presence was still very strong!
It is easy to see how this goddess is so accesible to many, pagan or otherwise. She is truely the springtime of the human heart! Also within is the first incarnation of the scarab oracle. This is a very special connection to the mother for those who cannot hear her soft voice already...
Wonderful for Isis, Terrible for all others.......2003-09-23
In looking for books on Egypt, I had thought this would help. If I was an Isis worshiper, this would have been an invaluable resource in my libary. I recommend this book for all who wish to devote only to Isis.
However, to anyone else looking for information on any other God/dess or Egypt itself, this book is sorely lacking. Osiris, Horus, Re and other male gods were hardly mentioned except in cursory references to Isis. Hathor, Nebt-het, Sekmet/Bast and other Goddesses were demeaned only as aspects of Isis rather than the true Goddesses they are. In this and the History of Egypt, this book is lacking.
Wow, what Great Source Book on all things Isis.......2002-11-15
I am a Priestess Devoted to Isis and I have to say tht Ms Regula has outdone herself! If you like all things Isis and if you are interested in learning her Mysteries, Festivals, Magick, and New forms of Divination, this is the Book you need for your Library..She really gives some very true statements regarding initation and What it means to be a Priestess of Our Most Holy Queen Isis!
Isis Bless
Nefer Em Pet Sat Ast, Meryt Imhotep
Nice Mix.......2001-12-09
This is one of my favorate books about the worship of Isis. The Aurthor is very close to her subject. She mixes history, current thougths, and her own ideas very well. The book is set up as hours of the day, and include sections on divination, meditations, healing, etc. It also makes a great reference book.
Book Description
Should I be concerned if my cycles are rarely 28 days?
Why do I often feel so emotional before my period?
And how can I know when my period's really going to start?!
If you're a teenage girl, you've probably asked yourself these questions and many more. Now Cycle Savvy has the answers that will help you understand what is really happening with your body on a day-to-day basis. It's the first book specifically designed to teach young women about the practical benefits of charting their cycles. Explore the fascinating world of ovulation, fertility, and why you even have periods at all! And learn all about the body signals, mood changes, and other signs that accompany your cycle. With charming illustrations, fun brainteasers, confidence builders, sample charts, and first-person tales of experiences that every girl can relate to, Cycle Savvy takes the mystery out of your amazing body.
Customer Reviews:
My teen loves it!.......2007-07-24
A ton of easy to understand information for teens! My teen also really liked S.E.X. by Heather Corinna. Each gave her different information and covered simliar subjects differently.
All Teen Girls Should Have this Empowering Book.......2007-03-07
If only this book had been around when I was a teen! Great, solid information shared in a straight forward way that will assist young girls in getting past the hypersexualization that they face today and move into a core of true self respect and self esteem. This book is a blessing.
Life-long Reproductive Health=Education.......2007-02-22
As a physician specializing in fertility, I see a lot of chronic reproductive health problems (and their devastating consequences)in my adult patients that could have been prevented if the patient had been provided with quality reproductive education as a teenager. This book provides the information young women need to make decisions at a young age that will impact their health across the lifespan. Thank you, Toni for making my job easier and for preserving the reproductive health of the next generation.
Dr. Susan Carr
May not be appropriate if your teen is choosing abstinence.......2007-02-18
I own Toni's first book, "TCOYF" and it completely changed the way I look at my body and my cycles. So I was thrilled that she came out with this book for teens. I purchased it with the intent of giving it to my younger sister, but after reading it; I have decided to return it.
What I loved: The first two parts (Cycle Smart and Cycle Signals) cover all the basics on the female body that I guarentee your kids will never hear about in school. :) Toni discusses the different stages in a woman's cycle, including charting your fertility signs to help understand your body. The book is very well put together with fun illustrations and page layouts. The writing is smart and fun, and very easy to read.
This book does not teach FAM as a means of birth control. In fact, I was hopeful after reading the following in the introduction: "...this book is no more a sex-education manual than it is a primer on tampons."
What I didn't love: The third part of the book (Cycle Solutions) has a chapter called "From Cycle Savvy to Sex Smart" that seemed to contradict this statment in the intro. I will conceed that from a world/secular standpoint, this chapter is presented in a very balanced way. Most of the chapter is filled with stories of teenage girls' experiences with sex. The stories cover the spectrum, from "I had sex as a teen and regret it every day" to "I waited for just the right time with my boyfriend" and everything in between. If you or your daughter are proponents of abstinence, you will definitely want to look over this chapter before buying.
From a Christian standpoint, the information presented in this chapter is completely incongruent with what the Bible teaches. As much as I love Toni and everything she has done to empower women, and as much as I loved everything else about this book, this one chapter was enough for me to return it.
great for daughters.......2007-01-12
I bought this for my teenage daughter having read the author's first book and having listened to her on local radio. I did not force the book on my daughter but simply left it on the table. I've watched my daughter pick it up and read from time to time and I can see she is absorbed at times. The book has a huge amount of biological science written into it yet the diagrams are illustrative of the concepts making it easier to read. We don't talk much about the topic but I am certain it is making a difference in my daughter's awareness which can only help me as a parent.
Book Description
The stories in this remarkable collection detail the experiences of women who work in a variety of outdoor professions including smoke jumping, river running, professional falconry, and horse packing. A celebration of women making their way in the wild, the stories in these pages include rescuing sea turtles amidst a swarm of nude bathers, driving cattle across Texas, and tracking a pair of fugitive Montana mountain men. A Mile in Her Boots is a chance for readers to enjoy rough-hewn adventures with a diverse, welcoming group of wild women.
Customer Reviews:
I "hold hands" with the trees near timberline, and we talk...these women would understand (and I KNOW Jen Bove does)........2006-09-29
I have just finished this wonderful book. I read each selection as slowly as possible, savoring every word, so as to make it last as long as I could. I've spent a great deal of time in the wilderness, but never ALL ALONE, and I really admire the courage of those who have. Reading these stories helped me remember what I love so much about hiking/climbing...the trees, the smell, the wind, the weather, and most especially, getting above timberline. As I get older (and my knees more worn), I've become more and more concerned with keeping up with the group, and I thank these women for getting me back, grounded, in WHY I'm there in the first place.
Not Just for Women - an insightful glimpse into those who work in the wild.......2006-07-06
Not just for women, this book could have just as accurately be titled "A Mile in Their Boots: Those Who Work in the Wild." This non fiction collection of thirty some stories gives an insightful glimpse into those who earn their living beyond our world of freeways, cubicles and shopping malls.
As a National Park Service brat many years ago, ex-husband of a field biologist and a current long distance backpacker, I have some familiarity with these occupations. The stories ring true. Jennifer Bové has selected her stories well.
When Nancy Stevens talks about her packer/cook/wrangler job it evokes visions of dusty pack trains and the smell of horses. A sampling of the content: Rebecca's impromptu firefighting experience as a raw Army recruit, Christine's article on Dirt, the constant ingredient of trail crews, Maggie learning to capture lizards with dental floss. And to go on, bone boiling in Yellowstone, climbing cliffs to count auklet burrows, large creatures in the night ...
If your thoughts sometimes take you out of the city, into the wild, and you wonder who those people are that work out there, this book will tell you.
Book Description
In 1988, at the age of 50, Helen Thayer became the first woman in the world to travel on foot to the magnetic North Pole, one of the world's most remote and dangerous regions. Her only companion was Charlie, her loyal husky, who was integral to her survival. Polar Dream is the story of their heroic trek and extraordinary relationship as they faced polar bears, unimaginable cold, and a storm that destroyed most of their supplies and food. A new epilogue, maps, and many previously unpublished expedition photographs are new to this second edition. “A page-turner.... Fully captures the drama of what was a remarkable achievement.” — The Washington Times
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding book--50 year old woman and amazing dog's trek to North Pole.......2007-03-30
Great book. Helen Thayer set off in her 50s to walk to the magnetic North Pole. She did it only with Charlie, the polar bear wonder dog, given (sold) to her by the Inuit who were sure she wouldn't survive without a dog team who knew how to fend off polar bears. She finally agreed to taking one dog, who became her true partner in the journey (and afterward). The story is an outstanding tale of what she learned about herself and how she and Charlie so totally bonded, mutually dependent on each other. Helen prepared well and clearly fully respects Nature in all senses. It is also a wonderful tale about Charlie--about the intelligence of dogs we people would see more often if we just give them a chance to be themselves. This is an outstanding book for anyone of any age and hopefully will help more people understand the criticality and fragility of Nature, and the importance of treating animals (in this case, dogs) with true respect, care, compassion, and love. The book clearly shows the intelligence not just of Charlie, but also of the various polar bears Helena encountered (and successfully avoided attack from, without killing them). It also is an excellent book to get people thinking about themselves and their thoughts. Some of the lessons Helen learned, for example, included early on learning to say "no" as well as the importance of remaining positive and in control even when Nature seemed to be in control via a strong storm whirling around her for several days at a time. She includes photos from her journey, which also are amazing. An exciting, excellent book. I highly recommend this for everyone.
I can't believe she did the whole thing!.......2004-08-17
I am a big fan of stories of artic adventure, and this is one of the best. In this day of snow mobiles and ATVs, we have a woman at 50 -- author Helen Thayer -- setting out to walk to the magnectic north pole, pulling her own sled and accompanied by an Inuit dog she had only known for a couple of days. On her first day out, she suffers such terrible frostbite of her fingers they become almost useless. (I would have called it quits right there.) Then come polar bears -- one the world's most deadliest creatures. And they keep on coming. Some curious, some life-threatening. But, she continues on her amazing journey, not for fame or fortune, but for scientific information for her program Adventure Classroom. There are some fantastic photos included and very helpful maps. Her writing style is breezy and compelling. It's trimph of the human spirit and the bonding of a dog and companion. What a terrific book.
An Explorer and Her Dog.......2003-07-30
An extraordinary true story of courage, determination and fortitude. Every chapter not only contains the wow factor but is an illustration of what the human spirit is capable of. Thayer is an accomplished writer who keeps the reader wanting more. An incredible story of a woman and her faithful dog Charlie, as they endure the hardships of polar travel on foot together with no dog teams or snowmobiles or resupply.
Sue White
Edmonton, Canada
Described in vivid, engaging detail.......2003-02-09
Polar Dream is the personal memoir of Helen Thayer, the first woman (and the oldest person at age 50) to travel on foot, unresupplied, to the magnetic North Pole. Her harrowing trek on skis for 27 days, aided only by a dog trained to warn her of approaching bears, is described in vivid, engaging detail, as are her seven encounters with polar bears which she survived through skill, luck and quick thinking. Black-and-white photographs, including ones taken by the author during her trek, enhanced a narrative of profound insights into the beauty and wildness of the arctic. Readers who appreciate true life adventure will enjoy the excitement and wonder of Helen Thayer's Polar Dream.
Overcome,Never Quit, and Win.......2003-01-09
I first read this book in a German translation and then attended a lecture in New York by Helen Thayer, the author. Because of her amazing world wide adventures from the Polar Regions, to the deserts and the Amazon rain forest I expected someone six-feet tall. Instead I listened as this five-feet-three-inch diminutive dynamo enthralled her audience with her solo walk to the magnetic North Pole at 50 years old and her subsequent adventures including a trek of almost 1,500 miles across the Gobi desert last year at 63 years old.
Polar Dream, the story of her solo walk to the magnetic North Pole with her Inuit dog Charlie is invigorating, with a down to earth humble look at life.
Charlie is loyaly devoted to Helen and saves her life from a polar bear. Polar Dream has been available for ten years. The first edition was excellent and the second edtion is even better with many more photos. I bought 14 books in English, 4 books in German, and one in Dutch for Christmas presents and all recipients are inspired and can't wait for Thayer's next book.
The fast moving, highly descriptive story is sentitive and not afraid to expose vulnerable inner thoughts and feelings.
This is a great book for men and women as proven by my Christmas gift list.
And kudos to wonderful Charlie, Helen's devoted dog-assitant and life saver on the journey.
Book Description
This vivid and provocative book provides an unparelleled overview of the Goddess as she was defined by the ancient societies whose people worshiped her. The author spent more than four decades studying Goddess images--statues, religious artifacts, and art--from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and other parts of the world. With more than 400 magnificent illustrations and photographs (many in color) of historic and prehistoric objects, this book provides a diverse display of stunning images that focus on the Goddess in relation to her sacred animals.
Customer Reviews:
Great picture collection.......2004-10-17
I bought this book in support of research into the Potnia Theron (Lady of the Beasts) tradition in ancient iconography. This tradition is very important to me personally. A Goddess associated with lions, owls, etc. is central to my spiritual practice.
Lady of the Beasts does contain a delightful collection of animal-related iconography from a wide range of cultures. It was worth the price to me just for this.
That is a good thing, too, because the text is so full of howling errors that I have to assess it to be perfectly useless as any kind of guide to the tradition.
Androgynous figures, or figures of completely indeterminate sex, become Goddesses by default. Just a few examples: A seated figure on a stone from Sweden, shown holding snakes, which reminds me strongly of the Cernunnos (horned God) figure from the Gundestroup cauldron, becomes a Goddess "in birth position." (pp. 175 - 177) True, the figure's legs are spread, but it is seated, not squatting, which -- women, please correct me if I am wrong -- looks like an absolutely hideous and impossible position for birthing. The body is androgynous, but the shape of the head suggests a beard. The lighting on the picture precludes any firm conclusion on the question of beard vs. pointed chin. Another figure, clearly a woman seated on the back of a sow, is in a similar position, but holding one leg up. Johnston cites this as a fertility fetish and suggests the female figure here is also in a birthing position; this one looks much more likely to be that. Interestingly, these images are not linked with the later Sheela-na-gig images from Ireland and elsewhere. Perhaps that is understandable, since the Sheela-na-gig is nowhere linked with animals. At any rate, I can come up with several alternative spiritual interpretations of these figures without much effort at all, which is consistent with the nature of myth and of mythic art.
A figure from a Fremont Indian rock painting (p. 33), with a roughly rectangular body and long ears or horns, becomes a creatrix on no evidence whatever. It could just as well be Coyote, who in some of the stories from the region created the world as one of his jokes (and considering some of the more ribald Coyote stories, his maleness is not in any doubt). Since there are no living Fremont Indians from whom to collect oral tradition, we just don't know.
On p. 19, conveniently unnamed archaeologists from "the Soviet Union" (which no longer existed by the time the book was published) are cited in support of the Universal Paleo-Neo-lithic Mother Goddess myth.
Contrary to Johnston's assertion, Tammuz (Dumuzi) was not originally Ishtar (Inanna)'s son (p. 179). I am particularly displeased when people pervert the grand old stories of the Ancient Near East in support of a vision of all Pagan religions being exemplars of a particular monomyth. They were not, and their very chaotic diversity is part of their power. Much information is potentially lost when authors put their One True Interpretation first and the facts last.
This sort of excess does not serve feminism, Neopaganism, or Goddess spirituality well. It is exactly why those movements, with their infinitely valuable message for humanity, are so easily dismissed by their academic and political critics (who, of course, are the same people in some cases).
It would be so much better to present a balanced view, in which the ancient relations between Gods and Goddesses are preserved in all their messy glory, than to destroy the legacy of ancient Paganism by dismissing and trivializing the male half of it, even in just retaliation for how the female half was treated. Perhaps this is a necessary part of a dialectical process, and the balance I seek is being developed as the wild swings of the pendulum are damped by the critical process. A man can dream.
Women who run with the wolves, the lions, the bears..........2003-02-16
This book is gorgeous enough to be a coffee-table ornament, and substantial enough that it'll spend more time in your hands than on the coffee table.
Many of the goddesses worshipped in ancient times were envisioned in the form of animals, or depicted with animals, such as the snake, cow, bird, or sow. Buffie Johnson writes lucidly about these goddesses and supplements her work with TONS of pictures. She touches on many different cultures, from the Mediterranean to Scotland and South America. If you're interested in goddess spirituality, you will definitely want this book.
A side note: I really wish I'd had this on hand when I read _The Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory_ a few weeks ago. In that book Cynthia Eller tries to disprove matriarchies, and among other things, questions the theory that there was goddess worship in Crete. She says that the two "Snake Goddess" statues don't necessarily prove anything. No, not by themselves. But from Johnson's book, I learned that there were similar but less elaborate statues on altars in people's houses...that a beautifully painted sarcophagus bore a mural of a host of priestesses performing a bull-sacrifice as a lone male flutist trilled in the background...that there were far more images of female power in the "seal stones" than I had seen before. Or that the smaller of the Snake Goddesses wears a rose crown, the sign of Ariadne, though I don't know if they're connected. I still don't know whether there was a matriarchy there, or whether it would have been a good or bad thing if there had been one. But Johnson has convinced me that there were goddesses worshipped there.
This book does occasionally go a little bit overboard, seeing goddess symbolism where there may be no symbolism at all. But in general, it is a beautiful and useful resource that will delight anyone interested in the ancient Ladies.
beautiful work.......2001-03-06
this book tells about Goddesses and their sacred animals. i don't know what i expected, but still, it is a good book. the chapters tells about different animals; birds, cats, cows, bugs and so on. also, there are many pictures and drawings. only minus comes from the texts...they would be little bit longer.
A must have for referance........1998-11-07
This book was written very well. It covered many of the Goddesses from all around the world and told their stories. The photos were very helpful in showing the old Goddesses when reading their stores. This is one book that is a must for those studying the old religions.
Book Description
In this famously provocative cornerstone of feminist literature, Susan Griffin brilliantly ponders the place and role of women in a predominantly patriarchal society. Her evocative explorations of far-ranging elements of human experience expose the hypocrisy of standard assumptions about gender and the environment.
Customer Reviews:
a history of woman.......2007-05-27
In this amazing book, the author speaks in several voices, weaves the story we have been told down through time, about who and what women are.
This is truly a book to be savored, sipped at, contemplated, and pondered. The author draws from many sources, to find the voices, both of women and the voices that seek to silence and judge and catagorize women.
This is the most creative, informative and spiritual book I have ever read. I cannot reccomend it highly enough, even after all these years.
Thank you Susan Griffin.......2006-05-15
This is one of the most important books of 'eco-feminism' in existence (although I would rather call it truth than feminism). This book inspired me to be courageous with my own thoughts and to enact a spoken word piece that I had been sitting on for weeks. Thank you Susan Griffin for exposing the truths of the oppression of women. I will be reading this book again and again.
Paige Doughty
Roaring Insider Her.......2006-01-13
Truly unbelievable. If I could write as well as Susan Griffin, maybe then could I express how strongly I feel for this book. It is TRULY poetic. Beautiful! Its almost as if she is painting a picture in your head, tying facts about the history of social (patriarchal) views on woman and nature. It is a writing style I have never seen before, with an explosion of philosophy and poetry. I recommend this book to anybody, but it is an essential for any feminist or environmentalist... A beautiful work of art...
not just for women.......2003-07-05
Reading this book 15 years ago was like putting on my first pair of glasses -- everything was still there, but the details were SO much clearer! Every written record, every thought put to paper, is only a slant on reality, and should never be mistaken for reality itself. Thank you, Ms. Griffin, from a male reader.
I can't believe only two people have reviewed this book........2002-12-30
I can't believe only two people have reviewed this extraordinary and extraordinarily beautiful book. It is one of the most important books I've ever read. Using the words of scientific philosophers themselves (but putting them into a beautifully-written, poetic context) Susan Griffin brilliantly shows how the logic of science is fundamentally anti-life, and anti-woman. She juxtaposes this to some of the most wonderful embodied prose you could ever hope to read, and moves the reader from this alienated state of modern civilized people and back into our bodies. Words cannot do this book justice.
Average customer rating:
- A little heavy handed
- This is an awesome book!
- The Founding of the Audobon Society Takes Flight!
- Great book for girls!
|
She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head!
Kathryn Lasky
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fiction | Birds | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Fiction | Nature | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Lasky, Kathryn | ( L ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Fiction | Birds | Animals | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Lasky, Kathryn | ( L ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Fiction | Nature | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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Everglades
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The Honey Makers
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The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 (Awards))
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Train to Somewhere
ASIN: 0786811641 |
Customer Reviews:
A little heavy handed.......2002-06-24
I wanted to like this book, I really did. The design is exquisite, the illustrations compelling with lush, gorgeous colors. The story is a fascinating one and the idea of turning it into a picture book for younger children was fantastic. It has many important themes such as the struggle for women's sufferage and the idea of empowerment, working for a cause you believe in, and the elements of successful political action, all told in a way that young children can understand. However, I found the text just a little too preachy for my taste, and I am very sympathetic to the cause. I don't think environmental causes are helped by looking down on those who view things differently, instead I would like to read books that help children to understand why there are differences of opinion and have empathy for those who are different. I found the words like "silly" "disgusting" "revolting" "nauseating" "ghastly" used to describe feather-wearers to be unconstructive, uncompassionate and not particularly admirable.
This is an awesome book!.......2001-01-26
I am in first grade and I am six years old. I really like this book. The pictures are funny. I like the dodo bird and the heath hen, and the spoonbill escaping from the picture. I learned about the Audubon Society, it saves birds. I also learned that Harriet and Minna were cousins and real people. This book is great for ages six and up!
The Founding of the Audobon Society Takes Flight!.......2001-01-15
"She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head" is an absolutely wonderful book to illustrate how we need to be kind to our feathered friends! Great when read with "voices" to match the pinch-faced, conservation minded women who star in the book! Hurray to Kathryn Lasky for writing a this child-eye opener and to David Catrow for bringing it to life!
Great book for girls!.......1998-10-29
This is a wonderful story for girls. Two women see a problem and set out to solve it! They are energetic and resourceful and end up making a difference. I enjoyed it as much as my daughter.
Customer Reviews:
Great Series.......2006-06-08
I just want to say I have been reading alot of Ellora's Cave books (which includes many wonderful writers) and the Lunewulf series was great. I have really enjoyed it and would say it is a "must" read.
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- In Sylvan Shadows (Forgotten Realms: The Cleric Quintet, Book 2)
- In the Company of the Courtesan: A Novel
- Investments
- It Doesn't Take a Hero : The Autobiography of General H. Norman Schwarzkopf
- Journey to the Celestial City: Glimpses of Heaven from Great Literary Classics
- Lisey's Story
- Living Large in Small Spaces: Expressing Personal Style in 100 to 1,000 Square Feet
- Love 'Em or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay (3rd Edition)
- Love 'Em or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay (3rd Edition)
- My First Taggies Book: Sweet Dreams (My First Taggies Book)
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