When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Amazon.com

Rarely does a book come along that tackles a perennially difficult human issue with such clarity and intelligence. Harold Kushner, a Jewish rabbi facing his own child's fatal illness, deftly guides us through the inadequacies of the traditional answers to the problem of evil, then provides a uniquely practical and compassionate answer that has appealed to millions of readers across all religious creeds. Remarkable for its intensely relevant real-life examples and its fluid prose, this book cannot go unread by anyone who has ever been troubled by the question, "Why me?"

Book Description

When Harold Kushner’s three-year-old son was diagnosed with a degenerative disease and that he would only live until his early teens, he was faced with one of life’s most difficult questions: Why, God? Years later, Rabbi Kushner wrote this straightforward, elegant contemplation of the doubts and fears that arise when tragedy strikes. Kushner shares his wisdom as a rabbi, a parent, a reader, and a human being. Often imitated but never superseded, When Bad Things Happen to Good People is a classic that offers clear thinking and consolation in times of sorrow.
Since its original publication in 1981, When Bad Things Happen to Good People has brought solace and hope to millions of readers and its author has become a nationally known spiritual leader.

Why Good People Do Bad Things: Understanding Our Darker Selves

Average customer rating:

Hollis hits a home-run...AGAIN!
Good Read for the summer
No easy answers
In-depth, thought-provoking, illuminating

Why Good People Do Bad Things: Understanding Our Darker Selves
James Hollis
Manufacturer: Gotham
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Emotions | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1592402763

Book Description

Working with the Shadow is not working with evil, per se. It is working toward the possibility of greater wholeness. We will never experience healing until we can come to love our unlovable places, for they, too, ask love of us.

How is it that good people do bad things? Why is our personal story and our societal history so bloody, so repetitive, so injurious to self and others?

How do we make sense of the discrepancies between who we think we are—or who we show to the outside world—versus our everyday behaviors? Why are otherwise ordinary people driven to addictions and compulsions, whether alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, infidelity, or the Internet? Why are interpersonal relationships so often filled with strife?

Exploring Jung's concept of the Shadow—the unconscious parts of our self that contradict the image of the self we hope to project--Why Good People Do Bad Things guides you through all the ways in which many of our seemingly unexplainable behaviors are manifestations of the Shadow. In addition to its presence in our personal lives, Hollis looks at the larger picture of the Shadow at work in our culture—from organized religion to the suffering and injustice that abounds in our modern world. Accepting and examining the Shadow as part of one's self, Hollis suggests, is the first step toward wholeness. Revealing a new way of understanding our darker selves, Hollis offers wisdom to help you to acquire a more conscious conduct of your life and bring a new level of awareness to your daily actions and choices.

Customer Reviews:

Hollis hits a home-run...AGAIN!.......2007-09-14

Well Hollis does it again...intrepidly going where no human dares to go and shedding light on much material that most of us would rather not examine.
(Don't mind the previous reviewer's dissatisfaction with the God's Shadow chapter. After all, what does the author of a book about increasing impulse buying in supermarkets know about his own shadow, other than the fact that it's already running his life!!)

Good Read for the summer.......2007-05-28

An Interesting read how we are so uncontrolled within ourselves. A really nice reading for the summer. Author goes little far in GOD's Shadow chapter, but overall it is a good book to have

No easy answers.......2007-03-15

Hollis always tackles the hard stuff. He offers you the opportunity of awareness without easy standard "self-help" answers. All of his books are worth reading. This one is outstanding.

In-depth, thought-provoking, illuminating.......2007-02-25

The title might lead a casual reader to dismiss this as just one more lightweight self-help book -- but that's not the case, not in the least! As with Hollis' earlier books, it's a psychologically & philosophically rich examination of the human soul, offering no easy answers, no magic solutions, no simplistic aphorisms in place of real insight. If you truly want to understand your life & its choices, then you have to be willing to do some difficult & often painful emotional work. And that's something few of us are eager to do.

Which leads us to the question: do you want to grow, to become more fully conscious, to strive towards wholeness? If so, you'll have to discard protective illusions, stop expecting someone else to solve everything for you, and apply an almost ruthless honesty to yourself. You won't like a lot of what you see in that dark mirror, and you'll try to fend it off, explain it away ... but that's our mistake. If we can acknowledge the part we unconsciously play in our own suffering, we may well learn how to alleviate some of it & live with what remains.

Mind you, Hollis never promises an end to suffering, a wondrous makeover that does away with every ugly scar & thought! He has too much respect for the tragic view of human life to hold up an illusion of perfect happiness, no matter how golden & comforting. He's very clear on this: what we need isn't happiness, but meaning. And to find it, we have to be willing to grapple with the Shadow, all that we fear & despise about ourselves, all that we reject & often project onto others.

I feel that this is one of Hollis' finest books, in that it possesses an extra depth & richness of insight. It made me look at my own life more deeply than I have in the past, and encouraged me to confront many of its uncomfortable & frightening aspects. At the very least, it will make you think long & hard about yourself. At the most, it may set you forth upon a fascinating & revealing journey. Most highly recommended!

Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things (New Report, No 4)

Average customer rating:

Great Stuff
Great Stuff
Book and HTML versions are very different
Excellent information! An Easy & Fun Read!
Serious but fun read

Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things (New Report, No 4)
John C. Ryan , and Alan Thein Durning
Manufacturer: Northwest Environment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1886093040

Customer Reviews:

Great Stuff.......2007-10-01

This book is fantastic!! It really get into the details so you clearly understand the path of where things come from. It's enlightening and well worth the money. While educational in nature it is also very interesting. You can't help running around the house looking for someone to tell them what you just read.

Great Stuff.......2007-05-16

Stuff is a terrific exploration of the lifecyle of products and services that we pay for as consumers. This book feeds us info, but more importantly, shows us how to be more aware of what we consume and why. Great exercise for anyone interested in learning or teaching about our environment, (which should be everyone!)

Book and HTML versions are very different.......2007-01-03

I bought the "HTML edition" thinking that I'd save a tree and burn pixels instead. But the HTML is not the book; it is a very short essay. If you're expecting the same content as what's on paper, be warned.

Excellent information! An Easy & Fun Read!.......2006-07-31

Ryan and Durnings book contains excellent information about products we use everyday, and how our choices matter. After reading the first section tracing the history of coffee, I was prompted to go to my health food store and purchase "shade coffee" (organic or cooperatively produced).

I especially liked the sections at the end of each chapter on "What to Do?" with their helpful recommendations. I'm a social psychologist and author of "Quotes, Questions & Actions for Global Understanding". I highly recommend Ryan and Durning's book to all who want to easily make better choices in their day-to-day activities.

Serious but fun read.......2006-02-08

This is one fun and informative book and one I am buying for young as well as older friends. I sit here typing on a computer keyboard and because of the book I see things I never really stopped to see before. And with this comes questions and answers about how many people and natural resources does it take to make all the elements of this modern marvel. Not just the keyboard, monitor and speakers, but the people behind Amazon.com who are consuming coffee, flushing toilets, using lights and machines to process my order.

This is what the book is all about. Becoming quiet and looking around at everything we touch and consume and looking at the bigger picture and 'seeing' all the hands, and natural resources it has taken to produce the coffee we drink, water we drink, car we drive, magazines we read, lights we use, clothes we wear, and the list goes on.

At the end of each chapter, rather than leave the reader feeling like a glutton and bad, the authors have suggested better choices or alternative. Like writing about the average T-shirt and what it takes to make one to what it takes to care for one the authors suggest that one wash only full loads and don't wash after every use but when the item is actually dirty. T-shirts in summer cool the body better which means less AC use, and in winter extra layers of clothing means less heating costs.

Anyway, the book is one that even when I re-read it I discover something new that I hadn't read before. Will check out their other books as well.

Too Much of a Good Thing: Raising Children of Character in a Permissive Culture

Average customer rating:

Great book for discussion/review with group of parents
Kindlon didn't tell me a thing I didn't already know.
Interesting focus
An easy, interesting read, but ultimately shallow
almost good enough

Too Much of a Good Thing: Raising Children of Character in a Permissive Culture
Dan Kindlon
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0786886242

Book Description

While many adolescents today have all the useful accessories of a prosperous society-cell phones, credit cards, computers, cars-they have few of the responsibilities that build character. Under intense pressure to be perfect and achieve, they devote little time to an inner life, and a culture that worships instant success makes it hard for them to engage in the slow, careful building of the skills that enhance self-esteem and self-sufciency. In this powerful and provocative book, Dr. Kindlon delineates how indulged toddlers become indulged teenagers who are at risk for becoming prone to, among other things, excessive self-absorption, depression and anxiety, and lack of self-control. Too Much of a Good Thing maps out the ways in which parents can reach out to their children, teach them engagement in meaningful activity, and promote emotional maturity and a sense of self-worth. Dan Kindlon, Ph.D. is a professor of child psychology at Harvard University. He is a frequent contributor to Child magazine and is the co-author of Raising Cain, a New York Times best-seller. He lives in Boston with his wife and two children.

Customer Reviews:

Great book for discussion/review with group of parents.......2005-10-24

I liked the book and it makes you think about your behavior towards your kids. What kind of parential behavior will help the kids in the long run. I thought it was very well written and this book leans itself very good for review and discussion with a group of parents.

Kindlon didn't tell me a thing I didn't already know........2005-07-17

I am frequently exposed to indulged children, and yes, they often have (or grow up to have) some serious problems as a result of being indulged. This book was right on the money. Aside from the parents who do the indulging, however, what person *doesn't* realize this fact? Unfortunately, those are the very people not likely to read this and benefit from it.

I have no real issues with the book. It's full of truth. It's just that when I was finished, all I could think was, "No shock, Sherlock."

Interesting focus.......2004-12-12

Choosing character as the focal point of the book brings out an interesting perspective on raising kids. This book is not about developing smarts, physical or artistic ability, and not even about disciplining your children. Moreover, it goes as far as suggesting that getting your teenager into the right college may be a counterproductive goal (imagine that!) Refreshingly, it zooms in on what kids need to develop a personality, rather than on what, perhaps, parents want them to have, and that alone sets the book apart. Many of the book's findings are based on statistical analysis of focused studies, which again is both rare and welcomed.

Being a parent is a demanding job, but many of us refuse to see it as such. We work enough at work, and at home we often seek some indulgence and fun with our kids. We want to be their friends rather than their guardians. At every moment, we want them to love us, and in any case not hate us. In short, oftentimes we are parenting for ourselves, rather than for our kids, for our convenience and pleasure. All this is not good news for our children. In fact, it betrays our rather passive role in their upbringing.

Some of the findings stand out as less obvious. That eating disorders in most cases can be traced to early childhood. That early learning of self-control, of coping with delayed gratification and boredom lead to higher SAT scores. That most sexually active teens wish they had waited.

The most thriving group of kids participating in the main study shared five characteristics. They had dinner with the family on a regular basis. Their parents were not divorced. Their room was clean. They engaged in community (even household) service. And they did not have a phone in their room.

To summarize, the book's advice seems merely commonsensical: spend more time with your children, set limits, encourage their engagement in an absorbing challenging activity, let them fail so that they have opportunities to learn from their failures. In fact, the book is more than just regurgitation of self-evident truths. Its strength comes from two sources: hard data for its conclusions and practical advice for parents. Truths are often simple (as in dieting: forget the fads, just burn more calories than you take in). But living your daily life according to what you know is right for your children - now there's the rub.

On the personal level, this book will probably help me say "no" to my 4 year-old more easily. And even though parents' "I'm doing it for your own good" argument never made much sense to me, just like ferberizing our child worked, I believe letting my son cope with manageable frustration is ultimately beneficial for him.

I would recommend the book to all parents and, perhaps, to some interested teenagers as well.

An easy, interesting read, but ultimately shallow.......2003-09-01

How to avoid spoiling kids is an important subject for parents of teenagers who have the means to provide their kids with a comfortable life. Unfortunately, this book doesn't really provide much insight into the situation. It's full of contradictions and doesn't help you understand how to walk the line between caring and indulging.

Many of the excerpts from real interviews with teens seem manipulative, with quotes selected to prove the current point the author wants to prove (which changes according to the chapter). What's lacking is any real context or analysis of the quoted teen's situation.

Ultimately the book provides some food for thought, and can be read in a few hours, but it's irritatingly simplistic.

almost good enough.......2002-05-23

This book touches on a subject but never gets past the surface. The content contains lots of interesting stories yet doesn't quite explain the reasons behind parents inability to set limits, to give consequences, and to be honest with children. I found these explanations fully explained, as one other reviewer noted in the recent book called "Hollow Kids" which is a more serious, well researched description.

Average customer rating:

Curtis..Curtis..Curtis!!!!
Real Good Read
Curtis, Curtis, Curtis
To Much of a Good Thing
Excellent Book

Too Much of a Good Thing
Kimberla Lawson Roby
Manufacturer: Avon A
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 006056850X
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Book Description

In the sequel to the enormously successful Casting the First Stone, Kimberla Lawson Roby brings back a character readers love to hate.

Curtis Black might be a man of the cloth, but with his irresistible looks, seductive charm, and charismatic personality, he's particularly beloved by his female parishioners––and almost every other woman he's ever met.

The trouble is, Curtis is married. At first he tries to resist temptation, but not for long. His insatiable appetite for women quickly gets the best of him. Eventually, the women in Curtis's life find that with a little careful planning––sneaky and otherwise––they can help Curtis reap the punishment that he so richly deserves.

In this captivating and dramatic sequel to Casting the First Stone, Kimberla Lawson Roby, with her trademark with and insight, sets sparks flying.

Customer Reviews:

Curtis..Curtis..Curtis!!!!.......2007-10-11

Excellent follow up to 'Casting the First Stone'. This was a page turner just like the first. Pick it up. You won't be disappointed.

Real Good Read.......2007-06-27

I love Mrs. Kimberla Lawson Roby for bringing Rev. Curtis into her books. We all have a Rev. Curtis in our churches.

Curtis, Curtis, Curtis.......2007-06-20

Great book. I enjoyed reading about Curtis and his drama. The fact that he's the preacher of the church and acts like this is just a shame and it definitely makes you think. Great writing. I am interesting in reading more from Kimberla.

To Much of a Good Thing.......2007-05-08

It was a great book, and I would highly recamend the series. I just finished the last one and it was hard to put it down.

Excellent Book .......2007-05-08

Please, Please read these books in order, if you don't they do fill you in a little in the beginning, but you need everything back to back. This book in particular is off-the-chain and I promise you will read it in about 2 days tops because you WON'T be able to put it down for a second!! I don't even want to tell you what happens because its too good and you need to read it for yourself.

Good Things for Organizing (Good Things with Martha Stewart Living)

Average customer rating:

Organize This!
Decent book
The Title Says It All...
Ideal organising - inspiring for the disorganised
Organization is Martha's Forte

Good Things for Organizing (Good Things with Martha Stewart Living)
Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Martha Stewart | Expert Advice | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

Dry Cleaner's Secret Quick & Easy Dry Cleaning Sheets, Bagless Formula, 14-Count Box (Cleans 56 Garments)

ASIN: 0609805940

Book Description

Who wouldn't like their living space to be more organized? Tapping into the popularity of the "Good Things" column in Martha Stewart Living, Good Things for Organizing provides practical, efficient, and pretty solutions for organizing just about everything, from spools of thread and the silverware drawer to your entire wardrobe and home office.

It is a law of nature: stuff accumulates. Good Things for Organizing shows how to live with stuff comfortably and creatively. In chapters organized room by room, Good Things for Organizing offers a wide range of ingenious ways to tame the clutter, from the basement to the garden shed.

With sections such as "Cleamng Up the Countertop" in the kitchen chapter, "Linen Closet 10" in the closet chapter, and "Organizing Correspondence" in the home office chapter, the editors of Martha Stewart Living have tested all of the possibilities and have created perfect solutions to the most frustrating organizing problems. Included are projects for every level of commitment, from tidying the junk drawer to building the right shelves to display a beloved collection.

Customer Reviews:

Organize This!.......2007-08-23

I like Martha Stewart alot, but everyone is not as rich as she is and everyone does not have all of the space that she has in this book to organize things. The pictures are colorful and bold, I wish she had put in more pictures with smaller rooms, also I love the way she shows you how to fold sheets and shirts,over all she show a lot of detail in how to organize things you never dream of organizing so that in itself is a good thing!

Decent book.......2007-03-09

This book is decent. I've read better Martha Stewart idea books. It's a little bit outdated (it talks about organizing video cassettes) and some of the projects require hard-to-find materials (men's suit fabric?) but there are definitely some great ideas and I don't feel like it was a waste a money. I just wish it were a little more practical.

The Title Says It All..........2007-02-14

This book is soooo Martha. It has beautiful photographs and the projects have visually beautiful results! But, like some of the other reviewers, I have never used even one of the ideas in this book and I probably never will. I'm still scrambling to get my paperwork filed anywhere out of sight, a meal on the table on time and my laundry put away. I see the projects in this book as the icing on the cake of a very organized home inhabited by a type A personality (Martha). Many of the ideas require a lot of materials, time, money and a carpenter. What I do enjoy about the book is dreaming that someday I will be organized enough to get to the "Good Things" phase. Fantasy is fun!

Ideal organising - inspiring for the disorganised.......2007-02-05

This is a great organising reference. I was sceptical at first as I thought it may be a little dated however I was surprised - Martha provides timeless organisational ideas that inspire.
In a world where we are constantly being shown modern, minimalist homes filled with nothing it was refreshing to see homes that actually had 'stuff' - all be it well organised stuff. The section on the Baby Armoire was a little dishartening, primarily because it seems impossible to have the time to make painted bins and cotton pique bags when you have a 6month-old. However, it was lovely to look at and inspiring all the same.
If anything, this is a great book (more magazine-like in format and style) and reference and it has some nifty ideas for storage solutions and general organisation. The section on kitchens was of most use, the section on home office and photo storage perhaps the most 'dated'. It reads more like a collection of organisational solutions and styles from a Martha magazine rather than a purpose designed book.
Only fault is that it is perhaps not long enough nor in-depth enough. But in saying this it is a great gift for those needing organisational inspiration.
Oh ... how wonderful it would be to have MS come and organise my house!

Organization is Martha's Forte.......2006-11-07

Martha explains how her obsessiveness with details runs through her life. I always thought organization allowed me freedom of time for more important things in my life, but it seems Martha enjoys the process of organizing rather than anything else. Not the best book on this subject, but it contains a few nuggets.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Knitters: An Emergency Survival Guide

Average customer rating:

WONDERFUL BOOK
The knitters little helper
Great Book, Big Mistake in No Index
I learned all this the hard way!
Excellent Emergency Knitting Book

When Bad Things Happen to Good Knitters: An Emergency Survival Guide
Marion Edmonds , and Ahza Moore
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Knitting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1561588407
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

This book is a complete survival guide for first-time knitters - and more experienced knitters - who need help in the middle of the night with project errors.

Call them knitting nanas, call them knitting fairy godmothers, authors Marion Edmonds and Ahza Moore are here to hold your hand and tell you everything is going to be all right. Whether your knitting pattern appears to have been written in Aramaic, you've dropped a stitch (or a whole bag full of stitches), you've forgotten to increase, you've been knitting in the wrong pattern sequence for 4 rows, or you can't get your head through the neck hole of your newly knit sweater, Marion and Ahza will give you level-headed advice on what to fix, how to fix it, and when you can just fudge it. With 119 years of knitting experience between them, they've seen it all and fixed it all. For beginners and more experienced knitters alike (the more experienced you are, the more elaborate the mistake), When Bad Things Happen to Good Knitters should be in every knitter's yarn bag.

Customer Reviews:

WONDERFUL BOOK.......2007-09-04

A MUST HAVE FOR ALL KNITTERS. THIS BOOK HELPS YOU PREVENT MISTAKES AS WELL AS FIX THEM. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.

The knitters little helper.......2007-08-06

This book is the knitter's little helper. I have thumbed through this book and have read excerpts here and there and leaned some handy little hints. I have not had to use this book yet but added it to my knitting bag so that it goes with me everywhere. It has everything from assembling a tool kit to what should I do if I don't like my project. A perfect little survival guide. A great purchase!

Great Book, Big Mistake in No Index.......2007-07-09

This is a wonderful book. It has some great hints and tips on how to correct mistakes, but also how to avoid them in the first place. The writing style is very readable. It is laugh out loud funny in many spots. I like that the authors share their own mistakes as well. The reason I can't give it 5 stars is the lack of an index! It is so frustrating that I won't be able to actually *find* the fix when I need it. Why would a company release a reference book without an index? I understand the book is worth reading from cover to cover. However, when I make a mistake, I want to correct it quickly. I don't want to have to browse the entire book to find the correct passage with the helpful information. Please, when there is a reprint, put in an index! I would probably buy a new edition for that alone. As it stands, I will reach for Knit Fix first because it has an index. I don't think the information is as comprehensive overall, but I can find the info I am looking for quickly.

I learned all this the hard way!.......2007-05-30

This is an invaluable source of info written in a fun and entertaining way. Great for new knitters who want to avoid some headaches, and a great set of reminders for those of us who don't want to repeat old mistakes. A terrific gift for any knitting friend.

Excellent Emergency Knitting Book.......2007-04-11

This book provides a great overview of knitting including reading patterns, gauge, and solving problems. The information is presented in an easy to understand and often humorous manner. This book has something for the beginner to the experienced knitter. The size is perfect for carrying in your knitting bag. Very well done!

Simple Home Solutions: Good Things with Martha Stewart Living

Average customer rating:

Clever Ideas
Lots of pictures and short tips
Great, useful, and not at all cheesy.
Simple Home Solutions : Good Things with Martha Stewart Livi
An average offering

Simple Home Solutions: Good Things with Martha Stewart Living
Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Martha Stewart | Expert Advice | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Dry Cleaner's Secret Quick & Easy Dry Cleaning Sheets, Bagless Formula, 14-Count Box (Cleans 56 Garments)

ASIN: 1400054850
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Book Description

Looking for the quickest way to peel tomatoes? Frustrated by tumbling bed sheets in your linen closet? Not sure how to space seedlings in your garden? Simple Home Solutions provides answers to these and other everyday problems in the kitchen, garden, and around the house. Practical, useful, and inordinately simple, the ideas in this book will help you solve household dilemmas, get and stay organized, and make the most of your time.

Customer Reviews:

Clever Ideas.......2006-04-20

This book is full of clever ideas and shortcuts. I only hope that I will remember to look them up when I can make use of one of them. As you look through it you will constantly think -- Why didn't I think of that? I never buy the magazine, so these were all new to me. Even if you have seen these tips before, it might be valuable to buy this book anyway as a convenience. You are probably more apt to use these shortcuts if they are compiled into one book rather than spread through a dozen magazines. I hope Martha comes out with more books like this one.

Lots of pictures and short tips.......2006-03-27

I read a copy fo this book from the library,but I liked it.I am a photo person ,so anything with pictures works for me.This books has lots of pretty pictures and tons of tips,mostof which are no-cost tips. I love MARTHA STEWART !!

Great, useful, and not at all cheesy. .......2004-10-02

A great book with very practical and inexpensive ideas for all kinds of homekeeping. I am not as type-A as Martha, but you've got to hand it to her - her books are useful, inspiring and usually quite practical (unless it's a craft project - I mean, PLEASE, like I am going to make my own acorn placesetting things). I only rate it 4 stars because I wish there had been more ideas in the book - her books tend to leave you wanting more ideas since what is presented is usually quite good.

One reviewer says this will be a repeat of things you've seen in the magazine. Probably good advice to avoid the book if you already get the magazine. I don't suscribe to Living, so this was actually a nice surprise. As always, smart design, nice pictures and great & very do-able ideas. I flipped through it in a bookstore and now I am getting it for a better price at Amazon.com.

Simple Home Solutions : Good Things with Martha Stewart Livi.......2004-07-27

The book delivers what its title promises to deliver: great advice for one's household, wrapped in a wonderful package - the look of the book is, as always with Martha Stewart books, exquisite and right on the money. The only question you should ask yourself before deciding to buy this book is whether you wish to pay for something that is esentially a picture-book with advice that can be found on martha stewart's web page, or that you are already aware of. For me the answer is yes - the book is inspirational for anyone with a sense of aesthetic and the desire to make their home a more beautiful place to live in. The advice is useful indeed and all in one place.

An average offering.......2004-07-19

This book will be a disappointment to subscribers of Martha Stewart Living because many of the ideas contained in the book have been previously published in the magazine. It's essentially a collection of Martha's "Good Things" for keeping things in the house organized, quick cooking tips, nifty ways of peeling vegetables, mixing drinks, making place settings, etc. While I did not really find the book that interesting, because I had seen the ideas before in her magazine, the ideas themselves are excellent, easy and have a 'why-didn't-I-think-of-that' element to them. It would make a perfect housewarming gift for a young person moving into their first apartment or home.

How to Write a Children's Picture Book: Learning from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Corduroy, Where the Wild Things Are, The Carrot Seed, Good Night, Gorilla, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, and Other Favorite Stories

Average customer rating:

Very helpful
How to write a Children's Picture Book
A Constant Companion
Practical, Easy-to-use
A "must-have" for any aspiring children's picturebook writer

How to Write a Children's Picture Book: Learning from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Corduroy, Where the Wild Things Are, The Carrot Seed, Good Night, Gorilla, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, and Other Favorite Stories
Eve Heidi Bine-Stock
Manufacturer: E & E Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0971989885

Book Description

This volume emphasizes an aspect of children's picture books that has not yet been thoroughly investigated: structure. Both concept books and picture storybooks employ very distinctive structures that, once mastered, can be applied to any picture book you wish to write. When so many of the best picture books employ the same structures, it is important to analyze these structures, understand why they work, and learn how to incorporate them into your own writing. This volume helps you do all that. You will see that no matter how carefully you labor over the tone, word choice, plot, character, setting, theme and style of your picture book, you must have a thorough grasp of its structure if you wish your book to succeed. Indeed, you will find that an expert command of structure is the key to writing a successful children's picture book.

Customer Reviews:

Very helpful.......2007-10-07

I have at least a dozen books on writing for children and I especially like this one. Not only does it focus exclusively on picture books, which few others do, it provides solid, concrete information that you can apply directly to your own writing. Too many other books offer vague tips that may be helpful in polishing an existing manuscript, but don't help with building your story from the ground up. I've been trying (sporadically) to sell picture book manuscripts for several years now, and I believe that what I've learned from this book will help get me closer to my goal of being a published author. Volumes II and III are on their way to me now and I can't wait to see what they have to offer!

How to write a Children's Picture Book.......2007-03-22

The book takes popular children's book and breaks apart the beginning, middle and ending so that you get a very clear picture of how your story should progess. An excellent resource.

A Constant Companion.......2007-01-02

Eve Heidi Bine-Stock's HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK (VOLUMES I, II and III)is a constant companion and rich resource in the planning and revision of picture books. The deconstruction of picture books, and the detailed classification of crucial characteristics - using classic picture books to illustrate each detailed point - make these books invaluable. Although I particularly use Volume I and II in the planning stage of a new manuscript, all three volumes are again by my side during each revision, and each step of each revision. There is no question in my mind that these books are the biggest resource in pushing my writing to the next level. The volumes are not read-once-and-put-aside books; they are books you will want on your writing desk for constant reference.

Practical, Easy-to-use.......2004-11-11

As an author of many books for children, I found this book to be one of the most practical and helpful tools to format a picture book during the writing process. I'm already using the techniques to structure new projects to make my picture book manuscripts shine! I plan on recommending it to my critique group as well as buying copies as gifts for my writer friends.

A "must-have" for any aspiring children's picturebook writer.......2004-06-07

How To Write A Children's Picture Book focuses especially upon structure as the key to creating a memorable and entertaining treasure for children to read, share, and learn from. Distinguishing between picturebooks and picture storybooks, and closely examining such enduring children's classics as "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Where The Wild Things Are", How To Write A Children's Picture Book is a highly useful and focused guide that dissects the nuts and bolts of writing with a keen eye toward higher achievement and quality. A "must-have" for any aspiring children's picturebook writer.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Book
the tenth good thing about barney
Wonderful Book!
keep one extra
One of My Favorite Books

The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
Judith Viorst
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Pet Death | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0689712030

Book Description

My cat Barney died this Friday. I was very sad. My mother said we could have a funeral for him, and I should think of ten good things about Barney so I could tell them...

But the small boy who loved Barney can only think of nine. Later, while talking with his father, he discovers the tenth -- and begins to understand.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Book.......2007-10-11

This is the best book I have ever found for helping a child deal with the death of a pet. This book made me cry, but in a good way. I loved all of Judith Vorst's books. She writes for both children and adults and bases her stories on her own family and life experiences. My children grew up with her books, and we still quote from them 30 years later, because it's just true that "sometimes, even mamas make mistakes," and "some days are like that - even in Australia." I highly recommend all of her books.

the tenth good thing about barney.......2007-07-28

I love this book even though the subject is difficult. I have sent many copies out to my friends who have lost their beloved animals.

Wonderful Book!.......2007-07-12

This is a great book by a great author! I highly recommend this book to comfort a child who experiences death of a pet or loved one. It's a children's book, but I have also given it to adults and they found it comforting.

keep one extra.......2007-05-30

I have kept an extra copy of this book around - to give away when someone loses a pet. I have taught school and worked in bookstores all my life, and this is one of the best books for anyone who would like comfort. Sensitive and caring.

One of My Favorite Books.......2007-04-26

This book, despite being written for children, is probably the world's most touching, sensitive, and well-written story about the loss of a pet. When a little boy's cat dies, he struggles to come to terms with it and leans on his family and best friend for support. By paying attention to the strory and its characters, a child can learn many important things about life. The characters talk a little bit about what happens physically with death and how nobody really knows what happens after it, but that some people believe in an afterlife and others do not. Also, the characters speak about some of the good things surounding death......how the kitty being buried will help to make the flowers grow (again, it doesn't go into any gorey details with it), for example. The book ends with the little boy listing off ten of the good things which he will always reember about the kitty he lost, leaving the reader with the sense that he will never really be 'lost' at all.

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