Book Description
Teams have more talent and experience, more diverse resources, and greater operating flexibility than individual performers. So why do so many teams either struggle unpleasantly toward an unsatisfactory conclusion-or, worse, crash and burn shortly after launch?
J. Richard Hackman, one of the world's leading experts on group and organizational behavior, argues that the answer to this puzzle is rooted in flawed thinking about team leadership. It is not a leader's management style that determines how well a team performs, but how well a leader designs and supports a team so that members can manage themselves.
According to Hackman, cookie-cutter formulas and prescribed leadership styles often backfire because they place far too much emphasis on the leader as the primary cause of team behavior. In Leading Teams, he identifies the key conditions that any leader can put in place to increase the likelihood of team success-regardless of his or her personality or preferred style of operating.
Through extensive research and compelling examples ranging from orchestras to economic analysts to airline cockpit crews, Hackman identifies five conditions that set the stage for great performances: a real team, a compelling direction, an enabling team structure, a supportive organizational context, and the availability of competent coaching.
Leading Teams outlines what leaders can do to structure, support, and guide teams in a way that
· enhances the social processes essential to collective work;
· builds shared commitment, skills, and task-appropriate coordination strategies;
· helps members troubleshoot problems and spot emerging opportunities; and
· captures experiences and translates them into shared knowledge.
Out of these conditions, Hackman argues, the very best teams emerge-teams that exceed client expectations, grow in capability over time, and contribute to the learning and personal fulfillment of individual members.
Authoritative, practical, and astutely realistic, Leading Teams offers a new and provocative way of thinking about and leading work teams in any organizational setting.
AUTHORBIO:
J. Richard Hackman is the Cahners-Rabb Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology at Harvard University. He resides in Bethany, Connecticut, and Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Customer Reviews:
Be cautious of the hype..........2005-12-21
There are some valuable lessons in this book, but combing through the wordiness and fluff is very time consuming. Of course one could argue that you need all of the anecdotal evidence to prove what he is saying and make his observations relevant. But with most of his observations being common sense to a natural leader, you wouldn't need all of the evidence.
In the end, as the author agrees, there is no perfect leader for all situations. The right balance of traits and actions will tell how good a leader was only in hindsight. There is no silver bullet that will MAKE a successful team leader.
I would have prefered a a distilled version of this book taking up about 50 pages rather than 300. The author is very intelligent and wise, but he is no Peter Drucker. I don't understand the glowing reviews of this book. It is worth a look if you have the time, but there are much better and more concise guides to effective leadership out there.
A "MUST READ" book for everyone!.......2005-09-29
This was my first book on the "science" of teams. I had originally asked a friend who is a professor of Strategy for a book on "leadership" and he suggested this instead. Reading it was a very enjoyable experience. Relating it to teams that I have worked in, had to build relationships with, get work out of, and build myself, was an amazing exercise. In the end I realised that the best "self-managing team" I have is at home! I would strongly recommend this book to everyone, whether you work in a large organization or are a housewife! It's got beautiful insights for everyone.
Identifies common mistakes in teams and leaders.......2004-12-10
Even generally productive teams need to improve their productivity. I'm quite impressed by the framework provided in this book for diagnosing the quality of the direction you're providing, the way you structure your teams, and the way that people are identified with the teams and how all of these impact the team. It's interesting how much is delivered in this book without prescribing precisely how leaders should behave. As a person with a productive team whose concerns are primarily around keeping the team focused and getting more and more effective, this book was great.
The only thing I didn't like is that it sometimes felt like there was a page target they were trying to hit. The same airplane and manufacturing plant examples are repeated over and over, making it seem like there's very little data backing up this research. The same topics are also hit over and over in nearly the same way (the three areas mentioned before). However, that only hurts the presentation; the fundamental topics are quite solid.
Engaging, practical, well-structured: a superb book on teams.......2003-10-22
Teamwork is more popular as a buzzword than as a practice when it comes to the actual experiences of team members in many organizations. In this engaging, well-structured, and practical book, Richard Hackman addresses this puzzling gap between theory and practice. Teams should have a richer pool of talent and experience, greater resources, and more flexibility than an individual. Yet a painfully large proportion of teams function poorly, often underperforming the same work done by individuals. Drawing on years of research and observation of teams ranging from music ensembles to airline crews to hockey teams, Hackman illuminates the dark corners of teamwork. Anyone working in a team or leading a team will benefit from reading his book. The author's engaging style comes as a significant bonus.
Teams go awry because leaders have focused on the wrong things (such as leadership style) when designing, managing, and supporting teams. Hackman explains why team effectiveness is best measured by the three criteria of a team product acceptable to clients, growth in team capability, and a group experience that is meaningful and satisfying for its members. Team members and leaders alike will benefit from fully appreciating the five conditions that Hackman has found to foster work team effectiveness: having a real team, a compelling direction, an enabling team structure, a supportive organizational context, and expert team coaching - the first three of which are the core conditions.
Contrary to "cause-effect" models of team leadership in which all the emphasis is placed on leadership behaviors and styles, in Hackman's view the central role of leaders is to create and maintain these five conditions. Leaders should not attempt to continually manage a team to *push* it to perform well. They will do better to establish a clear purpose and then make small adjustments at the right times. Consistent with this approach, Hackman warns against the pervasive tendency to assign credit or blame to specific individuals. Taking that perspective blinds those trying to "fix" or improve team performance to dynamics only evident at a group level of analysis.
Commendably, Hackman does *not* present his findings as a *universal* model for teams. His Authority Matrix (p.52) sets out four levels of team self-management. He does not address "manager-led teams" which have the lowest level of self-management since they are invariably disastrous for well-understood reasons. Nor does he look in depth at self-governing groups which take on all four levels of setting overall direction, designing the team and its organizational context, monitoring and managing work process and progress, and executing the team task. Hackman's model revolves around the most heavily populated middle categories of self-managing and self-designing teams.
Don't mistake this group level of analysis for any kind of fuzziness. You will find the book outstanding in the author's ability to combine compelling narrative with a finely-carved explanatory structure. The first condition of having a "real team" may appear fuzzy, but only until you read chapter 2 in which Hackman analyzes real work teams into four components, each with its own subtleties. As you read the examples and reflect on your own experiences participating in or observing teams, you will see how commonly teams fail to have a real team task (rather than being merely a "co-acting group"), to suffer from being "underbounded" or "overbounded", or to lack clearly delimited authority or inadequate stability over time. On the last element of real teams, Hackman strongly disputes the notion that long-lasting teams tend to deteriorate in performance. The only except appears to be research and development teams who becoming uniquely stale after about three years of stable membership.
Despite pushing back against over-managing teams, Hackman finds a crucial role for leadership in setting a compelling direction - the second core element of effective teams. Even here, direction must be carefully limited to ends rather than means. In the very worst teams, a leader sets highly specific means but leaves the purpose completely unspecified. Hackman's example of such a team at a bank will make some of us wince in painful remembrance. This understates the subtleties of Hackman's account, which unfolds in his discussion of the trade-offs involved in setting direction for a team.
If this were an infomercial rather than a review, I would say "And there's more! Much more!" The last section of the book examines imperatives for leaders, including 7 execution skills of team leaders, and how to think differently about teams - the obstacles to improving teams, what it takes, and what it costs those who would attempt the task. If you prefer to test drive some of Hackman's ideas, you might first read his articles "The Five Keys to Successful Teams" (which covers some of the material in the last two chapters), and "New Rules for Team Building". You may want to abandon such caution however. Unlike so many books where 80 percent of the text acts as filler, adding little if anything to the initial points, every one of Hackman's chapters will yield an excellent returning on your reading investment.
The Nighthawks and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.......2002-10-15
An author who proposes a common lens through which to understand the dynamics of the Nighthawks hockey team and the conductor-less Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is pretty audacious, but Richard Hackman carries if off in this book. Solidly researched and very well written, the book presents an apparently wide range of work groups, including airline crews, musical ensembles and hockey teams, and unifies them by illustrating how they are effective (or not) as teams. What do they have in common? "Their work requires members to generate performances 'live' and in real time, often without the chance to go back and try again if things don't go well." The examples are compellingly interesting, e.g., a reader will never fly a 737 again without noticing the specific roles and choreography of the flight crew. It's a good read, far more entertaining than one would expect from a publication of Harvard Business School Press.
Book Description
Over 100 storyboards with simple descriptions.
Customer Reviews:
Handy overview.......2007-09-22
I bought this book to review my shots--and to give my fellow producer/director a quick education in terms and shot design.
The book is very good, giving 2 page briefs on various types of shots, including a list of films to look for them in, and a storyboard to show how the shot proceeds. the list of places where the particular shot has been used is especially nice, as it lets you go to the library of films and see how a shot works.
It is in a fairly large and somewhat awkward format being wider than it is high--it's better to keep this one in the office or at home to scan when thinking than to take out in the field--a field book would be nice, as it could be used to explain shots to the actors/subjects (I'm shooting a documentary and jargon is Greek to most people.)
Not what I expected.......2007-08-24
But then if I'd really paid attention to the title of the book I'm sure I'd have figured it out.
While I applaud Jeremys' interests in movies and his desire to make them and share his 'experience' with us this book does not actually teach you anything about how to set up these shots. All it does is point out shots that you will probably already know. One thing that really does grate is that instead of consulting an experienced DP to find out the names of these shots he has come up with his own, which he feels are more descriptive.
I'd say that if you have a very short history of watching films then perhaps there is something you can learn from this book. However, if you have any experience whatsoever with a camera this book will prove to be a waste of time and (sadly) money.
The illustrations are good. Of a storyboard level and at least give you an idea of how to represent an idea but sadly the book was let down by the fact it didn't really deliver anything useful.
The definitive shot guide..........2007-06-18
This book explains the language of film in a simple, visual style. In clearly grouped sections, it shows a large, clear visualization of the movement with a description of how it is achieved, and the name the industry recognizes for that move.
It covers all the basics, plus many unusual, technical or simply rarely used angles and moves, making it the definitive work for the indie filmmaker and above.
An awesome reference book.......2007-05-14
I've seen this book by Jeremy Vineyard tagged as simplistic and cursory. If you're a super-hip film school graduate who's been involved in the industry, this book may not be worth your time.
However, if you're an amateur, like myself, this book makes a great reference. I recently shot a short film and used this book extensively while storyboarding.
Easy enough for children and a good reference for the amateur filmmaker. I've definitely gotten my money's worth on this one.
Brilliant, a must have for film-makers.......2007-01-16
Just buy it! Explains every standard shot, with examples.
Book Description
For a story to be successful, it must come alive on the page. With Description & Setting, writers learn how to make every detail count as they create believable people, places and events. Another book in the popular Write Great Fiction series, this valuable reference:
-Shows writers how to master the challenging--and often overlooked--subjects of description and setting -Offers hands-on action-and-results exercises that allow readers to incorporate lessons into their own work -Provides busy writers with accessible information through sidebars, exercises, checklists and more
With clear examples from popular fiction and tips for specific genres, bringing a story to life has never been this easy or this fun.
Customer Reviews:
The Budding Author.......2007-07-27
After starting the journey of becoming a published author years ago, I've come across many "self-help" books on how to write a novel, and my experience is that 90% of them are a load of rubbish. This one fortunately for you and me, is not.
If you're serious about becoming a writer and you've already begun the journey, then this is one for the collection. I'm not positive that you will come back to it afterwards like Solutions for Writers by Sol Stein or your English Grammar reference book, but it will help you write/tell your story better.
Specifically it gives you examples of how to:
1. Show vs Tell (a common problem with most new authors)
2. Description (description for literature vs description for popular fiction)
3. Characters
4. Timing
5. Grammar (a very brief section that you'll probably already know if you've been writing for some time now)
There is other useful info as well, but these are just a few.
Lastly, unlike most authors in this genre, he does not solely reference his own books. He uses a wide range of writers encompassing literature as well as popular modern fiction.
WELL WORTH THE PURCHASE PRICE.......2006-11-21
The Description & Setting volume for the Write Great Fiction series might not be the last word on these subjects, or the one book that has it all, but it provides a good overview and plenty of material for further reflection. Well worth the purchase price.
This one goes to the trash can ... .......2005-09-18
Sorry. I hate to pile on, but I must agree with Lit Teacher on this one. The thinking was sloppy and contradictory, and the writing was wooden, stiff, irritating. I bought it a few months back and hid it in a drawer until I could get around to it. I pulled it out today with a smile and high hopes.
Boy was I disappointed. I thought maybe I was having a bad day. Maybe my concentration was off. So I pulled out Truman Capote. Smooth as silk. So it wasn't my fault. It was Ron's. I finally decided to scan the book, and that revealed there was really nothing new here, nothing interesting.
I wish I had not wasted the money. I must be more careful. But, as for this book, there is nothing I need to refer to later, so I'm putting it in the trash. It is Saturday evening. They will come on Monday to take it and the other garbage away.
Roger
Par Excellence.......2005-08-20
Chock full of massive amounts of advice. A nice feature is an appendix with a listing of each chapter and all the points from it. So you can skim this appendix and see the entire book in about a dozen pages, there is about one page per chapter.
I have been reading through many, many books in preparation for writing my own. This one is well worth the trouble of purchasing and reading. I keep it handy as I write.
Helpfull.......2005-08-09
Very helpful and gives great ideas on how to get started with your story or to improve on that manuscript
Book Description
Every great filmmaker has role models and films which inspired him or her to greater and greater heights. Here, for the first time, is an awe-inspiring guide that takes you into the inner workings of classic scenes, revealing the aspects that make them great and the reasons they have served as inspirations.
Customer Reviews:
Blurbs masquerading as comments.......2007-01-09
I usually find Amazon readers' comments valuable, but after buying this book, Setting Up Your Scenes, I noticed that several of the five-star reviews also appear word-for-word in the front of the book as blurbs, probably solicited as back-scratching by the publisher and author, which suggested to me that the only meaningful comments here are the negative ones. I returned the book and will more carefully consider any Michael Weise products I find on Amazon.
be careful.......2006-04-19
Inspired by the infamously atrocious 'Setting up your shots', this book is a sad departure from Pepperman's vastly superior 'the eye is quicker'. Most of the text is setting the scene in context (unnecessary if you've seen the film) and the rest is slight explanation of the shots, none of which is lined up with the frames making it a real hassle to read.
It deserves two stars, but given Pepperman's mates have provided the five stars I think one is appropriate in this instance.
I'm bitterly disappointed, I'd been waiting for this book for awhile. Buy Pepperman's other book instead it's excellent and in a whole different league to this one.
Scenes are from:
butch cassidy
dial m
french connection
jean de florette
my beautiful laundrette
rosemary's baby
sophie's choice
3 days of the condor
two women
burnt by the sun
children of a lesser god
colonol redl
fanny & alexander
400 blows
kolya
the little fugitive
the white balloon
atlantic city
the battle of algiers
chinatown
and 15 other films.
Scene Structure Explained.......2005-11-23
Published in a horizontal "landscape" format, this book is a must-read for film and video editors. Pepperman is a long time editor and the author of "The Eye is Quicker: Film Editing, Making a Good Film Better" published previously by Michael Weise Productions.
The man has great taste and here he has taken individual scenes from 35 classic films such as "Dial M for Murder, "Two Women" and "Chinatown," reproducing over 400 individual frames throughout the book with an in-depth analysis of the scene structure, both its sound and image editing. Dialogue is shown adjacent to the film image and analysis includes "Scene Value" and "Subtext."
Here is a great way to examine in detail editing choices as well as the strengths and potential artistic pitfalls avoided in some of the classic films of our time.
Pepperman Produces Yet Again.......2005-10-21
If I had access to Richard Pepperman's Setting Up your Scenes ten years ago, it could have quite possibly saved me $100,000 in film school fees, not to mention a lot of time and grief. This book is a must-have for all would-be filmmakers and screenwriters.
-- Far Dada, Independent Filmmaker, Toronto, Canada
It's all about choices, and Pepperman has chosen well.......2005-10-21
Pepperman dissects some very infamous scenes from some very famous movies -- providing us with the most breathtaking black & white stills -- in order to highlight the importance of the interplay between dialogue, subtext, and shot selection in great filmmaking. The beauty of the work is that while it will teach anyone who is willing to learn, it works equally well as a gorgeous coffee table tchotchke for the unwilling amongst us.
-- Lily Sadri, Screenwriter "Fixing Fairchild", [...]
Amazon.com
Amid the sand and rock of Central Asia, Russia and England spent much of the 19th century playing what historians have come to call the Great Game: the struggle for control over transcontinental routes from Europe to the Far East. When the Bolsheviks came to power in 1917, Lenin continued to press Russian--now Soviet--claims to faraway, fabled places such as Samarkand and Hotan. The intrigues of his agents and their British counterparts, swashbucklers all, could come from a modern spy novel, and they make for fascinating reading in Peter Hopkirk's vivid account.
Book Description
A DANGEROUS NEW TWIST IN THE GREAT GAME
In this gripping narrative Peter Hopkirk tells how Lenin and his revolutionary comrades tried, in the period between the two world wars, to set the East ablaze with their heady new gospel of Marxism. Their dream was to "liberate" the whole of Asia, and their starting point was British India, the
richest of all imperial possessions.
The bloody struggle that ensued, the full story of which has never been told, marked a dramatic new twist in the Great Game. Among the players were British Indian intelligence officers and the armed revolutionaries of the Communist International. There were also Muslim visionaries and Chinese
warlords-as well as a White Russian baron who roasted his Bolshevik captives alive.
Pieced together from secret archives, intelligence reports, and the long-forgotten memoirs of the players involved, here is an extraordinary tale of intrigue and treachery. Like Hopkirk's bestselling The Great Game, its theme is ominously topical in view of the violent events that still grip this
turbulent region-from the Caucasus to Afghanistan-where the Great Game never really ended.
Customer Reviews:
Another great installment.......2006-12-15
Peter Hopkirk's third installment of the Great game is as masterful as the first two. Lenin's drive to take over the central Asian territories and hold the oil there inspires a true terror of what the great game had evolved into. From continuing intrigued in Afghanistan to the development of Iran as a major actor in the region come directly from this time period. The great game is one of the most interesting events in history and no one tells it better than Hopkirk. You will not believe that this book is true by the time you are done. It is utterly amazing what people will do for their countries when they are called upon to serve. The adventures of the great game should be read by everyone.
Fascinating Tales of an Obscure Piece of the Planet. .......2006-07-27
Hopkirk hooked me with his "Great Game" book, which brimmed with fascinating characters in the competition between England and Russia in Central Asia. This book is equally well-done and its players are, if anything, even more fascinating than the earlier work. You couldn't make people like this up if you were writing a novel. The way they succumbed to avarice or power and swam with or against the tide of history in a most bloody fashion is spellbinding. Hopkirk is that rare author who brings important history to us in a most palatable fashion. A great read.
Carries the story on from The Great Game--but not as well.......2002-12-29
Hopkirk is a mater story teller. Anyone who cares about how Afghanistan and the surrounding countries ended up the way they did must read The Great Game--Hopkirk's gripping description of the battle between Russia and England for control of Central Asia--a hint: they both lost.
This volume picks up the story with the Russian Revolution. Again, Hopkirk does an excellent job of out lining the players, the global politics, and how it all impacted on this traditional "crossroads of the world". Here, the focus is on Lenin, and Russia's (successful) attempt to claim/re-claim Central asia as its own.
My criticisim is that the story is not nearly as gripping as a story as was the Great Game. There are superb vignettes, but the overall narrative is simply not as good.
However, if you want to know why Russia was willing to dvote a decade (1980 to 1990) to its war in Afghanistan, which set the stage for the Taliban and Al Queda, then I know of no better book.
A Gripping Tale of the Last Stages of the Great Game!.......2002-07-28
This is an instant classic! But some of you may be wondering: what's so great about an obscure conflict in an obscure land?
For a start there's the psychopathic White Russian general, Ungern-Sternberg, the "Mad Baron", who believes himself to be the reincarnation of Genghis Khan, and who dreams of conquering Russia at the head of a Mongol army. There's Enver Pasha, the former Ottoman Minister of War recruited by the Bolsheviks, but soon betraying them in pursuit of his dream - a new Turkish empire in Central Asia. For Britain the greatest threat comes from the new Russia of Lenin and Trotsky, once more playing hard at the Great Game, eager to undermine Britain by striking at India. There are Chinese Warlords, defeated White Russian armies, Muslim rebels, bandits, an ambitious Afghan king, secret agents, Tibetan bandits, and always the possibility of a British expedition.
At the geographical centre of all this is the Chinese province of Sinkiang - a land surrounded on 3 sides by soaring mountain ranges, at its heart the world's most inhospitable desert, littered with lost cities. Between mountains and desert lies a ring of walled towns where travellers cross with a single step from an arid expanse of sand and gravel into a world of trickling streams and shady groves. Along the ancient Silk Road between the towns trudge trade caravans of camels, donkeys, huge-wheeled carts and the occasional motor car or lorry. In the towns among the narrow streets, crumbling buildings, and bustling markets Indian traders watch, sending reports back to British India...
Well, there it is, and as I have said before, you must get this book! The gripping narrative just makes you unable to put the book down until you have finished, and then it forces you to read it again! Get this book quickly!
Absolutely brilliant.......2001-10-17
One of the best books I have read in years. Possibly better than Hopkirk's original 'The Great Game'. While this is the tale of about espionage and sabotage behind enemy lines in Central Asia, it reads like an adventure novel.
The action centres around immediate aftermath of the Russian revolution, just when the new soviet state was most intent on exporting revolution to the rest of the world. Hopkirk is at his best when he introduces Russia's nemesis in Central Asia - a certain Colonel Frederick Bailey, 'Great Game' hero and butterfly collector. Totally bonkers, in a truly British way. It's so exciting that you can scarcely believe that it's true - apparently it is.
Bailey, a british agent from the Raj, is sent to Central Asia to foil Soviet attempts to expand their empire south. Along the way he evades hit squads, execution chambers and even manages to circulate amongst the enemy by joining their own secret service and working as a double agent. About half way through, Bailey evenually gets back to India and drops out of sight - much to the frustration of the Soviets, but not before one final shoot out at the border post.
Hopkirk then sets off on another romp from Moscow to the Pacific Ocean, detailing the struggle between the Whites, the Reds and their respective supporters in the international community. This time there are multiple players -: the Soviet Comintern, Indian Communists, Turkish Nationalists, White Russians, British agents fighting for the Whites and some very, very cruel members of God's creation. Everything swirls around in a vast game where everyone is out to grab what they can from the dismembered Russian empire.
Almost everyone in here will be new to most readers - with the exception of Mikhael Borodin - but that shouldn't detract from an excellent piece of story telling. This is history the way it should be written. Five Stars is five too few.
Book Description
The port city of Liverpool, England, is home to one of the oldest Black communities in Britain. Its members proudly date their history back at least as far as the nineteenth century, with the global wanderings and eventual settlement of colonial African seamen. Jacqueline Nassy Brown analyzes how this worldly origin story supports an avowedly local Black politic and identity--a theme that becomes a window onto British politics of race, place, and nation, and Liverpool's own contentious origin story as a gloriously cosmopolitan port of world-historical import that was nonetheless central to British slave trading and imperialism.
This ethnography also examines the rise and consequent dilemmas of Black identity. It captures the contradictions of diaspora in postcolonial Liverpool, where African and Afro-Caribbean heritages and transnational linkages with Black America both contribute to and compete with the local as a basis for authentic racial identity. Crisscrossing historical periods, rhetorical modes, and academic genres, the book focuses singularly on "place," enabling its most radical move: its analysis of Black racial politics as enactments of English cultural premises. The insistent focus on English culture implies a further twist. Just as Blacks are racialized through appeals to their assumed Afro-Caribbean and African cultures, so too has Liverpool--an Irish, working-class city whose expansive port faces the world beyond Britain--long been beyond the pale of dominant notions of authentic Englishness. Dropping Anchor, Setting Sail studies "race" through clashing constructions of "Liverpool."
Book Description
Affordable and appealing activities to entertain youngsters
This unique little book is packed with 150 low-cost activities for grandparents and their grandchildren. Written by a public-school teacher with more than two decades of experience, Great Ideas for Grandkids! stresses creativity over store-bought fun. Using simple, readily available materials, the activities provide rewarding and educational ways for adults to interact with children.
These fun, affordable activities help strengthen and build relationships between generations and can be custom-tailored to suit a variety of age-groups and ability levels. This book is an ideal resource for grandparents as well as teachers, parents, child care providers, and baby-sitters, offering step-by-step suggestions for new ways to spend quality time with the kids they love best.
This resourceful book includes such kid- and wallet- friendly ideas as:
- Playing fun, engaging games using household items
- Getting kids involved in the kitchen with kid-friendly recipes
- Reading a book together
- Making greeting cards for other members of the family
- Designing an imaginary theme park at home
Customer Reviews:
OK book but seen better.......2007-09-02
It has good ideas and variety. I found it to be to wordy before and mixed in with the how to parts. Also, some ideas referred to a previous one, which was good, but would have been better if added as a continuation or a variant instead of several pages apart. I will probably redo the ideas for my own personal use and easier reference. This book has stimulated memories and ideas. It is worth having. Those wordy fillers are useful too.
Excellent ideas.......2007-02-23
The introduction in this book is a beautiful tribute to her grandmother. All grandparents would gain much by many of the ideas in the book.
This is awesome!!!.......2003-08-15
This book is full of creative, imaginative ideas! For anyone who wants their grandkids to do more than just watch tv and play video games, you must get this book!
great ideas.......2003-05-12
I have been a preschool teacher for thirteen years and have two children of my own. This book by Peggy Epstein has great ideas. This book has exactly what today's children are craving. They don't need the latest toy or video out on the market. what children need is time with the people that they love. This book has lots of ideas that don't cost any money and has little preparation time. Give this book to anyone that wants to connect with a child. Open any page and you will find ways to interact with your child, grandchild, neighbor or friend who needs five minutes of uninterupted time with you. I highly recommend this book.
A delightful book ~ wonderful ideas for fun activitities!.......2003-05-12
I LOVE this delightful little book! But don't let the title mislead you, "Great Ideas for Grandkids! 150 Ways to Entertain, Educate, and Enjoy" is for ANYONE who likes to have fun with children (i.e., educators, new parents, aunts and uncles, care givers, home school, etc.). This book is full of GREAT fun and easy-to-do activities to amuse both young and old. It has lots of wonderful ideas of things to do, and most use simple props easily found at home or school. Additionally, it would make a great inexpensive gift for school teachers, especially elementary school ~ and the timing is PERFECT, the school semester is almost over. This book really does inspire readers to have fun!
Book Description
Turn a napkin into a unicorn, a tent, a banana, or a swaying palm! Make 80 fantastic napkin creations. 96 pages (all in color), 8 1/4 x 10.
Customer Reviews:
5 stars.......2002-04-19
This is a beautiful book. Beautiful pictures and easy to make folds, at least for me (I'm a proffesional). I give it 5 stars. I love this book. To me napkin folding is a piece of art, it's very creative.
Napkin Folding for EXPERTS only.......2001-11-18
If you are experienced in napkin folding and already know the folds, then this book may be useful to you. It does picture many beautiful folds,
However, if, like me, you are a novice, then don't waste your money. This book has few photos, unclear written instructions, and fails to show the details of how to get from one step to the next. It is bound to frustrate novices. It annoyed me so much that I am removing this book permanently from my book shelves, lest I try to use it again.
Book Description
Each year, more American families travel to England, Scotland and Ireland than any other foreign tourist destination. But how can parents keep young travelers engaged in their surroundings and interested in the trip? In Once Upon a Time in Great Britain, author Melanie Wentz provides information about attractions, restaurants, and other sights tied to dozens of beloved childrens books and authors throughout the British Isles and includes many of the books classic illustrations. Each chapter covers classics such as:Winnie the Pooh, Peter Rabbit (and other Beatrix Potter tales), and Paddington Bear for the younger tourists Alice in Wonderland and The Secret Garden for older kids C.S. Lewiss Chronicles of Narnia Series and J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter books for all readers. Wentz also helps travelers make the most of visits to the towns and other sights that inspired the magical worlds of such authors as Roald Dahl, J.R.R. Tolkien and Dr. Dolittles Hugh Lofting, among many others. From parents who grew up on Wind in the Willows and Peter Pan to kids who thrill to Babe or Harry Potter, this book will make the family trip to England a hit for the whole family.
Customer Reviews:
Great Armchair Travel Book.......2003-11-12
The woods where C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien used to walk together, the coffee shop where J. K. Rowling began her work on the Harry Potter series, the house that inspired the Borrowers, the locations of The 101 Dalmatians...
It is apparent from reading this book that the author spent a great deal of time researching the topics covered. The byline indicates that she spent a year with her family exploring England and Scotland.
Fans of the books covered will enjoy the brief (1-2 page) biographies and the descriptions of the locations. This is what some call an "armchair travel" book: you can enjoy it without ever traveling to the locations.
I can't comment on the accuracy, because I have not visited any of the locations described. This is not a slick travel book brimming with pictures; it's a soft-cover printed on relatively inexpensive paper. I enjoyed the biographies and site descriptions and I'm sure there are many others out there who will as well.
A must-have for British kid lit fans.......2003-08-19
This is a great book for anyone who wants to plan a trip around, or include in their trip, sights related to favorite children's books. She even includes some of the books that are not as well-known in the US such as The Borrowers, Green Knowe and Greyfriars Bobby. Double check the details before you go, however, as some things have changed since publication. For example, the exhibit of children's manuscripts at the British Library is no longer there, sadly.
Brilliant idea ý scant execution.......2003-04-06
Written by a teacher who spent a year in England and Scotland with her family visited the sights mentioned in various kids' books. Not being from that area it is fun to visit the England that you are looking for whether it is the old Roman Empire or Shakespeare. For kids this book carries you through the England and Scotland of fairytales and stories. Each site has a small blurb and a black and white sketch. There are a few monochrome photos but there is nothing consistent. It may be useful for a starting point.
Average customer rating:
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Richard Brome: Place and Politics on the Caroline Stage (Revels Plays Companions Library)
Matthew Steggle
Manufacturer: Manchester University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Theater
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
History & Criticism
| Theater
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
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General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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General
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
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ASIN: 0719063582
Release Date: 2005-02-10 |
Book Description
Richard Brome was the leading comic playwright of 1630s London. Starting his career as a manservant to Ben Jonson, he wrote a string of highly successful comedies which were influential in British theatre long after Brome's own playwriting career was cut short by the closure of the theatres in 1642.This book offers the first full-length chronological account of Brome's life and works, drawing on a wide range of recently rediscovered manuscript sources. Each of the surviving plays is discussed in relation to its social and political context, and its sense of place. A final chapter reviews Brome's enduring stageworthiness into the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the most recent Brome revivals.
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