Book Description
The charismatic and multi-talented Amy Sedaris is many things: actress, author, and yes, David Sedariss sister. Now, she takes on the world of entertaining in this blisteringly funny collection of bizarre tips, recipes and craft ideas (like mini pantyhose plant-hangers!) perfect for hosting an unforgettable fete. Your guests will rave.
Customer Reviews:
brilliance .......2007-09-27
I bought 4 copies of this - one to keep and 3 for gifts. This woman is a super genius from the Jello Super Genius Institute!
this book is so amy sedaris.......2007-09-21
i love amy. she is hilarious. this is a guide to entertaining people thru her eyes. want to throw a party? consult this book. surprisingly, it's painless, info-filled and with lots of practical tips and recipes. and it will also make you laugh! amy is kind of cute if you ask me, even at her age. as funny as her brother though not as famous.
2 pages of racism against asians repel me from liking this book or amy sedaris.......2007-09-17
I am angry with Amy Sedaris. I was liking this book so far, then opened to page 251 where I saw a nuclear missle running with a rickshaw on japanese wooden shoes, little asian eyes and the words "Korean Korner" in a karate font. This caricature is insulting to Asians, and Koreans. I am up for any joke or wit or sarcasm, but this seems ignorant to me. I ignored it by flipping the pages and saw a little worm in a beret and thought she is spoofing other cultures too so I was just going to let it go. But on page 267 Amy SEdaris gives direction on how to make a "CHING CHONG BURRITO"--- by using "mung beans". I stop there. That's not humor, that's ignorance. Amy Sedaris knows nothing about hospitality or Asian culture. You're a great ambassador, Amy. Good on you.
I like Amy........2007-09-06
Amy Sedaris cracks me up. I bought this book for myself a few months ago, and I absolutely love it. It's both serious and completely not serious at the same time. Every time I open it, I find new things to laugh about, but then it's also full of good advice and great recipes. The photos & drawings are a scream! This book is my new favorite gift for all my lady friends & family: my mom, my sister, my boyfriend's mom, my friends.... I now know how to put on pantyhose properly, and I'm really looking forward to making a fake cake sometime soon!!
A little surprised.......2007-08-29
I'm surprised at how much I didn't like this book. It's nicely put together and the layout is well thought out, but it's just a little off putting. Maybe it's the 1950's vibe or just the fact that she can be a little too silly. The information is really good, and I'll probably use it. I just wouldn't go so far as to say she's the next Ms. Manners.
Average customer rating:
- Says it all
- The perfect romantic gift
- Touching
- So cute, Great gift
- lasted 40+ years
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I Like You
Sandol Stoddard
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
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If You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow
ASIN: 0395071763 |
Amazon.com
"Here is the book that Romeo would have given Juliet; Charlie Brown would have given Snoopy; and you can give to some very special friend" proclaims the back cover of this small, whimsical book. Written in 1965 by Sandol Stoddard Warburg, it still makes the perfect present for your best friend. Not just any run-of-the-mill best friend, though. This book is for the kind of friend who yells for you when you get lost in Grand Central Station or pretends to save you when you pretend to be drowning. Or, as Warburg puts it, "You know how to be silly / That's why I like you / Boy are you ever silly / I never met anybody sillier than me / till I met you." I Like You is simple and quirky, uses words like "snurkle," and is laden with delightful Maurice Sendak-style pen-and-ink illustrations of alligators dancing, lively children, mirth, and general goofiness. Do you need new answers to the question "How do I like thee?" I Like You is a great help for counting the ways.(All Ages)
Book Description
A tiny book that expresses the true meaning of friendship.
Customer Reviews:
Says it all.......2007-05-15
I gave this to my husband on our wedding day as part of my gift to him. He was blown away by how simple it was, but how perfectly it said everything I wanted to tell him.
The perfect romantic gift.......2007-05-03
I was looking for a Valentine's Day gift for my girlfriend, and stumbled across this little gem. It's really not for kids at all, though they can have fun with it and get the superficial message. Adults realize that it's really talking about why we love each other. It does it in a whimsical way, completely devoid of Hallmark treacle and cloying mush, and makes you realize all the small yet critical ways that the other person meshes with you.
I am marrying my now-fiancee next week; in the ten years I've known her, this is her favorite gift. She keeps it on the nightstand and occasionally we'll quote from it or even leaf through it together.
Touching.......2007-03-13
This book was touching and entertaining. The sentiment is timeless, even though there are a few phrases/words that I am sure meant something else in 1965 when the book was written. I would recommend this book for a loved one or good friend. Even though the title is "I Like You" the feeling is I Love You. The illustrations are cute and the overall feeling is whimsical.
So cute, Great gift.......2007-03-08
This is a sweet little anytime gift or would be perfect for an anniversary/Valentine gift. It's sweet yet silly. Any girl would love it and it's not too sappy to give to a guy either.
lasted 40+ years.......2007-02-09
My then boyfriend - now my husband of 39 years - gave me this book. My daughters, now grown with their own families, have given it their beloveds. The sweetest, gentlest, most caring book ever written. Its sentiments have held steadfast all these years.
Book Description
High on energy and imagination, this ode to self-esteem encourages kids to appreciate everything about themselves--inside and out. Messy hair? Beaver breath? So what! Here's a little girl who knows what really matters.
At once silly and serious, Karen Beaumont's joyous rhyming text and David Catrow's wild illustrations unite in a book that is sassy, soulful--and straight from the heart.
Customer Reviews:
My Daughers favorite book!.......2007-08-14
This is a great book about self esteem. My daughter is only 2 and she makes me read this to her every afternoon and evening before bedtime. It's by far her favorite and has been since she could communicate to me which book she wanted me to read.
Loved it, like everyone else.......2007-06-10
As the mother of two daughters, I am concerned with raising girls with good self esteem. This book has a basic lesson (it's who you are inside that counts, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise) but delivers it with fantastically fun drawings and a story that also entertains (even if I get spikes on my back or purple polka dotted lips, I'm still me, and I like me). Love it, love it, love it. My daughter is 22 months and likes this book, I think it will serve her well up to age 5 or so.
My all time favorite book! Adults need this one, too........2007-02-20
I stumbled on this book by accident on a child development site for professionals in couseling and therapy. Now I've given this book over 30 times. To every person I know having a baby, boy or girl. I've given it to people who have new foster children. I even plan to give it away at my wedding as favors to my young guests.
All the parents I've given it to call to talk about how much their kids love this book. I've heard time and time again that their children ask to have this read over and over. One friend had a baby as young as 11 months and said that her son would listen to the story 5 times in a row. And when she wouldn't read it anymore the boy would go to his dad and hold up the book for him to read. She said he never sat for a reading of any other book in it entirety. Perhaps it is the fun, rythmic text that this little guy loves. (Like Dr. Suess- but...and I can't believe I'm saying this...but even BETTER!) He seems a bit young to grasp the true meaning of the words. But how wonderful to have this message somewhere in his subconscience!
Older kids truely grasp the meaning and comment on how others may have made them feel badly about themselves. This book opens up dialogue between parent and child. It has been especially great for a little girl suffering from limb differences and a little boy with cerebral palsy. They really liked hearing and eventually began to believe that "no one ever anywhere can make me think that what they see is all there really is to me."
While no book by itself can give a child self-esteem (succesful experiences do that) it can be a powerful reinforcer. This book plants the seeds of self-love and respect. Plus, the pictures by political cartoonist David Catrow (the purple polka-dotted lips, and the morning hair!) are just so wacky and funny that the kids can not stop laughing.
We all feel good, really good, after reading this story. It's one I don't mind reading over and over. I can't say that about most children's books. I recommend this book without reservation. Buy it...you will not regret this purchase.
Great Book.......2007-01-06
I read this book to my preschoolers and then went and bought a copy for myself so I could read it to all the adults that I know. Too many people don't see what a jewel that they are. We were never meant to all look the same and we should appreciate who we are, individually.
And it's always fun to pull out this book when I'm with a group of adults and tell them I'm going to "read them a story." :-)
A Most Joyful Book That Kids Love!.......2006-12-31
I bought this book for a little one in my family, and it was read to the children at our family Christmas gathering. Even the youngest, my daughter's baby, paid attention to the words, and to the illustrations. The little girl I bought it for kept tracing her fingers over the illustrations, and she loved the words. The message in the book is so uplifting. This is a beautiful, lively book. Every teacher should have this in their classroom, and every parent should read it to the little ones in their family.
Book Description
Are you in business, journalism, law enforcement, or medicine?
Do you face students in a classroom or criminals in a courtroom?
Are you in a relationship or looking for one?
Do you have children?
Then you need the skills to read them like a book!
I Can Read You Like a Book features a system for scanning and interpreting anyone's body language, enabling you to figure out what they are really saying or feeling:
Review: Check out someone quickly, from head to toe.
Evaluate: Know what to look for; notice what's relevant.
Analyze: Spot voluntary versus involuntary movements; factor in gender, context, culture.
Decide: Draw your conclusion.
Step-by-step, you will develop the same skills the best interrogators and detectives use to assess spies, criminals, and witnesses. As part of the process, you will observe some of the most famous people in the world through interrogator Greg Hartley's eyes. You'll discover what emotions these politicians, pundits, and stars are leaking through their body language and facial expressions, and what their answers (or non-answers) are really saying.
I Can Read You Like a Book gives you the fastest, most efficient method to read body language. In any kind of face-to-face competition, first encounters or daily encounters, and even watching the news, you will spot the messages and emotions that people are really sending--whether they know it or not.
As a bonus, you will learn how to use your own face and body to your advantage, whether you're trying to evade a difficult question, handle a sensitive situation, or just playing poker!
Customer Reviews:
Good book.......2007-10-02
Good Book, easy to read and some easy tips for picking up body language signals
very interesting.......2007-08-16
Great book with a lot of information. For anyone who wants to know more about themselves and others!
Good read.......2007-05-26
I really liked this book. It gives a large overview of body language and how to read it. It's a bit dry and contains quite a lot of information. Expect to have to re-read it a few times to understand and be able to apply the information contained within.
Incredibly helpful for me .......2007-05-25
I had an unusual reason to order this book -- my child has a mild case of Asperger's Syndrome. This means that she lacks the skills to interpret body language unless she learns it as a "second language." So I bought it with her in mind. As I read it, I was surprised how extremely helpful it was for ME. I honestly never realized how much I was missing! The skills it teaches will help with relationships of all kinds, business and personal. I truly believe readers will find it valuable and fascinating -- not to mention well written! Thank you, Gregory Hartley and Maryann Karinch!
Fascinating and Informative.......2007-05-12
I found this book compelling. The wrting style is conversational and clear; the information is detailed and well presented. I was fascinated by the wealth of detail on the influence of such factors as gender, culture, emotional state, etc. on body language. People are not reduced to stereotypes but considered as individuals and readers are given a useful system for taking this into account as they analyze someone's body language.
Having now finished the book and begun to apply what I've learned, I don't think I'll ever watch a television talkshow or newscast in quite the same way.
Book Description
t's Spring break and love is in the air. Or is that a blend of Chanel no. 9 and Gucci Rush?Is there a difference?Blair moves in with Serena and they're back to being best friends.But will the love-fest last or will they end up tearing out one anothers newly highlighted hair?And speaking of new, Nate is on the straight and narrow, playing Nate-in-shining-armor to his crazy new girlfriend, Georgie. But he will definitely get more than he bargained for when he, Georgie, Blair and Serena end up hanging out together in Sun Valley, Idaho.Back in Manhattan Jenny is spending time with a mysteriously nice new boyfriend and Dan is spending time crying in theoffice of the Paris Review literary journal. And Vanessa, wait, is that Vanessa shopping at Barneys with a guy in a Lacoste shirt? The long cold winter is over and the sun is finally shining along Fifth Avenue.The trees are in bloom and NYC's most fabulous are ready for a truly outrageous vacation!
Customer Reviews:
Not the best, but still good.......2007-07-23
Cecily's fifth book in the Gossip Girl series was a fun read, but not as good as the first four. In this book, Blair ditches her families' vacation to Hawaii to go to Sun Valley, Idaho, with Serena. Also going to Sun Valley is Nate with his new girlfriend Georgie, who still has problems because when she there she gets caught by the cops with Chuck Bass for indecent exposure, but Chuck's family bails them both out. Blair falls in love with Erik, Serena's brother, and Serena gets annoyed, but the two break up because Blair isn't ready. Back in New York, Dan gets an internship with the famous published company, Red Letter, but after a week he quits becuase his boss annoys him by making him send letters and get exspensive caviar. Vanessa's parents are in town and go to a bunch of art shows, at which one she mets Jordy, but nothing really serious goes on, and she finds that she still loves Dan. And last, Jenny leaves her boyfirend Leo, after she finds out that he is not rich and she doesn't like his secrets. This book was good overall, and still a good book to read, but it just wasn;t as charming as the others.
relatively decent. a bit on the wild side........2006-11-08
I found this book hard to read; or at least hard to read the entirity of it. I ended up skipping everything inside, with the exception of the chapters that featured Nate and Blair. Neither Dan or Vannessa can hold my interest, and Nate's 'girlfriend' is actually quite psycho. I could barely focus during the book, it didn't hold my interest like the majority of the other books did. I wouldn't reccomend it, unless you want to read every book in the Gossip Girl series. The vacation the gang takes is rather crazy, but why am i not surprised? Serena ends up naked, alone, and in the snow. Leaving Nate to find her and warm her back up. Blair almost loses it (again) to brother of Serena, Erik.
throw in a gay snowboarding team, and Chuck - and you've got yourself a mediocre novel with crazy sub-plots.
Gossip Girl in General.......2006-09-22
I find the gossip girl books to be very entertaining. They fit around the same area as The Clique (which are entertaining, but let's face it, the girls have stupid 'non-problems') only for an older set. All of the books live up to expectations of the rest. I think that all of the characters are interesting and the story line keeps you guessing and entertained.
bad.......2006-08-26
This book is so bad! This is the fifth book out of gossip girl and alot of things in this book are so bad that I have to skip alot of pages. I don't care about Dan and Vanessa anymore. Too boring and even worse when Vanessa's parents show up. Nate's girl friend is too retarded and too unbelievable to believe, and the gay snowboarding team? Are you kidding me? Why does Chuck of all guys become gay all of a sudden? It doesn't make any sense! I hate the character Rusty and I really hate Jenny. Snooping on her boyfriend like that all the time and that's all that happens with her in this book. Jennys friend Elise and Dan kiss. That was really stupid. This whole book is stupid and makes no sense. I loved gossip girls until this fifth one came out.
Not the Best.......2006-07-03
I have been hooked on the Gossip Girl series since the first book and I have currently read up to the fifth, I Like it Like That, but honestly, I wouldn't have mind skipping it. I thought this book was a little bit predictable and boring. Jenny is my least favorite character because, is it just me or does she seems like she goes after guys that are rich and handsome? After she finds out Leo is "normal" she dumps him. It seemed to me that he had a nice personailty and that should have been enough. The last book I was so hooked on the Vanessa & Dan relastionship, but this one I was actually skipping the chapters about them. Blair & Serena have always been my favorites, and that is what saved this book. Their adventures in Sun Valley was the best part and never really was boring in my opinon. Also GG [Gossip Girl] saved this book as well. Her entries are always funny and interesting to look at. Some people say that Cecily von Ziegsar writes using profound words such as the "f" word. Well I have to say that im a teenager to and to be honest, that is how most teens talk. Cecily really captured the life of a teenager well with the stress on schools [im 13 and picking a HIGH school is tough for me, think about college], also sex and drugs. I know people that are much younger than Blair and Serena and have more experience with these things than all of the characters put together. And also family troubles, because every family has them right? Her choice of words are accurate and theres nothing wrong with that, and besides in the fifth book she hardly swears if ever, I wasn't paying much attention to that. Overall though, this book wasn't the best, but the series is!
Average customer rating:
- Good starter book
- Great!
- A Terrific First Reader
- Great first reader
- Buggy Book
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I Like Bugs (Step-Into-Reading, Step 1)
Margaret Wise Brown
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
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ASIN: 0307261077
Release Date: 1999-06-15 |
Book Description
Black Bugs. Green Bugs. Fat Bugs. Buggy Bugs., I like Bugs!, , A rhyming ode to insects, penned by none other then Margaret Wise Brown. This poem was originally published in The Friendly Book., , Mile 1 books entice brand-new readers with rhyme, rhythm, and repetition. The type is big, the words are easy, and the art is bright and bold.
Customer Reviews:
Good starter book.......2007-09-11
I acquired this book for my 2-year-old who is fascinated by bugs, especially butterflies. The text is coherent and written in a way a early reader would talk. Some of the Step 1 type books do not impress me, but this one does.
Great!.......2007-08-14
This is a great book for young readers who are just connecting the idea of words having meaning. They are predictable & have good picture context clues. My son loves it & recognized the author from another favorite bedtime story.
A Terrific First Reader.......2006-10-24
Few words per page. Children can reread this story without having yet the ability to decode. Provides early readers with success. Appropriate for English Language Learners of all ages.
Great first reader.......2004-03-05
This book is a great first book. In fact, it is the first book my son read. *sniff* I'm so proud. :-)
The sentences are short and the pictures hint at what the words may be. I would recommend this to all parents who are helping their children learn to read.
Buggy Book.......2003-08-07
This is a wonderful book, with funny illustrations, and easy-to-read text. I bought this book for my daughter, because she has become scared of any and all bugs. I was hoping this book would help her to get over her fear of these interesting creatures. She is only two, but already she can identify bugs outside with the bugs illustrated in this book. This is a great beginner book.
Amazon.com
Mother-love is profound, however a baby comes into a woman's life. For Rose Lewis, the journey to motherhood begins with a letter to Chinese officials, asking if she can adopt from the "big room with lots of other babies." The infants in that room in China are each missing a mother, but Lewis is missing something, too--a baby. She travels to China to meet her new little girl and falls head over heels in love. Taking her baby home to America, Lewis introduces her to all her family and friends, and they begin their life together.
A touching love story, I Love You Like Crazy Cakes will warm the cockles of any new parent's heart, especially those who have recently adopted a child. It's an ideal story for lap-time reading, and will inspire parents and kids to talk about their own first "meetings," whether at birth or in an adoption agency. Jane Dyer, illustrator of the bestselling Time for Bed by Mem Fox, Oh My Baby, Little One by Kathi Appelt, and many other marvelous picture books, uses a pastel palette of watercolors to capture the tender moments between the American mom and her rosy-cheeked Chinese baby. (Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
Mother-love is profound, however a baby comes into a woman's life. ForRose Lewis, the journey to motherhood begins with a letter to Chinese officials,asking if she can adopt from the "big room with lots of other babies." Theinfants in that room in China are each missing a mother, but Lewis is missingsomething, too--a baby. She travels to China to meet her new little girl andfalls head over heels in love. Taking her baby home to America, Lewis introducesher to all her family and friends, and they begin their life together. A touching love story, I Love You Like Crazy Cakes will warm the cocklesof any new parent's heart, especially those who have recently adopted a child.It's an ideal story for lap-time reading, and will inspire parents and kids totalk about their own first "meetings," whether at birth or in an adoptionagency. Jane Dyer, illustrator of the bestselling Time for Bed by Mem Fox, Oh My Baby, Little One by KathiAppelt, and many other marvelous picture books, uses a pastel palette ofwatercolors to capture the tender moments between the American mom and herrosy-cheeked Chinese baby. (Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter
Customer Reviews:
My adopted daughter loves this book.......2007-08-21
I received this book as a post-adoption gift from a friend. With every page I read, tears came to my eyes because the author captured the key moments of the adoption parent/child bond simply and beautifully. My experience is mirrored in these pages and the illustrations are almost duplicates of my actual adoption journey photos. It helps me keep alive the wonderful memories of the adoption of my daughter from China.
It has been more than a year since I returned home with my daughter who is now 2 year old. We often read this book at bedtime and, even though she is only 2, she strongly identifies with the book. So much so, that she insists that I use her name when I'm reading about the baby in the book. She also points at the pictures of the mother in the book and relates it to me ... her mommy.
This will be a treasured book in our home forever.
Beautiful Book.......2007-08-17
I initially wrote most of this review as a comment on someone else's review. However, I noticed many other people with similar reviews and felt the need to post my review here.
As an early childhood educator, I am disturbed by the inaccuracy and insensitivity of many people's comments. People have complained that there is no father in the story. What about the millions of children in our country who don't have fathers? Shouldn't there be books that that depict their families? There are few enough books like this on the market already. Even for those kids who do have both a mother and a father... what parent would only their child to read books that depict one definition of a family? This book is perfect for opening up the discussion about how many different ways their are to make a family... birth, adoption, foster care, one parent, two parents, grandparents, etc. I think that this is especially important for adopted children to see. Theirs isn't the only kind of family that differs from the traditional 2 parents with birth child(ren) model. In fact, most American families are "different," which in effect makes us all the more alike.
As for someone's the assertion that children without a father have a "sad life"... your comment is offensive and down right biggoted. I know many happy and healthy children and adults who are the products of houses without a father. Every last one of them would be disagree your comment. Yes, fathers are important and lead a pivotal role in the lives of many children. However, they are not essential for a child to grow up happy, healthy, and productive. Many children have other people in their lives (mothers, uncles, grandfathers, brothers, friends) who fill that role as well as the best of fathers. There is actually an extensive body of research showing that children of single parents and same sex parents are as well adjusted, happy, and successful as their peers who come from homes with both a mother and father.
As for people's thoughts about the pictures depicting sadness, I respectfully disagree. I did not find these pictures at all sad, but instead quite charming. That being said, adoption is a complicated process. It is one that is filled with great joy, but also many many other strong emotions. Sadness is one of these emotions that is at some point felt by all members of the triad (adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents.) You would never want to dwell on sadness when talking to your children about adoption. Celebration and love should be the primary emotions expressed. However, to deny that there are or can be other emotions, such as confusion or sadness, is to do your child a great disservice (and possibly harm.) No matter how much love and care there is in your family, all adoptees at some point will have questions and a mixture of emotions about their adoption. They will wonder how and why they were placed for adoption. They will also wonder about their birth parents and probably feel sad that they were given up. This doesn't mean that they don't love you, that you aren't the world's best parent, that they wish that you weren't their parent, or love you any less. However, at some point they will realize, that before you could "choose" them and love them, someone else--another parent--had to give them away. That is a painful realization to many adoptees. When parents do not leave the door open to discussions about these sorts of topics... when they pretend that everything related to adoption is joyful... their children feel guilt and shame for having any other sort of emotions regarding their adoption. Instead of having open discussions with their parents, which can be healing and bring a parent and child closer together, these children shut their feelings away. This is traumatic for many adoptees. It is also counterproductive if you are trying to build a loving and open relationship with your child.
I applaud books such as this one. Taken at face value, they are a simple story of love and family that can be read to young children, adopted or not. However, as your child grows older, it is one that you can return to to open the door to a wide range of discussions about love, family, diversity, and adoption.
Another honest book about adoption that I recommend is Tell Me a Real Adoption Story written by an adoptee Betty Jean Lifton. Tell Me a Real Adoption Story
Likeable, good for small adoptees..........2007-07-25
This book was a good introduction for my children to the idea that they were born elsewhere and were cared for by others when they were new to the world. One of mine used to mimic one illustration where it kind of looks like the baby has her hand/fist up to her mouth. Good story with great airplane illustrations for kids! The story is touching for Moms, but I have always felt that it overlooked Dads and Dads' joy. I can understand why the author did it this way, but perhaps she should insert an encouraging prologue. As we turn the pages and dialogue is prompted to refresh our own story, I include details of Dad carrying my babies, and how each of them was unwilling to let go.
Daughter loves this book!.......2007-07-18
My 8-yr. old daughter loves this book and I do too! Gives us a great jumping-off point to talk about our own family adoption story!
China adoption.......2007-07-12
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and await being able to read it to our daughter from China next year when we finally get to bring her home.
Amazon.com
Actor Jamie Lee Curtis and winsome illustrator Laura Cornell continue their successful collaboration (Today I Feel Silly, When I Was Little, et al.) with this paean to poise and self-assurance, I'm Gonna Like Me.
The duo sets out to "let off a little self-esteem" by following a seriously self-actualized (and gratifyingly quirky) boy and girl throughout their day on alternating pages. The kids take turns carrying the lines, often switching off midsentence, to describe exactly how and why "I'm gonna like me." (Girl: "I'm gonna like me / when I'm called on to stand. / I know all my letters / like the back of my hand." Boy: "I'm gonna like me / when my answer is wrong, / like thinking my ruler / was ten inches long.") The call and response continues through the action-packed day, as the kids get up, go to school, have lunch, go to a birthday party, etc., until they finally get tucked in--so no opportunity for building self-esteem gets overlooked.
Young readers will like Curtis's words and the rhythmic repetition, but it's Cornell's scribbling, reminiscent of the New Yorker's Roz Chast, that makes the book stand out. From an imagined fashion-show runway walk (love that snooty fashion press) to a hilarious lunch table spread (got to get some of that "Cup o' Lettuce" and "Pork by the Foot" for your Doris Day lunch box), Cornell fills the book with funny faces and lots of laughs (the best of which might be the girl's pet turtle working out in a cage with a treadmill, next to a book titled "Exercising Your Illegal Turtle"). (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes
Book Description
Celebrate liking yourself! Through alternating points of view, a girl's and a boy's, Jamie Lee Curtis's triumphant text and Laura Cornell's lively artwork show kids that the key to feeling good is liking yourself because you are you. Like the duo's first New York Times best-seller, Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day, this is an inspired book to rejoice in and share. I'm Gonna Like Me will have kids letting off some self-esteem in no time!
Customer Reviews:
Good Choice.......2007-01-07
This was purchased for our grandson. He enjoys having it read to him and once again, when he can read it on his own, hopefully will continue to appreciate the intended message.
You're Gonna Like This Book!.......2007-01-04
I'm Gonna Like Me is a cute, engaging and esteem building book that is a pleasure to read. The age range listed for this is 4-8, but I really think this is one of those books that is a perfect read aloud (especially given that most kids up to age 8 can't read cursive and half the text/font is cursive) for 0-6, kids older than that probably aren't going to be as engaged in the message of the book, as was the case with my kids. My 6 year old loved it, but my 8 year old didn't enjoy the story as much, though she did enjoy pouring over the pictures with her brother (and reading him the badges and stuff) after the reading and they got a good chuckle out of all the zany and vivid imagery used.
In the end, the message given is one that is necessary, especially for younger children and would make for good story time discussion with kids ages 4-6 and maybe a little older...there's nothing intrinsically wrong with you if you get an answer wrong, someone doesn't like you or you get picked last. The message is that these things don't FEEL so great, but they don't affect who you are or your worth as a person and that is a strong, positive message. I give it 4 stars, a great message that can't be stressed enough to young children...to appreciate who you are and try all the things you wan to try because even when you're wrong, you learn from it!
Great .......2005-10-08
This book was a new one to me and one that I will use year after year with my class.
Kids and adults alike loved it.
I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem.......2005-09-14
As a psychotherapist specializing in children, this is a lovely fun book for reinforcing self esteem and helping us accept our foibles.
My preschooler loves this book (and so do I)!.......2005-06-07
Being a kid is tough. You have peer pressure, bullies, and loads of other stuff to deal with. This book teaches kids a valuable lesson - you are who you are and you're fabulous just as you are!
You can never praise your kids too much. You can never give your kids enough positive reinforcement. Life is rough enough without parents adding to it. Give your kids hugs, tell them that you love them, and tell them that they are worthy of love and respect. You can NEVER give your kid enough emotional support.
This book has an awesome message and I highly recommend it!
Amazon.com
Literature and film buffs will be delighted by this collection of pulp novels, most of which were made into important films. James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice is a literary masterpiece with its spare prose invoking a savage, sexy, desperate world. It inspired no less than three great movies: Luchino Visconti's classic Ossessione, in 1942; the 1946 remake, starring John Garfield and Lana Turner and directed by the extraordinary Tay Garnett; and Bob Rafelson's underrated 1981 version with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. When you read the magnificent source for these movies, you'll be astonished at how three different incarnations could all, in their own ways, be faithful to the novel.
Cornell Woolrich's I Married a Dead Man also became three movies: No Man of Her Own, with Barbara Stanwyk; the French I Married a Shadow; and the American comedy, Mrs. Winterborne, which starred Shirley MacLaine and Ricki Lake. Edward Anderson's vivid Thieves Like Us was transformed into They Live by Night, Nicholas Ray's first important movie and one of the seminal noir films of the 1940s. It was brilliantly remade in 1974 by the great revisionist director Robert Altman. Kenneth Fearing's The Big Clock was transformed into a marvelous film starring Charles Laughton; 40 years later, the same source, retitled No Way Out, brought Kevin Costner to stardom. William Lindsay Gresham's Nightmare Alley was the source for Tyrone Power's best movie; Horace McCoy's experimental They Shoot Horses, Don't They? became one of the seminal films of the 1960s.
These dark, evocative novels, when taken together, are a fascinating study of how words can inspire a magnificent variety of cinematic images and styles.
Customer Reviews:
Splendid Read.......2007-06-04
This collection of novels from the 30s and 40s was terrific fun and an outstanding introduction to the genre. You can debate whether they're all noir (at least what I expected noir to be); but nonetheless they each convey a distinct impression and view of the time. Without getting into lengthy reviews, I enjoyed Woolrich's "I Married a Dead Man" the most--from his eloquent style to the actual story-line. You know you're reading a master story-teller. Second was Gresham's "Nightmare Alley;" although sometimes I thought he could have expanded on some aspects of the story and shortened other passages (i.e., a little bit of editing would help). But each novel was distinct and enjoyable. Highly recommended.
Crime Novels -- 30s/40s.......2006-11-07
Ha! Just skimmed some other reviews and I wanna add my two cents. Yes, this volume is definitely something. Some impressions follow.
The Postman Always Rings Twice: Indeed, Cain knew how to make the reader keep turning pages. Short, sweet, and fascinating. After I discovered the significance of the title (which is a bit of a "trick"), I liked the whole effort all the more.
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?: A bit monotonous to read; a bit dark. That was the point. All told, a fascinating novel. Among all literature named in the world, *this* is one of few titles inspired by God: so memorable and unique, so perfect. It turns out to impart chilling meaning, as well, on several levels.
Thieves Like Us: My least favorite. This was a subjective reaction, however. I wanted the story to take turns it didn't take. Moreover, Anderson as an author took note of things I found not-so-interesting; apparently, the book's status to this day speaks otherwise on behalf of many other readers, however.
The Big Clock: Short, sweet and sterile. Almost machine-like in its plotting and execution -- if so written intentionally, a fascinating stylistic choice given its title -- but, notably, full of interesting and colorful characterizations. Possibly my favorite.
Nightmare Alley: Relentlessly grim and ugly. I'm not so sure there is a single character to root for in this story. That was probably very much intended. Fascinating but, again, very grim. Literary nihilists of today would do well to take a lesson from Gresham's characterization, plot and style.
I Married A Dead Man: Although the novels were presented chronologically, this was a nice way to end the volume. A very simple, linear, domestic story, without hard-boiled criminality or complication, which unfolds with some plot which stretches credibility, but lies ultimately within the realm of the possible. Notable among noir novels for Woolrich's ability to evoke two unexpected emotions at the end: a sense of deep and abiding love between two of the main characters -- before the real and final ending -- and a sense of genuine sadness.
Worth owning. Might take the reader a while to get through. This is, in effect, six books in one, running to nearly a thousand pages. But it was definitely fun; and as another reviewer implied, it's surprising how little has changed.
Thank God for the 1930's and 1940's/ .......2006-07-11
First of all, the Library Of America collection provides the reader with some of the most beautiful hardcover editions available today. That said, the selections chosesn for this edition are all first class; for someone just getting into hard-boiled fiction, this is the ideal place to start. If you're like me and have been reading this genre for many years, this is a perfect volume to add to one's collection.
The Dark Underbelly of the American Dream.......2005-09-29
Noir emerged in the early 20th-Century from Pulp paperbacks published for mass consumption. Highlighting in gritty and sensationalistic detail the sordid undercurrents of Western society, Noir became an artistic force that became the medium for the representation of the down and out segment of the populace. Whether set in the impersonal grime of urban reality or at the deceptive simplicity of rural picturesqueness, Noir in Film and Literature revealed the odyssey and travails of lost souls whose misguided characters bore too much of the weight of their selves and their pasts to break from the shackles of their present.
"Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930's and 40's" is the American equivalent in prose of the influential and enduring genre. The grim and unforgiving tales of the dejected cast of mid 20th-Century American life are openly depicted ("The Postman Always Rings Twice"; "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?"; "Thieves Like Us"; "Nightmare Alley"); vicissitudes of fate ("The Big Clock"; "I Married a Dead Man"). Whether set in scenic California, the vast and open Midwest, or a high-rise office in Manhattan, these novels uniformly render a panorama of blighted dreams, twisted turns of fate, and the sad recurrence of misfortune in desperate individuals doomed to tragedy.
None too substantial in content but highly readable, this edition is the first of a handsome 2-Volume anthology on American Noir fiction published by the venerable Library of America. Edited by Robert Polito (Poet, writer, anthologist on Noir Lit. and author of a biography on Jim Thompson), these stories enduring relevance are seen in various forms of contemporary society: from the writings of James Ellroy, Brett Easton Ellis, Lawrence Block, and Robert Bloch; in films like "Scarface", "Pulp Fiction", "Fight Club"; and in everyday life.
A Real Discovery: 4 or 5 of these make amazing reading.......2005-01-23
This is an impressive collection of early and now scarce Noir novels. "The Big Clock" and "Nightmare Alley" are particularly hard to find outside of this volume.
Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice" was probably the first crime novel I ever really got into, and it's a stunning departure from Agatha Christie-style mysteries. So much happens in this short book (as turns of plot, but also development of character) that it compares favorably to the first half Camus' "The Stranger." The drifter plumbs the depths of his desperation in a brutal attachment to another man's wife: it's not greed or lust that drives him, but a base need for someone to whom he can anchor himself. A raw and amazing experience, unmatched by anything else of Cain's.
McCoy's "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" is impressively vivid. I had no idea these dance-hall marathons took place before reading this story. This circus of exploitation of young and apparently desperate people certainly makes for excellent Noir. One of these benefits of reading these novels is the unearthing of buried episodes in America's past.
"Thieves Like Us" has been reviewed here as the weaker end of the collection, and I have to agree. It's still a very capable story of outlaws; and the stoicism of the young people caught up in the criminal's lives is admirably depicted here. I recommend reading Andersen's novel before the others (it's still definitive Noir), so one can more easily avoid expectations built up by the Cain and McCoy.
"The Big Clock" is interesting in the depiction of power relationships between employer and employee, and the shifting first-person style of telling the story works here. I never heard of Fearing before reading this novel, but he evidently had a deep understanding of the motivations of very different kinds of people. This novel has the most suspense of the collection, and is a great and sophisticated read.
The most surprising and bizzare novel is "Nightmare Alley," a strange and memorable journey of an aspiring carnival charlatan. It defines Sleaze. The longest and most complex novel, it feels like a long-lost classic that's been hidden away because of its disturbing content. Some may think of it as too long, but the twisting journey through sweaty farming towns, railroad stations and addled big-city martiarchs required time to establish some crediblity: by the end, I was convinced that such a grotesque collection of stunts actually belonged in the story of this country. "Nightmare Alley" alone is worth the price of the book. Fans of Tarot might be a little offended, but this is especially recommended for understanding fans of Ray Bradbury.
Finally, "I Married a Dead Man" by Woolrich is a suspense novel set up by a tragic accident. The protagonist, literally and figuratively hungry, siezes the opportunity to substitute herself into a more fortunate woman's life. Excellently done, and more grounded in comparison to "Nightmare Alley."
Overall, there's no legitimately weak entry in this collection. The variety of content in these novels is enormous, and acquiring this book will allow the reader to experience the different flavors of American Noir. Most modern crime/suspense movies will seem ridiculous by comparison.
Book Description
"The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." Like all of Steve Biko's writings, those words testify to the passion, courage, and keen insight that made him one of the most powerful figures in South Africa's struggle against apartheid. They also reflect his conviction that black people in South Africa could not be liberated until they united to break their chains of servitude, a key tenet of the Black Consciousness movement that he helped found.
I Write What I Like contains a selection of Biko's writings from 1969, when he became the president of the South African Students' Organization, to 1972, when he was prohibited from publishing. The collection also includes a preface by Archbishop Desmond Tutu; an introduction by Malusi and Thoko Mpumlwana, who were both involved with Biko in the Black Consciousness movement; a memoir of Biko by Father Aelred Stubbs, his longtime pastor and friend; and a new foreword by Professor Lewis Gordon.
Biko's writings will inspire and educate anyone concerned with issues of racism, postcolonialism, and black nationalism.
Customer Reviews:
I Liked What He Wrote.......2006-07-28
I enjoyed the book very much. Really gave me a feel for Steven Biko and his brilliance. Also gained some insight into South Africa and its politics during his time. Many of his thoughts are universal and can be applied to the world today. Two thumbs up.
Powerful "Black Consciousness".......2006-02-07
"I Write What I Like" was set on the backdrop of the thankfully defunct system of apartheid, but the parallels to our modern world remain both pertinent and poignant.
While activists such as Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela fought apartheid on the political and economic front, Steve Biko fought it on the most basic psychological level. He rejected the fundamental premise that made racism and subsequent apartheid possible. The premise he rejected was "that one kind of man was superior to another kind of man". The questions he posed and the answers he gave made him the most dangerous man alive to the white minority government of South Africa.
The movement Steve Biko helped found was called "Black Consciousness". Many decried it as a form of afro-centric racism. That characterization could not have been further from the truth. Black Consciousness differed sharply from other anti-apartheid movements in that it advocated the preservation and advancement of black culture from the individual level. Far from being reveres-apartheid, Biko called for blacks to have their own institutions, their own achievements, and preserve their own languages and cultural heritage - not to the exclusion of whites but with a clear assertion that their culture was valid, valuable and should be allowed to thrive and grow.
Biko asked the questions that were too hard to answer for their simplicity. "How can one prevent the lose of respect between child and parent when the child is taught by his know-all white tutors to disregard his family teachings? Who can resist losing respect for his tradition when in school his whole cultural background is summed up in one word - barbarism?"
Blacks struggling for equality in South Africa were labeled "terrorists" by the white minority government. This fact resonates ominous parallels with America today. As we rush to shred the rights enumerated in our constitution under the euphemistically titled "Patriot Act", we should be wary of this history. Surely people demanding equality for themselves by non-violent means were not terrorists. Yet this is how they were defined. Anti-terrorism laws, without an objective definition of "terrorism", can be turned against anyone the government finds... uncomfortable.
Torture is another concept that is being openly discussed these days. The question "would we torture of this reason or that reason?" assumes on some level that torture is effective. Steve Biko had some very important observations on torture, as he was often the subject of it; "If you want to make any progress, the best thing is for us to talk. Don't try any rough stuff, because it won't work." - "If you guys want to do this your way, you have to handcuff me and bind my feet together, so that I can't respond. If you allow me to respond, I'm certainly going to respond. And I'm afraid that you may have to kill me in the process even if it's not your intention."
Steve Biko died September 12, 1977. Authorities initially claimed that his death was the result of a hunger strike. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa Report, published March 1999 stated that: "On 7 September Biko sustained a head injury during interrogation, after which he acted strangely and was uncooperative. The doctors who examined him (naked, lying on a mat and manacled to a metal grille) initially disregarded overt signs of neurological injury." By 11 September Biko had slipped into a continual, semi-conscious state and the police physician recommended he be sent to hospital. Instead he was transported 1,200 km to Pretoria - a 12-hour journey which he made lying naked in the back of a Land Rover. A few hours later, on 12 September, lying on the floor of a cell in the Pretoria Central Prison, Biko died from brain damage. Yet he and his culture were the ones called barbarians.
Biko said, "The most potent weapon in the hand of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." As we look to our world today, we must be leery of those who seek to mold our impression and thus our beliefs. There are forces out there with much to gain by inciting division and reactionary strife. Divided we fall
A fascinating relic.......2004-07-06
It's good to see this book back in print. The apartheid era might seem like the distant past, but it wasn't so long ago that so many people were knee-deep in this issue - and so many South Africans were suffering and dying.
South Africa today could have used a leader like Steve Biko. His writings show him to be a man of great intelligence, and the accompanying essay by Father Stubbs shows Biko to be a leader of great charisma. Read this book and you'll see what the world lost when Biko was slain.
Good primer for a humanitarian revolution.......2004-06-10
Steve Biko's "I Write What I Like" is an excellent look at ta voice who tried to articulate the struggles of his people and to provide workable solutions. The "Frank Talk" articles and his testimony in the court are highlights, but it is also interesting to read the manifesto of the effects of Christianity on African Religion. Very raw stuff of the Malcolm X school. Overall a very moving and inspiring read. Like Ghandhi and his contemporary Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko's writings are those of a revolutionary with a heart.
A compelling writer on enduring struggle for consciousness.......2002-12-18
As a clear formulator of a useful, modern, Black Consciousness for South Africans, Biko is unimpeachable - his criticism of liberal whites is fundamentally sound, that a racist system, in its import, taints the actions of everyone who works within the system as racist. Biko is working out the nuts and bolts of his theory of African advancement and affirmation while working on the front lines of the struggle. The intensity of the struggle is captivating, because the risks are great and violence is imminent - but Biko should also be captivating because of what he represents as a modern, critical African intellectual.
Criticizing Biko is hard because he was clearly interested, above all, in changing his own people's view of themselves, and re-instilling their necessary sense of self worth. How important to Biko is the cynicism of liberal whites in the present political culture that blacks "may not be doing a good job leading" (xxii)? Is his preferred, future "non-racial" South Africa something that other black leaders sympathize with? I think that we can link his popularity among young blacks inthe apartheid state with a new will to participate in the struggle. Because Biko was so courageous, it is perhaps a hard to get a clear idea of what he saw as the possible end games to the struggle.
This book is non-rhetorical and pragmatic, and the fact that Biko's conception of, and motivation of countless blacks in South Africa around, the idea of Black Consciousness make what Biko is talking about here successfully revolutionary. At times blisteringly critical of black church leadrs who he beleive have acquiesced to apartheid, at times bravely courteous, as when he is being tried before a coutroom full of whites and white security officials and he maintains his awesome collectedness and cutting wit as he indites THEM for crimes. Biko is an exciting writer, and his influence on men like Mandela, as well as his model for grassroots political empoerment, make him an important theorist on what can and should happen to make a better future in Arica. His energy and creativity are still highly applicable, even in the new South Africa and beyond in 21st Century Africa.
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