Book Description
Whether you’re a major league couch potato, life-long season ticket-holder, or teaching game to a beginner, Watching Baseball Smarter leaves no territory uncovered. In this smart and funny fan’s guide Hample explains the ins and outs of pitching, hitting, running, and fielding, while offering insider trivia and anecdotes that will surprise even the most informed viewers of our national pastime.
What is the difference between a slider and a curveball?
At which stadium did “The Wave” first make an appearance?
How do some hitters use iPods to improve their skills?
Which positions are never played by lefties?
Why do some players urinate on their hands?
Combining the narrative voice and attitude of Michael Lewis with the compulsive brilliance of Schott’s Miscellany, Watching Baseball Smarter will increase your understanding and enjoyment of the sport–no matter what your level of expertise.
Zack Hample is an obsessed fan and a regular writer for minorleaguebaseball.com. He's collected nearly 3,000 baseballs from major league games and has appeared on dozens of TV and radio shows. His first book, How to Snag Major League Baseballs, was published in 1999.
Customer Reviews:
Nothing but raves.......2007-09-29
After reading and enjoying this book, I purchased several copies to give as gifts. The recipents gave the book raving reports and consider it one of the best gifts ever received. It is also a book that will be consulted over and over again as it is informative, entertaining and humorous.
Go from Beginning Watcher to Vivid Describer of the Action.......2007-09-18
Watching Baseball Smarter will appeal to youngsters around 9-12 who are eager to grab as much baseball knowledge as possible by attending and watching games on television. For those young people, scoring, colorful terms, and obscure rules can make the game seem more mysterious than it is. At the same time, learn those elements of active watching and a youngster can develop the basics to enjoy being a lifelong fan.
If someone had given me this book at that age, I would have treasured Watching Baseball Smarter above all over gifts I got that at that time. I would have been most thrilled by the illustrations of how the various pitches are thrown.
Remember that observation when you consider if you know any budding fans who would be thrilled to have this book.
As for the claim that the book is also for semi-experts and deeply serious geeks, I don't think so. I didn't see any material that wasn't well known to me by the time I was 15. And I was hardly a semi-expert or a deeply serious geek. I just enjoyed watching and attending the games.
Don't give this book to a serious baseball fan; you'll embarrass yourself if you do.
Here are few questions to test your ability to enjoy the book:
1. What is the infield fly rule?
2. What is a double switch?
3. What is a catcher's earned run average?
4. What is a safety squeeze?
5. How do you keep score?
If know all five, this book isn't for you. If you know four, you'll get an occasional nugget from the book. If you know three or fewer, this book is a good choice for you.
On this reading, the main pleasure was from remembering when I first learned the material and from an occasional bit of trivia that was new to me. The former pleasure was what kept me reading, and I was disappointed that the book was aimed mostly at an elementary level . . . having found the subtitle to be misleading in terms of the book's relevance for me.
Play ball!
Baseball Fan's Good Guide.......2007-09-10
As a sixty year baseball fan, I think I know most everything about the game. However, Zack came up with some new/clarifying information for me. By the way, the game has changed since I started following it in the mid-1940s.
pages missing.......2007-09-08
Pages 79 to 110 are completely missing.
If binding is baseball, the people who did the binding would be kicked out of bush league.
Also, the information is very elementary and meant basically for elementary students.
baseball lover/ baseball newbie - must have........2007-08-27
I bought this for my 26 yr old son for his birthday. My fiance, a baseball Aficionado,
started looking at it and said, this great I want this, too. I'll be ordering 4 more books today.
Average customer rating:
- A Novel Reviewed by an author
- Their Eyes Were Watching God
- Their Eyes Were Watching God
- Good Read
- Love Zora
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Their Eyes Were Watching God
Zora Neale Hurston
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial Modern Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Hurston, Zora Neale
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ASIN: 0061120065
Release Date: 2006-05-30 |
Amazon.com
At the height of the Harlem Renaissance during the 1930s, Zora Neale Hurston was the preeminent black woman writer in the United States. She was a sometime-collaborator with Langston Hughes and a fierce rival of Richard Wright. Her stories appeared in major magazines, she consulted on Hollywood screenplays, and she penned four novels, an autobiography, countless essays, and two books on black mythology. Yet by the late 1950s, Hurston was living in obscurity, working as a maid in a Florida hotel. She died in 1960 in a Welfare home, was buried in an unmarked grave, and quickly faded from literary consciousness until 1975 when Alice Walker almost single-handedly revived interest in her work.
Of Hurston's fiction, Their Eyes Were Watching God is arguably the best-known and perhaps the most controversial. The novel follows the fortunes of Janie Crawford, a woman living in the black town of Eaton, Florida. Hurston sets up her characters and her locale in the first chapter, which, along with the last, acts as a framing device for the story of Janie's life. Unlike Wright and Ralph Ellison, Hurston does not write explicitly about black people in the context of a white world--a fact that earned her scathing criticism from the social realists--but she doesn't ignore the impact of black-white relations either:
It was the time for sitting on porches beside the road. It was the time to hear things and talk. These sitters had been tongueless, earless, eyeless conveniences all day long. Mules and other brutes had occupied their skins. But now, the sun and the bossman were gone, so the skins felt powerful and human. They became lords of sounds and lesser things. They passed nations through their mouths. They sat in judgment.
One person the citizens of Eaton are inclined to judge is Janie Crawford, who has married three men and been tried for the murder of one of them. Janie feels no compulsion to justify herself to the town, but she does explain herself to her friend, Phoeby, with the implicit understanding that Phoeby can "tell 'em what Ah say if you wants to. Dat's just de same as me 'cause mah tongue is in mah friend's mouf."
Hurston's use of dialect enraged other African American writers such as Wright, who accused her of pandering to white readers by giving them the black stereotypes they expected. Decades later, however, outrage has been replaced by admiration for her depictions of black life, and especially the lives of black women. In Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston breathes humanity into both her men and women, and allows them to speak in their own voices. --Alix Wilber
Book Description
One of the most important works of twentieth-century American literature, Zora Neale Hurston's beloved 1937 classic, Their Eyes Were Watching God, is an enduring Southern love story sparkling with wit, beauty, and heartfelt wisdom. Told in the captivating voice of a woman who refuses to live in sorrow, bitterness, fear, or foolish romantic dreams, it is the story of fair-skinned, fiercely independent Janie Crawford, and her evolving selfhood through three marriages and a life marked by poverty, trials, and purpose. A true literary wonder, Hurston's masterwork remains as relevant and affecting today as when it was first published -- perhaps the most widely read and highly regarded novel in the entire canon of African American literature.
Download Description
"E-BOOK EXTRA: Janie's Great Journey: A Reading Group Guide; PLUS: The Comphrehensive Edition: This special e-book is the only edition to include all three essays by Edwidge Danticat, Mary Helen Washington, and Henry Louis Gates.
Fair and long-legged, independent and articulate, Janie Crawford sets out to be her own person -- no mean feat for a Black woman in the '30s. Zora Neale Hurston's classic 1937 novel follows Janie's quest for identity -- a journey during which she learns what love is, experiences life's joys and sorrows, and comes home to herself in peace. "There is no book more important to me than this one." --Alice Walker "Their Eyes belongs in the same category with [the works of] William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway, that of enduring American literature." --Saturday Review
Fair and long-legged, independent and articulate, Janie Crawford sets out to be her own person -- no mean feat for a black woman in the '30s. Janie's quest for identity takes her through three marriages and into a journey back to her roots."
Customer Reviews:
A Novel Reviewed by an author.......2007-09-30
Three stars due to the consensus that it is a classic.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston September 2007 Amazon
Janie Crawford, an attractive, confident, middle-aged black woman, returns to Eatonville, Florida, after a long absence. The black townspeople gossip about her and speculate about where she has been and what has happened to her young husband, Tea Cake. They take her confidence as aloofness, but Janie's friend Pheoby Watson sticks up for her. Pheoby visits her to find out what has happened. Their conversation frames the story that Janie relates. Janie explains that her grandmother raised her after her mother ran off. Nanny loves her granddaughter and is dedicated to her, but her life as a slave and experience with her own daughter, Janie's mother, has warped her worldview. Her primary desire is to marry Janie as soon as possible to a husband who can provide security and social status for her. She finds a much older farmer named Logan Killicks and insists that Janie marry him. After moving in with Logan, Janie is miserable. He is pragmatic and unromantic and treats her like a pack mule. Janie flirts with and marries in secret another man. After two decades of marriage, Janie asserts herself, Jody insults her appearance and after a savage domestic quarrel, it's over for them. Jody dies from illness and Janie is free. She rebuffs various suitors who come to court but when a man twelve years her junior enters her life there is mutual attraction. Only with her third and last lover, a roustabout called Tea Cake, does Janie at last bloom, as does the large pear tree that stands beside her grandmother's tiny log cabin. "She saw a dust bearing bee sink into the sanctum of a bloom; the thousand sister calyxes arch to meet the love embrace and the ecstatic shiver of the tree from root to tiniest branch creaming in every blossom and frothing with delight. So this was a marriage!" They move to the everglades for the final tragic conclusion of the book. Rife with dialect, some may find the book time consuming. The title has nothing to do with the story, but it is a beautiful thought. The book has been made into a written-for-television movie starring Halle Berry.
Trish New, author of The Thrill of Hope, South State Street Journal, and Memory Flatlined.
Their Eyes Were Watching God.......2007-09-10
My son needed this book for school and we received in time for school. Great service!
Their Eyes Were Watching God.......2007-09-04
This book has been an extremely enjoyable read for me. It had a certain easy flow to it that made you want to keep reading it. This book didn't hook me right away, but I still gave it a chance. I am glad that I gave it a chance because it turned out to be one of my favorite books. If you enjoy hearing a good story, i recommend this book to you. Actually, I recommend this book to anybody and everybody! When i was asked to rate this book on a scale from 1 to 10, I replied by saying an eleven because i thought that this book was that good.
Good Read.......2007-08-21
This book is an easy read but it contains underling themes and plot structures that can be discussed in a class room setting. This is a good book and provides an interesting insight in young black woman's life who is trying to find her perfect mate.
Love Zora.......2007-08-11
This book is a good read from start to finish. Zora Neal Hurston is a true literary genius!
Amazon.com
More than 10 years in the making, David Sibley's Guide to Birds is a monumental achievement. The beautiful watercolor illustrations (6,600, covering 810 species in North America) and clear, descriptive text place Sibley and his work squarely in the tradition of John James Audubon and Roger Tory Peterson; more than a birdwatcher and evangelizer, he is one of the foremost bird painters and authorities in the U.S. Still, his field guide will no doubt spark debate. Unlike Kenn Kaufman's Focus Guide, Sibley's is unapologetically aimed at the converted. Beginning birders may want to keep a copy of Sibley at home as a reference, but the wealth of information will have the same effect on novices as trying to pick out a single sandpiper in a wheeling flock of thousands. The familiar yellow warbler, for instance, gets no less than nine individual illustrations documenting its geographic, seasonal, and sex variations--plus another eight smaller illustrations showing it in flight. Of course, more experienced birders will appreciate this sort of detail, along with Sibley's improvements on both Peterson and the National Geographic guide:
- As in Peterson, Sibley employs a pointer system for key field markings--but additional text blurbs are included alongside the illustrations to facilitate identification.
- Descriptive passages on identification are more detailed than those in most other field guides. For example, Sibley includes extensive information on the famously hard-to-distinguish hawks in the genus Accipiter (sharp-shinned, Cooper's, and northern goshawk), noting differences in leg thickness and wing beat that will be of use to more advanced birders. A section on the identification of "peeps" (small sandpipers) includes tips about seasonal molting and bill length. Confusing fall warblers, Empidonax flycatchers, and Alcids receive similar treatment.
- As previously mentioned, ample space is given to illustrations that show plumage variations by age, sex, and geography within a single species. Thus, an entire page is devoted to the red-shouldered hawk and its differing appearances in the eastern U.S., Florida, and California; similarly, gulls are distinguished by age and warblers by sex.
- Range maps are detailed and accurate, with breeding, wintering, and migration routes clearly depicted; rare but regular geographic occurrences are denoted by green dots.
- The binding and paper stock are of exceptional quality. Despite its 544 pages, a reinforced paperback cover and sewn-in binding allow the book to be spread out flat without fear of breaking the binding.
Some birders will be put off by the book's size. Slightly larger than the National Geographic guide, it's less portable than most field guides and will likely spend more time in cars and desks than on a birder's person while in the field. For some it will be a strictly stay-at-home companion guide to consult after a field trip; others may want to have it handy in a fannypack or backpack. But regardless of how it is used, Sibley's Guide to Birds is a significant addition to any birding library. "Birds are beautiful," the author writes in the preface, "their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature." Pleasing, too, is this comprehensive guide to their identification. --Langdon Cook
Book Description
David Allen Sibley, America's most gifted contemporary painter of birds, is the author and illustrator of this comprehensive guide. His beautifully detailed illustrations—more than 6,600 in all—and descriptions of 810 species and 350 regional populations will enrich every birder's experience.
The Sibley Guide's innovative design makes it entirely user friendly. The illustrations are arranged to facilitate comparison, yet still capture the unique character of each species.
The Sibley Guide to Birds provides a wealth of new information:
—Captioned illustrations show many previously unpublished field marks and revisions of known marks
—Nearly every species is shown in flight
—Measurements include length, wingspan, and weight for every species
—Subspecies and geographic varients are covered thoroughly
—Complete voice descriptions are included for every species
—Maps show the complete distribution of every species: summer and winter ranges, migration routes, and rare occurrences
Both novice and experienced birders will appreciate these and other innovative features:
—An introductory page for each family or group of related families makes comparisons simple
—Clear and concise labels with pointers identify field marks directly
—Birds are illustrated in similar poses to make comparisons between species quick and easy
—Illustrations emphasize the way birds look in the field
With
The Sibley Guide to Birds, the National Audubon Society makes the art and expertise of David Sibley available to the world in a comprehensive, handsome, easy-to-use volume that will be the indispensable identification guide every birder must own.
Customer Reviews:
Sibley is so helpful!.......2007-07-01
BACK IN THE DAYS...
when I was a young, inexperienced, birdwatcher of age 5, I found this book at a bookstore and started flipping through its pages. When my folks were ready to go, I would not leave it. So we bought the book, thinking "Was this book really worth it?" And it was.
3 YEARS LATER...
Sibley's guide is awesome! I could look at it for hours. It has got top-notch info that is suprisingly helpful for any person interested in birds. If you are a beginner, you will learn so much from it (I did!) and if you have studied birds for a while, you will get to know species better.
Go to your nearest bookstore or library to find it. It's really worth it!
The Sibley Guide to Birds----a must for birding ........2007-06-27
The Sibley Guide to Birds is necessary for anyone who has a serious or not-so-serious interest in identifying birds. The prose is well-written and easy to understand and each description gives plenty of information to help you further identify the different varieties of birds. But the most compelling feature, and one that isn't shared by any of the other bird books that I've come across, is the illustrations of each bird in all of its incarnations---from hatchling to adult and every stage of seasonal molt inbetween.
Bird watching.......2007-06-21
This book is excellent for Identifing birds.
THE guide to own for North American birds.......2007-06-18
This is THE guide to have for North American birds. It is complete, the illustrations are wonderful and very clear, and all information is included on the same page (I just wish a little more information on habitat & behavior were included). The book also includes pages illustrating birds of similar species one next to each other, which makes identification easier. The only real drawback of this book are its size and weight. It is not ideal if you are into hiking/birdwatching. If you are looking for another excellent but lighter guide to bring with you when birdwatching I recommend "All the Birds of North America" (American Bird Conservancy's Field Guide). It is complete, clear and much much smaller and lighter than Sibley. However, not only the art in Sibley is better, but there are way more illustrations of birds in different positions, of different age and or different forms (e.g. darker/lighter etc). What I often end up doing is bringing the lighter guide with me when I hike and using Sibley to check doubtful birds when I reach home.
A great book and a great gift.......2007-03-18
We've already got a copy of this book and we decided to give this copy as a gift. It was a hit. The illustrations and descriptions are great. Very easy to use.
Book Description
Birding is the fastest growing wildlife-related activity in the U.S., and even conservative estimates put the current number of U.S. birders at 50 million. According to the New York Times, some authorities predict that by 2050 there will be more than 100 million—and the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America will be the essential reference for field identification and the cornerstone of any birder's library. This is the ultimate, indispensable bird field guide—comprehensive, authoritative, portable, sturdy, and easier than ever to use.
Among the the new edition's key elements and practical improvements: Every North American species—more than 960, including a new section on accidental birds—classified according to the latest official American Ornithologists' Union checklist 4,000 full-color illustrations by the foremost bird artists at work todayand newly updated range maps that draw on the latest data New durable cover for added protection against adverse weather, plus informative quick-reference flaps that double as placemarkers New reader-friendly features like thumbtabs that make locating key sections faster and easier, and a quick-find index to direct users straight to the information they need.
Customer Reviews:
Nat Geo Bird Guide.......2007-10-03
I think this is a good field guide. I find the organization easy to use. The infomation is good and includes the regions where each bird can be found. The pictures and drawings of the birds were very thorough, ie the birds may be sitting or flying, male vs female, juveniles vs. adults, and extensive markings are identified.
I'm rather new to bird watching, so I only gave it 4 stars. I thought the more experienced watchers may have a different perspective.
Great Guide for Birding.......2007-09-07
As a novice birder, I find this book to be invaluable. Not only does it provide great photos, it also gives information that entices the reader to learn more and more. This is the text our birding instructor insists we all have in our libraries, and I certainly know why. The guide is a must for anyone interested in learning more about birds.
Still the best in its field.......2007-08-31
I've owned a previous edition of this field guide (it fell into a pond), and I think this continues as the clearest, most practical North American field guide I've found.
The text is simple and to the point. The illustrations are not always as beautiful or lifelike as the drawings or photographs in other guides, but are often much clearer, with useful distinguishing details always picked out well, and a range of plumages/postures shown when necessary. It's not posket sized, but it's not too large or heavy for a backpack or fannypack. As a practical field guide, this is my choice.
I haven't found any changes from the fourth edition that make much of a difference for me, so I wouldn't suggest buying this just as an upgrade.
Hawkeye Review.......2007-06-26
Excellent Field Guide for North American birds----I have owned numerous field guides and this one is by far the best. The bird pictures are excellent and easy to compare with the living specimens. Field notes and range maps are also excellent. A great birding guide that will not dissappoint. National Geographic continues to put out top quality publications.
Great usable field guide.......2007-05-23
Love the new National Geographic field guide! The tabs are wonderful - would be even better if there were more. The flip index in the back is even more helpful. I've used National Geo field guides for years and this is the best yet!
Book Description
This introduction to film appreciation uses both contemporary and classic movies to help students develop critical skills in the analysis and evaluation of film. By suggesting what to look for and how to look for it, the text challenges students to sharpen their powers of observation, establish habits of perceptive watching, and discover complex aspects of film art that will further enhance their enjoyment of watching films. In addition it makes the link from literature to film in chapters on Thematic Elements, Fictional and Dramatic Elements and a unique chapter on Adaptions.
Customer Reviews:
Informative.......2007-04-23
Used this book in an intro to film class. I will keep it on the shelf as a reference book. For class it has smooth reading that is cohesive, didn't seem like it has filler information in it. It was fun to read. The context was very helpful in class for lectures, and movie analyzation. Goes over key aspects of film as well as very detailed examples of what to look for, how to see it.
The Art of Watching Film.......2007-01-14
This book was a required text for a film class I took. It is very well done and the price was less than if I had purchased it at the college bookstore.
Intro to Film Studies HUM150.......2006-02-26
This may come as no surprise but I only bought this book for a college class. It turns out that it was a great class. The book isn't nearly as dry as I expected but still, it is a text book. I took the class at the University of Phoenix just to fill some elective credits. Turns out the class was great and the instructor was too. The book was good for a text book and the service from Amazon was well above anything you'll get from a uiversity shop or even most online retailers. If you have to get the book I suggest getting it at Amazon. :)
Essential for movie lovers........2001-03-29
Outstanding book. Even better than I thought it would be once I looked through it. It covers everything related to movies. There are even exercises, like homework, where you watch various movies to learn different things about the movies. If you take movies and movie reviews seriously, you need this book!
Essential for movie lovers........2001-03-29
Outstanding book. Even better than I thought it would be once I looked through it. It covers everything related to movies. There are even exercises, like homework, where you watch various movies to learn different things about the movies. If you take movies and movie reviews seriously, you need this book!
Book Description
Since its original publication in 1993, The Safari Companion has been the best field guide to observing and understanding the behavior of African mammals. An indispensable tool for naturalists traveling to Africa, this new edition has been revised to acknowledge the enthusiasm to those watching these magnificent animals at zoos and wildlife parks, and on film. The Safari Companion enables readers to recognize and interpret visible behavioral activities, such as courtship rituals, territorial marking, aggression, and care of young. Each account of over 80 species includes a behavioral table in which the unique actions of the hoofed mammals, carnivores, and primates are described for easy reference. In addition, useful maps show the major national boundaries, vegetation zones, and game parks relevant to the guide. The book includes an extensive glossary, as well as tips on wildlife photography, a list of organizations working to protect African wildlife, and advice on where and when to see the animals.
Customer Reviews:
Well Written, by and Expert.......2007-07-19
I just returned from Tanzania, and used this book while on Safari in Serengetti, Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire.
The main strength of the book is the high level overview given to game viewing in the beginning and at the beginning of each animal section. Without some background in behavioral biology it is tough to watch the animals and find it interesting for too long. After reading the opening to this book I was able to take much more from watching big herds of grazers than the tourists I was with.
Richard Estes is clearly an expert in the field, but he writes in a fashion that is easy to understand for a layman. He also gives some personalization to his accounts, giving personal tips for a good game drive.
The only issue with the book is that it is sometimes difficult to match the behavior of the animals in the field to the book in the limited time that is available on safari, so I would suggest that anyone interested read the sections about the animals they expect to see before the safari, and have those pages marked for reference during the game drive.
Excellent Safari Companion.......2007-03-08
This book was an engrossing and wonderful read as we undertook the Safari.
It provided insight into the behavior and special characteristics of each animal that we saw, and made the sightings much more interesting than just the identification of each species.
Recommended highly!
In my experience, this isn't very useful.......2007-02-26
I've been to Tanzania's national parks twice, and watched a lot of game in both the popular and the less-crowded parks. Estes came with me the first time, based on my interest in the animals and reviewers' comments found here; and this last time I took along the (copied) pages for a dozen or so animals (zebras, elephants, wildebeest, giraffes, etc).
His work is certainly interesting and I fully expected it would be a useful Safari Companion. But it hasn't lived up to expectations.
I know I've been fortunate to have guides who were very knowledgable: getting us into interesting situations, pointing out behavior and being able to answer lots of questions. In the evening, though, I've often checked to see what Estes might have to say about what we'd seen; and, typically, I didn't learn anything new. That, by itself, doesn't justify leaving Estes behind. But with few exceptions, fairly careful reading of Estes beforehand didn't prepared me to "see" behavior that might otherwise have been missed over the course of 5 weeks of game watching. I'm certain it's not that the behavior Estes describes doesn't occur; it's just that we tourists rarely have the opportunity to observe animals for long enough periods for it to happen!
After my second trip, I got a copy of "The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals" and I might take it along next time as a close substitute for Estes. For very easy identification of the common animals and birds of East Africa, however, I'll continue to rely on Withers and Hosking, "Wildlife of East Africa" in preference to the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to ..." (which I also own).
Not for the average safari .......2007-01-09
This is a great book for people that want to know about all the variations of antelope, birds etc. If you're looking to go on your first safari and will be amazed by the sight of your first lion, this book is overkill for you.
If you're well educated on animal species, this is a good book for you.
The Safari Companion.......2006-08-21
Excellent safari companion showing various animals and describing them, their habitat, etc. Recommended for anyone going on safari.
Average customer rating:
- A wonderful resource to widen children's movie-viewing horizons
- The Best Old Movies for Families
- Entertaining and informative
- Put this book in your car!
- A wonderful guide to classic movies to watch with your kids
|
The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together
Ty Burr
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1400096863
Release Date: 2007-02-13 |
Book Description
If a child can watch Barney, can’t that same child also enjoy watching Charlie Chaplin or the Marx Brothers? And as they get older, wouldn’t they grow to like screwball comedies (His Girl Friday), women’s weepies (Imitation of Life), and westerns (The Searchers)? The answer is that they’ll follow because they’ll have learned that “old” does not necessarily mean “next channel, please.”
Here is an impassioned and eminently readable guide that introduces the delights of the golden age of movies. Ty Burr has come up with a winning prescription for children brought up on Hollywood junk food.
FOR THE LITTLE ONES (Ages 3—
6): Fast-paced movies that are simple without being unsophisticated, plainspoken without being dumbed down. Singin’ in the Rain and Bringing Up Baby are perfect.
FOR THE ONES IN BETWEEN (Ages 7—
12): “Killer stories,” placing easily grasped characters in situations that start simply and then throw curveballs. The African Queen and Some Like It Hot do the job well.
FOR THE OLDER ONES (Ages 13+): Burr recommends relating old movies to teens’ contemporary favorites: without Hitchcock, there could be no The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, without Brando, no Johnny Depp.
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful resource to widen children's movie-viewing horizons.......2007-09-29
I came across this book in my local library, and after reading it, am going to purchase a copy for myself, and perhaps give it out as gifts for friends that have young children. This is an amazing movie resource. Ty Burr writes in such a familiar, easy-to-read style, and despite his motives [trying to get us to expand our young ones' movie viewing experiences through old movies/classics], never once comes across as condescending or snobbish.
The fact is that children these days are really being fed a steady, and not so healthy diet of the same type of movies that have spawned sequels, mass merchandising, and dare I say movies that don't really promote great role models [I have had enough of those tween movies with young Hollywood starlets in them]. Ty Burr provides great tips and ideas on overcoming this problems by suggesting old movies, or rather classics that will appeal to the toddler set[Meet Me in St Louis], the tween set[The African Queen], and also teenagers[Metropolis]. There are also old movies he doesn't recommend you watch with your children. The best part of the book is the comprehensive list of old movie titles in the different categories such as comedy, drama, musicals, action, adventure & westerns, horror, sci fi and fantasy, & foreign movies.
All in all, I'd highly recommend this book to readers who are interested in expanding the movie viewing experiences of the young children in their lives, and even for one's own viewing pleasure [there were titles in here that I had never come across and plan to check out!].
The Best Old Movies for Families.......2007-08-23
Excellent Book--I have given it to all of my grown up children. Just reading through it is a trip down memory lane.
Entertaining and informative.......2007-07-30
Our family enjoyed this book--we got lots of ideas for movie nights, and we also got a kick out of reading the author's entries on movies we've already seen with our kids. It also kick-starts your memory for movies that Burr didn't write about--we were surprised that John Wayne's "True Grit" didn't make the cut for tween girls, and that the Julie Andrews' "Cinderella" wasn't mentioned in little girl musicals. Altogether, this is an engaging and fun book that I would also recommend for adults who are looking to educate themselves about classic cinema.
Put this book in your car!.......2007-07-15
When you are standing at the video store with your brain going blank and the helpful clerk checking out her latest tattoos, this book will be waiting for you in your car. It is also advisable to put a pad of yellow stickums in the book so you can flag pages you want to go back to. It's the perfect reading for that "lost" time when you are sick of soccer or pluperfectly bored with carpools. Hundreds of great suggestions, well-written reviews and guidance to "what comes next" make this the best thing since microwave popcorn. My favorite chapter was "Kong Island Theory: Old Movies NOT to Watch With Your Children" and the index with age recommendations which I suppose you could always xerox and carry around in your wallet if you didn't want to keep the book in your car. But DO keep the book in your car. Your kids will thank you for it.
A wonderful guide to classic movies to watch with your kids.......2007-07-04
I bought this book because there are so many wonderful old movies out there and I wanted a guide to which ones I should watch with my daughter. I was not disappointed. Ty Burr is a wonderfully witty and humorous and knowledgeable film critic with years of experience at both Entertainment Weekly and now The Boston Globe, and this book is clearly a labor of love based on the experiences he had watching these movies with his children.
The book starts out with what Ty calls "Starter Kits" - 5 movies to watch with kids of different ages. For example, the Toddler starter kit includes the original Robin Hood (Ty calls him the original super hero), Meet me in St. Louis, Bringing up Baby (The sell: The Cat in the Hat with a Bryn Mawr accent :); Singin' in the Rain and StageCoach. I've watched three of these already with my 6 year old and she has really enjoyed them and, I think, learned a lot from them as well.
Other chapters are organized according to the type of movie. There are chapters on Comedy, Drama, Musicals, Actions and Westerns, Horror and also Foreign Language classics. Each movie is succinctly reviewed, with headings on who directed and starred in the movie, the age group that is appropriate, the sell (For the Marx Brother's Duck Soup he says: "You think you and your brother are nuts? Watch these guys."), the plot and why he choose the movie. There is also a useless trivia section. (Bet you didn't know that Duck Soup was banned by Benito Mussolini.)
In the past, it was hard to find many of these movies at your local video store but now that we are in the age of NetFlix, the book has more relevance than ever.
These movies are a huge change from the usual diet of Nickelodeon stuff like Spongebob that she usually watches - but what's truly wonderful is that they are enriching and memorable movies for the whole family to watch. It has been a genuine thrill for me to rediscover these movies and watch them through her eyes.
These classic movies are also a valuable lens through which a child can learn about how Americans lived in the past, and their attitudes and foibles. Ty's witty guide is a must buy for anyone that believes that classic movies are an essential part of a child's upbringing and education - and a welcome change from the current media diet our children are exposed to. Highly recommended.
Book Description
Listen to birds sing as you've never listened before, as the world-renowned birdsong expert Donald Kroodsma takes you on personal journeys of discovery and intrigue. Read stories of wrens and robins, thrushes and thrashers, warblers and whip-poor-wills, bluebirds and cardinals, and many more bird. Learn how each acquires its songs, how songs vary from bird to bird and place to place, how some birds' singing is especially beautiful or ceaseless or complex, how some do not sing at all, how the often quiet female has the last word, and why. Hear a baby wren and the author's own daughter babble as each learns its local dialect. Listen to the mockingbird by night and by day and count how many different songs he can sing. Marvel at the exquisite harmony in the duet of a wood thrush as he uses his two voice boxes to accompany himself. Feel the extraordinary energy in the songs just before sunrise as dawn's first light sweeps across this singing planet. Hear firsthand the unmistakable evidence that there are not one but two species of marsh wrens and two species of winter wrens in North America. Learn not only to hear but to see birds sing in the form of sonagrams, as these visual images dance across the pages while you listen to the accompanying CD. Using your trained ears and eyes, you can begin your own journeys of discovery. Listen anew to birds in your backyard and beyond, exploring the singing minds of birds as they tell all that they know. Join Kroodsma not only in identifying but in identifying with singing birds, connecting with nature's musicians in a whole new way.
Customer Reviews:
"Not least,for just being there and singing,I thank the birds themselves.".......2007-05-25
With over 1,000 "Bird Books" in my collection;it takes something real special to excite me. This book is such a special book. There are many books,records,tapes CD's and DVD'd that do an excellent job of teaching and describing bird songs so that with some practice you can recognize a large number of birds in the field.
Howerever,much more than showing a few ,typical songs of birds,so that you can recognize them when they call or sing;this book goes far deeper in showing you how to understand and appreciate bird song. There is much more to the song of a Chestnut-sided Warbler than the common "Pleased-pleased-pleased-to-MEETCHA." or the "whip-poor-Will" of the Whip-poor-will than one could ever imagine.In the case of the American Robin the author has found out how to tell one robin from another right in your own backyard. Obviously,it would take many years to learn and understand in detail all the songs of a large number of species as the author has done;but then he has studied birdsong for over 30 years and was recognized as "the reigning authority on the biology of avian vocal behavior"by the American Ornithologist's Union in 2003.
In this book,Kroodsma gives us the benefit of his vast knowledge,and it will certainly become "the book to have" for anyone who wants to give bird song serious study.His writing style is such that a very complicated subject can be understood and helpful;be the reader one who is a relative amateur or an extremely experienced birder.
One could almost start reading at any point in the book;but I would suggest,after the first chapter,turn to page 366,"Bird Sounds on the Compact Disc" and play the CD and follow the description for each track.You might even want to do do this a couple of times.
Another suggestion, once you have purused the book, would be to pick one of the birds the author has gone into detail with,and that are abundant near your home ,such as the American Robin,and really study the songs as the author explains.This can be done simply,as long as you don't try to get into advanced recording.A notepad,pen,seat and a cool drink will suffice.
At first glance this book might overwhelm you ;but don't let it.
I have two wonderful friends,sisters Joan and Gail,who I meet each spring at Point Pelee in Ontario. Joan was given this book by a friend,thought it was "too deep" for her;so she gave it to me. Thanks Joan,I love it.
An Excellent Book.......2007-04-04
I was looking for a book on bird song to give to a friend who is graduating from music school, and I bought the Kroodsma book on the recommendation of other Amazon reviewers, whom I can't thank enough for encouraging me to purchase this book. Having also purchased "Why Birds Sing" and "Birdsong: A Natural History" for my friend, I find that the Kroodsma is by far and away the better book, not only because it contains a cd, but because of the unique writing style that reflects a lifetime interest in and knowledge of the subject matter.
The Singing Life of Birds.......2007-01-10
A scientist's very personal record of the life and song of the great number of birds, including a CD with autor's recordings as well as the recordings of some of his colleagues. The extensive and interesting narrative is supplemented by many analyses of the structure of the bird's song. Author's interest and knowledge of music is reflected in comparing the birds' and human's music "appreciation". The sonagrams are shown in the text as well on the screen in their multifaceted form.
The Singing Life of Birds.......2007-01-10
Excellent service. Prompt shipping. The book is fascinating as is the accompanying CD. Would recommend to anyone with an interest in birds and wildlife.
out of this world!.......2006-07-30
One can only think the amount of knowledge Don has on bird sounds is in a different scale to the rest. But then he finds the way to transmit a good portion of it with simple and very easy to read stories and that becomes even more incredible. A very beautiful book in all senses.
Book Description
Essential, comprehensive, and easy to use, National Geographic Complete Book of Birds is an astonishing resource that covers every bird species in North America, as well as all the migrants that fly through. The entries are organized by family groups-an incredible 82 are included-according to the American Ornithological Union guidelines. Within a family, each separate bird entry has dozens of tips and illustrations on species' genders, age groups, behavior, habitats, nesting and feeding habits, and migration routes. Readers will also find unique features, such as:A quick-find index for the most common bird groups and a full glossaryStraightforward, accessible text by numerous birding experts, including National Geographic's resident birding consultant Jonathan AlderferHundreds of range and migration maps from renowned ornithologist Paul Lehman with National Geographic cartographersState-of-the-art, updated bird illustrations by expert artists, including Jonathan AlderferNew and original photographs from well-known bird photographers Kevin Karlson and Brian Small
Perfect for novice or experienced birders alike, National Geographic Complete Book of Birds is a definitive, must-have resource. Quite simply, there is no other volume like it.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent content, unacceptale binding........2007-07-01
This book has excellent content, but the first printing had the stiff binding that wouldn't allow the book to open fully, making it very difficult to read. The second printing has a more flexible spine where the pages are just stuck to it. After four months of very casual use, the pages began falling out. This is the poorest bound book that I have ever seen.
Alex's bird review.......2007-07-01
Birdwatchers,hello! I am an 8-year old birder. If you love birds and need some good information 'Nat Geo's Complete Birds of North America' has great info on behavior, identification and other important bird stuff! It is the first book I look at if my family or a friend describes a bird they saw today.
I reccomend this highly, and you can buy it at almost every bookstore or library.
Great Content, Terrible Presentation.......2006-06-10
The single most noticeable thing about this book is how poorly it was manufactured. The spine seems to be made from steel making it impossible to ever fully open the book and an exercise in frustration to read. This problem is greatly exacerbated by the fact that the text runs way down into the deep dark recesses of the crevasse created by the horrible binding. The actaully printing however is very good. The pictures are clear with good color and the paper is of high quality. This makes it even more of a shame that the binding is so bad.
The actual content of the book is quite good. Most of the illustrations were taken from the National Geographic Field Guide as were the maps. The maps have been increased in size which is a definite help. Every species accepted by the ABA is covered with its own write-up. Not surprisingly, some of the rarer species receive much less of a write-up then the regular ones.
In the end I believe that the poor production qualities fatally flaw the book and can only recommend to the bird book obsessed like myself.
Terrific information.......2006-03-07
Well written, good information, well organized. Not a field guide but one of the best reference books I've seen.
Best Bird Book Available.......2006-03-02
In typical National Geographic fashion, this book is excellent. It is extremely comprehensive with outstanding artwork. This is a must have for anyone who enjoys birding. You should also buy the National Geographic Field Guide to Birds of North America as an easy to carry companion.
Amazon.com
World-renowned birder Kenn Kaufman addresses a long-running paradox of bird field guides with his Focus Guide. While beginning birdwatchers prefer photographic guides like those by Donald Stokes, the physical traits that make identification easier are more readily discerned in the idealized paintings of illustrative guides like those by Roger Tory Peterson and National Geographic. Kaufman's groundbreaking work combines the best of both approaches by digitally enhancing photographic images to show the characteristics that are sometimes not apparent in photographs.
Some other distinguishing features include:
- The guide is organized by bird family groupings rather than strict taxonomic classification; this is a feature that will appeal especially to beginners.
- Text descriptions and range maps for each species appear on the page facing the plate of respective bird images.
- Important field marks are highlighted.
- Color-coded tabs identify each grouping of birds (waders, warblers, sparrows, etc.) for quick thumb indexing.
Kaufman's efforts follow the auspicious tradition of Roger Tory Peterson, whose portable field guide system was the first of its kind to meet the needs of the average birdwatcher. "It's the guide I've always wanted," says Kaufman, "and I suspect most birders will feel the same way."
Book Description
In 2000 Houghton Mifflin first published the Kaufman Focus Guide to the Birds of North America. Critically acclaimed for its innovative design, the Kaufman guide began introducing a new generation to birding. In 2005, this new Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America is now the most up-to-date field guide, including dozens of changes by the American Ornithologists" Union in official names of birds; the addition of new species to reflect the latest scientific discoveries; and dozens of updated range maps. Additional information helps beginning birdwatchers get started, all in the same compact format that has made this guide the easiest to use for fast identification in the field.
Customer Reviews:
Love this book.......2007-08-22
We use this all the time to identify the birds around us and when we travel. Great pictures!
great pictures, makes it easy to identify birds.......2007-06-12
we were replacing a golden field guide to birds that got dunked in the water....this one is great! Sturdy binding, good indexing, great pictures, I find it very easy to use. We enjoy identifying the birds around our home in Minnesota but are not "birdwatchers". I would recommend it highly.
A book in the hand.......2007-04-02
Kaufman's book is beautifully organized and illustrated. The descriptions are brief as befits a book intended as a pocketable field guide but the salient points for identification are presented clearly. It is not absolutely complete for the sake of brevity but the species omitted are not very likely to be encountered. If needed a local area supplement could be used. It serves its purpose very well indeed.
Great indexing--especially for beginners.......2007-03-26
My 7 year old has recently become fascinated with birds. We had a little backyard guide, but it just wasn't enough. I went to the bookstore to look at the different guides available & really loved the way this book is indexed. In the front, you see pictures of groups of birds, the name of the group & a color band--the book section has the matching color band.
It's really easy for my daughter to see a bird, glance over the first groups of pictures in the front index, pick the group that it looks like, then find the colored section in the book & find the exact bird! There isn't a ton of info no the birds, mostly just region info, food, call, etc--but pictures include males, females & juveniles--which is very nice--the maps are also very clear, so it's easy to see if it might be in your area.
We love this book & highly recommend it to beginners who don't know much about birds & their groups, etc!
For further information on the birds, we also bought the DK (Dorling Kindersley) Guide to Birds of North America--we bought the Eastern, but they also make a Western. It's 24.99 at the book store, but you can get it for less than 10 here on amazon--it goes into great detail about each bird, has tons of color pictures of the birds, their nests, eggs, babies, etc--very educational--we will use it to learn more about the birds once we spot them in our Kaufman guide.
We also ordered, on a whim & because it was only 83 cents on amazon, The Complete Birdhouse Book--The Easy Guide to Attracting Nesting Birds by Donald & Lillian Stokes. When it arrived I was overjoyed with how wonderful this book is--it is full color, talks in-depth about the bird life-cycle with full color pictures & specifically what different birds need in a home--and thus, how to construct it! What beginner ever knew the hole size, hole to floor measurement & inside dimensions & total height were so important--not to mention where it is placed & what type of things to leave in your yard for nesting material! Also, how to control predators & pests & other useful information. Full color pictures again & highly educational---a good companion for anyone wanting to attract birds to their yard!
Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America.......2007-03-21
By my side constantly. My old guide was over 10 years old & used in MD & NJ. Now in AL I can start again .. the pictures are vivid. Great detail on attacting birds and easy for me to identify the new ones here in a new local.
Can start again on listing the dates I see my NEW birds. Glad I bought this one.
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