Float

This is a great book, chock-a-block w/ very accessible experiments. One of the best features is the way the experiments are grouped together: a 'theme' (say, Acids, in the Chemistry section) will have a group of experiments of varying degrees of complexity that together add up to a pretty good understanding of the concept. Also, most of the materials are readily at hand- for many of them we really did already have everything in the house. This is esp. gratifying for the kids, who of course want to do the experiment *right now*. I would imagine that home-schooling families would enjoy this, but our school-going kids enjoy doing these experiments after school & on weekends.

p.s., one of the easiest experiments is also a real showstopper, though it takes a couple of days to complete: dissolving the eggshell of an egg, leaving the egg inside intact!

I wish I had this book 15 years ago as we spent time at home playing "Mad Scientist" with our young children. Our kids are now all teenagers and have enjoyed exploring Robinson's book.
Children LOVE to experiment with their world. "The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book" offers parents and kids alike a wide array of adventures in science including: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, and the Human Body. This book is oriented to kids ages 7-12 but offers information and exploration for budding scientists of all ages. I appreciate this book's easy entrance into the world of science and the three levels of experiments for each area of science: 1)Simple Home Experiments; 2)More Detailed "Kid's Lab Lessons"; 3)Science Fair Projects. The art layout (including multi-color printing, fun-graphics, puzzles, and side-bars), the splashy presentation of information (including fun facts, words to know, dumb-jokes, online science websites and cool quotes) and a complete index make this book an excellent resource for parents, homeschoolers and science teachers. For two other parenting resources, look into "The Family Cloister" and "The Christian Family Toolbox", both by David Robinson (...)

Wow, what a great book! My kids love it. It is set up as a series of activities that begin with a question followed by an experiment that answers the question. Questions such as "How do you peel a raw egg?", "Does air take up space?" and "Why can't I taste medicine when I plug my nose?" are all examples of questions posed in the book. The fun is in the experiment that answers the question. I think I counted something like 30 different experiments from 5 main science areas (biology, chemistry, physics, planet earth, and the human body). Following each area is a "science fair project" for the kids to use at the next science fair at school! What a great resource it will be for our family in the years to come. All in all a great book at a great price.

If you've been messing around boats most of your life (as I have), or if you're new to boating, this book offers a source of practical, useful information. I suspect many of us have seen some of the author's tips in other publications from time to time, but I have never seen them compiled in one easy-to-find source until I got this book. I heartily recommend it to all boaters.

A GREAT EASY TO READ AND UNDERSTAND PUBLICATION FOR THE APPRENTICE TO THE ACCOMPLISHED BOATER. IT IS WRITTEN IN UNCOMPLICATED TERMINOLGY THAT GETS RIGHT TO THE POINT OF MAKING ONES BOATING EXPERIENCE MORE PLEASING. IT COVERS THE TECHINICAL AND PRACTICAL PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY BOTH THE SAILOR AND POWER BOATER. THE TIPS AND ADVICE PROVIDED WILL SAVE US ALL MANY DOLLARS.

Schindler, himself a treasure-trove of history and lore of New Orleans' "golden age", shares through lucid and eloquent essays and stunning color plates the story of the evolution of the Carnival street pageant, from its beginnings in pre-Civil War affluence to the great depression of the 1930s. He weaves a tapestry of social, political and economic events through the warp of the lives of the great artists and artistic movements that shaped the unique street parades of the New Orleans Carnival. From the sadly anonymous creator of the 1858 Comus pageant memorialized in the London Illustrated News through the accomplishments of prolific Virginia Wilkinson Wilde and the remarkable Plauche family in the last century, Schindler offers a rich chronicle of the men and women who created a unique art form that provided mass public entertainment long before the invention of the motion picture projector and cathode ray tube. Those of us who have enjoyed his prior publications, Mardi Gras and Invitations of the Golden Age will delight in this latest addition to the multi-layered history of New Orleans' pre-Lenten celebration. Readers new to Schindler's magic will eagerly await his next opus.

Mardi Gras Treasures charts the specialty parade floats of Carnival in New Orleans from 1870-1930, examining classic and artistic themes and recreating original float designs in watercolor and lithographs. The author, Henri Schindler, has himself designed Mardi Gras parades and balls for some time: his striking full-color illustrations will appeal to a wide audience, from float designers to artists with a special interest in New Orleans works and history.

This book, with this theme, could have preached, could have easily slipped into being a track. But it did neither. This is poetry. This book is a monument to what it is. There is a competence in the use of language that is startling and rewarding to read.

Larry's vividly descriptive writing style and attention to detail arm you with the knowledge necessary to hunt safely and successfully in any part of Alaska. His gift for delivering the results of his extensive research will guide you to the game animals, and leave you longing for his next book release.
I highly recommend reading and STUDYING this book before venturing into the rivers of Alaska, whether you are new to the "Last Frontier" or a seasoned hunter.

I fell in love with this book after reading the first 10 pages... After reading, I'm sure you will agree

This book captures and preserves the robust atmosphere of a truly unique place - the Southeast Alaska logging camp - from an insider's point of view. And it is a rare view, indeed, as little has ever been recorded, or likely ever will be...a whole way of life has nearly vanished away in one generation. To a veteran of the camps, the book brings a warm reminiscence. To other readers, a warm invitation...

Don Miles creates colorful characters to illustrate life as a kid while growing up in Grace Idaho. Miles, and his savvy cousin Morg, attempt to "tame the wilderness" in this exremely humorous collection of stories.

Whether they are submerging his father's tractor in a river, staring a wild bear in the face, or discovering new and ingenius uses for a bottle of whiskey - these adventures are outrageous!

An excellent read.

I WORKED AT FORE RIVER AS AN ELECTRICIAN IN 1952. BEING RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL WITH AN ELECTRICIAN BACKGROUND, I WAS AMAZED AT THE SIZE AND COMPLEXITY OF SHIP BUILDING. (I GRADUATED FROM QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL IN 1952). ONE OF MY JOBS AT FORE RIVER WAS TO WIRE ALARM PANELS FOR THE CORNHUSKER MARINER. A YEAR LATER I WAS IN THE AIR FORCE IN KOREA AND I READ IN THE STARS AND STRIPES THAT THE CORNHUSKER MARINER RAN AGROUND SOMEWHERE IN THE PACIFIC. I DID NOT KNOW UNTIL I READ THIS BOOK THAT IT WAS SCRAPPED AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

AS THE AUTHOR SAYS IN HIS BOOK, MOST OF THE WORKERS WERE DEDICATED TO SHIP BUILDING. AS ALWAYS, ONE COULD FIND SLACKERS IN A LARGE POPULATION.

THANKS FOR WRITING THE BOOK DAVE, BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES.

R P MacPherson, PhD
Sanford, FL

This book lends itself to easy comparison to Loung Ung's tome "First They Killed My Father," and while "When Broken Glass Floats" is a good book it's not as fulfilling as "First They Killed My Father." "When Broken Glass Floats" leaves large chunks of time un-narrated, doesn't discuss the ramifications of the author's Chinese (as opposed to pure Khmer) heritage, and generally is a less engaging read. It finds a strength, however, in its greater number of "cultural asides," that is, places in the text where the author directly addresses the reader and notes some small detail of Cambodian culture. Additionally, this book would have benefitted from an epilogue regarding the author's post-Cambodian life in the U.S., and would also have benefitted from some discussion either in the text or via footnotes, of what was actually happening politically at the time--it would make the story flow a little better.

Sometimes you don't choose a book to buy off the shelf - it chooses you...and Thy's autobiography somehow made it's way into my hands.

In a beautiful story about courage and loyalty to family even when staring death in the face, it is impossible not to become attatched to characters such as Pa, Mak and Chea. Although I cannot deny that parts of the story are left unfinished, such as Ra's first marriage and subsequently her second marriage to bang Ventha, which left me wondering what eventuated, it does not detract from the overall effect of the book.

It is heartwrenching to read of the hunger, death and inhumane conditions Thy and her family endured at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. As cliched as it sounds, it truly does make one realise how blessed we are to be living in a country where atrocities such as what Thy suffered no longer occur...

"When Broken Glass Floats" is one of those rare books that remains etched in your memory long after the last page closes...

It would be impossible for me to give this book less than a perfect rating because it is a first hand account of how a child sees the Khmer Rouge. That being said, that is all it is and if the reader is looking for more than it may fall short of your expectations.

I think this book could be improved if the author had included historical data and information about what was going on in Cambodia with the Khmer Rouge at the time that she is recalling. That would have been very helpful for me, because there is still much I feel I need to learn about the Khmer Rouge and Cambodian politics that I was not able to get from this novel.

However, the firsthand accounts of what it was like to be a helpless child in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge are extraordinarily moving and I would definitely recommend reading this book. It is important to understand what living in these conditions were like and this novel holds implications for all children that are exposed to national atrocities.