Product Description
Humorous text explains the concept of time, from seconds to hours on both analog and digital clocks, from years to millennia on the calendar. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Telling Time After Reading Through Once!
Our almost 6 year old has been wanting to be able to tell time for the past year. We've tried many different manipulatives with not much luck past the o'clocks and X:30. After reading this book just once, she's now actually telling time on analog clocks. It's slow going, but she really gets it now. Our daughter LOVES the poem at the end. It also covers calendar time - from one day to a millenium.

The book is VERY interactive in the way it's written when the parent reads to the child. My only complaint is that it's never explained about what hour it is when the hour hand is between numbers or almost on the next number. ... Read more

Product Description
FIRSTLY: don’t touch the hands of your cuckoo-clock heart. SECONDLY: master your anger. THIRDLY: never, ever fall in love. For if you do, the hour hand will poke through your skin, your bones will shatter, and your heart will break once more.

Edinburgh, 1874. Born with a frozen heart, Jack is near death when his mother abandons him to the care of Dr. Madeleine—witch doctor, midwife, protector of orphans—who saves Jack by placing a cuckoo clock in his chest. And it is in her orphanage that Jack grows up among tear-filled flasks, eggs containing memories, and a man with a musical spine.

As Jack gets older, Dr. Madeleine warns him that his heart is too fragile for strong emotions: he must never, ever fall in love. And, of course, this is exactly what he does: on his tenth birthday and with head-over-heels abandon. The object of his ardor is Miss Acacia—a bespectacled young street performer with a soul-stirring voice. But now Jack’s life is doubly at risk—his heart is in danger and so is his safety after he injures the school bully in a fight for the affections of the beautiful singer.

Now begins a journey of escape and pursuit, from Edinburgh to Paris to Miss Acacia’s home in Andalusia. Mathias Malzieu’s The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart is a fantastical, wildly inventive tale of love and heartbreak—by turns poignant and funny—in which Jack finally learns the great joys, and ultimately the greater costs, of owning a fully formed heart. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Meh. Average.
The Boy With the Cuckoo Clock Heart first caught my attention when I discovered Dionysus's (who the author of this book sings in) album, "La Mechanique du Coeur" (French.) I enjoyed the album enough to purchase the book, used instead of new. I'm glad I did.

Though the concept of the book is very intriguing -- a boy born with a frozen heart -- it is also hard to swallow, even for a fairytale. I found no justification for Jack the Ripper, and the constant stream of love lost and love gained got stale real fast. The cutsy sexual inuendos made me chuckle, at the most. I had a hard time accepting the idea of two kids, about the age of twelve, making love. The plot moves fast (so fast you almost miss some major plotholes), making this a very easy read. At least all is summed up in the end.

If you like Neil Gaiman, you'll love this!
If you're a fan of Neil Gaiman, pay attention!Mathias Malzieu has written an amazing novella that will take you to a place that Gaiman's stories often do without a hint or trace of it being a rip off.//The Boy With The Cuckoo-Clock Heart// is a masterful story about love, life and attachment that you won't soon forget.

At the turn of the 19th century on the coldest day ever, a boy is born with a frozen heart.He is lucky to have been born at an orphanage where unwed mothers and prostitutes often come to have and leave their babies, because the matron is skilled at using various items and appliances to heal the sick and wounded.To the boy's heart, she attaches a wooden cuckoo-clock which keeps it beating in rhythm, but ostracizes him forever.

The worst part is that with such a fragile heart, the boy can never, ever fall in love, for the matron tells him, his poor heart could never handle it.Love though, has a funny way exerting its own will and it just might change the boy's life forever--or end it.Magical, poignant and pure, this is not a book you want to miss.

Reviewed by Albert Riehle

Magical
The Boy with the Cuckoo Clock Heart is rather a hard book to describe.It is part fantasy, part romance, but not really either one.It is an allegory, a fairy story, and a bildungsroman all rolled into one.It feels like an old story even though it based on a rock album.

The story begins on the coldest day of the world in Edinburgh, Scotland.A midwife named Doctor Madeleine has just delivered a baby named Jack.It is so cold when he is born, that his heart freezes.To save him, Madeleine, who is a bit of mad-scientist, grafts a cuckoo-clock to Jack's heart to start it beating.This move ultimately saves his life.

Jack has an idyllic, if somewhat isolated, childhood in the home of Madeleine.He is brought up by the good doctor and a colorful cast of characters, including Ana and Luna, two of the city's downtrodden ladies, and Arthur, a former cop with a musical spine who sings "Oh When the Saints Go Marching In" everywhere he goes. Jack grows up aware of his handicap: Madeleine constantly admonishes him not to fall in love, as the strong emotion could damage his weak heart.It's only when Jack meets the young Andalucian singer Miss Acacia does he realize how true this might be.

Spurred by his love, Jack attempts to find "the little singer" at the local school, only to find that she has moved back to Grenada.While there, he makes an enemy of Joe, the meanest, toughest kid in the school, who also harbors an unending love for Miss Acacia.Following a violent fight, Jack steals away from Edinburgh in the middle of the night on a dangerous and exciting journey to find his one true love.

The Boy with the Cuckoo Clock Heart attempts to show us how fragile our emotions can be, especially when we are young.It is ultimately a story of letting go and following heart, no matter how damaged it may be.

An unsatisfactory story packaged in beautiful and unusual prose
Jack, the first-person narrator of Mathias Malzieu's most recent novel, is born in Edinburgh on an uncommonly cold day in April 1874.A clever midwife saves the newborn from certain death by surgically implanting a cuckoo clock in his chest to regulate his weak heart.Abandoned by his mother and sporting a loudly ticking clock for a heart, Jack is destined to be an outsider.Nevertheless, he falls in love with a beautiful girl and, while still a teenager, embarks on a cross-continental journey to follow his love to Andalusia, where she's originally from.

The Boy with the Cuckoo Clock Heart is an adult fairy tale.As is typical with such tales, many of the characters are thinly developed and highly stylized.Fantastical events and complicated metaphors abound.The novel's primary message appears to be that our self-imposed limitations are the only obstacles to achieving what we desire.Unfortunately, this rather hopeful message is diluted in the final pages with a jarring and confusing plot reversal, making for an unsatisfying ending.

Malzieu's unique prose is the greatest strength of The Boy with the Cuckoo Heart Clock.It's an elegant combination of fairy-tale whimsy and Dickensian realism.Malzieu excels at combining opposite concepts in startling ways, like this example of the juxtaposition of death and birth: "It is so cold that birds freeze in mid-flight before crashing to the ground.The noise as they drop out of the sky is uncannily soft for a corpse.This is the coldest day on earth, and I'm getting ready to be born."The Boy with a Cuckoo Heart Clock offers an unsatisfactory story packaged in beautiful and unusual prose.

bit slight
The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart, according to the back flap, is the "basis for an album that [Mathias] Malzieu wrote." I'd like to hear the album, because to be honest, I'm thinking his source material may have been better served in that medium. The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart isn't a bad book, but even for a novella there isn't much there and too much of it is either implied, assumed, or not earned; all of which wouldn't matter in an album but is disappointing in a book.
The main character, Jack, is given his odd heart at birth in 1874, when his freezes on the coldest day ever in Edinburgh. Dr. Madeline is the mid-wife who gives him the heart to keep him alive and who takes him from his mother, who gives him up to be adopted. Dr. Madeline warns Jack as he grows that his heart is too fragile for strong emotion and he should, therefore, never fall in love. Of course, that is just what Jack does, with a diminutive singer named Miss Accacia. His rival for her affection is the school bully and after a horrible fight, Jack is forced to flee Edinburgh, though it dovetails nicely with his intent to find Miss Accacia who has already left the city. Along the way he picks up a magician friend, finds work in an odd little amusement/fair area, and learns both the joys and the pains of loving with a heart, whether flesh or wood.
There is a nice sense of whimsy through especially the start of the book, a bit of Pinocchio, a bit of Tim Burton, and a strong sense of emotion at the start with his relationships with Dr. Madeline and several of her patients--an alcoholic named Arthur and a pair of prostitutes. And the inevitable love that the reader knows is coming weights heavy on the mind. But when it's introduced, in the form of Miss Accacia, it just never feels real. We're told repeatedly Jack is in love, but the reader never feels it. Beyond the direct dialogue, there just isn't any conveyance of the strength/depth necessary for us to care not just about the love but its impact. The bully compounds the problem as he allegedly turns against Jack because he too loves Miss Accacia, but once more, we neither see nor feel it. The rest of the book is hampered by that simple problem, and so while we dutifully follow Jack on his trek to find her again, and watch as he does and see how their relationship begins or ends, we honestly just don't care much. The reintroduction of the bully at the end makes matters even worse.
Stylistically, there are some wonderfully inventive images in the novella, though it suffers from an overuse of simile/metaphor that on occasion pile one atop the other and become a distraction, especially when they don't neatly work together, as is sometimes the case. This is especially true early on; Malzieu's restraint later in the book makes the good ones shine all the better.
In the end, the core image--the boy with a cuckoo-clock heart--is a wonderfully inventive and compelling one, while the underlying suspense of when will strike and what it's impact will be is equally so. But the execution of story beyond image and premise falls short of their promise. Though I still plan to check out the music--I can see Malzieu's imagery and impressionistic sense working much better in song/music, stripped of the need for straight narrative. ... Read more

Product Description

When the hall clock reads twenty minutes past four, the attic clock reads twenty-three minutes past four, the kitchen clock reads twenty-five minutes past four, and the bedroom clock reads twenty-six minutes past four, what should Mr. Higgins do? He can't tell which of his clocks tells the right time. He is in for a real surprise when the Clockmaker shows him that they are all correct! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Cute, But Not A Book I'd Buy - a review of Clocks & More Clocks
We like Pat Hutchin's books, this one included, but it is not one I would buy.Cute though it is, "Clocks and More Clocks" is sort of a one trick pony.

The whole story is centered on the fact that clocks in different parts of the house don't show the same time.The reason: it takes time to travel from one floor to another.But once you figure out what is going on, how entertaining is the story?Not very.

Three Stars.Cute.Makes children think, but it's not a book that I imagine children will ask for over and over.Once you *get* the joke/point, the book looses its luster.Suggest getting at the library.

Great math connection!
This book is a great introduction to a study about time.I read this book to my first grade class and it really made them think about the problem that was presented in this book.After a few minutes, most students were able to arrive at why the main character was having difficulty telling time.I would recommend this very funny story to any 1st or 2nd grade student. ... Read more

Product Description
The Encyclopedia of Antique American Clocks, Second Edition, now in full-color, provides authoritative and comprehensive information for collectors, dealers, and all who appreciate the beauty and function of antique clocks. This new edition features updated pricing, hundreds of new clocks, and more than 900 color photos of various clock types including grandfather, regulator, calendar, advertising, gallery, banjo, mantel, carriage, parlor, novelty, and others. In addition, the most informative and user-friendly reference book on antique American clocks delivers an overview of clockmakers, classic clocks, patent numbers, and dates issued, a supplementary chapter on foreign clocks, as well as English design registry numbers, a user-friendly glossary, and tips for cleaning and repairing clocks. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Terrible!
This book is filled with GROSS inaccuracies,period!There is a page of Sessions black box clocks described as metal case,are in fact wood.Phiney walker is Phiney wallace.The descriptions are very vague,and mostly innacurate.And there is much more,and worse!Don't do it!

Encyclopedia of Antique American Clocks
compared to the first book, which is a wonderful book, this one was a waste of time -- i wish i had a chance to look at it before i bought it -- i would not have bought it -- j.d.h.

Very Useful Reference Encyclopedia for Clock Collectors
Brand new, year 2001 encyclopedia for clock enthusiasts. It features 352 pages and more than 700 black and white photos and a special full color section.There's plenty of informative text with data on clock types, clock making, leading clock makers, clock histories, wall and classic clocks, shelf clocks and novelty clocks.The pictures provided are large and sharp, making identification easy.Clock lovers will find this a useful work.

Clock types, history of clock making, and collectible clocks
The Encyclopedia Of Antique American Clocks offers collectors and dealers with a superbly illustrated and comprehensive guide to American clocks. Organized by clock type and category, this authoritative guide offers detailed entry descriptions and current market values, as well as being enhanced with more than 700 photographs including a 16-page color section). The Encyclopedia Of Antique American Clocks is an essential pictorial reference to this specialized category of nostalgic collectibles and includes informative chapters on clock types, the history of clock making, and collectible clocks from the smaller clock makers as well. A glossary, bibliography, photo index, and resources list also contribute to making The Encyclopedia Of Antique American Clocks thoroughly "user friendly" and highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Using the Millennial Clock as a paradigm for the Long Now, Stewart Brand offers a practical introduction to the concept of long-term responsibility

"For minds trapped in the ever-tightening time spiral of techno-capitalist progress, where fame is fifteen minutes and the future is this quarter's profits, [Stewart Brand] has provided a wonderful escape route-an exhilarating, liberating, total change of scale and pace."
-Ursula K. Le Guin

For many, the turn of the millennium represents a point beyond which nothing can be imagined. Stewart Brand, an important figure in the United States counterculture, sees this inability to imagine the future as an unwillingness to accept responsibility for it. The Clock of the Long Now tackles the necessary and "timely" question of how to make long-term thinking an integral part of our fast-paced lives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Insightful and comforting
This book captured a lot of the conundrums I have struggled with, and put them into a context that I could understand them.It is a well thought out and well presented manifesto.My time is actually short, so that's all I have to say, but well worth the time it takes to read.

A shame to waste mental energy on this.
Stewart Brand should take up knitting or hammock making! It might prove to be more lucrative (and fulfulling) than writing cerebral books.

If I may preface this with some of my own history.Back in the late 60's when I was a teenager I discovered Stewart Brands "The Whole Earth Catalog." I subscribed early in its history and have about every one they published.It was exciting to be exposed to so much information in that format and I reveled in it. But as the 60's passed into the 70's Stewart Brand's "Catalog" and "Co-Evolution Quarterly" kind of evoloved, really devolved, into a sort of ersatz relegion and by the 80's I was thoroughly turned off by his style and most everything he wrote.

The passage of years tends to give one a better perspective on the past.My personal opionion now is that he takes himself, far too seriously.I could think of better ways to spend money than on his books but hey, I'm just a former "Whole"-burned-"Earth" junkie and I might even buy one of Stewarts hammocks!

A+++
Thank you for the book, it was exactly what was expected and come in the mail fast.

What's the Rush?
The Long Now Foundation has done some great work since this book was published back in 1999. The group's basic goal of alleviating humanity's destructively short attention span is a great one, and anyone who feels that the world is on the wrong course would find great enlightenment in the group's works. But interested persons would be better served to check out what the Long Now Foundation has accomplished since this very preliminary book was published. Stewart Brand merely compiled a not very robust collection of undeveloped musings and rhetorical questions that merely hint at the potential of the Long Now worldview. Also, I don't think any other reviewers caught the irony of a series of short and largely self-contained essays (averaging around 4-5 pages) collected in a book that's trying to increase humanity's attention span. Granted, there are many great insights in here, particularly how digitized information storage actually leads to the disappearance of more knowledge, and how humanity's worst problems are long term and are misunderstood with typical short term thinking. Once again, the Foundation's got incredible ideas. But this particular book, from early in the group's existence, shows only fragmented hints of a philosophy that hadn't yet come together. [~doomsdayer520~]

Civilization's shortening attention span is mismatched with the pace of environmental problems
Steward Brand is a person who thinks 'big'. His major thought in this work is that "Civilization's shortening attention span is mismatched with the pace of environmental problems,." Thus he suggests thatwe begin to think about 'the long now'the next ten- thousand years. The ten- thousand has its partial origin in the fact that the agricultural revolution and with it much of our development began ten- thousand years back. Brand also hopes to set up an'Information gathering project, a Library' which would include that which is worth keeping ten- thousand years from now.
All of this sounds a bit vague and abstract. And it seems to me that there must be better ways of moving people away withthe kind of 'instant pleasure 'mind of our 'click- click present Internet culture.
My own sense is that all of us live within, and are bound up in a great variety of different interval lengths of time. And that our lives are processes in which there are long -terms, short- terms and in- between. And that if we need to think about 'ten- thousand years from now ' we will.
I hate to be skeptical here but I recently read an article by Jim Holt in which he talks to cosmologists about what is expected to happen when the universe ends. That is trillions of years from now, and no one has a very clear expectation. But the wisest remark made in regard to it was made by the philosopher Thomas Nagel who said "It doesn't matter now that what we do now will not matter in trillions of years from now". Well it now seems to me that ten- thousand years is such a long time from our now, and such an arbitrary time that there is not really much to be gained bycounting time, or putting away information specifically in relation to it. ... Read more

Product Description
Set in Georgia on the eve of court-ordered integration, Clock Without Hands contains McCullers's most poignant statement on race, class, and justice. A small-town druggist dying of leukemia calls himself and his community to account in this tale of change and changelessness, of death and the death-in-life that is hate. It is a tale, as McCullers herself wrote, of "response and responsibility--of man toward his own livingness." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Deaths: real and metaphorical ones
In "Clock without hands", Carson McCullers' last novel, we find her at the peak of her game. Her writing, which has always been so beautiful, reaches a higher level in a story of loss, death and sadness. It is a book about the dying process of a man, of a establishment and of feelings buried inside minds linked to the past.

Early in the novel, J. T. Malone, owner of a drugstore, learns he has leukemia. During the whole story, he is in denial, going to different doctors only to hear the same diagnosis. He lives in a southerner small town, where most people long for the lost pre-Civil War past, where African-Americans didn't have many rights were slaves. The voice of the town is Judge Clane who resist the integration.

Jester is the Judge orphaned grandson, whose father committed suicide and the mother dying giving the birth. Sexually confused and with no clue what to do with his futures, the young man wanders around in hope to find answers. Living in the same town is Sherman Pew - a blue-eyed African-American orphan with no idea who his parents are. These four people's lives are bounded. Ties that bring together and may also tear apart.

McCullers's dives into these people inner, present and past lives that make connections explaining their bounds in the present. Her prose, as has always been in novels such as "The heart is a lonely hunter" and "The member of the wedding", is at the same time melancholic and gritty. These people are dead or about to die, living in the past's glories. The only one able to awake before it is too late seems to be Jester, but, then again, he is confused with his own identity, in search of past that was denied him.

McCullers had a difficult life, with problems both physical and emotional. Somehow her own struggles were managed to translate into art. Her art is precise, dense, beautiful. Her novels and stories handles both emotional and sociological levels. In her books, especially in "Clock without hands", she investigates the relationship between one's soul and how he/she is connected to the historical moment.

VERY EXCELLENT AND QUICK READ.
THIS BOOK WAS VERY EASY TO GET THROUGH,AND SO I READ THE BOOK IN ONE SETTING. IT DIDN'T DRAG LIKE OTHER BOOKS. I LIKE THIS BOOK A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER IS GOOD,BUT IT DRAGED SOME.MISS MCCURLLERS WROTE WITH REGULAR PEOPLE IN MIND,AND NOT ACADEMICS LIKE OTHER WRITERS.I WISHED SHE LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO WRITE MORE BOOKS,BUT THE SHORT OUTPUT OF BOOKS THAT SHE'D DID WRITE SHOULD NEVER GO OUT OF PRINT,SHOULD BE READ BY MORE PEOPLE. THIS BOOK IS HIGHLY RECONMENED.

Great, but Revelations are Confusing
Clock Without Hands is another fine example of McCullers' ability to quietly yet intensely probe into the mystery of the human psyche.Her work reminds me of Tennessee Williams at times.This novel deals with an old judge, his grandson and the presence of his dead son, a young Black man, and a pharmacist who is dying of leukemia.There is a revelation near the end of the story concerning the link between most of the characters, but it seems odd considering the Judge's personality and value systems.The last chapter, however, which concerns the pharmacist's worsening illness, is transcendant.An uneven McCullers tale is certainly better than none at all.

Conflicts and brutality as the Old South slowly dies
Written in 1953, this book explores the racial tensions in a small southern town.The winds of integration are in the air and the Old South is dying.The story is told through several characters.There's a pharmacist dying of leukemia who struggles with the diagnosis.There's a elderly judge who's a former congressman who really believes that the confederate money hoarded in his attic will some day bring him riches.There's the judge's grandson who sees changes coming.And then there's a young blue-eyed Negro who tries to be accepted.

Carson McCullers is a master of setting the stage for this disturbing tale which is certainly not comfortable to read. Each of the characters is exaggerated but that is her intent.She lays out the conflict with surgical precision and creates a world that doesn't exist any more. It's a brutal world and all the sugar coated Southern niceties just don't help. There's violence in the air.I felt it coming throughout and hoped it wouldn't happen.But the conclusion is inevitable.

Fine book.Fine writing.Recommended.

interesting story choked by unrealistic characters..
Unlike previous reviewers, I was not terribly impressed with Clock Without Hands.While obviously Carson McCullers wanted to make a rather emotional, dramatic statement regarding racism in a changing 1950s Georgia, I believe she "over-egged the pudding".The story itself is about a small town in Georgia where several related characters, centered on a elderly judge, struggles with the pace of change with regards to racial equality.While the interactions and complications between the characters are interesting and, at times, quite moving, I felt the basic premise of the story was compromised by two-dimensional racial stereotypes.I thought the young protaganist, a blue-eyed negro, was in particular very poorly developed.

However Clock Without Hands does not discourage me from exploring further works from Ms. McCullers.I was particularly impressed by the amazing Reflections in a Golden Eye, which I strongly recommend over Clock Without Hands for those uninitiated with her work. ... Read more

Product Description
Landing the job of your dreams means you need to have a dream to begin with. Targeting a Great Career helps you identify that dream . . . make it specific . . . and figure out step by step how you can achieve it. Kate Wendleton and The Five O'Clock Club have already helped tens of thousands of job hunters across the country discover what they re best at, what they love doing, and how they can turn their vision into reality. Exercises throughout the book allow readers to picture what they want their life to be like in the future and what they can do today to make their dreams come true.The celebrated Five O'Clock Club method involves work ... lots of work. And much of that work is research - research on the lnternet into the areas you have targeted; Targeting a Great Career is filled with strategies and tips that can help you achieve your goals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Targeting a Great Career - right on target
Working with a career counselor who recommended this book as well as the website for The Five o'clock club.There is a lot of sound advice and exercises in this book.
Assists with formulating a precise plan for interviewing and landing a new job.Especially with some of the personal, emotional, and psychological aspects of losing a job and
what drives us to certain jobs and professions.

OK Job Search Book
This book gives some decent ideas about how to go about conducting a job search and narrowing your focus.By placing a great deal of emphasis on the changing job market and how important it is to update and improve your skill set and network list, Targeting a Great Career drives home the point that you as an individual must constantly improve.The self-tests help you hone in on what you want to do and how to get to that point that you are doing what you want.

On the downside, there are FAR too many case studies and personal examples.Not many people really care how Jim from Peoria, an ad executive, decided he really wanted to raise pandas and found a non-profit near his home that needed an marketing campaign to solicit donations.Also, the authors keep touting the self-tests, and how vital they are, but don't get to them until the end of the book.

All in all,a so-so book.

pretty good
A very good way to get things started in a career started...and low cost vs. seeing a consultant too.

- Chris

A Must Have
Whether you are casually thinking about making a minor change in your career or in the mdist of an all out job search, Targeting A Great Career by Kate Wendleton is a must have book for your library.

The steps to take for managing your career are outlined very clearly.The author clearly relates to his/her audience by giving specific examples of targeting industries and sub industries as well as a variety of positions.Her prospective is to be open minded yet focused on what you want.Example if you do not want a banking career, do not apply for such a position.A few pages in you will be determined to get a career that you want and not merely blindly answer every ad that comes vaguely close.

The author keeps things in perspective.She realizes that some people may be more anxious to find something right away.Therefore, she outlines a plan for that scenario as well.She emphasizes to research careers for the short term and the long term so that you become knowledgeable and your career takes a definite path.

The sections on the sven storeis and the life plans are excellent and even go beyond just work.The idea is to make your entire life rewarding and Kate Wendleton is very conscious of this.

It seems as if Kate's Five O Clock Club is a reasonable service.Yes, there are free resources out there if you are a long time between jobs.However, the outline of Kate's services is really fairly reasonable almost comparitive to donating to a good charity or belonging to a special interest club.

If you are looking for the long haul, Targeting A Great Career is a sound investment in yourself. ... Read more

Product Description
When his father brings home an antique cuckoo clock, Michael is cautioned not to touch it, but he turns back the hands and suddenly he is getting younger by the minute--a year younger to be exact. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Don't mess with the clock!
This is a fun Goosebumps book, with some nice twists and some funny parts. Those readers who want a SCARY book might be disappointed, but it is full of suspense. I like that the title and cover didn't give away too much.

Don't mess with the cuckoo clock of doom
The cuckoo clock of doom
Michael's bratty little sister Tara always tries to get him in trouble. When their father comes home with an antique cuckoo clock, Michael sees an opportunity to pay Tara back. She can't let the clock alone, so he sneaks down at night to mess with the bird, thinking Tara will be blamed.
Michael doesn't appreciate just how special the clock is. When he messes with the bird, he messes with time, with new results each time.

Great story, wonderful ending!

Special Find

I purchased this book for one of my great nephews.
He is eight years old and loves to read, especially "Goosebumps". He wanted this book and his mom and grandmother could not find it as it is out-of-print.
I knew exactly where to search...AMAZON.COM, and was able to find it and mailed it to him the next day. What a happy little boy!
Thanks Amazon for coming through once again.

Does The Cuckoo Clock Have The Last Laugh?
Micheal has an annoying little sister Tara. He feels he is always being blamed when Tara misbehaves.
The sibling's father brings home an old cuckoo. The dad sternly tells Tara not too touch it. This gives Micheal an idea.
Once alone with it, he messes with the clock. This action leads to a big mistake!
Micheal goes to bed waking up to a birthday he had celebrated earlier. He tries to fix the flop party, failing once again.
The further in time he goes back, he worries of no longer existing,as frightening thought for a teenage boy?
Can he do it? If he makes it back, will everything return to normal!?
While many horror stories have some sort of monster, fear here lies in the unknown.

keep your eye on the birdie
Michael Webster is always getting in trouble.And he knows it's because of his bratty sister. Tara the terible.But now something else is about to make michael's life worse. I liked this book. But it started to get boring
annie walls ... Read more

Product Description
Andrew's father died when he was a baby, his mother is away all day at work, and now his beloved grandfather must go to the hospital. Upset and worried, Andrew begins to soil. With a visit to the pediatrician and to a therapist, Andrew gets the treatments he needs to feel better and start using the toilet again. This book contains a Note to Parents by psychologist Virginia Shiller, PhD, on the topic of soiling (encopresis), its causes, and its treatment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A story for kids who soil
I purchased this book for my six year old son who for the past few years has had serious stomach problems. After his doctor constantly reassured me that he was "perfectly" healthy I decided to get another doctor. We now have a correct diagnosis of endocresis and I bought this book to help him face first grade this coming Sept. It is a really touching story and shows that other kids go through the same thing. Highly recommended.

Normalizes the issue.
We were sent this book by our pediatrician and it was very helpful to our 8-year-old.The reading level was easier than she is used to but she was able to identify with Andrew.The book normalized her issues (hiding panties, accidents at school) since she feels like she's the only one, no matter how much we tell her she isn't.There's a book about it!

Great Help
My son really enjoyed this book.It helped him see that he was not alone.It also seems to have helped with the soiling.

Tender and uplifting, but aimed at much younger children
This little book is short and simple.The main problem is that it is clearly aimed at children who may not even be old enough to read it for themselves.Not that there's anything wrong with a grown-up reading to them, but encopresis affects many children that are over the first-grade reading level.(The little boy in the book appears to be approximately first or second grade.)

Unfortunately, there is very little out there in the way of useful, informative literature that addresses the medical and psychological aspects of these problems.Dr. Galvin is to be commended and congratulated for his efforts and insights on how to comfort, encourage, and challenge children (and parents) who deal with encopresis.Believe it or not, with patience and perseverance, this problem does end, and there is life after it.

My Son Got Instant Results From This Book
I read the story to my 4 1/2 year old son, after months of fruitless efforts to help him.He immediately identified with the boy in the story.I took him into the bathroom, intending to start with the first step suggested, however, my son proceeded through all the steps right then and there, and has not had an accident since!I couldn't believe it!I recommend this book to anyone with a child who has this problem. ... Read more

Product Description
In the cataclysm of the battle of the gods, a portal to Hell has been opened, releasing legions of unnatural creatures that have pushed humanity to the edge of extinction. While warring deities clash with fallen angels, the only hope for mankind’s survival lies with the most unlikely heroes: Former assassin Rachel Hael has rejoined blood-magician Mina Greene and her little dog, Basilis, on one last desperate mission to save the world from the ravages of Hell. As Rachel travels to the final confrontation she has both sought and feared, she begins to realize that time itself is unraveling. And so she must prepare herself for a sacrifice that may claim her heart, her life, her soul—and even then it may not be enough. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A rushed and disappointing ending
Alan Campbell is original.Original is good.It does bring up one possible issue, namely that you have to be careful not to cross the line into outright silliness."God of Clocks" is over that line in a big way, and hence it just doesn't quite fit right with the first two volumes in the series.Does this mean you shouldn't read it?Well, it's really up to you.If you've enjoyed the first two then you'll most likely feel compelled to see how it all ends.The ending, though, is a big disappointment.

Fan favorite John Anchor is going to Hell with an airship in tow.Dill, meanwhile, is taking his new 500-foot-tall body and heading north to find two other gods whose haven't been on stage yet.With him go Mina, Rachel, and Hasp, as well as new characters who soon join the fray.In pursuit are Menoa's twelve remaining archonites, each armed and armored and ready for a fight.

The novel switches back and forth between these two storylines for its entire length.Each one does contain a decent amount of compelling imagery and enough plain weirdness to hold the reader's interest.However, things fall apart as the novel enters its second half.Without revealing too much, I can say that time travel enters in a major way shortly after the halfway point.Campbell tries to have fun with the concept but the problem, in my opinion, is that the idea has been done to death.There's only a certain amount of amusement that can be had by watching a character get a bruise after being punched by a future self or going back after 50 years to give advice to themself as a young 'un.Other authors have done these things so often already that it just doesn't carry weight anymore.

And then there's that ending, which is, I'm afraid to say, very bad.There are actually two endings, one involving John Anchor and the other in the human realm.Both feel rushed, neither make much sense, neither give a satisfactory resolution for the characters that we've come to care about.It almost gives the impression that Campbell was growing bored with this series and was anxious to rush on to whatever he's doing next.Regardless, it's likely to leave you scratching your head and wondering "What the Hell?", though that response is a little more appropriate for this book than most others.

Weird but engaging
The God Rys is dead, killed by angels from hell set within mechanical giants. Now, Hell is chasing down its last opponents...including another angel-equipped giant contraption, and a huge airship supported by divine will and pulled by a mortal man equipped with an incredible will and countless thousands of soul pearls. No man can stand against the angels. Even the remaining gods, exiled sons of the goddess, seem powerless.

While John Anchor pulls his airship to a doomed assault on Hell, assassin Rachel Hael plots an attack on Heaven. Perhaps they can awaken Ayen the goddess. Perhaps her power could rid the world of Menoa, the God of the mazes, ruler of Hell. Or perhaps they'd only bring destruction even more quickly.

Author Alan Campbell creates a rich world and sets it with intriguing characters and interesting paradoxes. The God of Clocks, namesake for this book, for example, controls elements of time, allowing him to send people in loops where they'll meet up with one another, be able to work together, or even fight. But each change he introduces brings a new universe into being, and each universe offers new threats to the castle of time he guards. Campbell's concept of hell as a place built by lost souls of themselves is weird and wonderful. John Anchor, Carnival the fallen angel, and Maybe John, the boy who would be a sword, make for fascinating and twisted characters.

I spent the first half of this book trying to figure out what was going on, who I should care about, why things were they way they were. (Okay, perhaps I should have read the earlier books in the series rather than picking it up at the end). But somewhere along, the story caught me and swept me up. I ended up staying up late because I couldn't stand going to sleep without seeing how it all worked out.

Thats the end?!
Throughout this trilogy I have always wished to see more the angels, but God of Clocks still doesn't deliver. The book started off alright, but then towards the middle the story lines get very confusing and seem to serve no purpose. The time paradoxes that develop do not help matters.
Overall the ending to this trilogy was a big disappointment. As I was reading I was thought there was no way that this was the last book in the series, because I felt Campbell couldn't tie up all the loose ends then there was only 50 pages left, and in that respect I wasn't disappointed. When I turned the last page all I could think was: what...? how...? what about....? I wanted to know what happened to Dill, Carnival, Rachel, Hasp, and so on. I wouldn't recommend this book to any one unless they are compelled to finish the series.

mostly good wrap-up but bogs down in last quarter
God of Clocks is Alan Campbell's third (and I believe final) book in his Deepgate Series.If you check my reviews of the first two, you'll see I found Scar Night (book one) to be solid but not wholly successful and failing to meet its potential, while Iron Angel (book two) was many times better, though not without some flaws.The good news on God of Clocks is that it is (save for the ending) better than Scar Night, but nowhere near as strong as Iron Angel.
For the plot summary, I'm just going to use names and assume you know who these are since this is book three and you have to have read books 1 and 2 (if you need a refresher, skim my first two reviews).In Clocks, the Spine assassin Rachel is reunited with the young angel Dill, though his soul is now enhoused in a monstrously tall (400' I think) mechanical construct of an angel.They are joined by the thaumaturge Mina Greene (still w/ her strange dog) and the god Hasp, who like Dill is also transformed (though in much different fashion) and who unlike Dill is carrying a mind-controlling parasite that allows him to be ordered by any of a group of people to do whatever they tell him to, making him an untrustworthy ally to say the least.They are pursued by 12 other "archonites" (creatures like Dill) as they try to reach the castle of the god of time Sabor in order to find a way to defeat King Menoa of Hell (who has just killed one of Sabor's brothers).Meanwhile, John Anchor, joined by Alice Harper--former minion of Menoa-- pulls Cospinol's ship into Hell to try and reach Menoa's citadel to stop him there.Carnival plays her usual important role, as do several other characters, including a little girl with a submarine, a talking box, and several time-copies of the main characters.
One of the aspects that made Iron Angel so strong was its vivid imagination and originality. We see flashes of that here--the aforementioned talking box for instance, as well as a living river and a castle whose rooms exist in different times--but they don't permeate the book as much as they did in Iron Angel. John Anchor is still a great character, but he's really the only standout one.Sabor's assistant adds some welcome humor and a sense of individuality, but he's relatively minor.The problem, which has been a steady one over the series, is that many of the main characters just don't breathe fully--Rachael, Dill, Menoa. Alice Harper and Carnival have potential, and some fine moments, but their potential isn't fully realized (the same holds true for a few others).And Mina Greene is washed out a bit compared to her appearance in Iron Angel.Hasp, who had one of the greatest moments in Book Two, here is just repetitive and mostly unlikable.His situation should have made him the most compelling character, but instead you eventually dread almost any scene with him in it.
Campbell still does a good job mixing in some humor.And certainly the big picture story is a strong concept--a war of gods, humans caught between Hell and Heaven, a bold attempt to bring Heaven into the mix.And there are some wonderfully single scenes, especially those involving Carnival and Anchor (separate or together). But it starts to bog down in the final quarter once time traveling makes a major appearance (I should confess I tend to have a bias against time-travel--it's seldom done well in my mind and is often used as an easy out). It began mildly enough, became a bit annoying, then turned into a bit of a deus ex machina(somewhat literally) Where Iron Angel ended with a great bang, this one petered out I thought, ending too abruptly and too easily. To be honest, I wasn't even sure this was the actual ending to the series, it felt so incomplete.
In the end, a disappointment, but not really until the last part of the book.I'll just repeat what I said about the series as a whole in my review of Iron Angel. Based on the solid Scar Night, the very strong Iron Angel, and the bit of a letdown though still decent God of Clocks, the Deepgate Trilogy is a recommended read.It has many flaws, maybe even more flaws than strengths, but there are enough good moments to earn it a read, even if it shouldn't go to the top of the To-Read-List.

Time Passages
Before picking up //God of Clocks//, a prospective reader needs to ask one question, "Have I read Volumes I and II of the Deepgate Codex?" If the answer is "no," I strongly recommend doing so before delving into //God of Clocks//, which is Volume III. This is not to say that //God of Clocks// can't stand on its own as an involving, complex, inventive, well-told sci-fi/fantasy blend. It can. However, the author, Alan Campbell, submerges the reader in a multitude of characters, storylines, and locales with nary a lifeline of explanation or background. It is truly sink or swim time for the uninitiated.

Campbell's writing is definitely top notch and the creativity he possesses is evident on almost every page. The plot is far too complex to sum up in a few sentences. Suffice to say, that assassin Rachel Hael and magician Mina Greene literally go to the heights of heaven and depths of hell in order to save Earth.

There is enough imagination flowing through //God of Clocks// to power at least a few more trips into Campbell's universe. Best to read the earlier volumes of the codex first, so you'll know where you are going.

Reviewed by
Doug Robins ... Read more

Product Description
The biowarfare people call the bug a Level 4 pathogen. That means no cure. No hope. No survivors.

Now it's loose on Quantum Flight 66. One passenger is already dead. The experts say in 48 hours the rest may follow.

James Holland, former U.S. fighter pilot, now flying this commercial Boeing 747, isn't ready to die. They say he can't land his plane. They say he's a threat to the whole world. They're ready to blast him out of the sky.

Captain Holland may be on a collision course with doom-but they're going to have to catch him first. He's determined to take whatever risks he must to outfly them. Outsmart them. And beat...Pandora's Clock.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

Pandoras Clock
Good book with a plot that keeps you reading.Mr. Nance knows aviation so it's also great reading for those with that interest.

exciting book
Though this book was released in 1996, the 2009 swine flu scare brings stories like this to the forefront and makes you think of the implications of world travel these days.I wouldn't call this book a thriller, but it certainly was exciting to read.The storyline had a continual "what's going to happen now?" main thread.I have no idea how plausible the flight maneuvering is in the book, or the virology, but since the book is fiction, I was prepared to give it liberty with those aspects of the storyline.The character development was just right.Just enough info to give you a feel for what was going on with each character, yet not overdone with detail.The villain being a believable government character - well, that kind of just follows everyday life no?
I loved the little twist at the end, even though it was somewhat predictable.

While this story won't stop me from travelling around the world, I can only hope that if this ever happened to me, someone like James Holland would be behind the controls!

I recommend this book as an exciting read.

Great thrill ride!
I had seen the movie on TV before I read the book and I thoroughly enjoyed it - it literally kept me on the edge of my seat all the way. So, when I stumbled upon the novel in a bookshop, I just had to buy it.

This book really makes you think: what if? There is a passenger on a plane with a contagious virus; no airport wants to let the plane land there, and some fighter plane is trying to shoot the passenger jet down. What to do?

Usually I find books of the type where you have many characters thrown into a calamity of sorts a bit boring. In many of this kind of book, the author would get carried away with the emotions of all the different characters and cause the pace of the story to become sluggish. This is fine if the book is not a thriller novel, but in a thriller the author must keep the pace up and actually increase it as the story progresses. Well, John J. Nance has masterfully succeeded in making this an excellent thriller by keeping the pace and suspense at very high levels. At the same time, he created engaging characters, but not too many of them, and did not focus too much on all their emotions, but just enough so that I could actually sense the fear and hopelessness amongst them.

This was a great thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat, just as in the movie.

Great Techno-Thriller
This was my first book by Nance.I really enjoy reading airplane thrillers and Nance writes them expertly.This one has a really great premise, a virus loose on an airplane.This would be a great movie.

Good Nance thriller but not the best.
This book was really exciting and though I haven't been previously interested in aviation, I thought this book was pretty good. Nance is obviously familiar enough with aviation terms, procedures, and equipment to write about it with authority, but unlike some other books, you don't feel like an idiot because you don't know everything there is to know about flying. He tells the story in a way that non-aviation buffs can comprehend, while also learning a bit about planes. The story is definitely a thriller and it kept we wondering the whole time how the plane and its passangers were going to get out of the predicament they were in and escape all of the challenges that were thrown their way.

Having said that, this book is not Nance's absolute best. For the best Nance book about aviation, I'd recommend Medusa Child because that one is the definition of a five-star book all the way and you'll want to finish it as fast as possible, but will then be sad when it's over and you can't keep enjoying it. However, any Nance book is sure to thoroughly entertain. ... Read more

Product Description
Just as I'm gearing up to help plan the Mahoney Library's seventy-fifth anniversary celebration, the beautiful old clock, the very centerpiece of the library, is stolen. There's nothing like a good theft to stop a party!

Naturally, I throw down the streamers and get to work. Turns out lots of people wanted that clock -- and what's inside. If I don't hustle, this might become two crimes instead of one.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Love the new collection!
I have the whole collection of the original Nancy Drew books from when I was a little girl (in hard back). I tried to get my daughter interested in them but they are rather "old school". When I found out there were a new version I got the first four and she loved them!We've been working on the new collection and I order more as she finishs them.She loves them! I recommend these to any little girl (or boy) who loves a mystery. ... Read more

Product Description
Nancy Drew, the classic mystery-solving heroine, returns in these special-issue omnibus editions. Each collection features three bestselling, classic Nancy Drew mysteries.

The Best of Nancy Drew Classic Collection Volume 1

#1 The Secret of the Old Clock: Nancy Drew’s keen mind is tested when she searches for a missing will in this mystery that started them all.

#3 The Bungalow Mystery: When one of Nancy’s closest friends suspects her guardians of trying to steal her inheritance, Nancy’s search for clues leads her to an old, abandoned bungalow.

#43 The Mystery of the 99 Steps: Despite warnings from a stranger, Nancy sets out for France to search for a flight of 99 steps that may help solve the mystery of a weird dream and a possible case of blackmail. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nancy Drew fans buy this book
This book was written for Nancy Drew fans. It's great. This book is the best way to start of the series. It has the very first Nancy Drew written in it. "The Secret of the old Clock" All these mysteries had cliff-hangers,adventure,and exicitment. If you haven't started to read the Nancy Drew series yet then buy this book. If you are a huge Nancy Drew fan like me then buy this book right now. ... Read more

Product Description
A book originally published in 1987 about a handicapped child, Joseph Meehan.It tells of Joseph's fight to escape the restrictions and confines of his existence inside a broken body.The book is largely autobiographical.Amazon.com Review
A remarkable work by several measures, Under the Eye of theClock is the autobiography--told slyly through a third personalter-ego--of Christopher Nolan, struck at birth with brain damage and leftparalyzed, spastic and mute. His first book, Dam-Burst of Dreams, writtenwhen he was a teen, was a collection of poems that exploded with linguisticvirtuosity, earning him comparisons to Joyce and Yeats. Nolan,whose disability requires that someone cup his chin while he pushes ahead-mounted pointer at the keyboard, tells here of battles in anun-handicapped world, the heroic efforts of his family and the sights ofIreland that surround him. The book won England's Whitbread prize. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Not a wonderful as they say
The writing was hard to follow - maybe just me, because I find poetry hard to grasp, and Nolan's use of language is like poetry - you have to guess at the meaning. While the story is inspiring and his achievements are amazing, I can't help but wonder if the reviews are more glowing than they would befor a non-handicapped writer - particularly as to the unconventional language. Hate to be a killjoy, but I couldn't bring myself to finish the book.

Unforgettable
The story of Christopher Nolan's life is amazing in itself.That this autobiography is so beautifully written is a language-delight in itself.That it was also humorous at times and always inspiring makes it a book I will remember always.

Because Of "The Banyan Tree"
I found my way to this book after I had read "The Banyan Tree" by Christopher Nolan. This was a book that I read and reviewed back in February, and ever since I have been mystified why the book never seemed togain the wide acceptance of readers. All of the reviews that have beenposted by readers for "The Banyan Tree" have been 5 star reviews,and the same is the case for "Under The Eye Of The Clock".

Ifyou read you understand how difficult it is to write anything, much less afull book, and then have it selected for and win a prestigious award. Inthe case of the book I review now it was the 1987 Whitbred Award that wasawarded to Mr. Nolan. All very impressive, but that's just thestart.

This is an autobiography written by a very young man who nextwrote the book "The Banyan Tree" and would take 12 years to doso. This is a painfully candid, but uplifting book about a man with thesupport of a wonderful Family overcomes extreme realities that are his lifeto become an Author of international renown.

Mr. Nolan cannot speak, hecan barely move at all. He types with what he calls his "UnicornStick" that he wears on his head, and even then his head must besupported while he works.

An Autobiography is a courageous work ifhonestly presented. When you add Mr. Nolan's additional challenges he facesas a writer, and as a person living with his physical issues it becomes anextraordinary autobiographical book.

I hope more readers find Mr. Nolan,he is a unique writer of immense talent, and if you pass by his work youdeprive yourself of great literature.

Wonderfully uplifting !
Christopher Nolan's "Under The Eye Of The Clock" is an autobiographical account of his incredibly awe-inspiring and miraculous life. Born a cripple, he could have been consigned to the rubbish heap butinstead and against all odds became a celebrated writer of this WhitbreadBook winner, "The Banyan Tree" as well as an early book of poems.Without taking anything away from Joseph Meehan (a self portrait of Nolan),he couldn't have overcome his debilitating handicaps to scale the heightshe did without the steady support and tender loving care of his family. Afather, mother and sister who are such warm and emotionally intelligenthuman beings anybody would be blessed and proud to have them as family. Theschool principals, teachers and fellow students who accepted him, nurturedhim and gave him the chance to prove himself equal to the best amongphysically whole human specimens are themselves shining examples ofhumanity who deserve as much recognition in Nolan's lifestory. Although ithas been compared with James Joyce's "Portrait of an Artist as a YoungMan", it is in reality nothing like it. Whereas Joyce's work is forthe most part depressing and full of pain and harshness, Nolan's story isso morally uplifting you almost forget its grave subject matter. Nolan'sdazzling and inventive writing style is also unique and something torelish. He coins and mints new words which have a yet found a conventionalmeaning but are so emotionally accurate you know they're right. Read thisif you're feeling down and need something to restore your faith in mankind!

An enchanting autobiography
Under the Eye of the Clock is the autobiography of Christopher Nolan, the talented young poet with cerebral palsy.He can't walk or talk or write in the usual manner.Since Nolan lacks the use of his hands, this book likeDam-Burst of Dreams, the book of poems that preceded it, was written bymeans of a typing stick affixed to his head.The book succeeds both aspure artistry and as a window into the world of the disabled.Nolan hasre-named himself Joseph Meehan and told his story entirely in theobjectivity of the third person. This brilliant stroke allows him to avoidexcessive self-pity while making his sufferings and triumphs real and deep.Nolan's use of language had earned him comparisons with James Joyce, Yeats,and Dylan Thomas.Nolan stretches the meanings and implications of words,rearranges their spelling, and even invents new ones to communicate hismoods and perceptions and illuminate life, his own and those he observes,with his unique poet's sensibility. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good overall story
I actually enjoyed this story arc more than I thought I would.
I will confess that I am not a fan of MissMartian and I really quite frankly hate the Blue Beetle character.
I also wasn't too sure about the new villian either on first flipping through the book.
That being said, I found that I really enjoyed the story and was caught up in it. The artwork was really good too.
The villian turned out to be pleasnt susprise and I would welcome his return.
Although I would be happy to see two team members leave and never hear from them again (MsMartian and Blue Beetle), their annoyance and story points were only a mild distraction from an overall very solid outing.

Solid Storyline
This edition centers mostly on the maturation of Kid Devil and Miss Martian's (my favorite), continuing battle with her future self that has invaded her mind and is trying to take over.

Kid Devil likes Rose (Ravager), hates the Blue Beetle who Rose likes hanging out with, and always seems to be on Robin's bad side during team missions. He's desperately seeking the approval of his team mates and the story arc is very interesting.

Megan (MIss Martian), continues to battle her evil, future alter-ego and tries to create the life of a being a normal, human, school-going teen, but it isn't going to be that easy.

Comics back in the 70's and 80's were so "save-the-day-everybody's-happy-in-the-end" oriented, but the Teen Titans broke a lot of that mold with their return in the New Teen Titans in 1983.

I've always enjoyed the personal battles, the character conflicts, and the internal emotional struggles of the group, whoever the members were at the time. This issue is no different, although I'm not sure how much I like the Miss Martian arc because I get tired of characters I really warm up to going bad (aka Terra).

If you're a Teen Titans fan, this issue is for you.

... Read more

Product Description
A sampling of the exciting projects in How to Build 35 Great Clocks: Carved Eagle Clock; Carriage Style Clock, a reproduction from Colonial Williamsburg; Colonial Style Bracket Clock, pine with brass dial; Steeple Clock, from the author's collection; Pillar and Scroll Clock; Antique Clocks, reproductions from Old Sturbridge Village; Oak Long Drop Clock; Vienna Type Regulator Clock; Cherry School House Regulator Clock; Court House Regulator Hexagon; Granddaughter Wall Clock, made from pine; Cherry Grandmother Clock, from the author's collection; Grandfather Tall Case Clock; Wall Barometer, a reproduction from Old Wiggins Tavern. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

It's an OK book
This book was written close to 30 years ago and the time has really taken its toll.Nothing is up to the standards of a similar book being published today.

The photos are grainy b&w snapshots.His constructions methods leave much to be desired. For example, he rounds over interior door frame edges with a router after the door frames have been assembled (look closely at the clock on the front cover). A much better looking door frame would be made with cope and stick joinery (which is much easier to accomplish in 2010 with dedicated router bits as compared to 1982).

Would I buy this again?For $12 it's an OK deal.It will certainly give you the proportions and overall dimensions that you need.But it won't give the details necessary for a well-constructed clock.You'll need to adapt and improvise.

Great Book
Woodworking is my hobby and I really like this book. I find it well written, easy to understand and fun to work from. It is written specifically for the hobbyist woodworker who doesn't have an unlimited budget for expensive tools. The thorough introduction gives a bit of history and then discusses the components needed to make a clock,including movements, hands, faces, and other supplies.It also covers joinery and assembly options. The plans begin with simple plaque style clocks and become more involved with each chapter. The drawings are professionally done, detailed without being "fussy".The instructions are concise and easy to follow. A little bonus is the final chapter on weather stations which gives plans for cases to house barometers and such.
I would also like to make some final comments on the few poor reviews that this book has received.As a buyer, if you are unable to choose a book appropriate to your interests, level of expertise or personal tastes; and you are not capable of comprehending the nature of the book before purchasing; and you prefer not to actually read the book, be fair, recognize your own limitations and don't take it out on the book or the author.

not historically accurate
if your looking for just general feel of the great clocks of old then it is ok, but I did not find any of the designs to be historically accurate. Even though he would show a picture along side the plans of a true Antique. I think this may be because the book was written in the early 80's as most of these plans seem to be coping. mainly the shaped edges. they were not traditional shapes but more the 80's rounded off corners. Also the joinery was sup par. For a beginner it is fine, but if your experienced pass on this dated work.

Old book, bad pictures, ugly clocks, poor plans - but good history
This book provides a good history of clocks, but that is the nicest thing I can say about it.

The pictures are of very poor quality, the plans are incomplete - ignoring details obvious on the original shown.The author seems to think nails and butt-joints are a good method of joinery.The author shows no knowledge of wood movement in the designs.Most of the clocks allow no method for accessing the quartz movement after construction - so it is impossible to change batteries.

This is a good book to browse at the library, but when it comes to actually building clocks, keep looking.

Written b y Early American Life editor
Joseph W. Daniele has written several books on historical reproduction woodworking. As a former editor for Early American Life, you have to believe he knows the subject matter. He does, in fact each design, no matter how simple or complex, has a history.Ask yourself, do I just want to make a clock or do I want to make a historical reproduction? Funny, some people buy a book without knowing what it involves and then write a crappy review, as if their ignorance is the author's fault. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

clock repair
The clock repair manual by Mick Watters is a very good reference and procedure manual.It explained some procedures that I was unsure of and needed badly! ... Read more

Product Description
A renowned correspondent for CBS News shares his personal techniques for fitness, offering a complete step-by-step program that emphasizes good nutrition, recreational sports, and a muscle-building program that is not dependent upon dieting. Reprint. Tour.Amazon.com Review
Let's say you're a 50-, 40-, or even 30-year-old man. Maybeyou want to evict that donut of fat that's moved into the space whereyour waist used to be, or it could be that the hike upstairs has yourethinking that downstairs bathroom you never installed, or perhapsyou just saw a picture of your 19-year-old self in your footballuniform. Or maybe you just want to be healthier and fitter than youalready are. Well, you can be--and Dr. Bob will tell you exactly howto do it, with an engaging writing style, vast enthusiasm, and anemphasis on fast results.

In this for-men-only book (because"It has become politically incorrect for men to write books forwomen"), Dr. Bob Arnot--of NBC News medical correspondentfame--will convince even the most committed sloth that a 25-year-oldbody can be only months away. According to Arnot, revolutions infitness technology, nutrition, and sports medicine now make itpossible for a middle-ager to bench press the years back to abiological age of 25 or so--in as little as six months. Arnot calls onan impressive array of experts and scientific findings to bolster hisprescription: an eat-as-much-as-you-want diet of low-fat, whole-grainfoods--and play!

Arnot offers advice on sports as play for adults(alpine skiing, aerobic tennis, power blading, mountain biking, andsnow blading--also known as cross-country skiing), including thechallenges of new skills, getting the right coach, smart training, andfast recoveries. Nutrition plays a big part in the Arnot regimen, andhe offers up information on nutritional snacks and sports food,multicultural cuisine ideas, as well as recipes and dietarysupplements.

"If there is a fountain of youth, it is theheavy metal in your local gym," Arnot says, because the realfitness pitfall for the not-20-anymore man is muscle loss. Fromdeltoids to dumbbells and pecs to pull-ups, Arnot runs down gym mustsand hows in an illustrated weight-training program. Add Arnot'svisualization techniques and aphorisms to the mix ("ConventionalWisdom: Go with the flow. New Paradigm: Aging is a cultural trap thatprograms men to abuse, misuse, and disuse their bodies"), and menpast the "golden age" of their 20s may well find that thegoal of getting fit, staying fit, and rewinding the biological clockis truly within reach. --Stefanie Durbin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Practical advice, but not too technical.
I bought this book as a reference after reading and comparing it with other books on physical fitness and nutrition.Dr. Arnot has written a well organized, comprehensive book at a level that is not too technical.My needs are physical fitness for stamina, endurance and good health.I measure my conditioning goals in terms of blood pressure, BMI and body fat among others.I am not training for triathalons or other extreme sports.Still other books are written for those desiring to lose weight and dieters.

Dr. Arnot's premise is that as we all age, our bodies change.So he helps us to manage that change."Turning Back the Clock" to him refers to the management of metabolism and the effect on muscle retention.Throughout he includes examples of nutrition, sports and exercises that work for him.He provides references to known products that work and the reasons.He also covers sports and suggestions on resistance exercises as choices for conditioning.

Excellent book on Health, Fitness, and Staying Active as you Age
"Dr. Bob Arnot's Guide to Turning Back the Clock" by Robert Arnot, M.D. is a great book for men in their thirties, forties, fifties, and beyond who want to remain physically active and not lose the physical performance they had when in their twenties.The book shows how to lower your biological age through optimum nutrition. Sports-improvement technology, and building new muscle.I've read the book several times and it's one of my favorite general fitness books.(Please note that though the book is aimed at men, Dr. Bob puts a short note to women in chapter one and women can benefit from the information in the book too.)

The book starts out with the game plan.Dr. Bob discusses turning back your biological clock.He points out that if you are in seriously good shape, you won't budge your clock that much.However, those who don't practice optimum nutrition, are sedentary, who are aerobically fit but have never built muscle, and those who are muscularly fit but aerobically unfit will recognize the greatest changes by following his advice.He briefly discusses the vision of re-created youth and how you need to be an athlete.This does not mean you must compete, but rather enjoy the sports-improvement technology and enjoy athletics and activities that are right for you.

Next comes a longer section on eating young.The eight chapters in this section discuss concepts such as feedforward eating, controlling your blood sugar, protein consumption, eating all you want, multicultural eating, grazing, watching what you eat by reading labels and knowing what you are putting into your body, sports foods.The book is older, so the sports foods he discusses were available in the 90s when I first read the book, but now there are many, many choices.So you'd have to use the general advice to analyze the products on today's market.

The next part is getting great fast.The five chapters in this section focus on old warriors, sports-improvement technology, rapid skill advancement, training smart, and how to recover fast.The old warriors chapter is motivational for those of us that are aging, and aren't we all?The other chapters offer good advice on how we can keep going as we age.

The next part is on playing sports.Dr. Bob writes about five sports that you can continue to enjoy regardless of your age and why they are great activities to keep you in shape no matter how old.The five chapters and sports are:Alpine Skiing, Aerobic Tennis, Power Blading, Mountain Biking, and Snow Blading.Even if you don't chose one of these five to incorporate into your life and exercise program, the chapters are worth a read.You might even decide to try one and like it.Or it will reinforce and provide tips for an activity you already enjoy.

The final part is extremely important in my opinion, and that is creating muscles of youth.The chapters focus on growing muscle and there are some very basic weight lifting exercises illustrated and a couple of sample routines.And then there is a final chapter on stretching.Dr. Bob introduces Active Isolated Stretching as he learned from Jim and Phil Wharton.This was my first introduction to this form of stretching when Dr. Bob's book first came out in 1995.Since then, I've incorporated some AI Stretching into my programs and sought out more information by purchasing the books Jim and Phil Wharton wrote.

The book concludes with a short postscript in which Dr. Bob tells about traveling with Arnold Schwarzenegger during his 50-state campaign for youth fitness in 1992 and his desire for people live healthily into old age.I really like his last bit of advice, "For all of us the clock is ticking.Now is the time to turn back the clock to become the best you've ever been."

I agree.Even though the book is a bit older, the advice is as relevant today as when he wrote it.For anyone wanting to slow the physical effects of time, "Dr. Bob's Guide to Turning Back the Clock" is a great place to start.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.

Great advice!
I lost 20 lbs after reading Arnots books. He offers safe and effective advice for folks who want to live longer and healthier lives.

Not for men only
Sensible and practical. No quick fixes, but collects a bunch of good tips into one place.

The Guide
Dr. Bob's "Guide to Turning Back the Clock" is 100 percent accurate and a good motivational tool for both men and women.I had no idea that enriched flour ... is so bad for your body.He has some very good ideas on how to eat and "fuel" your body.I especially liked the sections on roller blading and cross country skiing. This is the "one" diet/fitness book to have at your side.Cousin Arnold is right: "Be the best you've ever been.Now is the time and this is the book!" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The clock repair first reader
Book was like new if not new as advertised.Delivery was prompt.Would have been nice if the book had been packaged in bubble wrap as postal service was quite rough on it.

Hard to follow
This book could be difficult for a beginner. The diagrams are sometimes hard to follow. So, I wouldn't buy this one as your first book on clock repair.

Don't buy this book here...they are way over priced!
I can't believe the price the two sellers are trying to get for this book; $50 and $99.Outrageous.Do yourself a favor and go to [...].It's exactly the same book at a cost to you of only $16.Now you understand why I'm amazed at how some people try to take advantage of others.I do buy quite a few books here at Amazon.com and have considered most to be a good deal.[...]

Clock Primer is a Must Have
I love this book.I collect old clocks and have purchased many books on clock repair, but I could not use them because they were written for clock experts.After reading this book I think I can do some basic clockmaintenance and repair.This book is a must for anyone who has a clock. The format is very easy to follow.

An excellent primer for any clock enthusiast!
Balcomb does an outstanding job of breaking things down into simple terms.Being a novice, my confidence has been significantly bolstered with his easy to read step by step approach. This is THE book to have whenundertaking antique clock repairs! ... Read more

Product Description

How many electronic innovations have you dialed, watched, surfed, charged, listed to, booted up, commuted on, cooked with, and plugged in today?

Customer Reviews (16)

THE ONLY THING TO FEAR IS IGNORANCE
Ann Louise Gittleman is owed a debt of gratitude for taking a very complex subject and making it understandable for the layperson.

The health effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) might be framed as controversial because there are conflicting conclusions drawn by independent studies versus studies secretly funded by the wireless communication industry and the electric utility industry.Who will you believe?Studies paid for by those with much to loose or independent studies?

There are too many independent, peer-reviewed studies published in major medical journals showing a link between EMR and health to any longer ignore EMR exposure.Government regulations are based on erroneous assumption.They do not protect people.Those independent people who are in the know in this complex area are strongly recommending avoidance precautions because of the existing weight of evidence.See [...] and [...]

Beyond the studies that show a relationship between man-made electromagnetic energies and health issues, there are well known medical doctors who deal with once normal people with strange maladies.They see health effects in these patients from exposure to a range of man-made electromagnetic radiations.Are these people the canaries in the coal mine for the population at large?These doctors think so. Since they have focused on this area as their specialty, we fail to listen to these doctors, and we fail to heed these studies at our own peril.

Right now people you know and love are needlessly injured through ignorance of the facts. The only way to take precautions is to understand the nature of the threat, where it comes from and how it can be minimized.That is what Zapped so ably does.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.This book gives you power over your electromagnetic environment.Read it.Heed it.

Disclosure:I am the so-called incompetent technical person that reviewed Zapped as referenced in 'Return of the Fear Mongers'. Please check up on me on the Internet.

A Must-Read Book
I found Zapped fascinating reading, particularly for anyone who has kids or is concerned about children today. In clear, concise prose with ample documentation, Ann Louise Gittleman shows how we all are bathed in man-made electropollution from all our digital, electrical, and wireless gadgets, as well as citing research into the fall-out from this latest form of radiation. Alzheimer's, arrhrythemia, brain tumors, breast cancer, immune system problems, insomnia, leukemia, Lou Gehrig's disease, MS, and Type 3 diabetes are just some of the health concerns linked to electromagnetic pollution (EMFs).
While dangerous at any age, these risks wreak the gravest havoc on the developing fetus and child. Not only are the young smaller and have thinner skulls (making them more vulnerable to electropollution than adults), but they're also more likely to be using this technology for far longer than their parents. Gittleman cites research linking Moms' cell phone with later behavioral and learning problems in their offspring, and anyone involved in education knows how widespread learning problems are among our students today. Thankfully, Zapped has an entire chapter devoted to limiting young people's exposure to EMFs, whether from their own phones or WiFi in schools.
Best of us, the author gives us plenty of ways to limit our exposure, protecting ourselves and our children, without turning into Luddites. This book is a must-read for the 2lst century!

Roon Frost, coauthor of The Little Boy Book

An eyeopener and Inspirational on many levels
As a person that has worked within the world of natural medicine for more that 20 years and a licensed holistic health provider, I found this book to be thought provoking and eye opening.The most important part of the book is that Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman makes the information very "user friendly" without overwhelming the reader with a lot of scientific data which may be intimidating. She provides very useful and real solutions to epic problem of EMF waves and dirty electricity which are fast becoming thePink elephant in the room" that nobody wants to deal with or talk about. She exposes these "Inconvenient Truths" in a way that even the nah sayers will have a hard time denying.
The message that she is brings to light and forefront of our consciousness is revolutionary and I feel is the next big frontier in preventative medicine and preserving the health of our future generations. In my opinion every parent on the planet should be reading this book and understanding the grave importance of how these EMF waves are effecting our children. If you are a person who cares about thequality food you eat, the air you breathe, or the water you drink, then you must take your concern to the next level and educate yourself about the toxic emf pollution that is making us sick.This book is a must read and I will be suggesting to all my clients.

This is a wireless wake-up call we need to hear
Dr Gittleman's groundbreaking book brings this issue to people who need to hear many voices calling out for caution. It is an easy read and provides waysto cut risks of electro-pollution. I am not a technical expert but many of the world's leading authorities contributed to my book, Wireless Radiation Rescue. Their evidence of adverse biological effects from cell phone radiation is clear.

As a prominent pioneer in the field of nutrition and weight loss, I am sure Dr Gittleman is quite used to naysayers. However, I must comment on the 'fear-mongering' review, by the co-editor of the Information Age Dictionary. He is right that we have adapted to, "naturally occurring electromagnetic fields since time immemorial."

The scientific evidence does not support, however, the view that we have adapted to this very different, 'non-natural' form of wireless radiation - the jagged, pulsed wave used in mobile communication.

He also advises us that, "... studies done on cellphone exposure in the 1980s and 1990s no longer hold relevant data since the technology of the phones are now so totally different than they were."

Same goes for the safety regulations!

The current FCC exposure limits have not been updated since they were set in 1997, and these are still governing the marketplace.

The environmental health physician, Dr David Carpenter made this hard-hitting remark,"Government regulations are just plain wrong."

You should also know they only tested the effects on the brain of a 200 lb male. Remember this when you allow your teen or child to use a mobile phone. More details on our website www.radiationrescue.org

Balanced view? Most of the 'inconclusive' studies were funded by the massively powerful wireless industry, and this influence is also seen in many media outlets. This is why we need strong voices like Dr. Gittleman's.

Kerry Crofton, PhD

Return of the Fear Mongers
Nothing sells better than fear, whether it's the type you see on the silver screen, your TV, or in the pages of books like "Zapped". Ms. Gittleman visits an issue that has been around for at least the past 30 years or so...the effects of electromagnetic fields on human health. Hardly "cutting edge" stuff as suggested by other reviewers. But good grist for the mill of those who fear that which they do not understand.

While anyone who has worked with radio-frequency transmitters understands, prudence is appropriate. High-energy electromagnetic fields have demonstrable effects on humans and should be avoided. So too should excess exposure to chemicals, many of which we encounter in our daily lives and use, safely, in small quantities and with limited exposure. But the truth is that humans have been exposed to naturally occurring electromagnetic fields since time immemorial. Every spark, be it from your hand to the door knob or from a cloud to the earth produces a broad spectrum of EMF energy. Our bodies, fortunately, developed to accommodate such exposure.

Ms. Gittleman's book clearly wasn't reviewed first by competent technical people for if it had it would not have so many technical errors. A fair copy editor would have insisted that studies presented as definitive be balanced by those that show a totally different result. Some acknowledgement should have been made that studies done on cellphone exposure in the 1980s and 1990s no longer hold relevant data since the technology of the phones are now so totally different than they were, notably because of the reduced amount of radio-frequency energy they need transmit to maintain contact with cell towers.

If you're curious about the effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields I would suggest seeking more accurate information elsewhere. While she might be knowledgeable about nutrition, Ms. Gittleman seems out of her ken when it comes to electromagnetic fields. ... Read more