Reader Views

Roll Call: 2012

Article first published as Book Review: Roll Call: 2012 by Clarence Johnson, Ph.D. on Blogcritics.
 
“Roll Call: 2012” by Dr. Clarence  Johnson is a thought-provoking book on how to help African American students improve math skills and test scores in order to become more successful in college and beyond. Dr. Johnson believes that if African American students are given a structured plan and support throughout their time in school, it will greatly increase the students’ chances of being successful in math.

My favorite quote from this book is when Dr. Johnson is addressing a group of students. He says, “Boys and girls, you are the only persons on this earth who can use your abilities.” Dr. Johnson clearly loves the students and wants to inspire each and every one to succeed in life.  His passion for the students is evident throughout the book. Dr. Johnson has very specific and structured ideas he believes all African American students need to follow in order to improve their math skills and pass the high stakes tests given in high school. His focus is on preparing middle school students for algebra and geometry so they are able to take those courses early in their education. By taking these classes in middle school and/or as a freshman in high school, the students will have a better understanding of the subject matter, and will also have the opportunity to take higher level math courses in high school. This will enable the students to move onto college bettered prepared to become scientists and engineers, professions with a low percentage of minorities.
 
Dr. Johnson lays out a strict plan for students to follow, giving sample schedules that start from the time the students wakes up until he or she goes to bed. While I agree that structure is important for all students, how it looks and is implemented varies greatly depending on each individual. “Work with the end in mind” is a quote from Dr. Johnson’s book, and I agree with that. Plans that are developed with the end goal in mind are much more likely to produce the desired results.

I recommend “Roll Call: 2012” by Dr. Clarence  Johnson to any educator, parent or student looking for a very structured plan on developing math skills and improving math scores in African American students. While this book had some good ideas, I don’t agree with everything in this book. As a former special education teacher and school administrator, I believe plans need to offer more flexibility than what is outlined in this book. I also struggled with the poor grammar and many spelling and typographical errors in this book, which could turn off many readers from the true message of the book. Overall, I think the author’s heart is in the right place and he truly wants African American students to thrive in mathematics.


Roll Call: 2012
Clarence Johnson, Ph.D.
AuthorHouse (2012)
ISBN 9781477275733
Reviewed by Christine Watson for Reader Views (1/13)

Food Flavors: Chemical, Sensory and Technological Properties

Article first published as Book Review: Food Flavors: Chemical, Sensory and Technological Properties, Edited by Henryk Jelen on Blogcritics.
 
In the Preface of “Food Flavors,” edited by Henryk Jeleń, it says “Flavor is one of the main sensory attributes of crucial importance for consumers’ acceptance of food. Therefore, it attracts the attention of not only food technologists but also psychologists and neurophysiologists.” The chapters address areas such as: Smell, Taste, Flavor; Flavors from Amino Acids; Flavor Suppression and Enhancement; Legislation; Red Meat Flavor, Essential Oils and Spices, Food Taints and much more.  Each chapter spotlights on: introduction, aroma, flavor, examples of flavors, and analytical approaches.

A good example is of my favorite herb, Basil, in the chapter “Essential Oils and Spices.”  It is explained the herb is native to tropical regions of Asia and Pacific Islands and cultivated as a culinary herb in Europe.  (Canada and the United States are not mentioned but I assume that’s because the contributor is from Poland and only focused on Europe.) “Essential oil is isolated from leaves, stems, and flowers with a low yield of about 0.1%.  Fourteen tons of the oil is annually produced in Comoros, Madagascar, and France.”  As well, the data gives major components and use.  All chapters give similar data as related to the topic.
 
Each contributor is an expert in his or her field, including chemists, professors, and researchers from all over the world.  The data is concise and informative, giving references for further study or research.  Due to the nature of the content, the information is geared toward those in the food industry, nutritionists and health practitioners to help them better understand components and properties of foods.  I believe “Food Flavors,” edited by Henryk Jeleń, is a well compiled and addresses the major foods.  Recommended.


Food Flavors: Chemical, Sensory and Technological Properties
Edited by Henryk Jeleń
CRC Press (2012)
ISBN 9781439814918
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (4/12)

Glue His Butt to the Chair!

Many parents dread homework time as much as their children do. It often results in nagging, fighting, and general chaos in the home. “Glue His Butt to the Chair!” offers good advice for getting homework done while maintaining peace. The book employs the concept of “What's the Rule?” to create a structured environment in which homework will be done. This rule specifically states when, where, and for how long a child will do his homework. For example, Joey will do his homework from 5:00 PM to 5:40 PM at the dining room table. The authors propose ten minutes per grade level is appropriate. Going beyond this time limit, they suggest, will upset the balance between doing homework and having fun.
The authors insist upon making homework the child’s responsibility. The parents are not to do the work for them. Nor are they to teach or coach them on the subject matter. They should not review or correct their assignments.
This book is written by a pediatric psychologist, a licensed social worker, and a mom. They each provide unique perspectives towards the topic of homework. In addition, they offer insight into detecting learning disabilities and the processes of how to address the school to make sure the child’s needs are met. While I respect the opinions of the authors, I did take issue with two concepts. Regarding not correcting the child’s work, if they are doing it incorrectly maybe they do not understand the material. It would be better to fix the problem before the test. Also the authors state that if the homework is not completed in the appropriate time, they should not finish it. It seems they are learning that they won’t be held accountable for not finishing assigned tasks.
“Glue His Butt to the Chair!” by Rebecca Jackson, Dr. Robert Pressman and Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman is written for parents to help them get their children to do their homework at a designated time and place. It provides structure for the entire family. By making it a rule, the child and parent know what is expected of them. This system will be beneficial for many families and will help decrease the stress levels of parents and children alike.  The companion book is “Matilda & Maxwell Freaky Homework Fiasco.” It is written from the perspective of middle school students and offers their thoughts on homework.


Glue His Butt to the Chair
Rebecca Jackson, Dr. Robert Pressman and Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman
Good Parent Good Child (2011)
ISBN 9780983218326
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (4/12)

Acrocanthosaurus: The Bones Of Contention

Article first published as Book Review: Acrocanthosaurus: The Bones Of Contention by Russell Ferrell on Blogcritics.

“Acrocanthosaurus: The Bones of Contention,” by Russell Ferrell, is a story that’s as amazing as the dinosaur bones discovery around which the adventure unfolds. The book is populated by two larger than life heroes along with a cast of sharply drawn characters from the worlds of paleontology, politics, government, corporations, and contract law. Greed, corruption and dishonesty abound. And like all riveting tales, there are twists and turns, and an unexpected surprise: “Acrocanthosaurus: The Bones of Contention” is no tall tale, it’s a true story.

Simply put, Ferrell describes the book as “basically about nature, a dinosaur discovery and excavation, and the struggles of the book’s two heroes in the aftermath of the discovery.” In fact, this book is a meticulously researched, historical account of what the author contends, and his research would seem to support, is “one of the greatest achievements of paleontological history.” Given both the breadth and importance of the historical and scientific aspects of the story, the author has actually created two versions of the book. This is a review of the version which concentrates more on history. The second version focuses more on the paleontological science of the event.

The story is anchored not by the dinosaur, but rather by its two larger than life, colorful heroes Cephis Hall, the Arkansas hillbilly, and Sid Love, a Choctaw Indian. Hall is the central figure of the story. In the context of today’s modern naturalist and environmentalist model, Cephis himself is an anachronism. He is a classic, old-timey nature guide, who entertains school children and adults with the stories, legend and lore, and magic of the natural world. He and Sid are vestiges of a vanishing breed of American naturalist adventurers, dinosaurs like the one they seek imbedded in the earth. Ferrell’s portrait of Cephis Hall is rich and romantic. 

This book is a perfect project match for Ferrell. He is thoroughly familiar with the region of the country in which the story unfolds. He’s an historical writer and former school history and science teacher. And, he has a self-acknowledged bias against the banking and legal professions, and big, multinational companies. This attribute provides especially timely and relevant content in view of the state of current affairs in America and throughout the world. However, these same match-up strengths are also the source of flaws in the book’s manuscript. Some readers may feel that Ferrell “the teacher” is giving them more history and science than they need. Others might feel that there are too many insignificant, anecdotal digressions. But despite these instances, Ferrell is above all a consummate storyteller who always manages to get his yarn back on track and keep the story moving forward at an engaging pace.

Russell Ferrell’s writing infuses “Acrocanthosaurus: The Bones of Contention” with a “tall tale” quality that makes the book an interesting and entertaining read.  Its quirky personality makes it a good choice for anyone who is an avid reader of modern, historical non-fiction.


Acrocanthosaurus: The Bones Of Contention
Russell Ferrell
Historical Dimensions (2011)
ISBN 9780615438146
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for ReaderViews (11/11)

Why Do We All Love Dr. Seuss?: Discovering the Mystery and Magic of an Icon

Article first published as Book Review: Why Do We All Love Dr. Seuss?: Discovering the Mystery and Magic of an Icon by Lois Einhorn, Ph.D. on Blogcritics.

“Why Do We All Love Dr. Seuss?” by Lois Einhorn, Ph.D., provides an interesting and inspiring perspective to the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss! Dr. Einhorn offers her powerful insight into the magical words of Dr. Seuss. I was impressed with the connections she was able to make. Of course, it all seems obvious once she sheds light on those connections, but I know personally I would have missed out on many Dr. Seuss life lessons had I not read this book.

Some of the topics Dr. Einhorn includes are natural order, interconnectedness, balance, gratitude, respect, action, play and so much more. The chapter about the universe being one circle reminded me of how life is harmonious and whole. Dr. Einhorn says, “A circle has no borders, boundaries, or blocks, no corners, confines, or crevices… In an open circle everyone belongs.” That is powerful for adults and children alike. What comfort that must bring to young children just discovering the world.

Another chapter that spoke to me was chapter 11, “Gratefulness.” This chapter inspired me and reminded me to be truly grateful for my life, including my troubles. Sometimes simplicity carries great power and this chapter’s simple reminder served its purpose.

This book is sprinkled with thought-provoking quotes by interesting people, adding to the tidbits of wisdom throughout this book. My next read will be some of the old Dr. Seuss favorites so I can relive childhood joys with new insight. I will keep Lois Einhorn’s “Why Do We All Love Dr. Seuss?” as a reference for when I need to be reminded of how wonderfully whole our world is!


Why Do We All Love Dr. Seuss?: Discovering the Mystery and Magic of an Icon
Lois Einhorn, Ph.D.
Robert Reed Publishers (2012)
ISBN 9781934759585
Reviewed by Christine Watson for Reader Views (4/12)

Are You in A Pickle?: Lessons Learned Along The Way: Students’ Performance And Achievement Gaps

Article first published as Book Review: Are You in A Pickle?: Lessons Learned Along The Way: Students' Performance And Achievement Gaps by Patricia L. Pickles, Ph.D. on Blogcritics.

Educators serving in many different roles will find this book engaging and useful.  Dr. Patricia L. Pickles has been around the “education block” and offers helpful insights that allow educators to learn from her vast experience.  I found “Are You in A Pickle?” to be helpful in my role as a new private school owner.

Early on in the book, Dr. Pickles shares a few life lessons learned.  While all of them were interesting, I found one to be particularly powerful.  She says “To prepare students for today’s workforce, learning must be relevant.” This is very true because the needs of our society are constantly evolving, and education will also need to evolve to remain relevant.  This one life lesson is the main reason I left public education and started my own school.

Dr. Pickles provides valuable data that shows the reality of education and offers suggestions and advice for improving our current status.  In the book, there is a table showing the kindergarten readiness for different socioeconomic groups, and the importance of learning in the early years.  Dr. Pickles also asks some great thought-provoking questions in the book.  One in particular that struck me was “At the elementary level, are multiple intelligences embraced to determine and identify the unique gifts in young people?”  What are we doing for our students that will help them not only learn the skills necessary for the future, but to support them in strengthening their personal talents and gifts?

Dr. Pickles said, “A manager ensures that things are done right, but a leader does the right thing.”  As a school owner and leader, I found this statement to be one of the most powerful in the book.  She goes on to talk a little about a variety of great leaders in our country and world, and I was incredibly inspired to improve my own leadership skills.

Throughout the book, Dr. Patricia L. Pickles gives heartfelt insight along with facts to make “Are You in A Pickle?” a must read for educators in general, and school leaders in particular.  I plan to keep this book handy as a reference when I need a pick-me-up.


Are You in A Pickle?: Lessons Learned Along The Way: Students’ Performance And Achievement Gaps
Patricia L. Pickles, Ph.D.
AuthorHouse (2012)
ISBN 9781456796587
Reviewed by Christine Watson for Reader Views (3/12)

Russia’s Prestige: Historical Architecture

This is a very complete and concise volume of Russian architecture by a very talented writer. Mr. Parvaiz does more than just describe the beautiful architecture that is portrayed in the book. He goes the extra mile by giving the reader an insight into the history of the building. Beginning with Cathedral of the Dormition, to the Qolsharif Mosque, the chapters are descriptive and detailed. There is even a glossary at the end of every chapter that enlightens the reader to the terms used in that chapter.

Such amazing structures as the Catherine Palace in the Tsarskoe selo (the Tsar’s private city) are described with such detail that shows the author did his homework. He goes beyond the usual descriptions of the brick and mortar to include the reasons for its existence. It is this type of research that the author has done that makes this book stand out from the crowd of the usual architectural books.

The pictures are black and white, as would be expected in a book of architectural structures that date back as far as these do but that does not hinder the quality. The writing is top-notch and keeps the readers interest with the in-depth background and history.

The way the information is presented, with an in-depth history of the structures, makes it very interesting reading for everyone. He brought out some historical events that I had never seen or heard of in other books. It is general audience reading and full of wonderful pictures of all the old Churches and Cathedrals that are described and discussed. The cover graphics are appealing and the editing is a welcome change from most I have read recently. I enjoyed “Russia’s Prestige: Historical Architecture” and gave it my highest mark of an A+.

Russia’s Prestige: Historical Architecture
Kashif  Parvaiz
Outskirts Press (2010)
ISBN 9781432766115
Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (5/11)

Liana Tips: Or More Than Most People Want To Know About Vines, Vine-Like Plants and Other Ramblings, Volume 2 of 2

“Liana Tips: Or More Than Most People Want To Know About Vines, Vine-Like Plants and Other Ramblings, Volume 2 of 2” is the second installment of author Gwen Kirtley Perkins’ extensive knowledge base on the subject of vines and related plants.  Like the first volume, she explores and expounds upon the where’s, when’s, how’s, and why’s of a myriad of different species.  Unlike the first volume, though, she takes on each plant and then delves into the details.  Organized alphabetically by ‘Family,’ she names a plant, then offers what type of stem, flower, fruit, habitat (noted as ‘range’), and miscellany.  For some, she offers colloquial synonyms and for others, she lists common names or generic names.  Throughout the pages, she includes autobiographical stories from her youth and marriage as well as poems, scripture, and quotes.

I found “Liana Tips…Volume 2 of 2” to be much more user-friendly than the first volume.  Being able to go to only one place in the book for information on a vine is much easier than going to several and having to navigate different lists just to get the basic information, which is what the first volume had the reader doing.  However, the headings under each plant weren’t standardized so you didn’t always get the same type of information from one plant that you did for another.  Granted, not all vines have flowers, for example, but lacking that heading under a vine left the reader wondering if it has simply been left out or if the vine didn’t produce flowers.  Having the same headings for each plant, even if the “Flowers” heading would have been followed with ‘none’ would have left no question in the reader’s mind.  I would have also expected the scientific name (in Latin) to be included as one of these headings but it wasn’t.  Further, some of the other headings weren’t self-explanatory so reading a heading like ‘Common and Specific Name’ and then having it followed by ‘Personal’ told me absolutely nothing.  Even with a college-level background in biology and an interest in genetics, I couldn’t grasp what the author was trying to impart.

I think what I found most difficult about this book was its use of random quotes, scripture, and poems, which regularly had no parallel to plants or nature in general.  They may have been favorite passages of the author’s and included as the book also serves as an autobiographic account.  I think the inclusion of these quips would have been much easier to navigate had they been located between species sections instead of in the middle of them.  While some are appropriately placed, there are many that aren’t.  I didn’t like starting to read about a species and then having it interrupted with an unrelated quote or a story, only to return again to the details of that species.  It felt disjointed and hindered the flow of the text.

As I said regarding volume one, Perkins writes with an enthusiastic passion for her vines and for her memories, which made the book charming.  Both “Liana Tips” volumes will serve as beautiful reminders of her love and her life for her beloved family and friends.

Liana Tips: Or More Than Most People Want To Know About Vines, Vine-Like Plants and Other Ramblings, Volume 2 of 2
Gwen Kirtley Perkins, PhD
Wheredepony Press (2011)
ISBN 9780981825243
Reviewed by Vicki Liston for Reader Views (10/11)

Liana Tips: Or More Than Most People Want To Know About Vines, Vine-Like Plants and Other Ramblings, Volume 1 of 2

“Liana Tips: Or More Than Most People Want To Know About Vines, Vine-Line Plants and Other Ramblings, Volume 1 of 2” is a collection of detailed information, drawings, and lists about these fascinating types of plants.  True to her title, author Gwen Kirtley Perkins supplies more than most would ever want to know.  She organizes the plants into different types of habitats, such as ‘watery,’ ‘wet,’ ‘moist,’ ‘dry’ and more and then further breaks down each category into very specific conditions like ‘field edges,, ‘forest edges,’ fence rows,’ etc.  There are also lists of rare vine species, native and introduced ones with regard to ‘invasive’ qualities, toxicity in humans and various animals, folk medicine uses, and an a myriad of other uses.  She continues the book with how to identify stem, leaf, flower, fruits, and other physical characteristics.  The book ends with a list of vines found in the Southeast portion of the United States and the scientific names in Latin.

“Liana Tips” is also an autobiographical account of Perkins’ journey into the world of vines and plants in general.  She speaks often of her childhood and of her marriage.  I had mixed feelings about these digressions.  While it was charming, it took the book off-topic quite often.  Just as an example, the ‘Introduction to this Book’ didn’t start until page 36, much further in than a typical intro section would be expected.  Another potential issue was that it was a mixture of fact-based information with personal opinion or preferences.  Her word ‘liana,’ for instance, is what she uses for ‘vines and vine-like plants.’  She’d come to use this term by discovering the word, ‘lianes’ (pronounced ‘lie-aye’ ns).  “Not particularly liking the harsh sound of that word and wanting a softer one, [she] kept looking.”  She later came upon the Spanish word ‘liana’ but changed its pronunciation to sound ‘more southern sounding.’  With this in mind, I would have a difficult time recommending this book to someone looking for fact-based information on these types of plants.

I did find the information written with a passion indicative of a deep love of the subject.  Obviously, Perkins is an adoring fan, even a bit obsessive, when it comes to these plants.  This gave the book an endearing quality.  There is no doubt that “Liana Tips” will be a treasured account of the 92-year-old author’s various hobbies and interests for her family and friends. 

Liana Tips: Or More Than Most People Want To Know About Vines, Vine-Like Plants and Other Ramblings, Volume 1 of 2
Gwen Kirtley Perkins, PhD
Wheredepony Press (2010)
ISBN 9781981825236
Reviewed by Vicki Liston for Reader Views (10/11)

The Human Hologram: Living Your Life in Harmony with the Unified Field

I found it incredibly refreshing to read “The Human Hologram.”  By demonstrating how modern science and ancient wisdom are connected, Dr. Robin Kelly presents a convincing argument to explain his theory that we are living in a holographic universe.    To support his theory, he provides us with Ten Guiding Principles of the Human Hologram.  The Fourth Principle, “Modern scientific and mathematical theory lends support to the theory that our universe is holographic. It follows that we, as part of the universe, must also be holographic. Modern Science acknowledges that pure information is fundamental to our universe.”  What this means to us, as both humans and holograms, is that we are actually able to play an active role in co-creating our future. In doing so, by combining our knowledge of modern science and the ideals of ancient wisdom, we can connect to a unifying field of consciousness that will enable us to transform our health and our environment.

In explaining how he arrived at this idea, Dr. Kelly heavily expounds upon scientific processes.  Having personally read many books that put a lot of emphasis on metaphysical ideas while throwing some scientific jargon in, I was pleased to see that Dr. Kelly utilizes his obviously extensive knowledge of natural physical laws and constants to show how “The Human Hologram” can be a reality.

While “The Human Hologram” presents a lot of complex ideas, Dr. Kelly presents it in a way that I was able to follow, even though my last science class was fifteen years ago! I felt that this book was beautifully written and I loved how the author showed that both eastern and western medicine can be connected. Utilizing a great deal of explanations, diagrams, case studies, compassion and a touch of humor, I totally enjoyed reading this book, and was excited to see that scientists are heading us in a direction where as individuals we will be encouraged to play a more active role in taking responsibility for our health and transforming our lives.    

The Human Hologram: Living Your Life in Harmony with the Unified Field
Dr. Robin Kelly
Energy Psychology Press (2011)
ISBN 9781604150629
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/11)