Does assigning fifty math problems accomplish any more thanassigning five? Is memorizing word lists the best way to increasevocabulary—especially when it takes away from reading time? Andwhat is the real purpose behind those devilish dioramas? The time our children spend doing homework has skyrocketed inrecent years. Parents spend countless hours cajoling their kids tocomplete such assignments—often without considering whether or notthey serve any worthwhile purpose. Even many teachers are in thedark: Only one of the hundreds the authors interviewed and surveyedhad ever taken a course specifically on homework duringtraining. The truth, according to Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish, is thatthere is almost no evidence that homework helps elementary schoolstudents achieve academic success and little evidence that it helpsolder students. Yet the nightly burden is taking a serious toll onAmerica’s families. It robs children of the sleep, play, andexercise time they need for prop

All those baby boomers who have embarked on the journey ofraising their second and third children have found themselves leftin the lurch by existing child care literature. Now child careexpert Nancy Samalin, who has earned a reputation for her forgivingand empowering approach to parenting, brings her inspiring outlookto this guide to the pitfalls and rewards of parenting two or morechildren. Parents who consider themselves pros after the first child are infor a surprise when the encounter life after the second child isborn and beyond. Suddenly their world is an exhausting haze ofcompeting demands, perpetual squabbling, sibling rivalry,complaints of unfairness and "you love him more" (and sometimes youdo), unrelenting stress, and a pervasive sense of guilt andinadequacy. Culled from her years of workshops with hundreds ofparents, Nancy Samalin shares the trials and joys of parenthood andprovides specific advice on steering your way through the parentingrapids. This is a must-read for today's harri

“There are lives lost in this book, and there are lives saved,too, if salvation means a young man or woman begins to feeldeserving of a place on the planet. . . . What could be moresoul-satisfying? These are the most influential professionals mostof us will ever meet. The effects of their work will lastforever.” –from the foreword by Anna Quindlen Now depicted in a bestselling book and a feature film, theFreedom Writers phenomenon came about in 1994 when Erin Gruwellstepped into Room 203 and began her first teaching job out ofcollege. Long Beach, California, was still reeling from the deadlyviolence that erupted during the Rodney King riots, and the kids inErin’s classroom reflected the anger, resentment, and hopelessnessof their community. Undaunted, Erin fostered an educationalphilosophy that valued and promoted diversity, tolerance, andcommunication, and in the process, she transformed her students’lives, as well as her own. Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writerswent on to establish t

The Ultimate Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the Dorm Dorm life offers you a great chance to meet new people and trynew things. But leaving the comforts of home for the first time toenter the roommate-having, small-room-sharing,possibly-coed-bathroom-using world of the dorms can be overwhelmingand intimidating. The College Dorm Survival Guide offers expert advice and theinside scoop on: ? Choosing the right residence hall for you ? Getting along with your roommate (and handling conflict) ? Bathroom, laundry, and dining hall survival ? Dealing with stress, depression, and safety issues From avoiding the dreaded Freshman 15 to decorating your space,this informative and funny guide gives experts' advice oneverything you need to know to enjoy dorm living to thefullest.

In recent years, a key research project at the China Institutefor Re-form and Development where I work has been thetransformation of thegovernment. The Institute has hosted severalimportant international fo-rums focusing on this topic which haveproduced research achievementsand aroused an extensive response. Asa scholar of the Institute, I havedevoted much of my time andenergy to issues related to the study ofthe transformation of thegovernment. This book presents 37 articles Iwrote or speeches Igave on this topic between May 2003 and September2005.

If you or someone you love has diabetes, you need thisup-to-date, accessible, and comprehensive guide. Written by twoexperienced physicians, this trusted reference, now completelyrevised, shares everything you need to know to keep yourself in thebest possible health. Discover ? the causes of diabetes–and how to prevent it and cure it ? the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes ? ways to reduce the risk of long-term complications ? the pros and cons of the insulin pump ? the facts on how diabetes can affect pregnancy ? how to manage diabetes-related impotence ? the proper diet, even when dining out and traveling ? alternative therapies and medical advances Addressing hundreds of patient concerns, this essential guide willhelp you deal constructively with virtually every challenge adiabetic may encounter, so that you can live a full, productive,and meaningful life.

“Ben Macintyre’s rollicking, spellbinding Agent Zigzag blends the spy-versus- spy machinations of John le Carré with the high farce of EvelynWaugh.” —William Grimes, The New York Times A New York Times Notable Book of the Year A Washington Post Best Book of 2007 One of the Top 10 Best Books of 2007 ( EntertainmentWeekly ) New York Times Best of the Year Round-Up New York Times Editors’ Choice Eddie Chapman was a charming criminal, a con man, and aphilanderer. He was also one of the most remarkable double agentsBritain has ever produced. Inside the traitor was a man of loyalty;inside the villain was a hero. The problem for Chapman, hisspymasters, and his lovers was to know where one persona ended andthe other began. Based on recently declassified files, AgentZigzag tells Chapman’s full story for the first time. It’s agripping tale of loyalty, love, treachery, espionage, and the thinand shifting line between fidelity and betrayal.

Following up on The Power of Nice, agent-attorney Shapiro andfellow negotiator Jankowski reiterate that book's tenets:Neutralize your emotions and stay rational; Identify the type ofdifficult person; Control the encounter; and Explore options. Usingexamples from their own lives as well as pop culture, they offeranecdotes and tips for analysis. The "situationally difficult"person may be temporarily overreacting, so empathy can be a sureroad to cordial defusion. The "strategically difficult" arecalculating (passive-aggressive, take it or leave it, etc.), butcan be countered if you pleasantly, even humorously make them awareyou're onto their game. The "simply difficult," using power as animperative (irrational, bullying, duplicitous, etc.) are thetoughest, but those facing them must recognize their ownpower—including the option to just walk away, a decision that mustbe approached carefully. While the title may be the best thingabout the book, its tips on steering toward win-win situations aremore than p

Geraldine Brooks is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March and Year of Wonders and the nonfiction works Nine Parts of Desire and Foreign Correspondence. Previously, Brooks was a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal in Bosnia, Somalia, and the Middle East. Born and raised in Australia, she lives on Martha's V'meyard with her husband Tony Horwitz, their son Nathaniel, and three dogs.

Studies show that patients who contribute to their owntreatment and recovery fare better in rehabilitation.Tailoring theconcept for those suffering from joint pain, orthopedicpsychologist Kate O'Shea draws from her patients and her owncongenital hip orblems (she has four major surgeries by the timeshe was thirteen) to describe a program for caring for theemotional and physical body while healing joint pain or aftersurgery. Conventional medical care, thouch technologicallysophisticated, often ignores the humanity of individuals--patientsare on their own once they are home. Healing Hip, Joint and KneePain offers exercises, breathing techniques, visualization andwriting suggestions for becoming aware emotionally and forenhancing awareness of the healing joint. Drawing from Rosen work,Feldenkrais, Eutony, and orthopedic psychologym O'Shea provides thereader with inviting methods to hasten healing.

If you're like most people, your life is so hectic that it'shard to imagine squeezing in time for daily exercise. The good newsis that you can get fit without an expensive gym membership orrigorous workout schedule. New research proves that you can "sneakup" on fitness by grabbing a little time here and there throughoutthe day so you total at least thirty minutes of moderateactivity on most days. The American Heart Association's Fitting inFitness guide will show you how to work spurts of activity into theway you live right now. Those few minutes can add up to hugerewards, including a stronger heart and bones, higher energylevels, better weight control, and more. You'll find hundreds of tips for fitting in fitness in thiseasy-to-use, inspiring guide. You'll even learn how to bring yourkids into the act and have a lifestyle program that works for allof you.

The cyberspace revolution, globalization, and the ever more rapid pace at which new knowledge is created are among the recent developments which challenge our universities. While they have adapted rather slowly in the past to changing circumstances, there is now an urgent need for them to adjust rapidly in order to fulfill their mission. Success will heavily depend on the presence of an appropriate system of governance, which is becoming more complex as the cyberspace revolution makes university structures less hierarchical. This book examines the contours and dimensions of university governance in research-intensive universities, seeks to develop cogent governance principles, and offers appropriate initiatives and recommendations. The authors, current and former heads of leading research-intensive universities in Western Europe and the United States, all share the defining concern that the fundamental changes of today pose serious challenges for universities and their system of governance. Contributors inclu

Book De*ion The "unwritten" final chapter of Anne Frank: The Diary of a YoungGirl tells the story of the time between Anne Frank's arrest andher death through the testimony of six Jewish women who survivedthe hell from which Anne Frank never retumed. From Publishers Weekly With approximately 30% more material than the original 1947edition, revealing a more rebellious and complex narrator, the newedition of Frank's classic diary spent five weeks on PW'sbestseller list. From School Library Journal Lindwer presents the tran*s of six in-depth interviewsconducted in preparation for his film documentary, The Last SevenMonths of Anne Frank . Although "Lies Goosens," real name HannahElisabeth Pick-Goslar, will be the most familiar to readers of AnneFrank: The Diary of a Young Girl , each of these women'sfirst-person accounts is compelling. They relate their backgrounds,their capture, details of the concentration camp experience, andde*ions of the time immediately following liberation. Eachincludes her relationship

YA. Despite impoverishing his family because of his alcoholism, McCourt's father passed on to his son a gift for superb storytelling. He told him about the great Irish heroes, the old days in Ireland, the people in their Limerick neighborhood, and the world beyond their shores. McCourt writes in the voice of the child?with no self-pity or review of events?and just retells the tales. He recounts his desperately poor early years, living on public assistance and losing three siblings, but manages to make the book funny and uplifting. Stories of trying on his parents' false teeth and his adventures as a post-office delivery boy will have readers laughing out loud. Young people will recognize the truth in these compelling tales; the emotions expressed; the de*ions of teachers, relatives, neighbors; and the casual cruelty adults show toward children. Readers will enjoy the humor and the music in the language. A vivid, wonderfully readable memoir.?Patricia Noonan, Prince William Public Library, VA Copyright 19

Tried diet after diet and still can’t lose weight? It’s timeto call the expert. In The Skinny, Dr. Louis Aronne, America’s topweight-loss specialist, shares the plan that has worked so well forhis many patients. Through his friendly guidance, you’ll finallylearn how to: stop the weight-loss, weight-gain cycle learn the strategy for feeling full with fewer calories teach your brain to stop craving food learn to put down your fork and automatically push away from thetable—without counting a single calorie learn what common medications and medical conditions can make yougain weight lose the weight—even if nothing else has worked Dr. Louis Aronne is the expert whom doctors refer their toughestcases to. For more than twenty years he’s worked on the front linesof obesity research and treatment. The founder and director of theComprehensive Weight Control Program at New York–PresbyterianHospital /Weill Cornell Medical Center, he has helped thousands ofp

The story of the race to the North Pole is told throughmemoirs, letters, ships' logs, and diaries of Arctic explorers,documenting the motives, modes of travel, and remarkable men whoendured the extremes of physical hardship and grim competition,including Robert Peary, Richard Byrd, Fridtjof Nans

Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the UnitedStates, tells his personal stories about more than thirty years offighting for social change, from teaching at Spelman College torecent protests against war. A former bombardier in WWII, Zinn emerged in the civil rightsmovement as a powerful voice for justice. Although he's a fiercecritic, he gives us reason to hope that by learning from historyand engaging politically, we can make a difference in theworld.

Building on the science of nutrition that she outlined in herbestselling book, Potatoes Not Prozac , Dr. KathleenDesMaisons now presents the first complete, in-depth dietary planfor living with–and healing–sugar sensitivity. She explains exactlyhow you can free your mind and body from the tyranny of sugar andshake off the exhaustion, mental fogginess, and mood swings thatsugar dependence causes. Revealing the various ways sugar addictionaffects both men and women, and the unique methods for healing it,Dr. DesMaisons encourages you to custom-tailor her simple programto fit your lifestyle and includes information on ? How to integrate a “slow-carbs not low-carbs” strategy into yourdiet ? Why regular protein is essential and how to get it with everymeal ? What to eat when a sugar craving strikes ? How to get the nutrition you need on the run–even at fast-foodrestaurants ? How to find an exercise program you’ll enjoy ? Ten breakfasts you can prepare in a flash ? Menus and recipes for every lifestyl

Between 1850 and 1900, Boston underwent a stunningmetamorphosis from an insulated New England town into one of theworld’s great metropolises—one that achieved worldwide prominencein politics, medicine, education, science, social activism,literature, commerce, and transportation. In A City So Grand, Stephen Puleo chronicles this remarkableperiod in Boston’s history. He takes readers through the ferocityof the abolitionist movement of the 1850s, the thirty-five-yearengineering and city-planning feat of the Back Bay project,Boston’s explosion in size through immigration and annexation, thedevastating Great Fire of 1872, and the glorious opening ofAmerica’s first subway station in 1897. This lively journey paintsa portrait of a half century of progress, leadership, andinfluence.

Cheap booze. Flying ?eshpots. Lack of sleep. Endless spin.Lying pols. Just a few of the snares lying in wait for the reporters whocovered the 1972 presidential election. Traveling with the presspack from the June primaries to the big night in November, RollingStone reporter Timothy Crouse hopscotched the country with both theNixon and McGovern campaigns and witnessed the birth of moderncampaign journalism. The Boys on the Bus is the raucous story ofhow American news got to be what it is today. With its verve, wit,and psychological acumen, it is a classic of Americanreporting.

An electrifying memoir from the acclaimed Nicaraguan writer(“A wonderfully free and original talent”—Harold Pinter) andcentral figure in the Sandinista Revolution. Until her early twenties, Gioconda Belli inhabited an upper-classcocoon: sheltered from the poverty in Managua in a world of countryclubs and debutante balls; educated abroad; early marriage andmotherhood. But in 1970, everything changed. Her growingdissatisfaction with domestic life, and a blossoming awareness ofthe social inequities in Nicaragua, led her to join theSandinistas, then a burgeoning but still hidden organization. Shewould be involved with them over the next twenty years at thehighest, and often most dangerous, levels. Her memoir is both a revelatory insider’s account of the Revolutionand a vivid, intensely felt story about coming of age underextraordinary circumstances. Belli writes with both strikinglyricism and candor about her personal and political lives: abouther family, her children, the men in her life; about her po

Finally, homeschoolers have a comprehensive guide to designinga homeschool curriculum, from one of the country's foremosthomeschooling experts. , Rebecca Rupp presents a structured plan toensure that your children will learn what they need to know whenthey need to know it, from preschool through high school. Based onthe traditional pre-K through 12th-grade structure, Home LearningYear by Year features: The integral subjects to be covered within each grade Standards for knowledge that should be acquired by your child ateach level Recommended books to use as texts for every subject Guidelines for the importance of each topic: which knowledge isessential and which is best for more expansive study based on yourchild's personal interests Suggestions for how to sensitively approach less academic subjects,such as sex education and physical fitness