Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development

Book Description

Janet Reibstein's mother and two aunts grew up in New Jersey amid a close-knit, extended Jewish family set apart only by a genetic propensity for breast cancer. Over fifty years, the disease claims Janet's two aunts, then her mother, then a cousin. Finally Janet must face the far-reaching decision of whether to undergo a preemptive mastectomy herself.

A history of the disease in America as well as a story of sisters, mothers and daughters, and the men who love them, Staying Alive is ultimately a tale of extraordinary strength and of the power of love in survival.

Customer Reviews:

The Revival of Feminine Principle for All of Us. .......2005-05-06

The book may seem different from your perspective. However, it might be good to know what underlies the whole story in the book. From my point of view, the author's claim has nothing to do with political action but genuin intuition of humanity which can be said a sort of wisdom for our survival towards future. It encourages us to be aware that the ongoing value system under capitalism is not necessarily conforming to our actual feelings or experiences. If your suffering, fear and suppression seem related to the current social system, the book is worth reading because it helps you remember what gives you the sense of being alive, responsibility for and love towards the future of the world. Disillusioned of lots of tragedies happening to the world, we have started wondering which to call real, the inner sense of happiness or the material world.

I dare say, it is not critique that can change the world but sharing of anyone's failure within us. Only such an idea of sharing can lead us to the inner and direct experience that the other half of the failure has always existed in us. This is the only way and chance for us to make a step towards future. In that sense, what the author considers as a problem is not the masculine principle but the imbalance in which the feminine principle is being suppressed. Driven much so far by the masculine principle, we -both women and men- have been so bound to fear caused by dualistic and mechanistic views on life that we could not pay much attention to the self-destructive aspect of our society. The author, Shiva, simply but strikingly argues that the feminine principle of EACH one of us to be recoverd if we really want to remember what the meaning of life is, namely the reason why we have come here to such a beautiful place called "the Earth".

Staying Alive:Women, Ecology and Survival in India.......2000-06-08

Ahistorical, subjective, and repeatedly misinformed, this book sets out to critque the creeping sinister form that is development, and celebrate the virtuosity of the feminine principle. Shiva uses evidence which is at certain points weak, and at others just plain wrong. Her arguments to back up the essentialism of ecofeminism are totally unconvincing, and as both a feminist and an enviornmentalist, I felt my intelligence insulted by this text.

to remember.......1999-08-01

that women have a ralationship with environment. and i want to know how they extand with this

to remember.......1999-08-01

how to extand that women have a relationship with environment

to remember.......1999-08-01

how to extand that women have a relationship with environment

Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development

Average customer rating:

Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development
Vandana Shiva
Manufacturer: Zed Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Economic Policy & Development | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development.(Brief Article): An article from: The Geographical Journal

Average customer rating:

Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development.(Brief Article): An article from: The Geographical Journal
T.A.S. Bowyer-Bower
Manufacturer: Royal Geographical Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00096JT2U
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Geographical Journal, published by Royal Geographical Society on March 1, 1996. The length of the article is 499 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development.(Brief Article)
Author: T.A.S. Bowyer-Bower
Publication: The Geographical Journal (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 1996
Publisher: Royal Geographical Society
Volume: v162 Issue: n1 Page: p113(1)

Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Our Feature Presentation: Organizational Behavior adds excitement and relevance to Organizational Behavior topics through selected film scenes from popular film releases. This unique product combines a workbook with actual film clips on CD and Video, eliminating the need to purchase or rent costly videos. Film provides your students a visual portrayal of abstract management concepts and provides inexperienced students a greater feeling of reality and connection to the topic. Further, there are many unique aspects of film such as editing, sound, framing, and focusing techniques that make it a powerful communication device that often goes beyond what we can experience in reality. Equally powerful are the reactions of the varied responses of the viewer that can spark lively debate. Register for access to the videos online at http://featurepresentation.swlearning.com.

Book Description

Countryside Stewardship is the first cross-country, empirical study to examine the market effects of stewardship policies across Europe, as well as their possible impact on the supply of agricultural commodities.

This timely and insightful book examines the economic nature of the agri-environmental measures that were intended to reduce the negative effects of agricultural production on countryside amenities and stimulate the positive contributions of farmers to countryside management. An international team of authors offers a comparative analysis of stewardship policies across eight different European countries, drawing upon a classification of 330 different agri-environmental measures introduced since 1985. The objective of their analysis is to provide policy makers and all those involved - farmers, extension officers, researchers - with more insight into the organisation and effects of these policies and to present some options for a more effective implementation of policies in this new field.

Book Description

A revised translation of one of the most important of Jung's longer works. The volume also contains an appendix of four shorter papers on psychological typology, published between 1913 and 1935.

Customer Reviews:

Jung defines his model of the psyche and how it works.......2004-12-01

With the possible exception of "The Symbolic Life," this is my favorite of the books in "The Collected Works" of C. G. Jung. Maybe it's synchronistic that one is CW18 and the other is CW8? In any case, this volume includes Jung's thoughts on many of his breakthrough ideas and concepts and describes his model of the psyche. His model adds a 3rd dimension (the collective unconscious) to Freud's (conscious and subconscious). Though, of course, Jung calls the subconscious the personal unconscious. This 3 dimensional view translates the subconscious into the home of the psychological complexes. Jung applied the mathematical concept of complexes (a complex number has a real or rational part plus an irrational [I'd call it non-rational] part which is a multiple of "i" = the square root of minus one). Jung didn't like what he called neologisms = newly created words; especially when an analogous word was already available. He also considered himself an empirical scientist and did not believe his theories were the last word in psychology.
p. 297 The purpose of research is not to imagine that one possesses the theory which alone is right, but doubting all theories, to approach gradually nearer to the truth.

In this volume, Jung explores the relationships among these three layers of the psyche as related to the real world and our knowledge of it.
p. 171 All knowledge is the result of imposing some kind of order upon the reactions of the psychic system as they flow into our consciousness-an order that reflects the behavior of a metapsychic reality or that which is in itself real.

People project their inner psyche upon the external world-very similar to the Tibetan Buddhist Dzogchen and Mahamudra philosophies in which the real world is empty of an inherent nature (it arises only dependent upon causes) and the reality we perceive is an integrated projection of sentient beings, itself being dependently arising. Of course, Jung did study Eastern philosophies and religions.
p. 207 A poorly developed consciousness, for instance which because of massed projections is inordinately impressed by concrete or apparently concrete things and states, will naturally see in the instinctual drives the source of all reality. It remains blissfully unaware of the spirituality of such a philosophical surmise.

Also, his theory of synchronicity (meaningful coincidences) supports this view of the relationship of psyche to matter. This is a bit reminiscent of the Einstein's view (now part of modern physics) that matter and energy are of the same nature.
p. 215 it is not only possible but fairly probable, even, that psyche and matter are two different aspects of one and the same thing. The synchronicity phenomena point, it seems to me, in this direction, for they show that the nonpsychic can behave like the psychic, and vice versa, without there being any causal connection between them.

However, the danger of identifying, incorrectly, to the world of matter on one hand is matched by the danger of identifying with the collective unconscious' Archetypes on the other.
p. 221 Subjective consciousness must, in order to escape this doom, avoid identification with collective consciousness by recognizing its shadow as well as the existence and the importance of the archetypes. These later are an effective defense against the brute force of collective consciousness and the mass psyche that goes with it.

Rather balance is to be sought in the Individuation process.
p. 223 Psychology actualizes the unconscious urge to consciousness. It is, in fact, the coming to consciousness of the psychic process. And--
p. 225 Conscious wholeness consists in a successful union of ego and self, so that both preserve their intrinsic qualities. If, instead of this union, the ego is overpowered by the self, then the self too does not attain the form it ought to have, but remains fixed on a primitive level and can express itself only through archaic symbols...If the ego is dissolved in identification with the self, it gives rise to a sort of nebulous superman with a puffed-up ego and a deflated self.
p. 226 Individuation does not shut one out from the world, but gathers the world to oneself.

This implies that we withdraw our projections from the world and make the unconscious conscious.
p. 342 Like primitives, we are at first wholly unconscious of our actions, and only discover long afterwards why it was that we acted in a certain way. In the meantime we content ourselves with all sorts of rationalizations of our behavior, all of them equally inadequate.

A megadose of profound psychology.......2003-06-19

_The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche_ is one of the better volumes out of the Princeton/Bollingen series of Jung's collected works, and is absolutely essential for any serious Jungian. I will go over the essays in sequence:

First comes an essay entitled "On Psychic Energy". This is the most difficult essay in this volume. Generally, Jung discusses his concept of the "canalization of libildo". This is interesting in that Jung tries to redefine "libido" by moving away from its traditional, purely sexual connotation. For Jung, libido is simply a generic form of psychic energy which can be redirected or "canalized" into both sexual AND non-sexual activities, such as religious rituals, dances, chants, and incantations. It is only when our intrinsic need for ritual is supressed that we find our libido forced to direct its energies into sexual perversion. Although the concept is interesting, the writing style of this essay is rather vague and opaque, and if you find yourself bogged down, I strongly suggest you skip this first essay. Don't worry - it's all downhill after this essay. The rest of the book is much more lucid and readable.

Next comes an essay called "The Transcendent Function", which basically deals with the healing breakthrough which is the goal of the patient in psychotherapy. Next is an essay dealing with the "Complex Theory". This essay deals with word-association tests in which the experimenter observes the subjects reations and hesitations when given a word that evokes embarrassing or painful memories. Both of these essays are very useful and informative.

Next we have about three more short but very profound and informative essays. Then comes the centerpiece of the book, a potent and spectaculuar classic of 20th century psychology entitled "On the Nature of the Psyche". This, along with "Answer to Job" is one of Jung's very best essays. It deals with an astounding range of topics, including the limitations and paradoxes associated with epistemology, and the dualistic and paradoxical interrelationship between subjective, inner psyche and the objective/outer world. This essay has much to say about the limitations of our subjectivity, and the degree to which we depend on other people and the outside world to attain consciousness. Jung does an excellent job in demarcating the thin line which divides the outer world and the sum of our subjective perceptions. Overall, this essay is a mind warping trip into a sea of paradoxical mysteries of the psyche.

After a short essay dealing with spirits, we come to a series of three great essays: "Spirit and Life", "Basic Postulates of Analytical Psychology", and "Analytical Psychology and Weltanschauung". These fantastic essays deal expertly with the delicate issue of fate and determinism vs. freewill, and the idea of achieving an objective attitude or "Weltanscauung". Jung warns against attempting to unite everyone under one objetive attitude or "ism". This can only lead to repression, nationalistic, racist, and PATRIOTIC BIAS, and ultimately, war. According to Jung, when one nation unites under an "ism" or Weltanschauung which is erronously believed to be objective and appropriate for everyone, we will end up with a repression of indivdual, diverse opinions at best, and at worst, will have a worldwide tragedy resulting from our quest to force this attitude on other people. (and yes, according to Jung's book, DEMOCRACY also counts as one of those "ism's" that we should not try to force on to other people). Of course this tragedy will be carried out under the banner of patriotism.

Next we have three more short essays which are very good, especially "The Soul and Death". After that, we have the famous essay, "Syncronicity", which is available by itself in paperback if you only want that. This is a fascinating essay dealing with paranormal psychic phenomena such as psychokinesis, ESP, and telepathy. If you want to see more details on this essay, see my corresponding review for the stand-alone paperback version.

Overall, _The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche_ is a monumental, epic work. A true magnum opus of psychology, I recommend this volume to anyone who is willing to take on a challenge for the pursuit of self-knowledge.

can't believe it's not available.......2000-06-02

This book is hardcore Jung explaining with his famous spectrum analogy the "third thing" of the psyche, that imaginal space wedged between matter and spirit. Very technical.

This is an absolutely essential reference on the Psyche.......1997-12-17

This is the most practical description of the structure and dynamics of the psyche available. It is a working reference that enables real self-understanding, the understanding of others, and the understanding of the dynamics between the two. With all of the mis-spent resources in the last ninety years on the study of behavior, and the growth of the behaviorists, this reference really enables a person to learn the details of the pre-cursors to behavior. In today's so-called knowledge-based work environment, a solid understanding of the psyche is essential, since 90% of the work is not what one would consider observable behavior. It's nice to know that such a valuable book is still available and still useful. It should be paired with Jung's Psychological Types, and the Two volume set of William James, practical psychology books. Wes Stillwagon

Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche, The

Average customer rating:

Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche, The
C. G. Jung
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0710016387

The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche. Vol. 8 of the Coll. Works

Average customer rating:

The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche. Vol. 8 of the Coll. Works
C. G. Jung
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N3EVXQ

Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche, Including "Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle"

Average customer rating:

Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche, Including "Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle"
C. G. Jung
Manufacturer: Pantheon / Bollingen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M70FH4

Carl Gustav Jung: Critical Assessments: The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche

Average customer rating:

Carl Gustav Jung: Critical Assessments: The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche
Renos Papadopoulos
Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Personality | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0415126142

Book Description

Interest in the work of C. G. Jung is expanding, not only in the fields of psychology and psychotherapy but also in related disciplines; Jung is no longer seen as a secondary figure in the history of psychoanalysis, but is increasingly appreciated for the originality of his contribution to the field.

Carl Gustav Jung: Critical Assessments provides a comprehensive exposition of his original contributions--to the study of psychology, psychotherapy, philosophy and religion--by exploring the major themes of and issues derived from Jung's work, thus offering a critical assessment of his overall presence in our intellectual history. In four volumes, one hundred articles written by leading specialists in their fields examine the Jungian opus from a variety of different thematic, theoretical and cultural perspectives. They cover a wide spectrum of approaches ranging from locating Jung within the context of European philosophy to assessing his specific psychotherapeutic techniques; from discussing his theory of personality and pathology to reflecting on the implications of his work for ecology, gender, history and other spheres of human culture.

This unique compilation, comprehensive in its scope and coverage, and scholarly and systematic in its approach to the subject matter, makes this book an indispensable aid to all serious students of Jung.

The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche : Bollingen Series XX : The Collected Works of C. G. Jung : Volume 8

Average customer rating:

The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche : Bollingen Series XX : The Collected Works of C. G. Jung : Volume 8
C. G. Jung
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MZACLU

The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche, Including "Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle", Vol. 8

Average customer rating:

The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche, Including "Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle", Vol. 8
C. G. Jung
Manufacturer: Princeton University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M1R2CG

Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche, Second Edition

Average customer rating:

Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche, Second Edition
C.G. Jung; Translator R.F.C. Hull
Manufacturer: ROUTLEDGE & KEGAN PAUL
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLOPRE

Book Description

Forest ecosystems grow at the interface between the land and the atmosphere. Understanding the properties of this planetary boundary layer is very important for a number of related disciplines. This book presents an overview of many topics that are of significance at this interface, starting at the scale of intra-leaf organelles, leaves and plants, ranging to higher levels of organization such as communities and ecosystems. It covers topics such as stomatal functioning large-scale processes radiation modelling forest meteorology carbon sequestration. Based on proceedings of a conference to mark the retirement of Professor Paul Jarvis from the University of Edinburgh, the book contains contributions from leading international scientists.

Average customer rating:

One of the BEST BOOKS for any TAR HEELS FAN!

Game Day: North Carolina Basketball: The Greatest Games, Players, Coaches, And Teams In The Glorious Tradition Of Tar Heel Basketball (Game Day)

Manufacturer: Triumph Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Basketball | Sports | Subjects | Books
College & University | Basketball | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Football (American) | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Tarheel Madness: Great Eras in North Carolina Basketball (Golden Ages of College Sports)

Led by Their Dreams: The Inside Story of Carolina's Journey to the 2005 National Championship

Blue Blood: Duke-Carolina: Inside the Most Storied Rivalry in College Hoops

To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever: A Thoroughly Obsessive, Intermittently Uplifting, and Occasionally Unbiased Account of the Duke-North Carolina Basketball Rivalry

North Carolina Tar Heels: Where Have You Gone?

ASIN: 1572437936

Book Description

With one of the richest traditions of college basketball in the country, North Carolina has produced some of the best players and memories in sports history. The Tar Heels' upset of Wilt Chamberlain and the Kansas Jayhawks to win the 1957 national championship. Michael Jordan's jump shot to beat Georgetown for the 1982 crown. Legendary Dean Smith leading his teams from one NCAA tournament to the next. Game Day: North Carolina Basketball distills the pageantry and drama of NC hoops, bibidly portraying them in full-color pages filled with game photos and other interesting features. The legend of North Carolina is decades old, but one thing hasn't changed: Tar Heels basketball is a tradition, a legacy of greatness, and a way of life in many parts of North Carolina.

Customer Reviews:

One of the BEST BOOKS for any TAR HEELS FAN!.......2006-01-04

I recieved this book for Christmas and read it right away! This book has many sections that discuss famous players including Michael Jordan, Eric Montross, and Sean May! The book also discusses famous coaches, of course including the almighty Dean Smith! It talks about all the ACC and NCAA tounramnets and championships we have won! It also discusses the rivalries, of course including UNC vs. DUKE and NC State!

One thing that I really liked about the book was that it told how UNC got its colors, mascot, and name, TAR HEELS!

This is an awesome book for any Carolina fan and I really do think that true UNC fans should get this book to learn the history of their college they love so much! I hope my review was helpful to you!

Average customer rating:

BEST thing for pronunciation!!! Really Works.

Good for Beginner, Nearly useless for Intermediate Learners

Great book!!

It worked!

A video display that carries weight!

Lose Your Accent in 28 Days (CD-ROM, Audio CD, and Workbook)
Judy Ravin
Manufacturer: Language Success Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Phonetics & Phonics | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | English as a Foreign Language | Instruction | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
Pronunciation & Conversational English | English as a Foreign Language | Instruction | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

American Accent Training: A Guide to Speaking and Pronouncing American English for Anyone Who Speaks English as a Second Language, 2nd Edition (Book and Audio CD Edition)

Speak English Like an American (Book & Audio CD set)

Speak Business English Like an American: Learn the Idioms & Expressions You Need to Succeed On The Job! (Book & Audio CD)

The American Accent Guide, Second Edition: A Complete and Comprehensive Course on the Pronunciation and Speaking Style of American English for Individuals of All Language Backgrounds / book and 8 CDs

Pronounce It Perfectly in English with Audio CDs (Pronounce It Perfectly CD Packages)

ASIN: 0972530045

Book Description

Lose Your Accent in 28 Days is the powerful, proven system that will help you master American English pronunciation in weeks — not months or years. Practice 30 minutes a day for 4 weeks and greatly improve your pronunciation. No more being asked to repeat yourself! No more being asked, "What did you say?"

Discover the pronunciation system preferred by faculty and students at America's most prestigious universities — including Cornell, UC Berkeley, Middlebury, and University of Southern California.

Lose Your Accent in 28 Days features an interactive CD-ROM that shows you exactly how to pronounce EVERY vowel and consonant through hundreds of video clips. The Audio CD includes over 70 minutes of material on rhythm, stress, and everyday speech patterns. The Workbook offers 80 techniques for better pronunciation. In all, you'll learn from 956 guided examples. What an easy and enjoyable way to lose your accent!

Lose Your Accent in 28 Days is complete. There are are no extras to buy. You get all this with your system:

- A CD-ROM. Learn to position your mouth and make those difficult vowel and consonant sounds you never thought you could. If you use a system without video, you'll miss the picture. - An Audio CD. Join Ravin and her expert team to practice rhythm, stress and everyday speech patterns. Develop perfect pronunciation and total confidence! - A Workbook. Master pronunciation techniques that will make you sound native-born! People will no longer ask, "What did you say?" - A Carrying Case. Study both at home and on-the-go with this durable and attractive case!

Why do people choose this system over the others?

* Most accent reduction training systems have audio only. It is very helpful to see the instructor's mouth so you know how to position your own mouth to make the sounds correctly.

* Systems that use a video-cassette or DVD do not allow you the incredible flexibility of being able to click with your mouse on the sounds you need to practice...and click over and over again until you've mastered the target sound.

* Many systems are complicated and difficult to use. After a few chapters, many people just give up in frustration. Lose Your Accent in 28 Days is clear and user-friendly so you look forward to studying every day.

* Lose Your Accent in 28 Days also helps you master new vocabulary as you go. The system includes a handy idioms glossary definining every idiom used in the book.

Customer Reviews:

BEST thing for pronunciation!!! Really Works........2007-06-18

I actually ordered this book from amazon but it was gonna take forever to ship so i cancelled ordered from b&n instead. of course it's now on sale so now is the best time to get it.

I'm more like an advanced english speaker. I'm the kind who writes well and gets A+ in my college english comp classes. I have spoken english ever since i was 6 yrs old but of course i didn't live here and even when i came here, people said oh, your english is very good and they'll often ask how long i've spoken english. However, people could still tell i have an accent. And i do. Its always, the "where are you from?" or the "you have a lovely accent." for some it's more of "you have a LITTLE accent."
I got this book and i'll say i haven't been using it as recommended, i mean i practice a day or 2 and don't pick up again till 15days later. First of all, this book complements Ann cooks american accent training, which is great with the intonation.

Anyhow, when it comes to pronunciation, this book is the what you need. I mean you can listen to a tape and it will tell you to stretch the e in 'feel' and the feel sounds something like feeyel-uh (as i heard from the AAT). The thing is if you learn the pronunciation techniques, you would not necessarily need to put in the y and add the uh. Why? because after you learn how to place your mouth to make the 'e' sound and the final 'l' sound, it come natural.

To be honest i started with Ann cooks and i really got lost when she mentions voiced and voiceless consonants. By learning the techniques in this book, i know which sounds i make by just pushing air out of my mouth and which ones i do by using my voice. That way, i don't need to memorize what voiced or voiceless consonant is cuz it's natural to me now.
I started to use the CD version and i've only listened to it once. Well, laziness is not a virtue when it comes to modifying your accent. I've found that with practice, i've been able to make the sounds that used to frustrate me when i started. i just started to follow the author's advice of practicing the sound and also reading a newspaper that targets the sound. i actually read a book cuz i don't care much about the news. One reviewer said the video is too short. I totally disagree.
One HINT is that you can pause it to see a exactly where the placement is - u just have to be good on the timing. i had a problem with saying two consecutive words that have th sound. what i do is that i say the first word with a th but the second with a 'd' like i usually do. On the video, she says something like these things blah blah... First, these and things are 2 different sounds. the first is voiced, the 2nd is not voiced. By pausing the video when she made the second sound, i figured out what she does when she has to make the second th sound in things. well, she doesn't bring the tongue out completely like u do for the first one (these) but it still comes between the teeth enough to make the th sound for the 2nd sound (things) and now i mastered it!

This book is definately worth the money!!! Will you hire a speech pathologist for 100 bucks an hour to help you make the sounds or will you speand 50bucks and sit in the comfort of you home and learn the same thing the pathologist will teach you?

I will also suggest getting a pocket dictionary such as m-w. Loose your accent teaches you to make the sounds. Once you get that down, you can always look in the dictionary to know the correct pronunciation for a word. It can be a common word you say everyday. Chances are you're prolly using sounds of your language and have been saying it the wrong way with the wrong intonation.
Also, One thing you would need to help you with your accent is to fine tune your ear. You prolly never paid attention to what americans say because you understand them when they speak and you've told yourself you speak english. record your voice and as painful as it might be for you, it'll help realize you really don't speak the english Americans speak. Try to listen to the intonation patterns as well as the pronunciation.
IF YOU DON'T FINE TUNE YOUR EAR, YOU'LL NOT SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE ENGLISH YOU SPEAK AND WHAT AMERICAN'S SPEAK. YOU'LL THINK YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE SOUNDS. IF people tell you "you have a accent" truth is YOU DON'T know how to make the sounds. You THINK you do - you don't.

So, get this book, practice the pronunciation techniques and when you get frustrated, just remember practice makes perfect. Trust me, when i was having difficulty with a sound, i'll get frustrated, stop and then come back to it and oh, after practice, i get it right. It's really easy and fun to change your accent. I actually love using the CD-rom. Sometimes i get into the book soo much i don't wanna stop.

Fine tune your ears. Listen to how americans pronounce words and how they stress words. Personally, now that i have the sounds mastered, i can tell which sounds are used in a particular word when a native says it so i don't have to look it up in the dictionary. i just say it back with the sounds i heard them use and it's amazing what a difference that makes.

when you are watch tv, listen to how you can hear the same sentence said with 2 different intonation to mean to completely different things. it really helps you with your accent training. And sometimes, think of the sentence said and think of how you would have said it with your accent. and then practice the different way. The next time you say it, you're likely to say it the right way. You can not memorize a set of rules to help with your intonation. Well, there a few but english is not math with fomulas to memorize - it's fluid and so you really need to understand it, the cultural indoctrination and whatever else comes with it. So fine tuning will help you understand it.
And oh, like the Judy Ravin suggests, practice the sound you learn in conversation settings.

This book really works. Some people can't tell i have an accent and some can. i've not used this book for 28days yet. i've done 10 days or so even though i've own it for a over 2months. But it's still made a difference and i'm gonna devote more time to it now.
So one last suggestion: Accent modification is not for the lazy!!! Hopefully, you are much better than me and practice every day. Trust me, you will note a big difference. My philosophy teacher thinks i was from one of the states in the midwest. I'm surprised she didn't pick up i have an accent - i mean i argue a LOT in class. Of course i started the class after i'd nailed down my sounds from THIS BOOK and practiced basic intonation from the Ann cook's book.

It doesn't matter what your country of origin is. Most accent books try to target countries with most immigrants like china or india. I'm African, speak english,french , spanish, among others, and this worked fine.

And oh, why didn't write a review earlier? cuz i wanted to make sure the book and software works. I'm a amazed at how my english sounds now even thought i'm not halfway through the programme. The more you practice the cd, the more you hear the subtleties of the sounds, and see the difference in how you said it wrong the first 3 times you practiced and how you said it right, say the fifth time. And then you think of what you did that fifth time to say it exactly right and repeat it till it becomes 2nd nature to you.

Also, Research shows it takes about THREE MONTHS to develop strong mouth muscles for speaking a new language. So don't start, master the sounds and stop. You will go back to saying them the way you used to. Keep practicing. it will seem stupid practicing something you are good at but the thing is, it makes your mouth used to saying it the right way so that when you talk in regular conversations, you naturally say it the right way without focusing on how to make the sounds.

Good for Beginner, Nearly useless for Intermediate Learners.......2007-04-24

Took me 3 days to finish it. Mainly because all the stuffs are either already know or I have no problem to pronounce them.

April 20th
Unit 1 Chapter 1 - 4

April 21st
Unit 1 Chapter 5 - Unit 2 Chapter 19

Didn't do anything on 22th (^^;)

April 23rd
Unit 2 Chapter 19 - Unit 5 Chapter 23

"It's not enough to just hear the sounds, you also need to see how they're pronounced." It is not really necessary if you are an intermediate learner. I doubt it will be even helpful even if you are a beginner because the video clip is so short and it is often laggy and doesn't help me at all. I still prefer listening more than watching the video clips.

The thing I dislike a lot about the CD-ROM (Video clips for vowels/consonants) for the first two units, is you have to manually click each and time time when you going go the new set of words. Which is really annoying as there are so many of them. Often in one vowels, there are like 10 sets of words. And you have to click 10 times. Am I lazy? Well, 10x isn't too bad, but when you do 10 x 23 + 10 x 22 (About 450x). Now that really builds up. Although I have to clear that I do a lot in one day because there is hardly any helpful information for me)

Half of the book is useless for me. Now, onto the rest 3 units. I do not like how it does not have the phonetic symbol next to the word, you have no clue what phonetics made up the words at all. You will just blindly going through the words by repeating them.

The stress, linking etc are just briefly gone through. I was expecting more, yet it was the end already.

Exclude the bad points, the good thing I like about this set is you have enough of times to repeat the sentences/words. I actually did learn a few things. About 4 or 5 or so. Don't ask me if it is worth it lol... (Not worth it at all, that is like 1 tip for $10, the tip is one time usage, you don't get to learn to how to apply them)

Final conclusion, if you are an intermediated learner who are looking for:
- Learn phonetic so you can pronounce most new words if not all
- Looking for pronunciation tips that you can apply to English pronunciations
- Seeking guides that will help you practice your stressing/linking
- Reduce your accent (This book seems..pretty helpless..)
Then, this book is NOT for you. (Please read careful, it is a NOT)

However, if you are a beginner learner who has troubles practicing individual words, not clear or sure of how each word or sound is made. Then this book will probably be good for. Although, I still feel it is too pricey to worth it.

Overall for me, I do not notice any difference in my speaking, maybe very very little bit. Really unhappy for spending so much on this book where I could've learned the same stuff from a different book with less than half of this book's price (Yes, I do have the other different book). Could it be that I only spent 3 days on it? I highly doubt. Then again, I am not a beginner in English anyway. So if you are an intermediate learner trying to improve your English pronunciation, avoid this book =/

Great book!!.......2007-01-07

The CD-ROM contains pronunciation of evevy consnents and vowels with video demonstration. I definitely works!!. Other accent reduction books just shows you pictures and descritions, but you'll never understand it unless you are study with native speaker. However, This book is great when you are studying along, it like having a private tutor!.
CD-ROM and Audio CD is great, however, the workbook contains very little amont of information. This book is basically all about basic pronunciation. So i recommend you to start with this book and then workout with 'American Accent Training'. It is another great material, however has very different purpose and methods. more focused on intonation.

Although it is a great book, you might hesitate to buy it because of its price. Then Listen up, I have a great knew!. I looked up the databases of local community libraries, and most of them has this book. So you can study it for free. However, if once you check this book out, youll be definitely want to buy it! Changing pronunciation takes long time and need to exercise everyday. It's not painful at all, it fun and easy. just give it a shot, youll love it!

It worked!.......2006-12-24

I was tired of being asked where I was from the moment I opened my mouth and of being treated as a tourist in what I consider my own country now. Then I found this toolkit and it did miracles - people no longer ask me where I'm from, I am at much more ease to express myself and I feel much happier and more accepted.

Here is how I used this material to achieve my results. I spend about 1.5 hours every day (now I'm down to about an hour) doing all the vowel exercises, where my geatest difficulties are. Each day I do ALL vowel exercises (takes less than an hour) and a few other exercises. I've been doing this for a couple months now, even though I got the desired results within a month. The tough part is that if I skip just one day my accent comes back - to a much lesser extent, but enough to be asked where I'm from. So, I guess it will take a while.

You may also want to buy "American Accent Training" by Ann Cook, which got tons of valuable tips on intonation patterns, while Judy Ravin's kit is focused mainly on pronunciation. Personally, I found it easier to work on my pronunciation first. Once I got the pronunciation down, I gained a lot more confidence to play with my intonation as well.

A video display that carries weight!.......2006-09-24

How about an accent reduction course that comes with a CD-ROM showing the mouth and lip positions for all the consonant and vowel sounds, plus an audio CD with extensive practice in connected speech, such as blendings and reductions? Great, huh? The CD ROM works really well: both video and sound are very clear. However, intonation is sacrificed for the sake of "clearer" pronunciation of vowels and consonants , as it is the case in final nasal consonants in words such as "working", pronounced with an irritating "g" sound - so forget about using the video on the CD-ROM to practice intonation. But then again it's an excellent visualization tool for the positioning of mouth and lips in consonants and vowels. The overall layout of the book is very pleasant to the eye, with a highlighted box at the beginning of each chapter and clear instructions of the production of the sounds. There's also this Glossary of Idioms at the end of the book , completely dispensed with, as there's no link whatsoever with the preceding chapters. Oh, and the title. Anybody who claims you can lose your accent in 28 days is way off-base. At any rate, the CD-ROM , notwithstanding the annoying over-articulation of some sounds , makes the whole package quite an interesting choice.

Book Description

BEFORE UNDERWORLD, THE WAR RAGED ON....

For untold centuries, a secret conflict has been waged between two immortal rivals:

The vampires -- ageless aristocrats with a sensual appetite for blood and luxury. Among their ranks are the Death Dealers,an elite corps of the undead sworn to the destruction of their ancestral enemies....

The werewolves -- feral warriors capable of transforming into hellish beasts of unearthly power and ferocity. Once the faithful servants of the vampires, the savage lycans now fight toothand claw against their former masters.

Throughout history, the clandestine war has been fought in the shadows of the mortal world. And the seeds of this destructive conflict were sown long ago, when a courageous lycan daredto lose his heart to a beautiful vampire princess.

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-07

This is your standard boy meets girl, girl gets incinerated by vampire father for breeding a super supernatural story. With a fun siege scene, and a sneaky statue. While 300 pages, not very dense at all, it won't take you long.

THE BEST (also the plot for the 3rd movie).......2007-02-14

This is one of the best novels that is derived from the movies I have ever read. THis book is truly its own. While everyone who has seen or read Underworld, you know that there was a war between the vampires nad lycans. The lycans served the vampires and were the slaves during the day. When Lucian and Sonya fall in love and Sonya gets pregnant things go horribly wrong! That is what we know from the movie.

In this book we get the full story and all its details with scenes that go to the present where Selene is in the middle of case with lycans and the finding of some of their experimental weapons. This book is also the base of the 3rd Underworld movie that is set to release in 2008.

Very good storyline, but the writing is long and boring.......2006-12-03

The story is great. I LOVE the idea of vampires being aristocratic and living in a very hierarchial society. However, there could have been a better author for this. The action sequences are great, but somebody else should have written them. It is mundane, kind of boring and the chapters went on too long. Other than that, I love the premise of Underworld. I think its genius. They should have gotten a better writer for this. I still recommend this book for people that are avid Underworld fans. If i wasnt a die hard Underworld fan I would have thrown this book aside well into the 2nd chapter.

BLOOD EMENY UNDERWORLD BOOK 2.......2006-08-11

VERY GOOD BOOK LOVED IT. IT ALMOST MATCH THE MOVIE OR THE MOVIE ALMOST MATCH THE BOOK. I LOVE MICHEAL AND SIERNA.

Book review for underworld, book 2 blood enemy.......2006-02-26

I enjoyed this book, being an underworld fan and all. It gave background on the vampires and lycans going back in time a ways. It reviels how Sonya and Lucian became lovers. If you are a fan of underworld, then this book is a must read. Only downfall...too short!!

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books