Informative yet fun read
598701
This is fun and informative read. A number of kids and parents have enjoyed it. I not only have a set but Ive gifted a number. The illustrations are bright and capture kids attention. Its a great way to introduce youngsters to science concepts as well as women in science.
535399
I've really enjoyed this book so far, it's very informative, and is beautifully designed.  In 250 pages you can only cover so much of the fantasy universe, but I think they did a good job.
I did notice that there are a lot of opinions, but there are many more facts, and the opinions make for a slightly more interesting read than just facts, as long as you take them with a grain of salt.  I didn't notice overly negative opinions though, I saw a mix of positive and negative.  And face it, a lot of pulp and mass-produced fantasy entertainment isn't of the best quality, that's just reality; I don't think it's unreasonable to call those types of items 'derivative'.
In summary, definitely a fun book to browse through; even extends into gaming (learning the origins of D&D, etc was very cool).  I never would've thought that I'd learn the origins of the name 'Wendy' from this book!
256694
Great read... I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read yet packed with helpful information! I can't wait to read his other books!
1684416
As a Haunted Mansion fan, I must say I enjoyed this book.  Most of the information I have learned through other books and various Haunted Mansion websites.  Mr. Baham writes in a simple but entertaining manner.  While I considered getting the book I was concerned with how factual the information contained in the book was.  However all the facts are footnoted with a great index at the back of the book.  The book is divided into two parts, the first being the history of the attraction and the second half of the book a walkthrough of the attraction with some behind-the-scenes facts thrown in.  I purchased the book mostly for the first part, as I love to learn about the thought process that goes into the Disney attractions, however I must say the second half of the book was just as enjoyable.  I learned some things about the mansion I didn't know before.  If you're a fan of the attraction you will definitely enjoy this book.  A quick, fun and enjoyable tribute to a classic Disney attraction.
672569
I really enjoyed reading "The Stars Were Big and Bright."  There was so much informative and humorous information in a well written format.  It was very interesting learning about the diversity in the locations of  the air bases and I loved the old pictures.  It was a book I didn't want to  put down.
3060688
Barby has written an informative yet entertaining book about her online dating experiences.  It is a very quick read, but provides the reader with helpful information.  Some of the information may be a "refresher" of the reader's own experiences as well as provides insight into how to prevent dating/relationships which create a lot of drama or take you no where.  She ends the book with an uplifting sense of hope to find prince charming.
237438
I received this book as a Christmas gift. I found it both entertaining and informative.
874419
Very informative. An enjoyable read. Nice balance of research and anecdotes. Not overly complicated or dry, which can be difficult for this topic.
4970249
Carter's book is a wonderful read.  It's light hearted, slightly "off the wall" and very informative.  Some of the information regarding ancient public and private sanitation systems was already known to me, but I was particularly impressed with the author's unwillingness to just take the historian's word on the subject as a given.  His attempt to create a Roman style pipe was not only very funny, it was very informative.  His search for a pipe in situ was impressive--not to mention enviable; I would love to hop a plane to a foreign land just to satisfy my own curiosity about some topic.

The book is very well written and pulls the reader along with its wit and humor.  Although the subject is one few individuals actually take time to consider, it is one of the more important issues facing mankind even today.  As the author notes, several million people in third world countries do not enjoy the benefits of clean water and sewage removal.  When I took a class on the history of medicine some time ago one of the things pointed out was that despite the acknowledged technological changes in medicine, the two most significant events with respect to human health and longevity were the introduction of antibiotics and public sanitation.  In fact, of the two, the latter is probably the more significant.

It was interesting to notice how fitful have been the advances in sanitation, especially since its significance was already recognized in prehistory.  If the ancient people of the Indian subcontinent realized the benefit of the technology even before the advent of the written word, its slow progress seems odd.  As the author points out, even the "modern" toilet is a 19th century product, which has changed only in minor details.  Carter's interview with and discussion of the toilet technology introduced recently in India is especially interesting, because it suggests that the solution to the problem of waste removal might also conceivably provide a solution to energy issues.

THOSE WRITING PAPERS on history, history of medicine, history of science, anthropology, sociology, poly sci.  For what reasons might public sanitation have failed to progress more evenly through time?  What types of resources might a society need to possess to carry out sewage removal and water purification?  What did this author prove by carrying out his experiment in making and assembling a Roman type pipe?  What types of knowledge might earlier people have lacked that made public sanitation seem unnecessary?  Archaeological studies of earlier pre-agricultural societies suggest that, despite what was previously believed about them, early hunter-gatherers were actually healthier than agriculturalists.  Why do you think this was the case?  What would this author have to say about it?  Why might a government not want to extend sanitation?  What effect might lack of sanitation in 3rd world countries have on the developed world?  What issues in 3rd world countries perhaps impede the progress of this type of technology?

As funny as the book is, the author makes some remarkable and important points about the future of our planet and our species.
1540055
The book offers a common sense approach to a range of marketing issues.  The book offers a wide range of tips and ideas that really get you thinking on some very relevant marketing issues.  The books conversational style enables you to cover a lot of ground in a very short period of time.  The chapter "The Sound of Carelessness", which discusses the challenges some companies have had naming their products and/or services, is sure to bring a smile. An informative, fun read.
3612325
I don't understand how people could complain about this book being too complex, poorly-written, or poorly organized. Everything is presented clearly and logically, and the case studies are relevant and interesting. I found it simple to read, informative, enlightening, and actually fun for the most part. My only criticism is that the authors don't, in my opinion, give an entirely neutral treatment of some of the politically-charged issues raised in their book. It seemed as though they would sometimes more heavliy emphasize one point of view (their point of view, quite obviously) over others.
3350076
Really enjoyed reading this! The pictures are fantastic and fun. I am not an amusement park aficionado just an interested park visitor. I learned so much about park operations etc. The writing was entertaining and informative. It was a quick and fascinating read and I can see myself picking it up again. So many fascinating tidbits. I highly recommend! My 12-year old son also enjoyed looking through it too and of course making fun of the styles in the pictures.
4308260
This book turned out to be a quite fun read.  The authors filtered into the educational stuff some humoring anecdotes that bring a smile to your face, not too mention the humor involved in the actual questions and answers themselves.  And they do cover a lot of the questions that people ask or you have wondered yourself, so it brings an amount of familiarity to the book that makes for an easy read.

I would recommend this book to anyone.  The best place and time to read, and the authors say so themselves, is when you go to the toilet.  So grab the book and go and drop the kids off and enjoy.
4369886
A fun read and informative.  It covers a lot of traditions and gives some recipes.  It was interesting to me as my Grandmother grew up in a German area of Kansas and we kept some of the traditions, but not the history behind them.
2266015
Informative and entertaining. Lots of photos illustrating problems and corrections. I have been a photographer for many years and found that a lot of the information was good review for situations that I don't encounter every day. Definitely a worthwhile read for any  serious photographer regardless of experience.
4595158
This is a very fun read. I enjoyed the information in the book as well as just a chuckle from time to time.
1619998
I really enjoyed reading this book! It offers lots of fun and surprising facts, especially about animals. I learned a lot, laughed a lot and I'm looking forward to share those funny insights with my friends. A nice read for curious people of all ages..