I Books

I found all of the stories fun and entertaining but the Kawatra story is worth the cover price all by itself. The tales are nicely crafted and shared with pleasant perspective so this isn't like reading a nasty rampage. This was a great idea and I hope to see a male equivalent come along soon.

The story, "Shaadhi Abhi Naahi," which when translated from Hindi means, "No wedding yet," is written in beautifully precise language It is also very funny while introducing potentially sinister material. This story is about an Indian American mother's attempt to marry off her daughter. The other stories in the book continue with this theme with other ethnic groups like Korean Americans.

I found this collection of stories very enjoyable. Each author found comedy in situations which were not really humourous at the time they were were going through it, yet the way that they presented them was simply hilarious. I can't remember the last time when I laughed so much while reading. Like most of the other reviewers, I liked the one about the mom who set up her daughter on the Indian website and the one where the mom wrote incessantly to Gelman. Delightful!

So I read the reviews and I thought this might be a fun airplane read. I loved the stories! The one about Gelman and the one about the Indian wedding site were amazing! I also like the one about the monologue dude. Very cool book, and I totally would recommend it! It was pretty shweet!

I loved it...and I'm a man! The piece by Leora Klein itself is worth the purchase. The entertainment value of dating stories is timeless.

This is not a religious book, no hell and brimstone when you turn the pages. I was not a Christian at the time and I had just witnessed my best friends death. When I read this book but I was searching for answers.

This book saved my life at a most desparate time. David Wilkerson knows tough times and his words of encouragement had me weeping in public as I was reading it. This man has been an bright light to many troubled people. He will be greatly rewarded for his compassion and servants heart.

I came across this book in a hospital gift shop about eight years ago. I had recently gone through a terrible break up and experience betrayal. I was hurting and even tough I was a Christian, it shook my faith. This book helped me to heal and I have grown tremendously, because of it.

This is THE finest book I have read on Christian living in this modern age. I have reread it many times and have given it to many people. I just ordered another box to give out!!!!!

I bought this book over 20 years ago when I was at my lowest point in life. Nothing could bring me out of it until I read "Have You Felt Like Giving Up Lately". David Wilkerson has a powerful way of empathizing with you. No matter how terrible your problems may be, he convinces you that God understands...kind of a "been there, done that" with love. And realizing that you are not alone in your struggles is a great comfort to your hurting heart. David gently and lovingly helps you see your life through God's eyes and the end result is a long term, positive "attitude adjustment".

I realized that I pulled this book off my shelf when again at a low point in life, literally 10 and now 20 years later. With this most recent read, I didn't even get through 1/2 the book before I found myself well adjusted again (heh, heh, kind of like chiropractics). This is one book you'll want to hold on to. And it's a much healthier way to pull yourself out of depression and hopelessness then any antidepressant drug!!!

I recommend this book to everyone and anyone, this is the best book I've ever read, it was so helpful it saved my sanity- I'm not the only one

A cookbook scribed from the heart with elegance and humor. Simple to follow recipes and dishes easy to make, even for a bachelor like me. I recommend this cookbook memoir book to everyone that likes to cook who has been fortunate enough to taste the multicultural cuisine of the Hawaiian Islands and those who wish they could.

The collaboration of Shirley Tong Parola and Lisa Parola Gaynier, Remembering Diamond Heat, Remembering Hawai'i: A Cookbook Memoir Of Hawai'i And Its Food won first place in the cookbook category of the Writer's Digest International's Self-Published Book Awards. Packed from cover to cover with 250 delicious recipes and regional culinary favorites of the Hawaiian islands, of special note are the sidebars on every page providing advice and instruction on everything from locating and selecting ingredients, to their preparation and preservation. From Coconut Cardamom Coffee Cake; Papaya and Chinese Greens Salad; Mahimahi Chowder; and Mango Chutney Dip; to Pacific Rim Barbecue; Sauteed Salmon Filet with Avocado Sauce; Luau Chicken; and Hawaiian Style German Chocolate Cake, Remembering Diamond Heat, Remembering Hawai'i is an ideal and highly recommended addition to any adventurous collection of ethnic and regional cookbooks.

This memoir with recipes brings some wonderful flavors and aromas to life; the recipes are easy to follow and you can almost feel the tradewinds wafting through.....kalua pork,soy glazes, coconut pudding.....
Shirley Tong Parola and her daughter Lisa Parola Gaynier recall a simpler time and a beautiful harmony between peoples of different ethnic backgrounds, living out their dreams on the paradise that is Hawaii......their ability to bring a taste of the islands to the mainland resulted in opening successful restaurants in Indiana and then later in Michigan---tasting the foods of this heady ethnic mix, Mainlanders never had it so good and you, too, can recreate the special culinary magic that was theirs.....

This was more than a cookbook it was an experience. The recipes were just great, from fried rice to banana cream pie, my husband and I have savored the flavors. As a collector of cookbooks I have been more successful with these recipes than any cookbook I have tried in many years. However, the surprise bonus was that the delightful history of the food and the family caused me to actually read the entire cookbook before I tried the first recipe. What fun!

I'm a Hawaii native now living in Bloomington Indiana. I was not able to see Shirley in person when she was here earlier this month for a book signing / cooking demonstration. I did buy her book anyway and it is really great. Why? I'm not exactly the best cook by any means, but through Shirley and Lisa's honest, open, and interesting commentaries, one can actually learn about the history, culture, and uses of the many flavorful dishes of the islands. Plus, the book does a great job explaining what certain food terms mean such as "saimin", "poke", "mochiko" or "aburage" since they are not common words used here on the mainland. I have many cookbooks from Hawaii written for locals, but I honestly believe that Shirley and Lisa's book is a great way to share Hawaiian food dishes and recipes with our mainland friends. In fact, I have recommended this book to several of my new friends here in Southern Indiana. If any of you want to try out Hawaiian food without having fly to Hawaii to sample it, this book is the easiest and cheapest way to do so. On a final note, try the Mochi Chicken. This dish is typcial party food in Hawaii. You'll like it!

Kate Bloomfield, a Canadian teenage girl, records her thoughts and feelings through a series of poems and vignettes. The very first page quickly sets the tone of Kate's story - she announces her arrival to the World, but when she gets no response, her Self celebrates with somersaults. The World had its chance, but now it's Kate's turn! Simple stories, like not being able to eat parsnips or being proud to be Canadian, are mixed with longer portraits of Kate, her friends and family. Kate struggles with becoming a teenager and learning more about her parents and neighbors. The reader gets an intimate portrait of Kate and may discover a kindred spirit.

Kate has already appeared in two book, Kate and Look Through My Window, but Hey World, Here I Am! certainly stands on its own. Little's writing style capture the teenage voice perfectly, without any of the angst or drama found in so many other books with a teen protagonist. Kate is caught between a world where she is old enough to have experience and reflect on her opinions, but still new to the world of adults. Truesdell's illustrations, wobbly black and white drawings, are both silly and sentimental. The drawings interact with the poems, somersaulting around the words. Not only will younger readers find a companion in Kate, they will be introduced to poetry and the short story format.

This is my very favorite book. It was delivered in a very timely fashion and it is so great. The main character grew up in Canada and is Jewish and I'm Hispanic and in Southern California, but I so get her!!! The style that she writes with is so simple, understandable, and creative; it's poetic. It would be a great book to read at bedtime with your child or by yourself.

This is such a great book! It's perfect for any young girl. The book has short poems and stories told from Kate's point of view. It's fun, it's happy and it's sad. It talks about friendship,parents and life. I cannot recommend it enough! I read it when I was in middle school, probably. Rereading it reminds me of how much I enjoyed it. Really a great read for anyone at any age, but will speak to a young girl's inner voice. GET IT!

I purchased this book at a library book fair in the second grade. After one reading, I fell in love with the goofy pictures (I like Kate's hair and messy bedroom) and poetry. It combined poetry and pictures, my two favorite things in a book at that time. Over many years, I have gotten rid of the old books of my childhood, but I have never parted with this one. I take it off the shelf about once a year and read it (since I was seven I've read it ten times). I can empathize with Kate and her love of books, spats with her mother, and her dislike of interpreting poetry. Even though I am not Jewish like Kate, after reading the Diary of Anne Frank like her friend, I felt Jewish too. I also write poetry, but they are usually about my cat and nature. After reading this book many times, my love for Hey World, Here I Am! has never faded.

I was about eight years old when my mom first brought this book home for me. I was so thrilled because I shared the name of the character in the book, Kate. I absolutely devoured the book, enjoying it more for the humor Jean Little displays impeccably in her writing, and the utter appropriateness of Sue Truedell's wonderful illustrations. Later, when I was a teenager, I went back and read the poems again because they seemed to describe the utter tumult and solitude that I felt during such a trying time. Poems like "Today," "Alone," and "Yesterday" capture perfectly feelings and emotions that nobody ever thinks to capture, yet Ms. Little does it in such a fabulous way that one instantly understands just what kind of mood she is describing. Now that I am a young woman, near to having a family of my own, I treasure my battered old copy of this book, nearly worn to pieces from repeated readings. Even today I can still find wisdom in every poem and piece of prose. The writer, Jean Little, is blind; I can only say it has sharpened her other senses and her intuition of basic human emotion powerfully. Bravo!

Costain originally published THE THREE EDWARDS in 1958. While he has an easy-to-read style, which as other reviewers have remarked, makes him as fun to read as a good novel, his opinions sometimes come off as pompous - even absurd - by today's standards. For instance, in writing about the love affair between Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer, he says, "When a woman of passionate nature has existed in a loveless marriage and has reached the late twenties before yielding to a clandestine impulse, it may be taken for granted that she will not be guided by anything but the dictates of her love."

Later, about the woman who would become Queen Philippa, he writes, "Queen Philippa [in comparison to Isabella] had seemed rather colorless. She was pretty, sweet, and domestic, a typical Dutch girl."

The short section on Edward II never directly refers to the king's homosexuality. Rather, there are references to his "favorites."

If you can get past these prejudices, you'll learn a lot about 3 reigns - Edward I, II and III - in short order (the 1962 reprint that I read was slightly under 450 pages). Costain does a good job of summarizing the important events as well as the characters of the key men and women. There is also a good summary of the life of Edward III's son, Edward (called the Black Prince for the color of his armor).

I also like the fact that he provides information on his sources - calling rumor, rumor and referring to some contemporary writers as gossipmongers.

On time, as advertised, and packaged well. No problems at all. Would use again.

This is one of a quartet that Costain wrote describing the monarchs and key events in European history from William the Conqueror to the War of the Roses. The history is accurate. It is always clear where Costain is speculating and where he is drawing on traditional sources, such as the various chronicles of the era. However, he weaves them together so smoothly that the reader needs concern her/himself with documentation only when it pleases. Costain is first and foremost a good story teller and an elegant writer.

Costain does a great job with this overview of the first named Edwards to lord it over the English throne. From the fierce but just Edward I ("Hammer of the Scots") to the effete and ineffectual Edward II to the long-reigning and erratic Edward III, the author sustains our interest with anecdotes and thorough reporting of the times. Costain has a delightful habit of suddenly focusing on a historical figure one doesn't generally hear about and then presenting the reader with yet another biography to get excited about. Well done, well written. well read.

All history books should be written as well as Thomas Costain's "The Three Edwards." A comprehensive guide to the lives and labors of the great warrior kings Edward I and Edward III and the screw-up, Edward II, who ruled in between them, this book unfolds more like an easy-to-read and hard-to-put-down novel. Divided into short, easily manageable and well-organized chapters, it covers everything from the marriages of the kings and their children, the political highs and lows of their reigns, the manner of their deaths and the major battles of their wars. Many books about this era are hard to follow if you don't already have a good working knowledge of the time period. Costain avoids this problem by telling you who the people are, what they looked and acted liked, and why they are important to the story, helping you keep track of them by reminding you when he's spoken of them before, and generally describing the people so well that they don't just become a series of names that you can't keep track of. Although he obviously admires Edward I, has disdain for Edward II, and seems to be neutral toward Edward III, to whom about half the book is devoted, he is careful to point out both the good and bad in each of their characters and to place their actions in the context of their times. Plenty of space is given to the kings' ministers, merchants, wives and families, and to those of the Scottish and French rulers with whom the Edwards were at constant war, including Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, John Balliol, Philip the Fair, Jean the Good, and Charles the Bald.

One of the things I love about this book is that Costain shares so many of the great rumors and stories that passed down over the ages (such as Edward I promising the Welsh that he will give them a prince that speaks no English or French and then appointing his newborn son to the post), simply because they are great stories, while taking pains to point out why they can't be true. You can almost feel Costain winking at you as he relates the tales. Another great aspect of the book is that he devotes substantial time to the women of the period, who are generally ignored in most books on the middle ages. Edward II's wife, Isabella of France, is examined in detail, as is Eleanor of Castille, the first and beloved wife of Edward I whose death moved him to erect eleven costly stone crosses to her memory.

This book presents a very comprehensive overview of the lives and works of the three kings and is a great starting place for those who know very little about their lives, or a great review for those who've read much about them. You won't get every tiny bit of detail about Edward III's famous battles of Sluys, Crecy and Poitiers here that is found in, for instance, Jonathon Sumption's books on the Hundred Years War, but they are all well-summarized, and Costain includes many important details such as numbers of foot and mounted soldiers on each side, terrain, battle tactics and formations, and number of casualties as well as political motivations. Given the length of the book, there is a surprising wealth of detail packed into every page, including such wonderful tidbits as the origin of the word "blanket," which came from the name of Thomas Blanket, an early English manufacturer of the item.

In the last few months I have read over two dozen books on the middle ages, and this had been by far the most informative and enjoyable, the one book that really makes the events of the period come alive and the people seem to be actual people of flesh and blood, rather than just an amalgam of their deeds and accomplishments. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Have you ever read a book where you felt like the author was right there in the room, connecting with you, there just for you?

This is definitely one of those books. He speaks to your heart and soul, besides your mind. And he anticipates everything that you might object to.

Read this book to accept everything about yourself, the good, bad, ugly and beauty, equally. Because it is when you accept all of this about yourself that you naturally enhance parts of yourself that you want to enhance, not what someone else wants you to do.

And in your self-acceptance, you will become more free to accept others, as they choose to be, without your pressing upon their mind.

The more you practice listening to your soul, and compassionately responding to your soul, the more you at peace you become.

Read this book, more than once, with pen in hand, as you note what you are experiencing - And, oh! How humble you will become.

I first read this book in college, about 15 years ago. I noticed right away that I was sending out and receiving love from people. It was amazing and real, and eventually my "abilities" wore off. Then I read it again 9 years ago, and the same thing happened, without saying a word, people smiled more and were kinder, and went out of their way to be nice to me. Because I was real and accepting of myself, and it flowed out. But again it wore off. Now in 2005 I think I have grown enough spiritually to "get it", and I hope permanently this time. But it does take five minutes at time for a lifetime. The lessons are between the lines and you won't even realize how much you've changed until you notice how well-liked you suddenly become, really! This book is a must-have for any seeker of personal growth or spritual truth because as I'm learning, they are exactly the same thing.

He has a real way of connecting with readers, telling it like it is! Great effort and I'm sure Jess helped a lot of people who's lives were confused messes. Very easy read and information. Still applicable to relationships in the 21st century.

Jeffrey McAndrew
author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

Jess's presentation is one of the most realistic, compassionate treatments of human nature and relationships which I have seen. His stress on being genuine, and on the deep human need for love, is superb.

Where Jess fails is in treating the examples, mostly from his classroom experience, as if the approach he outlines is strictly 'cause and effect.' During the 1970s, when a new generation was exploring being 'open' as opposed to using the conventions of conversation from the past, yet the 'self help' culture had not yet arisen, his approach seemed close to revolutionary. However, reactions other than those of one grateful for love are never presented as possible - and, indeed, one may find that is exactly what one receives.

For example, Jess, whose emphasis on our need to be loved is probably the most honest statement of the century, gives an example of a nurse who phoned her former supervisor, to whom she was grateful, to say 'I love you.' The happy tears of the supervisor are moving - but let no one expect that this was inevitable. Indeed, some people are ill at ease when told of love by close friends.

Regrettably, the current 'self help' culture could spoil the effect of much of Jess's advice. The warmth and affection he suggests could be taken today for a 'violation of boundaries,' or be feared as a technique of manipulation (much as it is not.)

I found Jess's treatment of sex to be wonderfully healthy and refreshing, yet things have changed there as well. He gives an example of a wonderful man he knew who complimented a lady on her figure (saying she had the nicest breasts he had seen), and her wholesome acceptance of this. Indeed, an excellent attitude is shown here - but a man;s compliments on a woman's figure could be
taken, however wrongly, for some sort of harrassment today.
The book can be valuable, but with the caveat that the reader must use it with discrimination.

Rather you watch Dr. Phil's show, or have seen him on other shows, you may recognize that phrase.

But have you ever wondered where Dr. Phil has coined that phrase?

This phrase is in Dr. Jess Lair's 1969 copy of "I aint much, baby-but I'm all I've got."

Some really wonderful messages from this book tell us, "We are so busy not just building walls, but being the big judge that we don't have time to find, 'Hey, there are a lot of other people just like me out there.'"

And, "How are you going to teach someone, anyone, if you don't understand that their concerns and your concerns run along the same path."

One of the biggest lessons in this book, and there are many of them for everyone, is to tell the appropriate person, in the appropriate time, "I love you." You may notice that you will choke over saying those three words.

You may also notice that you may want to say more than that. But challenge yourself to say just those three words to that person, while you expect nothing in return.

This will teach you self-acceptance, acceptance of others, trust, love and serenity.

Also, as part of your "get real challenge," find 5 people who you tell, what you fear, what you are sad about, and what you are worried about. See yourself telling these people this, while you notice your internal voice, and their reactions or responses.

Make this part of your lifestyle, while you balance other parts of who you are.

When you are able to do this you enhance not only how you experience life, but you also enhance the possibility that the people who you speak heart-to-heart to, just might feel more free to get real with themselves. They may tell you how it really is for them, in a way that allows them to take responsibility for their own lives.

And although they may not tell you how it really is with them, chances are they will tell someone else how it really is with them - which is great, because the idea is that they decide to be authentic.

And in giving this gift to these people, you are changing the world, because we all know at least 250 people. When they or you are able to see yourselves accepted, unconditionally, we all pass this on.

If you find this challenging for you, and you are determined to do this, especially for yourself, I suggest that you read, "Narcissism: Denial of the True Self," by Alexander Lowen, MD; then read, "Healing the Shame That Binds You," by John Bradshaw.

We are all here to express our unique purpose, and in so doing to make a difference, beyond our wildest dreams.

To fight that truth is playing God.

It's an excellent book, full of wits and inspirations. Love it.

I found this book to be very helpful and knowledgeable but most importantly I gained a lot of inspiration from this and have already begun selling more of my product!

Why did Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ignite a worldwide movement with his "I Have a Dream" speech? The answer is simple: because we all have dreams, aspirations, inner sparks yearning to become flames.

Sometimes these dreams are private. We may not even admit them fully to ourselves. Traditionally, these are our "pipe dreams," our Walter Mitty fantasies.

At other times we describe our dreams to family and friends. Yet we don't go beyond that. We simply talk, get mired in "what if" and count time until the weekend and the monthly paycheck.

Stacey Mayo's excellent book helps readers move beyond daydreaming, helping them fashion a plan that takes them from speculation to success.

This book is very interesting. Mayo's interviews read like conversation at a mid morning coffee break.

Fortunately, after each interview she helps you take specific steps to apply the action principles that she has uncovered.

As an entrepreneur who took the big leap to fulfill his dream eight years ago, I can report that Stacey Mayo offers practical guidelines for venturesome spirits. At the end of the book, you will declare, "They all got their dream life. Following their advice, I can too."

Does this sound familiar? You have a dream but are afraid if you pursue it you will risk losing what you have now?

In Stacey Mayor's book, seven very successful people overcome obstacles to turn those dreams into reality, each sharing three Key Success Principles:

1. Stacey Allison, the first American woman to successfully climb Mt. Everest. She turned her passion into money and tell tells how she balances the life lessons from her climb and her abusive first marriage.

2. Mary Youngblood went from a being a welfare mom to being a Grammy Award winner with her music.

3. Loral Langemeier, single mom who became a millionaire -- and teaches others to do the same.

4. Baseball's Tom Glavine overcame multiple roadblocks and became a pro ballplayer and a World Series' MVP.

5. John Dessauer went from a corporate job and an almost-failed married to a multi-millionaire in just over two years in real estate.

6. Lisa Earle McLeod left a lucrative position at Procter & Gamble (against everyone's advice) to help other women with her talent for humor. She authored Forget Perfect and is now a professional speaker and comedian.

7. Stephen Pierce is the final person. I have had the privilege to meet him at a major Internet marketing seminar. His story is inspirational. A tenth grade dropout, Pierce hit bottom before earning his first million "on line" using the Internet to sell product and intellectual property to traders. He stressed the value of joint alliances to help him succeed.

The stories are all inspirational, each with a good lesson for us on overcoming the fear of working toward our dreams.

The coach/author interviews these life experts, followed by sound advice they learned at the school of hard knocks. You will find many favorites in the 26 strategies. Mine was: To streamline your efforts with your natural talents with your goal.

If you are searching for more fullfillment in your present occupation or yearning to reach for different dreams and create a new and more successful and joyful career, this is the book for you. Not only does the author provide you with real life examples of successful individuals living their dreams, but she breaks down the process for reaching your dreams in a practical and inspiring way. Her skills as a life coach are shared with the reader as she coaches you carefully through each of the proven strategies so they can be tailored to meet your specific needs and circumstances. If living your dream AND getting paid for it is something you are interested in, then I highly recommend you get this book right away and start creating your dream today!! I know I am.

I found this book to be pretty good about describing a boy's experience with Tourrette's and how he deals with telling his friend, and other kids. It's better than some others I've read, but not as clear and helpful as Tic Talk, by Dylan Peters.

This book was a great summary of the progression of Tourette's in kids, for kids.

I am a social worker as well as a mother of a child just diagnosed with Tourette's. This book was wonderful! My son has been trying to understand what is going on with him and this book was very useful. It explains Tourette's to the child as well as the adule. One thing I loved about the book is it shows the boy in the story having new tics. This allows for readers to understand that tics change as well as showing many types of tics. One example was the boy in the story began to spit, a tic my son has and gets made fun of for. My son's face lit up and he felt less "weird". My son and I are going to do a presentation at his summer camp so others understand why he does what he does, I will be including this book.

This was an excellent book and well worth the money. It is easy to read, hard cover, with great pictures. We bought this to explain to our son (9) who has TS and also to his younger brother (6). The book is written as a child telling the story of how and why he was diagnosed, his fears of explaining to friends and finally acceptance. It was great to read with my boys as they could relate to so much of the story. It was also helpful that my son realised he wasn't alone and that if they could write a book about the way things happened, then others went the same way. We even had similar tics (not all) which helped. We have also used it to try and explain to other family members what we have been going through.

This book is a must for anyone who has or knows of a child with Tourette's Syndrome. My 8 yr old son, who has Tourette's, brought in the book to his 2nd grade class. His teacher read it aloud and then the class asked my son questions. The book went a long way in helping overcome the social obstacles that a child with Tourette's will surely face, and clearly explains that some behaviors are truely out of the child's control and why. I would recommend this book highly for children, parents and teachers alike!

This is my favorite English edition of the I Ching. However, I mostly wanted to post this review to partly correct a comment made by another reviewer named "szechuan", who says that the matrix of hexagram numbers in this book is incorrect. This is only true of the first printing; it was corrected for later printings, and even that first printing originally came with an errata sheet that gave a corrected matrix. I guess szechuan bought a used copy that no longer had the errata sheet. The error is actually very simple and easy to correct -- the trigrams across the top of the matrix are in the wrong order. They should be in the same order as the trigrams going down the side.

I first started using a different translation of the I Ching by another author about thirty years ago. I stopped because the answers I got didn't make sense most of the time. Four or five years ago, I bought this version by Kerson and Rosemary Huang and have been amazed ever since. I agree with most of what the other reviewers have written so I won't repeat that, but I did do something else for this review. I asked the I Ching if it had anything to say about using the I Ching for the reader of this review. The response was Hexagram 39 (changing line 6) turning into Hexagram 53. The changing line reads "Following the wise counsel of a trusted advisor can give us a sense of strength and purpose and a feeling of confidence about our undertakings". If you are looking for a I Ching, buy this one.

I have been in love with the I ching since my teens, yet other translations have never resonated with me as this one. I recommend knowing this book-It is with me all of the time.

As other reviewers have noted, this is a translation which de-Confucianizes the I-Ching and goes to a literal interpretation of the original text. Be aware that there are some serious misprints in the matrix of hexagram numbers at the back of the book; you'll have to either use their symbol/code system to look up your hexagram, or use a matrix from some other book. The Huangs also differ in how they read a moving line in the coin toss method (i.e. if heads are yang, three heads equal a moving yang line, other books read three heads as a moving yin line). This probably isn't a problem as long as you decide which system you'll use before you cast your coins. I gave it three stars because I found it most useful as a background supplement to other versions that I use (the I-Ching Workbook by R.L. Wing and The Complete I-Ching by Alfred Huang), but depending on your situation, this barebones translation may work better for you than it did for me.

One can predict the orbit of Moon with great accuracy - that is the realm of physics, and the first author IS a physicist of considerable repute and distinction. But when it comes to predicting the future in a given human situation, one is left with no widely-accepted way, or a theory. Yet, as the authors recoganize, it remains a human need. Whether nature meets this need, or not, cannot be deciphered by majority opinion. One must experiment with a theory, and see if the theory works. It is in that spirit that this "I Ching" comes to us from the Kerson and Rosemary Huang. The authors have done away with the "ten wings" and added a much smaller wing of their own to some extent. The authors provide the minimal, though sufficient, historical background that is necessary, and here very helpful, to understand and use this ancient tool, this ancient Chineese work called "I Ching," of predicting possibilities in a given human situation. Whether this ancient chineese craft works, or not, must be decided by each individual. Carl Jung apparently used "I Ching," along with night dreams and visions of his subjects ("patients"), to gain knowledge of the relevant human factors and possible actions - or inactions - as suggested by the combination of these diverse elements of the subjective life. For a western reader the question remains: are there information-carrying currents in the universe that can affect seemingly random events, and if yes, does "I Ching" act as an antena to these currents? Experiment, and decide. Huangs' have brought a three-thousand old craft to us in a way that, I think, carries certain poetry of its own, and on the way tell us of how nature may know the left from right and what part "I Ching" played in one physics office at Princeton - where Kerson Hunag was a postdoc then, and C. N. Yang a physicist, a few months away from his Nobel Prize with T. D. Lee.

This is a wonderful straight forward, scripturally based book about our authority as Christians against evil of all kinds. Please read this with an open heart and mind. I have met this man and heard him speak in a small group of about 25 people. Even though he has an extensive education and years of practical experience tempered with humility, it's those qualities that he brings out in his books that makes them so easy to read. I would highly recommend ALL of his books for anyone that really wants to grow spiritually.

This book was part of a leaders class that I had taken at my church. When I started reading I couldn't put it down. Below is an exerpt from my report that I wrote up on this book.

This book to me was empowerment. I not only feel empowered to change the circumstances around me, but to be able to lead others to change the circumstances around themselves. Just in reading this book, I've learned to have a deeper faith and to not fear the dark world as I once did. I am now a woman speaking in authority. Although I may even see myself falling back at times, the Holy Spirit allows me to hear myself and challenges me to change my situation through prayer.

Throughout the book is a learning lesson, almost by the numbers, in dealing with exercising authority. It not only taught me my authority, but backed it up with the power behind the authority God gave me to remove strongholds, and gave examples on how to do so. Mr. Kraft's constant encouragement in dealing with demonic forces and experimenting with what my rights are, and also breaking down the legalistic issues behind the breaking of strongholds was all I needed to experiment within my own home on the strongholds there. God is so awesome because I began to see strongholds being broken almost immediately. I even had a spirit speak to me. There was no fear anymore.

"I Give You Authority" is essentially a book about spiritual warfare. It is excellent across many facets. One is its balanced, biblical approach. But what stands out above all else is Dr. Kraft's ability to anticipate questions in the mind of the reader and to address them. As an example, oftentimes, when one reads about spiritual warfare, at some point, one thinks: "This is too scary. Do I want to voluntarily enter this realm, or this ministry." Anticipating this, Charles Kraft writes in his book:

"On several occasions, people have come saying something like this: "I had fewer problems in life before I became a Christian than I have had since. Can you tell me why?"
In return, I ask, "If you were the enemy, whom would you attack -your friends, those who are on your side, and doing your bidding; or your enemies, those committed to Christ, who could hurt you?"
Other people ask whether, if they get into spiritual warfare, their families are in danger. I answer yes. Then I ask them how they prefer to lose a battle - running, hiding or fighting.
For we are at war, whether we like it or not. And in war, if we are not fighting - if we are simply standing around, or hiding from the reality of war, or actually running away from it - we are being defeated. I would rather lose while fighting than in any other way. If we are fighting, though we may lose some of the time, we often win."

What I like about the book is that Charles Kraft doesn't gloss over the difficult questions of spiritual warfare. Is someone who is committed to pushing back the boundaries of darkness likely to be on Satan's radar screen? The answer is yes. Isn't that foolish? Well, no. Because God who is our master is so much more powerful that the Evil One. What many of us don't know is that with the authority God confers to us, His children, we too are more powerful than the Evil One. "I Give You Authority" is eye-opening in that way. It tells us that as Christians, it is like God is deposited a million dollars in our bank account. We just need to know it and use it.

This is a step by step manual for mid-level spiritual warfare. As the bible tells us, we are all in the war, but we don't always know it. Kraft is an excellent writer, he tells us where the authority comes from, how to use it, why to use it, and when to use it. If you are a beginner, I'd recommend you start with Power Healing by Wimber and then move into this. Excellent book! Should be given out with bibles when you become a believer!

This is a classic. It is easy to read yet full of deep truths on the subject of authority and the Kingdom of God. Kraft reveals how the power of Christ is appropriated through the church and to every believer. It will transform peoples' understanding of ministry. It will empower and enthuse those who seek to serve Christ. Charles Kraft is a wonderful teacher. Reading this book is transformational. You will definitely never be the same again.