J Books

This isn't just an update to the 3.5 rule set of d20/D&D, this is a whole new book! With the addition of like 50 pages, new classes, NPC archtypes, sub-types, equipment, etc... this breaths new life into tired old cities in any campaign. A must for world building and small adventures in or near a city!

Another great Skirmisher resource. I'm really getting to the point that if Skirmisher publishes a d20 book, I'll buy it sight unseen! Another must buy!

As a new DM, I found the material in this book to be invaluable in populating the major city for my PC's to play in. The standard WotC books provide a little too general information on Experts for a novice DM to easily dive in and begin creating a somewhat realistic world. I faced the challenge of filling in those gaps myself, but was lucky enough to come across this book at my local game seller. It is exactly what I needed.

Since I'm far from being a history expert, particularly on the daily lives of folks in medieval times, I found the first chapters describing the various types of experts (in broad categories of craftsmen, entertainers, professionals, scholars, and tradesmen) to be a fascinating read. It fully answered simple but important questions like "What is the difference between an armorer, blacksmith, and weaponmaker?"

The most valuable part of the book is the chapter on new skills. This chapter really gives nitty gritty details that are useful to my campaign. For example, there is a table in the section describing the Craft (Armorsmithing) skill with the self-explanatory title "Armor Creation Requirements, Times, and Costs". One of my PC's was looking for an armorer to craft him a mithral breastplate. I could easily tell him how much it would cost by using the DMG, but figuring out how long it would take, and who (if anybody locally) would have the skill to do it would be a much greater challenge. With the above table in hand and using the sample Expert provided in a later chapter as a template, getting this together was no sweat!

The only thing I'm unhappy with is the font that is used for many of the headings. It is very difficult for these old eyes to read. A minor quibble, but it is frustrating nonetheless.

I can't judge how valuable this book is for experienced DM's, but for an inexperienced DM that is building a world or extending an off the shelf product this is a must have!

This book is by far one of the best OGL/d20 books for DMs on the market. Finally the most forgotten NPC class gets the respect it deserves. With so many OGL/d20 books coming out that lack usable content, this book is a welcome addition to my considerable library. The expanded class descriptions, with its customizability is phenomenal. And some of the new feats, well, my players are now begging for permission to use this book. Keep it coming!

- Chris

I found the experts book to be incredible. It expanded the breif and uninformative experts described in the DM handbook very well. A must-buy for all DMs.

This book is awesome with the kids running around and solving mysteries!!!

As a child in the early sixties, we lived in a rural area, and by most standards we would have been considered poor, and couldn't afford to buy these books. However, there was a small community library in our town. I went there every chance I had and checked out The Happy Hollister books. I am now a Grandmother and I still remember each of the Hollisters names and many of their adventures. I would like for my grandchildren to have the opportunity to read these wonderful books, so I am scouring the internet for them. They don't write em like this anymore.

It is increasingly difficult to find the Happy Hollisters series of books. There were 33 books in this series, written between approximately 1953 and 1970. This particular edition was the introduction to the series.

The Happy Hollisters are somewhat of a relic of an era gone by. The family consists of five children, Pete, Pam (Pamela), Ricky, Holly, and Sue, and their parents Mr. and Mrs. Hollister. There are also Zip, a collie, and White Nose, a cat, who has five kittens in this book. Mr. Hollister purchases a store called The Trading Post, which sounds similar to general stores in days gone by.

Throughout the series the children solve mysteries, usually as a family. In this introductory book the family is moving to Shoreham. During their trip a van carrying the children's toys is stolen. The van is also carrying valuable papers for their father. As the story unfolds, the children also believe someone is entering their house. Mr. Hollister does not believe the children, but after Pete gets a picture of a strange man with a red hat in their basement, Mr. Hollister gets the police involved.

We also meet mean Joey Brill in this book. Joey is a recurring character who is a bully and generally obnoxious. As one example, Joey puts White Nose and her kittens on a plank in a lake. However, rest assured that Joey is nearly always thwarted in his attempts to be a bad kid.

The story finally arrives at an exciting chase between boats and a mysterious discovery in the Hollister's new house. However, though there seems to be a lot of danger for everyone, rest assured that everything comes out okay in the end.

The Happy Hollisters series remains a reasonably good, if somewhat outdated, read for younger children, perhaps from ages 4 to 9. I suspect that by age 9 most children are entranced by more modern pursuits. Also, many children may consider families of five children to be somewhat unusual and that may take some explaining. These books may be an excellent way to introduce children to the changes that have taken place in our society over the past half century.

One last word of caution. These books are becoming very difficult to find, and thus their price varies substantially. If you are interested in reading this series you may find editions without covers that sell for less than editions with covers.

I hope you enjoy The Happy Hollisters. They are a reminder of a simpler age.

I wish I could find my former school librarian in Dorval, Quebec, Canada (early 1970's) and let her know the tremendous impact her dedication to her job had on my life. I was in 3rd grade, it was during library period, and I was wandering around looking for a book to check out. She, sensing my interest in books, directed me to a shelf containing the library's collection of Happy Hollisters. I wasn't too interested at first, but with her encouragement I agreed to try one. Many years later, at 42 years of age, not only do I still enjoy reading them, but I have read them to both my girls (12 & 17), and I have been fortunate enough to collect 2 complete series over the years. When my daughters leave home, they will both have a set to read to their children.

I also discovered, when dating my wife, that she too had read and enjoyed the series. We were both amazed that there was somebody else out there who had heard of and loved the HH.

If you've read the books, you don't need me to tell you how wonderful they are. If you haven't read them yet, the comments on this page will let you know why you should. I can only agree and endorse what has been said here.

I have read many books in my life, and my reading level is much more sophisticated today. But every now and then, I grab a Happy Hollisters book from the shelf, and I'm a little kid once more in the sanctuary of the school library, returning to a simpler day, when there was still much magic and wonder to be found in the world.

I think my librarian would be pleased.

The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West (a.k.a. Andrew Svenson)

As the Hollisters move to Shoreham, many mysteries follow them on their way. On the way to their new home, they meet a boy named Joey Brill who tells them, "We don't need any more kids in Shoreham. You'll be sorry if you move there." Thus, the Happy Hollisters are presented with their first mystery. Who is this boy, and why is he so mean? Next, they find out that the moving van that contained their toys is missing! The missing van also contains one of their father's inventions. Not only that, but something strange and mysterious is going on at their new house. Not only do neighbors say that their new house is haunted, but they also say that there's a treasure!

Pete, Pam, Ricky, Holly and Sue must solve these mysteries, and many more. They have the help of their parents and their faithful Collie dog named Zip. In the midst of meeting new friends and exploring their new home, the Happy Hollisters find themselves in the middle of one adventure after another. In the process of solving these mysteries, they explore their town, meet neighbors, find new friends and discover clues that help them solve the many mysteries. The brave Hollisters must also face many new dangers in their new home. The family's adventures will keep you turning the page and it will be difficult to put the book down.

If your children are not yet acquainted with the books, The Happy Hollisters is a good book to introduce the series. While the series can be picked up with nearly any of the books, the first one introduces the characters and gives a lot of details that will make reading the other books more enjoyable. It's also a hard book to put down and will help to pique your children's interest in the other books in the series.

Reading and/or listening to this management story is a fun way to gain insight about people with whom we work and interact. I enjoyed the positive presentation about different perspectives and strenghts that people have and where the best place to deploy people with these attributes might be. The book encourages objective interactions that are win-win and non-judgemental.

Here we go again, another personality classification system and the author's premise that if you can stereo type people you can manage them more effectively. I don't see what this system has over other personality classification systems, such as MBTI (which has been around longer and more people seem to be familiar with).

The book tries to be humorous, but it just didn't work. The story telling wasn't bad, but I'd almost rather listen to nails on a chalk board then listen to the voices of the people reading this book.

Bottom line. I learned a little, but not much and I'd like my money back.

This loosely medieval management parable about "a king at his wits' end" has several winning characteristics. First, it's relevant without taking itself too seriously. The light, self-effacing - even occasionally tongue-in-cheek - tone makes it easily readable. Authors Sheldon Bowles, Richard Silvano and Susan Silvano actively engage readers with a brief interactive online test that reveals your personality "guild type." Then they draw on their narrative's strength to move forward. Many books about emotional intelligence give readers little practical help. This one is fun, helpful and entertaining even though its guild classification system may need additional tweaking. Apparently designed primarily for workplace applications, it lacks the specificity of the more familiar Myers-Briggs test, which in comparison practically predicts how you'll want your eggs cooked a month from next Tuesday. Notwithstanding these minor limitations, we recommend this book to managers, coaches, consultants, EQ practitioners and those HR folks burdened with softening the Type A corporate hearts who run most organizations.

I found Kingdomality (the test) almost 10 years ago. I took the test and was impressed by its accuracy. Since then, I have taken the online test 3 or 4 times more, with the same results.

So, when browsing on a local bookstore, I saw that the test creators had a book about Kingdomality, I did not hesitate and bought it.

What is Kingdomality (the test and the book) about? Well, it basically sustains that people can be grouped in 12 categories of personality types. These types are a function of how people see the world, what are their motivations, how do they interact with it. It's called Kingdomality because the personalities can be linked to "standard" professions in the Middle Ages (the time of Kingdoms...).

Those who have already taken the test and have enjoyed its simplicity and accuracy will enjoy this book. It will allow them to have a more comprehensive view of all the 12 types and how could they be used productively in a work environment.

For those who have not taken the test, but enjoy learning about new and different personality type tests, this is also a great book. The test concept is simple, and the types are clearly different among them. Still, I think I would advise all to take the test first and then read the book (doing otherwise might "contaminate" your test with your expectations for its results).

Well, as I said, I always got the same result in the test. So, in case you wonder, I seem to be a Merchant.

I had the chance to attend a book signing by Sheldon Bowles of his book Kingdomality. When he started to speak to a large crowd there was a table loaded with books and I wondered how many he'd sell. When he finished talking, we all rushed to the front to get a book and an autograph. By the time I got to him the books were all gone! Now I have a copy. This book contains so much insider information about how different people are motivated and why people behave as they do, that it seems like you become a mind reader. It's easy. It's accurate. It has given me the tools that make me a better manager, a better father, husband son and friend. In the paper here last weekend KINGDOMALITY was #1 on the bestseller list. Go to www.kingdomality.com and find out what it's all about. You won't be dissappointed! I predict KINGDOMALITY will be the killer book of 2005.

Excellent book. Well written. Clear. Thoughtful.
Plenty of examples. I would highly recommend it!

There are many other reviews that discuss (and applaud) the merits of Kuipers' treatment of the subject, and I agree with them. Rather than add a "me too", I wanted to treat some of the features of this book that make it approachable.

This book is not written for the layman, you do need a fair grounding in matrix methods, complex variables, and rotations. If you remember the basics you should be fine because Kuipers reminds you of special theorems and properties as they are used. Notation is kept simple and unconfusing.

Of particular note, he uses the margins in a novel way. Most math texts number their equations and refer to them often. The reader spends a lot of time flipping back and forth. Kuipers frequently puts referenced equations, needed properties, and other information in the margins where they are needed. This minimizes the usual back and forth and enables a marginally sophisticated reader to actually read and learn something new in bed.

Book is more or less what all the glowing 4 and 5 stars say it is. I would like to add a 1859 quote from William Rowan Hamilton about his Quaternions in a note to Peter Guthrie Tait (professor and friend of James Maxwell):

"Could anything be simpler or more satisfactory? Don't you feel, as well as think, that we are on a right track, and shall be thanked hereafter. Never mind when."

This is an excellent book, it's right up there with Gilbert Strang's Linear Algebra texts.
Want to understand quaternions and rotational matrices, well this is the book for you. Starts with the basics, coordinated transformations and such, and moves at a reasonable pace into quaternions. Others at work, looking at this book felt that they understood the text. Interestingly these were software engineers that never really gotten basic college calculus. Never could understand why many software people are so light on math. Different part of the brain I guess. Author vs. engineer.

Quaternions are not as intuitive as 3x3 matrices however this book give a strong understanding of quaternions so that the reader can let go of the 3x3 matrix and successfully, in my case at least, change over to only using quaternions. This has proven useful in my simulations for, and firmware code for, satellite attitude determination and control. In the version I have of this book, there are some mistakes that hopefully will be corrected, but the mistakes are obvious and easy to overlook. I hate quaternions but they are powerful tools in solving real world problems. This book made quaternions interesting and bearable. If you already have a really good understanding of quaternions, this book might help, but it has a long introduction into quaternions so you might want to review the book using the online outline to see if it actually covers more than what you might already know.

Morpheus of the Endless is dead. Anyone and everyone is gathered in dream for his wake, and for his funeral. The person having most difficulty coming to terms with all the events surrounding his passing is his Raven, Matthew.

At the end, we see a previous discussion of his with William Shakespeare, at the end of a career, and a commission for the Lord of Dreams, about the nature of his existence.

The Wake, the final book in the Sandman series, epitomizes the entire series. The artistic style is eclectic and the narrative dances from character to character and setting to setting, just like a dream. The entire book is elusive but satisfying. And gorgeous. For me, that's the series in a nutshell.

The Wake is Gaiman at his best.

It may not seem like much to say this, but this is one of only two books that has ever made me cry.

The art is beautiful and the language is beautiful. Everything is tied up neatly, and in a way that is easy to see as the end. You want to read more, but at the same time, you realize it would be disrespectful and wrong to demand more story.

The speeches of each of the Endless express the sentiment of the entire series in a not-obvious way that at the same time expresses their personal sentiment and does what it was meant to do.

"That's all."

(NOTE: this review contains major series spoilers. If you've not read the first nine books in the series and are planning to, skip this review until you have done so.)

Neil Gaiman, Sandman: The Wake (DC Comics, 1999)

Gaiman's epilogue to his long-running and insanely successful Sandman series presents us with the wake of the old Morpheus and the installation of the new. It gets a bit homily-esque at times, but given how long the series has gone on with such power, we can forgive Gaiman a slight bit of sermonizing here. Just think of the series as a long and complex Aesop's fable, and The Wake as a "the moral of the story is...".

There's no real plot to this volume; this is more a case of tying up some loose ends, achieving closure with some characters who had things to resolve, or bringing back a few who didn't show up in The Kindly Ones for our viewing pleasure. While it's not the best book in the series, those who have stuck with it through the thousands of pages that have already come will certainly want to read this one. *** ½

First of all, The Wake is a gorgeous volume. Perhaps the best artwork of the series.

It gives a fitting send-off for Morpheus, and for the series, as we get to revisit characters and themes, with just a touch of humor to lighten the otherwise bleak landscape. (Would you believe that Superman and Batman put in a cameo?--Well, if you're going to write for DC, how can you resist? :)

While there are good stories here, perhaps my one complaint is the placement of the two short stories after the appropriate conclusion of the work (an epilogue featuring everyone's favorite, Hob Gadling). These are good short stories (or, at least, The Tempest is good... the other left me a little cold), but their placement was completely unfair to them and didn't leave me much emotional capacity to appreciate them as they deserved.

The Wake isn't so much a plotted adventure, like so many of the Sandman volumes; it is more of a coda. Like a Wake should be, it is an opportunity for reflection. Sadness and nostalgia and moving on. It is a fitting, and touching end for a series that has been nothing but class and quality, all the way through.

This is an excellent novel about the Sepoy Mutiny in India in 1857. The focus of the story is the siege of the British Civil Service enclave at Krishanpur (historically this was the siege of Lucknow). A group of Sepoy soldiers was given new rifle cartridges that were wrapped in greased paper, and the paper was removed by biting it off with one's teeth. The word spread was that this grease was animal grease, which was an insult to religion. The sepoys mutinied, killed their superior British officers, and started marauding across India.

Hearing about the mutiny the (tax) Collector in Krishnapur had ramparts built around the British buildings in Krishnapur. Shortly afterwards the Sepoys attacked in waver after wave for a period of several months. Surprisingly author Farrell describes the sufferings of those besieged with a good deal of humor, humor that pricks holes in the pompous beliefs and attitudes of 19th century British colonizers. We bring them progress, a superior civilization, yet they turn on us marvels the Collector. The condescension doesn't stop with the Indians. At one point the Collector speaks to the British women in the enclave, and silently thinks that in reality women are really useless creatures. It is the men of the world that shoulder the responsibility of getting things done. The padre runs around telling everyone that God is punishing them for their sinful behavior. A new school and an old school doctor constantly disagree over medical treatment. In perhaps the funniest scene of the book the old doctor contracts cholera, and instructs his aides to cover him with mustard plasters. The young doctor, who is aware that cholera victims die from dehydration, initiates a saline IV every time the old doc sinks into a coma. The IV brings him around, and he immediately pulls out the IV and insists on getting his mustard plasters, following which he soon sinks back into a coma. Back goes the IV and the doc becomes conscious again. This cycle goes on and on and becomes hysterically funny.

The British thought they were doing wonderful things for the Indians, but the harsh reality of it is they were creating harsh lives for their colonial subjects. The sepoys, for example, were paid near starvation wages. This is an important novel about the misguided philosophy behind imperialism. Perhaps there is a lesson here for us Americans. Should we really be focused on bringing our way of life to other countries?

Chapatis. It is always difficult to start a novel convincingly, but it's a long time since I saw it done better than it is here. The harbinger of the brutal and bloody Indian uprising of 1857 was, in this narrative at least, the secret distribution of chapatis to the intended victims. I have long forgotten what little I may ever have known about these events, and I would actually be delighted to discover that this detail was not an invention of the novelist's but what actually happened.

If paraphrased, the amount of gore and squalor that is detailed here on page after page would seem grotesque and even intolerable. As told by Farrell, it manages to be neither. This was the Victorian era, and the story is a scenario of British Victorians subjected to pressure and strain of near-incredible ferocity. The author does not spare us the specifics, and it will be a long time before I forget the spongy piles of corpses, the sense of near-unbearable heat in which I for one would have had difficulty in even wearing the stuffy formal clothes let alone dancing let alone battling for my very life, the pervasive stench, the outbreak of cholera and the indelible vignette of the lapdog chewing the face off a fallen defender. Even more extraordinary, to me, than the way they keep going is what they don't do and in particular what they think and don't think. There is no real instance of irrational panic whatsoever, and although the Padre for one has clearly gone slightly round the bend, the way this manifests itself is in an obsessional fixation with denouncing Sin and Heresy, and largely with his frantic concern to prove that great Victorian preoccupation The Existence of God from something like Aquinas's Argument from Design.

At the height of the horror, the Collector is still thinking in Victorian vocabulary and expressing himself in subordinate clauses. Staring death in the eye, the young intellectual Fleury is still concerned with his theories, whether in respect of the operation of guns or of the progress of rationalism. The ladies themselves, who might have been expected to be in a state of blind terror, are still weighing up the niceties of how the matrons and widows on the one hand, and the Fallen Woman on the other, are expected to comport themselves. Most amazingly of all, when the cholera first breaks out the two doctors conduct a lengthy and articulate debate on its causes and remedies, keeping the attention not just of each other but of an attentive audience.

The book abounds in unforgettable incidents - the smothering cloud of cockchafer beetles, the snowstorm, the slaughter of one rebel contingent with silver forks from the dining-room and marble busts of Socrates and Keats - but what is distinctive and extraordinary about this book is its tone. Its tone is quiet, detached and wry without being aggressively ironic. No heavy lessons are preached (although it's not hard to see which side the author is on when it comes to religion). No particular political standpoint is adopted either, the nearest we get to that being the shoulder-shrugging last paragraph. The whole saga ought to have been a filthy nightmare, but instead the reader feels rather like the onlookers who have come along with picnic lunches to watch the events as if they were watching a game of cricket. It has all been Virgil's `plurima mortis imago' - the omnipresent face of death, and yet it has been a bit of a spectator-sport too. I'm actually rather glad I'm no historian in this instance. I don't know what set off the uprising, and once the relief forces turn up so far as I know things went back to much as they were before. The author offers us no theories or explanations: he just leaves us having witnessed wholesale and insensate slaughter and wondering what it can all have been in aid of.

Its rare to find a book that combines a fascinating story with great character studies and development and meticulously researched history to make a point about our civilizing impulses. It took me a bit of effort to get into it, and then couldn't put it down. The introduction by Pankaj Mistry provides a great synopsis of the themes, and I really enjoyed rereading it after I finished the story.

"The Siege of Krishnapur', the second of J.G. Farrell's now classic works on the British Empire, (see also Troubles (New York Review Books Classics) and The Singapore Grip (New York Review Books Classics)) is a fictionalized account of the Siege of Lucknow during the Great Mutiny of 1857-1858 (aka the Sepoy Rebellion). The mutiny or rebellion, depending on one's point of view, was ultimately defeated by the British and led to the replacement of East India Company rule by direct British governance under the Raj.

Farrell masterfully recreates the insular British upper-class life in India - and the siege only intensifies this insularity. As the siege drags on and on, the inhabitants strive to maintain expected standards of behavior and decorum. Farrell populates his book with interesting characters who debate and dispute morality, religion, progress, and civilization.

Excellent introductions are a hallmark of the New York Review of Books Classics and the introduction to this volume by Pankaj Mishra places the book in historical and cultural context and adds significant value.

Highest Recommendation.

At the climax of this magnificent novel, the book's protagonist, Hopkins, the British civil administrator or Collector of Krishnapur, finds himself trapped in a Union Jack whose flagstaff has been shot down, knocking him to the ground. He recognizes it as the scenario of a persistent nightmare that had been troubling since his small enclave had been put under siege several months before. But it is also a symbol for the entire book.

The initial set-up here is similar to that of the author's TROUBLES: a group of British colonialists crammed together in a decaying building while the threat of native rebellion comes closer. But this is larger in scope, with a bigger cast of characters, grander themes, and a rebellion which is much more than some background disturbance. Unlike the violence in TROUBLES, which is seen at first hand only in the hallucinatory final chapters of the book, this one (the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857) takes center stage about a third of the way into the movel, leading to harrowing scenes of death, starvation, and disease. On the level of a simple war story, these events (based on the siege of Lucknow) make for a stirring story of heroism and courage -- especially where these qualities are unexpected, is in the formerly stuffy Collector who discovers hidden talents for generalship and strategy, and the young poet George Fleury, fresh out from England, who proves to have a strong practical streak and a remarkably cool head.

Also as in TROUBLES, there is a pervasive eroticism to this book, centering around three of the younger woman besieged in the Residency: the debutante Louise, chaste belle of Calcutta balls; Miriam, George's young widowed sister, tired of being assigned to stereotypical female roles, and Lucy, whom everybody knows as a "dishonored woman" although nobody is entirely clear as to the extent or agency of his dishonor. As the siege persists, the courtship conventions of colonial society are turned on their head by proximity and deprivation. There is one almost surreal scene in which Lucy, attacked by a huge cloud of otherwise harmless flying beetles, rips off her clothes and promptly faints, leaving two young men to scrape the insects off her, in the process discovering the differences between a real female body and a marble statue.

For, despite the bloodshed, Farrell's characteristic tone of comedy is present here too, but now his targets are as much institutional as personal: the hypocracies of colonialism, trivia of class and culture, and Victorian attitudes towards faith and science. As we meet the cast of characters, we find many different points of view: the Padre who believes that the rebellion is God's punishment for sin, the cynical Magistrate who is a confirmed atheist, the Opium Agent who believes only in profit, rival doctors from older and newer schools of thinking, bluff soldiers who do not think much at all but who can yet be excellent at their jobs, the aesthete Fleury whose first reaction to being under fire is to assemble phrases for an epic poem, and the Collector, who believes in progress, but attempts to strike a balance between all points of view. And to a remarkable extent, the author also manages to retain that balance. The siege is a crucible in which every kind of received attitude may be tested, and for the most part found wanting. But Farrell is never preachy or polemical; he does not make everything subservient to a single point of view, even the anti-colonial one. His great gift is to keep you thinking, even as you turn the pages with bated breath. A brilliant achievement!

This book really opened my eyes to reincarnation. I would recommended it to anyone that is unsure and needs proof into the field!

My husband and I were fortunate enough to experience a slice of serendipity when visiting friends in Connecticut. We had ventured out to visit a quaint little cigar shop and that's where we met Mr. Keene. I had never heard of him or his work, and after learning that we were from Upson County, Georgia, he was more than happy to share with us his experiences and convictions regarding his connections to John B. Gordon. The author is quite an interesting fellow--very personable and entertaining. The opportunity to meet and talk to the author has made this book much more meaningful and authentic for me. I highly recommend it to both believers and skeptics alike. It is quite the read!

Mr. Jeff Keene had provided his own past life in a way understandable and as historically accurate as possible to his earlier life as a CSA General John B. Gordon. There were some very touching places in his story which literally brought tears to my eyes like the following -
(1) The place where he explains about the spontaneous feeling of sadness he felt when he stood next to his daughter's grave from his previous life and who had passed off when quite young even before ever being named.
(2) The place where he very humbly stays behind thinking of himself as quite junior when compared to other army commanders on the lines before being called by General Hancock during Grant's funeral to lead the funeral procession alongside him in the front lines.
(3) The place where he vividly reminisces his past life incident when he saved the life of the Federal Division Commander Francis Barlow.
On the whole the author comes through as a very great gentleman and one worthy of emulation in both of his forms as Gen Gordon as well as the current Fire Chief Jeff Keene.
May God provide him all prosperity in the present and the yonder!

What more can I say. I have read many books on this subject, and there are many of them out there, but this I must say is the best ever. It takes you from the very start of his search to present day. If you are looking for your own past lives, this book can help you. It gives you ideas of how and where you can start looking for yourself. It lets you know how a journey of this type can affect your present life, good and bad. It also lets you know how past lives influances the thoughts, actions and memories you have today, even your dreams. I could not put this book down from the moment I started reading it, till I was finished with it. It takes alot for someone to come forward like this and share what they went through, and I must say thank you to Jeffrey for doing so. Martin Huffman

From the time I received this book I couldn't put it down. It is a must read for history buffs as well as for those who are interested in reencarnation.

I had read this particular book at another house and was so enthralled with it that I wanted one for my Library and I am giving one for a birthday
present.I probably would not have bought it had I not seen it first.

Product received in timely manner..great book for those seeking to develop in their relationship with God. We can learn much from the writers of the devotions contained in this book.

St. Francis of Assisi wrote, "Preach the Gospel at all times; if necessary, use words." This remarkable book will inspire your team members with the poignant commentaries from the early heroes of the Christian faith.

New books are important, but the classics are imperative. As you mentor and encourage your team members, it might be time to remind them that long before Billy Graham, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Beth Moore, Chuck Colson, Dr. James Dobson, and even D. L. Moody, the pioneers of the faith were building our theological foundations, brick by brick.

Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, the book editors, begin, "We today suffer from the unexamined notion that the more recent something is, the better, the more true it must be. This book is our attempt to counter this present-day myopia. It brings together fifty-two carefully chosen selections from the great devotional classics."

If your team members have never read (or even heard of) Jonathan Edwards, Frances de Sales, Bernard of Clairvaux, Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, Soren Kierkegaard, Evelyn Underhill, or John Baillie--order the book. These fifty-two pillars span the centuries: Gregory of Nyssa (331), Francis of Assisi (1182), Catherine of Genoa (1447), John Bunyan (1628) and Watchman Nee (1903).

If you're in what John of the Cross (1542-1591) called the "dark night of the soul," when you've lost all the pleasure you once experienced in your devotional life, you can feed on the riches of these classic writings from our brothers and sisters past.

In the chapter on The Book Bucket, from Mastering The Management Buckets: 20 Critical Competencies for Leading Your Business or Non-profit, I warn about the dangers of "management-by-bestseller syndrome." Have no fear about Devotional Classics. It endures. The editors remind us of C.S. Lewis' savvy counsel, "It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between."

I really enjoyed this book. It was part of the assigned reading for a Spiritual Formation retreat I took through my college. The collected devotionals in this book are wonderful. I like the different sections included in the book as well. If you want to just read devotionals to stir up your prayer life you can just read that section.

Also at the end of each devotional there are reflection questions and spiritual discipline exercises to do. I found this to be very helpful in breaking out of the routine in my devotional time with God.

It is so inspiring to read the writings of these great men and women of faith throughout the history of Christianity. I reccommend this to anyone looking to deepen their faith.

As this book states, it is the sayings of Jesus FROM the Diary of St. Faustina - but it is NOT the diary.

The diary itself is the story, as a diary would be, of St. Faustina's life and her interactions with Jesus and His messages throughout her life.

The sayings alone, without knowing the content of what was happening at the time of each saying, can easily make it seem like something totally different then when you combine the whole picture of what had and was happening when Jesus spoke each quote to Faustina.
(it is the same as only getting one side of the conversation, very disjointed and out of contest).

That said, if one knows the whole story and has read Faustina's diary, then this is a nice book just to be able to have the actual sayings of Jesus to St. Faustina in one compact and easily to review book.

The complete Diary:


Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska - in Burgundy Leather: Divine Mercy in My Soul

Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (Mass market version): Divine Mercy in My Soul

Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska (Polish Version)


Very well written, easy and fast paced story of St. Faustina's life:
Faustina: Apostle of Divine Mercy


Another book that sorts out parts of the Diary:
Revelations of Divine Mercy: Daily Readings from the Diary of Blessed Faustina Kowalska

The many excellent reviews that have been written about St. Faustina's Diary are correct! I have been reading this for Lent and it is a fascinating book that can be read over and over much like the Bible. Someone once told me this book is really deep; please don't think this book is too deep for you, it's not.

Page after page reaffirms God's great mercy. Reading the words that Jesus actually spoke to St. Faustina is so moving. You will want to meditate upon them. I find it is a great book to take with me to Eucharistic Adoration.

So, if you only have a couple of Catholic books in your home, this should be one of them.

This is a must read for everyone. It assures us of the Divine Mercy of Jesus, especially good if you are going through a difficult time in your life.

I found this book to be a wonderful aid to my spiritual life. At one point in the book Jesus tells Sister Faustina to write in her diary because it will be helpful to souls who would read it later.
I am one of those souls. At times I felt as if Christ was speaking to me through her. This book helped me so much to understand more fully how vast is the love of God. So vast that none of us will ever be able to understand it. Much larger than the worst sins that any of us can ever commit.
This book made me more aware of my own sin on another level than what I was previously aware of. This book has taught me new forms of prayer that have helped draw me closer to Christ.
This book has taught me more about how to love God. It has greatly enriched my interior life. My relationship with God has now moved up to a higher level.
It has also helped me to understand more about the living presence of God in the Eucharist.
I am not Catholic, I am an Episcopalian, (but I am rather Catholic at heart). And although I have always believed in the living presence of Christ in the bread and wine, it has now moved to a higher level of understanding and reverence. I anxiously look forward to every oportunity I have to join with the living Christ in the Eucharistic feast.
The book is a bit long and does repeat a bit, but it is beautiful and well worth the time to read.
My copy is underlined, and marked with sticky notes and folded over pages of places that I have returned to again and again to meditate on.
I have nothing but praise for this book and recommend it to everyone of any religion.

This book is a gem. It covers daily spiritual thoughts. You have something deep and worthwhile every day to read and reflect on, if you read just a little each day. Or you can read the whole book in one sitting, then re-read each day what moves you the most.

Recommend: Yes

Genre: Evangelism

Introduction:

There is no doubt that in my mind -- from both personal experience and observation of those around me -- that there seems to be a tension with the thought of God being completely sovereign in the affairs of man, namely salvation in this context, and the thought of God requiring us to share the truth that we have with those who don't know it. "If God is truly sovereign over who gets saved and how they get saved," so the argument goes, "then there is really no point in me going out of my way in witnessing the gospel of Christ to unbelievers. God is in charge . . . and if they're going get saved with or without me then there is really no point in investing my time in evangelism."

Though sad to admit, this has become the pervasive thought of many Christians today. One of the many charges leveled against Calvinism and its emphasis on the sovereignty of God in salvation is that which I just brought up. "It doesn't make sense," they say.

Despite the arguments and the critiques, Scripture clearly presents both of these truths -- the sovereignty of God in saving sinners and the duty of Christians to evangelize (to share the gospel message of Christ and His saving work accomplished on the cross, received on the basis of faith). It is natural for the human mind to want to smooth out all the rough edges, as it were, to make it more comprehensible. Wanting to do this many err on either side. On the one hand you have those who emphasize the duty and responsibility of man to evangelize and they tend to leave God out of the equation in the process of salvation, as if salvation if all about man picking himself up by the bootstraps and gathering all the willpower to be saved. That of course has some real problems when you stop and ponder the biblical picture of man -- man without God -- and how utterly unable and unwilling they are to choose Christ in and of himself (e.g., Eph. 2:1-3; Tit. 3:3; Jer. 17:9, etc.).

But then we have those who overemphasize the sovereignty of God; so much so that we end up with a fatalistic system where man is seen simply as a robot, with no self-desire -- a mere puppet in the hands of a puppeteer. This, again, has some serious Bible to deal with. Passages are replete which emphasize the call to repent of sins, to turn to Christ, to come and choose life (e.g., Acts 17:30-31; Matt. 11:28-30, etc.). But within the context of evangelism, no passage is more clearer than Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB), which has been commonly referred to as the "Great Commission":

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

With such a controversial subject, J.I. Packer seeks to deal with it head-on, using the Bible as his guide and source. Though a short treatment of the subject, it doesn't lack in content. Packer has a way with words unlike many men whom I have read, which makes his ability to communicate effective and winsome.

Book Structure:

The book follows a simple outline. Packer first deals with the issue of divine sovereignty and how both Arminians and Calvinists find common ground on this issue. "On our feet we may have arguments about it, but on our knees we are all agreed" (p. 17).

In chapter two the core issue is dealt with, divine sovereignty and human responsibility. He admits the apparent contradiction -- which Packer defines as an antinomy (def. "an antinomy . . . is an observed relation between two statements of fact. It is not deliberately manufactured; it is forced upon us by the facts themselves . . . We do not invent it, and we cannot explain it. Not is there any way to get rid of it, save by falsifying the very facts that led us to it" [p. 21]) -- and concludes that there is a certain mystery to this subject, but the Bible nonetheless teaches these two truths. Far it be from us to cast aside any of these truths which the Bible makes so clear.

Packer then addresses evangelism in chapter three with four questions which he answers throughout the chapter: 1. What is evangelism?; 2. What is the evangelistic message?; What is the motive for evangelizing?; 4. By what means and methods should evangelism be practised? This is a meaty chapter which is very enlightening.

And finally in chapter four, Packer goes back once more and talks about divine sovereignty and evangelism. Suffice it to say that Packer does a superb job in dealing with such a intricate and mysterious subject, such as this one, simply and effectively. In his final lines, Packer sums up the effects of the sovereignty of God in our evangelistic efforts:

"Not only does it undergird evangelism, and uphold the evangelist, by creating a hope of success that could not otherwise be entertained; it also teaches us to bind together preaching and prayer; and as it makes us bold and confident before men, so it makes us humble and importunate before God" (p. 125).

Notable Quotes:

* "While we must always remember that it is our responsibility to proclaim salvation, we must never forget that it is God who saves. It is God who brings men and women under the sound of the gospel, and it is God who brings them to faith in Christ. Our evangelistic work is the instrument that He uses for this purpose, but the power that saves in not in the instrument: it is in the hand of the One who uses the instrument" (p. 27).
* "Evangelism is man's work, but the giving of faith is God's" (p. 40).
* "...It was the news about Jesus of Nazareth. It was the news of the incarnation, the atonement, and the kingdom-the cradle, the cross, and the crown-of the Son of God. It was the news of how God `glorified his servant Jesus' by making Him Christ, the world's long-awaited `Prince and . . . Savior'. It was the news of how God made His Son Man; and how, as Man, God made Him Priest, and Prophet, and King; and how, as Priest, God also made Him a sacrifice for sins; and how, as Prophet, God also made Him a Lawgiver to His people; and how, as King, God has also made Him Judge of all the world, and given Him prerogatives which in the Old Testament are exclusively Jehovah's own-namely, to reign till every knee bows before Him, and to save all who call on His name. In short, the good news was just this: that God has executed His eternal intention of glorifying Hos Son by exalting Him as a great Saviour for great sinners" (p. 47).
* "Regarded as a human enterprise, evangelism is a hopeless task. It cannot in principle produce the desired effect. We can preach, and preach clearly and fluently and attractively; we can talk to individuals in the most pointed and challenging way; we can organize special services, and distribute tracts, and put up posters, and flood the country with publicity-and there is not the slightest prospect that all this outlay of effort will bring a single soul home to God. Unless there is some other factor in the situation, over and above our own endeavours, all evangelistic actions foredoomed to failure. This is the fact, the brute, rock-bottom fact, that we have to face" (p. 109).
* "We may not trust in our methods of personal dealing or running evangelistic services, however excellent we may think them. There is no magic in methods, not even in theologically impeccable methods. When we evangelize, our trust must be in God who raises the dead. He is the almighty Lord who turns men's hearts, and He will give conversions in His own time. Meanwhile, our part is to be faithful in making the gospel known, sure that such labour will never be in vain. This is how the truth of the sovereignty of God's grace bears upon evangelism" (p. 117-8).

Conclusion:

Conclusion is that Packer has given a great gift to the church is dealing with this issue and presenting a biblical (and logical, though mysterious) answer a question which often plagues the believer.

A great blessing is in store of the man that picks up this book. Need I add more?

When we as Christians try to reach out to others to share the good news of the Gospel, it's so easy to fall into a trap of relying on our abilities and techniques (our own or those we learn from others). In this book, J.I. Packer lays out a clear case for why all such efforts are doomed to fail, unless we recognized that it's fruitless without God also moving in the life of a new believer.

So what does that mean? That we need not bother? Far from it! Further, if only the elect are saved, does God really need us? He does, and we need to understand why. It's all in the Bible, but just as good commentaries help us to understand the context of a passage, and relate it to systematic themes throughout the Bible, so too does Packer's book do the same to explain Evangelism and our role in it.

The book is divided neatly into 4 parts: Divine Sovereignty, Divine Sovereignty & Human Responsibility, Evangelism, and Divine Sovereignty & Evangelism. Though I was listening to an unabridged audiobook version, the presenter spoke the clear breakdown of the book's sections into numbered sections and subsections (often a few levels deep). This is a very clear, well-organized, and cogent work. Call it, "The Case for Evangelism". :-)

Of course, along the way, we're washed with lots of other essential truths that bear repeating. It's a classic, timeless, valuable book, and with the audio format I look forward to listening to it again and again, just as I have with Mere Christianity and other foundational books. Just like good sermons that press key points over and over in our lives, we can never hear enough of such expository truth. I recommend it for all.

Packer has written an excellent text on evangelism alone in this book. That he deals with the intersection of the practice of evangelism with the concept of a completely sovereign God is a bonus.

Though he's not a C.S. Lewis, Packer does write very well and is very readable, though sometimes his notations and quotations seem more along the style of a half-century ago. But the issues and mindsets which he is addressing are active and attractive to many in this day, and thusly this work is very relevant.

I recommend this to all Christians, but especially pastors and those who have any questions about evangelism. This isn't a 'how to' book, and it doesn't really have a practical application section - but what Packer is dealing with here is more theological than anything else.

And it is a great encouragement and challenge to spread the Gospel. It's not too long and the reading isn't too heavy, so it is accessible and understandable by most anyone.

What does a Christian believe about evangelism if one adheres to Reformed doctrine of God's sovereignty? Dr. Packer answers this question fully and concisely in this work, and his points are well made and are scripturally based. The book brings up many fine points regarding how we need to and are ordered to evangelize but on the firm foundation that God is Supreme. Dr. Packer begins by speaking of the antinomy of God's complete sovereignty over all creation and our responsibility to obey Him. Dr. Packer is well aware that his readers will be non Calvinists and from the onset of the book, seeks to bridge the gap between those with opposing viewpoints. He cites the historical dialogue between to preachers, Charles Simeon and Charles Wesley to portray the areas of common ground that we share rather than the differences the two groups face. From the Reformed theological base, he addresses a number of topics, such as how the Christian should boldly and accurately present Christ as Lord and Savior bearing in mind the importance of not mis-representing the Gospel. Another responsibility that is presented is the responsibility of the hearer of the Gospel, who must also turn from sin, receive forgiveness, and surrender to Christ.

Packer criticizes those who hold confidence in evangelistic techniques and methods rather in the Lord of the Harvest. He promotes that long term relationships where the Christian shares the Word of God and seeks to genuinely love others as a more costly, but also a more effective form of ministering to others. Furthermore, the truism that God calls us to pray for this world and those who are lost is written as the most essential element in succeeding in evangelism. Thereby, whether one is reformed in their doctrine or Arminian, Dr. Packer proclaims that without us trusting in the sovereignty of God that our best efforts will fall short since apart from Him we can do nothing.

This is a good book that can be a great source of encouragement for those who seek to share Christ with others.

This is a remarkable and thought-provoking volume. Prof. Packer develops the view that there is an antinomy between human responsibility and the sovereignty of God. These understandings do not contradict each other and in fact exist alongside each other. We need to hold both ideas in our minds as we consider Holy Scripture and reflect on the truths of God's reality.
The work also discusses evangelism in light of this "double" understanding. The sovereignty of God in no way detracts from the need for evangelism. In fact, he makes a beautiful point in noting that were in not for God's sovereignty (and limited atonement) our evangelistic efforts would always fail. No one would come to God if it were just up to the evangelist's human zeal to win souls. A heavenly intervention is needed for souls to be saved. Because we know that Almighty God through His Son Jesus Christ is effectually calling souls to Him, we can have no crisis of doubt that our efforts are in vain.
While he does not wish to discount the modern semi-Pelagian or Pelagian approach to evangelism as being totally unworthy, at the same time, he is clearly pointing to the reformed understanding as the better of the two evangelistic understandings. Thus, I would have wished for a little less diplomatic language when expositing the two views of evangelism. He clearly does not like evangelistic services that pump up people to answer an altar call or charismatic approaches that are even more emotional, even feverish. Yet, he doesn't come out and say so. I wish he had.
Also, I very much doubt if most readers will be able to hold the ideas of God's sovereignty and unconditional election in their minds alongside the equally true and cogent thought of moral responsibility. Ultimately, one side of the antinomy or the other will be weighted more heavily. Yet, at the theoretical or conceptual level, Prof. Packer's attempt is true and even noble.
His reticence notwithstanding the book is a marvelous reflection on the issues of responsibility, God's sovereignty, and the need for evangelism. I recommend that all Christians read it, and believe everyone will be wiser for the time spent.