J Books

This is a wonderful book for people of all ages. It shows how we have what it takes inside of us to overcome obstacles or perceived issues. A great read for anyone who might have a handicap or knows of someone who does. This is also a wonderful read if you love horses!

This book is an excellent way to introduce the LOA to your kids. It's a sweet story for any age -young and old- and reinforces the idea that we do have the ability to change our circumstances at any given moment. I enjoyed the story so much and feel the message is so important that I have given the book to my daughter's teacher. I am hoping it will become a message that she agrees is vital to share with everyone.

After years of reading "Notes from the Universe" and dozens of other spiritual philosophies, I found Dandelion to be a little oversimplified. It struck me as the perfect read for a pre-teen or teen who is struggling with life's meaning for the first time, or perhaps an adult who has never explored spirituality before. With the right audience, this book would be very enjoyable and insightful, but if you have strong experience in spirituality, buy it for a teen in your life instead.

Every child and every Adult should read this book. It is a beautiful story, wonderfully told of a little horse growing up. Just like little anyone growing up she is subjected to the pressures of life. Parental, peer, job/school pressure and it shows the reader beautifully how to cope with that pressure. Dandelion, goes from being a misfit. She starts of in the eyes of those around her, a weedy little Dandelion. But, along with her struggles she emerges as a wondrous flower in full bloom.
Every age group will benefit from reading this book...those of us who have forgotten the wonders of childhood, those still in childhood or adolescence it's a must for those going through it and finding it tough. A wonderful gift for Grandparents to give to their Grandchild. A Real GIFT!

Amazingly simple yet so deep, well written, fun yet moving story, with incredibly powerful, inspiring reminder of this truth so many of us had forgotten. Well worth the short time to read it! I have purchased 15 books to present to loved ones- the message is that profound, life changing, and yet simple once we begin to consciously think about it. Horse lovers will love the picture the story paints in their minds, yet non-animal people will still be able to identify to the characters and appreciate and comprehend the message just as much, too. Cannot say enough good about this book!!!!

Based on the "Structural drama" we got a different option to see the incredible notes compiled after several interviews at Laramies' residents who was shock (as the rest of the world) for Matthew Shepards' case. I loved it.

The book was in excellent condition and was delivered even earlier than expected.Wonderful and smooth purchase.

Matthew Shepard was about two months short of his twenty-second birth when he was robbed, beaten, tied to a fence post and left to die in a rural area of Wyoming. The man who found him at first thought he was a scarecrow. Rushed to Poudre Valley Hospital at Fort Collins, he died on 12 October 1998--and when Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney were arrested for the crime they resorted to a defense known as "gay panic." Matthew Shepherd had propositioned them, they said, and they were so horrified that they killed him in response.

The gay community and numerous civil rights watchdog groups were outraged by the defense, and as more and more facts came to light it seemed that the crime was somewhat more complicated than Henderson and McKinney wanted the public to know. Witnesses stated that Henderson and McKinney had specifically targeted Shepherd because he was gay. After much legal wrangling, Henderson pled guilty and testified against McKinney, who was convicted; after still more legal wrangling, and at the request of Shepherd's parents, McKinney escaped the death penalty but has no chance of parole.

The case made headlines from end of the United States to the other and prompted numerous calls for Hate Crimes legislation, which had long been stalled both at the state and federal level. And in the midst of the confusion, chaos, and controversy, Moises Kaufman and the members of The Tectonic Theatre Project arrived on the scene, interviewing more than two hundred people about their thoughts and feelings on the case. These were shaped into THE LARAMIE PROJECT, a drama that debuted in 2000 and which has since shocked, impressed, and deeply moved audiences from coast to coast.

Playscripts are not really intended to be read; they are intended to be performed, and there can be a significant difference between how a script and how it plays. This is particularly true of THE LARAMIE PROJECT, which doesn't consist of scenes or acts but of "moments"--bits and pieces of monologue and dialogue and staging that non-play-readers will likely find difficult to envision. When performed, all those bits and pieces become like tiles in a mosaic: they may seem to mean different things individually, but when performed one right after another they become a unified whole.

Perhaps the single most impressive thing about THE LARAMIE PROJECT is its refusal to "take sides." The play presents its characters and their words with commenting in favor of them or against them; you are instead allowed to interpret for yourself. The result is uniquely powerful. Strongly recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

We purchased this play because my son's High School principal decided not to allow the theater teacher to put it on at his school without even bothering to read the play before making this decision!!! Moreover, the principal essentially threatened to fire the teacher if the issue was pursued. We wanted to share this play with as many people as possible after that incident and so have been loaning it to friends, relatives, other teachers, anyone willing to read it. It is truly an important work, putting a human face on the people of Laramie, Wyoming. What happened there could happen anywhere, and we not only can't, but shouldn't, hide these difficult truths.

Like a quilt, each little piece of play is woven together beautifully. Some pieces are juxtaposed next to contrasting pieces, but step back -- the entire piece is a sight to see, and touch, and feel.

What a sad, revealing, fearful, fearless, exasperating and lovely work of theatre.

This truly is an American quilt -- the ugly, the bittersweet, the glorious.

Absolutely recommended for anyone mature enough to deal with a tragedy of hate.

Very good information. Gives the reader a step by step process of getting clients without insulting intelligence.

I own a small business and I am looking to find more clients. This book is a must have for anyone who wants to offer services to businesses. I have already found this book to informative, simple to understand, and it has given me new skills to market my business without all the expense. Although I haven't done this for 28 days, I already have some leads on new clients just by doing some of the steps mentioned. Any one who offers a service related business should read this book. Truly a lifesaver!
Thanks

This book demystified marketing for me. I read other marketing books, but could not then commit to one course of action. In plain language, C. J. Hayden helps you to pinpoint where to focus your energy. Then she helps you to develop a step-by-step plan based on your needs.

If you are looking for a book about how to write a great sales letter, this is not it. If you are looking for a way to develop a low-maintenance business development plan, buy this book. You can spend as little or as much time as you want on this program. She explains how to get the ball rolling, and reminds you that development can be an ongoing activity.

It's easy to get overwhelmed with business and self-help books because authors provide a wealth of suggestions and no clear path. This is where Hayden's book stands out. She breaks everything down from the six marketing strategies and setting up measurable goals to selecting ten doable activities.

The book also includes two worksheets that work with the program for easier reviewing and tracking progress. While you can follow the program alone, she recommends having support from someone other than family. It could be a coach or a colleague in the industry.

The organized and methodical program guides you through each step. Reading the how doesn't take long and the program begins mid-way through the book. The latter half of the book describes the activities you can do while following the 28-day program. So you won't get overwhelmed at the thought of "too many pages to read."

I worked on it as soon as I started reading the book. Having this guide took a lot of pressure off of me as I know exactly what to do once I'd put my plan together. Not many business books have urged me to take action and this one succeeded. I know that after a month of following this process, I'll see positive results.

While the book sounds simple, and it is — it takes work to make it happen. Instead of taking the long route and learning from trial-and-error, Hayden provides you with a direct route so you do the activities and don't worry about overdoing it.

Some people may not like strict rules. The book isn't like that. It's okay to adjust the plan so you do six or seven activities instead of ten. It helps you figure out where you're stuck in the marketing process and provides the tools for working past it. The book is over five years old and its contents are as relevant today as when it first came out. I can say with certainty that anyone who follows the plan will get great results.

Thesis: With this 28-day marketing program, you will locate, land, and keep new clients in greater numbers than you've probably ever dreamed possible. It includes steps that are easy to follow and practical for professionals and consultants.

Structure: A 28-day program described in ten chapters spread over three sections: The Setup, The System, and The Strategies.

Here are some sections I found especially valuable:

What Really Works? Effective Marketing Strategies (Ch. 1; pp. 5-21)
C.J. delivers a great lead-in that primes the reader with sound and specific information about what to consider. She speaks to the "hows" and "whys" behind marketing. Graphics such as the one on page nine ("Marketing strategies for the service business") make the material easily accessible to reader, helping break down any possible barriers of intimidation.

You're Ready...Let's Go! Putting the System into Action (Ch. 6; pp. 85-127)
This chapter leads the reader through the entire 28-day process with excellent details and tools (such as the worksheet on page 89) to help track progress. It's the culmination of the previous two chapters that discuss building your own system from a menu of tried-and-true marketing ingredients. C.J. tells you (1) what marketing ingredients to choose from, (2) how to choose what's best for your situation, and (3) specifically how to put the plan in action.

Following Up: When You Have Plenty of Numbers But You're Not Calling (Ch. 8, pp. 171-184)
This chapter is one of four in the third and final section: The Strategies. These four chapters help the reader focus on practical solutions for common problems encountered during the 28-day program and beyond. Chapter Eight focuses on breaking down barriers that cause inaction. It provides practical solutions to help the reader actually follow through on acquired leads.

great - timely service... I had no problems with my order or receiving my book.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It is well written and the characters really come to life and feel like they are family and neighbors. A tornado destroys many homes in a small Missouri town where people live just as you and I with good and bad times in their lives. There are many hard feelings among them, but this tragedy brings out the best in people and many changes happen in their hearts and they come to depend upon each other and make changes to go forward to the future. Sometimes we need to suffer loses before we realize what is most important and that we only have one life to live.

I thought that this author's first book "Tending Roses'was very good, but this one is even better. I can't wait to read the next books in this series, "The Language of the Sycamores", "Drenched in Light" and "A Thousand Voices",

This is the first of Lisa Wingate which I have ever read. Now I definitely want to read more of her books.

Jennilee Lane and her family were the "poor folks" on Hope Road. Her mother was ill with depression, and later had terminal cancer, and her Dad was a loser as well. The family struggled just to eat. The other people in the small neighborhood were middle to upper classed people. Eudora Gibson was a big gossip and spread awful rumors about people to whoever would listen to her gossip. And then there was the lawyer's family, Marcella, of whom were big snobs.

All of this changed, when in the beginning of the book, a tornado hit hard and many folks lost their homes and precious items. Many lives were taken, some spared, and the whole neighborhood had to come together all living in a shelter together.

Jennilee saved the life of Eudora, and her granddaughter Lacy, who lost her parents and won't speak to anyone. While they are in this shelter together, Jennilee does a lot to help rescue items people have lost by posting pictures up on a board. She cooks, cleans, and helps the injured as well during all of this disaster. People gradually come to love and admire her, even the very haughty Dr. Albright.

On the other side of this coin though, Jennilee has lost part of her family, (Dad and brother Nate), and can't imagine where they are when the storm destroyed their town. She fears the worst that they were seriously injured or even killed, and as the story continues, what happens comes to light, and whether they are lucky to have survived remains to be seen. Jen's older brother Drew is finally coming around as well, but Jennilee holds a lot of resentment there as Drew left when her mom was dying and they needed him there.

It is just a good 'down-home' type of book. I look forward to seeing what Wingate's others are like.

After reading Ms. Wingate's two romances, I picked up Good Hope Road. Surprised it wasn't a romance, I almost tossed it, but the writing was so beautiful, I couldn't. This was a wonderful tale of reconciliation and survival populated with marvelous character that give real hope.

Good Hope Road by Lisa Wingate is her strongest book to date. After the entire town of Poetry, Missouri is destroyed by a tornado, the people within it are changed to their cores as well. Jenilee Lane has lived her entire life ducking blows and trying to stay unnoticed. Eudora Gibson, her elderly neighbor, suffers from a bad case of judging others until Jenilee saves her life. The entwining stories of Jenilee and Eudora are woven together until as one strong cord, both women pull themselves out of their former selves and find a better future. Jenilee's idea to pick up all the photos and papers she finds on the road, in her yard and fields and try to return them to the townspeople who have lost so much is moving, especially after how she's been treated by them throughout her life. Wingate captures the essence of a family caught in the cycle of abuse and trying to break free. The scenes between Jenilee and her brothers are especially poignant. The dialogue is extremely well done. This book is peopled with characters that everyone in a small town knows, and after finishing the book will be sorry to leave.

The book was great and all but (sigh) why does it always talk about Kara more? And i didnt like when she was able to go to avalon what about Adriannne or Emily? they deserve it more!! Anyway it was about them defeating the sorceress( Kara and Adrianne), (Emily) and destoring blackfire, healing the mistwolves and healing Aldenmore. I hope the next 6 book in the new series waan't talk about Kara more like she is not goood of a character.

This is one of my favorite books but it broke my heart. this author has a special gift of making a character in a book dear to you but she took away
one of those charecters later she will return this charecter but the feeling for the charecter will never quite be the same.

KEEP THIS IN MIND,

avalon heartbreak

This was definatly my favorite Avalon book. It is so exciting and full of adventure. Sure, Kara was mentioned alot, but I thought it was so cool anyway. After a firemental comes for Adrianne, Kara, and Emily, they have to go to Aldenmor to stop the Dark Sorceress. It was full of surprises right to the end when they find the mistwolves. This was a thrilling adventure all the way through, even though one of my favorite characters Stormbringer, makes a painful sacrifice...

The fight for Aldenmor is finally drawing to a close. Join Emily, Adriane, Kara, and their magical animal friends as they jump through portals and rescue the mistwolf pack from the Dark Sorceress. Adriane and Stormbringer, her bonded Mistwolf, find Dreamer, an orphaned pup who is a gifted magic tracker. Storm disappears while holding the pack in mist form and Adriane grows depressed in the long run. Kara and Lyra, a winged leopard, find AvAlon and restore Aldenmor to its original beauty. Emily, in the mean time, is with Ozzie, an elf trapped in a ferret's body, in an elf village where Black Fire has poisoned the villagers and their livestock. Emily heals them and advances in her magic skills. This is an awesome book that teenage magic lovers would enjoy.

AvAlon: Trial by Fire is part of an amazing series by Rachel Roberts. Adriane and Stormbringer, the main characters, are my favorites. I hated the Dark Sorceress though. This book has made me a magic fan for good. I loved Trial by Fire.

I must say it wasn't the best in the series and it wasn't the worst, it was perfect. I am a BIG fan of the avalon series so right away when it was out I so bought it. Anyways now with the story which is basically what we are supposed to type about, Emily, Adriane, and Kara now finally have to destroy black fire... and all have a major part to fufill(i may have spelled it wrong!lol) the prophcey and compelets their destiny. First of all Adrianne has to deal with the dark sorceress with Lyra as Storm turns into mist to save all the mistwolves from these crystals stored with Blackfire! She totally saves the day but... there was a huge price to pay for that. Kara well we find out more about her and she gets once again in this spellsinging spell and is in the sorceress cluthes. Basically the sorceress captures Kara to make her open these portals with fairy map given to her by firemental, to get the unicorn. But eventually the unicorn rescues her and she sadly goes to Avalon which is UNFAIR they all had should, not to mention gets her unicorn jewel!!! Well the magor thing, Emily has to destory blackfire, break the crysatls that contain the mistwolves and most of all heal the mistwolves with blackfire but has help with Zach and later the mages. Well I shouldn't really say they ALL complete their destiny since in book 4 heart of avalon Emily compeletes anpther of her destiny as well so she has to heal avalon later. It was an excellent ending and ALL AVALON FANS SHOULD READ IT NOW!!!!!!!

Heaven's Net is Wide is Lian Hearn's stunning prequel to the Tales of the Otori saga. This book tells the story of young Otori Shigeru and his rise to become Lord Otori, head of his clan, amidst triumphs and tragedy, friendship, love and betrayal. Hearn's alternate historical version of Japan is as beautiful as ever and her writing adds depth and detail to the picturesque scenery carried through all her novels.

I really enjoyed how Hearn stayed true to her multi-character storytelling. Though the story was Shigeru's, I appreciated the chapters devoted to mysterious Tribe members Muto Kenji and Muto Shizuka, and also the background of Lady Maruyama Naomi and the members of the Hidden. Heaven's Net is Wide would be a great starting place for those new to the Otori series, but it is equally enjoyable as the final book in the Tales - bringing the story full circle to where it all began.

This book is up there with the many great books I've read - and I've read a few. Of course it's all down to opinion and taste but I found this book magnificently written - so well written I can't describe it with the acclaim it deserves. It is a HIGHLY, HIGHLY underatted book.

As I had read the first two books in the Tales Of the Otori Trilogy, when the prequel came out I decided to read the series from the start (From the prequel to the trilogy to the sequel). This proved to be a good decision as I (and I know this is very cliched) just couldn't put the book down! Because I had read the first couple of books and knew the characters - or for that matter of past characters that died before book one, to be able to read of things discussed in the trilogy actually happening before my eyes (because that's how well it is written) was an absolute treat.

But what I marvelled at most, was how well Hearn planned out the series. I just could not believe that events fell into place so well at exactly the right time, in exactly the right places.

Hearn creates a world where there are animals you'd find in from Europe to Asia to the Americas. There is talk of creatures like Goblins and Demons aswell as Spirits and Gods of various elements all set in feudal, mythical Japan with a magnificent touch of ancient history - of warlords and clans, of religions and beliefs, and of the struggle the women had and the dominance of the men.

Yet it is written and described quite subtly so that the loyalist of fantasy fans will enjoy it alongside the firm general fiction readers.

I suggest you read the trilogy and also if you want, the sequel first, so you can get the sense of appreciation for Lian Hearn's work and get an even more amazing read out of such and underated tale.

I believe this book alogside the trilogy and sequel, although it has some sex scenes, would be suitable for boys and girls, men and women alike above the age of 12.

Lian Hearn has created a world. It resembles Japan in the 16th century, but with added imaginary elements. The writing is exquisite - elegant, precise, rich and evocative. Once you start reading the Tales of the Otori you don't want to quit.

The ability to project yourself into a different personality set in a different culture and period, and do it convincingly and movingly - that is the mark of a very good writer indeed!

The prequel is not my favorite of the Otori series. Because of the amount of information that comes to light in the rest of the series the author felt like all the characters needed fleshing out. This "fleshing out" of characters makes the middle of this book very convoluted with an unnecessary amount of characters. The author finally comes around to giving the reader what they really want towards the last third of the book. I liked it but it didn't hook me the way the first two books did. This prequel is like the end of the series that takes itself too seriously and assumes we are all enthralled with minute details that don't carry the story line anywhere useful.

For all of you who stumble upon this website, START HERE. I read Across The Nightengale Floor about 2 years ago, and then finished the series. I ran across this book by accident and purchased it right away. I just finished it and It has been a challenge to remember names and events from the original Nightengale book. I think I will go back and read the original trilogy again before I read the last book.
It is quite frankly some of the best writing you will find. The characters are so vivid you half expect them to step into your room while you are reading about them. The portrait painted of Japan is breathtaking. I wish I could of seen the Japan of yester year, it sounds incredible. Bottom line is READ,READ,READ these books, I promise you won't be disappointed.

This book is a presentation of the contributing factors in society and governments which helped shape the Reformation.

This is an outstanding short book on the history of the Reformation. This is the first book by Belloc I have read, but if this book is any indication, he was a master of thematic history. This is not just a list of dates and events, blandly shared. Rather, Belloc gives us a riveting book that is concerned with the historical forces and personalities at the heart of the great religious revolt that has so shaped Western Civilization for the last 500 years.

One could successfully devour this book in the span of two days. But even with its brevity, it is a quite thorough look at the themes and personalities that make up the reformation.

A must read.

Belloc's view of the Reformation is both original and penetrating as he challenges the conventional views of that religious revolt from the perspective of a committed Roman Catholic. The overview of history is not necessarily exhaustive for a 300 page book, but it tends to be a bit repetitive, although when one considers the points that Belloc is trying to emphasize, the repetition is understandable. Basically, he assumes the stance that the Reformation was not originally a religious contest but a political and financial one, and that the nobles and rulers of Europe took advantage of the reformers fever to dissemble the universal Catholic church and distribute their wealth amongst themselves.
Although I agree with Belloc's theory and feel that the breakup of Catholic Christendom was essentially a disaster, I felt that his bias against the Reformation dismissed much of the spiritual sincerity of the Reformers, which is unfortunate. Overall though, it is a great read and one that will challenge those with an open mind. For a companion piece, one should read Novalis' Christendom or Europe, which is found in Novalis: Philosophical Writings published by SUNY Press (1997).Novalis: Philosophical Writings

Mr. Belloc does not give us a detailed history with references to primary sources. Instead, he notes the major currents of thought that shaped history and the missed opportunities that might have deflected those currents from creating the reformation. His history is a macro-history covering the currents created by such factors as the Black Death, rising nationalism, corruption of morals, and more. He asserts, convincingly I believe, that the Protestant reformation was based on the lie that each individual was his own judge of what was right thinking (see more on this in Great Heresies). Further, he asserts, this heresy of man as his own arbiter of truth likely would have failed had it not been for the focus provided in John Calvin's systematic theology.

Whether Protestant or Catholic or Orthodox, it is important to understand the historical currents and the waves that brought about the world as we know it today. America, in particular, with all that is good or bad in it, is a creation of those currents. The cold reasoning that rejects all that is mystical and intangible in modern thinking is also a creation of those currents. It is the fall of man all over again which rejects any authority outside one's self. Protestant and Catholic alike decry this disunity. It is in our interest to understand the causes and effects. Mr. Belloc gives us the broad thinking approach to see the root cause which so many other historians have missed getting lost in the details.

Mr. Belloc is one of the greatest Catholic historians of our time. He provides a compelling Catholic perspective to the tragedy that was the Protestant Reformation that secular (and "official") historians miss. He wrote this book in 1928 and his dire predictions regarding the fruit of the reformation for Western Civilization are, sadly, coming true.

I use this lexicon over any Bible dictionary or other lexicon I've found, as it's the most historically accurate and un-indoctrinated version to date. Provides an excess of great information about the use of many words, their historical significance, and has a very wide coverage for such a small book. If you're looking for a portable lexicon, this is your baby.

I cannot do without the intermediate Liddle&Scott in my Greek studies: it is so useful: clear and comprehensive explanations, examples provided, verb forms presented in their different forms as separate dictionary items, which greatly facilitates finding the exact verb, in short, I recommend this dictionary to anyone studying the ancient Greek (I have used other dictionaries, like Benseler's Greek-German, or Veisman's Greek-Russian, but I like the Liddle&Scott the most.

Liddell and Scott's lexicon is available in three versions, the complete large set ("Great Scott)", this intermediate sized volume ("Middle Liddell"), and an abridged version ("Little Liddell"). I use the version of Liddell-Scott that is found on BibleWorks 7. And it looks to be this "Middle Liddell" that is the version on BibleWorks. And I would say this size provides sufficient material without being overwhelming.

Liddell-Scott gives the basic definition using one word or a short phrase. Shades of meanings are represented by giving more than one word or phrase for the basic meaning. When a word has more than one basic meaning, these are numbered using Roman numerals and listed individually. Reference to classical Greek authors is given for each of the various meanings or shades of meanings.

Being based more on classical Greek than NT Greek enables this lexicon to give definitions for words that might not fit with pre-conceived theological ideas. And that is good. Sometimes, a word has been traditionally translated in manner that does not reflect the original meaning of the word. So this lexicon takes one out of preconceived notions and back to how the word was actually used. And that was very helpful in finding exact definitions of words for my Analytical-Literal Translation of the New Testament: Third Edition (ALT). It was in part because of this lexicon that I rendered "ekklesia" as "assembly" rather than "church" and "hagios" as "holy ones" rather than "saints."

So I would highly recommend this lexicon.

Twenty years ago I earned a bachelor's in Greek. This was the only lexicon I needed (aside from using Autenreith's for a couple Homer classes). I still use this to this day. For a time I even had a copy of the "Great Scott" but it sat there unused...so I sold it and don't miss it. This one, the "Middle Liddell" all, and probably more than, you'll ever need.

This is an excellent work. It is unfortunate that in some fields, the tendency is to always prefer the latest and greatest. This lexicon was produced in the late 19th Century, but is still the best single resource one can get. The Intermediate Lexicon of Liddell and Scott has just the right balance between portability and coverage.

The massive LSJ is updated and covers everything, but you'll tear your rotator cuff trying to lug it around. Bauer, et al, has everything you want for the New Testament, but not Classics. I am a fan of the Oxford pocket dictionary for different reasons, but for serious work, come on, do you really want to try using a pocket lexicon in a language whose development (covered here, anyway) spanned close to a millennium? This one volume covers Homer through the Hellenistic Period.

Speaking of which, it is a great resource, but not perfect. Depending on your field, there are some specialized lexicons I would recommend. Lust/Eynikel/Hauspie's _Lexicon of the Septuagint_, Bauer's _Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament_, and Abbott-Smith's _Manual Lexicon of the New Testament_ all incorporate early 20th C. papyri discoveries. They also have references to location within the literature they serve, and can act as a poor man's concordance. These other resources are useful because assigning existing Greek words to Hebrew/Christian religious concepts sometimes changed the meaning of those words in those communities. While the Middle Liddell has brief but sound definitions, I think these others are needed if you're working in Biblical Studies.

The quality of this Oxford University Press volume is outstanding. It will withstand many years of hard use. While the font is small, it is quite legible, and the printing and paper quality are very high. It's even reasonably priced! Once you have all the other specialized lexicons, you may not reach for the Middle Liddell as often, but if I was restricted to one Lexicon for all-round use (and thank goodness, I'm not), this would undoubtedly be it.

This is one of the bases for the movie "Wonderland" but reading this book will creep you out on J.M.Barrie. You might never really like Peter Pan again. Author had access to his papers, letter, diaries etc. Very weird stuff.

I read this book over 15 years ago in an attempt to find out who the author of Peter Pan really was, and what his life was like. It was not a pleasant or easy read. I wanted to forget all about it and just have the enchantment of "Peter Pan," but as with the real life of the author and photographer of "Alice in Wonderland," the truth can wound deeply. But lies and half-truths can never reveal the relationship between biography and art, so one must often face much disturbing information in order to understand the art itself. This is not to say that art is reducible to biography; it is not. There is, nevertheless, a kind of dialectic (God, I do hate to sound so gawdawful jargony, but when it so plain, other words just do not work) between the life of a genius and the art of the same individual. The truth of art can only come from the struggle between an artist's vision and the life that made such a vision a necessity. Yes, a necessity: there are those artists whose lives were so fraught with sheer catastrophe that revelation through a skewed fantasy can be so powerful as to take on a "life" of its own. And this is why it is so grievous to "paint-over" the unpleasant details of such a life. There was a recent film with an appropriately disturbing title: in the attempt to not really "find" Neverland in Barrie's life, the art itself is drained of its truly tragic roots. At the time such "nice" little fantasies are presented, they seem so harmless, but they are not. Successful attempts to eradicate truth can also eradicate the depth of the art itself. "Neverland" is a word that begs a little attention: a land where children "never grow up." This is not to say that they physically die - no - instead they live their lives, as did Barrie, in a desolate, lifeless, and desperately lonely "land" and try, from within their internal isolation, to bring others along for the rides to nowhere and "never." Where else could such a person bring another? If one lives in "Neverland" of the mind, there is nowhere else to lead another - nowhere else to go. And if we do not face unpleasant truths as they are revealed in the crucible where life and art meet, we learn nothing further from the art. It is better, actually, to know nothing of an artist's life than to be fed untruths. I would suggest the readers either read this book and/or see Peter Pan, but would urge them *not* to see Peter Pan after experiencing a false represenation - no matter how "well-performed" the falsehood is presented. The play or story would be meaningless. The truths, whatever you choose to make of them are here in this book, like it or not. And once the genie is out of the bottle (such as when you have been fed a disingenuous Hollywood film or other disingenuous account), to refrain from the truths of an artist's life is a violation of the art. No one can any longer understand or be truly moved by Peter Pan, much less try to interpret it based upon a sugar-coated Hollywood paint-job. And the effect goes on: if other artists were inspired by Barrie's work (perhaps because it touched the nerves of their own catastrophic lives), and all we have is a candy-coated film, their art and whatever in their lives might have inpired their interest in Barrie's work is also distorted. I do not know if truth sets anyone "free," but I do know that untruths distort and harm. And then the distortion goes on . . . This book cuts deep, but struggles for truths, which is what a biography of an artistic genius should try very hard to do.

I found this book to be a well-researched and moving account of not only Barrie's life but also the lives and deaths of the original "Lost Boys". After reading this book, I read Peter Pan again in a whole new light and enjoyed it even more. I think reading this book is essential in order to fully appreciate the entire Peter Pan experience as it truly helps to bring the characters alive.

Having found this little book before the advent of the film "Finding Neverland" I was able to read it originally without comparing it to the film, always a good thing. The film, of course, changed much of the true story as films usually do. This book standing alone as far better, but note, it is not a happy story with a happy ending, it is a tragedy, and no one is left unscathed.
The photographs, almost all, were taken by Barrie himself, and are absolutely wonderful. He had a natural artistic sense, and his unposed photos of the five Llewelyn Davies boys, Michael, George, Peter, Jack, and Nico at their play, stay with you. They are dressed in the Edwardian clothes of the time, or in costumes they wore in the elaborate make-believe games they played with their childlike grownup friend Mr Barrie, and those are truly memorable in themselves. Often they are playing with J.M. Barrie's large dog, and one can't help but think of the big dog, Nanna, in Peter Pan, it's acutally quite eerie, seeing that the play "Peter Pan" itself wouldn't be written yet for years.
J.M. Barrie came from a lower class Scottish family, and in childhood lost an older brother to illness. His mother took to her bed griefstricken, for a long period, and once, trying to cheer her, young Barrie put on the older brother's clothes and went to see his mother. For just a moment she thought it was the older brother, and he seemed to see happiness in her eyes; for all his life, the message stayed with him, the boy who would never grow up was the loved boy.
He was a strange, brilliant, gentle, childlike man. Highly regarded in his own time, considered a great playwright, equivilent to George Barnard Shaw in his day; and very prosperous due to his books and plays, married, but childless, and probably not very happy in his marriage which would end in divorce, one day in Kensington Park he saw one of the five young Llewelyn Davies brothers. They struck up a friendship, based on Barrie being quite willing to talk to a child on the child's level. Soon after, he met the rest of the family, who were impressed to meet the famous playwright. Their family was also upper class, well to do, but would soon lose their father to cancer, they would thenceforth be in precarious financial straits. Barrie immediately became a combination father/ big brother to the boys. He also became close friends with their mother Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, but not, I suspect, to the degree the movie implies. It was all about the boys, their innocence, and something he wished to capture and hold on to. His obsessive photography of them makes that clear.
Tragedy struck again, unbelievably, when their mother died of cancer as well, at a young age, after a relatively brief illness. By then Barrie was such a part of their lives that his continued influence, and the benefit of his money in seeing to it that all five boys finished school in the manner befitting their "class", was accepted by the boys' extended family. He stayed involved in all their lives indefinitely, though it is interesting that he had his favorites, and the two who were not favorites resented and disliked him as they grew older.
The book stops with the boys' growing up, though he did stay involved with them as a surrogate parent. Tragedy did hound the family, but unlike some reviewers I am not sure that it can be blamed on JM Barrie's role in their lives. In fact, without him, financially they would have far worse off.
It is true the boy named Peter resented that the play was named "Peter Pan", and of course he was teased at school, and Barrie probably should have thought of that. (Of course without Barrie he most likely wouldn't have been at Eton to be teased.)
Two footnotes: all the proceeds of the play went to the Children's Hospital in London for 100 years, until recently with the 100 years anniversary, the copyright ran out, and now it is in the public domain. No proceeds of his biggest success ever went to Barrie.
Also, the girl's name: "Wendy", was first used in the play. It was an unknown name before that. Barrie used it in memory of a young daughter of a friend who was named Wendy, and who died at age 5. (Not known where that family got the name from, or if it was a nickname.) It was not a name known previously and "Peter Pan" popularized it.
Its an excellent book, an opening via the photographs into another long-gone time, a sad story, but not I believe, due to Barrie. I believe he meant well, and tried his best to be a friend to that unfortunate family. He had his demons as do we all, but to "love" children, in that era, to befriend them, and even play with them when they were pre-teens, could still occur without any implication of perversity; and even to sleep with a child, the concern of one reviewer, was, at the end of the Victorian world, seen as a pure and innocent act, like a parent and child might sleep together...I think it is hard for us in our cynical age to see things as the late Victorians/Edwardians did. No whisper of scandal or of anything improper ever came from any of the five boys, their family, servants, or anyone else connected with them; and I think had there been it certainly would have come to light. I believe he truly loved the boys, and they in turn, after he knew them several years, and had observed their play and their natural talk and style, influenced him to write his masterpiece "Peter Pan".

Prompted by the movie "Finding Neverland" I wanted to learn more about the Davies family and their relationship with Barrie. My research lead me to this book. The tragic story of the boys and Barrie was an eye opening read. Birkin is an artful weaver of ancedotes, interviews and history. While I was reading the book I got lost.I started feeling like I was an intimate friend of the families, instead of curious observer. Furthermore, Birkin's website has been updated with more pictures and media files. The website coupled with the book really saturates you into the life of the 5 boys and the mindof the man who loved them very much. A beautiful account of a flawed and tragic life.

I had her first book and really like it, but this one is better! The entries are short, but are incredibly motivational and offer a great deal of food for thought. They are a perfect way to end the day on a positive note! I would reccommend this to anyone.

...but every day I read this book, the meditation is timely and sometimes so relevant to my life situation that I can hardly believe it. I bought this book as a special gift to myself this year, so it is the first time I have read it, each day in order- and I can hardly wait until tomorrow to see what comes next! This book is a true blessing, a pleasant surprise, and honestly amazing at times. I will be looking forward to reading it in the years to come and plan to purchase several as gifts for Christmas presents this year. Kudos, Melody! And, thank you, for writing this very wise and insightful (and almost magical) inspirational work.

This book was recommended by my yoga teacher. I have found such peace and comfort in reading the daily meditations. This was exactly what I needed in a time in my life when I was searching for peace and acceptance. It is well written and has something in it for everyone. The stress of living is put in perspective by her observations and encouragements.

Melody's beautiful book of daily meditations invites us to go on an inner journey of self-reflection. The entries are inspiring and thought-provoking and encourage us to slow down and take time to enjoy each moment. She gives great advice on how to change the way we think about the way we live and bring more peace and joy to our heart. This book would make a beautiful gift for a frazzled friend or loved one.

I have read this book on a daily basis for over 10 years. Ms. Beattie's thoughts and feelings about life has helped me to live life in more thoughtful and meaningful ways. On rare occasions (twice), I have bought the book again to share with very special people in my life. That is why I ordered 2 books recently. One Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul for my friend and one for me (my original copy is wearing out!).