J Books

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.

Lian Hearn has done the impossible: Recreated the beginning of an already existing series on the Japanese Otori Clan. The result is to deeply establish the reader's ownership of their history and investment in the characters. While this thick book appeared daunting, it was a quick read. The author combines great story telling with lovely descriptions of nature that are tranquilizing.

I was very pleased to find "book one" , which I wish I had read before having finished the series. Knowing too much can be very painful specially when you find yourself wishing that you could change the moves. A great book for a lover of this series.

Prequels are always a dangerous thing. We know where the story is going to go, and in many ways there is no suspense because we know whether certain characters will survive or perish. But the lure for authors (and publishers) is undeniable despite the fact that it is the rare prequel that enhances a series rather than merely rides on its coattails.

Lian Hearn's "Heaven's Net is Wide" defies that generalization. Hearn has written a novel of strength and beauty, loss and betrayal, love and hope. This novel lays the foundation for her enjoyable "Tales of the Otori" series.

The greatest strength of this novel is that it focuses on Lord Shigeru, young heir of the noble house of Otori. Lord Shigeru is the man who discovers young Takeo, the hero of the later novels, but while Shigeru casts a large shadow over the later books, he's not much of a direct actor (for obvious reasons). So this novel focuses on this valiant, tortured, stoic young man as he struggles to save his house and his realm from destruction.

It is also a novel about love, as the poignant affair between Lord Shigeru and the beautiful Lady Naomi of Murayama blossoms into full-fledged adoration.

Readers of the Otori series will have probably already read this book. If you haven't yet picked up this series, this novel is an excellent place to start, as Hearn lays a terrific foundation for her later work.

The book was excellent, and service second to none. I recommend this to friends all the time.

This is the kind of help that you will be desperate for about a month before finals. Ideally, you will have received this book with plenty of time to digest it, work the examples and really get comfortable, but I am positive that even if I had picked up this book the day before my first final, I would have gotten some benefit from it.

While I was lucky enough to have one professor who was full of real advice about taking his exam, the others ranged from vague to totally and purposefully unhelpful. With this book, you have a leg-up.

All of Delaney's books are very useful, but they require you to do your diligent best to work through the examples and questions. If you do, you will benefit greatly.

I just finished my first semester of law school, and this book was invaluable. I read it before the semester started, which I highly recommend, and then reviewed it before finals week. It takes away much of the mystery of the "fact pattern"-based essay exam, and gave me the tools and strategies to write quick, concise analysis. I've only received one grade so far, but it was an A! I felt very confident about my performance on the exams, and it was, in large part, because this book taught me how to practice for the exams, and how to study. I absolutely recommend this book for any first year law student, or law students who didn't do so well in the past.

I only wish that I had discovered this book sooner so that I could've gotten more out of it. Now that school is in session, I have little time to spend with it. But when final exams get closer, I plan on spending mroe time with it. I have all of John Delaney's books and have found them all to be very helpful. Currently, I am using Delaney's book on Criminal Law, which I highly recommend as a supplement. Not only is it good with Criminal Law but it also helps a lot with learning what is required of you on an exam.

First, I should begin by saying what has turned out to be true. Law school is tough. It is extremely challenging, the amount of information is overwhelming, and the in-class atmosphere is unnerving. It is, I believe, more different and difficult than most undergrad and grad students realize.


Second, your time constraints will be intense. If you undertake an earnest effort to read your cases, properly brief, use resources such as hornbooks and outline, you will probably not have enough time to develop the skills necessary to write an effective exam-answer during law school.


Last, it is why this book is so important to read and prior to entering law school: difficulty of exams, complexity of material, vast amounts of information and reading, intense time constraints, and most importantly, your grade will be determined by your final exam performance.


SOME COMMENTARY ON LAW EXAMS & SOCRATIC METHOD (*WARNING*)
I would be disingenuous and perhaps remiss if I did not seize a good opportunity to complain about law school to those considering attending law school. Do not fret, I will try to be brief. I think after the first or second semester of law school, you acquire the analytical skills, discipline, and ability to read and understand complex material at a maximum level. I am skeptical that a second year of law school is necessary, let alone a third year. The second-year should consist of skills development, job-training, and some classroom work. The third-year should be eliminated or optional for those that want more education or specialization (such as an LLM). Most (all?) countries do not have law schools in the way the United States does; instead, students study law as undergrads or earn a master's in law.

LAW SCHOOL EXAMS
Your law school grade is, exclusive of everything else (class participation, research papers, group projects, etc.) based on the final exam. You will not obtain credit for research papers, drafting memorandum, participating in class, or for group projects. Your entire grade is based on the final. It is a bizarre if not backward way of measuring a person's ability to think like a lawyer.

It behooves you to develop exam-taking skills now if you are a serious student and hope to succeed in law school.

SOCRATIC METHOD
In some respects, I think my speaking ability has slightly diminished as a result of the socratic method. I find it especially jarring when a law student is called-on to recite a fact-pattern or passage. I think it is completely unnecessary for students to have to read paragraphs and mostly a waste of time. If some of you were like me, you probably participated in class actively as an undegrad or grad students, were always well prepared, and most-likely shined in class discussions. Law school is more challenging to shine in class because the amount of material is considerable and complex, and the professor will ask you questions that will probably tongue-tie you. And this will occur in class, surrounded by nearly 100 of your classmates, depending on your school. You are, however, expected to be well-prepared for class and you will be called upon at random.

I dislike the socratic method because it makes law students unnecessarily neurotic and undermines learning. In business school, for example, students' participation was often (but not always) grounded in real-life experiences that enhanced discussion and added flavor to debate.

Law school classroom discussions are an altogether different atmosphere, and I think a rather deficient method of teaching.

As an aside, I wish law schools would format classroom participation in a similar way such as at the London School of Economics. You attend a lecture by a professor for around an hour or so. You can ask questions during the prof's lecture but it is primarily the prof's perspective on the material. Then in the evening you attend a group discussion with a Ph.D. candidate, where participation is the focus. Everyone has an opportunity to speak, raise questions, engage in debate, and so forth. You attain a deeper, more sophisticated understanding of the subject material and acquire strong communication skills in the process.

The combination of your grade being based solely on the final exam and the socratic method make law school a much more challenging, stressful, and somewhat confusing experience than it has to be. Be prepared.


USEFULNESS OF THE BOOK
You are the individual responsible for your education and grades. I find classroom learning, in law school, to be inadequate. I have found learning from casebooks to be particularly inadequate. Law school is about YOU, the law student, and less about reading cases and fretting about the socratic method. It is about YOU in terms of your skills, abilities, and exam performance. It is a strange if not deficient way to exclusively measure law school performance, but it is the system.

Reading this book and preparing in earnest will provide you with an understanding on how to analyze complex legal material. You need to learn the material and work with it daily. Reading a case and briefing it is not sufficient to do well. Law school is not college; it is a challenging and complex job.

Your ability to issue-spot on law exams should improve, which is a critical exam-taking skill. The author explains how to anticipate issues, identify primary and secondary issues, and how to explain and illustrate the issues you spotted. Spotting issues, though critical, is not sufficient on law exams. You will be expected to supply a lawyerly analysis of each and every issue as it relates to the fact pattern on a law school exam. Serious preparation, a whole lot of practice, and a bit of luck are all necessary.

You will also learn to outline, and I would not rely on others' outlines in law school. The most important part of outlining is the process of studying, creating your own outline. It will be how you learn the material, and you should use a good hornbook in making your outline. Outlining is not sufficient in law school. The best outline in the world will not help you if you do not prepare and practice regularly.

The book will help you with understanding your own learning strategy, which is vital to know prior to entering law school. You need to know how to study, prepare, and practice law school exams prior to entering. The book also provides excellent practice essay exams with answers.


CONCLUSION
I confidently recommend HOW TO DO YOUR BEST ON LAW SCHOOL EXAMS for those interested in preparing for law school. I have read many and varied "law school prep" books and courses. Many are inadequate, some are useless, and others provide bad advice. Success in law school is determined by one and only one measure: the final exam. If you are considering or are about to attend law school, it is wise to pick-up this book to better understand and prepare for law school exams. Law school is an intellectual privilege, although I am somewhat skeptical of its value after the first-year.

You must get-through (survive) law school to practice law. I wish you the best of luck in the endeavor. Never forget to pursue Justice and defend the Constitution.

Goodness... long review!

I hope the above was helpful.

I am a yogi from an educated family, and my parents gave me this book when I was 12. Nietzsche's presentation is typically unsystematic and he was a pioneer ensuring that we could view philosophical beliefs in a non-linear manner. The dichotomy of his unstructured book organization and his clarity and precision of thought create a tension that can break through many Western Black/White, Right/Wrong thought patterns to see deeper truths. When he says "our humanity is to be overcome" - some have used this to justify eugenics, nationalism, and seeing others as "less than." If you read his entire thoughts (get the book!), it is more about overcoming the fragmented aspects of the self that weaken us, so we can be stronger and more pure. This is a spiritual thought from the man heralded as atheistic. Dig deep, and you will find that Nietzsche is beautiful. Yoga community friends - Neitzsche did not justify atrocities. He challenged us to grow and become better than our base qualities. He paved the way for Deserida's gloriously independent thoughts, and was an inspiration for the pop philosopher Ayn Rand's radical worship of the individual over "the masses" (which can be viewed as "cultural conditioning" in our times. This text is applicable to our lives today as the Tao Te Ching. For a completely different perspective (for balance of thought) read about Jainism as well. Then find your truth. Deep wisdom is timeless.

O.k. So I have a minor in philosophy and Nietzsche was one of my inspirations to pursue this as a degree in college. Nietzsche deals with androgony. In more modern terms, men and women are crossing over the line of androgeny with their jock image. They are getting more and more androgynous you can't distunguish between even basic differences between the sexes anymore. While my philosophy professor and classmates dismissed Nietzsche as "not being a first rate philosopher," he does have his points about god and androgeny. This is part of our changing world and in philosophy class I did make my points.

I feel obligated to correct a distortion suggested by `unraveler' below. It is popular to suggest Nietzsche was an anti-semite, but this is a rather lazy habit. Nietzsche's remark on `the youthful stock-exchange Jew' was mentioned. Here it is in its proper environment:

. . . the entire problem of the Jews exists only within national states, inasmuch as it is here that their energy and higher intelligence, their capital in will and spirit accumulated from generation to generation in a long school of suffering, must come to preponderate to a degree calculated to arouse envy and and hatred, so that in almost every nation . . . there is gaining ground the literary indecency of leading the Jews to the sacrificial slaughter as scapegoats for every possible public or private misfortune. As soon as it is no longer a question of the conserving of nations but of the production of the strongest possible European mixed race, the Jew will be just as usable and desirable as an ingredient of it as any other national residue. Every nation, every man, possesses unpleasant, indeed dangerous qualities: it is cruel to demand that the Jew should constitute an exception. In him these qualities may even be dangerous and repellent to an exceptional degree; and perhaps the youthful stock-exchange Jew is the most repulsive invention of the entire human race. Nonetheless I should like to know how much must, in a total accounting, be forgiven a people who, not without us all being to blame, have had the most grief-laden history of any people and whom we have to thank for the noblest human being (Christ), the purest sage (Spinoza), the mightiest book and the most efficacious moral code in the world. . . .

Is this anti-semitism???

if you want to have your moral foundations knocked out from under you, read this book - and then build upon the ruins - Nietzsche's, in my opinion, most accessible work, as his aphoristic style floats over many different topics - don't stop here however, i recommend Kauffman's "Nietzsche, Philosopher, Psychologist, AntiChrist" as a starter if you find the complexity and diversity of Nietzsche's thought to be overwhelming or incomprehensible - he's frequently ambiguous and contradictory but it's more a positive trademark of his works and shouldn't dissuade one from further readings.

If you like aphorisms and philosophy, this book will become one of your bibles. If nothing else, it's just plain fun to read for his incredible wit. Of course you have to put his ideas in the context of the period in which he wrote and understand that he has his own odd prejudices, but the brilliance of his understanding of the human condition really shines through. The biggest mistake any reader could make is to think Nietzsche was an anti-semite---far from it. He was anti-neanderthal. In this book especially the reader sees his low tolerance for received wisdom. This book is nothing less than part of the origin of Western psychology as practiced today. It also represents the demolition of science and philosophy polluted by the received Western theological framework. Some of the best parts are when he skewers religion. You have to love his style even if you do not agree with his pessimistic disgust for piety. This is the kind of philosophy book you need not fret over, unless you harbor wishful thinking about a supremely benevolent deity. Instead of making an elaborate argument about the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin, as preceeding systematic philosophers did literally and figuratively, Nietzsche bends the pin and throws it in the trash. I wish I had read this before his Genealogy of Morals, as knowing his thoughts here would have made that book far more interetsing and understandable. I highly recommend philosophy students first approaching Nietzsche pick up Human, All Too Human to start their study. And if you are religious and want to bolster your faith, well, you should stay far away from this book.

This is a well written, knock your socks book. If you like suspense, then this is the book for you. I highly reccomend it. It's a story of torture and murder that puts you right in the middle of all the action. Bobbie Pfeifer knows exactly what to do to grab you and take you for the ride of your life.

I love it when I read a book or watch a movie and am not able to figure out the ending. This book was so interesting and suspenceful. I really enjoyed it through and through. It truly was something I couldn't put down. I hope there are more books like this in the future.

From the moment I started reading I felt I was there with Jessie. I couldn't put the book down. I will recommend this book to everyone. Bobbie you did a wonderful job.

What a great book. It was recommended to me by my co-worker who was a school chum and friend of Mrs. Pfeifer's. I started to read it out of curosity and ended up devouring each and every word. I recommend this book to anyone who loves an "on the edge" suspense story. I liked the clean cut way in which it's written yet keeps the descriptions accurate. What a great book! I appreciate the non-wordy, not-over discriptive, right to-the-point style of writing you have. The suspense kept me racing through the chapters to very the end! I'm looking forward to your next book. Great Job!

This is a great book that keeps you reading. My mom loaned it to me and I finished reading it in 24 hours! I usually don't read suspence books but this story is told so very well. I love the way it ends! I will recommend to all of my friends!

The past is prologue so they say and it couldn't be more true than in the case of Elias, Ian and Jill. A few short summer days, an accident, and what brought Jill into the world of Elias and Ian took her away.

Ian Hamlin grew up to be a tough FBI agent, Jill became a meteorologist and Elias a spoiled rich man. Ian and Elias lost their friendship after reaching adulthood to become bitter enemies while Jill put them out of her mind.

That is, except for Ian. Her memory of a boy could still stir her senses as a woman. Because of him, she never found any man she wanted to stay with. Until Elias came back into her life and she thought maybe he could be the 'one'.

But fate played with their lives again. Eight dead women with the same name as Jill, brought Ian back into her life as an investigator intent on protecting her and catching a serial killer. And Jill was back to square one romantically.

Talented J. D. Tynan has a surprise in store for the reader as the story unwinds and the plot thickens. Like a magician, who has you looking at one hand while another pulls a coin from your ear, she points your focus on a possible killer, but lurking in the background is a shadow that moves into the foreground as the story moves along.

Recommended for any fan of suspense or romance. A well told tale with interesting characters who move the plot along. Enjoy. I sure did.

This book has it all! Jill is being stalked, but around every turn, you come up with a different bad guy. It's almost like the author did that on purpose!! Great job with this first novel. I'm really looking forward to her next book, Charlie Ford Meets Secret Agent Man!

Very few authors can pull off putting that much sexual tension and intense heat into a GREAT suspense novel! This author's style is refreshing in a world of repetitive romance novels. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great gripping plot with a side of steamy sex! Five stars...plus two more for making me blush! Buy this book today!

When my friend suggested this new author, I had doubts because I love to read Lilian Jackson Brown and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I have to say that J. D. Tynan far exceeded my expectations and I highly enjoyed her wit and humor. The dialogue itself was incredibly real. I felt as if I were in the room with these characters. The detailing was not overly done like a lot of new authors tend to do. It was subtle, yet again, I felt as if I were in the same room with these people.
The story itself was GREAT! A love triangle with the twist the author threw in. Who would have thought? I give this my best rating of five stars because I want this author to succeed. I want to read every word she has ever written. Buy one today, you won't be sorry.

Jill has been targeted, but by whom? Oh boy, what fun you will have figuring it out...Or trying to figure it out. I was shocked that this new author did such an amazing job with misleading the reader.
When you are finished, you will be sad because the great characters stay with you and you just want them to go on and on. Someone convince this woman that a sequel is in order. Don't plan on putting it down after the 3rd chapter as it gets way too good! I give it my highest thumbs up.

It was so refreshing to read such honest, clear information about protecting my assets. Mark Kohler helped me not only understand what I needed to do, but also gave me the confidence that I could do it! I was one of those that got scared into buying a "Bullet proof Nevada Corp" from one of those seminar companies. It was only after I spent thousands of dollars did I realize that I had wasted all my money. That event made me fearful to do anything again, especially with another "lying attorney!"

Thank you Mark for restoring my faith knowing that there is at least ONE honest attorney and also restoring faith in my ability to protect my assets for my children.

Dr. Steven Clegg
Roseville, CA

I am a higher education lawyer who has learned this the hard way: Lawyers should never be afraid to say what they do NOT know, and they should not be ashamed to learn from other lawyers. Even though I know a lot about risk management in the post-secondary world, I knew less than a lot about asset protection itself - until I read Mark's book. Other lawyers would do well to get off their professional high-horse (driven by secret professional and sometimes personal insecurity), get past the (yes, too numerous) typos and grammatical errors, and the (yes, too gratuitous) title of this book...and learn some great things for their clients and for themselves.

I thought the book provided a wonderful asset protection review for any consumer. The beauty of the book, in my mind, is its ability to simplify complex topics in a manner that is reader friendly - i.e. it keeps a reader engaged, whereas other legal reads often create an instant disconnect with the non-legal community. I look forward to the next book on tax strategies and I compliment the author in leading a campaign to educate consumers on prevalent scams.

Matt Foley, Esq.

Mark has hit a homerun out of the park. This is a must read for any entreprenuer or Real Estate investor. Setting up your business entity the correct way will pay huge dividends over the long haul. He tells it like it is and debunks all the myths and scams that continue to haunt the lives of many. Keep it by your desk for easy reference on issues of high importance.

What a great read! Mark Kohler's writing style in this book are so comfortable you feel like he's right there with us talking. This book was packed with important information and I feel that he supported his views with plenty of solid arguments for his choices. I feel it should be a refeence library in every attorney's office.

Haven't read it yet. But the processing job on the book itself was faulty...several pages were bent over and thus not trimmed properly.

I own the Penguins Classics edition but no matter. The story is wonderfully rich. Boswell really is a master story teller because at no point did the story become dry. I literally read and savored every single word.

All I knew of Johnson is that he wrote the first English Dictionary. But I had no idea this man was full of wit. He had a temper no doubt and definitely went through periods of what sound like moderate to severe depression followed by periods of bursting with energy, joy and wit and incredibly prolific and productive in those bursts, enough so that he surprised most people with his abilities in those bursts of creative genius. I am biased as I am a psychiatric physician but it sound like bipolar disorder to me.

Whatever the case may be, I drank this book up. I'm still reading it, have about 40 pages left and haven't put it down since I picked it up.

A must read just because of the sheer wonderful story contained within!

'No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money,' Samuel Johnson.
Sorry, it is a hobby.

Samuel Johnson the writer of the first comprehensive dictionary of the English language, which was a very big deal in his day as the elite felt the English language was in decline due to it being influenced by so many foreign influences and the marvel of Samuel Johnson's efforts and method of writing made him, according to Lord Chesterfield Lord Chesterfield's Letters (Oxford World's Classics), as someone to be deferred to as the Caesar of the English language. Samuel Johnson, along with his friend and former pupil David Garrick, helped place Shakespeare as the permanent king of the English language; further, Johnson was a great and singular essayist and has an eternal place as a minor poet of the English language. His dictionary shot Johnson into the inner circle of elite in English society.

Boswell's "Life of Samuel Johnson" is a fascinating read as Boswell traces Johnson's life story. Samuel Johnson and Edmund Burke, a friend of his, and together the center of English political and cultural life with the 'Literary Club' that they had both started were big players in forming the English reaction to the major liberal events going on in their day and could be said to be the fathers of modern conservatism. They were alive to face the genesis of modern liberalism, in the form of Jean Jacque Rousseau along with the American Revolution, theirs was the conservative response. 'What hypocrites are the drivers of negroes to be demanding liberty,' Johnson in reference to the Americans. (It is funny that Samuel Johnson was against slavery while the more liberal Boswell was for it). Although, I know Edmund Burke felt England to be in the reconcilable wrong with the American Revolution Edmund Burke's Speech on conciliation with the American colonies,: Delivered in the House of commons, March 22, 1775; ed., with notes and a study plan ... I. Crane (Twentieth century text-books) the Doctor, Samuel Johnson, did not and felt the Revolutionaries hypocritical ingrates. What is good about conservatism lays with these two fellows, Burke and Johnson. It is also amusing that Johnson's conservativism included the observation that countries should be judged by the condition in which their poor lived, disapprobation given to the worse.

Samuel Johnson came from very humble roots and his early life was spent in modest means, fortunately he was surrounded by books. His first years in London were quite a struggle, near pennyless, sometimes sleeping on the streets. The money he ended up getting for writing the dictionary wasn't much in the end, it was the fame that got him some wealth.

A marvelous read. Giving advice about the legal profession, education: his advice - just do it; habits form early and habits are hard to break... lots of interesting views from how to conduct oneself socially (Boswell seemed in constant search of this) to political commentary (one of my favorite was his advice on being weary of those that wrap themselves in the flag)... too much to write about. Boswell, when he first meets Johnson is so filled with awe and reverance but it mellows out some, he even starts playing games with the Doctor; however, he always greatly respects him but the idolitry disipates.

Although Samuel Johnson's conservativeness and strong opinions might turn people off I find it refreshing compared to the stealth tactics of politics today. Politicians don't say what they mean and that is also probably why the Doctor was discouraged from entering politics in his day by some close friends with ties in that area, somethings change only by degree. James Boswell, the author, didn't agree with the Doctor all the time but appreciated the hard, realistic way of looking at things and amusingly delivered (mostly by quirky analogies) that Samuel Johnson did.

Then Boswell is a story in himself. Boswell's Rousseau-ist fever for the notions of the 'Noble Savage, Natural Man' The Noble Savage: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1754-1762 was interesting also; his generation caught it and he had strong sentiments towards it despite Johnson's arguments against its reasoning. This fever also, at the least, lent cover to the American Revolution.

Johnson could only afford one year of college. Received an honarary Doctorate for his dictionary.

One of the books one should read before they turn 20.

The best synopsis of Rousseau and in his own words is probably 'Creed of a Priest of Savoy' The Essential Rousseau (Essentials)

If you feel obliged to wade through the canon once in a while, this won't be a waste of your time, though these days Gibbon's roughly contemporaneous history is a much better read, Boswell's extreme formality being a bit wearing over 1200 pages (in the edition I read).
On the other hand, Boswell's telling of Johnson's life is sprightly and certainly not so tedious as the writings of Johnson himself. People who choose to read the Life will not be disappointed.
On yet another hand, I can easily understand why the library copy I borrowed, though purchased in 1949, had not yet been read (the uncut pages showing me so): except to specialists, I would not recommend this book in lieu of, say, 1000 or so others.
I guess this actually is a useless review: if you have already decided to read this, you shan't have gone wrong; if you're looking for a good read, you're probably not looking here.

I have read alot of biographys until a recently a Cambridge graduate friend recommended the first great biography-Life of Johnson. My British friends have a much better view of literature at large than I do so I listening and purchased this piece. I only appreciated Samuel Johnson for his work with the first English Dictionary which a first edition now retails for over $35000. James Boswell his biographer deplicts his life with such vivid respect and admiration so as to make me better understand what a true friend can be. They obviously had a great relationship for more than 40 years. Samuel Johnson is captured with all his great and abundant humor and deep insight. I love this quote" One man may lead a horse to water but twenty may not make him drink". All in all it is 1400 pages worth reading because its insight into 18th century life in London is so heart felt. Additionally alot of the their conversations took place at a Pub called the Mitre. It is located on Mitcham high street in Tooting, UK. I lived near by and spent a few nights their with friends. Little did I realize I was in the very pub where so many infamous conversations took place some two hundred years ago. A great read.

After taking Patrick's meditation workshop on applying "The Secret" to your own life, and having it be my 1st meditation experience ever, I was hungry for more and asked Patrick specifically if he could recommend a book with a cd for follow up on meditation practice. He grinned and produced a book without even telling me it was his own. The book is a great read, and has a meditation cd on the back cover.
I truly believe the soul is magical and is working round the clock in ways we don't often notice. When we open our hearts, we will see manifestation of just what we wish for appear at just the right time, before our very eyes. Patrick's work is truly inspirational. Bought them as gifts for my soul circle of friends. Highly recommend.

The CD alone is worth the price of the book! Patrick's soothing voice, eloquent words and spiritual wisdom are truly a rich blessing.
Ed Rockey, Ph.D.
Professor and Department Chair
Pepperdine University

Patrick Harbula's "Magic of the Soul" is one of those rare books that I picked up and could not put down, and that I have revisited many times as a source of inspiration and enlightenment. As a child, I loved watching magic acts and was mesmerized as I observed magicians seemingly pulling things out of nothing and transforming objects. Throughout this book, Patrick reminds us that our spiritual nature enables us to perform this "magical process" of calling forth greater goodness into our lives and our world than we have ever known. I particularly appreciated his practical insights on how we can transform our life challenges into something good and meaningful without denying the pain or discomfort we experience as we move through them. I cannot thank Patrick enough for the ways that his work has enriched my life, and how it has supported me in my work as a minister and spiritual counselor.

I highly recommend this book wherever you are on your spiritual path. "The Magic of the Soul" is loaded with practical tools you can use everyday. Patrick's personal experiences, inner journeys and spiritual studies culminate in this book and are shared as gifts for the reader. The book comes with a remarkable CD full of guided meditations. I especially love the guided visualizations where Patrick's voice is an enchanting journey to our own inner wisdom and love. Author Patrick Harbula is the consumate teacher that you can experience for yourself through his classes, workshops, retreats and certifications at the Life Purpose Institute. I encourage you to experience the magic of the message with Patrick.

Patrick has ascended elegantly so far in this life. He is a gracious, kind and unconditionally loving soul and this comes through brilliantly in his "The Magic of the Soul." I encourage people interested in their own spiritual and practical self development to experience his words, thoughts and meditations. We are blessed to have this wonderful man in our time. Read, enjoy, ascend...

This book has been a life changer for me. Another great book is- No Soul Left Behind. Hope you enjoy these book as much as I did.

This is one of those books that, once you pick it up, you can't put it down. It is filled with entertaining and intriguing stories. You read of one person after another whose present life circumstances are connected with the cause of those experiences in various past lives.

Reincarnation is a topic close to my heart. A dream about a past life first brought me to Edgar Cayce. Where else could I find an explanation for the challenges in my present life presented in the dream except in Cayce's understand of how previous incarnations influence our present life?

Gina Cerminara thoroughly researched Cayce's trance readings given for many individuals for many types of life challenges. Cayce gave two types of readings. The first type were mainly to diagnose and suggest cures for diseases. The second type offered solutions and suggestions for dealing with life problems based on astrological impulses and the karmic results of past lives. These were the life readings.

Cerminara not only researched the Cayce life readings, she also grouped the lessons learned from these readings into categories. They are organized under chapter headings such as "Some Types of Physical Karma," "Infidelity and Divorce," and "Personality Dynamics."

I referred to a selection in her chapter on the "Mockery of Karma" in my book, When We Were Gods: Insights on Atlantis, Past Lives, Angelic Beings of Light and Spiritual Awakening, in which hypnotherapy sessions for weight control revealed a previous lifetime in which I had ridiculed my obese husband of an arranged marriage. In Many Mansions, Cerminara refers to a Cayce reading for a young woman afflicted with obesity attributed to a previous lifetime. The young woman had been a beauty and an athlete but she had derided people who were overweight. She was now "meeting herself" by having to suffer with the very characteristic she had scorned in others.

I like that Cerminara categorizes different types of karma as being either retributive, such as the karma of mockery, and continuitive, in which a person becomes accustomed to a certain attitude to life over a series of lifetimes. I too had an experience of continuitive karma because I had had a number of lifetimes in which, because of starvation or a bony body type, I had actually wished to be fatter. This attitude led to my present lifetime in which I gained weight easily but lived in a society in which a fleshy body is not preferred.

Many Mansions is a great book. It is many people's first introduction to Cayce. There's a lot to learn about the subject of reincarnation. For me, probably the best result is compassion for humanity's weaknesses and foibles.

It's a great book. Very highly recommended for anyone interested in Edgar Cayce, reincarnation, or the mystery of life.

By Carol Chapman, award-winning photographer of the ONLY Edgar Cayce calendar Divine in Nature: With Quotes from Edgar Cayce and author of When We Were Gods: Insights on Atlantis, Past Lives, Angelic Beings of Light and Spiritual Awakening.

I admire this man and wish his work would have been known to more people.

A fabulous book, extremely well written. This is one of the few books that has impacted my way of thinking. After reading this I find it easier to accept a lot of depressing things I see in this world.

I liked the book well enough, but I think Cerminara added too much of her own thoughts on the subject of reincarnation, almost reshaping the message Cayce brought to us through his "channeling". I would have liked to have read more of Cayce's words and less of Cerminara's "interpretations" of Cayce's readings.

I thought the book was well written. It was a pleasure to read. I hope to see more of the authors works, soon.

The book was great, could not put it down. Good horror novel that brings some nightmares. Future readers beware.

I only have 1000 words to explain how much I enjoyed this book. That may not be enough. I think this is a great book that is well deserving of the 5 star rating given by me and many others. I ordered the book through the authors website to give support to a selfpublished author. I had no IDEA it would affect me as it did, scary as heck yet its fast and keeps hungry for more. The gore can be nauseating at times, but that will not stop you from getting to the end. I pulled it out at work, in the bathroom, getting dressed, I took this book everywhere for four days! Somone needs to put this on the "Big Screen", my opinion is that it will do well if the story line is maintained.
With all the dud horror movies coming out, I know this book can make it. Good luck Maasi and continue writing!

WT

This one is hard to swallow. My group and I could not help to concede that eventhough the author is nuts he is an extremely talented. We thoroughly enjoyed his use of the english language as far as descriptions. Some of the scenes made our skin crawl but in a sick sort of way we couldn't wait to see who would get slaughtered next. Our first meeting after we had all read Mischiefmakers was comical and creepy as each member felt compelled to act out and read their favorite scenes. Our rating is 5 of 5 stars. If you enjoy horror/suspence you WILL enjoy Mischiefmakers

I have to say I really was not impressed and am having a very hard time understanding what people saw in this book. The story is definitely imaginative, but I found the writing itself to be flat and uninteresting. I wasn't scared and furthermore, at no point was I persuaded that I should actually care about any of the characters. And the thing with the eyes? Too hokey. The imagery was indeed vivid but the language used to describe it could have been much more compelling.