N Books

First saw these photos on a trip to Stockholm. Huge photo posters were on display in a park and this book along with the photographer's other books, posters and postcards were for sale. We've all seen photos of animals before but these are quite "up close and personal." There is a "Wow" factor with what he has captured -- whether it be an action shot of wildebeest and zebra hurriedly crossing a river or a panda up in the tree to get a better look. This is not a book you'll look at once but time and time again.

Steve Bloom is by far one of the best animal photographers! The pictures he captures are incredible. Untamed is a great/huge collection of awesome pictures. The pictures and pages in the book are all high quality. Well worth the money.

This is an absolutely gorgeous book, oversized and chock full of awesome photographs of all sorts of creatures. Bloom works in the wild, from a distance and close up enough to devote a full page to an elephant's eyelid. He works in Antartica, in the Amazon, in Africa, Asia, all across the world, with herds of animals and with singles, young, old, and in between. Some of the photos are panoramas, with 2 pages opening towards the middle to full effect.

I first saw the book displayed on a table in an interiors store, and fell in love with it, came home and ordered from Amazon to save $$$. Now it's on the table in *my* living room. Eventually I will give it to my son to go through and share with my now-4-year-old grandson.

Saw the exhibition of these photos in Copenhagen and had to have the book. A must have for animal lovers. A genius at capturing the essence of animal life.

Steve Bloom has taken pictoral essays to new heights. In September 2007, a stroke of Irish luck led me to his exhibition in Dublin, Ireland. I spent a mesmerizing hour wandering St. Stephen's Green Park admiring his outstanding mini-billboard sized photographs and felt cheated when I ran out of time. So I bought the book, it sits on my coffee table, and I enjoy it day after day. Untamed is not a collection of animal photos. Instead, Steve gives us a greater understanding of the beast through a series of incredible exposures. Anyone who enjoys wildlife and excellent photography must own this book. It would make an excellent gift for those who share a passion for the wildlife that is vanishing before our eyes.

This book is great for people who know absolutely nothing about gardening, but want to grow a window flower box garden or want to start a backyard herb and vegetable garden. Takes you through the details of gardening in an informative and easy-going way and answers all your questions.

I'm always looking for the perfects books and this is certainly one of them. It's chock full of ideas, tips and tricks and lots of fun projects.
I'm new to gardening and I had a lot of questions on my mind and I found every possible answers in this book. How to prepare soil, how to prune, what about fertilizing, compost, and lots more.
The design of the book is great, I just love it !

My only complaint is that the temperature used in the book are only in F even if the author is Canadian. I would've appreciated having both F and C degrees.

This book included even more than I expected. It's fun to read and has tons of info that will guide me through my garden all year long. Fun projects, plant and pest info, and suggestions and resources. My 9-year-old son even found a project! Fabulous photos, too.

This book is a great resource for all gardeners, particularly ones just starting out.

So many gardening books out there -- and this one is just the one I was going to write, but I didn't have to! It's not written like a text book, and has lots of photos so you can see what things are supposed to look like and what they're not supposed to look like. There are also several DIY projects that are just fun! (A gardening apron, a fence made from sticks, a muslin tea bag, and several more.) I bought this book and lost it in a long-distance move, so I bought it again! It's an easy-to-use handbook, and makes gardening less intimidating than my college textbooks (for my landscape horticulture courses) made it seem!

This book, like Stephen Flynn's "Edge of Disaster" succinctly dissects the problems we face in warding off terrorism at home and exposes our vulnerabilities. They are large - ports, shipping, energy infrastructure, chemical plants, food processing facilities, for openers.
Flynn describes the problem only too well,

At the root of the problem is the Department of Homeland Security's secrecy, lack of internal coordination, turf battles, and incompatabile data base systems. Equally problematic is the complacency of the AMerican people, who are being shielded from the realities by a patronizing government.

Flynn ascribes the current situation to be comparable to the "phony war" between the time of the nazi attack in Poland in 1939, and the invasion and capitulation of France in the SPring of 1940 because of failure to consider, plan and consider new battlefield tactics. In short, the French (and also the British, were using WOrld War I tactics to fight new German panzer tactics. The parallels of today's attitudes and the last days of the Roman EMpire also are, indeed, chilling.

The government is not the only culprit that lulls our citizens into complacency. In my personal opinion, the news media does not help with its focus on the trivial, a hiding of coverage of the war on terror, and seldom reviewing the vulnerabilities Flynn covers so well and rallying our citizenry to the realities of what's at stake.

The solutions?: Active involvement of citizens; Active involvement of government with relevant private industry; open communicatioan with all relevant players in state and local government; making infrastructure sufficiently resilient that terrorists no longer find a potential target attractive.

WHat is needed, and implied, is a revival of an approach pioneered by NASA in the early 1960's when they had to establish operational paradigms and procedures for which there was no precedent. It's called 'conceptual blockbusting'. FLynn's book will help us get there, if everyone reads it.

Flynn quotes Abraham Lincoln concerning new paradigms:

"The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate for the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with uncertainty, and we must rise to the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country."

It's as relevant now in the war on terro as it was in 1962.

BUY this book, and buy extra copies for your loved ones and closest friends.

That is how one of the chapters starts. It's a matter of when the next terrorist attack will happen, not if it will happen, according to the author, Stephen Flynn.

With absolute simplicity, common sense logic, and an irrefutable argument, he demonstrates how and why our government is failing to protect us from the terrorist threat. Industry and government are not willing to take the time and the money required to provide greater security for a war on terrorism that will never end.

Our water and food supplies, our chemical plants, and our ports are alrmingly unsecure from terrorist attack. Flynn creates a terrorist scenario demonstrating how the terrorist threat can become reality. He asserts our enemies are willing to spend the time to create the act of terror, while we are not willing to spend the time defending ourselves to foil it.

He blames industries which see no benefit in spending the money on security which will be passed on to their consumers, while non-security minded companies will maintain lower prices and take business away from the security-conscious ones.

This means that congress must act. It must set security standards that will be implemented across each industry thus spreading the cost to everyone. So far, congress, not wanting to offend their million dollar contributors have done nothing. Flynn also suggests that Americans must be willing to make the sacrifices necessary for this security.

We are operating on a World War II mentality i.e. the best defense is a good offense by taking the fight to their countries. That is not what Flynn recommends. Terrorists will always be able to get into this country. We must strengthen our security at home which will take years of dedicated preparation and action.

The author's book is a siren song. The beginning of his fourth chapter bears repeating as a end to this review. "When it comes to dealing with the new security agenda, Americans need to grow up....Terrorism is simply too cheap, too available, and too tempting ever to be totally eradicated. We must have the maturity both to live with the risk of future attacks and to invest in reasonable measures to rein in that risk."

For those who use the argument that we haven't been attacked since 9/11, remember, it took five years of planning. 9/11 is now more than five years ago. Truly, American apathy and complacency are the terrorists' greatest allies.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in the short comings of our Homeland Security Department. I initially bought the book after thumbing through it and finding a section on the lack of security with our cargo containers, a specific worry of mine.

This book not only breaks down where we are vulnerable, it explains why and offers workable solutions as to how to reduce this vulnerability. The book is a bit frightening in a way, when you read and realize how vulnerable we really are, even after 6 years of security measures. Why isn't more being done? What are the government officials covering up?

What makes this book hit like a sledgehammer is the credentials of the author. He was a Coast Guard Commander for 20 years, an expert in National Security Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. He has been on Congressional Task forces studying the problems in homeland security as well as serving in the White House Military Office during President George H. Bush administration and director for Global Issues on the National Security Council during the Administration of President Bill Clinton. Stephen Flynn is obviously an expert on this issue and his words should be given their due weight.

Bottom line, insightful, a bit frightening, definitely a book to read if you like current events or really want to know how safe we actually are.

This book focuses practically entirely on the vulnerabilities of the American homeland, and offers some suggestions that could begin to lay the foundation for protecting those vulnerabilities. The book does not talk about the war on terror in the terms of the offensive operations such as Iraq, Afghanistan, intelligence matters, and targeted killings of Al-Qaeda at all.

The author's cogent argument rests on the concept of defense in depth. In addition to offensive operations to route out the terrorists, we also need to make our homeland less susceptible to successful attack and more resilient to the aftermath of the inevitable one that slips through the net.

The homeland is defined not just as American territory, but extends to include the global commercial, transportation, trading, and financial networks that are central to our way of life and our economy. This represents a rich field of targets for terrorists, with successful attacks being able to ripple through the networks and cause continuing and ongoing damage. Flynn opens his book with a scenario of an attack on shipping containers, and transportation links with radiological devices. The hypothetical comes off as very plausible and sobering.

The remainder of the book talks about what the major vulnerabilities of America are, such as chemical plants, food distribution, overextended medical systems via biological or chemical attacks, etc. He shows that we currently lack the capabilities, organizational structure, and practices to adequately secure these vulnerabilities.

He provides what are really "glimpses" of possible solutions to these problems, including RFID tracking of cargo containers and food shipments with embedded WMD sensors, government security standards for critical and hazardous infrastructure (nuke plants, water treatment facility chlorine gad tanks, etc.) continuing reorganization at the federal, state and local level to focus on security, insurance measures, and a particularly innovative concept to enlist private company participation patterned after the Federal Reserve system.

However at the length of this short and easily readable (if not pleasently readable) book Flynn cannot go into detail. The cost and time of implementing such systems are not gone into in a satisfactory manner, but that's not the point of the book.

The point of the book is that the government needs to do more to protect our homefront. Flynn convincingly makes his case, and provides reasonable guidelines about how to improve upon the situation.

A good read for American citizens who want to ensure that we are doing the best we can to protect our civilization.

This is a clearly written, well reasoned book on how to provide real security for the U.S. homeland. To his credit, its author Stephan Flynn wastes no time either in partisan bashing of the current administration or in dissecting the many faults of the Department of Homeland Security. Rather he immediately shares his analysis of why domestic security in the U.S .is such an elusive goal. In the course of a number of chapters he builds a pretty strong case that in spite of all the talk, the U.S. is just as vulnerable to terrorist attacks as it was in 2000 before the 9/11 catastrophe. Flynn provides some specific examples what these vulnerabilities are and is especially effective in his analysis of shipping port vulnerabilities as a result of the exponential growth of containerized shipping. He also provides what appears to be a sensible and more importantly doable plan to actually reduce our vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks. He is an advocate of applying that long held business concept of `risk management' to the practice of homeland security. Like Richard Posner (Preventing Surprise Attacks - amazon.com) he points out the impossibility of making the U.S. completely immune to any terrorist threat and argues that it makes far better sense to rationally and logically identify which potential targets in the U.S. would cause the most loss of life and economic or social disruption if attacked and build a dynamic and multilayered defensive system to protect those targets.

Of course, Flynn is a former Coast Guard officer so his prescriptions for protecting America are practical not theoretical. Having spent twenty years protecting U.S. interests in our coastal waters, his thought on how to protect this country is based on a realistic understanding of the threats we face and a knowledge of what actually can be done to mitigate those threats. It is a shame that the Department of Homeland Security has not seen fit to follow his example.

Sometimes you wonder how people could be so immature, dumb, and naive. But it definitely happens!!! But it was a good book overall, can't wait to read the 3rd of the trilogy. The sequel: Dead Man's Venegance was even better than the first!!! 5 stars for that. BLUNT definitely has a challenge on her hand to end this deserving of the rest of the story. My book club loved it, anxiously awaiting the final chapter!!! Don't let us down!

First, off let me say that I will never in my life judge a book by its cover again, I was reluctant to get this book because of the lack of graphics, and I had never heard of the author, but when I read it I was so happy that I did not listen to my judgement; I could not put this book down. The story is told so realistic, it gives you a feel of visualizing everyones moves, emotions and personlity. This book would also be catergorized as a grimmy, ghetto coming of age love story. The end will make you want to go get the sequel. I am about to purchase it now!!!

I LIKED THIS BOOK BUT I FELT THAT ALOT OF QUESTIONS WERE LEFT UNANSWERED LIKE WHAT WAS CAMARIA'S CONVERSATION ABOUT WHEN LISA HEARD HER???? WHAT HAPPENED TO CAMARIA, DONNELL. MAYBE THEY WILL BE ANSWERED IN PART 2. I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW LISA HAD SUCH GOOD LUCK WITH MEN AND WHY SHE MANAGED TO DO ALL OF THIS.

THIS WAS EXCELLENT. I JUST ORDERED PART 2. THE NEW BOOKS OUT HERE ARE BEGINNING TO SOUND THE SAME. THIS IS ON THE LEVEL WITH DUTCH, COLDEST WINTER EVER AND SOME OF THE BOOKS BACK FROM 2002-2004. A MUST ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION...

Chino and Donell were the best of friends; Chino and Shark were like family. Everything seemed to be cool, until Chino goes to the left. Chino betrays Donell and Shark in the worst ways, and wreaks havoc on their entire operation. After he betrays both of his friends, Chino finds himself being hunted down with a bounty on his head.

B.L.U.N.T. makes you wonder if friends can really stay friends when power, drugs, money, love and sex are involved.

In his lifetime, Raymond Brown was considered one of the foremost biblical scholars. His scholarship certainly changed Catholic biblical studies and many believe he is responsible for making the academic world at large take notice of what scholars writing from a Catholic perspective have to offer the study of scripture. His comprehensive THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH is one of his monumental works that demonstrates his expertise and adds something Catholic that can be used in a "catholic" (universal) sense.

When Brown first published this book in the mid 1970's, he was attempting to do something for a beloved portion of scripture that was often ignored. For the most part, serious scholarship on the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke was almost nil. Traditional scholars avoided it fearing that scholarship could debunk the stories themselves. Less traditional scholars saw the stories as legend that had little or no relevance for serious scholars. Brown rejected both points of view and chose to see the stories form a different point of view. Brown studies the Annunciation, the Magi, the Shepherds, the Flight to Egypt, the Child Jesus in the Temple, and the other narratives that make up these imaginative chapters of scripture and views them not as fanciful tales or legends, but the Gospel in miniature. The stories included in Luke and Matthew are essential to the Gospel story and essential for understanding the story itself. Since the time of this volume's publication, this has become one of the common interpretations of the Infancy narratives.

The book is not without controversy. One example would be Brown's treatment of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. While Brown in many ways exalts the role of Mary as a disciple, it is not a pious reflection on Mary which has caused some readers to claim Brown disputes the Virgin birth. I'm not sure this is true, especially given some of Brown's other writings and talks widely available, if not in publication certainly in libraries. This is why the reader needs to keep in mind what Brown is attempting to do in this volume: present relevant scholarship on the infancy narratives.

I have grown to love the book for a number of reasons. There is so much material in it, I am always discovering something new. This is important for anyone who has to preach on these texts. Not only can a new angle or understanding be found in this volume, it also helps the reader find personal insights for reflection and prayer, which during the time when these texts are preached can be so important. Brown's volume shows that the Birth of Christ was not just a historical event but one that has meaning today and in all ages.

Fr. Brown taks an honest hard look at the infancy narrative of Matthew and Luke. It is a struggle to find the truth in these narrative amid all the mythic lore and revisionist speculations. He digs deep down into the mountain of rubble that has accumulated, bringing out the sparkling truth that is contained within. He brings them out into the light of the day, where all speculation and myth are shown for what they are.

The historical valure of the infancy narratives are shredded to pieces during the course of this examination. Yet my faith is strengthened not undermined by this work. Why is this? Well, Fr. Brown uncovers the real motivation behind the Evangelists who composed these narratives. The primary motivation is theological.

The infancy narratives are perhaps the richest vien of theology in the New Testament. So much is hidden away in the nooks and crannies of the remainder of the Gospels, so much that only comes to light with a close examination of the infancy narratives. Once the myths are tossed aside, the glory of God begins to shine ever more clearly.

I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to understand the Gospel without sacrificing intellect for the sake of belief.

I was reluctant when this tome about the infancy narratives had been recommended, and after the first chapter discovered this was no ordinary book. There are myriads of commentaries, but none like this! This book elaborates at length on the short gospel narratives of the birth of Jesus, and how the NT authors had woven OT material into those narratives. It elaborates on the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary: not as some wench who did as God told her, but as the first disciple of Christ to say Yes to the call of God; not merely a mother to Christ, but the Mother of the people of God by her fiat. For those who already believe, and even for those who don't, it elaborates why the incarnation is such an awesome historial event, not only in human history, but in salvation history.

Fr. Brown writes with erudition, and, while his audience is scholarly, even novices can read these gems with considerable ease. I initially intended to read the book straight through, but the density and intensity of the material suggested that a more devotional, gradual read would be more beneficial. I admit this is hard to do, because once embarked, these insights propel one to read as much as one can as fast as one can. However you decide to read it, I cannot think of a better introduction, as well as advanced scholarship, that will not leave one unchanged.

How should Christians contend with alleged contradictions, inconsistencies and historical inaccuracies in the New Testament? Perhaps many have not confronted the difficulties, while assuming that ultimately a satisfactory answer will emerge that justifies confidence in the Greek scriptures. The late Raymond E. Brown was not content to leave it to future scholarship to provide the answers. Only two gospels, Matthew and Luke, discuss the birth and infancy of Jesus. But scholars have raised questions that challenge the credibility of these narratives. Why do the genealogies not match? Why do the other New Testament writers not mention the virgin birth? What prophets said that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene? Why does Luke imply the family returned to Nazareth shortly after the birth of Jesus, while Matthew has the family fleeing to Egypt before returning? The slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem is not mentioned in secular history although other atrocities are recorded. Can the son of David be reckoned through the mother? These and other questions have provided ammunition for critics against the veracity of the New Testament.

Brown discusses these matters and more in detail. He provides non-conventional solutions while maintaining his Catholicism. This book should help the Christian understand the issues raised by doubters and help them reflect on what they believe and why they believe it. One does not have to agree with Brown's conclusions to appreciate the struggle with the history and theology of the narratives. Do the narratives have a common source, or are they separate traditions pre-dating the main body of each gospel? Read Brown's The Birth of the Messiah for some proposed answers. Recommended for lay Christians who have not seriously considered the challenges to their faith.

Part of the Anchor Bible Reference Library, this is an excellent book in which Raymond Brown provides an in-depth treatment of the NT infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke. The format of the book is standard for the Anchor Bible series: the author translates a segment of the Greek NT text, provides notes on his translation, and then comments on the meaning of the text. There are nine appendices on technical issues (e.g., "Birth at Bethlehem", "The Census under Quirinius"). Also, this edition contains a supplement that updates the work to 1992 (Brown died in 1998). The treatment is scholarly but readable, and, for passages in the NT that have given rise to controversy in the past, Brown tries to give a balanced exposition of the opposing views (and he usually states what his personal opinion is). There is an enormous amount of interesting material packed into this book, as Brown canvasses much of the relevant literature.

The book has the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur declarations that the book is free of doctrinal or moral errors (from the point of view of the Roman Catholic church), but Brown's Catholicism doesn't color the book excessively. For example, he admits that it is unlikely Mary took a vow of virginity, and also that the "brothers of Jesus" were probably his brothers in the usual biological sense. More generally, Brown openly recognizes the historical improbability of certain events (such as the visit of the Magi), and doesn't strain to impose dubious harmonizations on the infancy stories or to concoct interpretations meant to uphold the literal truth of the NT. The one place where he draws a line is on the virgin conception itself; he claims that it is unscientific to reject it as impossible a priori.

The supplement makes for lively reading, since Brown describes some of the negative reviews received by the first edition of the book and engages in a bit of polemic as he re-argues his position on certain topics. However, he doesn't descend to vituperation, even when provoked.

Overall, a great book and an excellent source of references for further reading.

Tim Severin and his intrepid crew recreate Brendan and his fellow monks' voyage in the 6th century from Ireland to North America in a small ox-hide boat (curragh). The natural materials and traditional techniques that Brendan used are authentically utilized to make the Brendan voyage a successful historical re-creation and a thrilling sea adventure.

Tim Severin is a born storyteller. As far as a historical re-creation event, this voyage has some parallels to the Kon-Tiki expedition. The reason for making the Brendan voyage was to answer the question: Did Irish monks sail across the Atlantic centuries before the Vikings?

This book relates an amazing seafaring adventure. There is one scene where the sea is calm when a pod of orcas spot the Brendan (boat's name). The orca alpha bull comes full tilt at the boat, dorsal fin eight feet above the water line. The crew holds their breath as the bull whale swims under the boat, checking out this strange thing. After an eternal minute of silence, they watch the bull surface and swim back to the pod. High drama indeed.

Tim Severin and his crew are the very definition of intrepid. Severin's level of enthusiasm is amazing; it is never diminished by the cold, wet, and treacherous sailing conditions. His composure as the captain of this little boat is compelling and inspirational.

I would also suggest getting a copy of the hardbound edition, which unfortunately is out of print. The photos of this voyage tell every bit as much of this story as does the text.

Highly recommended.

Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

I almost put the book down while reading the first half, but stuck with it, and was rewarded in the second half. I wasn't interested in hearing about the cultures of the places where the boat crew came ashore. Actually, I wasn't interested in reading about anything but the "voyage" proper. And, in this book, you'll get info about the history of some of the places they landed and other "side info". As a result, I found the first half of the book slow and boring.

Nonetheless, once they began the largest leg of the journey, and couldn't land anywhwere, the book picked up pace and held my interest. It turned out to be quite a voyage and a heck of a feat. In the end, I'm glad I read it. But, with that said, I'd have been disappointed had I paid full price for the book.

The Brendan Voyage is the true-life story of what has been called the greatest epic voyage in modern Irish history. Author Tim Severin and his friends built a boat using only techniques and materials available in the sixth-century A.D., when St. Brendan allegedly sailed to America. The vessel consisted of forty-nine ox hides stitched together and stretched over a wooden frame, yet it was a seaworthy creation capable of withstanding storms and a puncture from pack ice during its voyage from Brandon Creek in Dingle to Newfoundland. Now in a new edition, The Brendan Voyage has been translated into twenty-seven languages, and proves that St. Brendan could have indeed reached America - though whether he actually did is a conundrum left to historians. Written with narrative skill, and illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs The Brendan an exciting true nautical tale of courage, adventure, and accomplishment.

This is a book that unfortunately can be read very quickly.
The author sets out to prove that the journal of St.Brenden is not
as always susposed,alogorical, but a very real tale.With painstaking authenticity he seeks out old timers on the west coast of Ireland who still know how to make boats from bull hide,and sets them the task of building to spec the boat of St.Brenden.The rest is as you might imagine; a voyage to America in a 6th century leather boat.Magnificient story of courage and man against the sea.

Tim Severin has organised several voyages in part to prove that ancient peoples could travel far greater distances than previously thought. In this story he builds a traditional leather boat or 'curragh' to show that monks could have sailed from Ireland to Newfoundland around the seventh century. There is an ancient book called the 'Navagatio' (one old copy is in the British Library) which St Brendan wrote about his voyages around the Atlantic Ocean. It is thought from Brendan's descriptions that he island-hopped via the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland to get to America, and Severin follows this route in a dangerous and interesting adventure taking many weeks. There is much detail on how he built the boat using only traditional methods and materials which was no mean feat in itself despite their still being used in the south-west of Ireland for fishing. The book contains colour photos of the boat's construction and of the diverse and colourful crew who sailed her. The book reminded me of the 'Kon-Tiki' book by Thor Hayerdahl. Also, the pictures are brilliant - and Tim's descriptions of the ports of call such as Iceland and the Faroes are very vivid and realistic. It's a well-written, interesting book and well worth a read.

If you are in the mood for a very gripping read from start to finish, this is the book. I was absolutely fascinated by the story of a husband and wife forced to return to Northern Ireland when his brother is assassinated. The brother was a councilor in the political party that is allied to the illegal IRA, and that is where the hero of this story is supposed to resume his life: in that role. He comes to this as a history professor from Trinity College in Dublin. Bad as this is for him, multiply it by a hundred for his wife and child who have to live in daily fear, violence and hatred after moving in with his solidly IRA supportive family. The mounting crisis becomes whether the wife will be able to continue to bear living in Northern Ireland for either the rest of her life or until whenever her husband is the next assassin's victim. I couldn't put this novel down and am eagerly awaiting mail delivery of her second book, "Spotlight," about an Irish rock star and his IRA wife.

I read this before I started leaving reviews on Amazon. I'm posting all my 5 star rated books with the hope that you'll enjoy them as well.

Readers looking for a fabulous read, something different, need look no further than BORDER CROSSINGS by first-time author Carole Bellacera (contemporary set in 1991-1994) This book was recommended to me about a year ago and although I bought it in hardcover, it's been on my TBR pile. I'm sorry it took me so long to read it. In a nutshell, an American woman (Kathy) living in Dublin marries a man (Pearse) who was one of her professors at Trinity College. When his brother, active in the IRA, is killed in Northern Ireland, it is up to Pearse to take his place. The book deals then with The Troubles and with its affect on Kathy and Pearse's marriage. This is NOT a light read. But it is very real and, IMHO, an accurate view of the struggles between the Catholics and the Protestants. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Suffice to say it immediately takes its place in my Top 10 Reads of all time. Oprah should chose this book, a good book for discussion by any readers group. I am now anxiously waiting her next book, SPOTLIGHT. Thank you Ms. Bellacera for this enlightening, wonderful read. A beautiful story.

The green Irish countryside trembles as red Irish blood colors it's pastures and byways.

1991 Ireland. We catch a glimpse of two very different worlds as in the village of Enniskillen, in Northern Ireland a husband and wife, Kennet and Peg O'Faolain, are violently murdered by Protestant extremists, their eldest child, Aisling, left mute by the horror of the attack. Meanwhile, Kathy O'Faolain's life is turned upside down when her husband, Pearse, a professor of Irish History at Trinity College, decides to take over for his murdered brother and support Sinn Fein's struggle against the British.

Before she knows it, Kathy's placid life ends abruptly and she's bidding farewell to all her friends and, along with their young son Sean, leaves the safety of Dublin behind. Furthermore, in the O'Faolain home in Enniskillen she must endure her sister-in-law Erin's continued verbal attacks because Kathy can't let go of her dreams for a normal life. As if that were not enough, Kathy suffers a wrenching loss and watches as Pearse becomes a stranger before her very eyes, dismissing her as spoiled and justifying the means the IRA uses to fight back.

As Kathy searches for some meaning in her life, she becomes involved in the opening of a teen center, open to Catholics and Protestants alike, despite the danger that accompanies such a proposition. Violence becomes a part of her daily life, and every knock on the door and phone call can signify bad news for the O'Faolains. Erin finds love with a fellow IRA member, but the idyllic marriage they enter is cut short when they are both sent to prison; Erin's brother Conor pays for loving a Protestant girl when they are shot by Jack Robinson, the same man who murdered his older brother Kennet. Robinson's hatred for the O'Faolains stems from the killing of his sweetheart long ago, but there is a cruel twist to his story that has turned him into a complete psychopath.

Through it all, Kathy begins to see the situation through eyes that are shifting perspective - no longer can she be so distant and preach "let's all get along" when she sees that there is no quick and easy answer to the hatred that runs so deep. Two frightening confrontations with Jack Robinson end in bloodshed, but it is an attack on young Sean's schoolbus that forces Kathy to leave Enniskillen, and later, Ireland itself. Pearse lets her go, but his own imprisonment and the seeming futility of his struggle make him wonder if there aren't other ways to help the cause.

Kathy O'Faolain is a wonderful character. She truly gives it her all when it comes to making a new life for herself alongside Pearse, and she is strong enough to realize that, although her love for him never falters, Pearse is now a different man from the one she married. Her decision to leave him is heartbreaking and leaves her nearly emotionally empty, but it is the only course she can take.

To Kathy, the change in Pearse is almost frightening as he begins to reveal hidden layers that years of normalcy in Dublin have softened. The man who adopts his sister Erin's rhetoric and disrupts the only life Kathy and Sean have known pays for his convictions. The continued killings and the loss of his wife and child, force him, in the end, to evaluate what is right and wrong for him.

Hardly a few pages go by before someone is killed or imprisoned, and Bellacera never glosses over any of it. The constant fear and detailed atrocities of what it means to be caught up in the violence of the Troubles are vividly etched on each page, and remain long after the final page is read.

I needed this book for a course I'm taking, and not one local bookstore had it in stock. I logged on to trusty Amazon, ordered it, and had it in my hands (with assigned reading completed) before my next class. The memoir itself had started pretty slowly (alot of Egyptian history), but has taken off quite nicely.

I thought that this book was amazing. I've read many books about Islam but I think that this book actually gave me a sense of what it means to be a Muslim. Sometimes when reading about religions we often only get an overview of the practices and beliefs of a religion but we rarely hear from believers of a particular religion and how they incorporate the beliefs of their religion into their everyday lives. For me, it was also interesting to read about Egypt during the 40's and 50's because it was something I have never studied before. It was interesting to see the religious diversity in Eygpt and how quickly that all changed with the rise of Nasser. Another thing I had never realized that Egyptians practically had the title Arab forced upon them, but most would never otherwise identify themselves as Arab. I think this book really exposed me to a world and a lifestyle that I had never known existed, and I think this is a must read for anyone who is open to seeing a new perspective on their world.

I enjoyed very much reading this book. The level of description used is capable of transporting you to Leila's birthplace and enjoy her life's journey. This book reads like a novel even though it is a biography. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Pre- and Post-Nasser era in Egypt and how it affected the Egyptian middle class of the time. Another book about Egypt during that era I would recommend is Samia Serag El-din's The Cairo House. Happy reading!

A Border Passage by Leila Ahmed is an interesting book and definitely worth your time. Within this book Ahmed confront issues of colonialism and differences between the Islam of women and that of men. The story is written as an autobiography as Ahmed recounts her childhood. The juxtaposition of the Egypt and England, where she goes to school, illuminates considerations of post-colonial loss of identity. A book that I strongly recommend for anyone interested in learning more about Islam.

I wasn't sure what I would find when I chose this book. But Dr. Ahmed's thoughts on creating her identity and the societal forces that crafted her upbringing are astounding. Her tale of defining herself as a woman, an Egyptian, an Arab, a Muslim, and an American resonated very deeply with me.....

If you are the type of over-anxious mom I am, you will want to have all your child's medical records in one place. This journal is a great tool for organizing and recording your child's doctor visits, illnesses, etc. It is small enough to put in your diaper bag and take to the dr's office where you can then pepper the dr. with all the questions you've written down in the journal. And it's got a cute cover to boot!

I have this book for both of my kids and it is sooo perfect for keeping notes from every doctor visit, questions for the doctor, knowing where my shot records are, and tracking their growth and development all in one easy place. MUST HAVE!

I received one for my first daughter and bought one for my second daughter. It is very cute and handy. It fits nicely in the diaper bag or purse for doctor visits. This makes a nice gift for a baby shower.

This journal is so cute and handy... will order more as a gift for my friends baby shower.

i work in a pediatric office. when a mother gave me this book to note the baby's height and weight i fell in love with it. i knew i had to buy one for my son and my daughter in law for their baby. one of the reasons i liked it was because mom can always carry it in her diaper bag and have all the medical information at her finger tips.

Wow, Mr.A did such a good job on this book! The details he put in the action and love scenes. Was just completly amazing! You see in the begining it was just like some normal girl with a boy that likes her and a very big horse. the main character is the girl who becomes a woman warrior who has a destiny to be a great leader. it is very inspiring to any woman.
If the next book is as good as the first then OMG! I can't wait!

The Eye of the Stallion is a heroic story of determination, woman empowerment and freedom of choice. I would recommend this book to young ladies in high school and college.

This Book Eye of The Stallion is a very interesting adventure of one girls curiosity to find what is really is beyond The Valley.This book has alot of great characters and a interesting world.My favorite people have to be the wolven with their interesting eyes and how they are all seem to be strong and fast. If you are looking for a great adventure with interesting people, places, and battles then you will love this book.

Wise, profound, exciting and beautifully written coming of age story by a prize winning international author.
I recommend this book with 5+ stars.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is not quite fantasy, not quite coming of age, nor is it just an adventure. It is a delightful journey full of wisdom and courage. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to enjoy a good story. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment...!