N Books

This is the best book about music that I have read, and my recent (fourth in 35 years) reading solidified this opinion.
The reviews here offer many insights, so I just want to emphasize that this is unlike any other music biography you will read. It is not a linear life history, nor does it focus primarily on musical quotations. It digs deeply into Beethoven's spirit and tries to grasp what made him so special. That is a fundamental bias of the book, so if you find Beethoven less a genius than Bach or Mozart or Mahler or Wagner, then you probably won't agree with Sullivan's conclusions. But, as a mathematician, he approached his subject without the standard musicologist biases, and that shines through in a work that is accessible to anyone who wants to think deeply about the ultimate meaning of great music, and how one person could create what Beethoven poured forth in his life.

This is not going to get many postive feedbacks.. HOWEVER.. this is just a note to say THIS REALLY and truly is a BRILLIANT BOOK.... and for anyone wanting to dive straight into the deep end as to what Beethoven and ART and Classical Music par se is and the mind of a composer and the struggle of a life between Art, creativity, God and love and genius is all about this is the one book to get. Yet, surprisingly not only all made very understandable but then clarity and inspiration and feel good factor was never made so good in a book on a composer, also made so enjoyable. A true and real learning journey in this book.Priceless. I felt myself on tour with the writer and the works and mind of life of Beethoven as though the man was his art and his work. Out of MUCH self taught reading on classical music. This book truly remains my ALL TIME FAVOURITE book about any single composer. Supremely well written and written with clarity and passages I underlined endlessly. It is one of those books. Just well researched, well written and written about from angles and insights that you really DID want to know and not written anywhere else and never realised you did want to know and it is a real journey. If you feel a journey with Beethoven`s music this is the best book ever written to get into his mind , and his art and the music and his life as one.... A real cherished classic. I hate the phrase. This book is one of 20-30 that I look back really does come under the heading "life changer" and can give a truer real insight into the mind of genius and ART in capital letters and an artist`s intention and the working of a mind and spirit..and it explains the music so well in relation to his life and genius. A seriously great gem , where every page is a page turning inspiration and delight. Seriously 5+ Not a normal book. Exceedingly well done... This book is special. Class of it`s own and essential reading on Beethoven. Trust me. And write your own review. I challenge anyone not to adore this book and give it a 5 having read it. I`m serious. Think about it compared to all the others on Beethoven and dull ill written biographies and over detailed stuff. This book really hits the spot and is very very well writen in style and content and theme and insight....and is concise. : ) I.e not only readable but also exciting and a a book to learn from not just factually but with real thinking and a journey and highly enjoyable read. The world it takes one too to the mind of the composer and the music and the journey it takes one too is first class. A really enjoyable mind expanding insight. Seriously good. i.e Great.

This book profoundly deepened my experience of music. It opened doors of appreciation for both listening to music and expressing myself musically. It inspires one to put the whole of themselves with ever increasing passion into their creative endeavors and by extension their lives. As Beethoven said, "There is no loftier mission than to approach the Godhead nearer than other people, and to disseminate the divine rays among humanity." Read this book. You will not regret it.

Why has Beethoven reached this special place in the music world?
First at all his music is fundamentally human . The organic feature of his works shows the timeless conflict between the will and the fate ; the horizontality of the destiny and the verticality of the irrevocable and untamed human character .
Ernest Newman has said : " The peculiarity of Beethoven imagination is that it raises over and over to heights since we can do a new appraisement , not only of all the music but the life , the emotions and the ideas".
Think in the Final of the last variation of his Third Symphony and will understand the message ; you have to fight always without expecting anything in change ; because the hero attitude is to make not to think . And you know this wisdom statement of Goethe: "We are what we do".
This book is admirably compelling and reveals unknown facets , interesting letters and even I do not agree with the value of the last stage of his life in which the transfiguration and the evasion would seem derivate making a simple analysis of the endings of his last three Piano Sonatas , the text is a must for any reader really interested in the life and work of this icon beacon of the mankind : Ludwig van Beethoven.

Sullivan's book has remained in print for over 70 years, despite not being a definitive source book for facts about Beethoven's life and work. Sullivan's achievement is different. Sullivan wrote one of the very few biographies, about Beethoven or anybody else, that captures and understands the level of "depth of life" that results from identifying one's life with the search for the meaning of life and of the universe, if there is any such meaning. Beethoven lived on this level and the particular path Beethoveen pursued and expressed in his music is uniquely understood by Sullivan. This biography is a masterpiece in its own right.

George Perkovich has produced a seminal work on India's nuclear weapons program. He analyzes the political, economic, security issues that have contributed to India's decision-making regarding the bomb. George has correctly identified India as being caught in a dilemma for a long time over nuclear weapons testing. India also provides the only example of a nuclear weapons program that was openly debated in a democratic society. This debate (which ranked often very low on the priorities of successive prime ministers who correctly placed socio-economic development as a higher priority) has led to India shifting its position over time -- one from being the first proponent of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to opposing it due to is discriminatory nature today. It describes how India's opposition to nuclear weapons in the '50s which was perceived as being moralizing in the West, has now changed to embrace weapons since the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty permanently endorsed the nuclear weapons status of the five declared nuclear powers without any comprehensive, binding time-table for destroying all nuclear weapons -- a position that India objects to as being discriminatory.

A must-read for anyone interested in nuclear weapons proliferation and arms control negotiations today.

Less to do with the bomb per se, but a scholarly history of the Indian nuclear program. This is a work that will be quoted again and again.

This is easily one of the best books I have read about my own country. Very informative.

Note to editorial Reviewers: India entered the nuclear club in May 1974 and not in May 1998 as suggested by some of your reviews.

Some highlights of the book.

* The term nuclear "haves" and "have-nots" was coined by Homi Bhabha initially and used by others and till date has been central to putting forth our country's opposition to NPT and CTBT.

* University of Chicago's late Prof. Chandrasekhar's refusal to head the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) after the death of patriot Dr. Homi Bhabha.

* One of my disappointment is the author's avoidance in the discussion of the cause of the death of Dr. Homi Bhabha, even though such an incident is beyond the scope of this book. Since Bhabha provided the impetus and leadership during the nuclear program's infancy, I expected the author to throw some light on this issue.

* Vikram Sarabhai's hatred for Nuclear tests is news, especially since he was heading the Atomic Energy commision. As a spaceman it is surprising that he headed the organization in the first place.

* Indira Gandhi's refusal to allow more nuclear tests after 1974 stemmed from her abhorence for anything nuclear after her post-Pokhran I experiences. This is contrary to the popular belief - international pressure.

* Most sections of the book has an objective view of the Indian nuclear scenario except the last few chapters where the author seems to bend towards India signing the CTBT and the NPT. Or atleast implying that India's moral stand on nuclear issue was defeated after the May 98 tests.

* BJP (and its predecessor Jana Sangh) has been the only political party to openly campaign for Nuclear power.

It is time that India and Pakistan get the respect they deserve as nuclear powers. Why is it that France, Germany, Israel, the U.S., Russia, and South Africa (now supposedly non-nuclear) have been able to garner the respect that China, India and Pakistan are alluded by? Is it becuase they are not white Europeans? Nontheless, a well researched book.

As an Indian immensely proud of his country's accomplishments and having had to enter multiple debates with other non-Indians in May 1998, I gained a great amount from the book. It is immaculately researched and it seems that Perkovich has left no stone unturned. It goes into such depth and understanding of the Indian polity's psyche as previously unseen from a non-Indian author. Perkovich is not merely narrating a set of events which led to the testing but defending a theory that goes against current understandings of international relations and nuclear non-profileration by setting India as an example. I enjoyed every chapter of the book and hope that current policy makers in the field learn from it. A must read for every Indian interested it their country's policies and others making policy for the rest of the world.

This is a really effective authoritative publication of Hunter's lyrics. Robert Hunter had a big impact on the lyrical imagination of 60's rock, and this book bears witness to that fact. It presents the lyrics with minimal distractions, which causes my only complaint with this book. Hunter's notes/comments are sparse and usually very brief. Some additional explanations and background information, while perhaps being somewhat distracting from the lyrics, would make this more interesting.

Hunter's words, the inspiration, soul, and backbone of the Grateful's Dead's songs, are here collected in all their subtle grace. His songs read like poems, and his poems burst like songs. Vital reading for dead-heads and poetry lovers alike.

Driving around a curve on a mountain backroad, I saw what looked to be a book lying in the middle of the road ahead. I stopped, opened the door and reached down to pick it up. Must have fallen out of someone's car and then been run over: the cover pockmarked by gravel, the pages loose.

The title instantly grabbed my awareness: A Box of Rain - Almost 40 years of a prodigious poetic output, the sculpting of over 250 songs.

This collection of lyrics represents most of what the Grateful Dead performed - along with many songs either done by other groups or sung by Hunter himself. This book is a superb fusion of the mystical and the mundane - If Garcia's music was the skeleton of the Dead, these lyrics surely must be the flesh.

Would the Dead have acheived anything near their anointed state without these lyrics? I truly doubt it. Robert Hunter and Bob Dylan are in a class by themselves; these writings bear witness to that fact.





Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

... one of the greatest poets ever. in my opinion. reading his poems as oposed to listning to them on a album is a vastly differnet experiences. his words touch me like no other. this book is absolutly amazing, especially reading the things the dead never played. "jack o roses" the seventh section of "terrapin station" is the most beautiful thing iever read ( you can hear hunter sing it by going to the hunter archive at dead.net". everyone should read this, and for the few that really get it, it will be a transcendant experinece.

...and my tunes were played on the harp unstrung would you hear my voice come through the music would you hold it near as it were your own?' Part of the experience of a Grateful Dead concert (and now The Other Ones, Ratdog, Phil Lesh and friends, and Mickey Hart's band) was listening to the words of Robert Hunter dance and twirl in your head. Hunter probably isn't the greatest American poet of the second half of the 20th Century, but he does know how to turn a phrase, borrow a line, and mix a metaphor. And his strange mix of phrases went well with the strange mix of American music written by the late Jerry Garcia. Box Of Rain is a must reference for anyone interested in the lyrical end of rock and roll. The book will clear up many an on going debate on just what Jerry was singing all those nights so long ago. And for all those people who can't understand why the Grateful Dead was so successful, this book will let you in on part of the secret. 'If you get confused, just listen to the music play....'

this book is one of my favorites. i pick it up again and again to get new ideas.

This is really nice book. Some of the ideas are a bit too much for my taste, but it doesn't matter. The point is, that many ways of decorating with candles are explored and the reader comes away with a greater understanding of the possibilities-of which there are many. Truly inspiring. I loved the last one the best-definitely recommend.

I am more pleased with this book than I thought I was going to be. There are some really beautiful ideas in this book including white pumpkin coaches, food, flowers, fireplaces, outdoors etc. Great for wedding ideas and centerpieces!

This is an absolutely beautiful book. I have enjoyed looking at it over and over again, and it has given me some wonderful ideas for decorating. John Terrell Fry is ever so clever and creative and Nancy Nolan is an unbelievably talented photographer! Makes a great Christmas Gift for anyone on your list!

This is my first Amazon book review, but I felt compelled to write it. This book is beautiful, gorgeous even. I am still glad to have purchased the book...BUT for anyone who wishes to replicate the ideas in the book in your home, I found the book lacking in information on the sources of products. So if you love the accessories and would like to purchase them, you have nowhere to turn to. A listing ala Martha Stewart resources would have made me give this book 5 stars. But I am frustrated that I can't find out where to get some of the items used in the book!

Cheese Chronicles is a faced paced, funny, and event-driven journey through the life of a rock band. The story, on its own, pales in comparison with similar stories such as Rock Scully's 'Living With the Dead.' Womack doesn't show us Government Cheese as a hedonistic troupe by detailing sexual exploits or bragging about the volume of drugs ingested. In fact, no one even dies in the story. Therefore, unlike comparable books, the greatness of this one isn't attributed to the incredibility of the band's adventures. Instead, the book is a great read because of Womack's unique writing style, which allows us to feel the intensity of his experience.

Womack is always willing to sacrifice his ego for the sake of getting the story across accurately. He is brutally honest, self deprecating, and throughout, he's insistent on making the reader aware of the lousy state of the human condition. It is funny to read that Womack's apartment was broken into, but the burglars didn't take anything and in a sense that was insulting to him.

Also notable, is that Womack has a skill for being completely frank but yet still being a southern gentleman. In the book, most of the judgements he passes are on himself. If he has a beef with someone or something they did, he is quick to defend that person or try to offset his disclosures by mentioning something good about that person. He creates almost no villians in a book packed full of nights gone wrong.

At the time of this review, Womack's web site had a collection of songs on it in mp3 format available for download for free. Among those are some songs that are mentioned throughout the book and hearing them (while I was about half way through the book) enriched the stories.

I wish this book hadn't ended but that's part of the story's theme.

Tommy Womack is a great writer! I too was a Cheesefan back in the day, but this book would be amazing even if I hadn't heard of them. I laughed, I cried...I could not put it down! Facinating and definitely a must read for any young bands out there.

I used to go see this rock and roll band you've never heard of when they played my Middle Tennessee college town. Although none of them would ever remember me, I've actually met and spoken with them on a couple of different occasions. So, reading this book was like getting in on all the shows I missed. For me, it was a funny bit of nostalgia. For those of you who've never heard of Government Cheese or heard their music...well, that's a real shame.

Tommy Womack's excellent book, Cheese Chronicles, is an essential read for anyone interested in the music business. The book is hilarious and at the same time, it provides a gritty look at what it's really like to be in a rock band. I cannot say enough good things about this book. BUY IT AND READ IT!

This is the story representing the 1,000 bands who didn't make it for every one that did -- and I'd MUCH rather read about Government Cheese's failures than N'Sync's successes.

Tommy is a fabulous musician, a clever writer and funny as hell. I grew up near where he did and have never read a more accurate expression of wanting to be a rocker soooo badly in a place that has NO desire to be rocked, thank you very much. Tommy has never grown out of the pure fun of jumping on your bed playing your tennis racket to "Surrender" or air-drumming Peter Criss' "God of Thunder" solo on Alive II. (Try it, I don't care if you're a 42-year-old accountant with a minivan. It will keep you young.)

I once chased Tommy across a bar to praise his book with beer-induced enthusiasm. The next day I sent a letter apologizing and received a reply that still hangs on my wall: "I'll accept no apologies for drunken behavior. I heartily endorse it."

You could read this book 50 times and never tire of it.

If you want to know first hand the inner-workings of New York's most famous parties and the people who make them happen (along with the clubgoers that help make them famous) go read "Confessions from the Velvet Ropes" now. This raw telling weaves significant and interesting nightlife history, including interviews with the people who lived it, with tales of current scenes and connects them to give readers an untainted view of the underground world of NYC parties, fashion, social change and the fabulously outrageous characters that embody them. Along with colorful personal anecdotes and fun, sarcastic sidebars with topics like "Thomas's Top Ten Tips for Getting Past the Ropes," Glenn Belverio with the help of personal commentary from famed doorman, Thomas Onorato, makes this book a must-read for anyone interested in NYC history, social scenes and celebrity gossip. Whether you're from NYC, just moved there or follow the scene with a curious eye from afar - you will not be able to put down "Confessions from the Velvet Ropes" until you have devoured all the edgy and eccentric pages in their entirety. And you will be thirsty for more...

I was pulled into this book from the very first page. Not only does it paint the real life experience with every word but it is written in such a lively manner that the sizzling times in NYC just pour through you. I especially loved the Heatherette piece. Could not stop laughing. Looking forward to Glenn's next book. Five Stars from Paris.

The author of this book has a keen observational eye for the details of New York nightlife and its denizens. He takes what might first appear as a frivolous or superficial subject and manages to extract some real anthropological significance from it. But you can still read it at the beach.

I love to read NYC celebrity gossip columns mainly because I love to imagine all the excitement going on in the Big Apple. I've heard about nightclub line ups and doormen and the horror of rejection. This book not only made me feel like I was standing next to the doorman getting an insider's view, but by the end of the book, I felt like I really knew Thomas and that I really had been there. I can't think of another book that's been able to make me forget I was reading a book. I laughed out loud - this book made me laugh out loud. It made me see that anyone can feel like a star - the glamor is in the attitude not the pocketbook. Confessions of the Velvet Ropes is like a guidebook to cutting edge NYC nightlife complete with tips on how to pull off a look, to get into the club and how to have a wild time without getting hung up on being an outcast from NJ. It was a thoroughly fun book to read.

I really enjoyed reading about all the amusing people in this book. It's sort of like a better written, funnier, more detailed version of the Warhol Diaries... except the Warhol Diaries is packed with boring old farts like Liza Minnelli and Bob Colacello, whereas this book has mental cases like Courtney Love and that tacky thing who does the Baby Phat clothes -- you know, the former model who thinks she's Tyra Banks but is really just Jocelyne Wildenstein in Beyonce drag. Anyhow, you know that when you've got Kimora and Courtney in the same book, you're gonna laugh (and if you've got them in the same room, bring backup... as you'll see in Confessions.)

"Dance" by Elisha Cooper is a triumph. The illustrations have a wonderful grace and style sure to delight children of all ages. I treasure my copy.

I LOVED this book! I have ten kids to give holiday presents to this year and I'm getting Dance! for all of them. It's the best of what a kid's book should be -- mind-expanding and entertaining for the child, and just as entertaining for the adult who has to read it to them every night!

Cooper does what I didn't think was possible--he captures, on the page, the beauty and fluidity of dance. His exquisitely simple watercolors--and exquisitely spare prose--take us from the dancers' studio, to the neighborhood in which the dancers live, to the opening night stage. His artwork evokes rather than dictates, his prose suggests rather than explains. It's a gorgeous book. And my kids, the most important judges, loved it.

Three of my four children are or were involved in dance. After reading the review for Dance in the New York Times, I bought it for my youngest for a birthday present. I quickly found myself back in the bookstore buying copies for my other children (and for my sister's kids, and the author's Baseball book for my son) for Christmas. It truly was a wonderful find, and I'd suggest it to anyone who knows kids--or adults, for that matter--with an interest in dance. Highest recommendation.

Elisha Cooper's book Dance! is wonderful for what it says and shows but also for what it does not spell out. He shows us some of the exquisite details in the daily lives of the dancers, in the practice studios, posing and touching and relating to each other..walking on your partners back for example. But I'm pleased to say he stops before you get the big show, just when the curtain is about to go up. Now young and old a like will stretch their creative imagination to envision the performance. Almost like the good old days of radio shows when you listened carefully and visualized what was going on. Maybe Elisha Copper will someday give us Act I so we can compare it to ours. He gets better with each book.

Join author, Elisha Cooper, as he pays tribute to the marvelous world of dance. This is a unique book about the process, not the performance. Arrive at the studio and warm up with the troupe, stretching and working at the barre. Meet the choreographer and watch as he demonstrates steps and teaches the new dance, bending bodies and correcting positions "as if he were molding clay." Then practice, practice, practice. "The dancers rehearse until their arms and legs remember the steps." There are costumes to fit, tickets to sell, programs to print, and advertisements to write. Lights, music, and scenery need to be coordinated with the dance and dancers, and even flowers need to be bought to give to the dancers after the performance. So much to do in only four short weeks... Mr Cooper's lyrical text is filled with imagery, magic, and passion as it creatively mimics its subject and dances across the pages. His simple pencil and watercolor artwork dazzles, complementing the prose beautifully, and captivates with grace, energy, and motion. Perfect for youngsters 8-12, or as a read aloud for younger children, Dance is an evocative and exciting experience that builds with each page turn. "Opening night. A crowd forms outside the theater, bustling for tickets. The dancers gather backstage. They can hear the buzz of the audience finding seats, the beating of their own hearts. They hug. The choreographer tells them they are wonderful. The lights go down. The curtain goes up."

When this book arrived in my mailbox and I read the back cover, I added it to my "to read pile" without a whole lot of enthusiasm. According to the back cover, this one was about a divorce lawyer in Dallas who is faced with someone from his past who makes things in his present day life get a little disconcerting. Nothing I read on that back cover excited me or made me think, "wow, this one sounds good.."

Domestic Relations begins in a suburb of Dallas, as we follow the main character, Norman, through much of his childhood. He lives within a community of like minded families in a housing development, complete with its own cul-de-sac. Throughout the first part of the novel, we come to know not only Norman, but also his family, his friends and their families. Included in these folks is Norman's closest childhood friend, Lisa.

Soon Norman is all grown up and a law school graduate. He gets married, has a daughter and leads a content and happy life. Next, Lisa re-enters his life after a many year absence and things in Norman's world quickly start to change. Boundaries become foggy, relationships become strained, and morals become questionable.

The story itself is nothing earth shatteringly new, but at the same time, i really did enjoy it. The author writes with an almost sarcastic, borderline cynical wit that really appealed to my sense of humor. I've heard it said that sarcasm is the lowest form of humor. My theory on that is that whomever said that, wasn't intelligent enough to understand, or "get" the point of the sarcasm. The use of humor in this book, albeit sarcasm, is often used to drive home Norman's thoughts and feelings -- and it works well. The humor in the story was what made it for me. While the plot wasn't mind blowing, the style was rather engaging, and as a result, I enjoyed the story I read.

Before picking up this book, I can honestly say I knew a grand total of nothing about the lives of divorce lawyers; especially divorce lawyers of the upscale, wealthy members of society. In reading Domestic Relations, I was transported into their lives for a while, right into the middle of the scandals and deceit. While I wouldn't call it a soap opera, it did present me with that same feeling of guilty pleasure as I read through. Beyond that though, there is more to the book-- the questions of values, ethics and morals that are posed to the reader being one of the primary aspects here.

Overall, its a good read. Will it become a classic piece of literature? Probably not. Would I recommend you read it? Absolutely...its a good way to escape from reality for a while, and you'll probably laugh out loud a few dozen times while you're doing it.

I am really enjoying this book. Geilich has a unique writing style that keeps the reader entertained. Intriguing and humorous all in one. Can't put it down!

Domestic Relations is a great read! Norman is fascinating, real, funny, sweet, sarcastic and most of all - engaging. This book is an easy read, yet it is deep in content and absolutely will make you smile, chuckle, and at times, even laugh that good, down to your soul, outloud laugh that makes you feel really good all over. It's the perfect book to always have with you .....on the plane, on the beach, in the Big Apple or simply on your bed stand to pick up every night. I would highly recommend it and can't wait to see where Norman goes from here....

The story is riveting and heart-warming. Mr. Geilich puts many of life's indescribable characteristics and thoughts into words. Geilich's thought-provoking style of writing through the characters and events is not only highly entertaining, but intimately powerful on the deepest of human levels. This book is one you will not want to put down. I found myself wanting more and hated for it to end. "Domestic Relations" is one of those rare books - once you have read it, your life will never be the same.

I loved this book...it was laugh-out-loud funny in many parts, yet also had many poignant, thoughtful moments throughout, as well as some very creative phrasing. Throw in some suspense, which Mr. Geilich did, and you have a perfect read! Although I picked up this book hoping for some juicy stories about the seedier side of Dallas divorce law, what I got instead was a novel about Mr. Norman Spiczek and his fascinating struggles with marriage, adultery, parenting, family, work, and childhood issues (with plenty of seedy Dallas divorce law thrown in for good measure). I hope to meet up with Mr. Spiczek again...You would never know that this is Mr. Geilich's first novel!

A relative loaned me a well-worn paperback copy of this book to read, and I laughed and cried as I read it. When I finished the book, I didn't want to put it down. I felt uplifted. I knew this is a book I would share with friends and family. I've given away the 3 copies that I bought and now I'm ready to order more. I want to make sure I have a copy to keep for myself.

"First We Have Coffee" is one of the dearest books I've read. I have bought it over and over again for many years, only to give my copy away and buy another. I can't tell you how much I fell in love with Mama. If I could be that kind of Godly Mother, I would rejoice. God bless Margaret Jensen. What a talent she has. I have read many of her books and loved them all, but this was my favorite. I am going to order several for my Grand girls. Good lessons for today's younger generation, especially the ones who have too much!

I was given this book as a gift and just fell in love with it. I now keep several copies on hand to give as gifts. Its easy to read and full of depth! Any mother would enjoy reading it... young or old! It inspires you to be a better Mom and wife. What I love about books like this, is that you fall in love with the family. You get to know all the kids and the mother and father. By the end of the book, you don't want the family to go.

This is the story of an immigrant family in the early 1900s. Many times were hard but the family's faith in God brought them through. This is a very easy to read book with stories that put the reader in the setting. The stories, although enlightening about living in that time period, also serve the purpose of building one's faith by seeing how Mama believed God's promises and helped all her children to believe them too. This book is a pleasure to read & the reader will feel better after having read it.

I was surprised by how attractive biblical marriage is portrayed within the pages of this encouraging little book. This is not about how to have a happy marriage/family life when both partners are 'wonderful'. This is the life-story of a woman who applied God's truths to her life and trusted in the Lord for the outcome. Her husband didn't suddenly turn into the romantic white knight she may have dreamed about in her youth, but she loved and respected him, even regarding his differences. She walked the walk, sacrificing many things to the Lord, and found that the secret to a happy life was a thankful heart. There just aren't very many Christian books out there that unabashedly take God's word as it is written. So many water it down with situational ethics...this one does not, but what an encouraging and riveting biography for us to follow.

I have been following Greg Brown's columns in AOPA Flight Training for a while now, but I would have never guessed that if you read a handful of these short, factual-yet-full-of-emotions stories one after the other, you can get a complete picture of what general aviation is all about. Highly recommend this book to everyone, pilot spouses or parents above all.

I've followed Greg Brown's column in numerous aviation magazines over the years, and have always looked forward to reading his latest adventure. Now, with "Flying Carpet", he has detailed stories and events from his past that have served to educate, enlighten, and amuse both aviators and non-aviators alike. I thoroughly enjoy his writing style, and am always recounting something he wrote to someone else to emphasize a point or provide an example of some aviation-related subject. I love the fact that he relates his stories as if aviation was a sort of pagan religion, and he, and all other pilots, are willing followers. He truly highlights the romance and passion that flying evokes in those of us do it, and stimulates curiousity in those who don't. I highly encourage anyone to read this book, whether you're a pilot or not.

Full of fun interesting stories but not a book I would want to read again. The books sounds like it is a collection of Gregs adventures that may have been published somewhere before.

This book was purchased as a gift. I do not know if it's been read or not.

I am a student pilot and have been reading just about everything I can get my hands on that has to do with flying for the past two years. I first learned of Greg Brown through his Flying Carpet column in AOPA's Flight Training magazine and enjoyed his articles and writing. I stumbled upon this book through a search on Amazon and am so glad I did!

The book is extremely well written and you can tell through each page how deep Greg's passion is for flying and for sharing it with those around him. I felt as if I were along for the ride to all of the wonderful destinations he has been to.

I highly recommend the book not only for those interested in flying but the non-fliers alike!