O Books

This book is a useful tool for anyone who feels they are held back by their own habits and beliefs. It examines the self-limiting behaviours which we can succumb to - from procrastination to insecurity to alcohol abuse to a host of other habits - and provides real answers as to how we can work on turning these behaviours around to start living up to our true potential. The exercises are great, as rather than just reading the book the reader has a chance to really examine which sabotaging behaviours apply to them and how they can make changes to avoid repeating mistakes they may have made in the past. It makes it a much more relevant and useful book and would be the main reason I give this book five stars. The worksheets give the book a really practical applicable side, which other books of this nature can lack. They encourage and aid you in really examining your own situation and how Sheri's advice can be applied to help you, rather than just reading case studies of others. A real help!

From Sabotage to Success is an appropriate title for this book. It reflects my own personal journey from a place of despair and lack of information to one of empowerment and success. My journey continued as I found that the strategies I used to overcome my own self-defeating behavior were just as successful in helping others overcome theirs. This book was born out of years of personal experience as well as working with others to end self-sabotage.

I have taught workshops on overcoming self-sabotage since 1992. In the beginning, before each workshop I wrote a lesson plan but the participants always added new ideas and insights which further enhanced each proceeding workshop. Eventually, my notes turned into handouts, then book chapters, and finally a full-fledged book. Throughout the book I provide real-life examples of persons dealing with a wide range of self-defeating behavior. I outline step-by-step techniques to overcome self-sabotage and each chapter ends with a task list and action plan including worksheets, journal ideas, charts, and graphs to help readers apply the principles of the book to their daily lives.

I sabotaged my own success for many years. It wasn't until I began to change my old self-talk and stopped associating with negative, unsupportive people that true change occurred. I found that self-sabotage is often due to impatience and unrealistic expectations. I discovered that small, manageable goals followed by feasible rewards were an effective way to gain and maintain success. When you begin to focus on solutions, goals, and successes instead of problems and limitations, you can choose to recreate your life at any time, despite age or background. This book focuses on a holistic view of success. Rather than concentrating solely on material or career accomplishments, I invite the reader to define his or her own concept of success to include contentment, balance, and peace.

My hope is that this book will help you feel more alive; that you will see your own value and cease acting in self-destructive ways. I offer many time-tested techniques for you to do so. The rest is up to you. I would love to hear about the successes you encounter as a result of applying this book to your life.

From Sabotage to Success(or by another name, REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL)by Sheri Zampelli is an easy to read and very practical guide to overcoming barriors in our lives.I use the book everyday...one of the best self-help books I've ever used.I really would encourage everyone who is interesting in their personal growth to buy this book.

Ever wonder why life is not showing up for you the way you think it should? Have you considered that you could be the only obstacle standing in the way of success? And speaking of success: Do you know what your personal success looks like? If you've answered "yes" to the first and "no" to any of the following: Sheri Zampelli can help you.

As you may recall, I recently read and reviewed Zampelli's Donate Your Weight Weight Loss Program. After doing so - I rushed to collect the rest of Zampelli's parchment. Why? For starters, I like the way she leads readers from A to Z helping them overcome the most important obstacles: the intangible ones. After all, these are the challenges that keep us standing in our own way. And she uses this methodology to help readers overcome all of life's greatest challenges - including, but not limited to, weight loss.

She does it in this way.

In From Sabotage To Success, Zampelli first asks you to get to know and be honest with yourself. Through carefully crafted exercises, she asks you to step forward and review your "self" and your life - deciding your "role" as you see it. This information may surprise you as most of us define ourselves through others. Once established, this "coming clean" with regard to the past and present creates a jumping off point for charting a path to a destination of our own choosing. Next, you will create the ideal life you see for yourself. Zampelli asks you to "fast forward" and create this life by building your ideal version of it. You'll then back peddle into reality and prepare steps forward to reach this destination.

Said differently, Zampelli asks the hard questions that we are afraid to ask ourselves. For example: She challenges us to make absolutely sure that our goals for ourselves are truly our goals. Why? She explains: most often roadblocks to success come when we define ourselves by others and the groups or "tribes" to which we belong. Therefore, to identify our authentic selves is the first cut to reaching personal success. Secondly, Zampelli helps you realize the hidden ways you can Sabotage this process - ways that until now you may not have recognized. Mostly this involves letting go of the negative ideas we currently hold about ourselves - those which often stem from our childhood.


Perhaps you are overcompensating for your past by:

Controlling others?
Putting off your life?
Holding back from expressing your feelings?
Waiting for things to "work themselves out"?
Focusing on the negative?


Zampelli tells us, it's time to stop. In the second portion of the book, she leads readers by the hand to help us find our own definition of success, then offers exercises that you can use to work through these and other hurdles that could be standing between you and your vision for yourself. Here, she uses many of my favorite tools like creative journaling, mind mapping and affirmations. These will all help take you from where you are to where you'd like to be. This book then, becomes a personal roadmap to freedom.


From Sabotage To Success will be even more effective for those who:

~Have read every self-help book imaginable and still have found themselves stuck in their same old patterns.

~Are interested in changing the habits associated with self defeating behaviors that can keep them from reaching their full potential.

~Want to identify personal roadblocks, bring them to the surface to heal, then move on to claim the success they know is theirs.


The three best things about From Sabotage To Success in my opinion are:

One: Zampelli uses examples, anecdotes and stories from other real life individuals that exemplify the struggles we all face. This helps me identify with the issue at hand, realize I am not alone and that I am not "different" or "crazy" for having the feelings I do. In turn, this helps me to heal and overcome my highest hurdles.

Two: Zampelli fills the book with exercises, thought provoking ideas and tools. Soon after reading, I found myself excited about my life again. Through identifying and removing ways I stand in my own way through negative thinking - I've learned to identify when I'm "unhealthy." Free from negativity, I'm liberated to be excited about my life and the possibilities it holds for me.

Three: Zampelli, as customary, presents all of her work in a "been there done that" format. It's hard hitting as her story is a deep and painful one. Yet, this accessibility is exactly what makes Zampelli's books worth reading and applying - she speaks from her own passion to overcome obstacles, and her passion to succeed becomes contagious.

A Final Note: Just like her other work - this is not a book you will finish, close, then never look at again. It is a reference book you can consult over and over. As usual, I always choose to take the broad brush stroke first, then walk back through slowly - taking each exercise one at a time. Zampelli has penned another winner here - and she takes you right along with her.

I found From Sabotage to Success to be a delightfully fresh approach to presenting psychological theories, techniques, concepts, and jargon into an enjoyable, easy-to-read format. Ms. Zampelli offers a fresh new approach to presenting a wide array of comprehensive self-help techniques to just about any person who picks up the book!

Although I have read probably just about every self-help book on the market, I found Sabotage to Success to be among the very best of its kind. Since it is my observation that most of the women who I work with tend to sabotage their own chances for happiness and success, I will be recommending it as a "Must Read" for all of my clients. If you want to improve your life in any way, this book will help you discover what's holding you back...and what you can do to grow.

Cathy Garger
Personal Coach

email me, I'll let you know...

It's okay, I had to read it for a class. He raises some good questions but he's long winded. A lot of us have already thought about these questions. Talbott feeds you some good food for thought though.

Once being an engineer, a scientist, a professor of Electrical Engineering, etc., etc, now I'm watching this world amazed by its reality and its beauty. My soul is awaken. The wonderful book by Stephen Talbott tells us who we are and to where we do belong

This book is well written, provocative and covers a lot of ground in a very short space of time. The author presents a well-reasoned argument for reversing the usual cause and effect critique of the evil computer, and his suggestion that the problem is in the way we think about technology is right on.

This book should be read by all those who live with the Internet and technology. While not exactly a Luddite (Talbott uses computers and the Internet a great deal), the author presents many reasons why we should not just accept the promises of a technological paradise without reflecting on its consequences.

I first read this book (not completely) just out of high school, for the purpose of a little education prior to declaration of a Political Science major. It was easy to read and concepts were easily understood. This book gives enough information to answer basic questions of Political Science as well as creating deeper more involved questions to be answered elsewhere. This is a great background book. Personally, I love the ancient philosphers and this book does a good job of using their best works.

I have the 3rd Edition from college and recently returned to it to read some parts that were omitted then. The book is great because it is not only a comprehensive anthology of important political thought but it also has well-written introductions that explain what you are about to read. Since some of the writers are not the easiest to read in the original, the introduction plays an important part in understanding what you are reading. And don't worry about the price -- you are buying a lifetime reference book.

I used this book in college, I think maybe an earlier edition, very good readings of different political thinks, put together very well, I must say one of the best political science text books.

I purchased this book in 1975. It is the remaining text from my undergraduate days that I keep on my book shelf... a tremndous resource.

I actually took the class of the same title at UC Santa Barbara from Dr. Ebenstein himself. Back then, he was a giant in the political science field (still is) and we stood in awe of him. At the same time, he was the only professor I had there who would invite us to a brown-bag lunch each week to discuss course work and his personal experience in Europe before and during WWII. I cherish the text as a reminder of my unbelievable good fortune to have known this great scholar as well as a kind and gentle man. He and this book continue to inspire me.

I was required to read this for my intro. to Political Science class, respectfully named Western Political Tradition. I could not think of a more useful and concise book for students to have during their studies, especially for those wanting to have the main arguments of the worlds leading philosophers.Starts with the Greeks on to present thinkers such as Hayek and Rawls, with biographical backgrounds followed by some of the works they are most famous for.

Holy Ambition deals with the problem that most Christians, including myself, struggle with. How do we take all of our good thoughts and intentions and turn them into something concrete. Ingram gives illustrations that help us to sort through the noise of life and obtain some clarity. Along the way, he also takes away excuses and challenges the reader to make a difference.

This book has been the most challenging book I have read since "Experiencing God" by Blackaby. It forces you to look at what it really means to live out your Christian faith and seek to make a difference for God in this world.

I am a pastor of a church and have given out at least 35 copies to individuals within our congregation. If a few people in a church could put these biblical views into practice, that church would impact its community and the world for Christ.

Move this book to the top of your "to read" list!

After seeing Chip Ingram at a conference, I was excited to get this book. If you are a Christian, just getting by ... read this book! It will challenge you, and make you re-think about your walk with Jesus. It is top notch, and lists many verses to study on the bible.

Get it, read it, and get closer to Christ!

Holy Ambition is a book all Christians should read. It talks about what it takes to make a difference for God. Chip Ingram, a teaching pastor on Living on the Edge and President of Walk Thru the Bible states that in order to make a difference for God, you need the following six steps,

1. developing a dislocated heart
2. experiencing a broken spirit
3. practicing a radical faith
4. creating a strategic plan
5. exercising a personal commitment
6. growing a couragous soul

Don't stop here. You may think you're not "good" enough to be used by God, but let me tell you, God uses ANYone at ANYtime, ANYwhere, so what does it mean to have a dislocated heart, a broken spirit or a radical faith? You will understand once you read this book.

I'm almost half way through already and let me tell you, in the four chapters that I have read so far, I am already moved by God. In that four simple chapters, I learn that we should live a life for God and give ourselves for Him, not the way we want, but the way HE wants. Notice this phrase, `it is not about you, it is about God.' All our treasures are stored in Heaven. Whatever you lose on earth for Him, is what you get back in Heaven. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." Luke 9:23-24 NIV.

What I learned most is, a Christian having a big house, a loving spouse, happy kids, nice cars and a 6-figure income doesn't mean anything to God. The question you should ask yourself...is that what God wants for us? Right now, the key is not what we want in life but what He wants for us. Don't get me wrong, it is not bad to have those treasures, but what is important is our intention. Why do you have them? Do you use them to satisfy yourself or used for serving God or helping others? If God asks you to give up everything (savings, assets, treasures) in order for you to follow Him, what would you do? These questions are not meant to scare you, because your answer doesn't affect me. It is for God. If you answer "no" to the last question, don't feel bad. We're on the same boat. Now is the time to ask God, "I am here for You, I am willing to take whatever you have for me, use me God."

You may think you have to be "good enough", well let me tell you folks, God will use you, me or even Chip Ingram himself no matter where we are in our Christian walk. It doesn't matter whether you're an amteur Christian or you're a faithful Christian, God will use you, in times you least expected at a place you wouldn't want to be. You don't have to be a good speaker or smart to be used by God, you just need to follow the six steps above and Ingram will teach you what it takes to make a difference for God and a great way to start...is by reading "Holy Ambition."

Chip Ingram here presents six characteristics needed to develop what he calls "holy ambition." Holy ambition is defined as living a life that leaves a spiritual legacy in the lives of others. The six traits he offers are: a dislocated heart, a broken spirit, a radical faith, a strategic plan, a personal commitment, and a courageous soul.

Ingram weaves Scriptural passages together with his own experience to provide support and illustration for each characteristic he names. For the Christian reader who has digested numerous books on increasing devotion, there won't be any startling revelations here or radical insights. Instead, the value of Ingram's work is that he gathers together widely known Biblical passages on spirituality and organizes them in an easy-to-follow manner.

The title of the book is accurate - as the author does an excellent job in showing us "How to Read Proverbs". I have taught Proverbs 1-9 at least three times in Sunday school classes and so I knew many of the things he had to say. But it is refreshing and assuring to hear someone say the same things I had discovered about Proverbs. He gave me good ideas on how I could improve my teaching on Proverbs. Much of the material can be used straight from this book when teaching Proverbs.

He shows that Proverbs sees life as a "Road" or a "Path" or a "Way". And how we should walk a "Straight Path" and not a "Crooked Path". Life is full of "Decisions", that point us in "Directions", which will ultimately end in "Destinations".

In the 3rd chapter, I think the author is in error on page 32 when he is speaking about the two Women. There he says, "Both have prepared a meal". I know that Wisdom has prepared her table and her food, but I do not see any preparation on the part of Folly. And I think that is the point of Proverb 9. Folly does NOT prepare, even though she makes the same invitation for the simple to come. Folly's only food is stolen, but she does not prepare it. I believe that is the point of Proverbs 9. God in His Wisdom is very well prepared and thought out. His plans are always for our good. It was in wisdom the He created the world. On the other hand, Folly makes no preparations - because she really does not care about her guests.

I liked his 4th chapter and how he showed that proverbs are Parallelisms, Parallelisms of Opposites, Better-Than Proverbs, Imagery and Secondary Devices. Some people can over do this stuff and ruin a Sunday school class. But this would really be good to share with people and he has great illustrations to show each category.

Chapter 5 - I think that this is one of the key chapters in his book. He successfully shows that proverbs are not "Law" with absolute results. Instead, proverbs are general principles that have to be taken in context of life. He gives excellent examples to show how he comes to this conclusion. He also gives excellent examples to show the absurdity of reading these proverbs the wrong way. This was a great chapter as he shows that some proverbs are lessons from Observations and Experience, some are Instruction Based on Tradition, some are Learning from Mistakes, but ultimately all are learning is from God's Revelation - the Fear of the Lord.

No offense, but I thought chapter 6 was boring and I did not care that other nations in Solomon's day had also used this genre. I don't know anyone in a Sunday school class who would care. To some this might be interesting, but thankfully this is only one chapter and he does not over do this.

Chapter 7 was excellent. I had never seen the book of Job and the book of Ecclesiastes in this light. He shows how these 2 books give balance or completion to the idea of the proverbs. Just when you think you understand a proverb, read Job or Ecclesiastes to get the whole picture. I learned a lot from this chapter not only about these 2 books of wisdom literature, but also how they give perspective on proverbs. Very good!

Chapter 8 was also very well done as he showed how the lives of Joseph and Daniel are great illustrations of the proverbs. Their lives are the proverbs with flesh and bone - not just proverbs in theory. Life does not always yield the immediate results we think we will have even when we obey the Lord.

Chapter 10 is very well done and gives a good example of how to look at the entire book of Proverbs and concentrate on just one theme at a time. We need to follow that one theme through the whole of Proverbs. From this approach you will see that one theme often has many aspects and is much more than you may first think. I find this chapter an example for us to use as we start our own study of the Proverbs.

Do not let the simplicity of this book fool you. He has done an excellent job in making it easy to read. It clearly shows you "How to Read Proverbs".

Aside from a little over-spiritualizing in the "Woman Wisdom or Folly" portion, I thought that the book was quite engaging and informative.

Positive:
- Easy to read
- Good structure
- Very helpful study questions and "for further reading" at the end of each chapter
- Good approach to the subject
- Compares Proverbs to Near Eastern wisdom texts to give background information of such kind, in such days in that region - amazing similarities!

Almost negative:
- The author uses the New Living Translation (NLT)
I must admit that I am a lover of the King James Version (KJV). But in such a book I would have expected a different version of the Bible. An example might illustrate my point:
Proverbs 8:14-15 NLT
"Common sense and success belong to me.
Insight and strength are mine.
Because of me, kings reign,
and rulers make just decrees."
Proverbs 8:14-15 KJV
"Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice."
Proverbs 10:19 NLT
"Too much talk leads to sin.
Be sensible and keep your mouth shut."
Proverbs 10:19 KJV
"In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise."

Overall an excellent book, for beginners and advanced students of the Bible alike. The author took me several layers deeper into the Word of God - I enjoyed the ride!

Part II of Longman's little "How to Read" series, I think it is by far the best of the three (his Psalms intro is a close second). His exposition on the meaning of Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly was fantastic. His integration of other wisdom books was very helpful and militates against an isolated reading of Proverbs. And his interpretation that the woman in Proverbs 31 represents Jesus was genius. This book really motivates you to tackle Proverbs on your own and to really appreciate its artform. And you can't ask more from a intro book.

For a brief, nontechnical introduction to Proverbs, and wisdom literature in general, you will want this book. Longman discusses Proverbs in three sections: 1) General overview of Proverbs and wisdom; 2) How Proverbs fits into the overall theme of ancient wisdom (this includes the other wisdom books in the Bible and wisdom in other parts of the ancient world); and 3) Themes in Proverbs (money, love & marriage, wise and foolish words).

This book is not a verse by verse study of Proverbs. For that you will want a commentary, such as that by Dave Bland or Bruce Waltke (see my reviews). Instead, this book is an introduction to Proverbs and the nature of wisdom literature.

Chapter one is entitled "Why Read Proverbs?" Below are comments from that chapter:

"Wisdom is the skill of living." (P.14)

"Wisdom entails the ability to avoid problems, and the skill to handle them when they present themselves. Wisdom also includes the ability to interpret other people's speech and writing in order to react correctly to what they are saying to us." (Pp.14-15)

Proverbs is more about E.Q. (emotional quotient) than I.Q. (intelligent quotient). Proverbs uses stories of animals (Prov. 24-28). "These animals don't have a high I.Q., but the verses plainly describe a skill in living that is remarkable."

"People who have a high I.Q. know many facts; they can solve difficult mathematical equations. Their ability to reason and use logic is superior to others'. People with emotional intelligence have other abilities, including `self-control, zeal and persistence and the ability to motivate oneself ... to control impulse and delay gratification; to regulate one's moods and keep distress from swamping the ability to think...'" (Longman quotes from Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence). Biblical wisdom is closer to EQ than IQ. (P.15-16)

"Wisdom is a skill, a `knowing how': it is not raw intellect, a `knowing that.'" "Why read Proverbs, then? To gain wisdom, which is an ability to navigate life." (P.16)

You'll appreciate the insights Longman's book will give you to get a handle on wisdom in general and Proverbs in particular. I recommend it.

This text is an incredible human anatomy book. The author is very engaging, making human anatomy very fun to learn. The clinical views are strategically inserted throughout specific sections of the book, as to enhance your human anatomy learning experience. This textbook is very easy to read. It makes human anatomy FUN!!!

This book is exactly what I wanted and it is in perfect condition. I recieved it in a good amount of time. Thank you!!

This book is well organized and user friendly. It's a good BASIC anatomy text with more simplified, easy-to-follow explanations and great illustrations.

I am a 17-year-old pianist and high school student residing in New Jersey. I am studying human anatomy and physiology to improve my piano technique. I am not going to be a professional anatomist later in my life. I am going to be a professional pianist.
I bought this textbook to study the basic detail of the human body. Although this is a college level textbook, I recommend this book for everyone who wishes to study basic human anatomy. Weather you are a professional medical student or not, you can learn a lot of detail things through this book. Whether you are an athlete, a musician, or just a person who wishes to know about the human body, this book will help you greatly. I guarantee that you will enjoy reading this book.
The author of the book regards readers as people who have no knowledge at all about the human body. So why don't you go ahead and start reading? How exciting!

I used this book for an introductory course in Anatomy at BYU. The text was good and very useful. However, I used it mostly to study for my lab and it was very helpful in that it had really good pictures and labels for help in lab. I wouldn't ever want to sell this one back, you can refer to it for your entire life.

Anne Graham-Lotz have done it again. I enjoy all of her books. They are truly spirit filled.

Ms. Lotz presents the Bible in a totally different way than anyone I know. When she speaks of Isaiah, she makes you feel like she knew him personally. She really gets into the mind of the character. Even though she is Billy Graham's daughter she has issues just like the rest of us. People don't always treat her so well either. She is very humble in letting us know that. Her writing is for the average person who needs encouragment.

My mother had searched for this particular book forever. She is a Graham fan! A great Christmas gift I must say! Thanks!!!

As the daughter of the world renowned evangelist Billy Graham, author and speaker Anne Graham Lotz frequently shares in her auspicious father's spotlight --- not on his shirt-tails as it were, but because of her own skilled ability to speak and write in a similarly compelling manner. Lotz has written a number of titles entreating fellow Christians to draw closer to Jesus Christ as the meaning maker to all of life's quandaries and as the final answer to discovering true inner-satisfaction and peace amidst a troubled, war-ravaged world.

In her newest text, Lotz continues in a similar vein, challenging evangelicals to "wake-up" to the call that time is speeding by and countless individuals pass into eternity unprepared spiritually. Citing 9/11 as her own personal "wake-up call," Lotz recounts her invitation to speak on "The Early Show" mere days after the 9/11 attacks. Revisiting her thoughts and feelings from that time, Lotz reports on her on-air conversation with co-host Jane Clayson, in which she shared that it is America's moment to decide whether "we're going to implode and disintegrate emotionally and spiritually or whether we're going to make the choice to be stronger." In response to Clayson's assertion that many people were expressing indignation and anger at God, Lotz replied with an honest observation that, for the most part, Americans have been shaking their fist at God and telling Him to get out of the schools, out of the government, out of businesses, and out of the marketplace. "And God, who is a gentleman, has quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life, removing His hand of blessing and protection."

On the heels of such a pronouncement, Lotz then begins her text in earnest as she lays the foundation for the practicalities of re-awakening a believer's heart who outwardly appears to be in tune with Christ because such said Christian quotes Scripture, prays out loud, sings hymns from memory, and has a cursory understanding of historical Christianity. Yet this person lacks the heart passion for God's Word, for intercessory prayer, for sharing the gospel, for saving a lost and dying world, and for Him alone. Pointedly, Lotz goes straight for the jugular and aims to either incite fresh passion or see complacent Christians cringing at the truthfulness of her words.

With the prophet Isaiah as her model, Lotz explores this biblical character's journey to greatness by detailing his life struggles, which she successfully pairs with modern-day life events so as to further demonstrate how alike today's believers are with historical figures and how God works in similar fashion throughout the ages with His people. Lotz urges Christians to recognize their sleeping state, wake up, open their eyes, rend their hearts, bend their knees, heed the call, move their feet to action, and stay awake for the duration. One of Lotz's strong suits is the ability to balance difficult calls to change with hope for lasting inner-transformation. She understands that Christians, on their own steam, cannot achieve (or succeed over the long haul) what the Bible calls them to do without the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.

Fans of and newcomers to Lotz will be admonished, chastised and revived. And due to Lotz's gentle boldness, they will thank her for the upbraiding.


--- Reviewed by Michele Howe

This is my first time reading anything by Anne Graham Lotz. She was a guess speaker at my church & I enjoyed her sermon. This book is a must read.

As a novice scribe in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) I ordered many books having to do with calligraphy and illumination. This book, the Illuminated Alphabet, has proven to be very helpful and I am extremely pleased with it. The images are large and easy to see and the examples have given me wonderful ideas for the scrolls I am learning to create. Learning painting techniques and seeing the detail is what I needed and this book has done exactly that. I highly recommend this book for those learning how to be scribes.

It you have any interest in calligraphy, luminations, or just pure beauty, then this is one small volume you will want to add to your collection. Now I must admit that the skill needed to create these wonderful works of art is much greater than I will ever have, but that is okay. I use works such as this purely for inspiration. I figure that it is a nice world just to know "someone" out there is able to creat something like this. It gives me something to shoot for. This work is certainly not for beginners but I don't think a beginner would be hurt one bit for having read and studied it. I shows just what can be done if you have the skill and knowledge. This is always a good thing. I also appreciated the authors notes on the history of this art form. I do know something of history, and this information alone was worth the price of the book. Recommend this one highly.

This book has helped me to learn and try my hand at several different styles of medieval illumination. I highly recommend this to any potential scribes out there!

"This book contains the best things to know to begin doing Illuminated manuscript writing. The authors list great resources, give useful lists, and then help you get started!!
In addition, I like the several styles of complete alphabets, how they are presented and described, and how to do the illumination techniques. It has taken me several years and attempts to find a book this beautifully complete. Other potential authors and publishers could learn from this wonderful book, because finally I feel confident enough to tackle the several projects I've got waiting for me. You don't have to be an artist to begin to do this work when you use this book.
Thank you to the authors and the publishers for their insight. Now I have the knowledge to be more confident in knowing where to start and how to progress with illuminating some of my projects.
Sandra Jones Ireland; Prince Edward Island Canada

A gorgeous book showcasing and demonstrating decorative calligraphy. Step by step instructions for a wide variety of styles and period pieces of illuminated lettering. A great way to add some interest to sketchbook journals. HOWEVER! A patient and attention-to-detail mindset is required for this exacting art form.