T Books

The book title is exactly descriptive.For those who want the truth of the constitution,start your research here.The fatal flaw in Ron Paul's platform is that he relies on the constitution.If the foundation of the house is built with defects then the house (u.s. government) will be defective and will eventually collapse.If you want to see what the civil laws of good government are, then study the Torah.May I suggest a Messianic viewpoint for the best understanding.Shalom.

His best work and it will make you think. He effectively questions the lame assumptions, propaganda, and hero worship that were drilled into most of us in the government un-schools.


I had to read this one again almost immediately after I finished it the first time.

Author Royce has done a tremendous amount of research to back up his claim of that the Constitution will never restrain the powers of the ruling class. Well quoted and with incredibly relevant quotations of the the nation's Founders the case is well laid that the Constituion (of? or for?) the country is not and was never meant to be a serious leash on overbroad power.

A condensed and scholoraly work, well worth the time and effort to read it. And most definetely not for the timid of intellect or the intellectually cowardly.

It also segues wonderfully well with the Author's previous work Goodbye April 15th!, it fits as a addendum and clarifying work.

For years I have heard that the adoption of the Constitution was a victory of the wealthy upper class of the former American colonies over the common people. Liberals have used this fantasy to push their view of an "organic" Constitution that must change with the times - change in ways that promote a liberal statist agenda, that is. Royce shows that there is in fact much truth to the liberal claims - the Constitution was a clever shell game, designed to hoodwink most Americans into thinking they were getting a free democratic republic, while in actuality laying the groundwork for a strong, and eventually oppressive, central government. But Royce's conclusions are totally different from the liberal's - he persuasively calls for amending the Constitution to push the country back in the direction of freedom and individual rights. Royce also backs up everything he says with solid research and quotes from the Founders, both those who favored the Constitution, and those who opposed and feared it for the threat it posed to individual liberties (the latter included Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson). For those trying to figure out how we have strayed so far from the freedom that the American Revolution was fought for, Hologram of Liberty is a must read.

In the preface of this book, the author challenges us to find the inconsistency in the Constitution's preamble. He presents this truncated quote: "We the People of the United States... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." I'll admit I didn't see it, and even after Royce explains that "United States" has a considerably different meaning than "the United States of America," it still made no sense to me. (It's not easy to overcome a thorough public school brainwashing.) Only after reading most of the chapters did I finally experience an "aha!" moment, and I promise that by the end of this shocking book, you will, too. Highly recommended.

Its been over 10 years since i read this book and i still to this day remember the characters names, what the book is about and no i dont own a copy of it yet... for the life of me i could not remember the title of the book or who wrote it... but i did reconize the cover instantly! thats just the type of impact that a book like this can have on a person....

This is a wonderful book if you like to babysit. I love this book. I read this book years ago and then I bought it on Amazon.com and My son, daughter and there friends have read it. It is a good book. What I like about it was that Scott helped her and he stuck with her..Read it to undestand what I mean.

I read "I Won't Let Them Hurt You" and I thought it was a wonderful book. This story is about a girl named Katie who was babysitting a little boy in order to get money to buy a dress for her school dance. In the beginning, when I found out that Justin was being abused, I thought it was his father. Later on in the story, I continued to think that it was the father who was beating his child, Justin. Katie, the babysitter had seen bruises on Justin everytime she went to babysit him. Her date for the dance was Scott. Scott's mother was involved with children who get abused and she helped Katie out. Katie had felt very guilty about telling Scott's mother about Justin's problem. I could understand how she felt telling because it made her lose her job and it also made Justin's mother upset. Scott's mother had Katie speak to someone about Justin's problem. Later on, Katie spoke to Justin's mom about Justin's situation and found out that it was Justin's mom who was abusing him. It came as a real surprise to me that it was Justin's mom because all along they lead me to believe that it was his father. Justin's parents then had to go to a class each week about abusing your child and how it was wrong to do so. I thought that it was wonderful how Justin's mom was going to go get help because she really needed it. I enjoyed reading this book a lot and would definitely recommend it.

I think this book was one of the best books I ever read. I gave it 5 stars because it was suspenseful, exciting, and informational on child abuse. It was about a girl named Katie, who started baby sitting this little boy, Justin. She started noticing cuts and bruises on the little boy and was getting worried that something was wrong. She thought that Justin's father abuses him. She didn't want to tell anyone what she suspected because would anyone believe her? If you read this book you should look forward to a surprising ending! I recommend this book to readers of all ages. Have fun reading!!!

I Won't Let Them Hurt You is a great book.I found this book easy to read; I didn't want to stop. Some books drone on and on, but this one keeps your attention. I rated this book 5 stars because it had a great story. This book is about a babysitter who thinks that the child is being abused by his father. She is very worried about him and will do anything for him. Katie doesn't want to believe that his parents would do something like that. Be prepared for a surprise ending. If you decide to read this book, get comfortable. You won't want to stop reading. I recommend this book to kids of all ages. This story can be very influencial to some. I hope you enjoy this book.

I've watched a lot of television in my 28 years. I've read newspaper articles, seen press conferences, and listened to radio interviews. But I never realized the deliberate steps those people were taking to get their message across.

I had no idea that there was a thought process behind how often to plug your new venture in a radio interview (as opposed to a newspaper interview). I didn't realize that you should address a T.V. reporter differently (and more often) than reporters in other media. And I certainly didn't think about the methods used to create those "talking points" we hear so much about these days.

I'm not sure this book prepared me to immediately jump in front of the cameras. But, it caused a definite shift in my thinking. This book is an important first step for anyone who is naive about the effort required to effectively communicate with the public (via the press). It's also vital for those who are cynical about preparing for interviews, or worried about "selling out" for the purpose of gaining attention.

This book could easily be subtitled "How To Respect Your Audience." Mr. Walker spends a fair amount of time explaining that when you don't properly prepare yourself and your message, you do a huge disservice to your audience. I recommend this book as a primer in dealing with the media. It gives lot of techniques with examples. But, most importantly, it explains the rationale for each tip. Because all the techniques, tips, and tricks in the world won't help you if you don't firmly understand and believe in the power of preparation.

I wasn't to excited as I started reading this book, but it got much better. I found quite a few great ideas and helpful information if you are going to be on television. TJ Walker really gives some good tips and advice on how to sit, what to wear, what to do with your hands, and common mistakes so that you can avoid them.
I have been researching analogies since I came up with my 3 message points and am trying to come up with my own.
I would recommend this book, it is a quick read and will give you some valuable information if you have to go "on the air".

T.J. Walker is a true genius when it comes to looking good in the media. His advice, based on decades of media exposure himself, paired with a solid foundation in media best practices, have yielded the #1 methodology for getting the right message across and looking good in all forms of media. His advice is sharp, insightful, accessible and immediately applicable. His books, CDs and his personal coaching have been invaluable to me and my business.

Media Training A-Z is the #1 book I've found on this topic and I recommend it highly to anyone who plans or hopes to be in any form of media spotlight - TV, radio, or print. The advice in this book is packaged concisely enough to be read the day before you're on air, but dense enough to prepare you thoroughly - and even teach the pros a new thing or two...

TJ Walker is a clear and concise in his Media Training A-Z book. this is a very user-friendly book that is a perfect handbook for anyone who needs or wants to work with the media.

When it comes to talking to the press, people are largely divided into two camps. The first doesn't think it's anything to worry about and the second is terrified of the prospect. Media Training A-Z from TJ Walker has a little something for both groups.

I've worked with a few people who fall into the first camp. The CEO who doesn't think he needs to "waste" any time preparing for the interview ends up having a rambling, hour-long conversation, during which no message is communicated. The reporter is left with little that's usable and often takes their pick from the dozens of messages they heard. Once the interview is published or aired, the CEO complains about being misquoted or "taken out of context."

To them, Walker communicates the importance of preparing for the interview. He advises that you not enter an interview "without knowing in advance precisely the exact quotes you want to see in tomorrow's newspaper or tonight's newscast." He includes examples from the political world of how communicating can make your career (think Ronald Reagan) or break it (Howard Dean).

For the novice about to face an interview, Walker dissects it into its various parts and lays out a systematic plan of attack. The book is also loaded with tips and tricks that Walker has drawn from more than 20 years of media training experience. From what to say, wear and even drink, Walker conveys it all.

The book is not flawless. Some people may find them helpful, but the acronyms Walker uses for memorization reminded me of high school and were so long that the acronym was almost as difficult to remember as the concept to which it was related. I also could have gone to Walker's web site to find his other products and thus have done without the 30 pages he devotes to them at the end of Media Training A-Z. But those minor detractions are more than made up for by the balance of the book.

A final note for leaders (of non-profits, companies, churches, etc.): speaking to the media will most likely be unavoidable at some point in your tenure. Because what you say to the media could eventually be seen/read/heard by thousands of people, you should do your best to make sure you say it well. Media Training A-Z made me a better communicator and helped me teach my clients to do the same. Whether you're a public relations pro or prepping for your first TV interview, this book is a valuable resource.

I thought this book was an excellent resource for research into the origin of Christianity and the Bible. As one who has believed in Christ from an early age, I have, however, always wondered if the Bible is truly reliable for everything pertaining to life. The christian books and studies I have been involved in for years leaves no room for depth spiritually, of which I crave. This book has opened the door for expansion from the narrow views I have had thus far. The book is well written, the pictures are great, and the meaning the author gives for the images and what they represent was an amazing eye opener for me. I would refer this book to all who are thirsty for more spiritually. This is a good place to start.

This is a great book for anyone that wants to begin learning the history of the Black race as a whole. Even if you're well learned in the area, I still recommend this one to you. Buying it is a great investment. WARNING: It will challenge traditional Christianity's teachings.

This book has so much information on African history. EVERY AFRICAN AMERICAN or of African descent should READ this book and take it seriously. I would give this review 100 stars if I could. If you wanted to know something about your history, this book is a good place to start. Anthony Browder gives you a great deal of information about Egyptian (Kemetic) civilization.

This book gives you information on how the Kemets were the originators of astrology, sciences, mathematics, geometry, medicine, masonry, etc. Anthony also talks about the Bible and how the Kemetic people worshipped.

I am so glad that I purchased this book. I simply just LOVE this book and it will always be a part of my collection.

PEACE

As an African American male, I give a standing ovation to the contents of this book. Mr. Browder states, in very simplistic and understandable form, many of the contributions that the Ancient Africans have made modern civilizations all over the world. To any African American who wishes to know some about people from which they came, I highly recommend this book. TEACH THIS TO YOUR CHILDREN AS WELL!!!!!!!

This is a good beginner book brothers and sisters that are beginning to learn more about our history.

The material in the book was written in very plain, common sense that the average person can learn and build on. This is a must for your libaray and good material for our children to learn about our rich history.

But this is only the begining for those who are in search for more light (knowledge).

Peace,

Chiclet and her "mom" have done an exemplary job of researching and compiling a much needed resource for pet owners. Scared Poopless provides a humorous, yet insightful look into the trials and tribulations encountered when caring for our beloved four-legged "kids." This book raises many questions that we have as animal guardians and encourages us to explore all available options in seeking answers. I carry it in my practice and sell it to clients at my cost.

My name is April and I am the owner of Dogs On The Run.[...]Being that I am working with animals everyday and educating my staff and clients, I felt this book was not only fun but educational and easy to read. I think the auther did an outstanding job on this book and will be sure to recommend it to everyone I know who wants the "Straight Scoop on Dog Care."

I read the whole book Sunday and can't say enough about how wonderful it is. To be able to write like that and to give so much useful information, even references to things that are not fun for dogs to have happen to them, is a gift to all companion animals and their people. I loved the writing style and learned so much. Our pets are important family members. This book teaches you how to keep them healthier by vaccinating less, feeding them nutritional food that can in the end cost less and save on veterinary bills. The books is a great resource for everything you want to know about your dog's happiness and health.

As both a dog owner and veterinarian by profession, I work in the world of medical science and I live in the world as a devoted dog owner. Therefore, I can truly appreciate the need for Scared Poopless: The Straight Scoop on Dog Care. Although the title might suggest the content is someone trivial, this author has poured her heart, detective skills and keen sense of intuition into real fact finding and honest answers. Her concerns should also be your concerns and her cautions, your yellow flag! In these times we are all bombarded with tons of information and often not enough time to make truly informed decisions. Therefore, I encourage you to let Jan Rasmusen be your guide to bridge the dangerous gap between advances in modern medicine and aggressive marketing campaigns fueled by drug companies to help you decide what is best for the dog in your life.

Scared Poopless is an absolute must have resource book for every dog owner. Jan Rasmusen has done the research for us and compiled it into this enormously informative and easy-to-read book. Everything you ever wanted to know about caring for dogs and a good deal you didn't know you needed to know is within the pages of her book. As a concerned, but somewhat uninformed Mom of three Maltese puppies, I have found Scared Poopless to be invaluable in providing me answers to my questions on many standard veterinarian practices. The chapter on nutrition for our best friends is especially relevant today as "pet parents" deal with the very real concern of feeding our dogs healthy, nutritional meals. Jan's book is exactly what I have been searching for. I love it!

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!! I LOST MY SISTER KATHY IN 2006 TO CANCER. MY WORLD THAT I KNEW WAS GONE.HOW COULD MY SISTER BE DEAD. I DID NOT THINK I COULD GO ON WITHOUT KATHY IT HAS BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS SINCE MY SISTER DIED. READING T.J. WRAY'S BOOK IS LIKE SHE IS IN MY HEAD WRITING MY STORY!ALL I CAN SAY IS IF YOU HAVE LOST A ADULT BROTHER OR SISTER GET THIS BOOK IT HAS HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY THANK YOU T.J.WRAY FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.I TRULY DO UNDERSTAND YOUR LOSS DEBRA

I lost my 37 yr old brother suddenly & unexpectedly. I found this book extremely comforting & enlightening: setting my reactions into a context of normalcy, and clearly articulating feelings that I too have been experiencing yet hadn't consciously associated and understood to be a part of my grief. So many of the stories hit the mark. In one case, T.J. Wray's explanation of sensations experienced while on a trip to the store had me in awe; I'd 'been there' just a day before. I'm grateful to have found such a grounding & wonderful reference.

My only sibling passed away from cancer at age 38. I found this book through the Compassionate Friends web site. It was a wonderful read. It didn't help ease any of my pain, but it did help to know I wasn't alone in any of my feelings. The author talks about how society doesn't value sibling grief and we are made to feel that our pain is less than the spouse, children, and parents who also grieve. I highly recommend this book to anyone grieving the loss of an adult sibling.

This is very well written and I am amazed at how much I can relate to the author. I am very happy with this purchase.

This book really helped me to understand the emotions I was going through. It also helped me to understand what the future holds with this grief. I lost my only sibling and am now responsible for my 91 year old mother. I will keep this book with me forever and recoomend it to anyone who loses a sibling.

As a building professional (licensed general contractor since 1991), I think that this book by Amy Johnston is an excellent resource in preparing a person to undertake a building project. The book is chock full of practical, insightful information that gives consumers a 'peek behind the curtain' of building contractors, as well as the building process in general.

Over the years, I have heard of many construction horror stories and am dismayed to see builders with great marketing but little integrity continue to do project after project. If more consumers would take the time and effort to educate themselves about the building process, there would be far less 'money pit' experiences on building projects. This book makes it easy to be an informed consumer.

Amy gets it. I now feel educated. This book is well written, easy to read and packed with information. I am now looking forward to having a successful project (as opposed to being another horror renovation victim).
Thank you Amy!

Amy gets it. I now feel educated. This book is well written, easy to read and packed with information. I am now looking forward to having a successful project (as opposed to being another horror renovation victim).
Thank you Amy!

This book was an excellent resource - helps make you a more savvy owner. You will better understand both the process and the contractor's mindset. Good guidance on where to focus and how to avoid pitfalls.
Would also recommend Hiring Contractors Without Going through Hell.

there are thousands of books on the general subject of home renovation. for the important steps that take you from idea/dream to budgeted plan and actual work, this is the perfect guide. ms. johnston is a rare author whose main objectives are to inform and support. readers of this book, if they're anything like my partner and me, will be empowered to pursue their ideas in a realistic, fiscally disciplined way. after reading ms. johnston's book, we feel like agents or real participants in renovating our home, and not hope-filled homeowners eager to make someone else's labor work for us. we know what work we can do, and what work we need someone else to do. this is an excellent place to begin planning an addition or home renovation. it's a text you can return to again and again throughout your process. (i understand that a revised edition will be published in january 2008. i have the first edition, and will buy the new one. these comments refer to the original edition.)

The two greatest strengths of Michael A. Roberto's book are its honesty and clarity. He admits that most people are uncomfortable with conflict and that many well-intentioned leaders shut down dissent. He's also honest about how likely it is that things will go wrong along the way, at least temporarily. Fortunately, he's also very clear about steps you can take to guide conflict in a productive direction, and why this matters. Roberto analyzes several well-known examples of bad decision making and shows how the absence of dissent or institutional mechanisms that insulated decision makers from essential - though not necessarily positive - information created serious problems. The list is long and chilling: President John F. Kennedy and the Bay of Pigs, President Lyndon B. Johnson and Vietnam, NASA and the Columbia shuttle explosion. His discussions will give you a powerful desire to review your organization's decision-making processes and, more generally, its culture. As Roberto himself readily admits, his techniques are not cure-alls, nor easy, but they will lead to improvements. We recommend this book to managers with decision-making responsibilities and to anyone who is committed to improving organizational functioning.

This is a great book. I highly recommend it to any CEO. It will make you stop and think how you interact with your staff and whether you are getting the answers you want to hear and need to make good decisions.

Michael Roberto provides a book that can help not only managers, but employees at all levels. Yes-men and Yes-women not only promote (self-promote), and perpetuate their self-interests and its negative effects by what they say, but also by what they *don't* say. This is often as much as or more detrimental. Most of of us have witnessed this no matter where we work, no matter how big or small our organization is.

The 1986 NASA Space Shuttle disaster noted in this book was a prime example. Several investigations and studies examined the thought and decision-making process that caused this debacle. What led to this unnecessary and horrific tragedy? The decision-making process (along with its machismo). This calamity was one-hundred percent avoidable. Launching the Challenger in the first place is considered a criminal act by many.

Roberto uses variety in this exploration and in-depth study of the decision-making process. Appropriate coverage of MLB General Managers is also examined. Sport GMs have to make difficult decisions based upon current market value and and the collective needs, yet also assess what the potential in the near, mid, and long-term future will be. Other critical
examples cited are decision made by politicians. These individuals make decisions that affect the lives and death, of up to hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions, of people. Author Roberto's classic example was LBJ, and how he stifled and belittled those who dissented and raised questions to his disastrous and failed policies in South East Asia in the 1960s.

There are four parts in this book with nine chapters.


Assumptions:

We all make them. No matter who we are, or what situation we're in, we make assumptions. There is an old saying: "assumptions are the mother of all f-ups." Our assumptions need to be tested and checked by others. In today's world - organizations - make many of the major decisions: collective decision making. Providing the proper quality of environment (local to larger corporate culture and management style) that leads to *how* these decisions are made is the focus.

Roberto lists the five myths of decision-making, which are followed up by the "truths" about how decisions are made. Appropriate dissent and debate is needed and critical in today's rapidly changing environment. People who will ultimately make the decision need to ask themselves: "how honest are folks being with me?" Especially when debating, negotiating, and attempting to build a consensus for making the best decision and executing it.

This is one of the many reasons this book can help employees,
team-leaders, project managers, lower, mid, and upper level managers. Those who participate, question, and seek the best solutions get kicked upstairs. Yes-men don't get kicked upstairs, and for good reason.

Those with control should leave their egos at home and focus not necessarily on the "what" but the "how." This books will be helpful and provide results if one wants it to.

Years ago, George Reedy wrote a book, The Imperial Presidency, about his association with President Lyndon Johnson. As I read that book, I was reminded of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Emperor's New Clothes." Recently, as I read Michael Roberto's book, I was again reminded of Anderson's tale as well as Reedy's book. Emperors, presidents, CEOs, etc. who discourage, indeed punish dissent deny themselves access to information, perspectives, opinions, and suggestions which they may need when making difficult decisions. As a result, they as well as those for whom they are responsible are vulnerable to the consequences of bad decisions which can include making no decision whatsoever.

I forget the source but I once learned of a group discussion during which a CEO turned to one of his executives and observed, "You agree completely with me. One of us is useless." (Sounds like Jack Welch.) According to Roberto, the most effective leaders are those who "cultivate constructive conflict so as to enhance the level of critical and divergent thinking, while simultaneously building consensus so as to facilitate the timely and efficient implementation of the choices that they make." Roberto goes on to assert that "effective leaders can and should spend time `deciding how to decide.' In short, creating high-quality decision-making processes necessitates a good deal of forethought."

Roberto carefully organizes his material within four Parts. In Chapters 1 and 2, he provides "a conceptual framework for thinking about how to diagnose, evaluate, and improve strategic decision-making processes. Then in Chapters 3-5, Roberto focuses on the task of managing conflict (e.g. factors that can inhibit candid dialogue and debate). Next, in Chapters 6-8, he concentrates on how managers can "create consensus within their organizations without compromising the level of divergent and creative thinking." In Part IV (Chapter 9), Roberto shares his thoughts about how this book's philosophy of leadership and decision-making differs from conventional views held by many managers. "Specifically, I distinguish between two different approaches to `taking charge' when confronted with a difficult decision." He devotes an entire chapter to differentiating between the two approaches.

Throughout Roberto's lively narrative, there is a strong recurring theme: "leaders must strive for a delicate balance of assertiveness and restraint." One challenge is to be able to do either effectively. Another, greater challenge is to know when each approach should be taken. In this context, Roberto has much of value to say about great leaders as great teachers: "They prepare to decide just as teachers prepare to teach. They have a plan, but they adapt as the decision-making process unfolds. Great leaders do not have all the answers, but they remain firmly in control of the process through which their organizations discover the best answers to the toughest problems."

One final observation of my own. It would be a serious mistake to assume that Roberto wrote this book primarily for senior-level executives. All organizations (regardless of size or nature) urgently need effective leadership in all areas and at all levels. They need people who can make the right decisions, notably when the given problems are especially serious. For these and other reasons, I highly recommend this book to individuals who must make informed and correct decisions about almost any business situation as well as to others who must collaborate on them.

As Roberto well realizes, there are specific reasons why Dante reserves the last (and worst) ring in hell for those who, in a moral crisis, preserve their neutrality. Some decisions require courage, others require judgment, still others must be made quickly and often with insufficient information. How and why are great leaders able to make such decisions, either alone or in consultation with others? In essence, that is what Roberto's book is really all about.

Those who share my high regard for this brilliant book are urged to check out Jason Jennings' THINK BIG, Act Small, Michael Hammer's The Agenda and Robert Mittelstaedt's Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?

Boy, if I had a buck for every time I heard that from someone sheltering the boss at the top from the truth, I'd be a lot wealthier than I am now. "Yes" is what flunkies always tell the boss. "No" is what they often need to hear. "No, this project isn't going to pan out." "No, we can't achieve that goal, no matter how much money we throw at it." "No, it isn't going well at all." Problem is, who is going to bell the cat, as the Aesop fable asks.

The book "Why Great Leaders Don't Take Yes for an Answer" discusses behavior of leaders who realize that getting to the truth is more important that getting what they want to hear. And there are plentiful examples from real life situations that show us the tragedies that unfold when this isn't the case (The Challenger disaster for one.)

HOW a question is framed can result in getting answers, not fluff or outright obfuscation. The author lists five good alternatives:

1. Instead of "Why"--"Help me to understand why you believe"
2. Instead of "Why not" "Why not pursue other options"
3. Instead of "What if" "What if we found this assumption to be false"
4. Instead of "What would you do" "What would you do if you were in my shoes"
5. Instead of "What makes that optimal" "You must have good reason for thinking it's an optimal solution. I'd like to hear them."

There's a lot more in this book, but this is a modestly-looking book that packs a huge punch. If you seen projects flame down millions of dollars while the bad news is squelched, if you were a top manager who found out too late that something was heading south when you were told time and again it was heading north, you should read this. Excellent book, and really essential to any manager's reading list.

This is part of a (3?) volume set of corrected Lovecraft texts from Arkham House. Either this, or del rey's "tales of horror and death" is a good way to start if you've never read Lovecraft, although Dunwich Horror primary focuses on one side of his writing (poe-ish) and the other on the dunsday-ish. As far as the book iself, it looks like the publisher picked the best of materials, texts, and fonts, and then did a slapdash job of gluing it together :(

If you are a real lovecraftian fanatic buy this book ! It 's hard cover not cheap paper back

This book is without question an astounding piece of horror literature. With such classics as The Dunwich Horror, The Call of the Cthulhu and other shuddersome stories, H.P. Lovecraft creates a world in which the supernatural ingress the real world and makes its hideous presence felt.

No other author can adequately replicate H.P. Lovecraft except during the times when they're trying (often with great disappointment) to be like Lovecraft. They, at best, plummet in their endeavors as a feeble simulacrum of the real master of horror. If you like horror and have never read Lovecraft, you either don't like horror as much as you think you do, or you have been missing out on a formidable force who has influenced just about every horror writer alive today.

This is the ultimate book by Howard Phillips Lovecraft (1890-1937), being part 1 in a 4-volume series completing the editing and publishing of his entire known prose work, not including his poems. All you really need to know about this book is the names of a few of the tales included, we're talking the best of the best of horror, sci-fi & weird tales here, in my opinion; "The Colour out of Space", "The Music of Erich Zann", "The Call of Cthulhu", "The Dunwich Horror", "The Whisperer in the Darkness", "The Shadow over Innsmouth" and "The Shadow out of Time" among others. These tales represent some of my decidedly favourite literature, and I've been returning to these tales again and again for more than 10 years now. It is kind of hard to summarize the book, since it is mostly shorter stories, but Lovecraft takes you on a journey from the deepest bottom of the ocean to the highest mountainpeak, from distant planets and solarsystems to remote, dark valleys and towns, from the darkest parts of the inner earth to the fringes of the human mind, among other places.

Lovecraft is really experiencing a renaissance these days, and it is well deserved. Never really acknowledged in his living days, he is finally taking his place among the ranks of the great US authors. The tales are not dated at all, but paint a very vivid picture of Lovecraft's own period of time. Though you often "see" the ending coming before you finish a tale of his, you still get pulled into the tale, unable to close it before finding out the terrible and magnificent end you have in store for you. As I said, these tales are really the prime of his writing, although his two longer tales are to be found in one of the other 4 volumes, also sold here on Amazon, which I'll review in due time.

Film-versions of some of his tales have started popping up from time to time, recently some of them of quite well-made quality, which makes me recommend readers to read the tales, and then watch the films, a lovely experience. Joshi has done a great job editing the tales into what I assume will be the standard edition of the texts, as close to Lovecraft's original intent as possible. The introduction to the book by the liberal Jewish author Robert Bloch I found to be a worthless introduction that twists Lovecraft's mode of thought into something quite different from what he would have enjoyed. Yes, Lovecraft was a staunch racialist and conservative, but so what? Who can say he was wrong today, with the direction the West is taking, well on its way to its own death, as he foresaw.

To summarize; one of my decidedly favourite books, in a sturdy hardcover with glossy quality dustjacket written well before the madness of "political correctness". Give Lovecraft a spot on your shelf, you won't regret it. Highly recommended!

I will not try to write a complete review, since I see that there are already 17 reviews available here, several of fine quality.

This edition is of great interest because it issues from Arkham House. Arkham House publishing was founded by August Derleth, a protege of H.P. Lovecraft who himself wrote a rather large volume of pastiche material using the Cthulhu mythos of Lovecraft. One motive of Derleth's in founding Arkham House publishing was to find a medium to reissue all the writings of Lovecraft, since many were confined to the pulps like Weird Tales that had first printed them.

I recently purchased this book. The quality of the book is excellent. The print is clear and easy to read. The bookbinding quality is just excellent. This may explain why the book is not particularly cheap.

As for the contents, readers may be glad to know that this book contains much of the very finest writing Lovecraft produced. The short novels were written following Lovecraft's return from his years living in New York, and follow the breakup of his marriage. This "period" of about a decade marked the finest of Lovecraft's writings. In my opinion -- arguably -- "At the Mountains of Madness" and "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" are the best works in the Lovecraft canon. A few other words might come up to them, but nothing's better.

Those who find Lovecraft interesting should also check out the writings of August Derleth that incorporate Lovecraft's "Cthulhu mythos." There is also a board game entitled "Arkham Horror" which attempts to recreate the scary Lovecraft universe on your card table. Whacky as this sounds, the game is fun to play.

So have at it! Scare yourselves silly! I love this sort of material myself.

The Begotten by best-selling author Lisa T. Bergren is the first book of the Gifted series. Book two, The Betrayed, was published in late 2007, and book three, The Blessed, is scheduled for release on 2008.

This book represents a growing subgenre of Christian speculative fiction - the religious thriller. Christian romance and historical fiction are established subgenres. However, "religious thriller" sounds like an oxymoron. The Publisher's Weekly review left me scratching my head in confusion. "CBA readers will find much to cheer, but others will also enjoy this classic battle between good and evil. Disregard Da Vinci Code comparisons and think Lord of the Rings, but without Hobbits and the allegorical trappings."

CBA encourages the publication of upliftingly enjoyable novels such as Christy by Catherine Marshall. Stretching the CBA's boundaries beyond The Chronicles of Narnia seems difficult. I often wonder if The Lord of the Rings had been published now whether it would have been embraced by CBA given the backlash against the Harry Potter books and their ilk. Besides, what is the LOTR without Hobbits and the allegorical trappings?

The story is set in 14th century Sienna, a city-state that will become part of the modern nation of Italy. A prophetic book, purportedly written by the Apostle Paul, describes the coming battle between good and evil, "not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." - Ephesians 6:12.

The powers of darkness work through men moved by greed, lust, sorceries, and death. The Gifted work through powers bestowed by God--wisdom, healing, faith, visions, discernment, miracles, and prophecy.

Before others of the Gifted can gather, the power of darkness strikes like a hammer to destroy them. Can mere men and women stand against such power?

Ms Bergren recreates the world of 14th century Sienna with a deft touch, bringing alive a culture that is completely foreign to our own.


With trembling hands, the old woman set down the box upon the table
and opened the lid. Spectacles! Gianni had only seen two pair of the
new contraptions--once in Venezia, the second in Roma. They were
frightfully expensive, an extravagance of the wealthy. And the lady
bestowed them upon a servant?


Though I would not claim an extensive knowledge of church or renaissance European history, Ms. Bergren fills her story with historical references with just the right amount of explanation that give her story breadth and scope, such as the removal of the papacy to Avignon in France.

The pace and tension of the story rise page by page, impelling the reader forward chapter by chapter to the rich, satisfying conclusion. Tom Clancy and Michael Crichton could do no better.

Ms. Bergren's storytelling demonstrates the blossoming of a genre that will appeal to people of diverse faith cultures--the religious thriller. I am looking forward to reading the other books in the Gifted series.


Recommended

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started the book. I never liked history and just wanted a good relaxing read. The information in this book has given me a desire to learn more about this time period and what it really was like to live then. It has also given me a thirst to learn more about gifts given by God. What a wonderful book. Other work by this author is what prompted me to pick up this one.

"The Begotten" is an engaging and well researched story of Medieval Italy, set in the time of the two Popes, one in Rome and the other in France, as well as the Inquisition. The story focuses on a small group of Christians exhibiting supernatural gifts of healing, wisdom, knowledge, faith, prophecy, ability to distinguish between spirits, working of miracles and tongues. These Christians, described in a long lost letter of St. Paul's as "The Gifted", have been expected. Their pictures have been painted on a church mural long before they were born.

"The Begotten" is a suspenseful story of the "gifted" against the forces of darkness, embodied by the "Sorcerer" in a time of fear and uncertainty within the Holy Roman Church.

"The Begotten" is highly recommended for those interested in history, church history, suspense, adventure, and friends relating as family. I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

I'm not a historical novel fan but could not put this book down. The underlying message touches each of our hearts even today. Its a message that needs to be repeated and remembered.

A thrilling page-turner without a dull moment in it.

This book actually boosted my faith on more than one ocassion, and the second one is just as great a story. The author certainly did her research so the historical side of this book is right on the mark - but it's the faith shown by the characters that drew me in, led me to read the second book, and I'm now eagerly awaiting the third. How these characters continued, and grew, in their faith even through the most devastating events is very, very encouraging for me. And how each character deals with their particular 'gifts' given to them by God is encouraging and faith-building also.

An awesome story with awesome characters who all have awesome faith!