T Books

Little Cub wants to know who invented Christmas. Mama takes Little Cub on a polar expedition to find God & see how He gave us Christmas.
A beautiful story showing God in creation (enhanced by wonderful illustrations), discovering the true meaning of Christmas & how very much God loves us all.

This amazing book provides an insight to the true meaning of Christmas and allows for my children to ask questions relevant to their age. Wonderfully written!

This book is perfect! We have an annual tradition of getting our kids a new book each Christmas Eve. This year's choice was "God Gave Us Christmas." The message is perfect! Recognizes Santa...but honors God. Very nice story...cute illustrations! Highly recommended for little children!

This book continues in the wonderful style of Lisa Tawn Bergens other books. What a blessing to share with my children. The real and complete meaning of Christmas, Jesus. Excellent book. It brings tears to my eyes everytime I read it!

A great book to teach kids (mine are 8 & 11) about the wonderful things God gave us especially his son at Christmas. Love it!

More of us need a mirror so we can truly see ourselves and discover that there are positive changes we can make that will enable us to be better people and that can make the world a better place to be. This is perhaps the weakest book of the five, but is still a good read. Do start at the beginning, however, of the series, or nothing will make much sense (if anything DOES ever make sense in this mixed up world of today).

Mark Rodriguez 2/26/06

The Mirror of Merlin, Author: T.A. Barron, ISBN: 0-441-00846-1

The Mirror of Merlin book review

As Merlin realizes that his home, Fincayra, is in grave danger of the ever growing haunted marsh, he steps up and decides he is going to find who made that happen and why. This story takes place at the legendary island called Fincayra, just before the medieval times. The characters in this epic story are Merlin, his friend Hallia, the evil witch Nimue, and a friend he meets on his way, Ector, (otherwise known as Arthur). As Merlin and Hallia find a ballymag (a water creature who lives in the marsh) in a stream instead of a marsh, he tells them that the haunted marsh is growing rapidly. They also discover that the marsh ghouls are attacking innocent people, which they only do when someone invades their territory. But they don't know that the evil witch Nimue is behind it all. The reason why the haunted marsh is growing so rapidly is because Nimue traveled through the magical mirror. This can take people into the past or future. Since she traveled through the mirror she has the power to control the marshes because someone unexpected taught her about the magical way. So she uses her magic for evil and controls the marsh ghouls and the marsh itself so she can take over the legendary island Fincayra. This book is one of the better fantasy books I've read.
The reason this book tops my list is because I really like fantasy books and that this book seemed really good to me. This book was also a real page turner. It kept up with the story and it sometimes got really suspenseful at times which caused me to read it even more. There are also really good descriptions throughout the book. I really enjoyed this kind of genre for this book because I love fantasy and anything with swords, dragons, or wizards has always interested me. This book really hit on all of those things that I love. I would recommend people from 6th grade to 8th grade to read it and if you are the kind of person that likes fantasy I would really recommend this book for you. Also there were a couple of surprises in the story that really got me. One of them was finding out that the little boy named Ector is really King Arthur. So if you need a book to read, pick this one up and enjoy!

This novel is a fast, fun, and thoroughly entertaining read. While not on the same level as the classic fantasy novels, Barron has found a way for the reader to connect to the young boy Merlin, and always want more at the novel's close.

In the long winter in a enchanted forest a child was born Merlin enchanted life. This book was a skill fully written book by Rosemary Sutcliff. A novel that will catch the readers eye. Set in England and partly in Norway, far away from the world we know to a unreal universe beyond imagination.

This book set in a fantasy/ medieval setting. The main character in this book is the all powerful Merlin, described as a towering, wise and tattered man. Merlin created by the evil, dark, shadowed, witch, and queen of evil Mab to bring the people back to the old ways. Queen Mab's plan backfired and merlin will do anything to get the queen back for killing his aunt Antasia. At just a hand wizard merlin is ready to fight. But is Merlin ready for the challenges he is about to face? Read the book and find out.

This phenomenal book I would recommend it to any young reader looking for a good book. If i were to rate this book on a scale from 1 to 10 it would be a 10. Any young reader would love this book.

This book review was written by Philip Davis

I liked this book because it presented problems not yet thught of in the average reader's mind. This bookis also intertwined with the other books so you didn't have to meet the whole cast of characters. It took little characters from the other books and made them bigger in one way or another.In every book new information is presented, this book holds alot. Not considering learning about Fincayra itself this book is only second to the fifth book.
I think the best part of this book was when he meets himself, it was a comical meeting. Full of questions and anwsers. The meeting of young and old made me feel and think of pity, sorrow, laughter and wonder on what is to come in the future.
I think the most vivid part of this book was when older Merlin grows a tree right in his own house. In the middle of his own living room! Reading the tree grow is as if you are right in the room when it happens. As if the tree is planted in the book and you are riding it yourself. Not only do you feel that you were there but that you belng there.

I have the Rip It! book and love it. I just got this book for my niece for christmas. She wants to learn how to sew and I know this is the best book out there for her. It's very easy to understand and comes with patterns for her to learn with. I'm also getting her a sewing machine from www.sewfastseweasy.com
I love giving! She is going to be so thrilled!

I bought this book for my daughter and she has taken to sewing extremely fast. She's so proud of what she makes. Her enthusiasm for sewing now is almost too much for me to keep up with. This book was was easy for her to understand and the illustrations were very clear. She's been playing around with reconstructing her clothes so I'm thinking of getting her the Rip It book as well. I'm happy to see her involved in a positive hobby that she truly enjoys and gets satisfaction from.

I just bought this book because I wanted to delve into sewing a little more. I knew how to sew but I didn't know much about sewing techniques or terms or sewing notions and how to use them. This book was very easy to understand and explains everything I need to know about sewing and using notions and patterns. It's now my sewing bible! If I get stuck on something I grab my sew fast sew easy book.

The book is great it even comes with patterns. The book is easy to understand and has lots of detail. I would definatly recommend it.

very easy, simple instructions. i've been sewing with a machine for years, but never used a pattern. this book explains in depth the steps to completing your project from beginning to end using the paterns included in the book. everything came out very excellent, very pleased. NOTE: For first time pattern users/sewers ONLY... if your more experienced you might find this to be a little basic. but the sewing patterns alone are worth the price of the book, and like i said, they come out great.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot. This is not a type of book I am used to reading but it is very well written. The subject is very intersting and Mr. Vertosick makes it very easy to understand for people like me, who does not know a lot about subject.

I highly recommend this book. I am an R.N. and my husband is an electrical engineer and neither of us could put the book down. I've read it twice already. It's very well-written and shows a side of surgeons you never see in the hospital.

Excellent book. It reads fast, and provides the reader a poignant view of what the sacrifices and the emotional toil one can expect medical training to take on their soul.

While my friends are always discussing their latest fiction reads, I usually don't have much to say, since I tend toward nonfiction. I do not often read a book cover to cover. This one I could not stop reading. Dr. Vertosick is a most compassionate and kind person, with incredible writing talent. His sense of humor is remarkable. I felt like I was there throughout the experiences he recounts in his training as a neurosurgeon. As others have said, this is a very accessible read for those who are not in the medical field, and the Dr. explains so much about his cases and profession in a way that is fascinating. After reading this I had a better understanding of what surgeons go through. I was most impressed at what a wonderful human Vertosick is. Would love to meet the man.

Originally published in 1996, "When the Air Hits Your Brain," by Dr. Frank Vertosick, is a mesmerizing insider's look at "an arrogant occupation" whose practitioners operate on the spinal cord and the human brain ("a trillion nerve cells storing electrical patterns more numerous than the water molecules of the world's oceans"). A neurosurgeon must be supremely confident in his ability to get the job done; if he were to dwell on everything that could possibly go wrong during a procedure, he would be too terrified to operate. Because of the high potential for missteps, neurosurgical training is an arduous seven years of hell. Before he starts treating "brain cancers, spinal cord injuries, head trauma, [and] lethal hemorrhages," a trainee must endure a grueling regimen of study which includes repeated humiliation at the hands of verbally abusive mentors. This is not a profession for the faint-hearted, for when neurosurgery is unsuccessful, the results can be catastrophic. Even if the patient survives, his cognition, speech, movement, and vision may be forever compromised. In the words of Gary Stancik, a sardonic chief resident, the brain is like a '66 Cadillac: "It was built for performance, not for easy servicing."

Vertosick fell into neurosurgery by happenstance. He spent some time as a steelworker, majored in theoretical physics, and wound up choosing medicine by default. In the years to come, he would have to adjust to impossibly long hours, inadequate sleep, and hit-or-miss meals. He would become adept at performing quickly and efficiently under pressure. However, none of his earlier experiences would fully prepare him for the emotional roller-coaster that lay ahead. He was destined to endure a trial by fire when faced with such cases as a six-week old infant born with a malignant tumor, a twenty-two year old woman with devastating multiple injuries resulting from an auto accident, a Vietnam veteran with an intracranial aneurysm, and a twenty-eight year old pregnant woman with a lump of cancerous cells in her brain. Fortunately, Dr. Vertosick enjoyed some notable successes; he was instrumental in helping a number of gravely ill patients resume normal lives.

Although it is vital to care about and communicate with each patient, Vertosick argues that it is a mistake to become too personally invested in each outcome. Hardest of all, one must accept the unpleasant fact that even brain surgeons can commit colossal blunders. On one occasion, Vertosick sank into despair when one of his patients died because of what he perceived to be his incompetence. He could have given in to his torment and self-loathing and abandoned his career, but he ultimately decided to "stop moping over one postoperative death." In the words of the aforementioned Gary, "Yeah, it's a nightmare, but that's neurosurgery. Land of nightmares."

"When the Air Hits Your Brain" is impeccably and stylishly written, with fascinating asides about the complexities of medicine and the human body. Vertosick's wry and irreverent black humor serves as a welcome respite from the book's often grim subject matter. In his postscript, which was written in 2007, the author provides updates on the changes that have occurred in the last decade: by law, residents are not allowed to work more than eighty hours a week, aneurysms may now be treated without resorting to invasive surgery, and new technologies such as deep brain stimulation and "frameless stereotaxis (a kind of GPS system for navigating the brain)" are revolutionizing the field. This is an intelligent, moving, and enlightening book and one of the most powerful and intimate accounts that I have ever read on the making of a surgeon.

I have been reading Acts of Faith for several years and find it to be the perfect morning read. It sets the tone for my day and helps me remember how blessed I am and how much I need to grow. It often reminds me of lessons that I have forgotten.

I lost my copy at a hotel a few months ago and missed it tremendously, so I had to reorder.

If everyone could learn these lessons, we would be a better world.

GET THIS BOOK! READ THE MEDITATIONS! We need inspirations and meditations and affirmations...THIS BOOK IS A TRIPLE HITTER!!!
I purchased this book when it first came out (Over ten years ago) and at that time I read each meditation daily and FAITHFULLY. Over the years I have had to tape the cover to protect the cover from wear and tear. I also marked the dates of my affirmations, and as I re-read the meditations/affirmations (yes I continue to read the daily affirmations-life doesn't change, there will always be stuff to go through)
I had a chance to see how God has moved me through the various situations I found myself confronted with and also to reflect on how I have grown. I thank God for this book and for giving us Iyanla, who had the wisdom and discernment and OBEDIENCE to write it. I often give this book as a gift when I see folks who are at a place of contemplation; So I recommend this book 100%. Don't be afraid to use it during the happy and not so happy days that will come to past. I have two copies one at home, and one at work. Enjoy!

I had read several other books by Iyanla before I started with this one and I have to say that I have never read another book that give's one so much information and yet is so accessible. Iyanla has a way of making seemingly esoteric issues very relatable and very understandable, and very easy to apply to your everyday life. "Acts of Faith" is definitley in that vein. I would also recommend 'Until Today' by Iyanla which I believe is a more developed version of 'Acts of Faith' in that the daily passages are longer and she give daily affirmations and activities to complete on each day.

Excellent collection of opinions and advise for inspiration and reflection for all aspects of life.

This book has inspired me. I have found several meditations that apply whole heartedly to my life. I have retyped and copied several of the quotes and taped them to my refrigerator or put them on my bulletin board at work. This is a book I needed years ago.

This book has given me insight and inspiration on several different topics. Since I bought it a few years ago, I have yet to put it down. I'm always reading this. I have become more pleasant in certain circumstance because of something I've read here.

For anybody facing lifes highs and lows or debating whether or not to start meditating this book is one you should have. It's so nice to have a book that focuses on the daily ins and outs of being a person of color.

My doctor suggested this book, and this non-diet approach and I am grateful that he did. This book changed my life. It has not only helped me improve my relationship with food, it's improved my relationship with myself and with others. It has improved the over-all quality of my life. I will never diet again. This book easily explains the reasons why diets don't work from real-life perspectives. I was able to relate so well to the people who shared their experiences. The journey has been amazing. If you have struggled with food or eating disorders this book can change your life as well. It's probably the best purchase I have ever made.

Okay, sorry, maybe the title of my review was a little extreme but that was how I was starting to feel last year. For the last 23 years of my life I had been in a never ending battle with my weight and food. Every extra ounce of energy went into planning my next meal, wondering when I could eat again, dreaming and longing for the foods I wasn't "allowed" to eat and worrying about how many calories I'd consumed.

After losing and gaining the same 80 pounds twice, I lost 80 pounds again and was well on my way to gaining them all back for the third time. The thought of having to go on another diet filled me with despair and dread; I just knew I couldn't do it again. And, then by some small (or maybe big) miracle, Dr Michelle May and the "Am I Hungry?" program was introduced into my life.

Have you ever watched a baby eat? When they are done eating there is no way, no how you can make them eat without forcing them and in a similar manner, they will let you know EXACTLY when they are hungry and need to eat. As adults, we still have that inner wisdom in us - the little voice that tells us when to eat and when to stop when we've had enough. But, for me, years of dieting had beat that out of me. I could no longer tell when I was hungry and I sure as heck could not tell when I was full.

Let me tell you, when you can't feel or hear your own body's hunger and satiety signals, it sure makes it hard to stop eating when you've had enough!! As a result, I was constantly starving myself to lose weight and then overeating my way (because I couldn't hear my body tell me when to stop) back into weight gain. Am I Hungry? explained why diets never have and never will work as a long term solution. Am I Hungry? helped me get back in touch with my internal hunger cues and helped me learn how to tune back into that inner wisdom my body has about how much, what and when to eat. When you listen to your body, it will tell you EXACTLY what it needs!

So far I've lost a little weight and it continues to come off slowly. But, that is okay with me because I have found a way to eat and a way to live that I know will last me for a lifetime!

This book is one of those best kept secrets. I was amazed at the amount of info in this book. For anyone who has ever dieted and lost, this book is for you -- I mean it really is. I have battled weight gain for many years, and this is the first book that told me to master my hunger cravings. I am one of those people who often goes all day without eating, because as soon as I do, I cannot stop. Something kicks in and then I become a eating machine. This book stops that cycle permanently, and frees oneself of the curse.

I have been waiting my entire life for this book! I have been on many diets and read many diet and nutrution books. This book teaches you what all those thin people naturally do. It explains why diets don't work and how they set us up to flucuate between restrictive eating and over eating by depriving us and how that messes up our metabolism setting us up for failure. It teaches that All Foods Fit and how to live an Active Lifestyle with out punishing ourselves with food and exercise. It even touches on how to cope with Emotional Eating however, I do still believe that there are deeper psychological reasons why we emotionally overeat and some may need further work in this area with a professional. I did find the nuturitional and exercise information news that I already knew, but she helps clarify some misconceptions around some of the diets out there. I highly recommend taking the 8 week teleclass on their website - It helps incorporate all of the tools in this book and is definately worth the money -(After all aren't you worth it?). I highly recommend this book over any other diet/nutrition book out there! I will be getting rid of all of my other diet books on my shelf and incorporating all of the tools for life.

There are many books out on intuitive eating, and this is one of them. The ideas laid out in the book are not new, but are very good. I have read many books on intuitive eating, and have found others (Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works, The Rules of "Normal" Eating: A Commonsense Approach for Dieters, Overeaters, Undereaters, Emotional Eaters, and Everyone in Between!, Fat Is a Feminist Issue, Why Weight? A Guide to Ending Compulsive Eating) much easier to read. This book is highly repetitive. There are eight chapters in the book, and each one deals with eating, nutrition, and exercise. I think this format would work better as a class, in which there was repetition at each session. As a book, however, it didn't work for me. Furthermore, as a person who has been hyper-focused on my eating for most of my life, I know more about nutrition and exercise physiology than most experts, having started reading peer-reviewed research on these areas at an early age. I don't need assistance understanding nutrition and exercise facts. I need help understanding how to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm not.

So, while this book has some valuable information, I think that there are books that lay out the same information in a much more accessible format.

What a visially stunning book. Bruce Timm's artwork is sensationally brought to the reader through Chip Kidds fantastic use of photo design. This book thoroughly examines the behind the scene design concepts of Bruce Timm and Paul Dino and company with insightful reading on how they got to create one of TV's best animated series. A valuable piece of work collecting wonderfully laid out illustrations. Highly recommended for the curious and pure fans of the Batman character.

A very good buy, i was waiting to have this book in my hands for a long time and i finally have it, it's just excellent for those who love the batman animated series and animation. It has a lot of tips and information "behind the scenes" of the series.
very recomendated, the only bad thing is that it was the only book this kind, i'm still waiting for something similar but of justice league and batman beyond.

"Batman: The Animated Series" was one of the most revolutionary and influential cartoons ever created. This book, written by B:TAS writer/producer Paul Dini, is an essential look into the creation and phenomenon of the series. While a little slim on actual reading, what is there gives you that most coveted "behind-the-scenes" info on what it took to make "Batman". (For another perspective on the show's creation, check out the "Modern Masters: Bruce Timm" interview book.)

The real meat of the book lies in its visuals: photos, line art, animation cels, background keys, licensed toys, etc. The layout of these materials seems a bit haphazard (for being done by the "design-god" Chip Kidd), with captions sometimes hard to correlate with their images and numerous fold-out pages (which I really don't care for). However, the sheer number and quality of images is amazing, and some of the full-page renderings of production key art is breath-taking. I question some of the image choices in the character-design section, particularly the villians. But, again, there's a lot of ground to cover here and the quality and quantity of pictures is overwhelming.

The book was published before Batman Beyond and Justice League, so the ending comments might seem a little off. Still as a retrospective on the "B:TAS", you can't ask for much more. This would have been a 5 star review, if only there'd been a little more reading and a bit less visual confusion.

Bottom line: Love "Batman: The Animated Series"? Buy this book.

Who best to write a book about this justifiably award-winning animated series than one of the series writer/producers--Paul Dini (who wrote one of my favorite episodes--"Heart of Ice")? And with graphic designer Chip Kidd involved, you have a book that looks great on the coffee table. The best word I can use to describe this book is "thorough." It contains superlative art in full color, storyboards, character designs, in-house memos, licensed products, an episode guide from the animated series, plus great information on why the series was created, why the censors said no to certain aspects, as well as facts about the movies based on the series (SUBZERO, MASK OF THE PHANTASM). My only complaint is that the book isn't longer. But that's not the authors' fault. They put together such a great book, you'll want as much insight into the creation of this series as you can get (like a good DVD provides). And these guys deliver! This is a great "backstage" look for fans of the series.

I really was blown away by how meticulously put-together this book was. Besides the animation being great, this documentive source included everything from the episode guide title cards, merchandise (including ice cream and bubblegum cards), storyboards, character concepts, and a hell of a lot more! It also includes a great photo of Bruce Timm's drawing desk- complete with all the references he uses such as G.I. Joes & knick knacks. Color photos are adorned throughout, but besides that, there are also great stories of what the animation department went through with the head leaders of Warner Bros. There is even a charicature drawing that includes everything that the animators were restricted to draw (a nude, smoking Catwoman, a boozin' Joker, Batman strangling his foe, etc- it's really a treat!)
Even if you've had the misfortunate of not being familiar with this cartoon series, owning this book will make you realize how much effort is needed to create something this vast, and how much more we need to practice to ever reach this level!

This book provides a very detailed look at the physics behind sharpening blades. I would highly recommend this to anybody who wants to learns the fundamentals of sharpening.

I was looking for more of a how to book. This book does have a lot of information, different angles, types of stones and hones, and a method of sharpening for any edged tool or knife. It just doesnt really show how to do it all.

What should I say? No need anymore to write other books on sharpening. It is well written and very informative on every detail. If you would like to know everything about sharpening, buy this book and you're done.

You have to admire the author. He packs a huge amount of detailled and easily read information in this book. The electron photomicrographs, showing various sharp (and not so sharp) edges using various abarasives are excellent. Leonard also seems to know everything there is to know about the history of steel making, and abrasives. There are excellent chapters on just about every kind of woodworking tool imaginable, with plenty of excellent photographs. If I were a woodworker I would regard this book as being the one and only complete reference text.

BUT... my personal interest is in sharpening kitchen knives. And the chapter on knife sharpening is the least informative in the book, and really tells the reader nothing new that is not already available on many web sites and in Steve Bottorf's book, "Sharpening Made Easy". Also the advice to use plastic book binders as sharpening guides is quite simply useless - they slip off and/or distort under pressure.

I don't mean to disrespect Leonard Lee, or this book. But it is really for woodworking tools, not kitchen knives. Sorry!!

This is an excellent book that delves into the foundational knowledge that supports the techniques it illustrates for sharpening tools. I was fascinated by the exploration in the topics when bringing the techniques into practice sharpening my chisels and plane blades. It addresses many different types of tools and is a great reference for learning and continuing to learn how to sharpen tools, especially as they apply to woodworking.

Each chapter reminds you of a time in your own life, and makes you ask yourself "what did I learn from that experience" and what about that situation makes me who I am today. You can't help but stop and think about the things in your life that really matter. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to develop, inspire and laugh.

Reading this book brought back memories and the emotiions of a youth growing up and learning not just about the world but more importantly the people in it. This book is a must read to individuals who wish to re-experience the joy of youth and the challenges it brought.

What an experience seeing these stories in print! They hit very close to home. In fact, they were FROM my home. Growing up in our home was a trip!. We were all very different, yet very much alike. Shared experiences have created a bond like nothing else. Our parents had a great impact on who we all are today. I'm proud to be Joe & Barbara's daughter, and Phil, Mark & Dan's sister. Phil's book created the same emotions in me as it has for many others. The tears and laughter were there, but I also feel the pride of being Phil's sister. As I read the book, many of the chapters reminded me of other stories he could have included (and some I'm glad he didn't!). Thanks for the stories Phil, you always were full of them!

After hearing Phil speak so many times, I didn't think it could get better than that, until this book. It was if he was right there telling me his stories personaly and touching my heart with everyone of them. The book is so easy to read and draws every reader back into their childhood. I love the way he tied the entire book together to end with such an inspirational feeling that there is hope in this world if parents would take the time to spend time with all of their own (little Joe's boys and girls)

This book is a Trojan Horse -- it looks like a warm, homespun book full of humorous down-home anaecdotes. But in reality it is a book of wisdom gleaned from rural roots and applied to the corporate boardroom. Phil Van Hooser has done a marvelous job of telling stories that have point.

Never before have I experienced a translation of Old Testament scripture that truly brought me into what the essence of the text was. Fox makes it perfectly clear that these books were written in Hebrew, not English. I would reccommend this translation to anyone who is curious what it is like to peek in on an ancient text and learn from the first five books of Moses in the way it was more likely intended to be learned from.

I liked the consistent inclusion of the Divine Name represented by the letters YHWH and some of the interesting renderings of certain texts.

Our Disciple Bible Study used the first version of this book in our Basic Resource Library. When the original book "went missing" we had to reorder, and discovered to our delight that the new book now included The Five Books of Moses. What a wonderful resource for Bible study, or personal use! It has become one of my favorites and I plan to purchase the next volumes as well.

I used to say that it was pointless to try to study the Bible without Hebrew - that it was impossible to "feel" the text, to get the humor, the irony, the poetry. Not anymore. This is a must for any student of the Bible, as it captures the liveliness and strangeness of the original and expose it as the allusive, alliterative, jabberwocky text that it is.

Hebrew is best, but this is, finally, a good second choice. It would be perfect if it had Hebrew written alongside - a great way to learn for students.

This is not the only edition with English translation of the Pentateuch/Chumash that I own, and I don't think it's the only one anyone should own, but it is an essential part of my collection. Fox has combined precision in translation with interpretation and poetry, and the combination makes me run to it very often to see his version, which often makes a challenging and provocative comparison to more traditional translations. The type is large and well-spaced. My only criticism is that the Hebrew is not included; at times I'd like to be able to compare the original words to Fox's renderings, to see how they compare.