D Books

I bought this book because I grew up hearing stories of Corrie ten Boom from my mother and her friends, and I wondered what all the fuss was about.

Well now I know. I couldn't possibly describe the experience of reading this book, and what it did for me, except to say that it was so much more than just a good read. I would say that it changed my life.

This book showed me that walking side-by-side with the Lord wasn't just for people in Bible times--it is meant for us today.

Corrie wasn't perfect. This book isn't about being perfect. And it isn't even about giving all you can give to God. On the contrary, it's about taking all you can take.

Her language is so simple, yet her message incredibly profound: there is an endless resource available to each and every one of us, and that resource is Jesus Christ.

Whether you're going through the most difficult time of you life, or you simply want to be inspired--Tramp for the Lord is the book for you.

I've read many of Corrie's books since this one, but "Tramp" is still my favorite. I own three copies, so I always have two to lend.

Now I'm the one telling people "Corrie stories" the way my mother used to. They are stories the next generation needs to hear.

Tramp for the lord is an eye opener for you to look at where you are, where you have been and where you are going. A good read for those moving through life and a must read for those that want to celebrate life to it's fullest.

If you read this book you will NEVER forget it. Such wonderful testimony to the miracles that the Lord is still doing in the world. I highly recommend it. It's a real page turner.

Tramp for the Lord is ONE of the most rewarding books I have ever read in my life. Everyone should read this book. She too was a human who sinned and came short of the glory of God. Corrie shares so much of her heart and life - not only because of her experiences in prison, but in every day life as she traveled the United States and to other countries to share God's work. As she experienced real life situations with ordinary people, that grew her daily in her walk with God, because as Paul learned, God's work was not easy. It was those situations that she shared in "Tramp for the Lord" that she was also growing with each situation she faced as Paul did as he continued in his day discipling for God. Corrie's book, "Tramp for the Lord," is a must read after "the Hiding Place" and will be hard to put down.

This book is a sequel to "The Hiding Place" a biography about Corrie Ten Boom's experience during World War II, arrested and sent to a German concentration camp for hiding Jews.

Corrie surrenders to God's Will for her life to take the Gospel and her story to the entire world. Because of her humbleness, she is able to connect to people from all walks of life, from royalty to prisoners. She was especially able to connect with prisoners who were hopeless because of her own experience of being locked up.

It was easy for her to minister to the victims of WWII, but Corrie resisted going back to Germany, the land that she dreaded. But she obeys and goes to Germany where she meets one of her former prison guards, one of the cruelest, walking up to her after a meeting. A chill grips her heart and bitterness wells up when he asks for her forgiveness. Leaning on the power of the Holy Spirit, she was able to forgive her enemy and found God's love overflowing.

Each chapter is a story and devotional about a situation Corrie encounters. My favorite one is, "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go, Dear Lord... but Not Up Ten Flights of Stairs."

This is a practical straight forward guide to Architecture for the non-architect. Also of use to those interested in building design and architectual history.

Vision is better than a thousand words. This graphic book makes you very easy to understand the architectural vocabulary. Not only good for student but also good for architectural practicer.

My husband bought this book for me when I decided to go back to school to study architecture, and it has turned out to be sooooo helpful. I have used it in every course I've taken; it makes studying for tests so much easier. It has a fabulous index so you can find what you are looking for right away, and the illustrations and page layouts are great. This book is a must for any architecture student. I really can't recommend it highly enough.

As with other materials by Francis D.K.Ching, the illustrations are not only clear and precise but aesthetically pleasing. It is a pleasure to read through the material for a comprehensive understanding of architectural concepts, presented in an historical perspective which clarifies the how and why of modern day building technology. The Visual Dictionary of Architecture
is an invaluable reference for the student and architectural practicioner as well.

This book is really good for architecture students. I do not use the book every day, but when I need it, it proves very usefull. All books from this author that I purchased are really good so far. This one has a lot of details drawings which are great.

great book, check it out!! awesome fight scenes, believable and realistic.

a fine mix of love, magic, adventure, and a sense of duty to a greater cause. I really enjoyed it.

also read salvatore (drizzt stuff), and Harry potter

give me some more--I luv it!

JUst when you think there isn't any more fantasy out there, someone comes along with a tornado to make you think again!!11 check it out man I love it and can't wait for more---------000

I initially wrote this book for family and friends and while a good story, I had no idea it would make the best selling list! Sorry for all the errors (I could have used an editor), and on page 261, the first line of the second full paragraph should be moved down to the third line from the bottom...the many monsters, etc.
I am currently writing the second book and trying to nail down an agent as well as a larger publishing company...be patient, its coming!
Thanks again for your support--Cheiron

Usually, the authors don't stick in my memory, and especially not exercise book authors, but Joyce did. I really loved this book. Got it a few years ago and I want to keep it, and infact am looking to collect and follow more of Joyce's books. I kind of let go and did not weight train for a good while, and now I want to get back to doing it, and am reaching out for her book again, and not some other book. Somehow, I connected with her (or rather she connects with us) and her exercises. They were so convenient. No gym required. A chair, and the 3lb weights is all I needed. I loved the simplicity. 1 or 2 of them were a bit challenging to do for me though and I had some questions on the correct technique but I bet with more practice & patience I can do them just right. Challenge is a good sign. It helps us reach higher. Overall, they were veyr much do-able, I enjoyed them and I certainly felt a difference in my posture, in my strength, and in my entire mind-set after doing these for a time period. I would rate her super. If you are patient in doing the exercises, and consistent (very important), you will 100% reap the benefits. All the best and enjoy!

Though this book was published in 1989, its substance was recycled in other forms, spreading the same confusing message.

The author is unsettled on the duration of daily workout from 12 minutes, 15 minutes, and then 20 minutes. In this book, the author proposes 7 days a week of weight training. In others, she proposes working out twice a week. She talks about "total body building", "supercuts", and "fat burning" without having the slightest clue on the basic physical facts about their scientific origin.

Here are some absurd errors you will find in this book:

1) The book claims the "you can shape up in no time if you do not have time to shape up" which is a lie.
2) Page 32, "the trapezius muscle is labeled as the latissimus dorsi. Then on Page 112-113, she describes "shoulder press with dumbbells" as "lateral pulldown" and claims to workout the latissimus dorsii. Thus, she confuses pulling for pushing. Though the book is introduced by a medical doctor (Jude T. Barbea) and written by an author with Ph.D. in English literature, the book completely misrepresents basic weight training teaching.
3) Page 139, "Eggs help raise beneficial HDL, break up cholesterol deposits and carry them away from blood vessels". So, how many eggs do you need to completely get rid of atherosclerosis?????
4) Page 139, "fibers help eliminate 10% of fat intake since they (fibers) pass through unregistered". She does not know how the fat is digested in the intestine and assumes that fat elimination is simply "sliding through" with fibers.

Here is her list of books that demonstrate the mad zeal of recycling simplistic and misleading information:

1. 12-Minute Total-Body Workout
2. Bone-Building/Body-Shaping Workout: Strength, Health, Beauty, in Just 16 Minutes a Day
3. Bottoms Up!
4. College Dorm Workout
5. Definition: Shape Without Bulk in 15 Minutes a Day
6. Gut Busters: The 15-Minute-A-Day, 12-Week Plan
7. Hard Bodies Express Workout: The Twice-A-Week Fitness Program That Really Work

8. Now or Never: Keep Your Body Young, Fit and Firm with the Weight Training Program That Works Even as You
9. Supercut
10. The Bathing Suit Workout
11. The Fat-Burning Workout: From Fat to Firm in 24 Days
12. Toning for Teens: The 20-Minute Workout that Makes You Look Good and Feel Great!
13. Top Shape: 12 Weeks to Your Ideal Physique
14. Weight Training Made Easy: Transform Your Body in Four Simple Steps

When I browsed through similar books that claim to achieve magic fitness results in about 15 minutes or so, I stumbled on a general trend. Whether the author is a man or a woman, those books clearly show narcissistic authors, with simplistic views who claim to lead the world to perfection. All share fond of their bodily outlook, neurotic, and impatient in acquiring knowledge, or adapting to new trends in modern exercise teaching.

The simplest rule of staying fit is "simple counting of Calories". One Calorie per minute worth of work will amount to 60 calories per hour and 1440 Calories per day. If you try to condense that in 15 or 20 minutes, you will need to expend energy at a rate of 72 Calories per minute, which is impossible even by swimming in cold water or cycling at top speed.

This book has a very do-able routine for anyone with limited space and limited budget. All you need are two 3-lb. dumbbells and a chair.

She does have a written cheat sheet at the back of the book, but the only quibble I have is that there should be a photo cheat sheet as well--the names of the exercises don't immediately bring them to mind.

There is good variety in the exercises, and you can use them to supplement any of the exercises in Slow Burn and Power of 10. Her explanations of Isometric Exercise and Dynamic Tension fit perfectly in with the super slow weightlifting concept.

Great workout for body toning. I loved it but I believe that in addition to her 12 minute workout, some cardiovascular exercise is necessary to be truly fit. Also, it is necessary to watch what you eat of course. I have personally seen and felt great results in a short period of time. I still struggle with some of the ab exercises and I did feel sore in my abs, legs and glutes for a while.

At age 20, I had already been through 3 surgeries due to bowel obstructions and Crohn's Disease (chronic inflammation of the intestinal lining). Suffering with the disease kept me fairly slim through out my 20's, but completely inactive. My well known "coke bottle shape" has always looked fine in clothes but, over the years I have lost A LOT of muscle tone and definition.

At 30 I had my son, and thankfully, my Crohn's Disease took a dive...but as a result my weight shot up. I only gained 12 lbs. during my pregnancy with my son, but after having him, I found it difficult to control the amount of food I was eating. 4 years later, I found myself at an all time high of 206 lbs. I went on a reduced carb-calorie counting diet and lost 27 lbs, but was still unhappy with the way my body looked ...and I was at a plateau. Even with my 1300-1400 calorie a day diet (I'm 5'7"), and briskly walking 3-4 times a day for 15 min, I couldn't get anymore weight off. I searched the web for a solution. I came to the realization that I needed to rebuild my muscles to boost my metabolism and reclaim my body shape... without the fat and cellulite.

I stumbled across Dr. Vedral's book while looking for a weight-training program that wouldn't impact the already limited time in my day and would cut out going to the gym (I hate the gym!). After two weeks of continuing my own diet, following her exercises and cutting my wallks down to 2 a day, I have lost 4.5 lbs! Her program is direct and well spelled out. I wake up a few minutes earlier in the morning to complete the exercises. It does take me a little more than 12 min a day, simply because I find that I need to do some stretching before and after, which she doesn't really require in this program. My only gripe would be that some of the pictured illustrations are more "cutesy" posed, than the true form that you need to start at, but the written word for the start position clarifies it for you. All and all, I couldn't be a happier. I can FEEL it working and feel confident that within a few weeks I will SEE results of more muscle tone and definition. All of my muscles have a "good" soreness they haven't felt in years and it feels great!!

Because of the light weights and basic movements I think 12 Minute Total Body Workout is a great book for those who are desiring to boost your personal fitness program, no matter were you're starting point is. Thanks, Dr. Vedral!! I love this book!!

The image evoked by the words on Nomi's gravestone led me into long ruminations about the ways to comprehend, and ultimatly tranform the sadness of, the death of a young life. How many of us have warded off the searing emotion of imagining the loss of a child? This is Fein's personal story as he tries to cope with his loss, honor his daughter's memory, and move foward with his life forever altered. The book is filled with a personal wisdom that is both deeply philosophical and searingly personal. To read this book is to vacillate between crying one's own tears for the loss of Nomi and being inpired by her own unique and powerful spark. The book is Fein's personal journey, but the story he tells is deeply and movingly universal.

I picked up Fein's book yesterday at the library and sat for an hour reading it without putting it down. Although I was familiar with Fein's writings within the Jewish community, I didn't know anything about him personally. I thank him for writing such a deeply personal story about such a tragic loss. I feel sorrow for his and his family/friends' loss, but also for all of those who never had the opportunity to know his daughter.

Leonard Fein's story of a parent's unspeakable loss of a grown child and the grieving that follows it begins as his personal story, gradually becomes our universal story, and remarkably by its end even fills us with hope.

The power of Fein's book was felt by me most deeply as a parent. To be presented with the portrait of this daughter, to consider the poignant relationship she had with her father and with her community, is to be called to reflect anew on the way one cherishes one's own children and the unique contributions they make to their world. The book is a nuanced, searching presentation of life and loss and love. I am augmented for having read it.

Leonard Fein finds words to express what I had thought were unexpressible thoughts and feelings. By doing so, he allows us to look at ourselves intimately, but without fear. His honesty with himself helps the reader consider and confront the difficult and painful. In the end, this book is extremely comforting.

This is a great book for the beginner or the experienced. We carry the book, CD and cards at Facets of Healing. It's also one of our suggested reads for our shaman students or those just wanting to know more about animal guides, or energies. I personally love the Antelope section, being an antelope shaman.

Namaste
Antelope Medicine Woman
AKA Jacuqeline Kennedy,
Facets of Healing and The Reiki Energy Healing Center
717 Vista Ave
Boise, ID 83705
208-429-9999

Received this book right away and really love it. It is well written and a wonderful addition to Animal Speak and Wise books by Ted Andrews

THIS IS A GREAT BOOK TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR ANIMAL TOTEMS AND SPIRIT GUIDES. STEPHEN IS AWESOME. HE IS AN AUTHENTIC SHAMAN. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MEET HIM. GREAT GUY, GREAT BOOK! (HE IS DOREEN VIRTUE'S HUSBAND)

I absolutely love this book. I am getting so much more information now after I got this book. I have it easily accessible because I am constantly getting animal images I then look it up in the book and the messages are relevant to what is going on in my life.
I had the earlier version of this book and felt guided to give it to a family member..And when I saw that he came out with this version with tons more animals I was SOO excited!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!

Well let me tell you, I will never look at an animal the same way again. I'm not sure how true the messages of the animals in this book are it is still a fun read that everyone (believer or not)can get a kick out of. The other day I read this book about the eagle and later on I took a walk and I heard the scream of an Eagle! There are very few eagles in this area, but there she was flying just above me and when I told my neighbors about the sighting, no one believed me. Go figure, when you start reading stuff like this, strange stuff (cool stuff) starts to happen. Enjoy!

I have only read the version of Babi Yar by Anatoly Kuznetzov. I'm not sure it is the same book as the one described here by A. Anatoli. However the book I read in 1980 left an indelible impression. The horrors of human cruelty and survival instincts of the oppressed are portrayed very well by the author especially since it is being told from the viewpoint of a 12 year old. As someone else commented; it is not for the squeamish.

I first read this book in high school as a shelf clearing library rat. It was not recommended, it was not widely known, it just sat on a shelf gathering dust. As far as I could tell, I was the first person to check this book out of my high school's library....books used to have cards glued to the back page where you signed your name...this one had no signatures. I read "Babi Yar" 3 times in the next 2 weeks and was stunned at the inhumanity of people towards people. I actually had trouble sleeping for a while. I didn't run across this book again for another 25 years. It kind of jumped at me from the shelf at my local library. It offered the same brutal emotional clubbing at 41 that I had experienced at 16. No different. How horrible can we actually be as humans? Pretty damn horrible it appears. The progessive rape of Kiev (et al) by Stalin, the Nazis, and Stalin AGAIN is a mostly overlooked story. This one tells it quite well. Music lovers should listen to Al Stewart's "Roads to Moscow" for a somewhat hurried reference.

This is by far the most significant piece ever written about the Holocaust. Amazingly, the author was a KGB agent while writing the book. He died under very mysterious circumstances.

It is amusing that one of the reviewers questions the authenticity of the story.

I recommend reading books by Elie Wiesel and Imre Kertesz as well. Read Yevgeny Yevtushenko's great poem too.

I am reluctant to believe that this novel is all true. It is sold as fiction, placed in libraries in fiction, and even teh Library of Congress lists it as such. Whether or not, it remains that this is an intruiging novel. I read it when I was a senior in high school back in 1996, and it has always been in the back of my mind.

Read it, research it, form your own opinions.

Some questions remain that I wonder about. Why were there no forensic tests or archaeological digs? Surely there is nothing to hide anymore. I would really be interested in reading further into this story and seeing what information can be gathered using science.

I am sorry for the above commenter's obvious pain my initial review caused. I was, I believe, researching in the worng way.

I read this book in the original Russian. I could not put it down until I read the whole thing. As far as truthfulness I have absolutely no doubt, since his accounts are the same that I have heard from my own grandparents who fought in and survived in the war. To the reviewer below - Jeannette DuPree (South Carolina), what do the modern historians doubt? The thousands of victims (including the immediate members of my family) of German brutality? It's revisionist lying.

The basic idea is to quit expecting other people to make you happy, and take care of your own needs. This books gives you insight on how to do that within your couple. It can also lead you to clues of how you keep making the same relationship mistakes...keeping yourself dissatisfied through the years...

I thought this would be more of an in depth self help kind of book. It wasnt. Come to find out all this authors books are pretty much the same.
Could be good for others, but wasnt what I expected at all.

This book has lots of great information that is told in a very entertaining way. Highly recommended.

This is a simple, well written book that explores "Being the Person You Want to Find" rather than finding a specific person to fill your holes. In other words, it's primarily about your relationship with the most important life partner you will ever have... YOURSELF.

If you think about it, you are your only 100% GUARANTEED life partner. This book is about looking at your beliefs, behavioral patterns and conditioning in a curious, gentle and open way toward the goal of having a comfortable relationship with yourself. The unspoken corallary to this might be and thereby... avoid projecting your stuff on to others and get involved with the wrong people unconsciously.

This book is indirectly about relationships because by being the person we want to find, we are most likely to attract healthy people who will treat us as we treat ourselves. This book also helps us to look at our conditioning as a whole, which serves our relationship goals by making our unconscious conditioning more conscious.

I have read a number of Cheri Huber's books and have found them to be easy to read, very practical and entertaining. She does not overwhelm the reader with detail, but she provides a lot of useful and practical tools for those brave enough to do deep inquiry. She focuses more on lived experience in the moment than in-depth discussion of theory.

All of Cheri Huber's books emphasize the importance of being compassionate with yourself, looking inward and accepting whatever the present moment brings. I would say that she emphasizes that HOW you do something is at least as important as WHAT you are doing. She also stresses the importance of a daily meditation practice in most of her books, without being preachy about it. This is good advice for most of us in the West where many of us don't slow down enough to look inward.

I'm really glad to see that Cheri Huber made it as an author. I saw her speak in person and found her to be a very warm, sensitive and caring human being. I also felt she was underrated as an author at the time, but since then she has become quite popular. I often recommend her books to people because they have such broad appeal and written from a deep place of compassion and love.

Very insightful and also very short -- which makes it easy to review and refresh your memory and adjust your habits. While it is useful at improving relationships, its usefulness goes far beyond that. It helps guide a readers in adjusting their lives life to be more in accordance with who they "really" are; that is, it helps people disarm their various fears, anxieties, or defense mechanisms and live more authentically and rewardingly.

In an Amazon review of "Get out of Your Mind & into Your Life," I suggested Huber's book as a companion. I guess I should also do the reverse and recommend that book as a companion to this book.

I also recommend Lorne Ladner's "The Lost Art of Compassion," which blends Western and Buddhist psychology in very insightful ways.

I have found these three books personally very useful.

I am a voracious reader and I read this about the time I entered high school. It is one of the very few books that I can remember reading several times. It did engender interest in the books of the bible that were about women, and I really think that it helped me cope in a way with being a foster child from the age of 8 to 17. I still remember it and it's been about 40 years since I read it for the first time.

If one book I have read comes close to being "perfect", it is
"Behold Your Queen"! The biblical characters come alive, as real people, the "tour" of ancient Persia is vivid, and the story -- (straight out of the Bible....yet anything but dry
and stodgy...in fact, it may send you TO the Bible to read
the original!) -- exciting, romantic, scary, and in the end,
triumphant!

Courage and moral values are at the core of this book -- but
they are not taught by rote here. REASONS for these things
are given. Also -- there's a lovely lesson in "dating" --
how to get a guy interested in you. Simply -- be interested
in him! The love story between Ahasures and Esther is that
of two young people who find each other in the midst of lone-
liness, (each is an orphan), and splendour....yet it is the
splendour of their love that shines through.

Esther's love is tested when it is revealed to her that the
Prime Minister, (Haman), plans to have all people belonging
to one race in the Persian Empire killed. These people are
the hereditary enemies of Haman's people -- the Amalakites.
Unknown to Haman, the new Queen Esther is one of those
people -- the Jews -- whom Haman would have destroyed. Haman
does not know this, (initially), because Esther was told by
her Uncle Mordechai, (who brought her up), to keep her
origins a secret. (This is another lesson of this book --
though told as children we must always tell the truth, the
maturing person realizes that some things -- things that
would hurt others, or even one's self -- need not be told
...at least at first) How Esther decides that she must
risk her life so that she -- and all other Jews in the
Persian empire -- can at least defend themselves...is a
lesson in courage for all time. She not only risks her
life...but also his love, which she has found so precious...

True, there are some non-politically correct parts of this
book. Yet they are minor....and could easily be remedied.
For instance, at the beginning of the book, Queen Vashti
is banished because she refuses to appear at a banquet
clad only in her royal crown, at the behest of drunken
guests. (This is why a beauty-contest is later held
throughout the empire to choose a new queen.) The message
here might be, "Obey your husband or else" -- and the
danger of wives, following Vashti's lead, and disobeying their
husbands, is indeed what Ahasures's counsellors warn against.
However....one of them saying, "...And even wherein a wife and
husband act as one, lovingly consulting each other, as did
your royal parents, there will be strife...for the wife will see she need not even consult her husband any longer -- and
one will again become two!" -- could now be added. Also --
(to please traditionalists, (boo!) -- who believe that Ahasures was an older man, and that Esther -- true to her faith -- did not really love him, another minor change could be made. In fact, when I told a relative of mine about this book, mentioning that in it, Ahasures and Esther fell in love in it, he said, "Oh -- that ruins the whole story!" -- oh, if only I had had the book there for him to read!) So, to please these tradtionalists, Ahasures could stay in love with her, remain
young and handsomne, (sigh!), and Esther could remain deeply
in love with him, (double sigh!!) But -- to make tradition-
alists happy, Ahasures could also be shown to take some
interest in Judaism, (which -- before Christianity -- was, (in my own estimation) the most moral, and perhaps the only moral religion in existance. (Later on, it was joined by Christianity and Islam, two other highly moral, modern religions, of course). Ahasures could even be shown to be toying with the idea of conversion,and/or gaining more and more respect for Judaism even if he doesn't convert. This would please the traditionalists no end, and so they would be, (at least a little bit!) in favour of the deep romance that is gives this wonderful book so much of its essence, charm, amd power! Ahasure's growing interest in Judaism could be added after Haman's demise, towards the end
of the story. It would fit beautifully there, as Ahasure's
coming defeat, at the hands of the Greeks, (with their new idea
of "democracy") could also account for this: the shadow of defeat often leads to intellectual curiousity and growth....
In fact, in another telling of this story, "Esther", by Nathanial Weintrab, just this coming defeat at Greek hands is touched upon, and added. These very, very slight changes changes could be added, to make the book more viable
for today's audience, and added to keep traditionalists
happy, too.

Added to what? To a NEW PRINTING OF THIS BOOK! And,
as well, perhaps a MOVIE VERSION???? This book cries out
for both....for courage, tolerance, moral values and love, have no barriers of place, or people. BEHOLD YOUR QUEEN! is a
story for all time -- and, perhaps, especially for our own time,
when courage, tolerance, moral values, and love, often seem
at various times, to be derided as old-fashioned and unnecessary.
The story of Esther is a great story in all respects, and never was it better told than here. Our post-911 world NEEDS a
movie of BEHOLD YOUR QUEEN! -- or at the very least, a reprinting of this book. Who knows -- even Osama Bin Laden could learn a thing or two from it? I hope so ...and why not?
(STEVEN SPEILBERG....PLEASE TAKE NOTE!!!!!! I know I am not
the only person who would love for these things to happen!)

Behold!

Like other reviewers, I read this as a young person at about age 8 or 9. I have re-read it many, many times since.
It was also my first exposure to the Middle East, and ancient culture.
It's the story of Esther, from her young maidenhood to her rise as Queen of Persia.
Beginning with her as an innocent girl brought up with strong morals and respect for others, we follow her as she is selected to be taken to the King of Persia as a prospective wife. Throughout her journey from naive youngster to cosmopolitan sophisticate, she never loses the values she was raised with.
The characters come alive, and the scene descriptions are vivid- you will feel like you're there!
The two best things about this book (IMO), are the enchanting descriptions of Ancient Persia, and the emphasis on being true to yourself above all else.
Esther showed us that loving yourself and being courageous enough to stick to your principles makes you more beautiful and valuable than any superficial, cosmetic facade ever could. This book makes doing the right thing seem much more attractive than having power and fortune.
I was lucky enough to find 2 hardcover copies at a library auction, and they are keepsakes I will pass on to future generations!

Yes, this once "dry" biblical tale is brought to stunning life by Malvern. It sticks closely to the biblical account (keeping the age group in mind) and even shows how hard a decision Esther faced after the saving of her people began. A book that will inspire anyone and will be picked up time and again. Please bring back into print. Many of Malvern's books were my "friends" growing up, I would desperately like to visit them again!

Behold Your Queen! is a wonderful retelling of the Book of Esther. Malvern's writing incorporates credible motivations into the story, and adds a rich wealth of detail that make the story come alive with a vivid vitality. I first read this story when I was 8, and did not stop reading it until the (misguided) library withdrew the book from its shelves. If I could find a copy it would be on my shelf today, and eagerly reread. I would love to share this book with a new generation. As a teacher, I know this book has much to offer to young women facing difficult decisions about family, loyalty, honor, faith, personal safety, and love. Hadassah faces difficult choices in dangerous times, and Malvern's tale gives the reader the opportunity to share in the anguish and fear in Hadassah's choice, as well as in her final triumph and affermation. PLEASE REPRINT THIS BOOK!!!

If you are interested in World War II, medicine, practicing law, magic, family dynamitic this is a great read.

Peter Baird's novel is great. It mixes life with all kinds of emotion, War with families, careers, friends, parents and children.
The magic starts right way, getting to know the characters and ending when they get to know their selves.
From a boy growing up, to relationships, career, war, and friends even our own lives could get intertwined with the characters..
It gives us a glimpse on what the war was like, how it affected people and how they dealt with their decisions, how people managed and supported the ones they loved.

Beyond Peleliu by Peter Baird gives the reader a closer look at families left behind by husbands and fathers who went off to fight in World War II. Many of these men returned, as the father in this story did, as distant and sometimes unrecognizable from the men who went to war. The chronicles a son's life-long quest to understand the father who went to war.

A work of great literature, this book is not. An entertaining diversion while on vacation, it definitely is. I especially enjoyed some of the characters (e.g., doctor's wife who is a Christian Scientist and also magician), and the plot had some ingenious elements. But much of the story seemed hurried. The characters were not as fully developed as they should have been, which, at times, made it difficult to understand their motives. To expand upon this point and to highlight a few technical flaws, I must disclose some elements of the plot. So, read no further if you don't want to know how the story ends.

For example, we never learn what drove Dr. McQuade to inflict himself with a wound on Peleliu, beyond the general trauma of the war. It would have been nice if, when he confessed this to his son, if he had explained in greater detail what drove him to do this. And, with respect to the story's credibility, it is almost impossible to believe that a surgeon, seeking to inflict himself with a wound, would choose to shoot himself in the hand.

You also have to suspend disbelief when reading the account of David's big trial at the end of the story. He and one of his associates freely exchange e-mails that contain open admissions of unethical and criminal behavior, as does the Governor of California. No politician or litigator with a half a brain would ever commit such things to writing.

But, like I said at the beginning, apart from these flaws, this is an entertaining book. But, in my opinion, it is not much more.

Beyond Peleliu by Peter Baird (Ravenhawk Books-June 2006) is a powerful book that follows the McQuade family through the years since World War II to the present. Though Tom, who served as the prime story teller through the eyes of his son, faced a lot of adversity from early in his life, he demonstrated that not only could he overcome the adversity but that it helped shape him. Helped him to be the person he wanted to become. We saw his daily challenges--from questioning the safety of vaccines to dealing with loss. And right from the title you see the effects of the War on the family--it's not just Peleliu, it goes beyond that. It's their life.


However this story was not just Tom's tale. It showed how the experiences of one person can filter through and have ramifications for their family and friends for generations to come. At the same time we were able to see David's curiosity as he learnt more about his father's life--what made his father the man he was. This was key in light of his father's current struggles--the dementia might have made it hard for David to see his father as this man who went through and saw so much. It may have helped David to see that he wasn't as different from his father as he might seem. When he got the call from Dr. Roberts, he knew something was up but he accepted it in a realistic way--he needed to do things on his own time. He couldn't rush but at the same time, he knew he didn't have forever.


The writing was tight and that served this story well--it allowed us to `hear' each story as a separate section of the elder McQuade's life, which was what I believe the author intended. Each chapter could have stood alone as a short story of what Tom had gone through, however, this didn't keep the stories from being viewed as parts of one long life story. It was easy to see how these stories built upon one another and taught the family in a way no school book ever could.

By the time I finished the book, just a short time after I'd started it, I felt as if I knew the McQuade family.

Wow! I am at a near loss for words. I received Beyond Peleliu 2 days ago from Amazon and finished it last night. I must say that I had a hard time sleeping after finishing the book. Obviously, the book touched me in a very meaningful way, as I'm sure it has other readers, based on the reviews.

Reading this book is a life-affirming event. The pain endured by the McQuades is so genuine it drew tears from the eyes of this (usually) unsentimental reader. And if you happen to be a lawyer (or fan of quality legal story-telling) the chapters dealing with David McQuade's trial and aftermath overwhelm with authenticity and genuine drama.

In less capable hands this multi-generational saga could have ballooned into a 500-700 page "epic." But Baird's writing is so concise and powerful, one feels that each word was chosen with care.

In short, this is a masterful novel. That it is a "first" is all the more astounding. One can only hope that Peter Baird will put his massive talent to use on another novel. If you don't buy another book this year, buy Beyond Peleliu.