H Books

This is a great book that captures the history of the formation of EPCOT based on concepts that were proposed. Some did not come to fruition. Some were put into place, but have now been replaced by others. This now reads as a history/nostalga book. It is still a fun read. The pictures are beautiful, and the text enjoyable. I have a version that shows ISBN 0810908190 published in 1982, 240 pages as listed here, but has a slightly different cover. I will try to load a photo.

This book is great is because it's from when Epcot Center was just opening. It was published before the park even opened. Some things it discusses never even made it to the parks! For example, there are beautiful sketches of the Africa pavilion in the World Showcase, which never came to be. This book is not what I expected, it's better than I expected. I think every Disney fan should have one in their collection.

This book is really good for the beginning-advanced disney lover. Go ahead and get it if you would really like it.

I have a copy of the book and love it. If anyone needs the larger book (over 200 pages) let me know, I have two copies and have an offer for 100-120 for it currently.

Kelly

I first read Walt Disney's Epcot Center right after the park had first opened. It's Awesome! If your a Disney nut like I am, you will definately like this book. It gives all of the ideas Walt Disney had for the Experimental Prototype Community Of Tommorrow.(EPCOT)

Excellent and well written. A collection item for university level instruction and home library.

William H. Watkins writes about the power of education and how it "can be used both to oppress and to liberate." (pg.1) Watkins shares with us how research and science in the last century validated the belief that Whites were the superior race. This belief has played a great role in the development of the school system and curriculum we have today in America. The "White Architects" have used the school system to keep races of people oppressed. He clearly defines who the architects were and the role they played in orchestrating the school system we have today.

I believe that in order to see more success among minority students in schools today we have to restructure the whole school system. Watkins book strengthens my belief. He states "public education was product of historically, politically, and socially constructed ideas." These ideas need to be updated and remade to include all races equally.

Mr. Watkins walks us through an historical and turbulent era of education that continues to have ramifications in our present educational system. Watkins journey through the maze of black education exposes the political and socioeconomic influences of the dominnant and affluent white culture of the north. He reveals to the reader the influences of the corporate magnets of the north who wanted cheap labor and subserivent workers. They used their philanthropy and the educational system to imposed their own philosophy of education on the black population;while promoting subserivent lifestyles for those who participated. Mr Watkins is able to convince the reader about the political and economic hold that the corporate world imposes on the black population and the disregard these men had for how the black population wanted their education to progress.
Mr. Watkins continues to show us the need for continued political and socieconomic justice for all people and warns us of the continued influence that corporate America has on all of us.

William Watkins pointedly and proudly explains how people other than the African Americans have guided the principles of Black education in the United States from the Reconstruction era to post World War II. Whether these people acting philanthropically as John D. Rockefeller or as "evil geniuses" (Chapter 6), they have shaped Black education then and some would argue for all time.

In his writing, Watkins shows that there is a view of the history of American education that does not come from the larger culture. Watkins view is from the "other side of the fence" that is not written by the victors but rather a survivor. This view is equally important as it establishes the fact there are always two sides to every story. "History is made by people in struggle" (p.179).

Generalizations tend to pervade Watkins' writings as the use of the words "few" and "many" are consistent. But this is understandable considering little or no empirical research was being conducted regarding Black education during this time period.

Pointing to the past for blaming is not the purpose of Watkins in his book, but rather an enlightenment of the history presented by a survivor of slavery, segregation and racial inequalities that have existed for generations. Truly, Watkins has offered a view of history in which we can reflect upon and use to help guide a new generation of architects.

William H. Watkins is subtle in his story of the "white architects" who developed Black education beginning in 1865, just at the end of the Civil War. Watkins shocks you with his "scientific racism" platform that he explains "presented human difference as the rational for inequality" and that it "can be understood as an ideological and political issue" (pg. 39). The reader senses a calm attitude about the author as he speaks of the Philanthropists, beginning with John D. Rockefeller, Sr, who was most concerned about "shaping the new industrial social order" (pg. 133) than he was for providing a useful education. "The Rockefeller group demonstrated how gift giving could shape education and public policy" (pg. 134). In their support of Black education, by 1964,the General Education Board (GEB) spent more than $3.2 million dollars in gifts to support Black education. This captivating book begins with a forward written by Robin D.G. Kelley who reflects that she learned one lesson from Watkins, "If we are to create new models of pedagogy and intellectual work and become architects of our own education, then we cannot simply repair the structures that have been passed down to us. We need to dismantle the old architecture so that we might begin anew" (pg. xiii). Why don't the school reformers who mandate educational laws experience such an awakening?

This book is an extremely informative analysis of genesis, and its role in our current culture on many levels. I enjoy and appreciate this authors educational experience and cultural veiws. Anyone who has read this authors analysis may also enjoy "After the Apple", which is another one of Rosenblatt's writings.

Naomi is a psychotherapist, lecturer, and adult bible class teacher.

A unique study of the old testament teachings to help with our personal spiritual journey. How we should live our lives according to God. How we can shape the way we live and teach or children through the Patriarchs. The book starts with the creation; the order. Then moves to the flood and the descendants; from Abraham to Joseph. Beautifully written. Will never be dated.

Wish you well
Scott

this is my second reading of wresting w/angels. i recommend it to those people who are curious about the biblical text and have never actually read it themselves. or to those who are familiar and well-versed w/the biblical text but are searching for new and fresh insights to be learned and discovered.

Wrestling With Angels: What the First Family of Genesis Teaches Us About Our Spiritual Identity, Sexuality, and Personal Relationships (Naomi Rosenblatt and Joshua Horwitz, Delacorte, 1995) is a book with a specific agenda: understanding Genesis as a series of lessons about the nature of human character. Her voice (it's largely hers; Horwitz is not much in direct evidence) is that of the therapist. The themes are as old as guilt and sibling rivalry and sexual temptation, and as "modern" as midlife crisis, blended families and surrogate parentage. We are comfortable with these psychological concepts, and Rosenblatt is generally successful at using these as tools to understand these stories --- and ourselves.
The subtitle's "Family" is a misnomer; it should be "Families". It covers people from Adam to Noah to Joseph, and they aren't considered one family in the normal sense. The chapter on the Tower of Babel doesn't involve any particular people.
There are 35 self-contained chapters. The titles set the theme: "Rachel and Leah: Competing for Love, Passion and Status", "The Brothers Reappear: Wrestling with Unresolved pain", "Abraham goes forth: Following a Personal Vision". She starts with a broad introduction to the theme, then sets the stage for the particular story. The story is presented via selected excerpts from Genesis. Interspersed are her comments and "imagined narrative details". Of these she says, "Our Embellishments to the original text of these stories are historically correct" whatever that means. It's unclear whether she's relying on traditional midrash or her own. Then she provides her summary, analysis and conclusions, sometimes including anecdotes from her own life.
The book displays both substantial weaknesses and strengths. On the minus side, the allegories and symbols are laid on rather thickly. For example, on page 267, there is entitled "The Well as the Portal of the Soul." But on 268, we are instead told that it is the stone (which covered the well) that is "the portal of her [Rachel's] ... soul." Further, we are told that "The well represents Rachel's virgin sexuality" and in the next sentence "the well is symbolic of Jacob's unconscious". In her discussion of the Covenant Between the Pieces, admittedly a very murky event, I found her symbolic explanation of the items unconvincing, and note that she omits any explanation of the smoking oven. Some things really are a stretch. One chapter is "Lot Departs the Clan: Letting Go of Children", but she presents no reasoning that Abram ever considered his nephew as a son. Putting the modern motherhood/career dilemma into Rachel/Leah story was unconvincing. None of the treatments are in any great depth, and the nuances of the Bible's language in telling these stories is entirely lost.
On the other hand, her handling of conflicts within the (extended) family is especially deft, and she turns to this, effectively, again and again. She had a particularly good feel for the character of Jacob, and her chapter on his wrestling with the "Personal Angels and Demons" was especially well done. She has an intriguing comparison between Noah and Oscar Schindler; I wish it had been more developed.
Her writing is clear and the almost conversational style easily draws the reader in, without wasting words. While many can learn from this, the book is especially good for beginners. It does not presuppose any knowledge of either the Bible or how it is approached, and makes no demands of a particular kind of faith. And it provides fresh evidence of why these stories are so enduring.

I was brought up as a Roman Catholic with biblical teachings emphasizing the New Testament and very little of the Old Testament. Wrestling w/Angels re-introduced me to the wise ancient stories of Genesis, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Not only is this book a great read, it is full of insights illuminating conflicts and challenges we continue to face in contemporary life. Whether or not you believe in the historical accuracy of the Bible, the people who are chronicled in its stories are important archetypes whose influence on our collective thought patterns is vast. Wrestling w/Angels is a key guide to understanding the meaning of those archetypes because they show us how we, as individuals and as a world, have developed our "identity, sexuality and personal relationships."

I recently purchased this Bible to enhance my studies. I prefer the Old Scofield for the subject chains that it has but am pleasantly satisfied with the commentary provided by Zondervan.

Compare to "Zondervan NIV Study Bible".
"Zondervan NIV Study Bible" is Better then "Zondervan KJV Study Bible". Because I have two of them,so I can say that.
And some of the charts or pictures is in "Zondervan NIV Study Bible", but Not in "Zondervan KJV Study Bible".
Two of them are almost same, just in different version.
And the "Zondervan KJV Study Bible" has less information then "Zondervan NIV Study Bible"

I am a fairly new Believer, and in the past have study with the NIV version of the bible. I have thorougly enjoyed the KJV because I feel as though the essence of what GOD was ( and is ) speaking has been preserved. Even in the language, the bible is very easy to follow, and the footnotes help if you feel you don't quite understand. The layout is very concise, yet easy to adapt to. I love this Bible.

This is the King James Version of the NIV Study Bible--the notes are basically identical, just adapted to the KJV wording. The notes and references are plentiful--some may say there are too many! Nearly every verse of the Bible is covered with a comment or outline of some type. While this is a conservative study bible, sometimes other more liberal interpretations are listed along with the conservative position. Besides the copious and helpful notes, there is a subject index, concordance, and colored maps and a historical timeline. Interspersed throughout the entire Bible are pertinent maps, charts, outlines, etc. The KJV Study Bible also has brief word definitions or substitutions for outdated words listed in the center column, which is helpful if you prefer the KJV but stumble on some of the wording.

The binding and pages are typical Zondervan---cheap and not likely to hold up long. I have the large print edition; the print is wonderful to read, but of course makes this book HUGE and heavy--not a Bible to carry around.

All in all, this study bible will give you hours and hours of reading and study pleasure.

Pleasantly surprised at the quality of this bible, for the price it costs.
Well organized.
The information inside (notes, comments, maps are very helpful.

The daily exercises used by Charlie Parker. What more could a sax player want? Scholars have traced their influence in his recordings....

This book was a bit too challenging for me and seemed to be mostly scales. I prefer jazz songs etc... so maybe it was just a poor choice for me.

This book is really good if you want to master scale passages. I on the other hand, I really don't care for scale music like this. Very challenging!

They say phrases from some of these Klose etudes found their way into Charlie Parker's musical vocabulary. When asked by Paul Desmond, Bird replied "It's not smoke and mirrors, some of it comes from books."

When it comes to playing any musical instrument, gaining mastery over the fundamentals of how to play said instrument forms the base of a musicians training. Yes, a large part is also sheer creativity, but being skilled in creating what you want, and how you want it, is first and foremost to being able to create music.

That being said, the etudes enclosed in this book will work the full range of skills necessary to effectively play the saxophone. Range, articulation, accidentals, endurance, breathing, and phrasing are all worked in each exercise.

If each etude is worked through methodically, starting out slowly and working towards full tempo, all of your playing skills should see improvement.
I pair this with Jackie McClean's "Daily Warm-Up Exercises for Saxophone" to start each practice session, allowing me to drill the full range of scales, chords, and overall technique.

I gladly wandered through the online thread gleaning kindle knowhow until this reference book was mentioned. Now I more gladly use my kindle search button with The Amazon Kindle FAQ on my kindle for all the instant answers to my questions. Love the concise "hands on" style.

I have owned my Kindle for about six months, am pretty savvy with computers and electronic gadgets, and was somewhat skeptical about what I could learn from a FAQ book, especially since another book about the Kindle that cost $.99 (which I have reviewed) was essentially worthless. Still, after reading the positive reviews, and given the low price, I decided to give this book a chance. Am I ever glad that I did.

The book is clearly written, logically organized, and contains a wealth of information. No matter how experienced a Kindle user you are, I am sure that you can learn something or get some interesting ideas (like using your cell phone number for your Kindle name in case you lose it).

My only critique is that some of the same information does tend to get repeated in multiple chapters sometimes, but then again this is not a textbook, and the repetition can make it easier to find certain information if you go looking for it again.

This is the book that Amazon should have published instead of the official Amazon users manual,which I would never have bothered reading had I read this book first, especially since it is more informative and easier to read than the Amazon users manual.

This book is a job well done. Every Kindle owner who wants to get the most out of the Kindle should read it.

This Kindle FAQ is a great addition for anyone who has a Kindle. Even though you may know alot of things this FAQ includes, there are alot of new things that you will discover just by reading this.

This FAQ isnt to long and its not to short. It gets straight to the point, and is very helpful. I would highly recommend this to anyone who just got a Kindle or has had one for quite sometime now.

I thought it was a great idea when Leslie Nicoll started the FAQ thread in the Kindle forums a few months ago. Since then, the thread has been an invaluable resource for Kindlers, but because Amazon doesn't make it easy to search the forums, it's often hard for new users to find answers.

This book solves that problem nicely because it extends the FAQ thread (now over 600 posts long!) to the Kindle so that it's searchable and convenient anywhere you go.

Jim Cheshire
Author of Decoding the Kindle

I am neither computer or electronic device savy. I have difficulty text messaging, too slow. This is awesome for someone like me who needs simple directions. It has a wealth of information, great organization and is more informative that the book that comes with the Kindle. I think it is a must have for anyone with a Kindle and I know I will refer to it often as I began my Kindle journey.

How does life in a non-industrial society compare to life in our own? In which society are people happier? If life in non-industrial societies compares favorably to life in our own, then why are the barrios of the third world filling up with migrants from remote villages? This book provides surprising insights into these questions. It also provokes reflections on our own society and its influence on the rest of the world. After reading a used copy I picked up for free, I bought seven copies of this book for friends and family!

This book has changed the way I looked at the issues of development, modernisation & morals. An amazing read, beautifully written and with great insights.

I have just returned from a trip to Ladakh and I could really relate to what Ms.Norberg talks about in the book.

Just a couple of side issues. It'd be good to know what exactly went wrong in Ladakh. Here are a people who for 2000 years had lived successfully by the rules of Buddhism. How & why did Buddhism fail these people in the face of global/western economic & cultural imperialism? Does the blame lie with Buddhism- it being too 'compassionate' and allowing a religion? Does the blame lie with the Ladakhis who probably were not as sincere Buddhists as they are made out to be?

After all if they really were such devout Buddhists, how come they fell to the greed that capitalism breeds?

Anyway, these are issues which could have been addressed in the book. Regardless, the book is excellent! A must read.

Rarely have I felt more dispair about the direction of what we know as civilization as I felt halfway through this book. The Ladakh people are described as happy, healthy, and self-reliant. Suddenly, the "real world" happens to them, and they come to see themselves as poor, when before they had no need of money.

The authors do a nice job of weaving a story of hope at the end but I have concern for the future of these people. It helps me understand the decision the government of Bhutan has made to isolate themselves from western-style civilization.

After reading this book, I suddenly realized the root problem of Western Civilization: We have no culture. Where there was once culture, we now have an expanding economic order threatening all life on the planet. Through its mechanism of growth and expansion, the global economy is conquering and converting life's diversity into an ecological and social monoculture of cash crops, Levis, soda pop and movie theatres. Perhaps moonscape would be a better word. Of course, it doesn't have to be this way. Our fast-paced, increasingly technological, capital-intensive, fossil fuel-centered, centralized, highly specialized, travel and commercial-oriented, often stressful society is by no means the end-all-be-all of human history. Murder, child abuse, drug abuse, theft, poverty, hunger, and every other problem that plagues the West are not products of human nature. The pathology of civilization is not natural or inevitable, and the Ladakhi are proof of this. Read this book and rediscover ancient, profound, life-affirmating alternatives to the modern humdrum. Discover another way of living, thinking and feeling. Important, necessary, engaging and masterfully written - this book was a treasure to read. Indeed, it was an awaking.

A MUST READ

The first half of *Ancient Futures* will delight and amaze you; the second half will break your heart.

In the 1970s, the Ladakhis of Little Tibet were a happy people. They had a sustainable traditional economy based on trade and cooperation - not money. One person's gain was not another person's loss. There was plenty of leisure, no hunger or poverty, very little sickness or disease, everyone was valued, there was no pollution and nothing was wasted. They got along fine with their Muslim neighbors and they kept their population stable through marriage customs based on land use. Almost every family had a celibate monk or nun. Buddhist monasteries and people had a mutually beneficial economic, social and spiritual relationship. Ladakhis are a naturally contemplative people with a great deal of spiritual awareness. "Schon chan" (one who angers easily) is about the only insult in the Ladakhi lnaguage. "Lack of pride is a virtue, for pride, born of ego, has nothing to do with self-respect among these Buddhist people." The author says that it took her two years of living among them to realize that the people were genuinely and joyfully HAPPY. Then the world beat a path to their door and all that changed - in fewer than two decades.

It's like a little piece of cultural time-lapse photography. What took western culture more than four centuries to do to the Native-Americans took only twenty years here. Ladakh has become a cautionary tale and a monument to western greed and stupidity.

Now there is poverty and unemployment, stress-related disease, women are devalued, the people are ashamed of their "backward" culture, there is little leisure but a great deal of pollution and waste as well as dispute between Muslims and Buddhists and the population had increased markedly. ("Interestingly, a number of Ladakhis have linked the rise of birth rates to the advent of modern democracy. "Power is a question of votes" is a current slogan, meaning that, in the modern sector, the larger your group, the greater your access to power. Competition for jobs and political representation within the new centralized structures is increasingly dividing Ladakhis.")

Chiildren are trained to become specialists in a technological rather than an ecological society. They no longer have time to learn the superb survival techniques of their families. Western culture is creating artificial scarsity and inducing competition.

Now I understand the mechanism better. A culture that has a heavily subsidized infrastructure invades a traditional self-sustaining culture and creates artificial "needs." So they go to the city to earn money which they never needed before, leaving their farms and women, who are immediately devalued because they're not wage earners. The people are no longer planting, irrigating, spinning wool, gathering seeds, harvesting, playing music and singing and telling stories, having seasonal parties, marriage parties or funeral watches - together.

Time has become a commodity. It has become uneconomical to grow one's own food, make one's own clothes and build one's own house. You have to pay your neighbors for the work that the whole community used to do for free.

The men are in the cities earning money and the women are producing tourist commodities with the wool they used to spin for their own use and the food they used to grow for their own families. Now they grow cash crops for strangers so they can make enough money to buy polyester clothes and walkmans and jeans for their kids and food grown hundreds of miles away and fuel trucked in from afar.

The Yak and the Dzo, uniquely suited for high altitudes of Ladakh gave rich milk but not as much as western cattle. So what did the conquering culture do? They imported cattle that can't make it at such altitudes, so more land has to be relegated to planting crops to feed the cattle, thereby upsetting the balance. And they call this progress.

Why can't we just leave people alone - especially when they're doing FINE without us?

"When one-third of the world's population consumes two-thirds of the world's resources," says Norberg-Hodge, "and then in effect turns around and tells the others to do as they do, it is little short of a hoax. Development is all too often a euphemism for exploitation, a new colonialism."

All this would be a dismal tragedy comparable to Columbus's complete genocide of the Tainos if not for a "counter development" movement generated in part by this author. Since the Ladakhis can't go back, they can at least go forward. Instead of importing expensive fossil fuels (previously they had used yak dung and kept warm) they can have solar houses and greenhouses, which have worked very well and given them one benefit that they have previously not had. That's something. Information is another plus. The people are being made aware that westerners pay more for whole grains, organic vegetables, pure water, natural fibers, and natural building materials - things these people have had for a thousand years without money. This is something so-called third-world people are generally not told about.

Once in a while a book comes along that changes one's perspective forever. *Ancient Futures* is such a book. I haven't been the same since.

One of the reviewers on this site said he ended up buy copies for his friends. So have I. This book is a must-read for every person who is concerned about the preservation of our planet and our species.

pamhan99@aol.com

Walton's book focuses on the similarities between the Ancient Near Eastern religious teaching with the Old Testament. He is careful to point out that similarites between the two doesnt necessarily imply that one is borrowed from the other. He emphasizes that they came to some similar conclusions based on their similar environments. This is a quite interesting take on this hotly debated subject.

His introduction to the book and introduction to Near Eastern literature is excellent.

However, while I will admit readily there are some similarites between Ancient Near Eastern religions and the O.T., Walton seems to see some similarities that I do not. He seems to be reaching quite a bit in those instances. For this reason, I gave it three stars.

The similarities between the two schools of religious thought are so few and far between that I feel a case could be made for coincidental similarities.

The book did however, accomplish what I thought it would accomplish. Regardless of the author's comments, the comparisons between the religions really emphasizes the distinctiveness of the O.T. For that reason, I am grateful for purchasing the book. Its something I have never doubted, but it certainly makes the chasm wider between the Ancient Near Eastern religions and the religion of the O.T.

Of course, the difference is one is real, and the others arent.

First off I want to say that I audited a course by the author of this book, and read through the book throughout the semester. It is part of the core curriculum for an M.A. in New Testament or Old Testament Exegesis at Wheaton. I am a pastor who preaches regularly. This book has impacted my entire understanding of the Old Testament in a powerful way.

The logical format of this book gives the reader a simple and effective way to slowly enter into the worldview of ancient people. The author is very good at giving readers hinge concepts to help understand the distinctions between our worldview and their worldview.

The book categorizes ancient near eastern thought into topics that are actually enjoyable to read. Each topic could easily overlap with other topics, and Dr. Walton does a great job of separating the topics without distorting them (in my opinion).

This book tackles thorny issues that separate Evangelicals from Liberals in the land of scholars, without alienating either side of the issue. Walton's premise is that we should abandon the old approaches to Ancient Near Eastern Thought and simply understand what they believed, and how it was different from or the same as Old Testament thought.

One concept that emerges as the book develops is the idea that some Israelite prophets argued for the support of the covenant with God rather than for the reinforcement of the Kings authority (as the prophets of other cultures and sometimes Israeli culture did). This sets Israeli prophets who held to the covenant with God at odds with everyone else who prophecied in Israel and around Israel. Coupled with the exclusiveness of the Jewish religion, and the people soon became alienated from those around them and sometimes from their own religion or people.

Probably the most helpful aspect of this book is his excellent approach to comparative studies without labeling certain parts of the bible as extensions of other cultures or vice versa. His approach, when properly understood, is actually what both sides of the historical divide on this topic ought to be doing. I find it not only full of wisdom, but extremely helpful in preparing sermons from the Old Testament.

A nice companion to this volume is The Bible Background Commentary of the Old Testament. I think that this book shows you how to use the Bible Background Commentaries.

One criticism that I would like to mention is that some of the charts in this book are a bit difficult for me to understand. That's an area that the next edition may have to improve on. However, there are only a few pages like that and the rest of the book is really a very very good summary and introduction to Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament.

Some of the topics he covers include but are by no means limited to:

The Ancient View of the World.
The Ancient view of the heavens.
The Ancient view of Temples
The Ancient view of Omens and Magic.

I think he has around 13 topics in all. This book is well worth reading and if you plan to teach from the Old Testament over the years, you might want to pick up a copy for your personal library. It's packed with helpful references also.

very scholarly, but easily understood,; cogent discussion of how to understand the Hebrew Bible on its own terms, integrating science and archeology. a must have book.

"The synthesis that I have offered is undoubtedly characterized by assessments that some scholars will judge to be misleading, premature, or even wrongheaded. ... Instead, I desired to sift through the information provided by the specialists who have diligently made the literatures and cultures of the ancient Near East available to us,..." John Walton.



Prologue to Hermerneutics:
Half a century past, when I read the Old Testament in the city where it was first translated from Hebrew, now then, in its cousin language Arabic, much of the biblical narratives seemed stories from an ancient mythical past to me, the young Psaltos. However, when I started to formulate inquisitive questions, the most refreshing though troubling replies came from my father, a specialist in comparative civil law, a professor in the French Lyceum and a former Viennese student in the European enlightenment milieu of the thirties, the young teenager was then introduced to comparative criticism through JH Breasted, Gardiner and Lang when I began to understand how ancient Egyptian viewed the world, the Old Testament becomes more clearly a book that stood "within its ancient context, while also speaking against it," in the words of Wheaton's J. Walton.

Renewal of Biblical Studies:
"The rediscovery of Egypt began in earnest in the eighteenth century AD and of Mesopotamia in the mid-nineteenth century AD. With the decipherment of the ancient languages, the tens of thousands of texts that were being unearthed began to be translated and analyzed. ... Initial studies were inclined to be defensive of the Bible, even if such a stance required the dismissal or distortion of the cuneiform texts. The flurry of activity in connection with the relationship of these texts to the Bible had reached a critical mass of sorts by the turn of the century; and, consequently, widespread attention was attracted by the series of lectures presented in 1902 under the auspices of the German Oriental Society and attended by Kaiser Wilhelm II."

Israel's Intellectual Milieu:
John Walton suggests three main roles that a comparative study could play in Hebrew Bible interpretation: critical analysis, defense of the biblical text, and exegesis. He focuses on exegesis and its particular importance for guarding interpretation against applying modern world-views. Walton offers a thoughtful introduction to ancient Near Eastern literature and the common milieu of 'cognitive environment' that rediscovers the world of ancient Israel. He evaluates concepts of ancient beliefs on gods, views on people and history, about religion, the cosmos, after surveying types of literature, after a survey of the interface between the ancient Near East and Israel, clarifying the analogies and non similarities between them.

Comparative Biblical Study:
This book provides an excellent introduction to the field of comparative Biblical studies and integrates many specialized studies by Coogan, Chavalas, Currid, Kitchen, Redford, and Yamauchi on Israel's neighbors. He makes use of extra biblical resources to enrich their understanding of ancient Israel and its Scriptures. This is very well explained by Peter Machinist, of Harvard University, "Comparisons between the culture of biblical Israel and the other cultures of the ancient Near East have long been a fundamental part of biblical scholarship, but more often than not, they have been presented in piecemeal, isolated fashion. In his new book, John Walton offers a much broader reach, giving us arguably the most extensive review of these cultural comparisons now available together with a serious meditation on what the enterprise of cultural comparison is all about in biblical study."

Analytical Book reviews:
- "... excellent survey of the interface between the ancient Near East and Israel. I especially appreciate his sidebars on 'Comparative Exploration,' which enable readers to 'zero in' on the comparative topic of their choice relatively easily."--Mark Chavalas, U. Wisconsin
- "... an important and useful guide to entering into some of the major worldviews and value systems found in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Israel. ..., bridges the gaps between ancient Near Eastern texts and the perspectives of the Bible." Richard Hess, Denver Seminary
- "Walton penetrates beyond the simple comparisons often made to bring back intelligence about the contexts and constitution of the ancient world, stressing the ideas Israel and its contemporaries held in common. Yet Walton repeatedly demonstrates how Israel's faith was distinct,..." Alan Millard, U. of Liverpool

Divided into five distinctive sections, this book provides an introductory look at the conceptual world surrounding the Hebrew Bible. The five sections are Comparative Studies, Literature of the Ancient Near East, Religion, Cosmos, and People.

The section on Literature of the Ancient Near East is is a good, although very brief, survey of the literature of the ancient near east including Egyptian, Sumerian, Akkadian, and Hittite. The author has included a good cross section of ritual texts, letters, chronicles, legal collections, hymns, wisdom literature, and prophecy.

The section on Religion is subdivided into The Gods, Temples and Rituals, and State and Family Religion. Here the reader is exposed to ancient thought on these subjects with the intent that they come to understand the common beliefs and practices well as beliefs and practices that differentiated them from each other.

The section on the Cosmos examines both the geography of the cosmos and the beliefs surrounding them. The section on the geography of the cosmos is excellent and includes an examination of the structure of heaven, the earth and the netherworld. I found this section to be particularly interesting and very informative with an excellent exposition on the Hebrew word "bara" and the functional aspects of naming.

The final section on People provides an excellent examination of the various concepts of creation of the human race as well as what it means to be human. It also includes a very good explanation of the interaction between the people and their religion including prophecy, oracles, and their perception of history as a nation. This section ends with a discussion of the beliefs about the future of the earth and what happens after death.

Throughout the book the author has included excellent side-bar sections offset in shaded boxes that further illuminate related ideas and concepts. These often contain some of the best and most interesting observations of the material if you are already somewhat familiar with the subject.

Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament provides a solid comparative study of the various literature from the ancient near east showing both commonalities and differences with the beliefs of the nation of Israel. The book clearly sets the culture of Israel in the Old Testament times alongside those of its neighbors and allows the reader to better understand the mindset of the time. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament is highly recommended.

My niece is into dancing and reading books, so the Angelina Ballerina series if perfect for her. I chose to give her this book for Christmas because it fit the holiday theme.

I really loved this book. It was my very first book I got. Of course I got it because my name is Angelina. When I was little I used to think the book was actually about me! I own the first publication of this book and noticed that in the original one I've got it says "Santa Clause" and in the new one that my little cousin has it says "Father Christmas". I don't understand the change. Although I still recommend this book for any little girl who loves to dance, or who's name is Angelina!

I came across Angelina's books a while ago. ...Great book, speaks to the kids for real

Young Angelina Ballerina couldn't be more upset when she spots old Mr. Bell sitting all by his lonesome at Christmastime, looking like a sad puppy. Mr. Bell used to be the jovial postman in town, who brought gifts and cards to everyone during the holidays, and played the town Santa Claus for all of the little mouselings. Angelina, full of Christmas spirit, decides that it is up to her to make Mr. Bell's season bright. So, with the help of her young cousin Henry, as well as her father, Angelina bundles up some cookies and cakes to bring to Mr. Bell. But when they arrive, Henry is too concerned about Christmas Eve, and whether or not he will have the chance to see Santa Claus in the flesh, to notice the joy that twinkles in Mr. Bell's eyes at the prospect of visitors and good, old-fashioned holiday cheer. When Henry learns that Santa Claus comes in the middle of the night, and that he won't get to speak to the illustrious Saint Nick, he bursts out in tears. That is, until he learns that there's a live Santa Claus living amongst them all, right here in town, and that his presence will not only bring a smile to young Henry's face, but fill old Mr. Bell with the joy of the holiday, as well.

ANGELINA BALLERINA can be called nothing less than a children's icon. Her presence in numerous glorious children's books, and now in her own TV show make her more and more well-known, while her lovable, kind heart grows bigger by the day. Katharine Holabird works wonders with a pen, as she tells the tales of the young, ballet-loving mouseling who has big dreams, accompanied by an even bigger heart; while the gorgeous, full-color illustrations by Helen Craig bring each and every Angelina "tail" to life. ANGELINA'S CHRISTMAS is a charming addition to the mouseling library, and a wonderful holiday classic for all!

Erika Sorocco

This beautifully illustrated tale gives the reader a warm feeling when a retired postal worker, who is alone in the world, is visited by Angelina and invited to appear as Father Christmas at the school Christmas show. The community appreciates his contribution and he is invited to the school show every year. This is a wonderful reminder to us all that the elderly should not only be cherished, but that they still have much to offer to the community.

Judge Goodman's methodical, question and answer approach is very effective in giving the novice mediator an overview of what is involved, the essential skills needed, and anticipates problems that can arise during the mediation process. A succinct appendix on the rules of evidence is particularly valuable. Excellent.

I am extremely happy with the service and the product. The book got here in less than a week's time in perfect condition.

I will certainly use this seller again in the future.

I am a construction lawyer in the Washington, D.C. area and found Judge Goodman's book to be just the thing in giving me a primer on mediation approaches. It is organized extremely well, is easy to read, and gave me lots of help as I prepared for my first mediation. The format of questions and answers is perfect for this subject. The only thing I would like to see is a second volume for advanced mediation, since Judge Goodman has much to offer.

Both of Allan Goodman's books, BASIC SKILLS FOR THE NEW MEDIATOR and BASIC SKILLS FOR THE NEW ARBITRATOR, deserve to be read and re-read by every ADR professional and every advisor to parties in dispute before he or she enters the session. As a practicing mediator, arbitrator and ADR trainer, I know I do, and it gives me the presence to relax and "enjoy" the session, because I know I will be giving the best process skills of ADR to the parties and their representatives.

Concise, readily assimilated answers to some of the most perplexing problems faced by ADR neutrals are presented at each stage of the mediation and arbitration process. I would further recommend the appropriate book be given to the disputing parties to assist them in knowledgeable decision-making and a successful resolution.

If you want to be a mediator, you will have to take an exhausting training in just about any jurisdiction. You will be required to take at least 40 hours of training. In fact, before beginning the training, my best advice for you is to get a copy of this book, which can be read in four hours or less, and I am positively sure that you will have a considerable edge over your training classmates. They will all wonder if you came to the training with prior experience. Not only you will feel more confident in knowing the process, but you will also get good suggestions from the author as to how to conduct particular matters. I think that when you want to try something new, whatever it may be, e.g., table chess, judo, dog breeding, etc., you need a beginners guide and lots of advice from knowledgeable people. This is precisely what this book does with respect to mediation.