H Books

This book has it all - from battleships to each individual landing craft, all are included in this complete reference work. With a work of this size I am amazed at the wealth of detail about each type of vessel. If you're looking for one book describing the British and Commonwealth warships in this period this is it.

I have only one complaint - the list of abbreviations is far from complete. Many abbreviations are introduced in the text, but not included in the list. This is OK if you're reading the book from cover to cover (at over 750 pages of small type this is quite a task!), but if you're picking out details of individual ships it can become frustrating.

Despite this one complaint I have no hesitation in giving this a five star review, due to its comprehensive coverage in breadth and depth.

This is the most excellent book with regard to the Royal Navy`s ships at the second World War. Readers are able to understand about ships of the Royal Navy easily. And they can see many rare photographs of ships. If this book had contained drawings of ships, Many readers could regard it as the ultimate book for the Royal Navy.

As the author's son I would of course highly recommend this book to you all. I assisted my father with its production which took nearly three years. The work is the result of over thirty years of research and provides a mass of new detail and information not previously published. The photographs are excellent some of which are very rare and form only 20% of our overall warship collection. Quite simply this book has no equal, the previous definitive work was also written by my father.

I am pleased to be able to announce that work has already commenced on British and Empire Warships since 1945 which of course will bring us up to date. In addition we shall also be updating and republishing all former works in a better more complete format especially the works on the US Navy. Amazon list most of the former works which are now out of print. We shall now put this right.

The author can be contacted at trevor.lenton@virgin.net and I can be contacted at chrislenton@cim.co.uk for further information.

The most complete reference book about the RN I have never seen. When you own this book you do not need reading anymore about the Royal and Commonwealth Navies, because all the relevant informations can be found in this super reference book. Lots of data, very fine photographs, details concerning even the smallest craft (and this can be seen by someone as a fault). Just to pick holes Lenton could insert sections dealing with naval ordnance, mines, radar and so on. But anyway his work is an excellent one: a must-have book for the naval enthusiast's shelf.

It is good to see H.T. Lenton's classic still available in print as it is surely a must for all those serious about having a complete reference to the British Empire fleet of WW2. The detail in which the book covers is truly staggering and this must be the result of years of research recording every technical detail available on each vessel. I first came across this definitive work while studying at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, London and ever since then I have used the book as my main source of reference.

I was very pleased to see that the section on the British trawlers and other 'minor vessels' remains in this edition and disagree totally with Tom Johnson's review preferring, "that Lenton repeat his first work and cover all the major navies in one book, at the expense of leaving off minor British trawlers and landing craft". It was thanks to Lenton's original work that I was able to carry out a comprehensive study on the anti-submarrine and minesweeping vessels used by the Royal Naval Patrol Service. This service lost more vessels than any other branch of the Royal Navy and therefore these small fighting ships should always be included.

I congratulate the author on this fine work and look forward to new editions of his books.

My dad and Charlie were in business during their undergraduate days at UPenn. Dad would go out and take orders and Charlie would draw custom Christmas "and other special occasion" cards. I thought this was pretty neat. Nearing his deathbed, my dad finally confessed the he'd go out and take very specific instructions, gather photos, descriptions, etc. and bring other sordid details back to Charlie, who would then draw "pornographic" cards based on those orders. That revelation got me looking at Wednesday in a whole new light! It was enjoyable to read that Charlie was like that all his life.

One of the most commonly asked questions of cartoonists is, "Where do you get your ideas?"

And of course when the cartoonist is Charles Addams, this question leads to unrivaled speculation and disinformation, which over the years created its own brand of peculiar mythology.

Now comes an impressive new biography by Linda H. Davis. In "Charles Addams: A Cartoonist's Life" Davis takes on the stories that Addams slept in a coffin and drank martinis with eyeballs in them. Instead, what emerges is a surprising portrait of an amazing artist who led a full and colorful life.

Yes, Addams certainly had quirks and odd obsessions. But he was also universally loved, and so charming that he dated the likes of such luminaries of his time as Greta Garbo, Joan Fontaine and Jackie Kennedy Onassis (along with untold numbers of others). He drank hard, raced cars, and no party or social gathering was considered complete without him. His fan base ran the gamut from the criminally insane to Sean Connery and Alfred Hitchcock.

In this first ever biography of the subject, Davis charts Addams' meteoric rise and more than 50-year career as the most esteemed cartoonist at The New Yorker. With his cartoons, Addams became a significant cultural force by combining horror and humor, a genre that continues to flourish today. His impact and influence on generations of cartoonists is impossible to calculate, but it's fair to say that Gary Larson's Far Side would not have existed without him.

Addams' own unique creation of The Addams Family began as print cartoons which went on to inspire a popular TV series, animated cartoons and two Hollywood feature films. With these characters, Addams provided role models for eccentrics and nonconformists everywhere. The message of the Addams Family was simple: Namely that love and laughter can--and does-- flourish everywhere, even within families and social groups that seem outside society's norms.

An esteemed biographer whose previous subjects have included Stephen Crane and Katherine White, Davis spent over six years on this book and interviewed more than 130 persons who knew Addams well, or as well as anyone could. Although Addams died in 1988, Davis had exclusive access to his personal effects and papers that had been in the possession of his wife Tee until her death in 2004. Addams' two other wives also participated in helping Davis to define the man nicknamed "Chill" by his friends.

Davis provides a wealth of detail, but wisely avoids drawing hard conclusions or offering up pseudo-psychoanalysis. Instead, the dichotomy between the artist's urbane and cheerful public persona and his morbidly dark humor are presented in a way that leaves the reader, if nothing else, even more appreciative of Addams' depth, genius and mystery.

With this approach Davis reframes the question of "where" Addams got his ideas to that of "why." Addams was unlike anyone else, and so it is only natural that his ideas would be unlike those of others. As for why he was the way he was, that's a question Addams seems to have taken to the grave with him. In "A Cartoonist's Life" we see that just as one question is put to rest, another rises up - a conclusion that Addams himself would have no doubt enjoyed.

Who was Chas (Charles) Adams? While you won't know by the time you finish this revealing biography, you'll certainly expand beyond the line sketch you probably have now of his life. If you are a New Yorker fan, you'll know him from his hundreds of cartoons and dozens of covers that expressed a most unique and other worldly perspective. If you are a fan of celebrities, you may know more about him as someone who drove classic cars, dated high-profile women, and favored allusions to death and dying. If you are a classic television fan, you'll know that his cartoon characters were the foundation for The Addams Family. If you favor camp, you know about his armor collection, his preferences for cross-bows, and other lethal items which he liked to display in public.

The biography also reveals a kindly man who was patient with everyone, including those he didn't particularly like. You'll also learn of his fascination with the Morticia appearance (based on having married two women who met the bill). More surprisingly, you'll find him to have been victimized by his second wife . . . even long after they were no longer married. The book also portrays a heterosexual version of Truman Capote who fascinated many of the most desirable women.

Most pleasingly, Ms. Davis does a delightful job of portraying the development of his cartooning style and art . . . including dozens of prime examples that are well reproduced. Even when there's no reproduction, Ms. Davis is good at capturing the essence of an image in a few words. She also provides a history of 20th century New Yorker cartooning, including how many of the final cartoons represented the influences of many people other than the artist who signed the final version.

While each of those aspects is well and thoroughly portrayed, the core of the man doesn't quite make it through. Addams seems like a case of arrested development in many ways, but his willingness to be kind and considerate of others displays greater maturity than his preferences for self-indulgence and his cartooning approach suggest. In today's world, he would clearly be just another clever self-promoter . . . except that his stunts seemed aimed at creating joy rather than a higher income. Clearly, he didn't take himself too seriously, yet he did take his work seriously. Ms. Davis has, however, done readers and cartoon fans a great service by writing this biography which will undoubtedly stir up other sources and perspectives to flesh out the man who shortened his first name because it looked better that way on a cartoon.

Addams has always been my favorite cartoonist and I snatched a copy of this book as soon as I saw it. Reading this book led me to have even more admiration for this man, who had a rather energetic personal life (although not of the sort some might imagine) and who also served in the Army as, what else, an illustrator.

A must-have for anyone interested in Addams' work and a damn good read even if you aren't. Also, I thought the cartoons picked to illustrate the book were a perfect for this work.

"Charles Addams: A Cartoonist's Life" is a warm and tenderly written biography in which the essence of the man behind the dark side of his cartoons is gently exposed. Author Linda H. Davis has offered a comprehensive look into Charles Addams's life and it has a few surprises.

Addams, born into relative prosperity in Westfield, New Jersey just prior to World War I, could have lived a rarefied life (and in some ways he did) were it not for his penchant for seeing the world in a different way from most of us. Davis points out that Addams, although never admitting to liking children and never having any of his own, nonetheless gravitated toward children at parties and visits to friends' homes. He was wildly popular with the children he got to know and that childlike quality is evident in the cartoons he drew. He disliked the word "macabre" in describing his work and as the author points out there is never any outward blood and gore in his cartoons. The ghoulishness is implied and having been treated to several of Addams's cartoons in this book I would agree with Addams himself....his best cartoons are uncaptioned.

Charles Addams's personal life was another matter. Married three times, his second wife, Barbara Colyton, had the most and longest lasting effect on him. Control and money were her issues and she dominated the cartoonist for years after their divorce. Yet as Davis points out, Addams never had too much of an axe to grind with her or other women in his life. Indeed, he had many women as confidants...something most men eschew.

It is surprising to see how little money Addams made in his life, relatively speaking. He seemed to care about other things and one of the great loves of his life was his dog, Alice. Remarkably, too, Addams lived in an age where, at the New Yorker at least, cartoonists were mostly given ideas from which to draw something. It appears that his originality came later rather than earlier in his career.

Linda Davis has done a fine job in taking us through the life of this wonderfully warm, if complicated man. As his friend, the writer Philip Hamburger remarked on Addams's death in 1988, "Charles Addams was 'sui generis'". Without a doubt he must have been. I think Addams would have been a lovely dinner guest, replete with humor and full of attentive, quiet listening to his fellow guests. I wish I had met him.

this is a great book for the chirstian who wants to see souls saved. Only read if your serious about evangelism.

I have long had problems with books on evangelism. Too much seems to hang in the balance according to feelings. How I feel about this or that, whether or not I feel like I ought to do such-and-such. Spurgeon unapologetically reminds us of every member of the church's responsibility to share the Gospel. Yet he provides very practical and surprisingly relevant advice for those who would wish to do so. This is the only book on the subject (outside of the Bible, of course) that has motivated me to go a-soul-winning. I would recommend it to anyone who is afraid of evangelism, a seasoned evangelist, or someone curious about this thing called evangelism. It speaks to all three and more in a timeless and accurate manner, without a hint of dryness; indeed, it's a pretty entertaining book to read overall.

This book is amazing. If you are looking for a humbling book that WILL kindle that spiritual fire in you, this is it. Spurgeon is a great author. His works have succeeded 115 years after his death, which should give you an indication of his ability to teach. This is a must-have book for anyone involved in evangelism of any kind.

How did it happen that we've moved so far from our purpose as Christians? All creation waits for us - the Christian - to be revealed so that they too have the hope that is within us! Spurgeon once again gets us back to basics and teaches us about ourselves so that we can fulfill the call - the way God intended. I read the first half of The Soul Winner on a flight from Colorado to Ohio and could not stop the flow of tears while I once again felt God speaking to my heart and leading me back to the passion of soul winning. This book will cause your heart to break with the things that break God's heart. I am buying more and passing them along to others from church leaders to my family. Quick - get the book before it's too late - in more ways than one!

This book should be read out aloud from cover to cover. Not only does it reveal some of Spurgeon's greatest lesson: the one in which he had most experience, the job of winning converts. It does as well set a relevant example for contemporary preachers.

This Commentary is a very affordable way to get Martin Luther's insight on his theology of the cross. This book is really a sumation of Luther's beliefs on God and Christ.

Commentary was for a Christmas present. Receiver of the gift was very excited, and enjoys the book very much.

This review covers the Flemming H. Revell Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to The Galations. This version is based upon Luther's lectures at the University of Wittenberg in 1531 and the translation is based upon the "Middleton" edition of 1575. This is the best version to my knowledge, but it is written in King James english. On the positive side, it reads very poetic, but on the negative, it is harder to follow. I personally like this writing as it is closer to the language of the 16th Century. This book was considered by Luther to be his favorite, and history rates it highly. To summarize, it has a number of messages, (1) Galations shows that a person who is in true faith can fall away if they are negatively influenced by false teaching - a real problem in today's world. (2) That Biblical teaching must be solely based upon Bible scripture, and anyone who teaches man's doctrines using random Bible passages to support his/her sermons is most likely not a trustworthy preacher. (3) That even faith is a gift of God, and not a decision that a person makes. (4) That "Justification" is based upon "faith alone. (5) That Mose's OT law condemns mankind, and that anything a person tries to add to God's grace in the way of works or self rightiousness, denies what Jesus Christ did for mankind on the cross - Galatians 5:4. (6) That good works result from heart felt faith, and that good works do not preceed or contribute to salvation when it comes to "Justification."
The world needs this teaching to be more prevalent; however, the world does not like to hear it; therefore, it is almost lost in today's religious teachings. This work is a masterpiece with few peers if any, and is highly recommended to a person familiar with the Bible who desires to grow in their faith and understanding.

This is, in my estimation, the greatest non-canonical book ever written. Luther expounds Paul's epistle to the Galatians with an insight, power and depth of emotion which is sorely lacking in modern commentaries. He is not concerned with the various potential interpretations of "problematic passages" that fill the pages of other commentaries. From the very first page Luther cuts to the heart of the epistle-the doctrine of justification-in the way that only he can. His bold words and plain-sense interpretations result in a work filled with much of the same force and passion that characterized the epistle itself. The grace of God and the love of Jesus Christ cling to every word like the scent of a precious perfume. I cannot recommend this work highly enough. This is the very essence of the gospel as understood by the one who "rediscovered" the doctrines of faith and grace as he teaches us from the words of the one to whom God first revealed those doctrines. If you are looking for an up-to-date critical commentary or a greek-focused exegetical work then you will not find it here, but if you would hear a plain declaration of the power and wisdom of God then you will not find a better treatise apart from the Bible.

When faced with the ineptitude of my walk with the Lord Jesus I must turn to Luther's Commentary on Galatians! It nearly always brings me to tears of joy as Luther expounds on the love of the Lord Jesus for me a sinner. If Christians of today would make this book a constant book of study, second of course to their Bible we as a church would be able to say along with the apostle Peter,"silver and gold we have none,but such as I have give thee..." Its time for revival in America. Luther's Commentary on Galatians was good enough for the Wesley's amd Bunyan as one other reviewer stated. May I say its good enough for us today. Let's reclaim the power of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and learn the old truth of being justified by faith alone through His grace alone.

While not as competent a writer as Plato, Xenophon's 'Socrates' is the historically more accurate (I refer to the chapter of Memoirs in this book.)The Dinner-Party was my favorite dialogue, there are also several brilliant vignettes throughout the memoir chapter. This is not to say that it doesn't 'drag' in parts, it does. The Estate-Manager, which is the last dialogue, terribly weighs down this volume; there Socrates is more a bystander than participant.

But I give this 5 stars, as its an indespensible volume for the Socratic enthusiast.

Perikles pushed Athens into risky power politics, those led into the Peloponnesi war (431-404 before Chr.). The second woman of Perikles, Aspasia, participated in the philosophical discussions of Socrates and became highly estimated by him. She was accused like Sokrates of being not as religious as they should be. Of course the boring-questioner Socrates became a feedback not only ironically (e.g. by the comedy poet Aristophanes) but also others with heavy rage: started by the government clique around President Perikles. To awaken the people from their sleep of propaganda-smeared opinions, - this had to provoke counter actions. In his defense speech at court Socrates didn't own much time. The limit was set by a pot of water, having a whole. The moment, all the water had run out, that was the very moment he had to stop his speech. The jury of 500 Athenians didn't like to listen at all - and they were happy, to bring that thing quickly to an end. The three prosecutors of Socrates by the way had been lynched a few weeks later. Probably the thoughts become accepted to which Socrates had wanted to inflame: "... perhaps you might possibly be offended, like the sleeping who are awakened, striking me, you might easily kill, then the rest of your lives you might continue sleeping..." - Socrates maintained his integrity as hero until the end. His radical critique of the Athenians fundamental values is the starting point of western philosophy, of the modern debate over civil disobedience (compare Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr., Jane Fonda and so on...). Today it's still amusing to follow the way, how the master shredded the weaknesses in faulty arguments. Socrates had tried to make publicly, what later should be named as "try-and-error procedures of thinking". And he didn't allow the mighty ones to intimidate him. There are cultural fluctuations with regard to the allowance to think opposite. Jesus or Spartacus (or the American Socrates-scientist Vlastos, notified by the FBI and threatened with deportation to Canada because he didn't agree to the VietNam-war), Angela Davis, Sinead o'Connor or Michael Moore - they had their special versions of trouble. Today we don't need a death-sentence, there are smaller and more effective tricks, to produce a YES to nearly everything. So we still need such a hero of dissidence like Socrates - or should we stop thinking self-confidently? Nearly 500 years before Christ this Socrates gave an unforgettable sign of a solid character. He didn't beg the judge committee, to stop the death penalty, he didn't agree to accept exile - in the contrary he made a request for the highest honor in Athens at that time: the daily free meal-supply in the city hall. He was an ironic man and he knew, this request had been a little too much for the nervous jury ...

Perikles pushed Athens into risky power politics, those led into the Peloponnesi war (431-404 before Chr.). The second woman of Perikles, Aspasia, participated in the philosophical discussions of Socrates and became highly estimated by him. She was accused like Sokrates of being not as religious as they should be. Of course the boring-questioner Socrates became a feedback not only ironically (e.g. by the comedy poet Aristophanes) but also others with heavy rage: started by the government clique around President Perikles. To awaken the people from their sleep of propaganda-smeared opinions, - this had to provoke counter actions. In his defense speech at court Socrates didn't own much time. The limit was set by a pot of water, having a whole. The moment, all the water had run out, that was the very moment he had to stop his speech. The jury of 500 Athenians didn't like to listen at all - and they were happy, to bring that thing quickly to an end. The three prosecutors of Socrates by the way had been lynched a few weeks later. Probably the thoughts become accepted to which Socrates had wanted to inflame: "... perhaps you might possibly be offended, like the sleeping who are awakened, striking me, you might easily kill, then the rest of your lives you might continue sleeping..." - Socrates maintained his integrity as hero until the end. His radical critique of the Athenians fundamental values is the starting point of western philosophy, of the modern debate over civil disobedience (compare Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr., Jane Fonda and so on...). Today it's still amusing to follow the way, how the master shredded the weaknesses in faulty arguments. Socrates had tried to make publicly, what later should be named as "try-and-error procedures of thinking". And he didn't allow the mighty ones to intimidate him. There are cultural fluctuations with regard to the allowance to think opposite. Jesus or Spartacus (or the American Socrates-scientist Vlastos, notified by the FBI and threatened with deportation to Canada because he didn't agree to the VietNam-war), Angela Davis, Sinead o'Connor or Michael Moore - they had their special versions of trouble. Today we don't need a death-sentence, there are smaller and more effective tricks, to produce a YES to nearly everything. So we still need such a hero of dissidence like Socrates - or should we stop thinking self-confidently? Nearly 500 years before Christ this Socrates gave an unforgettable sign of a solid character. He didn't beg the judge committee, to stop the death penalty, he didn't agree to accept exile - in the contrary he made a request for the highest honor in Athens at that time: the daily free meal-supply in the city hall. He was an ironic man and he knew, this request had been a little too much for the nervous jury ...

Very few extant works remain on the life of Socrates: mainly the works of Xenophon and Plato. In "Conversations of Socrates" Xenophon writes extensively on the philosophical thought of the master in a forthright and simple manner. Xenophon has not always been praised for his writing style but he covers the Socratic principles thoroughly. The subjects aren't organized particularly well with examples of Socrates' views on certain virtues scattered throughout the text. Nevertheless, since Socrates didn't write his own thoughts we are very fortunate that we have these works.

Xenophon divided his works into four books: Socrates' Defense; Memoirs of Socrates; the Dinner-Party; and the Estate-Manager. Xenophon writes in the second and third person so that we "hear" the Socratic Method throughout the text. We see how Socrates used questions of his followers to teach them to think. His method thoroughly flushed out the truth and often revealed the flaws in the arguments his opponents and followers made.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Xenophon. One could almost imagine being right there with the master as he shredded the weaknesses in faulty arguments and uncovered hidden truths. His opinions on virtues may be dated to Twentieth Century people but one must remember that it was largely his teachings that had such a great influence on Western thought and ideas.

Nearly all those who studied Greek in high school were given a much distorted image of the Athenian (and certainly of the pedophilic Spartan) society. Who told us that the wealth of Athens was based on silver mines (the university city of Ioanina is still one of the world's biggest centers of the silver industry)? And who told us why Socrates was forced to commit suicide?
One can find the answers on many questions about Greek society in Xenophon's works, the clever writer of `Hellenika' (`All Persians are educated to become a slave, except one').
In his works about Socrates, Xenophon brushes a lively picture of the `real' Socrates and explains clearly his political views: 'Where offices were filled by men who satisfied the legal requirements, he considered the constitution to be an aristocracy; where they were filled in accordance with a property qualification, a plutocracy; where they were filled by anybody, a democracy.'
Socrates was an anti-democrat and defended oligarchy is his teachings.
What oligarchy really meant for the majority of the Athenians, one can also read in `Hellenika'. Describing the reign of the Thirty (comprising two uncles of Plato), Xenophon states: `The oligarchs went on a killing spree murdering all democratic opponents, more Athenians than all the Peloponnesians did in ten years of war ... when people could vote, it was in full view.'
Xenophon explains one of the main reasons for oligarchic rule in his rhetoric question: `if people uses its superior power to enact measures against the propertied classes, will that be violence rather than law?'
Socrates was a moderate anti-democrat, not as his pupil Plato who fulminated relentlessly against the democratic beast (Gerard Koolschijn). He respected the law: `He disobeyed the illegal orders of the Thirty on the ground that what he was ordered to do was illegal.'
He also was a moderate in his personal life (`to need nothing is divine').

Xenophon's works are key texts for understanding the ancient Greek society (daily life, morals, social issues, drink-parties, sex, politics). They are a must read for all those interested in human history and for all lovers of classical texts.

I got this as a text for a college ceramics course, but it is far more than an ordinary text book. Not only is it informative on a variety of ceramic styles and techniques, but features lovely color illustrations of ceramics from a variety of times, places and artistic traditions. It is as much a coffee table book as a text.

I am really enjoying this book. It is full of information and covers just about every aspect of ceramics you can think of. I am teaching a youth ceramics class this summer and am looking forward to having this as a reference!

This is a large book chock full of information, and provides an in-depth survey of ceramics. There are many photographs about techniques and many illustrations of beautiful artistic ceramics pieces. Also it contains lots of technical information, tables, etc.

Since other reviews have covered the merits of this book quite well, I'll mention a few issues:

First, there are lots of sample photos of different clay bodies under different firings and different glaze colors and combinations, etc., but they are all *way too small* to really see the characteristics of each sample. Also sometimes there is a series of photos, e.g. throwing a pot, building a kiln, and when they are all arranged on the page, each one is too small (and many are b&w, from previous editions?) Otherwise the book is very well illustrated with a wide variety of work.

The glaze discussion does not cover the properties of glaze bases and coloring oxides much at all, which is something I would expect in a book of this comprehensiveness. It does spent some time on commercial fritted stains and Mayco glazes, which other books don't, and can be useful to some, especially for low-temp work. But if you really want to get into glazes, this is not the book.

For many advanced topics, she has just a mention that leaves me hungry for more. E.g. lusters she briefly mentions using and making, but Rhodes has a much more thorough discussion of making lusters. Paperclay is mentioned briefly but not enough to really tell me how to make it or use it. For many of the topics in the book, more detailed discussions are possible and likely available elsewhere. However she has assembled lots of brief mentions of different and experimental work that you might not encounter in other ceramics survey books, so it is useful for knowing what else I want to look into.

[This review pertains to the 4th edition, 2003.]

This book is an excellent reference for different levels of clay/ceramics work. It is a beautiful "coffee table book" as well.
It came in perfect condition.

If you are just learning, or are stuck in a rut, this book is a great reference for potters of all skill levels.

I, like another reviewer, thought that this would be "just another new age book". It's not. Not only does it explain the "how" of creating miracles, it shows how changing one's way of "seeing" others to a vision of LOVE can change the outcome of a potentially negative experience. I do believe that continuing to hold the vision of Love past the experience can heal not only fear of the experience happening again, but the others involved as well. This was especially helpful to me as I had been struggling with being angry toward people who begged for money on the street. Now, I can "see" them surrounded by Love!!! and who knows what might happen in their life, and in my life. [...]

Quick - what's the first thing that comes to mind when you find yourself in a bind? The frantic search for someone to blame? The feeling of victimhood? The lengths to which we are willing to stretch reason in order to find someone else responsible for our woes is nearly comical.

This book is as close as you can get to a "how-to" book for miracles. The exalted "A Course In Miracles" is quoted freely in this work, establishing its secure underpinnings in the metaphysics of higher realities (a.k.a. miracles). The key: miracles are a CHOICE.

If life is a series of lessons, choosing the "path less taken" often means a conscious decision to see a situation in a completely different light. This might entail compassion for the oppressor, awareness of the "big picture" and the wellbeing of all concerned, or simply a complete surrender to a loving Higher Power. (Interestingly, completely "losing it" later on seems to be OK). When this loving attitude is chosen as the response to a crisis, the lesson may be "called off" as it were. You got it. You passed the test. No need to go further.

This is a wonderful book - one that should be read by everybody as an antidote for the "eye for an eye" mentality of the world-mind.

Facing a eye disease with no known cure and progressive degeneration I found myself looking at books with titles like this one. Aftear all, since medicine has no answer, I'll have to find the solution in some other way. I'm not really very religious, and am actually a bit ashamed to show books like these to my friends (as a engineering student and computer geek this is not really the stuff I used to read). Still, I liked Carolyn's way of writing without being based in a specific religion.

It's hard to know what's true and what's not, what comes from God and from men. The Bible isn't for me, at least, not everything. The concept of Carolyn's God is indeed a lot more pleasant. Is it that way? Who knows.

In any case, the book won't make it worse, it can only make you a bit better person (and more optimist) or you'll just throw it away disgusted.

I liked it, the first pages were somewhat boring and the cases shown were not impressive at all. But the second half was delicious and left me thinking about it.

Read it, I definitely didn't regret spending my money on it, even if some parts sounded like some books on mind control (Ex: Silva's Mind control method).

Overall, it was good book and I'll read it again soon. If you think there must be someone or something out there worrying about us but have no clear idea about it, give it a try.

I love the way Carolyn Miller tells real-life stories of miraculous occurrences with the thoughts and feelings of the people experiencing the miracles. Miller captures the emotional spark and personality of those involved, and gives us a front-row seat as miracles unfold. Many of these stories describe people who survived accidents and escaped assaults in situations where they easily might have died or been seriously injured instead. Miller explains how changes in people's thinking leads to changes in the circumstances in their lives, even when the situation appears to be hopeless. Miller points out some simple steps each of us can take to live more miraculous lives, and she explains them so clearly that it's easy to do!

Creating Miracles excited me to the core of my being. I have seen and felt its principles operating in my life and have learned that we all have the power to access a spiritual and mental state that allows us to surrender to God/Spirit and find the path to living a passionate, purpose-filled, and yes, miracle-filled life.

In Creating Miracles, Carolyn Miller provides the keys to help us see, understand and find our way through the maze that is life and to take an active role in consciously creating our own miracles. It is one of the most valuable books I have read because it fills my world with the grace and freedom that comes from learning how to live with peace and serenity, trusting that all is as it should be in this moment, and knowing how to create a more desirable future.

I have recommended Creating Miracles to many many friends and given it as gifts. I share it's principles with my hospice patients and virtually everyone I come in contact with. Simply said, it works!

I really enjoyed reading this book. I love stories about horses and them communicating with humans. The book was a bit predictable and it could have used a little more romance, but it was great.

Dark Horse is on par with early Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey stories, and contains many of the elemtnts that made both the Valdemar and Pern series popular. Magical black horses choose and accompany "good" mages, protecting them from evil magic and acting as advisor and friend.

Dark Horse is the story of a young girl who is orphaned when her entire tribe is killed by a rival tribe that is led by an evil mage. She rescues and is rescued by a Hunnuli, a giant protector-horse, and is adopted by another tribe. When she learns that she, too is a mage (though a good one) she risks losing her life and her love because of the gifts she was born with...

I am disappointed that after only five books that this series has come to an early and undeserved demise.

I have read many fantasy and sci-fiction books and the is probably one of the best, if not the best. You can feel and understand what the characters' feel. I loved this book!

This Book is one of the best I have read. But as a series this is the BEST fantasy series, I have ever read. I wish there were more!

this si an amazing book. if you like a bit of war, an amazing storyline a just a tiny bit of romance, you'll liove it. Unforunetly it is out of print now, but perhaps it can be reprinted for the next generation, I know it's worth it.

I loved the symbolism and how the title of the book tied into the story-line. The love story was extremely sweet, funny and exciting all at the same time. I love how the reader feels like crying, laughing, being sad and happy at the same time as well. There are few books that will bring out all of these emotions and leave the reader with a sense of well being when he or she has finished the book. Dennis Christen is extremely talented to have written a book so easy to read, hard to put down, and let alone, forget.

what a happy story.....chapter 1 very sad but keep on reading. Granted...I'm the same age as Clara but...young or old...noone could resist this book. If you want a "feel good" read....don't miss it.

I read many different types of books and I found this book to be very well written. It was easy to read and hard to put down. In this day and age it is good to read that love is still alive at all ages. I am 57 and married for 33 years and I would hope that the same thing would happen with my wife if I was to pass on to a better place. I found the setting of the book interesting, being a resident of Hawaii for the past 27 years. I only find it difficult trying to picture the many rivers with all the fish. They must be well kept secret. Other then that it was a great book that I would recommend to all readers of all ages.

Back in December of 2002, my daughter and I were invited to read MADAM, THE GRASS IS HIGH. Said to ourselves, "BOND TIME." Locked ourselves in a room...and had a BALL. Thank you to a wonderful person that invited us to share in the joys of a really GOOD BOOK!!!

My daughter being 12 years old had been a book worm since childhood. We chose to take 2 chapters each and completed the book in 1 night. To our amazement...we found grand delights of sentiment. The metaphors were descriptive. Made us feel as if we were a part of the scene. The concept of a woman who has been dependant upon a husband nearly 53 years suddenly became widowed. Caused shock for us as readers. Dennis (author) caused my daughter and I to weep. We wanted to know more. When a writer causes a reader to keep their head plugged in a book...that's when my daughter and I looked at eachother and said, "THIS IS A HOT BOOK. The author is GOOD...really GOOD!!" The tickle of personalities (friends) that shared their lives with Clara (1 of the main character) allowed my daughter and I to explore with voice gestures: soft, finiky, romantic, sharp voice tones...to the point of vicious when the chapter required such energy.

The colorful words described the beauty of Hawaii...again...made us want more...

We didn't put the book down. Finished the book in 1 night.

Thank you Dennis for writing a book that made us go deep. We cried, sang, giggled, became fiesty, and even found ourselves blushing when the two finally got together...hehehe...

Which two?

Well...get the book folks. It's a "GOTTA DO THING!!"

You'll be glad you did!!

I'm not a recreational reader. Usually I only read technical books, and don't have time. Somebody gave me the book, so I had nothing to loose. I was struck by how easy it was to read and not slow down to piece together what's going on. What really glues the diversity of characters together is the smiting of love. When it became apparent who was smitten, I thought, "No way", but being single, I further thought, "Alright, there's hope for me". It intrigues me to see how love can change everything, and how it can embolden people to do out of character things. Now, when you add the backdrop of Hawaii's romantic paradise scenes, imagine the memories it will invoke years after you've seen the movie. Remember "Blue Hawaii"? There's something for everybody from pre-teen age and up, since the author contrasts different generation's approach to love. It makes me want to explore about this topic of love, and how we express, it can help to change the world for good. Speaking of Hawaii, there are unexpected and less known scenes that will add a pleasant surprise to people's image of Hawaii. It's more diverse than the average person thinks. You'll see what I mean when you read the book or see the movie.

The amount of detail in this account of the 11th Mississippi Civil War Regiment is astounding. As a descendant and a civil war buff I was spellbound and as a genealogist I found it full of new and useful information. Overall I thought Steven Stubbs' book was a monumental achievement.

Jim Harrison
Huntsville, Alabama

This is without a doubt the best account of the day to day activities encountered by our ancestors who served in the Eleventh Mississippi Infantry Regiment. From chapter to chapter, as I read, I feel I am with them. As a genealogist I have found more information about several of my ancestors, most who were members of the "University Greys" Co. A" in this book than I have found after several years research in Libraries and Archives. I commend Col. Stubbs for compiling the greatest account of any Civil War unit I have ever read. I highly reccomend this book not only to Civil War buffs but also to Genealogists. There is priceless information in this great book.

Steven H. Stubbs labor of love which documents not only the 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, but also the individuals who comprised it, is everything a regimental history should be. Unjustly overlooked by historians due in large part to the fact the regiment served as a part of two different brigades (the first a very unusal mixed-state command), the 11th Mississippi's combat record in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia is second to none. By the time it was assigned to Brigadier Joseph R. Davis's brigade in early 1863, combat reputations at the brigade level had unfortunately already been established and "carved in stone." As a part of Bee's/Whiting's/Law's hard-hitting "mixed" brigade, the 11th Mississippi, 2nd Mississippi, 4th Alabama and 6th North Carolina comprised one of Lee's premier combat units and played a major role at 1st Manassas, Gaines Mill, 2nd Manassas, South Mountain and Antietam. However, the brigade was broken up in late 1862 and the units reassigned to more traditional "state" commands. The two Mississippi units went on to form the core of Davis's new brigade which came to grief during the Gettysburg Campaign. Although the 11th Mississippi missed the debacle at the Railroad Cut on July 1, it was present for "Pickett's Charge" forming the highly exposed left flank of the Confederate line once Brockenbrough's small Virginia brigade broke to the rear. The remnants of the 11th Mississippi, along with the other units of Davis's Brigade, also suffered in rear-guard actions at Williamsport and Falling Waters. Thus, the outstanding performance subsequently demonstrated by Davis's brigade following the Gettysburg debacle, during the Overland Campaign and the fighting south of Petersburg in the closing months of the war, was largely relegated to brief passages or footnotes in the works of most Civil War historians. Steven Stubbs history of the 11th Mississippi helps correct this serious error of omission. Highly recommended.

Mr. Stubbs has written an excellent history of the Eleventh Mississippi Infantry Regiment. The Eleventh fought from First Manassas to Appamattox and had as colorful and as glorious a record as any regiment in R. E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. That record, until now, has largely gone unnoticed. Finally it has been told in great detail. As an Ole Miss alumni I especially enjoyed reading about the University Greys who were University of Mississippi students who made up Company A of the Eleventh. I also liked the roster included in the book. It gives the service record of every man in the regiment, some 1500 of them total. I would recomend this book to Ole Miss students, Ole Miss alumni, Mississippians in general, descendants of these men and anyone interested in the Army of Northern Virginia.

Steven Stubbs has truly immortalized the men of the 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment in his heavily researched history of this famous Confederate unit. I have read several regimental histories through the years, but none as detailed or with more documented sources as this one. From organization, through the first battles, into Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg, and on to the heartbreak of Appomattox, the author describes the activities, movements, and everyday lives of these men of the South. Especially interesting to the genealogy buff is the detailed roster of all men known to have been a part of the 11th Mississippi. Overall, this is by far the best regimental history that I have ever seen. The "boys of the 11th" are not forgotten!