P Books

I read the book twice before it disappeared on me. There are books out there that tell the story of ships. This book is a reference to the strength and the perseverence of a ship, her crew and should be required reading to anyone that serves in the military, matter of fact anyone who wants to know why we won that war.(If wars are really won). The first Space Shuttle, the first nuclear carrier wear that name. For those Sci-Fi. buffs, I need not say more. I served on a carrier and have a good idea what strength, spirit, and unity are. For those who fight for it. Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know. We are a great nation, but not necessarily the greatest.A Sailor. Me

I have not read this book in over 15 years. My old paperback copy is now gone. When I had it, I read it twice. I felt immersed in the action, life and death of the "ship with a soul". It would be wonderful to get a copy once again.

The first time I read the book I was 10 years old. I was known in my school for my knowledge of WWII history. This book made me understand the losses that were actually involved in war. By the time I was done reading the book for the first time, I was in tears thinking about all that history beeing scrapped. The Constitution sunk one ship, The Enterprise kept a nation afloat. If I ever get ahold of this book again, I will put it in it's place in my collection: on my nightstand!

I purchased this paperback in the early 80's, set it aside and did not read it until 1994. It is an incredible history. I cried when "The Big 'E'" was scarred, when her crew fought and died to keep her in the war. Cmdr. Stafford's genius is evident in the movie " Tora, Tora, Tora!" - he was the technical advisor. I am currently re-reading this classic; and would love to have a pristine copy in my library. It is a crime against history that the Enterprise and Saratga were not preserved as museums. I truly believe "Thre Big 'E'" was the diference between defeat and victory in 1942.

I got my first copy of this when I was just a lad and I must have read it five or six times. It fell apart and disappeared during the college years. Maybe 10 years ago I found it in paperback (just sitting in a bookstore!) and read it a couple of more times since then.

It is one of those rare works of history that manages to be factual, straightforward, and still read like a novel. The writing is crisp, the imagery moving, and the detail satisfying. I admit to being biased -- don't we all have fond memories of books read when we were young? -- but I cannot think of any flaws.

Here's a historical nugget I first recognized reading "The Big E." Only two US fleet carriers survived WWII. The first was the Saratoga, which survived by being heavily damaged seemingly everytime she left port, and spent the war safely in drydock being repaired. The second was the Enterprise, which was engaged in nearly every major battle in the Pacific, and was arguably the "luckiest" large ship in the Navy.

Given the resurgence of interest in WWII (see Stephen Ambrose and Tom Hanks) I cannot imagine why someone does not reprint this book. If you can find a copy, buy it. If you live in western Washington I might loan you my copy, but you have to promise to take good care of it and return it promptly.

From the very first pages you will be drawn into the lives of compelling characters fraught with the foibles of human nature. Mr. Hunter's villian is well drawn as a greedy, controlling, soulless, money making machine. His heroine was expertly developed as a Mother/lover character who would do anything to rescue her loved ones. I hated for this story to end. I recommend this book highly to anyone who not only enjoys an adventure but a walk through deep emotions of very human characters. Well done Jon P. Hunter!

Beautifully written, with a rare insight into a southern way of life. If there is any justice and/or taste in Hollywood, some producer will get smart and jump on this one. I want more!

to me books are like very good friends....you cherish them and you love having them with you. Birthmark is one of those books that you actually hate to see end. i found myself streching out the last few pages just so i didn't have to finish it so soon. this is one of those books that becomes a friend. john hunter writes like a personal conversation that you are overhearing... you know all the characters and you know exactly what they are feeling. i loved lila and i loved this book. i highly recommend it ... in fact it should be on your bedside table... that way you can take it bed with you. believe me it's worth it.

I've never felt a need to sit down and write a recommendation to anyone about a particular book...but someone just has to get the word out on this fascinating novel about money, power, prestige, mystery, and love. Absolutely riveting. I am not promoting this book. It goes beyond that. This is entertainment in its purest form. Mr. Hunter has enthralled me with Birthmark... His indelible stamp of intrigue and descriptive style put his talents among a well-known few. Mr. Hunter has obviously lived and loved the South. Birthmark is breathless. Surely this formidable, new literary talent would not invite us onto his verandah for such a refreshing glass of sweet tea without offering us a refill. And, by the way, Mr. Hunter, the recipe is perfect. Just stir it for us one more time again.

This has "feature film" written all over it! This beautiful love story takes the reader all over the world and deep into the lives of the rich and powerful. A gentle Southern belle becomes a strong, loving woman -- and her journey is not to be missed. What a wonderful read!

This excellent work treads the line carefully, taking into account Textual Criticism, Ancient Near East backgrounds and parallels, New Testament Appropriation of texts and critical scholarship in a way that leaves the reader well informed on issues. Sometimes comes to "interesting" conclusions, but if not near a reference library, this is the commentary on the book to have (over Wenham, Spieser, or Westermann). Especially helpful to have 1 more if possible (I'd take the JPS Torah series to get a solid Jewish and historical approach) to compare against, but Hamilton is solid and orthodox in his conclusions, avoiding straying too far from either extreme, though leaving ultra-conservative evangelicals out in the cold with some of his statements. (see esp. Gen 1-3; Oi)

This is a really good two volume commentary on Genesis. I like it better than Gordon Wenham's two volume work for several reasons: 1) It is easier to read. 2) There are many points where Hamilton focus on applying the text to the New Testament and to the practical Christian life, 3) you don't have to have a knowledge of hebrew to access this mammoth work. So if you're doing a Bible study on Genesis or if you're preaching through it, then this is the top of the line.

* Many authors suppose to write for scholars, pastors and laymen, yet few accomplish their goal. Hamilton succeeds. This commentary is of sufficient depth and technicality for scholars and students. The introduction in particular does a wonderful job of addressing theological themes within the book. One very useful feature, not usually found in scholarly OT commentaries, is a section on 'New Testament Appropriation" at the conclusion of every few chapters. Hamilton also includes useful applicatory points and easy-to-read and understand chapter and section summaries. IMHO this is the best commentary on Genesis.

Hamilton's outline and word study allows the reader to determine for themselves the best interpretation of verses under challenge. While focusing on the Biblical evidence, Hamilton shows varying opinions on specifics and then challenges each with other areas of Scripture. The format, and easy-to-read structure make it a must for any Old Testament library.

No doubt Wenham and Hamilton have written the best conservative's commentary on Genesis. Longman said that "between Wenham and Hamilton, Genesis is well covered."

But to have both means you must buy 4 volumes because both Wenham and Hamilton separated their commentaries on Genesis into two volumes (Wenham: Genesis 1-15 & 16-50; Hamilton: Genesis 1-17 & 18-50).

I have read all of the four volumes and found that for the first part of Genesis, Hamilton tend to be more conservative than Wenham (e.g. compared their interpretations on the "spirit" in Gen. 1:2), but for the second part Wenham has given me more insight (He always can find fresh meanings and applications from the famous Christian stories that I have been reading since I was in the sunday school!).

My suggestion is if you have enough money buy all, but if you don't buy the first book of Hamilton and the second book of Wenham.buy all, but if you don't buy the first book of Hamilton and the second book of Wenham.

Very rarely do you find a "history" book that sneaks the history in before you even know it. Russ McLogan does just that in "Boy Soldier." You find yourself caught up in the wonderful narrative of the life of the young boy-turned-soldier. The humor, the violence, the hasty training, are all described within the background of WWII. The historical, social, and political accounts are dead-on accurate--being told by someone who was actually there and has the scar to prove it. This is truly one history book that you will not be able to put down...written by a boy-turned-soldier-turned-historian.

A very interesting and well presented book about the liberation of the Philippine Islands and the history of the American 6th Infantry Division. The author does a very nice job of integrating daily life a soldier's story to produce a book that covers a lot of ground easily. I really enjoyed this book as there are not many first person accounts of the Pacific Theater, particularly, from men who where in the Army rather than the Marines. Also has nice description of the events of the war that paralleled the author's experiences.

I was at the mall during Christmastime and he was sitting in front of the Border's Express. He seemed a little lonely, so I stopped by and talked to him. It was very interesting listening to him talk, especially as he looked up and noticed I was wearing a USS Enterprise Hat (CV-6, not the other) and he started to talk about the Battle of Leyte. After listening to him, I bought a copy of the book and he signed it.

When I picked it up and started to read it, I wasn't disappointed. It was a story I could relate to since he's from this area. He put stuff in comparison to stuff around Detroit and that made it seem more realistic to me. It was a very well written book and very well researched (because he put the bigger perspective with his story).

I enjoyed this book immensely, and strongly recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in WWII. I'm a bit of a military history buff, and so have read a good deal on the subject. But I enjoyed Mr. McLogan's book the most, by far. Other soldiers' biographies I've read have covered simply the individuals' combat experiences. While these are always highly interesting, the author of "Boy Soldier" discusses not only his time in battle, but also the experiences he went through both before and after his time on the front lines. I found especially interesting his descriptions of his arduous infantry training, and the details he provided of the lengthy medical treatment he received after being wounding in Luzon. Of interest also were the behind-the-lines duties he had to perform when he first arrived in the Philippines. He also recounts, in detail, the sea voyage he had to endure en route to the Pacific theater and, after hostilities with Japan ended, his voyage to Korea. I learned a lot from this book. For example, I had always believed that all seriously wounded American soldiers in WWII were eventually returned back to the U.S. for hospitalization and rehabilitation. Not true, as it turns out. There are many other lessons in this book. As it is with watching a good movie, you don't want this story to end. It's one of the most entertaining and informative works I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

I had the honor of meeting Mr. McLogan at a book signing where his reading honestly convinced me to buy this book. I now cherish the signed copy I own. This book is exceptionally well written which honestly surprised me, Mr. McLogan is an engineer by trade (so am I). The writing is dynamic, captivating, vivid and sensory. This is an exceptional autobiography combining memories and official documents. This is a phenomenally written book about the life of a young man caught up in the turbulent 40's. That being said, this is not a war book, this is a book about a man's life. Mr. McLogan does not dwell on the time he spent in combat, but does cover that period as well. This book details his life before he was drafted, what training and traveling with the army was like, his wounding, recovery, and as an occupational soldier in Korea after the war and finally going home again. Mr. McLogan does not try to make himself a hero, and in my opinion, he doesn't have to, he simply is.
I have found no better written personal account of a young American's life during the war. This book took my breath away literally; especially the parts where the author reminisces about walking hand in hand with a high school sweetheart while sitting in a foxhole in the Philippines. Mr. McLogan was lucky enough to survive the ordeal and went on to be truly one of the heroes I have always looked up to. Not a war monger or a violent person, but simply a young man who answered his countries call, did his duty, stood his ground and came back and built a life for himself. I only wish my grandfather had written this book!

hey, I know that this book is awesome, but is old too, the reality of Brazil is not that anymore, some people tend to form opinions about things that they don't know, that they have never seem with their own eyes. But the best thing is that it still is a really interesting novel, and if you read you won't forget, it is just the best book I ever read.

I would recommend this book to anyone as an absolute must read. I read it in the original Portuguese at the suggestion of a friend and if you have the ability, I suggest you do the same. The translation simply doesn't portray the magnificence and beauty of Amado's original. After living in Brazil for sometime, this novel is, to me, the most incredible portrayal of these youth and the circumstances in which they live. The book may be 70 years old, but it is certainly as applicable today as anything else I've read.

It is absolutely magnificant. This is the first time for me writing a book review online and I thought that I'd never do it, but after I saw that there's is copy out there somewhere I had to say that 69$ is nothing for this book. It is the only book I take along when I travel or move abroad. It is the book that can change your life, or atleast bring that special something to it. Now that I'm reading this through I have this funny feeling that it's not me writing, but from time to time you come across extraordinary matters that make you act in a very peculiar way. This is one them. Don't miss it.

Amado's literary output falls rather neatly into two periods. His early work is imbued with a strong sense of social responsibility, a fact for which he had some difficulty under the Vargas regime, and I believe he may have even done a short stint in jail over. The second period, the post-"Gabriela" books, are a lot more laid back and anecdotal.

Sorry to say that in general the second period is the one that's more fun to read, and the books he wrote in the second half of his life are what established his international reputation. A lot of his earlier stuff is not that great, with one exception - this book.

The story is about the kids on the street in Fortaleza, back in the 1930's. To say that they're poor doesn't do justice to it - they live on the street. By necessity they're thieves, but you can't help liking them. They have aspirations of their own in life.

Explaining it in a few words like that may make the American reader think that he's dealing with some "Angels with Dirty Faces" sort of story. It's not. This is not a sentimental novel. It's a reflection of some of the hard realities of Brazilian life, like the urban poverty that never seems to disappear. But it also reflects some of the inherent optimism and the very un-American concern with each other that Brazilians manifest - features of their society that make Brazil such a wonderful place.

This has to be the best book Jorge Amado has ever written. It was the first book of his that I ever read, it touched me so deeply, that I have read almost all his books since. It really lets you know about the poverty in Brasil, and what some people would do for money. Every character and every story in the novel makes sense. It touches my heart to see what some kids go through, not only in Brasil but in the whole world. As a proud Brasilian myself, It made me think a lot about the poverty in my country. The love story is also so romantic and sad. It's simply just the best book that I have ever read.

Using the format of stop, look and listen, Dr. Flynn offers an excellent analysis of the crisis in the Church.
Most importantly, Catholics at the Crossroads outlines concrete changes that must be made for the Church to recover its health and credibility

Using a format of Stop, Look and Listen, Dr. Flynn offers an excellent analysis of the crisis in the Church.
Most importantly, Catholics at the Crossroads outlines concrete changes that must be made for the Church to recover its health and credibility.

Flynn's book brings the reader around to a not-so-easy solution to a horrifying problem. Lay Catholics must become involved and fully participate, as did Christians in the days following the time of Christ. Being a sheep is not what it's about. If you're a Catholic or anyone else who is upset and angry about the behavior of some priests, and even enraged about the cover-up by some bishops or archbishops, but don't know what to do about it, read this book. Changes can be made. Catholics at a Crossroads gives background on the facts of this problem, proposes a number of causes and finally offers the solution - activism by lay people.

The stories about sexual abuse by Catholic priests are still making headlines. As a Catholic, I am horrified by these news stories. Every time I read them, I ask myself why, how could this happen? Then a few months ago I received a manuscript in the mail from a Catholic theologian who had tackled this question directly and thoughtfully. I am the editor of Paraview Publishing and Eileen Flynn's manuscript answered the questions I had been asking myself ever since the crisis broke in 2002. Flynn's crystal clear analysis of the situation uncovers the underlying causes of the crisis: the inflexibility of Catholic sexual ethics, the theological issues of responsibility, and the reality of a dysfunctional institution. If you'll look at the "Editorial Reviews" section of this book page, you'll see that knowledgeable people agree that Flynn has hit the nail on the head. Frankly, it would all be quite depressing if not for the fact that Flynn is also able to offer a "cure," a way for the laity and the Church to work together, address the underlying problems, and finally set things straight.

Dr. Eileen Flynn has given us the most readable and by far the most intelligently reasoned book yet to help hierarchy, clergy and laity find their way back. She has not only done her homework and analyzed her findings with skills based on her dozen or more earlier books. She has also organized her approach so clearly that the reader follows her argument with ease and in some ways with pleasure and relief, however appalling the material has to be at certain inescapable points of that argument. She presents a calm, admirably positive prescription for recovery while there is still time. Flynn pulls no punches in setting forth her Rx to repair the catastrophic damage born of millennial practices of governance that little if anything to do with original intent. Her book gives us her special woman's interpretation of what Raymond Schroth, S.J., meant when he wrote, "Nowhere does Scripture have anything good to say about power and hanging onto power."

If you're looking for just another book by Anthony, that's the wrong address! Anthony`s books usually are light read, without any comlexities of caracters or plot. This one is nothing like this! It's really a mature book (altough first one?). Just great read! I highly reccomend it...

Piers Anthony was one of my first fantasy reads. I read his Robot Adept and had to have all the books on the series, plus a lot of others from other series! It stole me away from romance and mystery, being far more interesting! From his novels, I crossed the threshold into fantasy and sci-fi, reading many good writers' works. Chthon is a cut above the rest, despite it being a first work and I applaud an already celebrated author for yet another great work of fiction!

Though the Xanth series was (im almost certain) one of the first series that any one ever read on this author, i found that the immense amount of sheer brain capacity needed to assertain every little metaphorical and ever single sub-based plot screwing in this book was alot more "mature" then from his previous more childesh books. Though they are not childesh in content literature, only really in characters. I have found that in most books he has incredible amount of beutifully puzzling puns and writing that i wish to assertain one day, al in all i definetly rate this book up there. If anyone else is interested , check out Barry B. Longyear, He wirtes an incredible fiction called the Godbox although it is quite rare and difficult to get ahold of , i suppose you can start at your local library. Anywho , thanks and hopefuly Piers pulls through with a few more good books.

Wow. Incredible. For his first book, this is his best by far. Having first read only the Xanth books, and then the entire Bio of a Space Tyrant series, I was expecting another kind of kiddish book with adult overtones. But no, this very adult oriented book was way beyond my expecatations, the plot twists and turns are amazing. Always gripping, Piers Anthony at his best.

Anthony arrived on the science fiction scene with quite a bang with this novel. So much of a bang that it was nominated for the 1968 Hugo award, losing out on the award itself only to another truly brilliant work, Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light.

Anthony introduces a multitude of ideas in this work: a flower that shows whether or not your significant other truly loves you, a galaxy-spanning `message' that kills humans in its path by hypothermia, a naturally formed inorganic based consciousness, a type of grub that quite literally eats absolutely everything. But the most significant idea is a genetically modified type of human, the minionettes, all physically identical and the very picture of absolute female perfection, who have their emotional circuits inverted, where the kindest thing you can do to them is hate, abuse, deride, and punish them.

Anton Five, knowing nothing of her true nature, has the misfortune to fall in love with one of these minionettes, a love that is an obsession, a mixture of real love and conflicted hate, as the object of his emotions, after only three brief encounters, goes to space. It becomes his mission in life to track her down, even at the expense of his farm and a rejection of freely offered true love by a daughter of the family of Four. And due to this obsession, he eventually is sent to the prison planet Chthon, where the prison is the naturally formed caves and tubes formed by ancient volcanic action and that no one has ever escaped from. Within this prison are real monsters, truly horrifying and very unique, many of which are seen only from offstage or half-seen, and the very indistinctness this lends to these creatures adds to their effect. Some of the images of this section gave me nightmares for years after the first time I read this book.

Anton is a fully delineated character, not very likeable - in fact he's amoral, selfish, a loner, single-minded, and at least something of a psychotic. But there are occasional glimpses of a different man hiding inside, one capable of giving and receiving love, who knows pity and can empathize with other's misfortunes. The story, outside of all the fantastic ideas so casually tossed around, is really about his development into a fully rational human who can allow his emotions full sway when appropriate.

The story construction is rather unique, using both flash-backs and flash-forwards from his time in prison. This is deliberately done, as there are a set of parallels/contrasts between the actions in the prison and the actions at other times in Anton's life, which help illustrate the man and his changes. This construction has the disadvantage of lessening the suspense, but the added meaning given by this structure more than compensates for this. At least part of this book can be viewed as an allegory for the travels of a man through the stages of life, and Anthony buries quite a bit of symbolism inside his creations.

The power of this book resides in the changes Anton goes through and its tremendous imagery coupled with some truly different and unique ideas. Be prepared to put as much effort into reading and comprehending this book as it would take for a classic 'literary' novel - this book is a far cry from the grade-B space-operas of yesteryear.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

... This is a great book. I would rank it among my top 20 favourite novels, perhaps even the top 10, along with works by Tolstoy, Dickens, Austen and others of that calibre... I urge you to read this book if you have not yet done so. It succeeds on several levels: It is an adventure yarn, with daring escapes, chases, intrigues and battles. It is a philosophical novel, raising thought-provoking questions about priestly celibacy and religious observance. It is a war novel, presenting a convincing portrayal of men in combat. It is a psychological novel, probing the nature of male companionship. Well written, absorbing and satisfying, read it before it disappears from booklists completely.

The Cloister and the Hearth is one of the most powerful reading experiences I have had. It is a great pity, but no surprise, that this masterpiece is not familiar even to lovers of Victorian literature, and has not had a fashion in recent times like the works of, say, Austen or Trollope. I say no surprise because Cloister is challenging in ways that those authors are not. First, it is long, 750 pages, far longer than anything by the Great Jane, and most of Trollope. Second, the dialogue is written in a deliberately archaic style intended to evoke the Middle Ages, an ersatz 15th century English in the mouths of characters who are Dutch, German, French, Italian, but none English. To my ear, it was tremendously effective, but it will not come easily to modern readers who find Shakespeare and the King James Bible difficult. Third, it takes the values of the era it describes seriously, rather than looking back from an arch, "modern" 19th century perspective. That third point is the most important. As the title suggests, the theme of the work is the tension between domestic private life and the spiritual domain of the Church. Most of the dramatic conflict arises from the demands of priestly celibacy, which Reade reveals as a "vile heresy" only three pages from the end. Such is his skill that, despite their lives having been devastated by it, neither of the two lover/ protagonists ever questions the rule's propriety or justice, and both honor it absolutely. (Perhaps the female utters a doubt or two somewhere, but if so, they are feebly stated and soon forgotten.) The two main characters are not subtle, but are medieval virtue personified. Yet they work, especially Gerard, the male. Unlike Dickens's goody-two shoes heroes (think David Copperfield or Esther Summerson), the extraordinary virtues of Gerard and Margaret never made this reader roll his eyes. Reade considered himself a dramatist, not a novelist, and the reconciliation scenes in this book are as emotionally driven as anything you will see on the stage. It is shorter than War and Peace, and once you get the hang of it, the pages turn much faster than Tolstoy's. I've only read an abridged W&P, years ago, but I'd put Cloister up there on the same level, as historical literature, not just historical fiction, of the very highest order.

It's hard to believe this book is largely forgotten and unavailable. Despite what some of the other reviewers claim, you do not need to be a Medievalist to enjoy it--or even be thrilled by it, as I was. Get a used copy while you still can.

I don't think it fair for the editorial review to give away the ending.

My first year at university it was a required reading. Back then reading wasn't my favourite hobby; However when I started to the novel, I just couldn't put it down. It was very exciting and a pleasure to read. Highly recommended. I lost my book and I'm hoping that Amazon.com will locate a copy for me,please!

I enjoyed this book so much that I wrote to Lex Hixon. To my suprise, he telephoned me and we talked for an hour! His PhD in comparative religion from Columbia University should not make you think that his approach to the world's mystic traditions was the least bit dry or academic. He was an ecstatic lover of God, like Rumi, while remaining an encyclopedic scholar and a wonderful writer, like---well, like Rumi. I've read all of his books. This is one of his best. Lex Hixon died of cancer at age 55, but like a 20th Century version of Ramakrishna (a great mentor of his) he had lived the lives of several devotees rolled into one.

An excellent book - well written and insightful.

At one level the book is a survey of "enlightenment" or the mystic experience/way of life (direct experience of the Divine) in several religious traditions.

At another level - and the more important one from my perspective - the book uses its discussion of the particular nuances of each of these mystic traditions to draw a common definition/description of enlightenment. The clear message here is that the apparent differences among religions are more a matter of the nature of human perception/ways of communicating than any fundamental difference at the real level.

The last chapter of the book contains a valuable set of guided exercises in prayer and meditative practice to equip the reader with the tools to embark on the path of mystic experience.

Hixon was both a scholar (Ph.D. in Comparative Religions from Columbia) and a practicing mystic (Sheikh in the Havleti-Jerrahi Sufi Order) so this book combines the best of scholarship and direct experience. He is the author of several other very valuable books.

"Coming Home" is The Owners Manual of Life; an easily digested primer of the Ultimate Truth; an informal introduction to Spiritual Imperatives. Every mother should lovingly include a gift copy to her babe, as part of the birthing process, to ensure its joyous journey home. If you missed getting yours, it's not too late.

I was very enchanted by this book. Lex Hixon had opened my eyes to the different worlds of faith. It guided me through a vast arrys of Eastern and Western walks of religions. The works in this book had brought a whole new prospective from teahers of different walks of life. I, myself, being the son of a preacher was searching for answers from the loopholes of christianity that was taught to me. Lex Hixon had enlightened my world into a spiritually journey I thought I can never find the answers to. This book had helped me on my search. Even though, I still searching this book had helped me on my quest. Coming Home is well craft and very inspirational. This book will always be a keeper!!

Contrary to what the heading says, the book is by Lex Hixon alone, with a brief forward by Ken Wilber. That aside, the book is a welcome addition to the literature on the world's religions. Focusing as it does on the territory of enlightenment in various traditions, it is a breath of fresh air from narrow minded, my-way -is -best religious wrangling. He cover some of the greats: Maharshi, Ramakrishna, the Baal Shem Tov, Plotinus...and his ending with a consultation of the i ching is intriguing.

I will try to write this reveiw again. I wrote one before but Amazon deleted it. This book is a gem. It is small in size but BIG in content. You will not be sorry you bought this book. Edgar Alwain Payne has condensed all the best composition techniques into a very small space. Plus, the later editions of this book contain color images. Although Amazon says it's out of print, it isn't. It continues to be offered by the publisher for a reasonable price.

No better data is available...BUY this book NOW!Read EVERY page!Become a better artist by practising Paynes wonderful insights into the real world of art.Whether a studio or plein air painter, this book has what you need

Not 5 but 10 stars! Great book for students, collectors, dealers and art historians wishing to learn directly from Edgar Payne his method of creating masterpieces of California Impressionism. As one of America's foremost buyers of Edgar Payne paintings, I highly recommend this book! www.LawrenceBeebe.com

Love this book for everything in it. Instruction, ideas, technique, lessons on what and what not to do in painting. Thanks for this one.

EXCELLENT BOOK AND WORTH A BIG PRICE BUT BUY THE 2000 ED BECAUSE OF ADDED MATERIAL. HIS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TECHNIQUE AND COMPOSITION ARE GREAT LEARNING TOOLS!!