Publishers Books

Like the other books of his I've read (Black Book -- really great book), this book manages to be extremely factual yet at the same time emotionally gripping. Grossman's reporting narrative puts you in the time and the place and gives a strong sense of what it was like to be there - the senses, the feelings, the despair, the players, the impact to real people. If you are interested in the Soviet side of the war, or WW2 in general, this is a must read.

Grossman, most famous for his Tolstoyan work, 'Life and Fate' was, first and foremost, a journalist. He spent the majority of the Second World War on the front lines, witnessing some of the most violent confrontations of the war. He was in Stalingrad, widely acknowledged as the bloodiest battle in history. He was at Kursk, the major tank battle of the war and the military turning point-Stalingrad being the psychologic hinge-of-fate for Nazi Germany's imperialistic and ideological ambitions. He was at Treblinka during it's liberation and in Berlin during the final death-throes of the Nazi beast. In other words, he was an eye-witness to all the major events on the Eastern Front.

This book, cleverly and unobtrusively edited and translated by Vinogradova and Beevor excerpt relevant segments from Grossman's diaries. These wartime diaries were kept at great personal risk, since such activities were prohibited by the Stalin government. While many of the depictions of the attitudes and behaviors of Soviet soldiers seem redolant of 'socialist realist' propaganda, the descriptions of Treblinka and the author's sentient observations on Soviet military men are obviously the product of a gifted writer and psychologist.

The reader should recall that these diary entries were not intended for publication but rather were kept by Grossman to provide source material for future literary efforts. Unfortunately, Grossman fell afoul of Stalin, largely for his efforts to publicize the fate of Jews at the hands of the Nazis and secondarily for failing to sufficiently promote the role of Stalin's leadership and the Party in the Battle of Stalingrad. As a result, 'Life and Fate' was only published posthumously and stomach cancer claimed the author's life before much of the raw materials presented in this book could be crafted into a final literary effort. Any serious student of WW-II should read this book, as it is a major contribution to understanding the Soviet perspective on the 'Great Patriotic War'.

Vasili Semenovich Grossman was a decorated Soviet military journalist best known in the West for his epic novel, Life and Fate (New York Review Books Classics). In 'A Writer at War' editors and translators Anthony Beevor (Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943), an esteemed historian and author in his own right, and Luba Vinogradova, follow Grossman's progression through the war by piecing together stories from his notebooks and writings. At times one would have liked a bit more context to be provided by Beevor, but that is a minor quibble.

Grossman, while still a loyal Communist at this point, managed to maintain a relatively objective viewpoint. He often pushed his editors to allow him to write stories they did not want written, in particular regarding the fate of the Jews in the Ukraine under German occupation and the role of the Ukrainians.

While at time the stories have to be stitched together from bits and pieces, `A Writer at War' is a gold mine and provides a rare view into the inner workings of the Soviet military and Soviet military journalism in particular. Grossman experienced the initial German onslaught and the Russian flight from it, Stalingrad, the tank battle at Kursk, and the death camps. The book includes an extensive article on the workings of the German death camp Treblinka. Earns the highest recommendation.

I'm very glad I've read this book, because it is truly one of the greatest, if not the greatest eye-witness account of the war on the eastern front. The chapter about the liberation of Dachau and the writer's thoughts about the Holocaust made me shiver, I've read dozens of books on the Holocaust but nobody ever put it to paper like Vassily did. If you haven't read this book, please do. You will never forget it.

Parragraphs of intense live experiences on the Eastern Front are interspersed with the introduction and analyses of historian Mr. Beevor. If it had been in a linear sort of narrative, so we could feel the progression of the drama, and we could get used to the comings and goings of our narrator, it would have been a great book. But we have only scattered pieces, fading images of a soul soaked in the pain of war, glimpses of horrors witnessed and stories that remain untold.

It's what it hints at that gives it its precious value: the authenticity and honesty of the man, Grossman. But it lacks a linear storytelling; it leaves a chaotic impression of imprecise locations and hard-to-pronounce names. I'm the first to be sorry about this impression, nevertheless it is what it is. I would have packed the best passages into a short book, made it more concise and more precise.

This is a great story of Friendship. This isn't just another cancer story. I get very tired of Christian writers because most the time they get to be very preachy and lose something trying too hard to be preaching the sermon to non believers. The sad part is that most who read these books are already believers and don't need that. In this book Roxanne Henke the author focused more on the characters Anne and Libby. I enjoyed their stories and their lives. I felt I got to know each character and each ones pain. Cancer while playing a role in the story was not the whole story. This book will make you laugh and cry and make you glad you read this book. This is great writing with real people and real emotion. I highly recommended "After Anne".

This book is very good and well written. It is also very sad so if your looking for something light and fun this is not the book for you. I live here in ND and think that it does represent North Dakotans very well. In fact I've meet more people like Libby's friend here then anywhere else that I have lived! This book made me think about my friendships and has inspired me to be more of a friend like Anne and Libby. Anyways, I highly recommed this book!

I found the author's style to be very readable and memorable. Written as journal entries with viewpoints from each friend, the author provided different windows into the same story. It was refreshing. I believed that every moment of this story of two unlikely friends could actually happen. My next step is to pick up on the rest of the story with the sequels to this first book in the series.

Defying the odds, standoffish secular mother of two Olivia Marsden, and pregnant believer Anne Abbot become friends. Drawing on an inner-strength gained through her dealings with life challenges and as a result of Anne's prayers, Olivia experiences a spiritual awakening and accepts Jesus Christ as her personal savior. The story of their relationship is as uninspiring as the personalities of most of the residents of the North Dakota town in which they live.

Examples of Henke's own work reflect the caliber of her writing. Word strings connected by hyphens are used over half a dozen times: wear-a-path-in-the-carpet-regularity, I'm-talking-for-the-baby talk, let's-see-if-this-works reflex, and not-so-easy-to-answer question. Phrases of comparison are unconventional: like cold macaroni and cheese to a kitchen counter top, like a dog getting tossed a pre-chewed bone, like a mechanical dog with a big grin on its face, like writer's Alzheimer's, like a huge rock in a too-small shoe. Sentences are sometimes nonsensical: Jane's cries slit right through my eardrum; Anne's simple question...had made a Pandora's box out of my mind; But there was a melancholy about him that tore at my heart; and My heart continued to beat as if it were a piece of molten lead, hot and heavy, defying any law of science known to man. Selfish people are the norm and can be found everywhere: in a nursing home-a nurse, in the hospital-a doctor, and in Brewster both Olivia (who laments that as a result of accompanying Anne to her treatments, she's neglected her family) and Olivia's friend (who chooses a manicure over the opportunity to help her). The behavior of (cancer-stricken) Anne's relatives is incomprehensible: Her sister criticizes Anne's hairstyle (a wig). Her husband chooses going to work over attending her appointment, saying, "It's probably nothing;" states after learning of the almost certain cancer diagnosis, "Let's not jump to conclusions...You hear about labs screwing up lab tests all the time;" and, when he finally decides to accompany her, acts rudely impatient. Her mother leaves the hospital in the midst of her post-op recovery; checks the cleanliness of her oven upon arriving to care for the newborn during a separate surgical procedure (then dumps the baby at Olivia's when informed about another granddaughter's injury); and when Anne is re-hospitalized, gravely ill, suggests that if she had been more active as a child she might not "have this little sickness."

Bonus features include a (presumptuous) Reader's Guide with a list of prospective book club questions, and several references (as well as an acknowledgement) to Oprah and her talk show. Luckily for her fans, Henke has produced an entire series of books about the self-centered residents of Brewster, which, I can assure you, bear no resemblance to genuine North Dakotans. The memoir, The Horizontal World, of one of those natives, Debra Marquat, provides a more accurate portrayal of life in the most rural state of the lower forty-eight. Higher quality Christian-themed books include: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, and The Greatest Story Ever Told by Fulton Oursler

I review many books as an author and very few end up as "keepers". This one will. The characters, Libby and Anne, were real and the message of friendship beautifully intertwined. I not only fell in love with the characters in this book, but it made me realize that I needed to call a friend, one who is the "Libby" in my life.

It is an honor to be a part of the company Art Williams started. There has never been a dull day or wasted moment listening to Art, reading his books, and working his message. It is all I can do.

I loved this book, and I constantly refer to it when I go about my day.

What I love about it is that it's written by somebody who's done it, and it doesn't sugar coat what it takes to be a success. Because Art's ~560th richest person, he doesn't have ulterior motives for writing this book, as some other motivational gurus do (ie buy their audio CD's & DVDs and go to their seminars for $3000 a pop).

Art doesn't lie.

It takes a ton of will and determination & positive attitude to do what he's done. It takes a lot of hard work to succeed. It's sad to see people today constantly chasing after the next quick fix, the next scheme that promises them a million bucks in 30 days. Because it won't happen. As Art says, nothing worthwhile comes easy. If you want success in your life, you've got to work hard at it, you've got to be positive no matter what hits the fan, you've got to believe in yourself & what you're doing.

Art doesn't just pay lip service to this information - he's lived by it & is a billionaire because of it. Go figure.

So get this book and you'll get no-nonsense advice on getting successful. This isn't fluff he's got from pulling advice from self help books - this is advice he's giving from his 20 odd years of being in the trenches, fighting an industry that spent millions trying to put him out of business.

As they say, you'll never truly know what it's like being in war until you've been out in the battlefield. This guy's been there, done that, and now he's going to share with you his advice.

This book flew below the radar for some reason, and is abit of a sleeper when it comes to universal popularity.
It is a personal favorite of mine.
This guy walks the walk as well as talking. He is not an ATNA. (All Talk and No Action). He's got the stats to back up his crusade. Guys like him, and say, Guiness Bk #1 Salesman Joe Girard, are the real deal.

A. L. Williams was a football coach... a man who loved his guys and pushed them to excel in life. And he lived what he preached! You want to be inspired to just DO IT? Get this book.

Williams emphasizes that you have to work hard and be PERSISTENT. Just NEVER, EVER quit. And that's the key. Know what you want, DESIRE it and go for it. Don't let anybody steal your dream. Just do it and hang in there.

He talks about how he got MAD at the rip-off insurance companies, and that anger fueled his drive to excel. He and his friends became tough and tenacious and made things work. Again, that's the key. What a book! Get a copy and mark it up. Read it repeatedly and it'll fire up your soul!

Read this book years ago when it came out and read it regularly for motivation and inspiration. AL Williams went out and did what so many of us want to do and talk about doing. This book takes you through the steps of making a difference from his high school coaching days to his motivation to help others and driving incredible change in the insurance world. Great great book and a must read if you want to know how one man achieved success beyond his wildest dreams and than anyone else thought he could do.

Once you have read one you just have to read more. They transport you to the beautiful country called Lancaster County Pennsylvania and the special Amish Folk that live in their special way.

The Betrayal is the second in Beverly Lewis's "Abram's Daughters" series. The author does a good job of keeping the story going with interesting looks into Amish life and the restrictions put on "the People," especially the women.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first book in the series, "The Covenant" -- I'm not entirely sure why, maybe because things don't turn out as well as I would've liked for the main character, Leah.

The only part I found not believable was when Leah discovers who her real mother is--she responds as though she'd found out the store had gotten her order wrong but it was in her favor. It was weird! I don't think anyone would respond so favorably to learning that the people they thought were their parents are not. She just got over it too quickly.

Still, I'm enjoying this series and have moved on to the third book, "The Sacrifice."

Great book! Good, clean, Christian reading. Enjoyed the first book, by the end of the 2nd (this one)I couldn't wait to finish the series. I particularly like reading books about the Amish and Beverly Lewis does a fantastic job.

I enjoyed reading this novel. I finished it in 2 evenings and was eager to get the next book in the series. I'm looking forward to reading all of her books. It's nice to find good Christian reading.

This second book of Abram's Daughter series is another excellent continuation of the first book The Covenant, where Sadie birthed a child telling no one.

In this book, Sadie is still extremely depressed and does not want to be one of the Amish people. Leah her younger sister, as well as Lizzie, their aunt, have kept her secret.

Leah is in love with Jonas, much more than she ever could be with Gideon, the Smithy's son. With Jonas having a job in Ohio as an apprentice, they are far apart and Leah looks forward to his letters every day. Jonas wants Leah to come up there with him for the last of his time before they marry, but knowing Sadie needs to get away, she sends her instead to help the Amish people there. Leah helps Sadie get away in secret, and once her parents find out, they are very upset of course. It is then that Leah knows she must unburden her heart, and not keep Sadie's secret any longer before her own baptism vows before the People. Once she tells the bishop and her parents what really went on with Sadie, there is the threat of the shunning for Sadie if she doesn't return home to make her own confessions. Sadie does not want to do this. And once Sadie knows that her sister spilled the beans, she is very very angry with her for awhile.

There is a secret of Lizzie's that applies to Leah as well from a long time ago. Her parents have kept it all this time and have never ever told Leah knowing it would hurt her deeply. Abram tells Jonas what it is, and says he plans to tell Leah soon and that she needs to know now. But he can't bring himself to tell even after he says he will, knowing the terrible pain it would cause Leah and that she might not accept it.

Mary Ruth and Hannah are quickly growing up and coming of age. Mary Ruth is in love with books, and she goes to the library and hides them away until she is found out. Reading books other than the bible in the Amish community is a big wordly sin, and therefore absolutely not allowed. Mary Ruth has ambitions of becoming a teacher though, and I look for her to pursue her dreams. Hannah is always afraid that Mary Ruth will go off and leave her alone. Since the two are twins, they are so very close to one another.

These books are hard to lay down, and I look forward to the next one, The Sacrifice.

I first came across Sylvia Plath in an anthology of modern poetry. Her poems "Daddy" and "Lady Lazarus" blew me away. The former may well be, in my opinion, the best poem ever written by a woman, and one of the five best written by anyone in the last two centuries. Buying this book, I expected more of the same. Unfortunately, I found most of her early work to be dissapointingly typical. The reason Plath is so controversial is that her greatness is linked inextricably to her darkness. Before the latter manifested during her divorce and subsequent depression, there just wasn't that much to her. In other words, much of her early poetry is that of a reasonably intelligent woman- entertaining, even a little intriguing, but lacking the fury of "Lady Lazarus", the darkness of "A Birthday Present", or the fatalistic beauty of "Ariel". And while there are some glimmers of the genius that is to come (The Colossus, I Am Vertical), they aren't many. My advice to any prospective reader is to save some time and money and pick up her collection "Ariel", which contains 90% of her essential work.

Sylvia Plath - The Collected Poems has to be the best book of poetry in the world. I love Sylvia Plath, she was a genius. Her poetry moves me, everything she has ever written is gold. The first poem I ever read by Plath was Metaphors, "I've eaten a bag of green apples, boarded the train there's no getting off." Something about that line just struck a cord with me, from that moment on I was determined to read all her poems. Another poems I love include: Soliloquy of the Solipsist, I am Vertical, The Other, The Rival, You're, The Rabbit Catcher, Lady Lazaurus, Stillborn, For A Fatherless Son, Leaving Early, Morning Song, Cut, A Birthday Present, Fever 103, Gigolo, Daddy, and The Disquieting Muses. She writes about her father a lot, he died when she was nine and his death left her with depression for the rest of her life, from The Colossus, "Counting the red stars and those of plum-color. The sun rises under the pillar of your tongue. My hours are married to shadow." The Jailer is a poem I just adore, "My sleeping capsule, my red and blue zeppelin drops me from a terrible altitude." The poem, Poem for a Birthday- Witch Burning is gorgeous and frightening real, "I inhabit the wax image of myself, a doll's body. Sickness begins here: I am a dartboard for witches. Only the devil can eat the devil out." Plath left a legacy of timeless poems, short stories, and a novel, The Bell Jar. I have enjoyed reading The Collected Poems and so will you, Enjoy!

I love poetry, and this every poetry lover's fantasy. Having a volume of one of the best poet's ever almost complete collection. This is a book that I treasure, all the poems are masterpieces, and so beautiful. No one will ever write or think like Sylvia Plath again. This is a must-have for all of her fans. I own many poetry volumes--and this has to be my favorite. I would definitely recommend this--it was well deserving of 5 stars, and even people who aren't big fans of poetry have no choice but to love "The Collected Poems" by Sylvia Plath.

I originally bought this book seeking one special poem. What I have got now is a the key to the richest of treasure chests!

Anyone who has not discovered Plath's poetry-- distinctly superior to her prose-- would be greatly served to seek out a slim volume called "Crossing the Water." This haunting collection features most of her greatest poems from what I think to be her most creative years: 1957-1959. If these don't grab you, then give up on her altogether. However, the Collected Poems are the inevitable place to continue since they include her early promising works, as well as those dark pithy gems that characterize her bitterly twisted slide into the furthest reaches of her capacity for cynicism and despair.

A superb collection.

"Good fences make good neighbors." That's what Cass's dad said when he found out a black family was moving in next door. Cass even helped him build the fence. But as the new neighbors moved in, Cass couldn't help but be curious. Watching through a peephole in the fence, Cass's blue eye found a brown eye staring back at her.

Cass asked Jemmie, "Do you like to run?"

Jemmie responded, "Run? Girl, I don't run, I fly. Can't nobody beat me."

The race was on. They both sneaked out of their homes the next morning to find out who was fastest, and instead found "Chocolate Milk."

This is the story of their friendship. It's also a story of crossing boundaries, change, and eventual acceptance. Theirs is a natural friendship, a friendship that's tried by the bigotry of Cass's dad, and the stubbornness of Jemmie's mother. It takes the misfortunes of a tiny baby for the parents to begin tearing down their mental fences.

Adrian Fogelin does a beautiful job of portraying tenuous relationships that exist among people trying to understand cultures different from their own, The girls are sweet and fun; their dialogue is well-written, immersing the reader in the long, hot, dog days of summer in Tallahassee, Florida.

CROSSING JORDAN leaves the reader with hope for future generations, that they will be inspired to appreciate each other, just as Cass and Jemmie were inspired to call themselves Chocolate Milk. This is the first book of Adrian Fogelin's that I've read, and I'm sure I'll be looking for more of her titles.

Reviewed by: Cana Rensberger

Crossing Jordan is one of the best Young Adult books ever written. A great lesson in race relations, an admission of being wrong, making amends and building an enduring friendship. It also teaches that friendship is more important than winning. The two girls are compared to chocolate milk, one black, one white that blend together to make a special flavor of friendship.
Adrian writes from the experiences of her neighborhood and the children that populate it. Every adult should read it too. In fact, I recommend it to adults,you will understand your child better. It's a five star rating with five more as bonuses. Once you read Crossing Jordan, you'll be hooked. Adrian Fogelin has a special talent that everyone should experience.
Ronald G. Miller, Amelia Island, Fl.

I enjoyed this book because it was adventurous. This book was about two girls who are of different races and are neighbors. The girls, Cass and Jemmie, eventually become friends in secret. Both of their parents find out about their friendship and disapprove.

Near the end of the book the girls run a race together for Sicle Cell Anemia. They are " Chocolate Milk" ,a team. At the end of the race Jemmie falls. Cass tries to help her but Jemmie says go on. But Cass doesn't. She says we are a team Chocolate Milk and they finish the race together. Everyone cheered them on as they crossed the finish line.

At the end of the book the girls had accomplished running a race, reading a long book called Jane Erye, and brought their familes together for a delicious dinner.

I enjoyed Crossing Jordan immensely. This book is about how two neighbor girls, who are of different races become friends. Both girls, Cass and Jemmie, have disapproving parents, who interfere with their friendship, but they communicate in secret. By the end of the book, the girls have run a race, read Jane Eyre and have brought their families so close that they have a potluck supper.

My favorite part of this book was when Jemmie falls in the race right before the finish line. Instead of coming in first place, Cass helps Jemmie limp across the line and they tie it in last, because they are a team, called "Chocolate Milk". I like to think of them equal in race, and finishing the race equally. They didn't win, but they each won by the other's standards. They also end up on the front page of the newspaper.

I would recommend this book to people all ages, because it has a message that that is never too late to be learned. In addition it has many historical references and generally makes a good read for anyone, especially girls.

Crossing Jordan is a book that will make it cry. It shows you that it doesn't matter how you look, anyone can be your friend. To all the people who dislike people who aren't your skin color, read Crossing Jordan and I know you'll change your mind. -Kayla Parker (11) Tallahassee, FL

This books provides concrete guidance for creating a policies and procedures manual. After reading the EMyth Revisited (also an excellent book) I wanted a book that would provide such guidance and this book delivers. A couple of points. First, this book is an overview of the entire process. Some of author's other books in this series take chapters of this book and expand them to book length. I was particularly interested in guidance for writing a standard operating procedures manual, and the book "7 Steps to Better Written Policies and Procedures" focuses solely on that topic. Second, despite my focus on the actual written policy/procedures manual, the entire book is excellent, raises points that may be easily overlooked, and I would highly recommend it.

I just took a job as an operations analyst at a small startup company. Rather than handing me a policy and procedures manual, my boss asked me to write one instead! With only vague notions of what a policy and procedures manual looked like, I tried to get started but quickly realized that I was in over my head.

So I bought Stephen Page's books on policies and procedures and found the help I needed. The most difficult part for me has not been writing down the procedures themselves (though that can be challenging). Instead, I realized that without a good format for writing a policy or procedure, the whole manual would be a jumbled mess of incoherent instructions. But after reading Stephen Page's books, I was able to use his format very effectively. The greatest strength of his format is that it is easy to use, and also easy to update as things change.

So whether you are starting from scratch on a new manual or editing your compnay's existing manual, check out these books first. You will not regret it!

This book is clear, concise and easy to follow, whether you are starting from nothing or you are bringing your current policies and procedures up to standard. This is a must read for the procedures analyst and for the CEO who believe in continual improvement.

For optimal result buy the set of 4 books:
1. Establishing a System of Policies and Procedures
2. Achieving 100$ Compliance of Policies and Procedures
3. 7 Steps to better Written Policies and Procedures
4. Best Practices in Policies and Procedures

You will not be disappointed. This set is well worth your time and money.

I love these procedure books and they are the most comprehensive on the web. To see nasty reviews from a reviewer that is ranked 1,065,501 on Amazon's reviewers list is atrocious. Take it from me, a seasoned policy and procedure writer, this book is truly a landmark for both beginners and seasoned writers like me. Think about it. The book is short and takes about 2 hours to read. Believe you me, you'll be glad you gleaned so much information in such a short time. You'll soon be on your way to writing clear and consise policies and procedures. I did.

Ron Fisher

THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE ELECTRONIC EDITIONS OF "ESTABLISHING A SYSTEM OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES" ... AND ... "7 STEPS TO BETTER WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES".

As a technical writer, I had mixed feelings about these books.

On the one hand, I thought they did an excellent job of presenting a simple, structured approach for developing and maintaining policies and their associated procedures in a systematic and consistent way. I think people who are new or relatively new to the work of developing such documentation should find these books to be valuable aids.

On the other hand, as someone who has been developing administrative and technical documentation for a number of years, I didn't find much here that was new to me. In many ways, I felt these books were an excellent presentation of "what I already know".

I felt the strongest points of the books were:

1) "The Writing Format" - The author makes it clear that the structure he uses for developing documents (which he calls "The Writing Format") is the core of his entire approach to developing policies and procedures. This simple, effective structure will be VERY helpful to those who've never had to develop standardized documentation before or for those who have yet to find a systematic approach for developing consistent documents.

2) Policies and Procedures in Support of Business Goals - All too often, policies and procedures are developed without the required connection to the ideas and realities that define the businesses for which they are being developed. Mr. Page does an excellent job of making it clear what a big mistake this is and suggests some ways to avoid this pit fall.

3) The Development Process - Many managers I've worked with over the years seem to think that good policies and procedures are something anyone can sit down and write in a few minutes. NOT true. Mr. Page does an excellent job of outlining the overall TEAM process by which good policies and procedures must be conceived, researched, drafted, reviewed, approved, published and continually revised and updated.

All in all, I think Mr. Page's books make excellent documentation development reference guides. But, as someone who has been developing administrative and technical documentation for several years, there were a few things I found disappointing:

1) Formatting - The visual formatting of Mr. Page's documents is VERY simple and, in my opinion, does not take very full advantage of the enhanced visual tools available in today's word processing programs. Designing documents that are visually simple to follow and help the user immediately recognize the logic of the document they are using is much easier with some of today's enhanced word processing capabilities. I would have enjoyed seeing examples of more sophisticated yet still straight foreward approaches to presenting information.

2) Editing - Especially in "Establishing A System of Policies and Procedures", I was surprised by the number of editing errors I found. They were not the sort of errors that make the book ineffective, but they detracted from the professionalism of the presentation.



I think for MOST people tasked with developing policies and procedures for a corporate or professional environment, these two books will be very good reference guides. But, if you've been developing successful documentation for a number of years and doing so with considerable skill and creativity, there may not be much new for you here.

Austin has a fantastic way of pulling her readers in with unique and attention-grabbing plot twists. Her books never get boring because just when you think the storyline is slowing down, she throws another tsit in there. Wonderful!!!

All of Lynn Austin books are excellent. Caught my interest from the first page to last. Always well researched and inspirational. This is my last one to read. I hope she gets some more out because I find her the best christian fiction author today.

Eve's Daughters traces the history of a family of women from Germany to the United States. It is told from the perspective of 1980 by a German immigrant`s daughter, her daughter and granddaughter. The book opens with the story of the German immigrant and her battle to stay in Germany.

This is the first book by Lynn Austen that I have read and I really enjoyed it. She touches on World War I and II without becoming totally immersed in the war stories. The horrors of the depression were appalling and the author told the story very compassionately. Telling the stories of four women kept the book fresh. Each woman grew and changed as the story progressed.

I would highly recommend this book. It is absolutely such a sweet story-I could hardly put it down as I enjoyed reading about the lives of the various women in this book. It makes you think about your own ancestry and what we might have in common with our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. It has great Christian themes-but is not too overbearing in that sense.

If you're looking for a light read with an uplifting storyline based on Christian morales, look no further. This text keeps you thinking and engaged with our God.

If I could give this book 10 stars I would happily do so. This book has transformed my relationship with God and has helped set me free from the bondage of legalism. Steve McVey illustrates what Grace truly is and how ANYTHING that originates from our flesh leads only to death. He vividly illustrates your identity in Christ and clearly explains that you are now a new creation in Christ once you've accepted him as your savior. Perhaps to seasoned Christians the content of this book is nothing new, but the presentation of the content will help you to see these truths in a whole new light. You are sure to experience the joy and peace that comes from knowing - truly knowing - that the only thing you required to do is to trust God at His word moment by moment. I wholeheartedly understand that apart from Christ I CAN DO NOTHING. I have bought a few copies of this book and shared it with loved ones. God has used this book to set me free!

This book is for anyone struggling to walk this walk and could use some relief. Grace is the Way!

Walk In His Grace,
Michelle

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Most Christians having a pretty good understanding of how we are saved by grace and not of works. What is sometimes less clear is that we also walk by grace after we're saved. For example, if works won't get us to heaven how can we at the same time believe that works will please God. This book does a great job of explaining that the Christian life is not performance-based, it is Jesus-based. For those struggling with guilt or legalistic attitudes, this is the right book for you.

This book totaly revolutionized my Christian walk. It's truths are biblicaly based, simple but powerfull. I would encourage any Christian to read this book.

This book taught me how to let the Lord drive my life. Right from the start it helped to redirect that "Oh! I gotta DO SOMETHING!" energy and refocused it into learning about the Lord wants me to do. It taught me about listening to the Lord, trusting in the Lord, and even about recognize some of the devil's tricks. It's an excellent book for the Christian who feels that God loves them MORE if they DO MORE THINGS. In truth, we just simply need to BE with the Lord. Don't believe me? Go read it yourself!

My two sons (5-year old and 4-year old) have enjoyed this book now for a couple years. They see themselves as "little bears" and enjoy adding their own imagination to the book's storylines.

I really liked the "Birthday Soup" chapter best and have used it to teach my sons that no matter how little you have, you always have enough to share.

The book is a classic and you can add it to your storybook collection with Amazon's 4-for-3 special offer. I suggest you pick up "Little Bear's Friend" (see my review).

This is a warm, nurturing view of childhood. My children and many others have loved it for years.

I purchased the Little Bear (An I Can Read Book) for a first grader that I mentor and she had asked for this book. I have given her other books and can't wait to give her this one

My kids and I came to know Little Bear through the cartoons on TV first. Perhaps part of the appeal of the books for my kids is that they know these stories well from the cartoon, but the books are much more engaging!

Best of all, unlike the cartoons, you have the amazing illustrations of Maurice Sendak. They give the books a timeless appeal.

Perfect to read to little ones, and an excellent reader for K-2.

Other titles in the Level 1 - Beginning Reading series are:

- "Father Bear Comes Home"

- "A Kiss For Little Bear"

- "Little Bear's Friend"

- "Little Bear's Visit"

Little Bear, first published in 1957, is a true classic in children's literature. The book is about a bear cub who is a good friend to Owl, Cat, Hen, Duck and Emily, the little girl who visits in the summer. Elsa Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak teamed up to create these stories. The stories are filled with quiet humor, affection and imagination as Little Bear and his friends celebrate birthdays, play games, meet new friends and explore their neighborhood.

The first of five classic Little Bear books, written for beginning readers, Little Bear contains several stories. In one story, "Birthday Soup," Little Bear can't find his mother and thinks she's forgotten his birthday so he sets out to make birthday soup for his friends only to find out his mother hasn't forgotten his birthday. In "Little Bear Goes to the Moon," Little Bear decides that he'll fly to the moon and Mother Bear lets him as long as he's back by lunch.

This book and the others will delight young readers, and encourage them to keep reading.