Publishers Books

I adore this series by Mindy Starns Clark. I read this whole book in one sitting because I absolutely HAD to see how it ended! Jo and Danny are such lovable characters. Read it!!

Mindy Starns Clark's Blind Dates Can Be Murder was a fun read. Mindy has a way of putting the reader into the characters' minds--disconcerting when the character is a sociopath.

Also disconcerting is the way she ends this page-turner. Who in their right mind wants a cliff hanger ending to a suspense novel? Sure, a sequel is in the works, but do I have to wait and see where it's going? 'Tain't fair!

This book was so good. I can't wait until the next one comes out. I'll have to buy the other series of Clark's. She has me hooked on her books now.

Blind Dates Can be Murder. Just from the title alone you can tell you're in for a good read. I found the second installment in the Smart Chick Mystery series to be better than the first. Though, the story still drags a bit in the beginning, the pace quickens earlier. Plus Danny is planning on telling Jo that he loves her!! Danny is such a sweet and endearing character; my favorite parts in the story are when he's together with Jo. Even though you're just reading the words- the extent of his love is very obvious, it brings out the sappy smiles. Awww...

The mystery is also a little more developed here than in Trouble with Tulip. Jo has her own household tips website and is answering questions and chronicling her days in her blog. Her agent has decided that it would be good publicity for her to try a dating service and relate her experience to her readers. Her first (and only) blind date turns into a big disaster and a possible murder. Jo, of course, becomes Nancy Drew/Martha Stewart again, using household clues to try and solve the mystery.

Overall a good read; it's hard to put down once you're at the halfway mark. You want to make sure everything works out in the case and if Jo loves Danny too. It ends on a cliffhanger, so make sure to have the final installment, Elementary, Dear Watkins ready and waiting!

After finally getting over being left at the alter Jo has decided to move on by joining a blind dating service. Her first date isn't at all what she expected him to be and then even worse: he dies during their date! Suddenly Jo finds that she's the target of kidnapping, stalking, and death threats. She has no idea why but clues seem to lead back to her deceased date. Along with best friend Danny (who is now hopelessly in love with Jo) the two set out to find out why Jo is being victimized.

Once again Mindy Starns Clark has written a winner. I absolutely adore Jo, she is one of the best recent female characters I have read. Just like in Trouble With Tulip, you can find household hints sprinkled throughout the book (now in email format!) and which also help to solve the mystery. I'm really glad that Danny was able to talk to Jo, now the ball's in her court. It'll be interesting to see how all that happens. I found the blind dating service to be very interesting since I have never used one before. I was really chilled and frightened while reading this book. Especially near the end, I couldn't put the book down because I feared so much for Jo. It was totally like watching a movie: mystery, action, romance, suspense, drama, characters you hate- such a well developed story line. Actually I really think they should make this series into a TV show, you could learn household tips and be entertained at the same time. Sort of Heloise meets Alias type of deal. This was such an excellent book, I thought it was even better than the first one in the series. And with the cliffhanger at the end of this book, I can't wait to get started on the third which is in my TBR pile. VERY highly recommended.

I read this novel after reading Jim Pence's second book, The Angel. Knowing that this was his first book, my expectations were admittedly somewhat lower. They shouldn't have been. He spins a tale that holds your attention throughout, and just when one crisis seems to have been averted, another pops up.
This is a Christian novel--i.e., it's written from a Christian world-view. It's not preachy, nor saccharine, and I'll stack it up against many of the popular secular novels currently available.
I understand that the sequel to Blind Sight is in the works. I can hardly wait.

"Blind Sight" by James Pence is a "betcha-can't-put-it-down" novel in the tradition of John Grisham, Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker. As the story opens, we witness a dying man's desperate attempts to get his children to safety. By the second chapter, the reader learns that much more is at stake than a family's well-being. Pence makes us care about his well-drawn characters--including a blind child, a grieving father and a woman on the run from cult leaders-from the very beginning of the book. And his skills with pacing, research and dialogue put "Blind Sight" on a different level than most Christian fiction. I was hooked from the first paragraph. If you love a good thriller, pick up "Blind Sight" and enjoy the ride!

This book is very well written. It is hard to find a new author who has a handle on all aspects of the storyline all the way through to the end. It was fast paced, the character's back stories were told in a seamless way and the spiritual aspect was not forced in but weaved in. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

I'm a little late getting my hands on this book but I won't be for Pence's next one! This author seemed to have his finger on the pulse of the innerworkings of cult life. I felt as if I were on the inside . . . looking out. A really creepy feeling. I finished Blind Sight a week ago and I'm still looking over my shoulder. If you're searching for a book you won't be able to put down... I suggest Bling Sight.

Blind Sight by James H. Pence hits the ground running, literally. The book opens with Paul Bishop on a desperate mission to see his children safely aboard a Dallas bound airplane. He scurries through the airport drilling his instructions into his children. The information they carry is of national importance. Bishop is running from a dangerously sinister cult, sure to convert (kill) him when they discover his plans to expose them.
Bishop manages to get the children on the plane despite the well-placed, cleverly clandestine "conversion" team meeting him at every turn. Just before poison arrests his body, he manages to get a call in to Thomas Kent, the man to whom he has trusted with the lives of his young ones. His life seeping away, he mutters one desperate cry at the answering machine's beep. "Save my children."
The last thing Thomas Kent wanted was a couple of kids. He had some of his own once, and he had not recovered from the loss. When he finds out that Bishop, a man he barely remembers from his college years, sent him two children, his first reaction is to run the other way. Realizing the children's danger, he does agree to take them to their mother. As Kent risks his life trying to help a family he did not know, he finds healing and peace about the family he lost and a restored relationship with the God that he once loved.
Blind Sight is fast paced and exciting with surprises, twists, and turns that will keep you reading until the end. I highly recommend this book!

Walter Port and (Arnold) Eric Sevareid took an amazing trip that they started by skipping some of their high school finals so they could get the boat they could afford. Though the project appeared to have been Port's pet, it was Sevareid who came up with the way to fund it: writing about it for the Minneapolis Star. It was clear that once the project began both of them were truly enthralled by it and could not be put off. The tale is told simply, but with a clear affection for all of the people who helped them try to reach their goal, even though few of the people who helped were confident that these young men could make it or were even very encouraging.

The book is written from the journals that were kept along the trip. It is clear that this is a book of its times written by a man who was still quite young. While I would strongly encourage any teens to read this book to realize that they too can give themselves a goal that is worthwhile if only for being difficult, I would also encourage their parents to be ready to answer some questions about the wisdom and risks of such adventures and about some of the attitudes of the past. There is a casual acceptance of the bigotry against Native Americans that was common at the time and Sevareid was not yet the mature thoughtful man that we may remember from the CBS Evening News.

Still, the fact that a reasonably literate student was able to take, and appreciate, such a grand adventure while trying his best to bring it alive for us was a remarkable feat. Twain, at his best, gave us better feel for river adventure, but he had the advantage that he could embroider the story whenever necessary, while Sevareid was already writing and thinking as a journalist. This is a quick read that almost anyone, from a child in middle school to an adult whose days of imagined adventure are long past, can enjoy.

Enough youthful daring and preparation on a wonderful journey which showed the better nature of people for the exploits of two tough and bright young men. A wonderful journey, with some historical photo's that help illustrate the accomplishment. A wonderful quick read.

2250 miles in a canoe - a great adventure and a book worth reading. I can't add much that isn't already perfectly described in this book.

At the start of the trip during a brief stay in Fargo, North Dakota, a friend and doctor named Frederick Gronvold sets the boys on their journey in a proper frame of mind. "Don't let anyone, no matter who he is, convince you that your trip can't be completed. You have youth and strength, and courage too, I hope, and with a little common sense you can do it."

When the journey finally ends and the boys share their tale with the adults at York Factory, they are asked why? Bud responds simply, "Oh, for pleasure, I guess." A journey simply for the sake of the adventure. It is an idea lost on some of the adults listening to the boys. "Pleasure! What a jolly funny kind of pleasure!" Better yet, maybe the idea isn't lost. Colonel Reid continues, "Oh well, that's youth. Things look different when you're young, I suppose. My word, I almost believe I envy you."

Enjoy the beginning and the end; enjoy the pineapples and everything in between. Enjoy the journey simply for the journey; it's an adventure that is perfect for any reader of any age!

There's really only two things worth doing in Minnesota: One, canoeing the Boundary Waters/Quetico during Spring, Summer, and Fall; Two, THINKING about canoeing the Boundary Waters/Quetico during Winter. For the latter, this book is the gateway to paradise. Sevareid and Port have the true spirit of adventurers, the love-bug for the North Woods and her bevy of streams, rivers, and lakes, and Sevareid effectively tells his now-classic tale of how he and his friend drank deeply of all her treasures--complete with the axiomatic mistakes, mishaps, surfiet of discomfitures, and, alas, irresistible beauty that she provides to all who avail themselves of her wonders. Like St. Augustine, let us "Take up and read."

"Eric Sevareid made his name as a CBS news correspondent. But at a young age, Sevareid experienced an adventure most only dream of. Sevareid detailed the journey in his book "Canoeing with the Cree". Now to mark the 75th anniversary of Sevareid's journey, two Minnesota men plan to make the same trip." Tim Post

In 1930 two young men paddled their way from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay in Canada. A trip of 2200 miles. Everyone told them it could not be done. Eric Sevareid, then a 17 year old, fresh graduate of high school, and his best buddy, Walter Port, planned the entire trip. They garnered financial support, collected supplies and a canoe and paddles and off they went. Five months later after trials and tribulations, they made it to Hudson Bay. Their journey is documented by Eric Sevareid, who gathered the weekly diaries he sent to their local Minneapolis paper, and in 1935, he wrote this book.

I stepped back in time to the 1930's when life seemed to be more innocent and the world a safer place to be. Sevareid who went on to become one of the most revered journalists of our time, wrote in an unpretentious manner, and we can feel the excitement of their adventures. They traversed unknown land and water. No one, it seems, had ever accomplished this trek. Even the best canoeists in the country failed. How then, did these two young lads accomplish this journey? Intelligence and good luck, I'd say. They questioned everyone they met, took upon themselves to digest all of the information and made decisions based on their best judgement. And, most of the time they were correct. They had no radio, no maps( this was uncharted country), little preserved food except for hardtack, but they had their ingenuity and the assistance of all of the people they met.

The North Country was mostly woods. Camps, small towns and two larger towns had been established for hunting and trapping. Most of the humans they met were Indians who were kind and generous. As a matter of fact, most of the people they met were in awe of their journey and shared whatever food, equipment and conversation they were capable. The trip was amazing when we look at the obstacles they faced. Water, roaring cold water, sometimes rapids, sometimes falls, no maps, only the word of mouth of strangers, and cold brutal weather at times. Or hot humid weather with flies and gnats. They discovered all sorts of wild animals but were never in real danger. They had their tent, two paddles, food, water, ponchos and several blankets. This seems like a story of new adventurers discovering a new world, and in fact this is what they were. Two 17 year old lads set out on an adventure and one day after another they found one. Extraordinary when you think about it.

Since the time of Eric and Walter, several other duos have made the trip by canoe. However, they had maps, food that could be kept for months and the best of camping equipment. This is not to lessen these young men's courage, but to think 78 years ago, this was accomplished with such primitive arrangments and care.

This was an exciting read and one page after another flew by. The book was difficult to put down. Easy, simplistic writing. but some of the most important writing I have found. The boys parents and friends did not hear from them often and at times, I am sure the parents were worried. But the two lads persevered and the trip was taken.

Highly Recommended. prisrob 06-26-08

Not So Wild a Dream

The Eleanor Roosevelt Story

Rosenberg's new volume has been joyously received and devoured by this reader. Even though the length (some 700 pages) is formidable, I was not able to leave it for long since receiving it this week. I find R's account thoroughly accurate, engaging, and stimulating. The book's account of Szell's life and Cleveland tenure finally fills the void for any such account (save a scattered few articles and Robert Marsh's volume on the Cleveland Orchestra published in 1967). For this alone, Rosenberg deserves high praise, but goes so much farther in presenting and illuminating all the significant on-stage and behind-the-scenes personalities in the life of this estimable musical institution. This is essential reading for anyone who, as I, grew up in the golden era of the Cleveland Orchestra. Bravo and thank you Don Rosenberg! ...

Certainly anyone who loves the Cleveland Orchestra or George Szell's work will want to have this, although most of the famous Szell-as-heartless-martinet stories have been widely told elsewhere. I enjoyed the section on the orchestra's early years, which were much more unfamiliar; it really is amazing how an orchestra like this has survived and even thrived in a "mid-market" city like Cleveland. Great photos, too, including Artur Rodzinski with his goats. However, I felt the book ultimately depended too much on lists of tour cities, lists of works played at concerts, and endless excerpts from contemporary newspaper reviews. I would have liked less time in the archives and more time interviewing musicians (in Cleveland and elsewhere) on what Szell (and Maazel, and Dohnanyi) really did in terms of working with the orchestra, the details of what they asked for and how the "sound" evolved over time. I guess that's hard to accomplish in the same book where you need to mention every time the orchestra went to New York, but it would have made for a more interesting read. Still, anyone who enjoys orchestral biographies (as I do) will want it.

This is an enjoyable, comprehensive, and inside-out read. The Cleveland story is dramatically conveyed, the personalities come to life, from Leinsdorf's bad luck to Szell's *&^**%$ "personal" style in the pursuit of excellence. If reading something recent on classical music in the US, one is well advised to go here. More than the Bernie bios or the Solti (whom I love) memoirs. Serves well as both a continuous and a here-and-there random read. And depicts rather objectively all the intrigue, dedication, personal foibles underlying the external results through the 80+ yr history, and before. And very well documented appendices. You can believe the positive professional critics' reviews above.

I've been a fan of the Cleveland Orchestra for many years but have heard them live only once, at the Hollywood Bowl during a West Coast tour in mid-70's. It was an unforgettable experience - I had never heard an ensemble play with such clarity and precision.

Rosenberg's history nicely blends details about the musicians, managers, performances, and the music itself. Others have summarized many of the topics covered. I was particularly impressed by the sacrifices of the musicians, who did not have a full-year contract until the late 60's, despite being acknowledged as one of the 2 or 3 finest orchestras in the world. Many had to work odd jobs to keep their bills paid (still the case for most smaller market orchestras). And arrogant union leaders wouldn't allow the musicians to have a representative present during contract negotiations with management until well into the 70's.

Three separate collections of photos allow one to associate names with faces, and I find this helpful when listening to recordings. There's Myron Bloom heading up the wonderfully precise horns; and Josef Gingold playing a beautiful violin solo; and Robert Marcellus with his definitive performance of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto. Most of these fabulous performances are available as digitally re-mastered CD's on Sony's budget Essential Classics series. More recent, equally outstanding performances are led by soon to retire current conductor, Christoph von Dohnanyi, who has maintained and enhanced the orchestra's reputation. There are no better values in recorded orchestral music.

Anyone who loves orchestral music should enjoy this book. I recommend it most highly.

Among serious fans and critics of classical music, the "Big Five" of Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, New York and Philadelphia are America's finest symphony orchestras, equal in quality to their peers in Europe. Yet only one of these is universally regarded as the equal to Europe's very best, the Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic orchestras: surprisingly, the one often mentioned as among the world's top three is the Cleveland Orchestra. Having heard the Cleveland Orchestra performing live under the batons of Dohnanyi, Boulez and Welser-Most at Carnegie Hall, I must concur with this popular opinion since this orchestra may now be the world's finest, or at least, on par with the venerable Vienna Philharmonic (Under Simon Rattle's leadership, the Berlin Philharmonic seems to have slipped somewhat in quality, and I would add yet another orchestra, Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, to my list of the world's top four symphony orchestras.). I have yet to hear a disappointing Cleveland Orchestra recording or live performance; this is without question, a precision quality ensemble always capable of flawless, lovely playing.

Cleveland newspaper music critic Donald Rosenberg tells an engrossing saga of the Cleveland Orchestra's history, from its founding in 1918, through the George Szell years which ensured the orchestra's rise to prominence as a world-class symphony orchestra, and finally, the close of Christoph von Dohnanyi's successful tenure as the orchestra's music director over the span of eighteen years. This is a fascinating inside look at the inner workings of a major American symphony orchestra, pointing out how Cleveland's wealthy elite were determined to create a fine music ensemble, and noting the importance of early conductors such as Artur Rodzinski and Erich Leinsdorf in the orchestra's rise to national artistic prominence. It is a story that is in a sense, miraculous, for no one would have expected that a small Midwestern city like Cleveland would be the home of one of the world's finest orchestras, and maintain that excellence inspite of the city's waning economic fortunes over the latter half of the 20th Century. And I fervently hope that Cleveland continues to support the artistic excellence demonstrated by the Cleveland Orchestra, which recently was the first American orchestra invited as a resident guest orchestra at Vienna's Musikverein, the celebrated concert hall that is home to the Vienna Philharmonic.

I bought this book expecting to learn something about online communities. I wasn't disappointed. While Block only mentions them in passing, he has a lot to say about what makes them work. He spells out what makes communities work in a real world--it is the sense of belonging.

People (customers) are engaging in online communities at phenomenal rate and this is impacting their relationship with the companies they do business with. In short, businesses are losing influence as communities and online networks increasing influence what people value and how they make purchase decisions. Block talk about a new future or possibilities for real-world communities. In the business world, the problem solving approach won't cut it anymore. The context for customers has shifted and businesses need to get in sync. As Block puts it, this will require a shift in thinking before one worries about methodology and techniques. If you come with an open mind, this book will help you make the shift.

This is an important book to help redefine what community means and to ensure that every individual in our society has a place of worth and value. It serves as both a call to action and a guide for community transformation. I highly recommend it to those who know that change is needed and seek more than lip-service from politicians to make change a reality.

When I open up a Peter Block book I am expecting something both thoughtful and practical. I expect to come away with some questions that brought pause...and also some ideas or tools that I can turn around and use in my own work. Block's latest, Community: The Structure of Belonging, did not disappoint. It was exactly what I expected and then some. Much more a fieldbook than a concept paper, Community is a resource I will be turning to for help in hosting meetings of all kinds. If you're responsible for building teams or collaborating structures, this is a resource you will want to own.

Seminal work on how to change culture by changing the conversations we have. Had Peter as a graduate instructor and his fireside chats were marvelous...and the book continues in the tradition of insight, optimism, the power we have in language and questions to create a better future (or as Peter puts it ...possibilities). We are at a precipice in organizations to achieve engagement, ownership, agreements that deliver success and accountability and reward. All of us especially those we elect as our political leaders should question our current path to community and ask how we might togethe embrace and practice these principles. It is our only hope to create a new and greater future.

Peter Block's new book Community really has a wealth of information about creating a healthyenvironment based on a structure that's not only innovative, but grounded in an easily adoptable format. This isn't just a consulting book, or "how to" book it has something that will appeal to anyone trying to create a sense of belonging. This book is a culmination of what Peter seems to have been building up to for years. If you're a fan of Peter's work then you probably already have this one, but if your new to Peter Block and his style this is actually a great place to start. Read Community and enjoy!

This book was purchased for a college research project and it was just perfect. It talks of Kandinsky's color theory and how music and color co-exist. The seller was professional and I got the book when it was promised. I would order from this seller again...definately!

Wassilly Kadinsky was a 20th century painter and his CONCERNING THE SPIRITUAL IN ART provides a blend of philosophical, spiritual and artistic reflection as it examines the premises and presence of spirituality in art. This new edition is a recommended pick not just for art students of modernism, but for readers of spiritual works: it includes letters between Kadinsky and Sadler, unpublished prose poems, and a fine attention to artistic reflection and analysis.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I enjoyed reading the book. At times it was over my head,but still it was worth the effort!!!!

Kandinsky throws his ideas out in a slightly esoteric manner. It make take a few rereads to really grasp the quality of discourse he presents. But, in the end, his commentary shines brightly through his comparisons of music to painting. The spiritual triangle is comparable to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. It is important to remember that Kandinsky is not using the term "spiritual" in a religious sense.
This book is a very good read for anyone feeling slumped in their art making. And for anyone who wants to expose themselves to ways of thinking about art. By the third time I had read the material I had underlined and highlighted almost every line and filled all the margins with notes. The book is fantastic. It is especially good when paired with Hans Hofmann's essay "In Search for the Real." Although the ideas in the two books do not parallel. In fact the lines aren't even on the same page. Kandinksky's critiques of other familiar artists are very interesting too. Names like picasso and Cezanne pop up quite a bit.
I'll stop rambling now. Read the book, it is very good.

Kandinsky had risen to positions of influence in other disciplines (political science/economics and law) before directing his considerable intellect to painting. His insights extended into the historic 'meta' trends of the arts and sciences, including the physical sciences, and had his interests been directed more to the history and philosophy of science instead of the history and philosophy of art, he might have written Kuhn's observations regarding paradigm change a half century before Kuhn did: "Here and there are people with eyes which can see, minds which can correlate. They say to themselves: 'If the science of the day before yesterday is rejected by the people of yesterday, and that of yesterday by us of today, is it not possible that what we call science now will be rejected by the men of tomorrow?' And the bravest of them answer, 'It is possible.'"

Instead, Kandinsky extended the frontiers of painting and authored philosophic writings on the future of art that are among the most important of such works. M.T.H. Sadler, who translated this work into English, was a friend of Kandinsky's and was among his early admirers. The notes he has written in the front of the book (Translator's Introduction) are therefore more helpful than could be the opinions of many other critics, including myself:

"Anyone who has studied Gauguin will be aware of the intense spiritual value of his work. The man is a preacher and a psychologist, universal by his very unorthodoxy, fundamental because he goes deeper than civilization. In his disciples this great element is wanting.

"Kandinsky has supplied the need. He is not only on the track of an art more purely spiritual than was conceived even by Gauguin, but he has achieved the final abandonment of all representative intention. In this way he combines in himself the spiritual and technical tendencies of one great branch of Post-Impressionism.

"The question most generally asked about Kandinsky's art is: 'What is he trying to do?' It is to be hoped that this book will do something towards answering the question. But it will not do everything. This--partly because it is impossible to put into words the whole of Kandinsky's ideal, partly because in his anxiety to state his case, to court criticism, the author has been tempted to formulate more than is wise. His analysis of colours and their effects on the spectator is not the real basis of his art, because, if it were, one could, with the help of a scientific manual, describe one's emotions before his pictures with perfect accuracy. And this is impossible.

"Kandinsky is painting music. That is to say, he has broken down the barrier between music and painting, and has isolated the pure emotion which, for want of a better name, we call the artistic emotion. Anyone who has listened to good music with any enjoyment will admit to an unmistakable but quite indefinable thrill. He will not be able, with sincerity, to say that such a passage gave him such visual impressions, or such a harmony roused in him such emotions. The effect of music is too subtle for words. And the same with this painting of Kandinsky's. Speaking for myself, to stand in front of some of his drawings or pictures gives a keener and more spiritual pleasure than any other kind of painting. But I could not express in the least what gives the pleasure. Presumably the lines and colours have the same effect as harmony and rhythm in music have on the truly musical. That psychology comes in no one can deny."

Some aspects of Kandinsky's color theory are dubious, at best they cannot be universalized, and Kandinsky sees this. But other of his ideas and arguments are widely accepted among artists, even as being self-evident. Stating that "there is no 'must' in art, because art is free," that is, free to address external representations OR "the inner need," to merely chase after material 'objects' OR to wrestle with the mysteriously spiritual, to somehow meld the two visions OR to stay purely to exploration of the spiritual high ground, Kandinsky absolutely rejects the materialistic expectation of an art "explanation" that has been articulated by EO Wilson in his unfortunate daydream 'Consilience' (Wilson knows ants better than he knows humans, and is given to understanding humans to be essentially ant equivalents).

Anyone interested in art history, painting of the past century, or the relationships/correlations/divergences of the various arts (visual, musical, literary), as well as anyone interested in the meaning and purpose of art, or in the philosophy of aesthetics, should read this important book, perhaps more than once.

Chefitz' book is a delicious collection of sweet, subtly moving stories inside an overly pretentious wrapper. As a Jewish inspirational storyteller, I have found his tales to be powerful without being heavy-handed; two of them are now part of my core repertoire.

You don't need to be Jewish to appreciate these kabalistic stories, however. Read them out loud, savor their sweetness, and be prepared to be touched gently and deeply.

This is the kind of book you want to buy and give to everyone. I gave a copy to my mother in her 80s and she said it was the most wonderful gift she had received this year. These stories sink into your soul and resurface to uplift your days. I definitely remember more to count my blessings and to give them too and thus I receive more blessings and am open to more coming as well. Reading this book, life seems full of miracles!

I purchased this book, The Curse of Blessings, based on the reviews here. I have to say that I am very disappointed with this book. I struggled through it and found little to recommend it. For me, it didn't live up to the high ratings given here. The stories are often convoluted, flat, and without inspiration. I feel duped for having purchased a real clunker. Instead, I would recommend Irwin Kula's book, Yearnings, which I have found to be exceptional in its ability to inspire and provide insights into life's challenges.

This marvelous little collection of stories are good on the first reading, and even better on subsequent readings. Some are mysterious stories, some are sweet, and all have the ring of truth.

I liked it so much I bought other copies as gifts. Enjoy!

These ten short stories by Mitch Chefitz are meant to be read aloud. Each time, as a reader or a listener, I find the stories to be enriching, inspiring, and, in a few, delightful and humorous.

"Dawn of a Thousand Nights" intrigued me about the WWII time period of our American history. This is a story about two pilots in Hawaii. Libby and Dan met in Hawaii before America was attacked. They fell in love and then Dan was sent out to the Philippines. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Libby joined the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron, a civil service unit. The WAFS were used to ferry planes inside of the country. The Philippines was also attacked with thousands of troops being captured. Libby didn't hear from Dan but she never gave up hope on being with her beloved. Will their love survive Dan's captivity and their separation? Read "Dawn of a Thousand Nights" and you won't be disappointed. ~Shelly of Chadron MOPS

"Dawn of a Thousand Nights" is a touching story of new love and the war that threatens to tear that love appart. The main characters, both pilots, are separated by the war just as they decide to give their hearts to each other. The book follows the trials and truimphs of each person as they struggle to find their way back to each other and end up finding a part of themselves in the process. I found "Dawn..." a fantastic story of love, heartache, dedication and finding the way back to God.

This is a wonderful book. I couldn't put it down. The story woven in with the history was perfect. It couldn't have been better. I loved it so much I ordered a copy for my husband's grandfather who was in the pacific during WWII.

Tricia Goyer touches the heart of every reader who was in WWII or had a family member involved. I read this with my heart remembering my uncle who was a POW, and what he gave for each one of us to have the freedoms we enjoy today. This is a precious book that is exciting and breathtaking at the same time.

I've always been fascinated by stories about World War II, and this one is great. Libby Conners, pilot trainer and Don Luken, hotshot pursuit pilot, meet on a beach outside of Honolulu. Although it's June, 1941, and the U.S. is sending scores of pilots to Hawaii and the Phillippines, they are young and unafraid. They're in love and for them nothing can change. Then Don is transferred to the Phillipines, leaving Libby behind. On December 7, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and launched a similar attack on the Phillipines, and now nothing will ever be the same. This book is an honest, gripping portrayal of one of our country's darkest times. The research is accurate and incredible. The reader has a strong sense of place, whether in a plane, on a beach, or in a prison camp. You'll come away with a greater appreciation of the men and women in the military who risk their lives daily in the service of their country. I had never read anything by Tricia Goyer before, but I'm looking forward to the next one. She's an excellent writer.

Not that detailed but great if you are not going to sit down and read an involved design book. Quick tips.

Most of the books of the same kind, you'll find 500 pages just with theory, things that you should do and you shouldn't. This one is just plane and simple, if you are an expertise graphic designer, it will show you really cool and fresh ideas.
If you are a designer with no background education, it will guide you step by step in the process of creation.
For the price you pay and the content you get, this book is one of its kind.

I've read literally hundreds of design books and frankly find most of them to be long on theory and have precious little to offer by way of concrete learning and real-world usability. This book (and The Design-It-Yourself Newsletter also by Chuck - which I also own) doesn't overburden the reader with "fluff." It's a pleasure to find a book that tells me what I should know and need to know rather than what some "expert" wants to tell me. These books are practical, useful, clear, and easy-to-follow. Do yourself a favor and invest a very reasonable sum in this book (or any of Chuck's books for that matter), and you will be a better designer for it.

Who is this book for? Non-designers trying to design their own logos, letterheads & businesscards.

How good is it? It's the best I've come across. And I've gone through hundreds of them. This book helped me design a logo and stationary for more than one business, got my creative juices flowing, gave me a lot of ideas - that I would've never thought about otherwise - and to top it all, gave me STEP BY STEP instruction on how to achieve simple but very elegant, clean & professional results!

The design of the book itself makes you want to buy it the very first time you look at it - very well organized, simple, elegant. Inspires confidence.

Does it deliver the goods as promised? SURE!

Another of Chuck's books that I read ages ago and is highly recommended and valuable even today: The Desktop Publisher's Idea Book. It still sits on my desk/bookshelf, and I go back to it often to get new ideas.

Finally, Chuck's web site - ... - is equally impressive, a treasure chest of ideas & resources for budding or amateur designers exploring the world of design.

Request to Chuck if he reads this - please let us have more of these in a series - Design It Yourself Logos 2, 3, 4... etc. PLEASE!

Bharat Suneja

I recently purchased this book at a local bookstore on my lunch hour. It was so difficult to eat lunch with my new treasure and then have to return to work. Right after dinner that evening I sat down in a comfortable chair and just read and read until I went through the entire book. I just couldn't put this book down. It was wonderful, interesting and very informative. The recipes were great and I will incorporate their use in my at home graphic design business. I have been doing graphic design for about 8 years and cannot get enough to read on the subject. I am self taught and this is just the kind of book that will help those who are just like me, or even give fresh new ideas to those who are experts. Thanks Chuck! I need more of this -- got any more like this coming?

Foss and Waters have written a book that seems destined to become a classic about how to finish a dissertation in a timely manner. I can't even begin to say how helpful this book has been to me during the writing process. Unlike other "how-to" dissertation guides that seem to privilege study skills and research techniques, Foss and Waters go over the nuts-and-bolts of writing. My writing output has literally tripled since reading this book. Destination Dissertation is a must-have for any serious graduate student.

This book is awsome! It is the best book on the market for writing a dissertation. I wish the guide was available when I started graduate school because it would have helped me focus other research projects and be more focused by the time I got to the dissertation writing phase of my program. Foss & Water's step-by-step guide makes writing projects so much easier and takes away a lot of the stress related to writing a dissertation. Dissertation advisors should also have a copy because it would help them help their advisees get through the process. Hopefully, "Destination Dissertation" will be a step towards getting many of the folks who are ABD through their programs!

This book is an incredibly valuable resource for anyone who is at all intimidated by the dissertation writing process. With "Destination Dissertation," Foss and Waters have made a priceless contribution--They demystify the specter of serious academic scholarship by distilling tasks down into a series of baby steps that eventually lead to a finished product. In addition to getting me to think in original ways, this book had me doing simple tasks like using scissors and colored markers to organize my research into smaller, manageable bits that were easy (yes, easy) to process. In fact, the steps presented by Foss and Waters are so valuable as to make this a must read not only for students striving to complete their dissertations, but for anyone with a serious writing project on the horizon.

With so many dissertation guides available, it's tough to know which one to pick. The unique value of Destination Dissertation lies in its suggestions for overcoming real-world road blocks in the journey. Foss and Waters provide concrete tips and actual examples for dealing with common problems like an out-of-control lit review, making sense of mounds of data, negotiating with advisors and committee members, slow and painful writing, and plain old boredom. This book keeps the reader's focus on a manageable plan for breaking down tasks and moving forward. Highly recommended for graduate students in the thesis or dissertation process who want to get it DONE and get on with their lives.

Destination Dissertation presents an attempt to demystify the process of conducting, writing and presenting original research, completing dissertations and making the transition to journal articles. The travel metaphor is creative and one to which all of us, as scholars, can relate. The format is cohesive and the chapters flow according to the process of the dissertation format. The techniques suggested are ones that students in my methods classes have found extremely beneficial. I have had students comment on the usefulness of these techniques.