V Books

It's Easier Than You Think is one my favorite books. It's short, sweet, easy to read, and will make you feel better. I reread or dip into it from time to time. I highly recommend it whether you have any interest in Buddhism or not.

best explanation of Buddism for the American reader -- just bought another copy for a friend

Exceeded my expectations, this was my first purchase! Book was new, arrived quickly, & was a great price!

Although the book never dives too deeply into the history of Buddhism, Sylvia's personal stories, accompanied by her thoughts on Buddhist practices, provides more insight into the teachings of Buddha than I could have absorbed in any straight forward text. Since this was my first book on Buddhism, I really appreciated the down to earth method of writing she employs and the honesty with which she shares her experiences. Knowledge is a river flowing through time, and Sylvia Boorstein is a wonderful voice for this modern day and age.

I really enjoyed this book. It simplified and de-mystified Buddhism and protrayed it as a viable lifestyle/worldview for Westerners (and all people, for that matter). Reading this book genuinely brought me happiness.

Not only did I like the tape, it was so inspiring. The shipping was within alloted times.

I have used Mindfulness techniques with many clients in my private practice, but in the last couple of years have begun working with mentally ill inmates in a maximum security prison. These inmates are often depressed and feel out of control. I was looking for a way to help them understand their feelings and regain a sense of control over their circumstances. They have responded very positively and are applying the principles to their lives. We recently started a meditation time where they meditate at the same time of day even though they are in separate cells and not able to directly communicate with each other. This has been a powerful, positive experience for them. The book has been a hit with a very tough audience.

I was actually led to seek out information on meditation as a treatment for depression through a book called Surviving America's Depression Epidemic by psychologist Bruce E. Levine. That book takes a highly insightful approach to investigating the sociological and personal genesis for depression and I credit it for saving me from succumbing to this condition. Afterwards, I bought "The Mindful Way through Depression" to supplement Levine's more brief explanation of meditation as a therapeutic modality.

Three psychologists - J. Mark G. Williams, John D. Teasdale and Zindel V. Segal began investigating why it was that people who became depressed once would experience constant relapse even after treatment. They eventually were led to the work being done by Jon Kabat-Zinn who had been researching the benefits of meditation at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

The approach they eventually created is called Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (or MBCT), which begins with the understanding of human psychology branching out of the Buddhist contemplative traditions of ancient India. This understanding of reality is then applied to findings of Western cognitive-behavioral therapy. Despite its Buddhist influences, the practice is completely secular. There is no mention of Buddhist concepts such as anatta, dharma or nirvana but the essence of the contemplative traditions is still present. The meditations in the book and on the CD are focused on experiencing the present moment as it unfolds here and now. This is what is meant by mindfulness.

Some of the reviews on this page mention "curing" depression. Yet, like Dr. Levine, the authors of this book redefine depression - not as some inherent chemical or genetic fault that needs to be eradicated with psychotropic drugs - but as a habitual reaction towards our unpleasant feelings. Taking a poignant insight from Buddhist philosophy, the authors realized that much of our suffering is due to an aversion towards our own unpleasant feelings. (Note: Depression is NOT unpleasant emotions themselves. Negative feelings - sadness, fear, anger, anxiety, etc. - are benign in and of themselves. It is a pattern of reactions towards these feelings that is the depression.)

Feelings - both the pleasant and unpleasant - are important messengers which contain vital information about whowe are and the state of our lives. However, when depressed, we often become paralyzed by our unwillingness to be with our fear, sadness, anger, anxiety, etc. This initial aversion cycles into depression in a complex interplay between our emotions, thoughts and behaviors. This is why we often find ourselves sinking deeper into depression the more we try to "think" our way out or just "snap out of it." At worst, these attempts only serve to further estrange us from our emotions or cause us to start ruminating, cementing our depressed thoughts. At best, they serve only as a cosmetic and temporary solution.

I was happy to discover that MBCT addresses some of the shortcomings of traditional CBT that Levine criticizes in his book. CBT has a preoccupation with thoughts specifically - neglecting the nuanced relationship between our external circumstances, our emotions, thoughts and behaviors. Likewise, I found CBT tends to be exhausting. Who can stand to analyze their thoughts constantly, especially when they don't have an understanding of where those thoughts are coming from to begin with? The mindfulness practices in this book place thoughts in the wider context of life itself and bring us out of our own heads. The "Body Scan" that begins the CD is an excellent way of bringing one into the entirety of the body and opening to the physical, sensory experiences most of us have come to ignore.

Eventually, what these practices serve to do is awaken one to the true nature of living. Depression itself can be seen for what it is - a pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviors - that we eventually learn to transcend. If you are currently depressed, this may all sound highly dubious. I myself was skeptical at first. But, having nothing to lose, I read through the book, practiced the meditations as described and suspended judgment for the eight weeks recommended by the authors. Within the first two weeks, it started making more sense. I felt I was living more "in the moment." When depressed, our days often feel monochromatic - everything runs together in a big jumble of anxiety, numbness, inaction, etc. Weeks go by and we feel like we haven't actually LIVED through them.

Mindfulness completely transformed this familiar experience for me. My days feel longer and more varied. I started noticing tiny details like where I hold tension in the body, when I needlessly and repetitively feed anxieties with negative thoughts, and started to notice things in the world around me more. Many people construe "curing" depression with banishing all unpleasant emotions. However, this is neither possible nor desirable. These sorts of emotions will always arise. However, the aim is to learn to be open to them instead of becoming overwhelmed by them. I can't really explain exactly how different this feels, but it felt like being a child again: awakening to the newness of each and every moment, as a child experiences the world, is really the heart of mindfulness.

This book and CD would certainly do fine as a stand-alone if you are just interested in feeling better. The insights into the workings of the mind and emotion are remarkable and all supported by the latest research. The CD narrated by Kabat-Zinn is extremely helpful as well in setting up a regimented practice and commitment to yourself to get better. If, however, you are also interested in learning about depression as a cultural, sociological and historical phenomenon, I highly recommend Bruce Levine's "Surviving America's Depression Epidemic" which touches on many topics not dealt with here, including the role of schooling in teen depression, shyness or social phobia, abuse and neglect, the role of depression for artists and musicians and loss of community in modern-day society. Both are excellent books, however, that deal with different aspects of the same topic.

Before I start I just have to say that this book is FANTASTIC and is a really exciting step forward in the treatment of depression. At last - a non-drug approach to one of societies most overwhelming problems: Depression.

As a person who has suffered from depression in the past and as a therapist, I truly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It told me all I needed to know about mindfulness and taught me the process in a very comprehensive yet easy to follow way.

I had read several books on mindfulness by various authors before receiving this book. Compared against the others that I read, I found this one to be the most clear, so even if you do not suffer from depression, but are looking to learn mindfulness, this book could be just what you are looking for. The other bonus with this title is that it is not repetitive like similar titles I have read - it just tells you what you need to know.

Some observations that I would make though are as follows.

1. There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes throughout, however they didn't affect my `reading flow', so this should be an issue.
2. The layout of the separate sections could have been better laid out. It shows you how to follow an 8 week program in the end of the last chapter. I would have liked to seen it laid out so that you read and practice a section at a time rather than learning everything before you start.
3. There is a warning in a couple of places in the book that warn you not to us the program in is entirely now if you are experiencing an episode of clinical depression. This somewhat confused me as the title of the book is `The Mindful Way THROUGH Depression.
4. The book comes with a CD... It was recorded using the voice of one of the authors, Jon Kabat Zinn. The meditation entitled `The Body Scan' seemed a little rushed. As a personal preference, I used an old CD that I had from Jon that was much better quality for me and worked well.

These were the only negative things that I picked up and wanted to include them to make this review as balanced as possible. There were so many things right with this book though that the comments above are small concerns against all the things that you will get out of reading it.

So in conclusion: this book is easy to follow, very inspirational and motivates you to learn mindfulness and overcome your depression. It is simply fantastic.

Warmly,

Richard MacKenzie
Author of Self-Change Hypnosis

I feel very grateful to the authors of this book, having suffered from recurring bouts of depression over the past dozen years or so. For help, I tried several books on cognitive therapy and saw a few therapists who focused on this approach. But, each time, after initial improvement, I ended up in a mental boxing ring fighting with the same old repetitive, negative thoughts. I would try to substitute negative thoughts with more realistic ones, as cognitive therapy encourages, but I soon realized this process would go on endlessly, without any real change. As someone wrote in an earlier review, it was exhausting. It never seemed possible to me that depression could be dealt with at the level of thinking since habitually negative thinking is the main problem in depression!

In "The Mindful Way through Depression," the authors really take the reader to a different level in handling negative, ruminative thoughts and their accompanying difficult feelings. I love the underlying theme of the book: that it's not the content of our thoughts that's important, but rather the present-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and surroundings. Emphasis is also placed on deeply accepting all of these sensations -- not running from them in fear or aversion, but approaching them with gentle awareness and curiosity and allowing them to be there. There's a huge freedom in this, but it takes perseverance.

One point to note: I think it was wise of the authors to state at the book's outset that a person suffering from fairly severe depression should wait until he or she is on the mend before attempting to use the book. Personally, I think trying to do some of the exercises would be very difficult during a deep depression.

Finally, while the book is completely non-secular and beneficial to anyone, it will probably be particularly appreciated by people already interested in areas such as mindfulness, yoga, meditation, and "Westernized" Buddhism.

This book hit home. One of my best friends gifted me with this book and it has been one of the best gifts ever. I work full time and have a 10 month old daughter. After reading just a chapter I felt relieved to know I am not the only one feeling stressed with all there is to do everyday while maintaining a home, work, relationships,etc. This book gives permission to slow down, and it says it's okay to stop and listen and not do the big birthday parties and attend all the holiday parties and events. Just being and listening and not doing anything together is time well spent.

As others have noted, this book is a series of reflections about motherhood and the importance of slowing down to savor daily life with loved ones.

This book energized me to make several changes in my own life. Part of my motivation for homeschooling this year was a desire to have a more conscious, contemplative, and purposeful life rather than a frantic-mad-dashing here and there life.

In fact, as the holidays approach, many of my friends are feeling "swamped", "overwhelmed", "stressed" - feelings I remember all too well from previous years. While I still have my moments, overall I am much less stressed than last year. The overall tenor of the holidays is much happier and calmer. I have done my best to pare the holidays down to the essentials, to keep things simple and personal, rather than grandly extravagant. Extravagance has its place, but when children are young, I think simplicity makes so much more sense.

I loved this book so much I chose it for my book club of busy suburban SAHMs. I was quite surprised to find only two (out of nine) loved it as I did! Three thought the book had "some good ideas", but they clearly didn't connect with the author.

The other four were quite negative about Mitten Strings. They felt it was too preachy and perfect and Pollyanna-ish, that "real" people couldn't live like the Kenisons without lots of money. But it's not a financial lifestyle she is talking about, it's an internal one, it is simply making a conscious effort to notice, appreciate, prioritize and streamline.

In trying to figure out the mixed response to this book in my book club, I came up with a couple of ideas. I think the crux of liking the book has to do with the following:

First, it depends on whether you are at a point in your life where you actually consider rushing madly to be a negative thing, rather than proof you are productive. Some people feel empowered and energized by rushing and being busy!

Second, it depends on how contemplative you are feeling when you read the book. The more contemplative you feel, the more likely you might enjoy the book.

Finally, it depends on whether you enjoy visual and poetic language. The author writes with a heartfelt, genuine sentimentality that, while I enjoyed it tremendously, can apparently be off-putting to people with more pragmatic sensibilities.

One reviewer said they would not give this book to a parent of an autistic child, or one with Down's Syndrome. I actually think this book has considerable merit for families with special needs children - the key is knowing WHEN to give the book. I have a child who was diagnosed with autism at 3, and when he was younger and we were rushing around madly from therapy to therapy, ransacking our home to make it an engaging learning environment, etc..., I would not have been in the frame of mind to appreciate it.

In fact, according to my three criteria above: the mad rushing was proof I was doing everything I could to help him; who has time to be contemplative when you are trying to save your child from autism; and poetic musings about the wonderful lives of families with typically developing children would have been quite upsetting.

NOW I see things differently. I think the ideas in the book have even MORE relevance for children with special needs, who often thrive in calm, centered environments. I think children with special needs deserve to have their progress, however slow or small, deeply savored and appreciated.

Well anyway. This is not a book that EVERYONE is necessarily going to love, in spite of the steady parade of 5 star reviews. Nevertheless, I join the parade and give this book 5 stars based on my own incredibly positive experience reading it.

I truly enjoyed this book. It is not a religious book (despite the title) nor a parenting guide; it is a deeply spiritual look at what it means to be a family.

Mitten Strings touched me in such a way that I felt like I was reading a letter from a good friend. There was a sense of peace reading it and imagining my family in her book. Her basic premise is to slow down, notice the details of your children's lives and be present with your family. But the book goes so much further than that. We all know to slow down...but to be reminded how magical it can be, with illustrations that are so tender is even better. I highly recommend this book and in fact purchased seven more to give to my friends as a special gift. I'd love to meet the author (Katrina) and sit over a cup of something on the front porch while our children run circles around the house!

It is rare to say but so true. It was given to me by an older woman and it truely changed the way I parent my two boys, see life and helped me create a summer that I will treasure. A must read for those who want to slow down and get off the "treadmill" of life.

Here is a cookbook for people that like to eat well but do not have the time for long lengthy recipes. I have made several dishes in this book , they are delicious and simple. It is refreshing to use a cookbook that produces such flavorful meals without hours of labor and just a few ingredients.

I have been cooking through this book in order, skipping only meat-based recipes (but cooking the fish recipes). The photos are gorgeous. And there are some good ideas in this book -- I somehow had never come across bircher, and ways to dress up otherwise boring food.

However I find this cookbook skimps on details. For example, the sticky rice for picnics is a really wonderful idea, and while it does tell you how much coconut milk to use, it doesn't tell you how much rice to use! I'd expect either both or neither to be general. It's almost as if she believes that if the recipe is short to read, it can be cooked faster. Also the book seems to skip ingredients. I have yet to come across a recipe that calls for salt, for example, although brownies, sticky rice, salad dressing, and several other recipes simply cry out for it. Of course I can throw in my own dash of salt, but I wonder what other small things were skipped for the sake of a brief recipe (after all, how long does it take to add a dash of salt?). Not sure I'll buy another Donna Hay cookbook...

P.S. Just tried to fry something with no info in the recipe on oil temperature or timing. It was a disaster.

The best cookbook author....easy and delicious recipes that are not too fussy or time consuming and are always fabulous. A must have. Dorick

New food Fast offers reader a vast amount of detailed recipes and easy to use foods to make quick and tasty meals for the whole family.Great photos to help with the cooking process.

I'm very happy with my purchase there. I would recommend this vendor. Thanks.

It is understandable why this book earned a Pulitzer for the author. Written in the early 1950's, it was the first time Civil War events were treated from a human versus fact-after-fact view. However, Shelby Foote later wrote a superior account that not only provides the human side, but also presents all the historical data.

It would be an almost impossible task for anyone to figure out just how many books have been written dealing with the American Civil War. It would also be difficult to determine which Civil War historians are most often cited by their peers but there is no doubt that Bruce Catton would be near or more likely at the top of any such list. The reason for this is quite simply that Catton was one of the great historical writers of all time. Very few people can take their readers into the heart of an army, both those of it's soldiers and leaders like Catton and even fewer convey their story in the very clear and easy to read style that this author has mastered. To read this book of pure history is in many ways like reading a historical novel and even the reader who already has a firm grasp on the historical facts of this story will sometimes find themselves wondering what happens next.

This is the story of the last campaign of the Army of the Potomac, that Ill-fated army that had so often been humiliated by Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia. This campaign was to be different however because there was a new man calling the shots and having a man like U. S. Grant at the helm made all of the difference in the world. It took Grant a while though to convince this often badly led army that he was any different than his predecessors. Different he was however and once he locked horns with Lee he wasn't going to let up until one army or the other was destroyed. In other words Grant understood what had to be done and he was determined to do it.

Catton's main field of study was this man Grant but one of the author's most endearing qualities is that he makes no effort to whitewash or hide his subject's faults. Catton also does not attempt to build Grant up by tearing away at Lee like many of the more recent Grant biographers have done. He simply makes Grant's greatness apparent by telling the story the way it happened and it doesn't take long for the reader to figure out what an outstanding general Grant was.

The author has done a lot of searching through soldier's letters and memoirs as well as regimental histories and this leads to a very personal perspective of the last year of the war. The stories he has gleaned from these sources are poignant, somber, gleeful and funny. For example, one entire brigade falls out of the final advance upon Lee's army to chase down and cook some chickens that have been scattered by artillery fire. I think it was Napoleon who said something about an army traveling on it's stomach.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the Civil War. The hard core Civil War reader will find new information here and the casual reader will find that this book is fun to read and no one should have a problem following the story. If Amazon allowed six stars this is one of the few books that would qualify.

Part 3 of Bruce Catton's fantastic trilogy of the civil war is an interesting look at how the Army of the Potomac ended the war. From a discussion of a daring plan to plant dynamite underneath confederate lines to the chasing down of Lee's Army by Grant a true sense of what happened during the civil war can be gathered form this trilogy. An essential collection to any civil war historical library.

A Stillness at Appomattox is the last in the trilogy of the Army of the Potomac and covers from the period from late 1863/early 1864 (before the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Campaign) to April 1865 (Appomattox).

While the book is certainly heavily weighted in its coverage of the Union side, Catton is fair in his assessment of the various Union leaders. Of course, there is also the unique writing style that Catton possessed - a free flowing and smooth narrative rich with details.

My only complaint is the lack of maps. However, one must also bear in mind that the first edition was written in 1953, a time when books did not have the number of detailed maps that you would find in more recent titles.

Complaint aside, I highly recommend the book and series as the best coverage of the Union Army of the Potomac during the Civil War.

Read and enjoy!

This superb narrative about the Union's Army of the Potomac in the war's final year captured the 1954 Pulitzer Prize. The book is one of several superbly readable volumes on the Civil War by author/historian Bruce Catton (1899-1978).

This narrative covers the Army of the Potomac from the start of the brutal 1864 wilderness campaign through the war's end a year later at Appomattox. The author shows that General Ulysses S. Grant was more capable than brilliant, and fiercely determined to keep the pressure on General Lee's rebel army until the Confederates had no choice but to quit. Given the Union's advantage in men and material, the strategy made sense. What was less sensible were costly errors by Union officers, frightful casualties, and a sickening Union failure to clinch victory on the first day at Petersburg (thus reducing carnage on both sides).

The author perused many soldier diaries and letters to show us the life of the average Union enlisted man. That soldier was well-paid ($16 a month), but forced to endure boredom, rough weather, marching, stress, and dangers from disease and a tough, determined enemy.

This moving look at the last year of conflict is probably the best of Catton's narratives on the Civil War.

[[ASIN:084991311X The Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fulfillment While K
Keeping Your Clothes On]]
There is so much true enlightenment and wisdom packed into this little book, that could only come from experience. I want to thank Dawn Eden for
her candor and genuine concern for others that she expresses so nicely in this book. I think all singles should read this book. I am a mother of 11 children and I plan on buying several more copies for my older kids. Her personal stories are charming and her rubber-band ball theory is hysterical. READ IT!

Dawn Eden's book is a breath of fresh air, for men and women alike. While she writes from a female perspective, guys have plenty to learn from this book as well.

Dawn shows how chastity is a better path to happiness and sexual fulfillment for women, but guys who read the book can gain an additional insight: they can learn something about the feminine heart and what the (right kind of) girl is looking for in a relationship.

Now I don't mean to sound self-serving - Dawn's book is most definitely not a "dating tips" compendium. In fact, one of her best points is that chastity teaches guys and girls how to treat one another not as objects to be used, but as mysteries to truly love.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has done the dating thing and found it frustrating (which is probably most of us), and is looking for something more. Whether you're a guy or girl, Dawn has something important and beautiful to say to you!

In an age where anything goes - especially when it comes to sex, serial dating and mating has become the standard M.O. among young singles... In "The Thrill of the Chaste...) Dawn Eden exposes the "Sex in the City" lifestyle, beyond any morality issues, for what it really is...an exercise in futility guaranteed to leave those who embrace it lonely, emotionally empty/numb, and moving away, rather than closer, to any hopes of marriage. And that's the upside...the downside is contracting an incurable and/or fatal STD!
This book is "must read" for anyone who has ever questioned whether "sleeping around" in pursuit of physical pleasure will lead to happiness! This is also a good read for parents who were sexually active before marriage/children. These parents tend to teach their kids about the dangers of alcohol, drugs, tobacco but not sex! Many feel that since they survived their own sexual exploits that there's no need to encourage abstinence before marriage (i.e. chastity)... Hmmm... Well think again! When teens experiment with sex they are risking their health and possibly their lives.
Kudos to Dawn Eden for promoting the virtue of chastity, a practice that is guaranteed to lead to an increase in the number of successful marriages, a reduction in the number of unwanted pregnacies and containment of the spread of STDs. Now who's not for that!!!

Love it! A book for women who can finally see through all the false theories the media and popular culture feed to us.

Remarkably well written. Dawn Eden's The Thrill of the Chaste is a breath of fresh air that is much needed in today's world of smothering sexuality. For anyone who has been in an unsatisfying relationship, called a prude, a tease, or has been ridiculed for being a good girl; this book shines light on the beauty and grace of women who respect themselves enough to resist the temporary ecstasy of a few moments of fleeting sexual pleasure in order to empower themselves to see beyond the superficial exterior of the typical dating world and enable them to attract the kind of man that is worthy of one day being their husband. Beautifully written, mature and honest, Eden doesn't force anything on the reader. She will make you smile, sigh, and shake your head as she shares her own experiences. This book makes the reader take a look at their own past and offers some tools in being proactive about the way they approach meeting, dating, and carrying on potential future relationships. Loses a little momentum near the very end, but finishes beautifully. For both virgins and the not-so-virgin, this book is guaranteed to make you think.

I'm always on the look-out for a good movie our book that can deliver some great twists and chills. To me, no movie or book is better than one that can make my draw drop to the floor towards the end, revolutionizing my entire perception of it. So, I came across this and based on these reviews that give it such high praise, I was pretty eager to download it.

The problem with V. O. is that everything builds to the climax. There is nothing else that you are waiting for. Nothing else is on your mind except "what is that food???" When a story is like this, it better deliver an amazing twist. Quite frankly, it doesn't. I mean no disrespect to Ms. Dravis. She is clearly a good writer with an interesting style of writing, but it just doesn't work for me.

There's nothing in the story that really reaches out and grabs the reader. In fact, it's all really just a big bore. The reviews here sum up the story perfectly, minus the ending. Oh yes, the ending? It isn't shocking at all. I saw it coming from the second I read a review on it, but I figured there must be something bigger if it can stun so many people. What really shocks me is that barely anyone saw it coming. Maybe I've watched too many movies dealing with this sort of thing, but I still think it's pretty obvious when you think about it.

Ok, so the ending is obvious, but is there anything else? Um... no. There is some colorful descriptions of the restaurant that Charles and his wife eat in, as well as a vivid description of emotions. But what it all boils down to is a story that did not make me think "Wow what's going to happen next???". Nothing in it really makes it this amazing story that all of the reviewers here make it out to be.

There's no doubt in my mind that everyone will flame me, telling me that I'm too childish and stupid to understand it's genius, but the fact is that I found no substance in this story. Click on the "no" button all you want. If you're not familiar with this kind of subject that Dravis covers in her story, by all means buy it. You may be just as surprised as the rest of the reviewers here. But if you're into the kind of movies I am (read my reviews), you've probably already figured out the twist, so you best skip it.

V. O. is a short story by Betty Dravis, who is without a doubt an extremely talented author. In just eight short pages, she manages to weave a tale that grabs you quickly, draws you in, makes you care, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. In less than 15 minutes, I felt like I had read a full novel.

Clearly, this story is fast-paced, yet Ms. Dravis' crisp, succinct prose provides you with a level of detail not normally seen in a short story. The plot is immediately intriguing and suspenseful; I couldn't put it down.

I strongly recommend this clever tale for all fans of horror, mystery, or plot twists with surprise endings. While I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen, this excellent narrative crafted by Ms. Dravis kept me enthralled until the very end.

The theme for V.O. by author Betty Dravis is not a new one. It has been explored through the ages in story form, both oral and written. There have been mythologies woven around the concept that forms the plot.

However the similarities in theme, Dravis takes it a step beyond into a more macabre setting with undertones of eroticism fueling the engine which drives the story. Understand that there is nothing overt with regards to sexuality in the story, rather it is something that simmers below the surface as implied, more than realized.

Virgins have played various central roles in sacrificial settings from time immemorial. Here, they are no less innocent nor unassuming for the positions they accept in this bizarre ritual which would drive the less greedy, the less gluttonous to the brink of insanity. Have a read and feel the fear creep up on you when the curtain is pulled back to reveal the climatic discovery of the story.

Have you ever sold your soul to the devil? Once you know what the deal is, you may want to, but don't do it. This both erotic and creepy tale is about getting your health and your youth back with all its pleasures, but at a price that only the soulless can live with. If it sounds too good to be true and it is still true, then there is a dark secret hidden in the deal. I think I am good at solving puzzles and problems but I did not see the disturbing end coming. All my guesses were wrong.

Betty Dravis is an extremely skilled author and narrator with an incredible imagination. The dialogue flows quickly and smoothly, while the story steadily increases in tension without any interruptions in the suspense. Then suddenly the concluding shock knocks you over, and the story ends leaving you with disturbing thoughts that you have to get rid of before bed time. If this novel was a piece of music it would be Maurice Ravels' Bolero, and it takes about the same time to read as it takes to listen to Bolero. With this short story Betty Dravis is breaking new ground in the horror genre. Don't sell your soul to ancient and evil magic, but get a taste of it by reading this short story. V.O. is an excellent and bone chilling read for both horror aficionados and horror newbie's.

In the space of 10,000 to 15,000 words - what for a novel would be a mere one or two chapters serving as little more than introduction - a skilled short story author has to create characters, setting, atmosphere, tension, action, dialogue, plot, resolution and dénouement. A pretty tall order for any author but Betty Dravis is clearly up to the task!

V.O. is a catchy little horror story that leaps off the springboard of the typical human desire for physical beauty and longevity and deals with the consequences of what might be called the archetypical "deal with the devil".

The plot is simple enough and it's driven forward with Dravis's clever use of convincing dialogue. The eroticism in the protagonist's explanation of his experiences is thick and palpable - quite convincing enough to raise a mild sheen of sweat on any reader's brow that has a full set of hormones on board and is willing to allow their imagination to run away with the compelling words that Dravis puts in front of us.

Want to spend an enjoyable 10 minutes that will whisk you away from whatever you're doing? Read Betty Dravis's V.O.

Paul Weiss

This book became an instant favorite--Arlene Blum's story is amazing. I don't usually like autobiographies, and I'm not a mountain climber, but this book had me hooked from the first few pages.

Somehow, the author has managed to weave elements of her childhood, her career in science, rememberances of her family, and her love of mountainclimbing into a coherent and engaging story. I was fascinated by the author's tales of mountain expedetions, of lost loves and friendships, of tragedies, and prejudices, and of small triumphs.

A great book about a fascinating life.

Arlene is a trail blazer. She is courageous on the trail, bold in her life choices, and works tenaciously to right the injustices of the world. And (here is the icing on the cake) she is also a beautiful writer.

I like to keep a couple copies of this book in my office. It is the perect gift for women who come to me wanting to understand more about the convergence of Judaism and outdoor adventures. Arlene is the best role model I know!

- Rabbi Jamie Korngold, the Adventure Rabbi, author God in the Wilderness: Rediscovering the Spirituality of the Great Outdoors with the Adventure Rabbi

From the moment Arlene Blum begins to tell her story, I was hooked. She does an exceptional job of structuring the memoir so you understand who she is as a person... and how she became an adventurer. Nothing stops her as a young child or an adult for breaking new ground for women and for her spirit. I was enthralled. Marcia

One of the classic books of women's mountaineering & adventure. I was greatly inspired & enriched by Arlene's Blum memoirs of her life. As a product of a strict, conservative, Jewish upbringing, one can only admire her strength & courage in breaking free & following her dreams.
Her feats in the early days of women's climbing challenged the male dominated field to finally open their doors & admit that women can equal & sometimes exceed men in the physical challenges of high altitude mountain climbing.
This book would come close to to being one of the best I have read. Arlene writes with great skill & honesty about her family & the men she loved, showing how we can all rise to greatness & live our dreams.

Breaking Trail is an excellent read and a very popular book at the local library!

Interesting tidbits about rare and weird creatures. However, after about 50 pages, enough is enough. The "advice to the lovelorn" format is a little too cutesy.

Ray

This is a fun, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, look at the evolutionary biology of how many different organisms developed their genders and their reproduction methods.

Why not pick this up for your sweetie on Valentine's Day? This book has everything--its funny, scientifically accurate, and a quick read. This book is perfect for anyone who likes natural science, evolutionary biology, or learning about sex.

Dr. Tatiana writes an advice column for members of all species and organisms that wish to write to her. She specializes in answering their questions about sex and dispensing sound advice.
For example, a yellow dung fly wants to know how to make its sperm more attractive; a fig wasp wonders why all the males she knows bite each other in half; an elephant is worried because its penis has turned green; a mother manatee frets because her son appears to prefer other males.
It turns out that homosexuality is common in the animal world, that femals are mostly promiscuous and that monogomy is exceedingly rare in nature, (she calls it one of the most deviant behaviors in biology) and that the battle of the sexes is real and can be brutal (and the females often win).
This book is a breezy read. Tatiana is a witty raconteur with an apparently inexhaustible font of knowledge about the weird and wonderful world of sex. The point of existence, she maintains, is to survive and reproduce. Genetic mutations and behavioral modifications that confer an advantage in pursuing these goals will flourish. Species that do not adapt will die out.
Though written in a jokey way, this is a serious book. It provides a wonderful picture of the sheer vast variation of the natural world and the dynamic pace of evolution.
Perfect for the teen interested in science (and sex) and for all curious adults.
For more about me and my book The Nazi Hunter: A Novel, (where the sex is tastefully done) go to www.alanelsner.com.

What do you get when you cross a biology textbook, a Dr. Ruth show, a Dear Abby column, and a "Far Side" cartoon? Well, the offspring might be a brilliantly original book named Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation. This collection answers the desperate questions from species as varied as the Australian redback spider to the Louisiana black vulture with Dr. Tatiana's practical, reassuring, detailed explanations. It seems the worry on everyone's mind is, "Am I normal?"

Move over, Dr. Phil. Author Olivia Judson is an evolutionary biologist, award-winning science journalist, graduate of Stanford, and doctorate of Oxford University. Writing as Dr. Tatiana, Judson transforms both difficult scientific ideas and the sometimes-awkward discussion of the (ah-hem!) birds and the bees into accessible, often hilarious reading material. Evidently, virgin births, homosexuality, variety in size and shape of genitalia, elaborate courtship rituals, and cannibalism are not so unusual in nature as one may think. Dr. Tatiana gives her readers - be they insect, animal or human - a sigh of relief along with a much-needed chuckle at our own foibles as she explains, from her expert but kind perspective, why we do the things we do.

And herein lies the rub. While I see Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice ...as a clever way to teach a wealth of knowledge about natural science, biology, animal behavior, and genetics, I know there are many folks who would balk. The first time I read this book, I wished it could have been included in my high school science class, and fondly remembered time spent in the classrooms of Mr. and Mrs. Puskar, where quirky often served as mnemonic. But I know, especially now, that eyebrows would go way up, and corners of mouths would go way down, at the words "SEX ADVICE", let alone that the subtitle, which announces this little volume as "The Definitive Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex." If "sex advice" in any classroom context is murky ground, then "evolutionary" anything these days is a cause for all-out war.

At the end of September of each year, the American Library Association reminds us to celebrate our freedom to read by marking "Banned Book Week." If Dr. Tatiana isn't on the list of banned books, I'm sure it easily could be. That makes me sad, because I don't like that learning details about the stunning array of life on earth could be seen as bad, harmful, or sinful. Whether you believe it's God's creation or just critters, they still do the things so deliciously described here. Few people have a problem with their kids watching a Discovery channel special about the Lamprologus ocellatus, a fish that lives in one of the Great Lakes of tropical Africa? Somehow, this is different. I guess the real debate comes when Dr. Tatiana (or any biology professor) starts explaining the WHY behind behavior in terms of evolution. Then, the main "worry" of living beings is not, as the cute letters of bugs and fish may suggest, about being normal, but about reproducing and spreading your genes. That does shoot a big hole in the theories espoused in Rick Warren's best-selling book, "The Purpose Driven Life". Not to mention some religious texts, like the best-selling book of all time.

I'm not going to provide a neat little resolution to this debate, not that I could even if I wrote a dissertation instead of a book review. I'm just going to recommend that you grab a copy of Dr. Tatiana and take yourself, the whimsical and weird of nature, and the evolutionary debate on the light side for a few hours. Learn a lot, laugh a lot, and celebrate the fact that in the United States, you can read about a subject from all different angles.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" and editor of "Of A Predatory Heart"

I read this book in adolescence and it has stayed with me since then--over 20 years. I have thought of Eric's story many times over the years, especially now that I have my own son. I think that I will read this book again and add it to my permanent collection. It is very touching albeit very sad.

Eric is the heartbreaking, inspirational true story of Eric Lund, a seventeen-year-old boy who is diagnosed with Leukemia just days before he is set to leave for college. This book is a memoir written by his mother, Doris Lund, about Eric's unwavering will to survive, and about how his cancer affects not only himself, but everyone around him.

When it's a story about a terminal illness, there can be no unexpected twist. As soon as I read the description on the back cover of the book, I knew basically how it was going to start and how it was going to end. But it's what happens in between that makes Eric Lund's life so interesting. What makes him different than many whose lives have thrown seemingly indomitable obstacles at them is that Eric refuses to give up. Even when the doctors, despite their greatest and heartfelt efforts, can offer only ominous warnings, it doesn't prevent Eric from living his life to the fullest. In this way, Eric isn't just the tragedy of a boy whose life deteriorates little by little. Instead, it is the motivational story of a man whose confidence, positive outlook, and exceptional will to live bring hope and joy to everyone around him.

Of course, Doris Lund doesn't leave herself out of the picture. A lot of the book is focused on her own hopes and fears instead of Eric's, on which she can only speculate in many instances. She is also honest about her rocky relationship with Eric and the difficulties that they sometimes had communicating, which is something that most teenagers and their parents can relate to. I couldn't help noticing that there are places in the book where Doris Lund interrupts the flow of her writing, perhaps with a misplaced or awkward metaphor, but then she quickly remembers that this story is beautiful and memorable on its own without too many fancy words and phrases to distract from it.

Even if you don't usually read this kind of literature, I still recommend Eric. It may be depressing, but it's not cynical, and it leaves you with the kind of hope that Eric held on to his whole life.

I have probably read this book 8 times since it first came out. The first time I read it was shortly after my brother had been diagnosed with a form of leukemia. This book is a wonderful tribute by Doris Lund to her son, and I highly recommend it to anyone.

This story is just a good read, and such a testimony of a young man struck with lucemia, his spirit his valor...emotions are stired to beyond words.

I hate to be the skunk in the five-star garden party, but I remember reading, or rather trying to read, this book when in high school some *cough* 20 years ago. I could barely get through it. Apparently I wasn't alone, because someone else had graffitoed on the (soft) cover, "This book sucks. Don't read it."

Sometimes I think there should be a moratorium on grieving parents writing about their dead offspring. Aside from one brief moment when Lund catches her son checking out girls in a hospital corridor or waiting room, I don't remember a single aspect of Eric's personality aside from "Mama's Little Angel." And although my memory is vague on this, I seem to recall the book contains a fair amount of delusional mumbo-jumbo about "God's will" ('scuse me while I barf).

If you want to read a superb book by someone who lost a child to cancer, read "Death Be Not Proud" by John Gunther. That book preserves every quirk of his late son Johnny's wry sense of humor and considerable intellect, and actually makes you regret that the son didn't live to take up the father's pen. Not only that, but Gunther deals with hard questions of mortality and loss without resorting to the kind of sticky sentimentality you'd expect from Oprah or the "women's channels" on cable TV. Cripes, even Marie Killilea's books about her handicapped (no, NOT "differently abled") daughter Karen are better than Lund's book.

The entire genre, for obvious reasons, is for the most part manipulatively mawkish, but that's what sells, I guess. If you have an "I Believe in Angels" bumper sticker on your car, Thomas Kincaide "paintings" on your walls, and every CD Whitney Houston ever recorded in your music collection, go ahead and order "Eric." You'll cry your eyes out and write a five-star review.