Resources Books

Every kid loves to be surprised by explosions, things bubbling over and the unexpected twist in whatever you're teaching...but add God, scripture and life-application and you have a WINNING FORMULA!!! I have used this book over and over with elementary kids and I always hear squeals of delight and see total engagement in their faces. God created science, and He truly shines through the activities in this book!

This book is a great book to have when doing devotions for children. I use it in our children's church on a regular bases and the kids always look forward to the devotions.

This is a great resource for any Children's Minister or Children's Volunteer. It gives you simple yet "Amazing" science demonstrations and experiments that will help kids remember the truth about God, Jesus, the Bible and the love that God has for us. Each Devotion gives you an "Exploration Element" that realates to the science part of the devotion (if you are just looking for cool science experiments without the Bibilical connection these are great for you). Each Devotion also comes with a Bible Benchmark -- which is a passage of Scripture. It is amazing how these experiments really relate to the Bible verses!! This is a must have if you are teaching kids at any church -- they will think you are so cool and most of all they will listen and remember because they've really experienced something.

This book is a great way for children to see the wonders of God's creation in the proper way. The sections allow us to explain science facts through Biblical truths. It can be a firm foundation for later discoveries.

The book is about one individual who wants power and missuses it to the point where he is hated by everyone including his equals.

Never let it be said my Church hasn;t played with fire for generations in this country. The pedofile fiasco was merely a tran wreck waiting to happen. Rome's reluctance to exert control has seemed to be an on again, off again affair. Well, better let each to his/her own and read the book! It is fascinating in the ways Cardinal O'Connor embarrassed the Church and exploited power and influence.

Ambition & Arrogance by Douglas Slawson is an excellent read for anyone interested in the politics of the church. Cardinal O'Connell's impact on the Boston church and beyond is exacting and thoroughly documented. Slawson has detailed the life of this rogue with utmost fairness. This book is a "must read" or history will repeat itself.

Before the scandalous Cardinal Bernard Law, Boston had the scandalous Cardinal William O'Connell. The O'Connell scandals were hushed up by the Vatican, but the records remain, and National University historian Douglas Slawson has dug them up.

O'Connell was not only a cardinal at a time when there were only three American cardinals, he was the senior U.S. prince of the church. He lived like one, too.

As presented by Slawson, he makes a contradictory personality: devoid of personal faith or spirituality (he seldom offered Mass, never confessed), he was yet a fanatical believer in the supremacy of Rome: in Catholic European terms, an ultramontane ranged against Gallicans, who in America were called Americanists.

Ultramontanism was obscurantist (not mentioned by Slawson), antidemocratic, supremacist and anti-education. No such doctrine was going to thrive in America, much less Catholicize a Protestant country although it was official policy of the Church to convert the country. But it had a good run -- a longer run than Slawson thinks. The Roman Catholic schools I attended in the `50s and `60s taught a thoroughly ultramontane ecclesiology, although ordinary Catholics paid it less and less attention. By that time, O'Connell, the last of the big bugs among the ultramontanists, had been dead for 10 or 20 years, and had been out of influence for 20 or 30 years.

In a word, O'Connell was enamored of Fuhrerprinzep, but he saw himself not as Hitler but as Goering. His Hitler was the pope, especially the antimodernist Pius X (whose name graced, if that is the word, my high school).

O'Connell was actually more scandalous to Catholics than to non-Catholics. Several of his sins were purely churchly. He was a simoniac. Probably an active homosexual (Slawson thinks he was but says the proof is lacking). He connived with the two priests in his household (one a nephew) to overlook their marriages. As sex scandals go, this is pretty funny. Only Catholics can make a man's relations with his wife a sexual sin.

O'Connell, who was fertile in wrongdoing, did transgress secular law. He embezzled and extorted and stole. He fiddled charitable funds, which probably was not indictable around 1918 but would be today.

And everybody who was anybody knew it. The district attorney was after him. U.S. senators wanted his scalp. His own suffragans plotted to have him called to Rome where, it was thought, he could do less harm. Some of the leaders of the U.S. Catholic hierarchy -- men whose names are still remembered like Austin Dowling -- wanted him out. Almost none of the hundred American bishops trusted him and most despised him. But they couldn't nail him. O'Connell had friends at court.

It is a story that could be slotted easily into the Italian Quattrocento and even people with no interest in Catholic intramural politics can be amused by Slawson's careful recitation of the schemes and counter schemes. "Ambition and Arrogance" is not light reading, however.

Slawson's reasons for resurrecting this forgotten episode are hortatory, not merely academic: "Had lessons been learned from O'Connell's 'Boston tragedy and comedy' and had measures like these [several steps of internal church discipline that Slawson recommends] been put in place as a result, the church might have been spared subsequent scandals."

Although I admire Slawson's book, I cannot agree. The only scandals he mentions are the child-rape scandals which the church failed to cover up as well as it did O'Connell's robberies.

First, the child-rape scandals were an entirely different category from O'Connell's sins, which were mere peccadilloes by comparison. The O'Connell sex scandals were among adults; few people would even count them scandalous these days. Even the thefts are hard to distinguish from normal church practice over the centuries. The extortions in particular would have been hard to prove in court.

Second, Slawson -- typically for an American Catholic (which I presume him to be) -- has a too-domestic perspective. In between O'Connell's ultimate failure in church politics and America's child-rape scandals, the Roman church committed far, far worse sins. Its complicity with Hitlerism and active participation in the Holocaust make O'Connell look like a choirboy.

Third, now that churchly power is more attenuated that it was early in the 20th century, scandals are harder to cover up. Even setting aside the mass murder of Jews -- which many Catholics still refuse to accept that Pius XII had a hand in, although he provably did -- there have been banking scandals and sex scandals outside the United States that have been exposed to all. Neither those nor the child-rape scandals have caused any appreciable numbers of adherents to ditch the religion. There is no sign whatever that the Roman Catholic Church has corrected its practices. It is incorrigible.

Fourth, Slawson's recommendations stop at church discipline. If the church is to shed its status as a continuing criminal enterprise, bishops and archbishops need to be sentenced to prison for their crimes, not just to penitential prayers.

I found this book to be very well researched and written. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the natural history of our great nation.

I found this book to be very well researched and written. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the natural history of our great nation.

Professor Bonnicksen has devoted his career to the care and protection of the forests. Where public relations folks talk the talk, Professor Bonnicksen walks the walk. Ancient Forests is a tour through history, a tour de forest that takes us from ancient lands and brings us to the present day, making us realize that from the forest we came and from the forests we shall go. A member of the Congressional Commission charged with oversight of American forest and land use and a devoted conservationist, Professor Bonnicksen in this brilliant volume brings many of his themes expounded in shorter articles and books together in a densely forested wood of pine and deciduous scented brilliance. After reading this book, no one will pass a tree and look at it the same, ever, again. Kudos to Professor Bonnicksen of Texas A & M University.

This book could have been titled America's Ancient Landscapes. One of the pleasant surprises about this book is that it deals with all types of landscapes: prairies, barrens, savannas, and all types of wetlands, as well as forests. For those of us in the Midwest, who deal with all of those types, this is a great bonus. Bonnicksen gives us the needed background, through the tremendous changes of the ice age and the plant migrations that followed, to the landscape affects of the Native Americans, to be able to knowledgeably manage natural areas, and restorations. The background on the Indians is so very thorough. You can't help but acquire a new impression of how important and ubiquitous their influence was. What I really like about this book is the complete documentation, done in the old fashioned way, with footnotes! The chapter on fire had 317 footnotes, all of which can be looked up in first the Notes and Citations, then in the extensive Bibliography, which alone covers 75 pages! This is a great reference work. If you can't afford it, get your local library to purchase a copy. I did!

This book is a spectacular visual text to some of the American National Parks. The size of the photos, and their photographic quality, are just excellent. The photos are right up there with National Geographic-type quality. In addition, the accompaning text gives ecological insights to where and why this part of the United States was designated and saved as a National Park. The book gives short but insightful accompanying text for each of the Parks that are presented to the reader. The only problem is, unfortunately, the organization of the chapters, and a very skimpy table of contents, and the reader can get easily annoyed with these two problems. It is hard to understand why the publisher made such errors, as the problems are very obvious, and the whole book suffers as a result. It is a beautiful book covering many of the National Parks, with super photos and very good college level text, and if you can put up with the problems of a missing table of contents, this book is a great collection of art, ecology, and the National Parks of the USA. A 5-star for the photos and accompanying text, and a 3 for a useless table of contents. Sorry, but the publisher made major mistakes in putting this otherwise spectacular book together. But I will still give the book a 5-star anyway. The photos and text are just too good to give this book anything less than a 5-star.

Paul Schullery presents a book filled with powerful and beautiful images of fifty-six national parks that have been dedicated to the preservation and protection of irreplaceable treasures. This book shows why these parks are so worthy of protection.

Not only are they places where indescribable beauty can be seen, they have also been formed by unique geological forces. From stunning mountain ranges to arid expanses of desert, these are the lands we view, wander in and learn from.

America's National Parks is a celebration of the diversity of national parks throughout the United States. They are grouped according to the geological forces that helped to create them.

Diagrammatic illustrations, important landmarks, travel routes, topographical maps and spectacular full-color photographs illustrate the sheer majestic beauty of nature.

You will also find captivating information to encourage an awareness of the landforms, flora and fauna. Families will also find information to help enhance their vacations at the parks.

Inside the front cover a map of America shows the location of each park I started to remember my trip to the Grand Canyon National Park and my husband's visit to Denali.

Our Treasured Lands
The Rolling Land - Volcanic and Geothermal Forces
The Broken Crust - The Power of Mountain Building
Water Designing Lands - Waves, Caves and Currents
Ice Sculpting Stone - The Carving Power of Glaciers
The Patient Power - Wind and Water Erosion
Weather Shaping Life - Effects of Extreme Climates

This book contains some of the most amazing photographs I've ever seen of America. From pictures of dripstone formations adorning New Mexico's Carlsbad Cavern in New Mexico to Lush Ecosystems shrouded in Fog in the National Park in Washington, these pictures help to vividly describe each park. I remember once having an argument with someone over the fact that there were rainforests near where I lived in Washington and no one would believe me. Well, here is proof!

I was also especially interested in looking up the Painted Desert we visited once on a trip across America after college. At the time, I didn't actually realize I was in the Petrified Forest national Park in Arizona because technically, we were just driving right through and I wasn't paying attention.

This book has helped to bring a new awareness to my own life and also encourages a desire for more exploration. Now I definitely want to see Mount McKinley in person.

Voyageurs National Park looks like a fascinating place to paddle around lonely islands. However, they do say never to skimp on insect repellent. A third of the park is water.

A memento of past visits or an inspiration for future exploration!

~The Rebecca Review

You might expect a book on US National Parks to have an all-USA (including Alaska and Hawaii) orientation map along with local maps of each National Park--and it does. You would expect it to have beautiful pictures--and it does. You would expect it to discuss the flora and wildlife found in these parks--and it does. You might expect it to touch on the history of the locations going back to the days of the First Americans--and it does. You would probably expect to hear that Yellowstone National Park, founded in 1872, was the first US National Park, and that it contains most of the world's geysers--and the book certainly states this.

Being a geologist, what I find relatively unique about this book is its emphasis throughout on basic geological processes. The cross-sections it gives of various geological processes and structures are quite educational, and they are very suitable for the geology classroom. (I wish that I had seen them when I first began to formally study geology!) The reader learns about the internal structure and dynamics of volcanoes, the types of folds and faults that form during mountain building, weathering and erosional structures such as hoodoos, and even such things as fumaroles and mudspots. There are also detailed visual aids on bays and reefs.

Fabulous book! The text is very interesting and educational, and it explains the scientific aspects of the National Parks and their land very well. The photos are gorgeous and made me want to visit every single park! :-) They really show some of the awesome beauty of God's handiwork. I highly recommend this book to all outdoor enthusiasts, lovers of nature and science and fellow armchair travelers. The book also contains helpful contact information for planning a visit to the parks. A great read and a great book to enjoy!

I think it is a much needed and valuable item that every Internet connected animal lover should own. This book gives greaet Internet addresses. It has everything you need to spend many hours of fun and discovery on the Internet with other animal lovers!

The Animal Lover's Guide To The Internet includes nearly 600 Web site addresses and decriptions. In addition, Bonnie included several chapters in the book to help newcomers. The first time I attempted to get on the Net, I felt like I was lost in the twilight zone. Nothing made sense and the books I read on the subject just confused me more. This book is written in simple, easy to understand language and is focused on getting you up and running quickly and painlessly!

An excellent reference guide for animal lovers to the world of Internet in six easy steps to the site of general interest, health, chats, newsgroups and on-line publications about birds, cats, dogs, fish, rabbits, reptiles, horses and even dinosaurs.

First of all, the cover illustration by Bonnie Shields is adorable. Aptly depicted animals gathered around a computer monitor are a visual treat. Look for the cat that is curled around the monitor's base. He is shown rather true to form. The inside illustrations by Sharon Redfield are charming and show an eye for detail. This is a great gift for the animal lover in your family or circle of friends. More so if that animal lover is yourself. Happen to have one or more grandchildren or a niece or nephew with a computer? Animal lover or not, this book would constitute a wonderful study tool. As a comprehensive, yet easy to understand manual for everything from choosing the right computer, accessing the Internet, to fossil hunting, this book excels. The author's words are friendly, warm and serve as the wisdom of a knowledgeable friend. I feel this makes for a perfect package. Well organized, with more than 500 Internet addresses for you to explore, you will find the material broken down into easy to understand classifications. Have fun reading and exploring. I did!

Dr. Hemphill's book is certainly valuable to pastors, college and seminary ministerial students. It was greatly accepted as a textbook for my class in church growth at Temple Baptist Seminary. All pastors who are interested in a Bible base for church growth will find this book very helpful.

This is without a doubt one of the best books on church growth I have ever read. Everything Hemphill mentions is basic fundamental church growth strategy. He takes us back two thousand years to help us get a clear picture of what Jesus had in plan originally when he said, "upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it".

Hemphill has written an excellent book which focuses on biblical principles, not church growth strategies or techniques. This powerful book assists the reader to examine what kind of church has the power of God in it. As a former pastor, church growth consultant, and current seminary president, Hemphill is very qualified to write a book on church growth.

The Antioch Effect is a balanced church growth book, which emphasizes the spiritual condition of the church without discounting the importance of methods and strategy. Using the church of Antioch as his model church, Hemphill examines eight characteristics of an effective church. They are supernatural power, worship, prayer, leadership, fellowship, vision, evangelistic passion and discipleship. The book is written from the perspective of a Southern Baptist church consultant who combines the experience of both a practitioner and a consultant. At times I thought the book bogged down but it was worth the read. The Antioch Effect contains solid growth principles to learn and practical methods to implement.

Pain should not, and cannot, be separated from anger, anxiety and depression. This is the message of an excellent monograph by Dr Fernandez. The book is comprehensive (800 references to the primary literature) and argues succinctly that emotions are an integral contributor to the concept of pain. Aside from an excellent review of the literature and an excellent treatise, the book offers methods of clinical treatment and assessment.

This book is timely and deserves a place in every University Library and on the shelves of clinical psychologists that deal on a daily basis with people suffering pain.

Highly recommended

This is an excellent book not only for medical and psychological professionals involved in the treatment of pain and associated mood disorders, but also for members of the public who wish to keep informed about the latest state of the art research into pain and emotions.

The book is comprehensive in scope, and goes considerably beyond anything that has previously been written on the subject, with over 800 references to previously published work in the area.

A range of clinical treatments are discussed including hypnosis, biofeedback, cognitive reappraisal, cognitive behavior therapy, systematic desensitization therapy, muscle relaxation, and so on.

The significant role of anger in pain is highlighted, as well as its treatment via cognitive behavioral affective therapy (CBAT).

This book also elucidates the dynamic interrelationships between pain and emotions such anxiety, depression and anger. In doing so, the book examines both physiological as well as psychological variables.

Furthermore, the author's discussion of the diathesis-stress theory of pain and disease is very illuminating.

This is the first book to comprehensively address the important role of affect in pain, and Dr Fernandez has clearly established himself as a leading pain researcher and clinician. This book is a must for all those interested in knowing more about the complex interrelationships between pain and emotions.

I've been waiting for this release! Fantastic! It's not for the simple-minded but it sure does elevate your understanding of how these three emotional disorders interact with pain. The answers in this book are based on hard evidence and expert opinion. The information will be appreciated by health professionals, but it's not off limits to anyone who wants scientific backing for claims made about pain, anxiety, depression, and anger.

I have read books on pain and suffering but this one is especially refreshing. Dr. Fernandez points out why anxiety, depression, and anger cannot be ignored any longer when trying to figure out a person's pain and medical illness. He goes through great depths to explain exactly how emotions can interact with physical problems -- and it's not just about simple cause and effect but much more. Importantly, he provides options for the treatment and assessment of these problems, and I feel confident about these because they are backed up with scientific evidence. It is reassuring to know that the conclusions in the book are supported up by extensive research in the field.

This book helps ease the monumental transition from Avid to FCP. It is definitely a must for anyone going through the change, but becomes less useful once you get the hang of FCP. Once you are through the transtion, then get the book Final Cut Pro 5 for Mac, which answers the rest.

This book I could only find used, it is not easy to come by...

If you are ever forced to quickly learn Final Cut pro for the odd job where Avid is not a viable option, or you want to start editing your on stuff on the cheap, buy this, read it and practise it for a week and you will be a Pro at Pro, knowing everything there is to know, at least, where to find it and whether it is doable or not. It is a book written by an Avid editor for Avid editors who have to go through the same learning curve. You can be very surprised going through it on how similar the two editing systems are and most of all, how quickly you can synthesise the information and make it second nature. I fervently recommend this book being so well written, going always to the point and covering everything properly.

As an Avid editor and now learning FCP, I can recommend this book for helping to understand where everthing is. This book is a must unless you want to tear your hair out. If you know how it feels going from Media Composer to DS, then you will understand why you need this book and I might add others.

We have been an Avid only edit house for years, but reciently purchased two Final Cut systems. Most of the transition was pretty easy, but trying to figure out how to do some of the things in FCP that we did in our sleep on the Avid slowed us down a bit. This book draws great parallels between the two systems.

I remember reading H. Allen Smith's "Three Men On Third" years and years ago, and Salisbury's product is in the same vein. I enjoyed it tremendously: great choices, fun trivia, and the constant reminders that sports heroes are, after all, inestimably mortal. It is really too bad that Salisbury's stuff (see other titles on Amazon.com under his name) don't get a wider appreciation.

With dry wit and solid research, Luke Salisbury tackles that American creature known as baseball. He looks at why stats make the game so special, and how people get fascinated with quirks such as hitting streaks. Famous figures abound--Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Ty Cobb, and of course, the Babe. There are lesser-known ones as well, such as Louis Sockalexis, baseball's first Indian, whose hot career fizzled due to alcoholism. Salisbury answers questions you'd never thought of before: who was baseball's first Polish player and how did "Dummy" Hoy get his nickname?

"The Answer Is Baseball" is packed with interesting facts for baseball fans of all ages!

This is a great book about baseball. The author does not ask stupid questions that anyone could look up for themselves. He doesn't treat baseball trivia like it is an answer to be found in an encyclopedia. Why is this book not in print?

If you have any interest in baseball--or if you were ever a devotee of H. Allen Smith's THREE MEN ON THIRD--you'll have trouble putting this one down. Yes, you will add tremedously to your factoid collection and probably never again pay for another glass of whatever you drink at your local watering hole. But that's only half the story of this book. Salisbury loves his subject and that sympathy for facts is contagious, reminding us that "fan" does come from "fanatic." Yes, some of the collection tells stories that are not very happy, and Boston fans are going to struggle reliving the part on Conigliaro, but Salisbury does an excellent job throughout. I finally forced myself to a chapter a night just to prolong things.

This book is helpful because expert coaches share their best tips on becoming a great coach. Extremely helpful.

Author, "Trust is Everything: Become the leader others will follow"

This book starts strong, but drags a little in the middle. The book covers coaches from all areas and many of the coaches have similar things to say. The research in the beginning and end are useful and the editors contribute some of the best work in the book. I think it's worth reading but I would skip sections that are not applicable to the area of coaching that you are most interested.

Editors Howard Morgan, Phil Harkins, and Marshall Goldsmith have done everyone tremendous service by using their considerable stature and reputation in the Coaching/Leadership field to pull together this amazing list of professionals; as well as sharing their expertise on the topic. The format they've used makes this an immensely useful reference. If you have an interest in executive coaching -- are a senior executive in transition, or are thinking of hiring a coach -- this book belongs on your "must read" list. In fact, make it your next read.

Peter Clayton, Senior producer www.landed.fm

If you are a line executive or an HR leader - you will find this book useful. It takes you through the process of selecting the right coach and then allows you the opportunity to hear from the best. This is the best coaching book on the market currently.

A great survey of the "best of the best." Useful and practical and meets a real need. I particularly liked the format of the book -- mixing the advice of some of the world's best coaches with practical step by step advice.