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My husband and I bought this book when we heard it mentioned in a sermon. We have been very blessed by the insight that is helping us to look at ourselves and the way we communicate with each other. It helps you to realize what you've been carrying that has nothing to do with present-day relationships. It also challenges you to look at yourself the way God does. It is teaching us to re-assess our worth through God's eyes. Excellent book!

Great book to help you understand why you are the way you are.
Really helped me a lot.

As a pastor and spiritual director, I've been using this book as a regular give-away to believers when it becomes obvious that they are stuck - some old wound is yet hindering them from normal spiritual growth in Christ. Having ministered among Native People for several years, as well as those dealing with addictions (even as Christians), I found the truths and principles Dr. Seamands expounds on very beneficial in truly helping people heal from their past emotional wounds, and the memories of them, and then be able to progress in spiritual development. I believe our churches have many folks sitting in the pews, Sunday after Sunday, with serious pain from their past adversely affecting their present ability to relate freely to Christ, or to others in relationships. Until we understand this, and how Christ can work through us as "ministers" by his healing grace to nullify the effects of debilitating memories, we will continue to see believers spiritually 'stuck', stagnated in their growth.
Dr. Seamand's book HEALING OF MEMORIES (now titled, REDEEMING THE PAST: RECOVERING FROM MEMORIES THAT CAUSE OUR PAIN), builds on HEALING DAMAGED EMOTIONS by going, in detail, into the process of ministering healing to those with painful, debilitating memories. Every pastor who counsels should understand how to help believers in this way!

I have read this book twice and given it to many friends and the responses are always the same. We need to understand the priciples is this book and apply them in our lives. None of us are exempt at some time or other in our lives from the issues discussed.

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It pointed out to me that I've been looking at myself through different mirrors, and I haven't been seeing myself the way God sees me. Instead of placing more guilt on ourselves, David Seamand identifies the lies and misperceptions that we've been taught over the years and encourages us to break free from the bondage of those misperceptions. This is a book that every Christian should read.

This book is about a hot bed of baketball in inner N.Y.C. namely Bklyn in the mid 70's When the King wasn't called Lebron James, but King Albert (Albert King) averaging 44 a game in H.S. he was hailed & christianed the greatest ever to come out of New York City (although his pro career did not live up to the billing Albert & brother Bernard will always be fondly remembered). This book is about Albert and his come up through Bedstuy and so forth. It also gives you an inside look at some of BK'S playground legends circa 1970's and some of their tragic downfalls. The best N.Y.C. ball-book ever written will always be "The City Game" by Pete Axthlem, but this is a close 2nd.

Rick Telander brings all together all the great themes of basketball in this unforgettable book. He stays true to the sport and never strays too far from it (or its many characters). With great books, readers say they never want to see the characters potrayed in the movie because it will never live up to the image/character they've envisioned. In "Heaven Is A Playground", I never want to see Fly Williams or Albert King play ball because I'd rather keep the court wizardry, provided by Telander, permanently embedded in my brain.

This is the best book on basketball I've ever read. First read it when I was a kid in the late '70's, and it still rings as true today. Just about the best sportswriting ever.

I read this book around '93, just after having read the "white version" in both Larry Bird's biography and autobiography. What was interesting was these two very similar yet distinct experiences and how they related to my own experience, growing up it what would seem like a very safe and socially adjusted rural town.

Heaven is a Playground was a departure for me in to a world where basketball had the utmost symbolic and cultural meaning - where legends were born and died and everybody else was willing to take the gamble. Was basketball more a sacrifice of a better future (missing school) or a one shot escape from certain poverty? Telander would probably argue the latter. What I found interesting was that only a few of the characters in the story actually had the potential for professional basketball, yet all the other young men seemed (unconsciously) willing to sacrifice their own futures for those players. Not so much blinded by their dreams they were living them.

Certainly some other reviewers have me beat in the department of basketball-related literature, but I count "Heaven Is A Playground" amongst the many social science books that I have read. And indeed, it matches up quite well with the best reads of the past few decades. On the surface, the book seems to be about inner-city basketball, but within the pages, it is a complete dissection of the (one segment) inner city African-American man.

The amazing book "Tally's Corner" managed the same feat in its analysis of street corner men. Both have achieved great feats with their respective works. For basketball fans like myself, "Heaven Is A Playground" not only reads as great/sad/true/mystifying social commentary, but also as plain sports entertainment. Rick Telander, as a sports writer, was really able to hit home with the writing, really giving readers a feel of the 1970s game - which has many similarities and differences to the game of today.

Another great aspect of the book is that it reads as if you there. Telander makes only the necessary analysis in the pages about what went on, and basically leaves the facts as they are. The book could have easily become a textbook lesson on sociological concepts, a lofty preaching on the ills of inner city life, or a rambling 200+ page play-by-play. Fortunately, the easy going style of writing is great journalism. Telander's style fit me well.

Thanks Rick for a great read.

High Spirits is an excellent book, and Dianne Salerni has an incisive ability to get into the characters' minds. Her characters were actual people, true, but she has a way of taking them out of the past and sitting them right down next to us, making it feel as if we are seeing their story firsthand.

High Spirits actually seems to be two books in one. The first half is the history of the Fox sisters and how they became famous spiritualists, believed to be able to communicate with the dead. As their fame grows, so too does their infamy, and they must deal with nonbelievers and detractors, some of whom are willing to resort to violence. This lends itself to some harrowing, suspenseful moments.

The second part of the book is a romance, as Maggie Fox falls in love with a man who loves her in return, but is unable to find the courage to make his feelings public. Meanwhile, he demands that she give up her life of spirit rapping, which angers her family to no end as it is their sole means of support. Torn between betraying her family or losing the man she loves, a man who makes these demands yet is unwilling to commit, Maggie rides an emotional rollercoaster. We sit by her side at all times, through the constant ups and downs, not knowing how the ride will end.

It is an enjoyable ride, nonetheless, and one well worth taking.

High Spirits: A Tale of Ghostly Rapping and Romance is a novelistic treatment of a real incident from American history, the story of the Fox sisters, whose childish pranks of communicating with the departed were taken seriously first by family members, then neighbors, and then the community, ultimately growing into a genuine phenomenon. The resulting movement, known as spiritualism, became quite the rage from the 1840s until after the Civil War. Traces of it are not unknown today.

By the time they reached young womanhood Maggie and Kate Fox had achieved near-celebrity status. The proceeds from their appearances financed their blue collar family and allowed them access to the highest circles of society in New York City, Philadelphia, and so forth. Maggie, in particular, developed a relationship with Elisha Kane, an adventurer and explorer whose exploits earned him his own corner in history and fiction.

For this reader, however, the history is not ultimately the point of the book. The story is a rewarding and entertaining study of two sisters, their family, and their acquaintances, as they grow and develop and mature (or fail to). The author has done a splendid and totally convincing job of filling out their lives and personalities and putting real flesh on the bare bones of history. The romantic relationship between Maggie Fox and Elisha Kane is especially well depicted, for example. Good historical fiction is capable of putting us not only in other minds but in other eras, and High Spirits does this beautifully. One can read all the history one wants of the position of women in Victorian society but this book can show us what it actually felt like.

In addition the story is masterfully written and edited. All in all this is a first-class novel.

Some movies bring tears to my eyes; books seldom do.

High Spirits starts with the haunting of Hydesville in 1848. It follows the real life adventures of two sisters, Maggie and Kate Fox. Maggie starts the story by telling us that she began the `deception' when she was too young to know right from wrong. Kate, the younger of the two, regrets her sister's use of that word. To Kate, the dead are real, and the spirits talk to her.

I have well over a hundred books sitting on bookshelves in my study. Some of them I've already started. Since I lost interest in most of them, the bookmarks are still waiting between early pages for me to return. Many of the books I buy end up neglected orphans in need of foster parents.

Books on the best seller lists seldom satisfy me, because they are shallow or seem like a story I've already read. It's almost as if most of them were chosen by those politically correct people we know are out there monitoring what we say and think and learn--people very much like a `few' of the characters in High Spirits.

However, when I find a novel worth reading, it's like walking into an undiscovered country. High Spirits was one of those.

High Spirits is about the lives of the Fox family and two sisters that are devoted to each other. Kate and Maggie are credited with starting the spiritualist movement as a prank. When I first picked up High Spirits, I thought I was going to be reading about ghosts and romance.

To my surprise and satisfaction, I soon discovered that High Spirits offers much more. High Spirits turned out to be a story told on many levels. At times I found myself chuckling. At other times I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat wondering if one of the characters I liked was about to suffer a horrible fate.

High Spirits is also about a dysfunctional but loving and loyal family surviving in a cruel world. On a more personal note, they are like us. It is easy to identify with them. When danger looms from skeptics that threaten Maggie's life, her older sister Leah Fox rescues her in a daring and risky escape that leaves Maggie in heart-pounding terror. Just thinking about myself in the same situation under the same circumstances had me breaking out in a cold sweat, and I'm a combat veteran that served in Vietnam. Maggie was a young girl.

The romance in High Spirits arrives later in the story. Dr. Elisha Kent Kane, the most widely celebrated American adventurer of the day, eventually walks on stage and fall "madly" in love with Maggie. What turns out to be a complex relationship stands equal to Romeo and Juliet; Tristan & Isolde, and Tony and Maria of West Side Story. That's as far as I'll go. My lips are now zipped shut. Hollywood, pay attention. Stories like this are rare, and Maggie and Elisha were real people.

In High Spirits, the harsh lines that separate the privileged and powerful from the working class show that dysfunctional people come from all levels of society. However, those at the top have the power to do more damage. What they are capable of doing to hurt others is more like a tidal wave washing over distant shores and leaving nothing but destruction and misery in its wake. When Elisha's mother interferes with his love for Maggie, horrible consequences are set in motion.

Although High Spirits reveals that most of us are human at heart, a few inhuman monsters populate our world and wreck havoc wherever they can for selfish, egotistical reasons.

If you are looking for adventure, romance, heartbreak, a bit of history, and a story that will touch you, I recommend this novel. Reading High Spirits will be a journey of discovery that might squeeze out a tear or two like it did for me.

High Spirits is the story of Maggie and Kate Fox from Hydesville, New York, early members of the Spiritualist movement. Their first foray into the realm of Spiritualism was accidental--a prank played upon an annoying relation. However, the contrivance was so successful "that they extended the prank to include parents and their neighbors until deception became their way of life." The two young sisters, barely in their teens and guided by their business savvy older sister, succeeded in convincing people that they were able to communicate with spirits who had passed to the other side by rapping noises created by the cracking sounds of their knees, ankles, and toes. The girls, especially Kate, came to see their séances as a way of providing comfort to grieving relatives by reassuring them that their loved ones were at peace in the afterlife.

The story focuses on the middle sister, Maggie, who falls in love with the explorer, Elisha Kent Kane, who is aware that the Fox sisters' claim to communicate with the dead is a hoax. Before leaving on a rescue mission to the Arctic, Kane extracts a pledge from Maggie that she must give up her rapping, dangling the promise of a wedding before her. She agrees and keeps her eyes on the horizon waiting for her explorer to return.

Dianne Salerni is masterful in recreating the environment of the 1840s that allowed Spiritualism to flourish. Her detailed portraits of the Fox sisters allow modern readers to understand how these young women were able to pull the wool over the eyes of so many, including author James Fenimore Cooper, editor Horace Greeley, and the tragic wife of President Franklin Pierce who had seen her only surviving child crushed in a train accident. Her understanding of the time in which the Fox sisters lived as well as in-depth knowledge of this slice of American history enables her to write this engrossing and compelling story.

There is little I can say about Dianne Salerni's High Spirits that has not already been adequately stated by other reviewers on this page. Although this is Ms. Salerni's first novel, this is not her first book. She has previously published three short teaching manuals of an academic nature, and her experience as a schoolteacher and writer shines from the text of High Spirits. As the well-known curmudgeon of the iUniverse, I can unabashedly say that POD books would not suffer a bad reputation if they all read as fluidly and seamlessly as does High Spirits. The typos are few and the editing is tight. You will feel as if you know The Fox Sisters personally as you turn the final page.

Its been over 10 years since i read this book and i still to this day remember the characters names, what the book is about and no i dont own a copy of it yet... for the life of me i could not remember the title of the book or who wrote it... but i did reconize the cover instantly! thats just the type of impact that a book like this can have on a person....

This is a wonderful book if you like to babysit. I love this book. I read this book years ago and then I bought it on Amazon.com and My son, daughter and there friends have read it. It is a good book. What I like about it was that Scott helped her and he stuck with her..Read it to undestand what I mean.

I read "I Won't Let Them Hurt You" and I thought it was a wonderful book. This story is about a girl named Katie who was babysitting a little boy in order to get money to buy a dress for her school dance. In the beginning, when I found out that Justin was being abused, I thought it was his father. Later on in the story, I continued to think that it was the father who was beating his child, Justin. Katie, the babysitter had seen bruises on Justin everytime she went to babysit him. Her date for the dance was Scott. Scott's mother was involved with children who get abused and she helped Katie out. Katie had felt very guilty about telling Scott's mother about Justin's problem. I could understand how she felt telling because it made her lose her job and it also made Justin's mother upset. Scott's mother had Katie speak to someone about Justin's problem. Later on, Katie spoke to Justin's mom about Justin's situation and found out that it was Justin's mom who was abusing him. It came as a real surprise to me that it was Justin's mom because all along they lead me to believe that it was his father. Justin's parents then had to go to a class each week about abusing your child and how it was wrong to do so. I thought that it was wonderful how Justin's mom was going to go get help because she really needed it. I enjoyed reading this book a lot and would definitely recommend it.

I think this book was one of the best books I ever read. I gave it 5 stars because it was suspenseful, exciting, and informational on child abuse. It was about a girl named Katie, who started baby sitting this little boy, Justin. She started noticing cuts and bruises on the little boy and was getting worried that something was wrong. She thought that Justin's father abuses him. She didn't want to tell anyone what she suspected because would anyone believe her? If you read this book you should look forward to a surprising ending! I recommend this book to readers of all ages. Have fun reading!!!

I Won't Let Them Hurt You is a great book.I found this book easy to read; I didn't want to stop. Some books drone on and on, but this one keeps your attention. I rated this book 5 stars because it had a great story. This book is about a babysitter who thinks that the child is being abused by his father. She is very worried about him and will do anything for him. Katie doesn't want to believe that his parents would do something like that. Be prepared for a surprise ending. If you decide to read this book, get comfortable. You won't want to stop reading. I recommend this book to kids of all ages. This story can be very influencial to some. I hope you enjoy this book.

Before I read LIFE ON PURPOSE I participated in several of Brad Swift's Teleconferences where he outlined the process in his book. What and how he shared touched me and I wanted to experience going through the passages he spoke of and discover what it might reveal for my life. I found the book filled with questions, big, small, simple, easy and quite a few challenging - by far almost all worthwhile answering. The text is peppered with wonderful quotes that range from profound to hilarious. It is easy reading and light of heart for a 'serious' book about a big topic.
For myself, I found Brad's 3rd passage, UNCOVERING WHAT'S BEEN SHAPING YOUR LIFE, the simplest and most direct approach to 'examining the past' I have ever come across. Brad takes the seemingly complicated issues that often unconsciously shape our lives -survival patterns, role models, socio-economics, religion, nationality, etc - and renders them understandable in a 'non-psychological' manner - without bypassing powerful emotions such as fear and vulnerability. His path of questions reveal the pattern of the "wall paper" that you have been staring at in your everyday life and perhaps never noticed. Then, this pattern is distilled into a concise description he terms your "Inherited Purpose" which is from then on contrasted with the evolving discovery of your "Life Purpose" throughout the rest of the book. This distillation proved extremely useful to me, as I explored the rest of the passages and as I continue on in my Life Purpose. Every time the "Inherited Purpose" infiltrates my thinking I can easily identify and dispel its deadening presence. Now, my Life Purpose is an evolving endeavor that has the very best of me at the forefront of my life. LIFE ON PURPOSE is not a silver bullet with fast answers but an excavation that frees one's intuition and liberates consciousness for the purpose your heart cries out for.

After retiring from the Federal Government in order to move from DC and pursue a teaching career I had all but given up. No one was interested in hiring this late 50's veteran who just wanted to teach. I heard Brad at church and bought his book Life on Purpose. I did all the exercises which reinvigorated my belief the I was to BE a teacher. Within another month I was offered a job as a co teacher of Exceptional Children, teaching two Language Arts and two Science classes in a middle school. Brad's book was a significant part of my commitment to being a teacher. Read the book, do the exercises it may just work for you too.

I interviewed Brad on my radio show and found both Brad and his book to be sincere and enthusiastic. This book provides easy-to-use steps to a life more filled with awareness and contentment. Lee Channing.

It's fairly easy for many people to agree that we all came to this world for a purpose. That we have a divine reason to be here, with our specific set of gifts, to put them at the service of the world and all those we come in contact with, and transform our lives to be a reflection of our divine purpose. The big question is "HOW?" Dr Swift's book - "Life on Purpose: Six Passages to an Inspired Life" is a practical and inspirational guide that walks you by the hand through the process of first reaching clarity on the why are we here question, and then on the second stage, how to make our life a reflection of that divine reason.
I have gone through his Tele-Course on "Living a Fulfilled Life" and also have read the book and are using it as guide for me and also for others dear in my life, to help make the dream of creating a "World on Purpose" a reality. I strongly recommend it!
Ricardo

By accident I came accross this book, looking for marital advice I came across a web site that had really nothing to do with what I was looking for and one of the recommended readings was "Life on Purpose" so I bought it. What could it hurt?! It is great! I have started reading and each time a question comes up or a test is given, what ever it is, I pull out a blank sheet of paper, write it at the top and answer it but if I have trouble answering the question I finish reading and come back to my piece of paper. Then I add it to a three ring binder and am creating a workbook of sorts that I can go back and refer to. This helps you see your progress and gives you a "paper trail" so you can see where you are and where you came from. It has really opened my eyes and makes you think and see things from different angles than you normally would. I recommend it. What could it hurt?

Ever wonder what it's like to be a Broadway performer? Well here's your chance...told through the mouths of over a hundred performers, you'll get the chance to laugh, cry and survive with these performers.

Many don't understand the heart-ache and sacrifices made by a performer. Many even think that Broadway is easy...but with each story you'll learn that is far from the truth.

If you want to be a Broadway performer or just explore the life of one this book is for you....

This book was recommended to me by a very good friend. Not only is it a humorous read, but an eye-opening one. This book brilliantly deals with the reality of professional theater right from the mouths of professional actors. If you are in the business, this book exposes you to so many things that aren't taught in school. It's a must read. If you are a theatergoer, this book offers a rare look into the lives of performers. This book is such a great reality check that manages to also be inspiring.

i love this book so much. i read it over and over again, because it always inspires me and just gets me so excited thinking about what my future could possibly hold! This book has so many great stories, and some are so hilarious I am constantly laughing out loud while reading this book! Honestly!!
I read the book because it makes me feel comforted when I get an audition rejection...and it gives me a lot of hope. i love it so much, and it is a big book with a great number of stories...so definitely get this one! i wish they would publish a second book!!

This book is very good and meets all my expectations.

Whether you are a theatre novice or Broadway veteran, this ambitous work is insightful, educational and fun.
On some nights, the theatre life is full of passion and wonder. However, many nights are spent in the hope of simply finding a job or landing a decent audition. Warts and all, this book is a must for anyone who loves a play or story. Enjoy and learn.

What I found interesting about this book is that is a history lesson in American business and early regulatory policies that shaped the landscape we see today. At the same time, it is a story of classic love and betrayal. I found the author doing a great job when the story focused on Mellon's marriage and the demise of such, but he tended to become a bit lost in the details when describing all of the political ups and downs. Overall, a fine book and great American story

Though I can not claim to be altogether objective about the subject matter in much of this great book, I must congratulate Cannadine for a masterful study of what has been an extremely closed subject for a long, long time - most of all in the Mellon's home town of Pittsburgh. The late Paul Mellon must be given a lot of credit for breaking with family tradition - first for allowing the book "Thomas Mellon And His Times" to see the light of public day and then to let it all hang out with Cannadine with regard to sources and family papers.

All of the business glories (one wonders at times if Andrew ever really enjoyed his successes), all of the personal agonies (it must have been excruciating on many levels), and much of the rancor between both Judge Thomas Mellon's as well as Andrew's detractors and adversaries are, for the first time, put into print for ALL of the public's perusal. It will be up to each individual reader to judge for themselves how they feel about this man and his father and family.

It came as no suprise to me when Cannadine named my great-great grandfather as being one of the "vexatious litigation" principles who Judge Mellon would only refer to as "A", "B", or "C" in his autobiography. Cannadine is specific about the bad blood between the Negleys and the Mellons after the "eugenic" match (his words) and Pittsburghers specifically will find much new insight here.

However, this long and comprehensive book never lets down as it explores all facets of the Mellon dynasty, how it was aquired (at times skirting legality and even morality), and he leaves very few stones unturned. What Cannadine might have missed was the fact that the rehabilitation of the Mellon name in Pittsburgh was undertaken by Andrew's nephew Richard K. Mellon (Richard Beatty Mellon's son) when "Renaissance I and II" which, along with the Allegheny Community Conference, cleaned up the city of Pittsburgh and made it livable again after over 150 years of take, take, and more take by men such as "A.W." and "R.B" among many others, including Andrew's buddy Henry Clay Frick.

The mystery of "M..." will, I feel, eventually be solved but as was mentioned in a previous review, even as good a sleuth as Cannadine could not hazard even a guess (though I'll bet he had a guess). Notice that she becomes "Mrs. M---" on pg 259. I hardly believe that such a man would be so indiscreet as to write an entree with such a clue, or such an admission of a possible affair - but this entree IS followed by perhaps the most emotional outburst of his heart, "CRUEL", in uppercase.

A flawed man, as are all men, and obviously a tortured one for much of his life, this book will give everyone the chance to weigh the evidence and decide for themselves the verdict which until now was impossible to consider to to lack of full factual disclosure. I found it fascinating the whole way from beginning to end. The source notes are a gem in and of themselves.
I would also recommend both books by father and son for a comprehensive look at all three men, and how wealth, acquisition, and the drive and pressures of both shaped them.
"Thomas Mellon And His Times"
"Reflections In A Silver Spoon"

If you like history you'll love this book, it's long and "gets long winded in history" but try stop reading I couldn't, if your over 55 you will really love it. I still don't know how I feel about Andrew, Dick and Thomas Mellon. I found myself loving this book excellent read.

You will savor this account of the tumultuous life of Andrew Mellon, an arrogant turn-of-the-last-century industrialist and millionaire. He was torn to tatters by a scandalous divorce and, later, by opposing politicians. However, he transcended those humiliations by establishing the lavish National Art Gallery just before he died. "Andy" Mellon's life (1855-1937) stretched across critical years when the U.S. was transformed from an appendage of Europe to a superpower. His work as treasury secretary was held in such esteem that the Republican Party considered running him for president. However, even given his role as head of the Treasury, Mellon could not curtail the 1920s margin-buying stock market mania that led to the 1929 crash and the Great Depression. He is mostly remembered for the National Art Gallery and for his sex-scandal divorce fight. David Cannadine offers a highly readable biography, which is very balanced though Mellon's son, Paul, commissioned it. However, some readers may decide to skim through the extensive coverage of the politicized "Tax Trial," and Andy's ordinary trade in minor art and small firms. We highly recommend this extraordinary saga.

Cannadine exceeded expectations on a number of fronts with this definitive biography of Andrew Mellon. It has everything you'd expect from a grade-A biography, laying out where Mellon's family came from (both physically and philosophically), how Mellon grew up, his rise, peak, eventual fall from grace, death and legacy. Not only that, but Cannadine does all of this exceedingly well, giving his reader a sense of the nuances and subtleties of Mellon's personality and life. If Cannadine had done nothing else, he'd still have written a five-star book.

This book goes beyond most rock-solid biographies that I've read in Cannadine's sensitivity to the larger meaning of the events in Mellon's life, his place in history and his impact even after his death. While this sensitivity is present throughout Cannadine's book, it really comes together in in his three-part epilogue, which you will absolutely not want to miss, it is the highlight of the book.

The first point Cannadine develops is that Mellon's life straddled the line between two different eras in American history. He shows how Mellon, without changing his behaviors, was perceived one way for much of his life, then a totally different way at the end of his life. Through his awareness of this point, Cannadine really demonstrates to the reader how radical the shift in sentiment was in America in the 1930s.

The second point Cannadine is aware of, as any successful biographer of a great historical figure must be, is the idea that Mellon was a human being with some great strengths and some great flaws. In my experience, people who have the strengths to accomplish the most often have corresponding weaknesses to go with them; Cannadine really makes this point clear in his epilogue, doing a "balance sheet" of positives and negatives of Mellon's character and accomplishments. I've never seen an author take even-handed analysis to a similar place, and it really helped bring together the books ideas at the end.

Finally, Cannadine captures a truth about life, society and politics that imbues the book with a sense of sadness. It becomes obvious that many (though certainly not all) of the good things that happen to Mellon happen out of chance. Similarly, when bad things happen to Mellon, most (again, not all... his divorce comes to mind as an obvious exception) of them are undeserved. Mellon dies near the low point of his public popularity, suffering primarily for sins he did not commit.

I highly recommend this book for lovers of biography and history, it is truly a step beyond a really good biography.

If the human race could knoww the ancient knowledge it will be easy to live in peace, as a family between us as a real family and with respect to the Mother Nature, learning from Her EVERYTHING, specially, humility.

Easy to read and understand. Very "down to earth". A guide book to preparing the necessary items and tools of the Native culture. Very well written.

Eagle Man (Ed McGaa) shares his knowledge of Lakota Sioux spiritual practices as a way to include everyone who wants to heal our world. He calls those who revere Mother Earth and want to ensure her continuation, Rainbow People. He writes in an intimate way, as if talking with friends. He describes the meaning of the various rituals and myths and shares helpful information about how non-Native people may or may not participate. In addition to his personal journey and the sacred practices, he details techniques for building a sweat lodge, making a peace pipe and more. A fascinating book which has earned a place in my personal library.

If you're interested in Native American Spirituality then I would read most all of Eagle Man's books. He provides great insight into the Native American beliefs and customs.Personally I believe his books should be used in high school and colleges to allow others the opportunity to understand our Native American Indian brothers and sisters.

I read this book while spending the summer backpacking around the Rocky Mountains. Anything that you carry around in a backpack for that long has to be worth the weight and this one definitely was.
Thanks Eagle Man! :)

does your child have an obsession for backhoes, fire trucks and other large equipment? this is your answer. simple text and large photos. the dk series delivers.

We actually had to purchase this book to replace the library copy, which my 18-month-old daughter loved so much she didn't put it down for weeks and somehow reduced it to pieces (and that's hard to do with a board book!).

Well, my son loves the book and doesn't seem to miss the stickers, but I am bummed that the book came without the stickers.

My grandson loves this book. It's smaller than his other 'board' book, but he loves to look at the big equipment, being especially fond of the ones like his father and grandfather operate. Excellent pictures and easy to turn pages.

I bought this book for my son, who loves a truck book at his day care. When I gave him this book, he got a HUGE smile on his face and immediately wanted to read the book. It was the first book he ran to when he got home from day care, until we decided to put it in his crib with him, in an attempt to get him to stay in bed a little later each morning (he's a VERY early riser...) It worked! We can hear him in his room "reading" out loud and talking to the trucks in this book. He absolutely loves it and therefore we do, too!

The story takes place in the early 1800s, in a remote fishing post on the Bonavista peninsula in Newfoundland. The Andrews family, having been evicted from their home in England, bribed the captain of a French merchant ship to drop them off in the northwest Atlantic territories. They are dropped off at a place about 100 miles from St. John's, Newfoundland, a place called Cape Random. The only inhabitants of the cape are the Vincent family and a man named Thomas Hutchings, who keeps the books of account for the St. John's businessman who owns the fishing rights for the cape. A severe winter is approaching and the Andrews are entirely at the mercy of the Vincents and Thomas Hutchings. The story follows the lives of the Andrews, the Vincents and Mr. Hutchings for about twenty years.

We follow the story mainly through the eyes and the journal of young Lavinia Andrews. About two-thirds of the way through the book, Thomas Hutchings becomes the narrator. It is a tale of ice, snow, death and deprivation with little or no hope of escape from this harsh place, isolated from the rest of the world. In the meanwhile, they work hard at salting and curing fish and hunting seals, most of it for the benefit of Caleb Grosse, the St. John's businessman who sends a boat twice each year to pick up the salted fish and to drop off provisions such as flour, salt, molasses and, sometimes, one or two goats. In the spring, some of the men go to St. John's to join the large-scale seal hunting expeditions.

From time to time, the book shifts its focus from one member of the subject families to another, thereby giving the reader an idea of what each of the characters is thinking. It is an engrossing narrative of what life must have been like in these remote places 200 years ago. Over the twenty years of the story, interest is kept alive by many twists and turns involving births, deaths, illness, domestic and economic crises and the ever-present cold.

It is a book that holds your interest. Just when you think you know what to expect, the narrative takes a sharp turn in the other direction. It is easy to read and very entertaining. It helps me understand why my grandmother used to say, that she "t'anked God" the day she left that place.

As I traveled through Newfoundland in June 1999, this book was in the racks of every shop on my route. At first, I thought it must have been Newfoundland's version of "Anne of Green Gables", but I picked it up and discovered that the story of its characters actually had more in common with Jamestown or even the Donner Party than those of Lucy M. Montgomery's children's tale.

Addressing hardships of maritime living, displaced class struggles and faith-based separations, Ms. Morgan progresses her story of the lives of outcast English family members and their fellow re-settlers at the Cape (Random). Once ashore on Newfound Land, their survival, conflicts, and cultural shifts make the reader shiver and shudder with the cold, fear, hunger and pain as felt by the characters. Morgan's story is depicted through a tactile understanding of the topography, climate, flora, fauna and cultural history. This not only leads readers through this fictional account of a past settlement in Newfoundland, but sets up how these characters' challenges and beliefs are still reflected in the culture of present day Newfoundland, as shown in the pride, warmth, persistence and humility of the people of "the Rock". A worthy read.

I enjoyed Random Passage. I couldn't put it down. Only when I read it, it was called Cape Random. What goes? I actually started to read Random Passage but soon realized that I had already perused these pages as Cape Random

I truly enjoyed this book. The author has woven the history of Newfound Land in a story rich with authentic and passionate characters. Bernice Morgan has a way of bringing the characters alive, so that I could not put the book down once I started it. This story is a testament to the endurance of human nature, but also to our capacity to love and to marvel at the world around us. I am ordering the sequel, and once I've read it, I am going to look for the videos. I also want to read more books by this author.
Sincerely, Francine Noiseux

On a visit to Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula, this book's title always surfaced when I quizzed locals on cultural and historical points. It was about a 12-hour read, and I found it very easy to justify putting distractions aside to read this involving book. I felt that having two separate accounts of events, each through the eyes of two of the book's characters, really added to the depth of the story. No wonder why Newfoundlanders are so proud of the heritage that grew from the struggles on "the rock."