Humanities Books

How can one religion be both personal and universal? Many people of all religions put their religion on a lofty plain separate from their personal lives. Such people, usually trapped in a concept of unity which says unified people all think alike, cannot conceive of how both unified action and individuality can coexist within the same organization, not even when they belong to such an organization. This concept of intertwined personal identity and unity among people who think, act, look, and believe differently about significant ideas is demonstrated honestly and lovingly throughout Justice St. Rain's "My Baha'i Faith." So also are difficult ideas such as how can the same faith espouse both individual salvation and regeneration of the entire human race, how can both science and religion actually be right, not only how can many religions come from one God, but also how can one distinguish truth from falsehood. The language in which he explores these concepts (and more) is simple and clear without talking down to the reader. This is an intelligent book written by an intelligent man who helps the reader see how to live a life in which mind and heart, body and soul function as a unified whole -- how to practice science without shutting down faith, how to practice religion without denying the truths science teaches, and how to be an individual in a faith which stresses unity. I highly recommend this book to people with any of these questions.

This is a nice story of one journey to spiritual fulfillment, but the Baha'i Faith belongs to no one. It is Baha'u'llah's Faith. No one can own it. Can one have a personal relationship with the prophet-founder? Yes,indeed! St Rain has a habit of using I, me and mine, which is the antithesis of the Baha'i attitude of "us and we"...true unity.

This is the best studio lighting textbook I have ever found. It's well written, concise, and well illustrated. Kolb and Overturf do an excellent job of explaining everything from the most basic lighting setup to the most complex. Natural light, hot lights and strobes are all covered. In addition there's a significant amount of information on set construction and excellent suggestions for designing your own studio. Best of all Kolb has put a great deal of effort into explaining why one would want to choose a particular approach to lighting a subject. The underlying message being - just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Unfortunately the publisher has chosen not to reprint this book. As the current used prices indicate - it's in demand. Someone in the McGraw-Hill sales department needs to take notice. Too bad they're not because I'm trying to adopt a new book for my large format photography and lighting class and no other seems to fit the bill quite as well.

This is an excellent studio photography textbook.It does not use the dry "how to" approach which is the downfall of many photography books.Full of stimulating theory and helpful specifics this book has changed the way I work in the studio and teach photography.

I learned photography in college years ago with Davis' book as the textbook. I was delighted to find an update, though I still have the original. Davis is an authority on photography, and his book is a must for anyone serious about learning all aspects of photography.

If you can only take one photography book to that desert island, take "Photography" by Phil Davis. The subject is endless and there are many, many books that cover all the facets of photography, but I have found Mr. Davis's book the one I go back to for explanations of the art and science of photography. It aint cheap, but you get what you pay for.

Process drama is a wonderful teaching tool that I use regularly as a teaching artist in the classroom. I find that it makes the lessons (and therefore the students) come alive and I know many teachers who use them regularly.
Cecily O'Neill's books are excellent resources for specific process dramas, and I recommend them as a starting place if you're new to process drama (especially Drama Structures), but Bowell's book provides a highly useful structured way of creating your own process dramas. She walks you through each step and asks you the questions you need to consider to create a successful process drama experience. A must for anyone interested in arts integration in the classroom!

As a teacher who believes in the possibility that education can help to transform a society, I have always wanted to use drama as a medium for my students to explore issues and concerns.

I never knew how to do this. All I knew was "I'm no good at drama. I couldn't act to save my life."

This book is written for people like me - I read it all in one go. Then I read it again slowly, working out how I would make a small start with just one class, in my next project.

What I find helpful is that, because they are writing from a depth and breadth of classroom experience, the authors are able to de-mystify the processes. They do not talk down to the reader however and the book is not just a "cookbook" of useful tips. Their advice is always grounded in educational theory and they make these foundations explicit.

Another helpful feature of their approach is that they attach the story of the development of three dramas in three different schools, to each chapter. These three stories are threaded through the entire book. As our understanding of the process grows, chapter by chapter, so the story of the three schools is gradually expanded, until at the end, the readers feel confident that this thing can work, they can try it for themselves.

I normally read and study from the NKJV compact reference Bible, but often I just want to read without cross-referencing. When I see those small reference letters and footnotes I can't help it, and I still go to look them up. This compact Bible is the perfect text-only, with minimal cross references and footnotes. It is small and light enough to hold easily in your hands, but large enough to sit flat on a table with pages open. The text is relatively large and easy to read at an arms length. The royal leather soft cover is comfortable and warm to the touch. Occasionally I will give someone a Bible, and this is inexpensive enough that I wouldn't think twice about giving it away and buying two more.

Before mentioning how much I like this edition of the NKJV, I must first mention why I like it as a translation goes. Despite the fact that the NKJV is a 20th century revision of the 1769 KJV revision, it remains unsurpassed in terms of something I didn't appreciate until later on in my use of it, the editor's choice of style. The use of special formats like quoting from the OT in the NT is especially appreciated. Instead of using ALL CAPITALS and/or bold face which I find unaesthetic and gives too much OT emphasis, as if the quotation was more important that the NT passage quoting it, the NKJV utilizes an oblique typeface. While close in appearance to italics, there's enough difference between the two to know which is which. Italics are used to tell when a word is not from the original languages but supplied to make sense of the passage being translated. I could go on endlessly about why I like the NKJV over other modern translations despite the fact that they are translated from better sources. (No vital doctrine is affected despite claims to the contrary by KJV only advocates.) I only hope that in future editions, the publishers of the ESV would incorporate these stylistic choices. For an expanded treatment/discussion of the features incorporated in the NKJV, I recommend reading "THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION IN THE GREAT TRADITION" by the late Arthur Farstad. The ISBNs are 0840731485 & 0785251758.

Now for this edition; "Nelson's Exclusive Royal LeatherSoft" feels like butter! It's so soft for a man made material. I like it better than anybody else's imitation leather. As features goes, this is a reading Bible, nothing else; very economical. Nelson still supplies features like a "Read-the Bible-Through-In-A-Year" reading schedule, a Harmony of the Gospels, and Translation and Textual Notes. It's a very nice complement to this text. The printed text itself is identical to the one used in Nelson's flagship Study Bibles. For a Pocket Companion Bible its very easy to read and lightweight.

This is a fine example of how a good text can teach and still not put you to sleep. The concepts are illustrated clearly and with humor, and interesting case examples and excerpts are provided with each section. I'm a computer science major, and I still found this material quite interesting. While I can't say I think any better of sociology in general, I do know a lot more about it now that I've read this book.

This text, along with the companion reader, make an excellent package for use in an introductory level class. Students tell me that they appreciate the value and conciseness of the package, and the non-stuffy writing style. For instructors, it has excellent auxilliary material. You will not be disappointed.

This is one of the best reads I've ever read. The language is simple, and it is very interesting to read of so many different studies which reveal what's going on in our society or about our human behavior. Definitely looking for other compilations like these which enrich your knowledge and give you good reading as well.

McIntyre selected great content for this collection--the articles are interesting, thought-provoking, informative, and exciting. In fact, I'm buying the book AGAIN because I lost it, I have to write a research paper, and I can't think of a better source to use! It's a great starting point for nearly all pertinent social issues, and it's organized very cleverly with review questions at the end of each article. VERY good buy!

This book provides so many excellent ideas about doing art processes with my 3 year old son. There are so many art activities in this book. Art is no longer about waiting for him to pick up the crayons and draw. We go out to explore art together. We have lots of fun because of this book. It is the best preschool art book I've ever seen. I love it and recommend it!

Would you like to bring happiness and creativity and brain development and fun, all rolled into one big wonderful ball of exploration, into your child's life? Drawing is a good place to start. Research says that children who draw on a regular basis do better in reading and math than those who do not draw. All you need is blank paper and a crayon or pencil. Seriously. That's all you need! But if you would like to offer your child even more, check out the drawing ideas in this book. Chalk, crayon, pen, markers, fingers, and more.... One of my favorite ideas is to trace around a cut out stencil shape (maybe a circle, a leaf, a heart, a cloud, triangle, anything!) with chalk, and continuing to hold the stencil in place, brush the chalk line with a tissue. Then remove the stencil. You will see a magical "burst" of soft color. You can also trace "inside" the stencil, brushing the chalk lines "into" the shape with a tissue. Remove the stencil and see a three-D balloon-like shape. Kids love this!! Thank you for caring about creativity, and it's fun anyway, isn't it? from, MaryAnn F. Kohl, maryann@brightring.com, ... Visit my website for some free sample art ideas from any and all of my books.

The Door in the Wall is a great book, and it really helps for the young reader to know a bit about the Middle Ages. What hour of the day is "Nones?" What was the plague? The study guide is a great help to teachers. I am not a classroom teacher, but a tutor, and I chose this book as an extra project for my tutees. I brought them some medieval music, medieval food, and many pictures. My two eighth-grade tutees know more about the Middle Ages than anyone else in their school! This is a book they will remember for many years.

This study guide will present your students with a Biblical approach to the story, Door in the Wall. Set in Medieval times, values such as bravery, unselfishness, encouragement, and worth of human life, even with disabilities, is evident as your weave your way through the story with this guide. This is an excellent tool for the middle school population helping them to consider others first. I highly recommend this guide!

A fascinating thesis, convincingly argued and painstakingly documented. Ms. Karczewska is to be heartily commended for producing a volume of such scholarly integrity. Her work is a major contribution to the study of medieval literatures, church history, and cultures. Every scholar interested in the French middle ages must read this book!

Here's a book of true depth and scholarship. Ms. Karczewska knows her material inside and out. Finally, someone in the Academy who is not a slave to the latest trend. A must read!