Works Books

Wow, what an AWESOME experience to read this book. I couldn't stop reading, and then I would go back and read some parts again and again. This has to be the BEST book Mr. Lucado has written.

I read this book while a friend was dying. It couldn't have been a better time to pick this book up and read. It gave me so much joy and hope for my friend that it didn't hurt so much to watch her go. It didn't take away the missing feelings, but it satisfied my urge of wanting to keep her here.

I cannot wait to meet Jesus! It will be an awesome and joyful time for all of us. Thank you Mr. Lucado and God Bless!

As odd as it seems, many (including numerous Christians) do not look forward eagerly to Heaven. They view it as a place completely lacking in any fun. This book is a great antidote to that.

Max Lucado conducts a fresh look at Heaven, Christ's return, and even Hell. His insights will fill Christians with hope and longing.

One very interesting and thought provoking part is chapter eight. In this, the author talks about 'sweet surprises' in Heaven. He discusses influences that we can have with people on Earth that will have eternal significance.

Another great section is the one on Hell. Lucado says, 'God does not send people to hell. He simply honors their choice.' He goes on to explain this in a way that is very meaningful and will be helpful to those who struggle with the concept of Hell.

This book is really great for any Christian and any seeker who is thinking about the concepts of Heaven, Hell, eternal life, etc. I would also recommend Heaven and Deadline.

This book was ordered as a gift for a friend who had read my copy earlier. She wanted it for her daughter. They are both pleased. I like Max Lucado's writings. They are clear and simple and easy to assimilate. I have several of his books, which I re-read often. All of them are excellent.

I love Max Lucado. His writings inspire me to be a better person. You can't go wrong with anything he writes be it children's books or adult books.

Lucado does it again. He takes a topic that is often deeply unsettling for many- the end. When Christ comes. And he takes all our worries and uncertanties gently, understandingly and reassures each one. Things that I've been afraid to admit as a Christian such as being worried about being disappointed when Christ comes (hard to explain until you read the book, but an example would be an expectant mother being disappointed because she wants to raise her baby) ...these things we don't want to admit, Lucado understands. He affirms our feelings. However, he also has a way of turning them around and reminding us of Christ's love. Trust Him.

A fantastic read.

The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life

John Ortberg has done it again!It All Goes Back In The Box is an exceptionally entertaining and thought-provoking message that makes the reader RE-think life and whether or not he is focusing on the things that that really matter and have the potential to leave a lasting legacy.

Using the classic game, Monopoly, as a metaphor for life, Ortberg reminds us of the humorously blunt truth, that in fact, it will all be returned to the box. His writing style and wit add real value to the wisdom of his message and provide readers with the right perspective on living...and dying.
Highly recommended as well as the small group DVD and study materials!

I listened to the book on CD and enjoyed it very much. Not too long and very easy to understand. Many real life examples helped with the understanding of this book. I sometimes was repetitive, but did not go overboard. The big picture of "It all goes back in the box" is plain and simple, but it is a must read/listen. It will put your life and the issues you have back in perspective. I think we all need that once in a while.

The title of the book and the first chapter were wonderful. The rest of the book got a little preachy. I was looking for a metaphoric view of the folly of materialistic greed destroying the true wealth of relationships with people and this book didn't do it for me. I think the author started off right by illustrating what his grandmother taught him by example but then got off that track and tried to spell out what it meant to him instead of leading the reader to arrive at the conclusion himself.

First off, I never heard of John Ortberg until I got a spam e-mail from Amazon.com stating this book won the Christian Book of the Year (sorry - I don't recall who gave the award). So based on the highly touted reviews I decided to buy it and read it. From the opening pages, it's clear the Mr. Ortberg is a very gifted storyteller with a terrific sense of humor. The basic synopsis is that in our relatively extremely short lifetime (from an eternal perspective), we need to focus on what's truly important such as our relationship with God, prioritizing people over the trappings of materialism and "worldly" success and maximizing your talents and resources for the Kingdom of God.

All of these truths are for the most part biblical, focusing on many of the moral teachings of Christ. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but about halfway through, he made a statement that bothered me.

On page 136 he wrote, "The Christian gospel comes down to a promise from Jesus that [in the afterlife, there will be] a new world where God will set everything right. One day you will enter it, and so will I."

The problems with this statement include:
1. That isn't what the Gospel is.
2. If he's referring to "where everything is made right" as Heaven, then is he espousing universal salvation for everyone or is assuming everyone reading this book is a Christian?

From that point on, it hit me that he's giving a lot of great tips on what Christian living should be like, but if he really wants to emphasize what matters most, he has to make it crystal clear that we need to be reconciled with our Heavenly Father through the atoning work of Christ on the cross. This can only be attained by placing our faith and trust in Christ as our Lord, and all good works that he emphasizes will do nothing to get us in Heaven.

In fairness to Ortberg, he does tell the readers in several paragraphs near the very end of the book (p. 237) to believe in Christ to receive eternal life. But in my opinion, to tell someone to just "believe" doesn't adequately cover the whole scope of what's demanded. As James wrote, "even the demons believe and shutter". The belief that saves us is putting our faith in Christ and making Him first in our lives and trusting him as our saving mediator before our holy and righteous Heavenly Father and repenting from our sinful lives.

So with all of that being said, I think the book is still a great resource for the Christian who wishes to grow stronger in his sanctification, and as mentioned earlier, it's a very entertaining book. It's also a wealth of great stories for the preachers, especially regarding the topic of stewardship. One major problem in the evangelical movement today is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer defined as "cheap grace" - embracing the blessings of being saved through Christ, without making any sacrifices for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Again under the rubric of discipleship/sanctification, it's an excellent book, but it could be devastatingly misleading for someone who isn't a Christian regarding what really matters the most: being saved through Christ.

John Ortberg, a well-known California pastor and bestselling author (THE LIFE YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED), knows how to captivate a reading audience, and he does it, page after page, in WHEN THE GAME IS OVER, IT ALL GOES BACK IN THE BOX. Using playing games as a metaphor for life, Ortberg shows how the object of the game is a life "rich toward God" --- growing a healthy soul, enjoying the people around you, doing good work, becoming generous and savoring the moment.

Wise people, writes Ortberg, build their lives around what is eternal. He suggests asking yourself the question, "What in your life is going to last forever, and what is going back in the box?" Spend your time caring for the inner you as well as the outer you. Think about the changes you need to make. Let go of wrong priorities. Quit trying to control that which is out of our control, rather than letting the "Master of the Board" take the helm.

What makes this book so brilliant is not that Ortberg offers a lot of new information. It's that he has a flair for synthesizing this information and organizing his ideas in a way that makes them practical as well as soul-stirring. It's also a joy to read.

Gently, in one section, he calls readers to reassess a preoccupation with "stuff" and concentrate on what is most important. A "richness of being" is always available, Ortberg says. "I can seek at any time, with God's help, to be compassionate, generous, grateful, and joyful...usually it will not mean seeking to accumulate more stuff." As he shows through a moving story about Larry, a church member who is killed in an accident, in the end it's not about our achievements or our wealth. It's about our capacity to love. It's the people, not the stuff, that we need to focus on.

Ortberg also reminds his readers that Christians have to be consistent in acting like Christians instead of labeling themselves as such. "The world gets pretty tired of people who have Christian bumper stickers on their cars, Christian fish signs on their trunks, Christian books on their shelves, Christian stations on their radios, Christian jewelry around their necks, Christian videos for their kids, and Christian magazines on their coffee tables but don't actually have the life of Jesus in their bones or the love of Jesus in their hearts." "Be the kind of player people want to sit next to," he urges, borrowing from a Monopoly analogy.

By turns humorous, painfully vulnerable, poignant and wise, Ortberg weaves biblical, personal and fictional anecdotes together with practical points in a compelling way for the reader. He includes insights from many excellent authors throughout, including Anne Lamott, Lewis Smedes, Susan Howatch, Viktor Frankl, Marjorie Rawlings and Thomas Lynch. Rather than getting in the way, these quotes and excerpts enrich the text.

One of Ortberg's passages that haunts me is this: "We need to ask ourselves what we are doing (or not doing) with our lives now that could lead to deep regret." He urges the practice of "regret prevention" --- assessing the commitments we have made in light of what we don't want to regret. Then, he asks us to consider what we need to rearrange. Don't wait for a crisis --- a child running away, getting fired, having a spouse file for divorce --- to force your hand, he urges. More will never be enough.

Although he uses the game metaphor throughout, Ortberg doesn't force it to get his ideas across. The narrative flows seamlessly. In places, Ortberg writes about spending time with your children, but this book is suitable for readers at any stage of life. My husband and I --- almost empty nesters --- are planning to read and discuss it together. It would be an excellent resource for personal reflection or small group study as well.

This is Ortberg writing at his best. But reader, be warned --- you'll come away changed.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

The subject of animals going to heaven is one that I have prayed about many times over a period of decades. This book is an answer to my prayers.

As an animal lover and dog rescuer, I have always hoped animals could go to heaven and I tended to believe they did; but as a Christian, I needed solid bibical answers to be really, really sure. I feel that I have those answers now. I feel that my heart is finally at rest and at peace with the knowledge that animals do indeed go to heaven. What a joy, not to mention, a relief!

Thank you so much for writing the book.

C. Nichols

This book helped me to understand that I will see my beloved dog again. It answered my questions of how God feels about animals.

This book couldn't have come at a better time for me. It seems the Lord knew exactly what I needed when I visited my library 2 days before a mission trip, 2 days following the tragic death of our beloved pet Nadia. As I read the book, I kept my Bible close and it all made perfect sense. I received such peace from God through the teachings of Ms. Buddemeyer-Porter. I thank the Lord for this answer to my prayer.

A wonderful review not only of scripture, but also how well-known theologians down through history agree: You will see Fido in Heaven. I cannot rate this book high enough.

If you have ever lost a pet or know someone who has, then, aside from the Bible, this is the ONE book you really should read and share. Since it came to my attention on Amazon, I have gifted this book several times always with the same grateful result.

contrary to what is listed, The Americans is by Robert Frank, the photographer. the photos are timeless and i still use them to teach photography to college students
jack kerouac only wrote the forward.
set the record straight for non-photographers.
thank you.

Looking at this again after many years ( I first came across it about 25 years ago) the images are as poignant as ever. This is truly a great book of photographs and is perhaps the best photojournalist's collection ever published. The new edition has all the gravity and attention to detail that the work deserves.

Excellent print quality.. A glance at common people in random daily-life shots. It's a book worth a place in your hands

This book was not by Jack Kerouac. It's by Robert Frank. It's one of the seminal books in the history of photography. Many see it as a hate letter to America, but that's a shallow reading of the book. It's some of the best documentary done by a non-documentarian of the American culture of the period. If you really want to see great photography with a point of view, this is a good start.

I find lots of listings get authorship wrong when the book is about a photographer's work. Amazon needs to fix this basic flaw in their system.

We're lucky to have this edition. Robert Frank is an old man with health issues now. That he is healthy enough to oversee this work is wonderful. Everything about this edition - especially in comparison to the 2007 Delpine edition I purchased earlier this year - is first-rate. I wish I had known this was coming out!

The book is a little smaller than the Delpine, but that's the only real negative (if it is one) I can think of. The main thing to me is that the photos themselves are how Frank intended them to look. Gone are the overly-lightened faces that plague the Delpine book. This is a pet peeve of mine that kills many photos in this Photoshop age. This is very obvious in the New Orleans trolley photo. In the Delpine work, the faces of the white passengers are totally washed out, and the black faces are awkwardly lightened (someone apparently thought they were helping Frank's work). That's all corrected here. In this Steidl edition things are shown as they were intended. One can even see details in the face of the man at far left, even though it is partially obscured by a window reflection.

Also, on several photos more of the frame is visible. This was most noticeable to me in the Butte, Montana photo of the woman looking out the car window, with several children in the back seat. A good portion of the left side of the photo is now visible, along with more shown on the top and bottom. The new crop just seems more "right." Not too mention that the face of the child in the middle of the photo is too light in the older edition.

Simply put, comparing the two editions is an eye opener. I first saw these photos years ago in a much earlier edition (I believe it was the 1969 Aperture work) and I still marvel at the depth of the images in that printing. I don't have that edition in hand, so I can't do a direct comparison, but I believe the Steidl images are much closer to that ideal. Franks prefers his images a little on the flat, low-key side. Another difference is that the photos are now printed on a non-glossy paper. I was surprised at this at first, but now I believe it works much better for this book.

In short, if you want an accurate, lovingly-printed edition of The Americans at a reasonable price, this is the one. Highly recommended.

I received my copy of this book two days ago and finished it yesterday. For me, it was worth the price of admission. I have been blogging for about 7 months and have purchased two other books on blogging and subscribe to several blogs on blogging. While this book included most of what I have learned from the other books and the blogs, it does a good job of explaining "why." I am a person who needs to know why.

I purchased this book as a resource on blogging for churches and ministries and it does a good job at that also. For instance, I am in the process of starting a ministry blog. I thought that since it is my personal blog that people would understand that what I blog about is my own personal opinion. This book explains that is not necessarily so and some sort of disclaimer should be added to the blog.

Easy to read, easy to understand and not expensive. A Great book for a novice and helpful for an experienced blogger interested in blogging for ministry.

Well organized and full of information for both the newbie and also a more experienced blogger who wants to deepen their effectiveness (or experiment more). I work with synagogues, and found the approach of blogging for "ministry" can be useful and much more broadly defined than for churches alone. Very easy to read, full of practical examples.

I was actually pleasantly surprised with this book. I knew going into this book that I was in for a lot of great information and disciplines in creating and maintaining a blog. I did not expect how creatively it was written. I think we have certain expectations for "how-to" books and this one surpassed my expectations.

If you have started a blog or are just thinking about it, grab this book. There is a lot of focus on churches creating and using blogs, but not to the extent that it leaves the individual out. The writers took time to teach us a little history as well as give us clear detailed info on the how, why and where of the blog world. Chapter 9 & 10 focus on starting a blog and then building a blog well. I love chapter 11 titled "Build A Really Bad Blog". It's kind of the how-to in reverse.

One of the coolest things in the book was hearing from bloggers around the country about their take on blogging and how it has affected their lives or the lives of the businesses/churches they are involved with. I enjoyed hearing the real world ideas.

This book really starts from the beginning by asking 3 questions...
-Is it a tool or a toy?
-What problem are you trying to solve?
-What is the return on ministry?

The writers go on to explain that "Blogs are tools, not toys. Blogs help solve real problems. Blogs deliver a true return on ministry."

I also appreciate the hopeful message from start to finish. As churches and Christ-followers, we have an amazing opportunity to share our story with others. The blog world is open and ready for the taking. This book consistently draws you back to intent. The writers want you to be excited about who God is in your life and they want that to burst out on your blog.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone thinking of or already in the blogging world. It's very easy to read. It is not extremely technical. And when it does get technical, they have done a great job of explaining themselves so no one gets left behind. It has real life stories and history. It is a quick read.

I learned a lot that I didn't know about blogging from this book. It would have saved me a lot of problems if I had had something like this when I started blogging a year ago.

If you are looking for some help in defining and establishing a blog for yourself or your ministry you will find this book helpful. It gives some great insight in to establishing a good blog for the right reasons.

I first came across Sylvia Plath in an anthology of modern poetry. Her poems "Daddy" and "Lady Lazarus" blew me away. The former may well be, in my opinion, the best poem ever written by a woman, and one of the five best written by anyone in the last two centuries. Buying this book, I expected more of the same. Unfortunately, I found most of her early work to be dissapointingly typical. The reason Plath is so controversial is that her greatness is linked inextricably to her darkness. Before the latter manifested during her divorce and subsequent depression, there just wasn't that much to her. In other words, much of her early poetry is that of a reasonably intelligent woman- entertaining, even a little intriguing, but lacking the fury of "Lady Lazarus", the darkness of "A Birthday Present", or the fatalistic beauty of "Ariel". And while there are some glimmers of the genius that is to come (The Colossus, I Am Vertical), they aren't many. My advice to any prospective reader is to save some time and money and pick up her collection "Ariel", which contains 90% of her essential work.

Sylvia Plath - The Collected Poems has to be the best book of poetry in the world. I love Sylvia Plath, she was a genius. Her poetry moves me, everything she has ever written is gold. The first poem I ever read by Plath was Metaphors, "I've eaten a bag of green apples, boarded the train there's no getting off." Something about that line just struck a cord with me, from that moment on I was determined to read all her poems. Another poems I love include: Soliloquy of the Solipsist, I am Vertical, The Other, The Rival, You're, The Rabbit Catcher, Lady Lazaurus, Stillborn, For A Fatherless Son, Leaving Early, Morning Song, Cut, A Birthday Present, Fever 103, Gigolo, Daddy, and The Disquieting Muses. She writes about her father a lot, he died when she was nine and his death left her with depression for the rest of her life, from The Colossus, "Counting the red stars and those of plum-color. The sun rises under the pillar of your tongue. My hours are married to shadow." The Jailer is a poem I just adore, "My sleeping capsule, my red and blue zeppelin drops me from a terrible altitude." The poem, Poem for a Birthday- Witch Burning is gorgeous and frightening real, "I inhabit the wax image of myself, a doll's body. Sickness begins here: I am a dartboard for witches. Only the devil can eat the devil out." Plath left a legacy of timeless poems, short stories, and a novel, The Bell Jar. I have enjoyed reading The Collected Poems and so will you, Enjoy!

I love poetry, and this every poetry lover's fantasy. Having a volume of one of the best poet's ever almost complete collection. This is a book that I treasure, all the poems are masterpieces, and so beautiful. No one will ever write or think like Sylvia Plath again. This is a must-have for all of her fans. I own many poetry volumes--and this has to be my favorite. I would definitely recommend this--it was well deserving of 5 stars, and even people who aren't big fans of poetry have no choice but to love "The Collected Poems" by Sylvia Plath.

I originally bought this book seeking one special poem. What I have got now is a the key to the richest of treasure chests!

Anyone who has not discovered Plath's poetry-- distinctly superior to her prose-- would be greatly served to seek out a slim volume called "Crossing the Water." This haunting collection features most of her greatest poems from what I think to be her most creative years: 1957-1959. If these don't grab you, then give up on her altogether. However, the Collected Poems are the inevitable place to continue since they include her early promising works, as well as those dark pithy gems that characterize her bitterly twisted slide into the furthest reaches of her capacity for cynicism and despair.

A superb collection.

A fantastic treatise on a much overlooked medical problem!

As a third year medical student, I was largely unaware of the prevalence of B12 deficiency and its devastating repercussions. This book, a combination of anecdotal evidence and solid research provides a strong case for the importance of B12 testing (using Methylmalonic acid urinary testing not serum B12 levels!) and B12 treatment.

The chapters on B12 & Multiple Sclerosis as well as autism were particularly interesting!

All in all a great book! Easy to read, but with profound repercussions.

I have some technical questions I would love to ask the authors, should they wish to contact me.

Paul Theodorescu
paultheo2004@yahoo.ca

This book is a must read for everyone in contact with other human beings. I have dealt with the devestating effects of b12 deficiency for all of my 20's and 30's (at least) with everything getting nothing but worst in the last year. My little boy shares many of my symptoms and is being tested as we speak...now that we know how to test! My son's doctor had no idea how to test him. Two weeks into B12 therapy most of the symptoms that have been plaguing me for years are gone! The rest are slowly improving and I suspect that they will continue to improve. When I think of all the doctors and tests and appointments and medications and theories I have had over the past years, it is downright depressing. All I needed was what my body was screaming for...B12! Cheap, easy to get, effective and mandatory B12!!!!

This book lays it out well and is very well referenced. The format is very reader friendly with many great examples. If you are looking for a book that you could bring into your doctor for their education (for your own survival!), this is the one. It is an absolute horror that this illness goes unfound for so long in so many people. Protect yourself and your loved ones and have this book on hand always. This is the best gift you could give anyone. It saved me in ways I don't even want to think about. Thank you to the authors for this important piece of knowledge that is far too ignored in the medical community.

The only reason that B12 is not being hailed as the new miracle drug is because it is not possible for a pharmaceutical company to get a patent for it and make lots of money from it. Another result from this absence of profit is that doctors are not being informed that many ailments can be caused by a B12 deficiency and, therefore, do not test for a B12 deficiency and, when they do, they use the wrong test and, even when they use the correct test (which is rare) they misinterpret the results and, even when they prescribe a B12 supplement, they order the wrong type of B12, in the wrong form, etc., etc...
The best thing you can do is to order an extra copy of this book and just give it to your doctor. Unless he is a complete egomaniac, he will appreciate the information because there aren't any other authoritative books on this subject, and the total amount of time devoted to teaching about B12 in medical school is only about 2 minutes.
Although it's true that someones ailment could be caused by something other than a B12 deficiency (the author admirably points this out in the introduction), not being cured when the cause is something as simple as a B12 deficiency because doctors are not trained to look for this is tragic, especially when you consider the seriousness of some of the illnesses that a B12 deficiency can cause.
My sister suffered from depression for 20 years and tried a variety of medications, none of which helped very much. When she started a weight loss program that included small amounts of B12 given by injection, it seemed to help her mood. When she mentioned this to me, I did some research and found this book. I then found her a doctor who was willing to provide her with B12 injections of 2.5 mg (2,500 micrograms) three times a week. In a matter of a few weeks, her depression was gone. Before the B12, she just wanted to go somewhere and wait to die. Now, at age 54, she is planning and looking foward to the future. (By the way, the B12 must be in the form of injections to be effective.)

(IMPORTANT NOTE: The injectable B12 my sister's doctor uses is Cyanocobalamin. It is made by American Regent, Inc.. It is available by prescription. A 30 ml bottle costs $13 at the Costco pharmacy. A theraputic regimine requires a 1,000 microgram injection every day (or 2,000 every other day) for up to 6 weeks. After this, 1,000 micrograms once a month for maintinence. You can save a lot of money by giving yourself the shots. If you use a 30 guage needle (this is the same size used for botox injections), you won't even feel it. (Really, you won't feel it at all.) The easiest place to give youirself the injections is in your belly. If you're uneasy about giving yourself a shot, just do it the first time at your doctor's office to see how easy it actually is. Giving yourself the shots beats the hell out of paying your doctor $100 for each shot, especially if your getting 3 each week.

This book contains critical information that could change the lives of many people. Anyone with any sort of unexplained health problems, from Alzheimers to leg pain to autism, must read this. I also wish every doctor would read it and become more aware of the prevalence of B12 deficiency. After reading it at the library, I bought a copy for myself and one for my doctor.

If you have or suspect having a vitamin B 12 deficiency or if you need to learn about this deficiency for any reason, I recommend you read carefully the book " Could it be B 12 ? An epidemic of Misdiagnoses " by Sally M. Pacholok and Jeffrey J. Stuart. But don't let it be your only source of information about the deficiency. Because at least half of alternative reliable scientific reports about this subject strongly disagree with the major allegations of the authors of this book. You must also be aware of the alternative opinions before deciding on what to do about your vitamin B 12 deficiency. I am not a medical expert and do not say who is right or wrong. However, I am glad I researched other sources of information after I was diagnosed with B 12 deficiency and after I read this book. I couldn't find any other books on this subject but there are a lot of serious scientific reports published on the internet by credible hospitals, laboratories, medical journals etc. You don't have to be a medical expert to understand them, they are written for the general public. Some of the information on the internet is crap but a significant portion is reliable , very informative and based on sound scientific reasearch and experiments.

Search from Google under the headings of vitamin B12 deficiency, homocysteine, methyl malonic acid, intrinsic factor and pernicious anemia. A lot of articles will pop up among them by reliable hospitals such as the Mayo Clinic and some labs etc. Also search under the same headings from the websites of Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, American Family Doctor and Lab test on line. There are many other websites that include reliable information on Vitamin B 12 deficiency. After reading the book " Could it be B 12 ? An epidemic of Misdiagnoses " my initial reaction was an anger towards my doctor who diagnosed me with a B 12 deficiency believing that he had given me false information. I also had written a very favorable review of this book immediately after having read it two and a half months ago on January 19 2008. I have hereby replaced on April 11th 2008 my previous review of the book with this one based on my subsequent research on the internet about the topic from about ten different reliable scientific reports from different sources. My initial review was based only on the book. The present review is based on both the book and my subsequent extensive research. About half of the medical literature agrees with the authors of this book on the method of diagnosing and treatment of the vitamin B 12 deficiency. The remaining 50 % that disagree also base their views on sound scientific studies.

The authors of the book claim that most doctors in the world are ignorant about vitamin B12 deficiency. After finishing the book I initially bought this argument. However, after conducting the research on the internet I mentioned above I disagree that most doctors are ignorant about it. Surely there are a lot of doctors who are in fact ignorant about it and who misdiagnose. Even my doctor told me some things about vitamin B 12 deficiency some of which I still think are wrong. However, not all doctors who disagree with the authors are ignorant ; there are many among the disagreeing doctors who are very knowledgeable about this subject. Their methods of diagnosing and treating the deficiency maybe different than that of the authors. That does not necessarily make them ignorant. You can see this for yourself by reading their reports on the internet where they express alternative opinions about vitamin B 12 deficiency. Yet the authors of the book accuse all doctors who disagree with them with ignorance. I feel that it is unfair and unconvincing to accuse everyone who disagrees with you with ignorance. I got suspicious about that and found the alternative opinions. I am glad I did not let this book be my only source, I almost went and expressed my disatisfaction with my doctor based on this book. I regret that after reading the book and before reading alternative reports I got into an argument with a neuropsychiatrist whose acquaintance I made in a sports club who challenged the views in the book when I mentioned them to her.
Fortunately I did not go and quarrel with my own doctor based on the book ( it scares me to think I almost did ) because I had the sanity to investigate the deficiency from alternative sources.

The major allegations by the authors about which there is approximately 50 % agreement and of course 50 % disagreement among medical experts throughout the whole world have to do with the method of diagnosis and treatment of vitamin B 12 deficiency.

The authors claim that a serum ( blood ) B 12 test for a deficiency is unreliable by itself and must be accompanied by urinary methyl malonic acid ( MMA ) and serum homocysteine tests. Because in some cases a vitamin B 12 deficiency may damage the nervous system many years before it shows up on blood tests. Doctors who rely on the vitamin B 12 blood test alone could miss a B 12 deficiency if it does not show up on the blood test. The authors allege very strongly that the best measure of B 12 deficiency is the urinary methyl malonic acid and creatinine ratio test done properly along with serum B 12 and serum homocysteine tests. In the medical literature I researched there is strong support for this view. But there are also equally strong arguments in favor of the alternative view, claiming that on the contrary urinary MMA test results are not a reliable indicator of vitamin B 12 deficiency and that serum B 12 tests are more reliable. This is exactly the opposite of what the authors of the book claim.The book mentions that there are doctors that claim this. And it claims that these doctors are ignorant. However, in the reports the doctors state the reasons why urinary or blood MMA tests are unreliable and explain the results of scientific studies in support of their view. They are by no means ignorant.

The other major disagreement is about the method of treatment. The authors of the book claim that Vitamin B 12 oral tablets even in high doses are very often ineffective in treatment of the deficiency and insist that pain free injections directly into the blood is indispensible as a treatment method. They claim that nobody should lose time and risk ineffective treatment with oral tablets. In some cases this maybe true for swallowed oral tablets which have to cross the digestive system. However, I came across many different reports on the internet that mention the effectiveness of sublingual ( under the tounge ) oral vitamin B 12 pills that are also absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Especially during the recent several years many independent studies throughout the world indicate that sublingual vitamin B 12 pills have been found to be as effective as injections into the blood, making the injections unnecessary in many cases. After discrediting the oral tablets and strongly promoting the injections throughout their book even the authors back off from their claims on page 153 under the heading : " A Final Word about Oral B 12 " where they admit the promising recent studies about the efficacy of oral tablets administered sublingually. After I took 1000 mg of swallowable oral tablets for four months my serum B 12 level shot through the roof rising from far below the lower limit to more than twice the upper limit ! My doctor told me to discontinue swallowing the pills.

So, read the book and read any serious other sources you can find on the internet and then decide with your doctor about how you will proceed to diagnose and treat your or your loved one(s)' vitamin B 12 deficiency. Just don't take everything the book or the reports say for granted. Make your own analysis and draw your own conclusions based on a varied rich source of reliable information about this subject. Good luck !

This book was in excellent condtion and arrived very quickly. I am very pleased with the service and will shop again!

just that, a good pharmacy reference. It's a good addition to my other resources and is easy to use.

A great quick guide on drug information, perhaps, the best one. Full monographs of almost all of the drugs, including interactions. Much necessary to the pharmacists and other health professionals.

This book is great. It's too large to carry in your white coat, but as a desktop reference it's unbeatable. I am a student pharmacist on rotations and it has already helped me immensely. I don't have a PDA, so this book is great for looking up quick details. The new features (drug names in red, larger size, reference charts in the back) make this much better than previous editions. Usually I just buy books "to have" and never really use them, but I've used this countless times in the first month I've had it.

Lexi-Comp's Drug Information Handbook is the bomb. No nagging adds like the PDR; just the facts, ma'am. More eye friendly than previous editions, and still packed with about a gillion tables in the appendix. Drug names are now in red. This is the cat's meow; I probably use it once a day in patient care. Shipping and price are much better through Amazon than through the publisher.

It works. You just need to know how to formulate and elaborate on what you've done on jobs. The examples and templates are helpful. The book is easy to navigate. You'll learn creating your Fed resume and KSAs is like writing a school paper - you have to research and connect your main points. Federal Resume Guidebook Strategies definitely helps you in doing so. I highly recommend it!

Consider the "Federal Resume Guidebook, Fourth Edition," as the bible for serious federal job seekers. A few months ago I attended a Transition Assistance Program (TAP) class before I retired from the Air Force. The TAP instructor lightly covered federal resumes, KSA's, etc., I was totally confused. Family, friends, and former co-workers all provided me with advice on how a federal resume should be written, formatted, and distributed. After several misses on the job market I decided to purchase this book. HALLELUJAH ! This book will take you step-by-step on the federal resume process with some excellent federal resume samples you can use on your quest for a career with government agencies. I also decided to invest in the Entry-Level and Mid-Level Assessment Service offered by the authors company, The Resume Place. If your are serious about your federal job search I strongly suggest you purchase this service. You will not be disappointed. One last item, the author Ms. Kathryn Troutman personally provided me with the assessment and offered some great suggestions I had overlooked when I created my resume. WoW, what great customer service. This book certainly deserves a "Five Stars" plus rating. I'm certain I will catch the attention of the federal agencies where I want to work.

If you want to work for Uncle then you must have this book. After toiling for over a year trying to work for Uncle and getting nowhere, I bought this book. I spent a day revamping my resume as it describes and have been knee deep in responses ever since. If you want your resume to be in the right format to get you in the door then buy this book. If you want to continue hawking on the street or playing a fiddle for change then by all means do not buy this book.

I purchased this book after numerous failed attempts at being considered for various govt positions.
Literally after giving my resume a govt makeover with the suggestions from the book I've been considered for a total of four positions since purchasing the book last month.
I consider this a huge success only because I at least know my responses to the KSA questions are strong,
I highly recommed this book - definetly worth it!

I purchased this book based on the numerous reviews exclaiming its excellence. As a first note, the photo representation showing a CD that provides actual examples of resumes and KSAs is highly deceiving. There is no CD with this book. On the final page of the book, you will find directions on how to buy this for an additional fee at the authors website. No doubt the author has experience and expertise in the convuluted federal application process. From biographical information that is available it appears that she was a key player in creating it and then she went on to build a business that capitalizes off of the confusion created in the process. The inforation in this book is good and reliable; however, the same information is available for free on the internet from a variety of sources. I was sadly disappointed with this book and the other Troutman book Military to Federal Career Guide that I also purchased. The CD is included with the second book mentioned. I has 52 files in total; but, these provide very few examples because the same resume is repeatedly used to show examples of different resume builder formats (e.g paper resume, USA Jobs resume, and Resumix)and each example is given in a word document format and PDF so immediately the number of eamples is decreased from 52 to 26. As such, the CD amounts to 13 resume examples and one that provides separate KSAs. The best value that comes from this book is a profitable marketing tool for the author's website and other, quite pricey writing and coaching services. Before buying this book, I would recommend that you check with your local library or bookstore to see if they have a copy so you can review the content and decide how useful it might be in relation to your knowledge of the federal job market.

Archbishop Tutu is a great man and worthy of highest admiration for his life of unselfish service. Sadly, though, this book (co-authored with Douglas Abrams) does not serve his life's work well.

The book is not intended to be intellectually rigorous; it's gentle, as a number of the five-star reviewers have pointed out. It's good at conveying some of the stress of Archbishop Tutu's experiences in South Africa, and the courageous actions there that brought down apartheid. But who is it really written for?

The 130-page book has eight chapters, an introduction, and a postscript. The chapters are entitled "God believes in us," "God's dream," "God loves you as you are," "God loves your enemies," "God only has us," "Seeing with the eyes of the heart," "Stillness: hearing God's voice," and "In the fullness of time."

Immediately in the introduction the authors [I use the plural, since Archbishop Tutu himself refers to "coauthor Doug Abrams," p. 134] make it clear that this book is not for Christians only: "While I write as a Christian, this transformation [of the world, to redemption] can be recognized and experienced by anyone, regardless of your faith and religion, and even if you practice no religion at all." For an eminent Christian leader (Anglican -- Archbishop Tutu identifies himself as "Foursquare in the Catholic faith that is enshrined in our prayer books, in our formularies, in the creeds," p. 107) to write a spiritual book intended for any variety of faiths, or none at all, is a formidable challenge. The authors were unable to rise to meet it successfully.

In attempting to write to a universal audience, they downplay fatally their own faith. The central core of that faith, as rooted in word and sacrament, is Christ's perfectly obedient life, atoning sacrifice on the cross, and triumphant resurrection, which provide a means for all to be saved from their sins, and reconciled with God. We see this in scripture, in the baptismal covenant, and in the eucharist. But this core of the faith barely receives a mention here.

God's incredible love is the subject of chapter 3, "God loves you as you are." Yes, God does love us as we are -- but how is that love most clearly shown? What a great opportunity to share with readers that incredible love of God: God so loved the world that he gave his only son, to the end that all who believe in him would not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Sadly, this core element of their faith the authors omit to mention.

So the book appears not to be for Christians. Did the authors mean for other faiths to read it and find hope and encouragement in their walks? This too is unclear. There's hardly any reference to the core beliefs of other faiths, and certainly no detailed attempt to draw together, reconcile, or unify disparate beliefs. I can't help thinking those who are not Christians would take away only the message that humanity might eventually arrive at peace somehow. But the details of how God will do this are unclear (God's has dreams for his people that will somehow be realized), and they're certainly not via the tenets of other faiths, so readers are left with the sense "let's hope so...", with no real basis for that hope outside the authors' Christian experience. I doubt whether this will be received well by those who are not prepared to accept the authors' Christian point of departure.

So it does not serve Christians well, by writing for a universal audience and removing the core of the faith; and it does not serve non-Christians well, by passing over those faiths (or atheism) so lightly that one might conclude that whatever one believes will be OK with God ("In God's family, there are no outsiders. All are insiders. Black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight, Jew and Arab, Palestinian and Israeli, Roman Catholic and Protestant, Serb and Albanian, Hutu and Tutsi, Muslim and Christian, Buddhist and Hindu, Pakistani and Indian--all belong." -- p. 20).

Its successes lie in the stories and narratives of Archbishop Tutu's struggles in South Africa, and for that, it's interesting and useful. But readers will seek deeper meaning vainly.

A must read!. . .This book, by Bishop Tutu, capture's God's dream is for us! He shares profound thoughts using clear, yet elegantly simple language which can be understood by all. Tom Weaver
God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time

It's rare to come upon literature with a pulse and a heartbeat on every page. This is one of those precious gems that I will read once a year for the rest of my days.

God's blessing in print. Hope again. Hope anew. Hope for you. Buy it. Read it. Live it.

Thank you Archbishop TUTU

Bill Dahl
Author, Creator, Editor
The Porpoise Diving Life

What an eloquent writer! Bishop Tutu writes so beautifully, especially when he describes the Love of God. The concept of transfiguration is explained in a passage about the cross which truly brought me closer to my Lord. Dear Christian brothers and sisters: read this book and be prepared to have your prejudices and fears about other people shattered by the Love of God.

I am leading a group study at St. John's Cathedral in Jacksonville, Florida using this beautiful book of meditations by Bishop Tutu. There are discussion question after each chapter.