Works Books

I rated Dr. Abraham's book a 5 star. I have been in
the restaurant business for many years and found his
book to be extremely appropriate in describing how
workers can sabotage their purposes with their
dangerous journey into unholy politics. When
customers and colleagues commit one of the Seven
Deadly Sins against the Golden Rule, sales
eventually deteriorate. What good is a restaurant
without business?
If you own a business and employ workers, read this
book no matter what part of the world you are from.I'm living in Europe over 12 years-one thing is for sure...
The Golden Rule is a universal principle and people
are people everywhere.

[...]

The best book I've ever read, hands down. I am a recent college graduate and entered the working world in August 2007. Every college senior should be required to read this book before graduating. This book taught me far more than any college text book. I will use it for the rest of my life. Dr. Abraham is truly a genius and a dear family friend.

The Doctor is in! Dr. Abraham's book offers a pragmatic approach to understanding and managing the not so admirable aspects of human behvior while encouraging and celebrating the good in people.
Dr. Abraham tackles business relationship matters they just don't teach in business school. Seven Deadly should be required reading for all college students planning a corporate career. I'm passing my copy to my son.

One of the best books I've read in recent times. Full of insight and memorable characters. If you've read it - read it again - if not - pick up a copy and enjoy. Good lessons to be learned.

Now here's a good read that any manager or organization can use to either thwart or prevent disfunctional behavior in the workplace. I used to wonder how things can get so messed up that the weasles start running the show and us regular peeps get caught in the cross-fire. Well, Dr George shares some bona fide case studies that are easily digestible, and fall in the truth is stranger than fiction category.

Having worked with George Abraham I know what I'm talking about. I'm glad to see he is sharing his work with others. I have learned a lot from him and he's had a profound impact on my career. Put simply, he's the bomb - and believe me,...I wanted to drop him on a couple of spineless villans back in the day...and did!

I recommend 7 Deadly Work Sins to those who have recently graduated from school and are coping with their first entree to corporate life. They really should have corporate HR assign this book to managers and others who exhibit "sinful" behavior on the job. In fact, anyone who is dealing with bad seeds in the workplace.

This will be a good one for "books on CD" - I think the rhyme is Sublime and I pity the fool that breaks the golden rule.

I read the book SOG, and as with any book relating true life war stories, you try to picture in your mind the people, surroundings and the enemy as they saw it. A Photo History, brought all of this to life for me. Excellent Book !!!

Back in 1997 I picked up a copy of SOG by Major Plaster and quickly became engrossed in the tales within the book that had never before seen the light of day. Later in 2004 came another book, SECRET COMMANDOS, again behind the lines material. But in between these two books came the real blockbuster: SOG--A Photo History of the Secret Wars.

I'm an ex-vietnam era serviceman, early Vietnam being out by 1967, and could not believe the wealth of intel within these three books, much of which was totally new to me. The later SOG book has over 700 photos giving a photo or more to almost every page. The value of this book is not something that can easily be put into words, and with most of these heroic men never coming back, the years have not taken the edge off that. If not for Major Plaster these men would have never gotten much recognition at all. That in itself is not right, but they one and all did their duty to their country and not for a handful of tin medals.

I have many history books on my shelves, some on Vietnam, but I can think of none that I would not part with other than John Plaster's books. These three books burn the secret wars and its warriors into your memory, and at times it defies belief the character of these men.

To read any of these books is to be proud of these men and yet humbled at the same time by their sacrifices. As Admiral Tarrant asks at ending of James A. Michener's THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI, "Where do we get such men?"

Semper Fi.

A fantastic book for anyone interested in MACV-SOG and Special forces recon teams. This is the biggest collection of photos I have seen regarding SOG and recon teams. The book is very well done.This is where the Vietnam war was really fought, across the fence.This is a major piece of history that was never really documented and the truth needs to be available to all who have misconceptions and untruths about the Vietnam conflict. These men in special forces are legends. A tribute to those who served on recon teams and most of all those who did not make it back.

This is an incredible book, perfect companion to the other John Plaster books:
"SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam" & "Secret Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG".
The pictures have great historical value.

This book tells the story of secret ("black") military operations run by the United States during the Vietnam War. Under the name Studies and Observations Group (SOG), the secret was kept so well that few veterans ever heard of it until long after the war.

It was composed purely of volunteers from the best of the American military, including Army Special Forces and Navy SEALs. Their missions involved going behind enemy lines in Laos, Cambodia and North Vietnam, areas officially off limits to US ground troops. That's why all of their missions were classified.

The North Vietnamese went to great lengths to keep the Ho Chi Minh Trail open at all times. Special military units, stationed from one end to the other, had the task of maintaining and defending a 20-30 mile stretch. If the US bombed a particular area one day, it would be fixed and open the very next day as if nothing happened.

The task of a SOG team could be practically anything, from prisoner snatching, to confirming something seen in aerial reconaissance to placing sensors on a road to give Intelligence an idea as to the traffic level. Every mission was meticulously planned and rehearsed. From the moment they were on the ground behind enemy lines, the team members could assume that the enemy was seconds, or minutes, away. A number of teams made it out safely (the only escape route was by air), but they had to shoot their way out. Some teams were never heard from again.

Since their missions were secret, nothing the soldiers wore or carried could be traced to America. There were no dogtags, no obviously American uniforms, and, in many cases, their weapons were foreign modified weapons.

This book also profiles the people who risked their lives day after day. To most people, they wer just American soldiers who served in Vietnam, but, to those who were there, the following names are practically legend: Larry Thorne, Billy Waugh, Walter Shumate, Jerry "Mad Dog" Shriver and Dick Meadows.

When SOG was disbanded in 1972, all the photo files were ordered destroyed. The interesting thing about this book is that the several hundred photos here are not the "official" photos. The photos were taken by the men who were there and kept in trunks and shoeboxes for many years. The author also knows something about SOG, having been a three-tour veteran.

For military historians and those interested in special operations, this book is a requirement. For the rest of us, this is a fascinating look at an unknown part of the Vietnam War. It is highly recommended.

As a child of the 60's growing up in England, I was exposed to a lot of American popular culture and toys.
"Major Matt Mason" and "Zeroids" were some of my favourites. This book gives me an excellent reminder not only of what I had, but also stuff I never saw or even knew existed!
This book is well produced with magnificent colourful photos, but they are let down a little by the matte paper used for the pages that dulls their brilliance. Also, some images suffer from "the jaggies" caused by low resolution of the originals.
Likewise, the layout and text is often jumbled and there are some annoying factual errors.
Also, if the author had a rudimentary knowledge of 50's Hollywood monsters he would have recognised the inspiration for many of the Colorforms Outer Space Men.
Apart from these minor annoyances, this is the book I have been waiting for, for almost fourty years!
"Space Toys of the 60's" is worth every cent, even if only for the photos of the magnificent package and box art!
Those colourful boxes are always the first thing to be discarded by young hands too eager for adventure in space!

This oversized, full color paperback is not a glossy coffee table book. Neither is it a collector's price guide. Instead it's an impassioned and informative discussion of three collectible toy lines: Major Matt Mason (Mattell's Man in Space), Colorforms aliens and my favorite, Ideal's Mighty Zeroids.

I read and learned a lot about the other two toy lines, but I used this book when buying a Zintar Zeroid on E-Bay (for only thirty times the original price of $5, which shows how rare they are). Before that I read the book over and over, looking at the photos and dioramas from catalogs. Gillam even includes pre-release pictures from wholesale toy guides of what these toys might have looked like, as well as extensive photos of alternate versions.

Interest in Matt Mason has never flagged, and Zeroids are once again coming into their own in the world of retro toys (see the Zeroid movie link under Robot Links at alivingdog.com). They represented a high point in Ideal's Motorific line of cars and later boats and cleverly ran on the same replaceable motor. Anyone interested in these three lines, or the history of toys, or just taking a trip down memory lane will enjoy this inexpensive and captivating book.

I bought this book on ebay from the author and I am very happy with it. It is loaded with pictures of each space toy and has nice text. Some toys are shown in their original package. Best book I have bought in a long while.

A Collector's Guide to Major Matt Mason, Mighty Zeroid Robots and Colorforms Outer Space Men. Veteran collector and author James Gillam details the story of toys inspired by NASA ventures into space.

SPACE TOYS OF THE 60's could have been the Major Matt Mason collector's dream come true. However, be warned that the quality of the paper and the image quality of the photos is not very good. I wish the publisher had done a much better job and creating some high quality images that I would want to look at over and over again. Looking at these pictures, as a substitute for expanding my collection, is not fullfilling.

All in all though, being the ONLY book out there right now with any information on Major Matt Mason, this is a pretty good book. At leaset it has photos of all of Mattel's Major Matt Mason - Man in Space figures, vehicles and buildings with detailed descriptions, construction and instruction sheets, product catalogs, collector's reminiscences, prototype information, and company histories.

If you can find a used copy for around $5 it's worth adding to the library as a reference.

...than this "Time Machine" that Mr. Gillam has produced. He left no stone unturned. Covered ALL details and variations very thoroughly. I discovered 3 OUTER SPACE MEN in my attic and a Scorpio in my basement. When I was looking for a reference guide to these 60's Spacemen, I coincidentally saw "SPACE TOYS OF THE 60's" on EBay. I said it, you'll say it: "That's how I would have done it!"

A great book that explains how as men we can be warriors that God intended us to be but at the same time being tender to what God wants us to do. This is on my list to re-read eventually again just because it's that good. I would recommend this book to anyone who is Christian and looking for a good book from a great author.

I got this for my husband because it was assigned reading for a Bible study. He is not an avid reader, but he jumped in with both feet and really enjoyed it. He did feel that he should take the time to go through it again, that his study meetings just scratched the surface. High praise from someone who usually reads only car magazines!

Stu is a man everyone could learn from. He redefines 'macho' and, as a woman reading it, makes you long for this tenderness from your own husband. The topics he touches on are supported biblically, statistically and scientifically. A man who can pull from this book and live his life as a 'tender warrior' is truly 'every woman's dream'. I have nothing but good to say about every area of this book. If your husband is at all interested in self and/or spiritual growth, this is a must read.

Stu Weber takes off the gloves and gives it to you straight. If you're a husband and/or father, God's word has some things you need to know. Avoid making the common mistakes and get prepared for the challenges.

Unlike the reviewer who cannot identify with Pastor Stu's military background, there are many who have served this country, that can identify with Pastor Stu's background and his major decision as a Captain in the 5th Special Forces/Ranger with service overseas, including Republic of South Vietnam. I believe his sacrifice to country and his previous role as a soldier (the values of Duty, Honor, Country) makes Pastor Stu more credible and a more powerful advocate of what it is to be a man, a GODLY man. I also believe that had Captain Weber not decided to choose the ministry over the military career, he would have been quite successful in the military and achieve a field grade ranking of General in the U.S. Army. As it turned out, the ministry gained an influential shepherd who has written a number of books that has and will continue to influence other men in their walk with GOD.

There are many worthy insights in this book and the others written by Pastor Stu. It has been some time since reading the book, but I recall that a key decision must be made by all men and that is, "Who is Your Authority?" This is a crossroad..."who will you follow?" With you continue to follow your own personal inclinations, the secular wisdoms of the day, or will you allow GOD to be the authority in your life, the guiding principles of your life, and obey the WORD? It is the most important question for all men to consider and then choose wisely. There are many other Biblically sound teachings that are covered. I will only touch upon one. As Christians who are walking in FAITH, there is a need to eschew being the "lone ranger", the Clint Eastwood-machismo solitary gunfighter that takes on an entire pack of vermin and wastes them all in glorious Hollywood images. Rather, a Christian man needs other GODLY men to stand with them, because the battle against the secular world value system and against evil spiritual principalities cannot be realistically defeated as in a Hollywood-Clint Eastwood shootout type scenario and a symbolic ride into the sunset....NO, Pastor Stu and the Bible identifies the need for comrades-in-arms, "Ranger buddies", other centurions, GOD-fearing warriors who will watch your back and your flank. You need others in this spiritual warfare. Otherwise, you will succumb. He tells it like it is. A strand of 3 cords is tough to break. A group/team of committed GODLY men cannot be defeated. Gideon had his 300. Joshua and Caleb had their forces, albeit invariably outnumbered in their battles, Joshua and Caleb's army prevailed. Obedient to GOD, go to Battle alongside other Christian brothers-in-arms. Put on the full armor of GOD and you will win EVERY Battle. Hope this review helps.

I picked this book up at the San Francisco MOMA a few years ago. I saw it and immediately began to wonder, "What exactly did I do with my old Blythe doll"? I spent endless hours as a child, pulling the string, and clicking through the eye colors (though I always loved the purple best). In the absence of my girlhood doll, the book was a delightful trip down memory lane!

I'm a collector and I love having a book with photos of Blythe that I can study for the endless possibilities the doll offers for dressing and customizing.

Oh my gosh I love Blythe! She is the best doll ever. in this book, gina garan photographs Blythe so well that the dolls actually look real. i have a Blythe doll collection for myself and I don't photograph it but maybe I should! Blythe might be expensive doll-whise but she's worth every penny! (Or every...dollar!) Blythe, your eyes can change but the rest of you can't! Blythe, dearest Blythe......YOU RULE!!!!!!!!!!

..I just had to add that I picked this up not knowing that my 30-year quest for a beloved doll that was taken from me was about to end until I turned to the page (near the end) where the two dolls are wearing that famous green dress (the only part of my doll I was able to salvage).

Gina Garan, thank you!!

I am several years (almost 5 to be exact) reviewing this book but after seeing a few of Gina's Blythe pics online, I ordered this book and ever since I've been hooked! BIG TIME. These pictures and all of Gina's are so beautiful that I had to get a collection of my own Blythes underway ASAP. Here I am 5 years later and more than 20 Blythes richer! Get the book! Like most people I know, you'll either fall in love or be creeped out.

What Is Your Life's Work? by Bill Jensen is more than just advice: it gathers life stories and case histories of those who succeeded in identifying what really matters, using the letters and work diaries of others to mirror reader struggles. While the overall message lies in identifying life purpose, all the advice in What Is Your Life's Work can be directed to business solutions and issues as well as more general life concerns over risk, worth, and achievement. An excellent, cathartic inspiration for change.

What's important about work? What's important about life? What would you tell your kids if you wrote them a letter about what's important, what work and life mean to you?

Bill Jensen is a self-described simpleton dedicated to fighting corporate stupidity. Living a simple life in this complicated world is challenge enough, but this brave soul has committed to an even deeper mission. Cutting through the stupidity, bureaucracy, and politics, you'll discover that corporations are comprised of people. People. Ordinary, heart's-in-the-right-place people. These people have feelings, experiences, perspectives, and stories to tell. They have vital messages to pass on to others.

Jensen has collected those messages. Thousands of them, in the form of letters. Written documentaries from the depths of consciousness of the writers. Some are short, some long. Some deep and profound, others relatively shallow. Each has a message. This book is a collection of samples of the letters Jensen has collected. They are assembled on these pages, not to be read necessarily from cover to cover, but to be selected and absorbed at will. Picking and choosing letters, as the author suggests, is not easy-you'll probably read most of them anyway.

The letters are organized into chapters representing what Jensen calls his Five Discoveries: Finding Yourself, Finding the Lessons to be Learned and the Questions to be Asked, Finding the Choices that Really Matter, Finding the Courage to Choose, and Finding Joy, Serenity, and Fulfillment.

The book concludes with a valuable chapter on getting started with your own understandings and choices. This publication is a learning, a sharing, an inspiration to look more carefully at your own life to see what really matters. Curl up with this book next week-end.

This is not one of those how to feel better about one's self or situation. Nor its instructions on to be better in life. The subject matter is like a brilliant snap shot of all sorts of people from various backgrounds and professions and levels of society. They share some of the most amazing fears, tears, and most of all lesson learned within their experience. there is no good and bad...its just a collection of REAL stories written by real people like u and me!!

get this for sure if u want to feel collected and want to reconcile yourself. I know i pick this up every time i feel lost and hopeless; it doesn't care if u made it or not as far as material is concerned. I had recommended this book to 3 people whom are very well off and yet they too have felt lost in their "supposedly" full lives. I gave this as a gift to another who just started their first job out of college. ItS fantastic stories that move u :)

How often do we define ourselves by our work? How often do we equate who we are in life with our job title: assistant director, associate vice deputy, CEO, chairman, stay-at-home mom, etc.? So many people focus so tightly upon their job description as their identity that they ultimately lose sight of their true self.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S WORK examines what truly matters from a distinctly human perspective. It does so not by dry, formal statements of principles (e.g., the 7-steps, the 10-tenets, the 9-objectives, the 431 value-added theorems . . . you get the picture). Rather, the author offers the wisdom of numerous individuals, precious metals refined in the furnace of everyday existence. The letters and journal entries, selected by Bill Jensen from countless thousands, answer the questions of what really matters in life and how one awakens (or reawakens) the passion in one's soul. The lessons are personal, poignant, and powerful; they are also as unique as are the individual personalities.

In lives of depth and meaning, certain themes emerge: self-respect, integrity, balance, the importance of family, faith, passion, selflessness, and compassion (to name just a few). Mr. Jensen's selections, for the most part, emphasize the transcendence of the individual toward a greater purpose than the accumulation of possessions, or the aggregate of mere activities and accomplishments.

There are two individuals, whose legacies to their children are sadly that of egotistical arrogance and strident selfishness. The reader will quickly recognize these shallow individuals - their stories too are most valuable.

Although a scant 200+ pages, WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S WORK packs a tremendous wallop, a wonderful wake-up call to those who have languished in a low-level comfort zone, or to those who aspire to a higher place. It is a wonderful series of discoveries to those seeking a life of fulfillment and meaning in those areas that truly matter.

If you've ever wished you had a parent or mentor who would have shared with you what it is that matters most in life, because you've noticed that people who get such mentoring seem to have some kind of natural edge in the world... you're in luck. Bill Jensen's book WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S WORK contains some of the most powerfully moving written exchanges between people that you are likely ever to find, and these gems of real life stories will set you on fire with their honesty and love. Every counselor, life coach, parent and child can benefit from reading WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S WORK, as some of the most important life lessons are touched upon in deeply personal ways.

In an age when it's been said that the art of letter writing is dead, this book dares to raise the subject of we can best find a balance between work and the rest of our life. The intense passion conveyed in most of the letters helps bring this subject to life in a way that is sure to help anyone rekindle their own inner fire, and regain a sense of what it is we're all working for that really matters.

I got this book hoping to read about the science behind grains and how our bodies process them. (I have been trying to eat healthier) This book advocates a lot of junk food surprisingly, and it geared entirely to celiac disease. I was under the impression that it would be good for anyone just thinking about giving up grains, but it was not. I only gave this 2 stars because I didn't like it, if you have celiac disease and do not want to eat a raw food diet, than you would like it more.

My husband asked, "Another book about gluten free living. How many do you need"
This should have been the first book I bought. Is is very helpful with lots of detail without getting so technical I get lost. I now have a far better understanding of my disease and how to more successfully live with it.
I especially appreciate the parts intended to help me deal with the depression and feelings of isolation. And, the anger because so many just don't get how difficult it is to live this lifestyle. This diet is very labor and emotionally intensive that there are many times I just want to give up. Even the dietitian to whom I was referred knew less than I.

Read this book if you are especially newly diagnosed. It will help get your through some rough times.

Danna has taken what can be an overwhelming process and broken it into a seamless set of sections that have served me as a reference to my four year old's allergy needs. Korn gives a lay manner of understanding celiac sprue, wheat-free, gluten free and other issues that manifest from these special diets. She gives personal examples and guides the reader into being a positive person with an outlook towards family changes in order to keep everyone balanced.

I thought I was buying a cookbook! This book does have many recipes in it but...Much to my suprise I bought this book and found out that I had Celiacs disease! I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me and no one else knew either! This book explains allergy as well as the disease side of gluten. People with either will appreciate and benefit from this book tremendously! Thank you for the wake up call that changed my life!

I highly recommend this book to anybody looking to live the gluten free lifestyle. It's full of knowledgeable facts from a mother of a child with celiac disease. She knows her stuff!!! I read the book and use it often as a reference to foods I should/shouldn't eat. I also love the symptoms and useful advice about living gluten free. I feel much more knowledgeable about the subject after reading this book! I also love the recipes!! :)

Very insightful book. Basically Mr. Gire discusses situations, moments, windows that God opens in our lives that allow us to look thorugh them and see Him. These windows are opened, generally for a limited time, and we have the opportunity to look through them but are not forced or required to. Of course, in the failure - or refusal - to look through the window we also miss the opportunity to see God and what He is saying and/or doing at that moment. A common mistake is looking AT the window, and merely seeing the window (situation), rather than looking through it and beyond the situation before us. I will be re-reading this book as I think the thoughts are meatier than a single pass through and derserving of additional pondering. I would recommend the book.

In "Windows of the Soul" Mr. Gire Takes you to places where you have always known God was, but opens your eyes to realy "see" God. It is a poetic journey that touched my soul and allowed me to experience God in a whole new way. I would highly recommend this book to the new believer as well as the person who has walked with God many years, neither will be dissapointed.

I purchased this book off the shelf as its artistic references in the description attracted me to it. I soon discovered the value of Mr. Gire's wisdom, compassion, and his own personal knowledge of an intimate relationship with God that evolved through his own personal experiences. This book came at a time in my own life when, a few months earlier, I had suffered a sudden tragedy that resulted in the death of my husband of 11 years. This book, and its quiet reflective nature, brought me peace during many sleepless nights. I found the thoughtful wisdom inspiring, and appreciated his knowledge of literature and history. I have purchased several of his books since, and have been blessed by each one.

In 1998 I reveiwed this book by writing the following:
Ken Gire is one of the most expressive writers of our day. His words paint a picture of our soul. Words that are simple, yet profound. Gire shows us how we can experience God through different avenues that intersect our daily lives. Don't be surprised by the tears that come to your eyes, they are tears from God showing you an area of your life that may need to be explored, understood or enjoyed. This is a book that you will continually want to come back to again and again.

I continue to read this book and find it as refreshing as the first time.

I disagree with the review from Hooterville. Ken Gire is very sound theologically and his work reflects this. Ken encourages us to look for new ways in which we can discover God. There is nothing mystical about discovering new ways for one to grow in their love for God and in their love for people.

I think it's obvious there's nothing wrong with observing our world and the happenings within it and speculating what God's perspective might be. And there's nothing wrong with contemplating a piece of art, literature, music, or film and recognizing in it symbolic correspondence to transcendent truth as revealed in Scripture. And author Ken Gire does this well. If he had left it at that, I probably would be as enthusiastic about this book as the next reader.

However, in "Windows of the Soul," Gire goes a step further and teaches that such endeavors are actually communications from God, "moments of revelation." The book is Gire's attempt at giving Christians insight into how to perceive such "revelations." Gire goes as far as to imply that such "revelations" possess an importance equal to that of the Bible, even referring to them as "God's word." Gire implies that Biblical revelation sometimes fails to satisfy our spiritual longings because, through it, "we are fed the experience of others. But they are not OUR experiences. I can read a psalm about David crying out from a cave in the wilderness, and I should read that psalm, but it is not MY psalm. It is not my psalm because it is not my cave, not my wilderness, and not my tears." Thus, Gire feels a need for a new category of revelation.

I sense Gire is well intentioned, but I believe, in this respect, he's teaching a form of mysticism, not Christianity. [Webster: "mysticism - the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience (as intuition or insight)"] And while I recognize that the defense of these ideas isn't the primary intent of his book, the theological extrapolations Gire offers are tragically sloppy and at times involve the assignment of new, unorthodox meanings to Biblical accounts and terminology.

Some might suggest that Gire's paradigm is just an elaboration on the concept of "general revelation," the Biblically supported idea that the world implicitly communicates certain things about God and His nature. However, the variety of channels described in "Windows," as well as the content of the messages Gire speculates they deliver, far surpass the traditional understanding of the nature and role of general revelation. (And Gire writes as if he's aware that what he's proposing is unconventional.)

READER BEWARE : I believe it is accurate to say that Ken Gire is advocating a theology and discipline not taught in Scripture.

When it comes time to contemplate the "furniture" of life and apply Biblical teachings to what you observe and experience, "Windows of the Soul" does document some good exploration in that regard. However, when it comes time to hear God speak, don't let anyone convince you God's revealed Word in Scripture is insufficient for the task.

For my more thorough critique, see: HotFudgeSunday.com/WindowsOfTheSoul

This is the most lovely x-mas story I ever read! It's about not giving up on your wishes, be bold and don't have the attention on you.
If you like this story, look for a book of Ariel and Shya Kane, they have found a way of living, that is beyond all I could immagine - all it takes, like in this book, is courage.

Get the movie. Get the book. Enjoy them together. Fun and quirky.

This is my favorite of the Breathed series of children's tales. I have a six year old son and this will be my fourth year of being sure this is a part of his Christmas season. As well as, throwing this title in several times throughout the year. A very touching experience to share this story with my son.

Our family absolutely LOVES all the Berkeley Breathed children's books. There's just one problem. If you're trying to read it to your children, it's difficult not to be laughing so hard you cry. Story and illustrations are just hilarious!!! My daughter now reads to children in after-school programs and it's a definite winner with them. Very entertaining.

If you purchase this book for the illustrations alone you would still have an incomparable treasure but wait there is more, because this is a story that is a treasure in itself.

Opus wants a pair of wings that work. But in his mind wings only work if you can fly. It's not until Santa's sleigh is sinking in the ocean that Opus gets to use his flippers and fly through the water and save Santa and his sleigh. It's then that he realizes he has something useful.

This is a story that's about recognizing the value of what you have in mind, body, and spirit. The courage and spirit to use what you have to go where help is needed and whenever possible, help save the day.

I blame the book industry's insatiable deluge of new and not very inspiring books thrust onto an already overburdened market place for burying classics like, "An Opus Christmas Story."

This is a book that every child would love immensely, one they would treasure and one the parents would not have to dig so hard to find the life lessons to discuss with their children after the read.

The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, Red Pine San Francisco, CA: North Point Press, 1989

Bodhidharma is recognized as the Founder of Zen in China by all schools of Zen Buddhism. As the First Ancestor of Zen in China, his is the very manifestation of the archetypal Zen master.

"Seeing your nature is zen." Says Bodhidharma, in his straightforward, no nonsense style, "Unless you see your nature, it's not zen."

Red Pine has collected and translated the four most important records attributed to the undisputed Father of Zen in this excellent volume. Each meticulous English translation is accompanied, page by page, with the original Chinese characters. These records include:

Outline of Practice

Bloodstream Sermon

Wake-up Sermon

Breakthrough Sermon

Every Zen student, (and teacher for that matter) would do well to familiarize themselves with these most time-tested, straight talks on the authentic teachings of Zen. Bodhidharma insisted that the truth of Zen could be realized by anyone, "People who see that their mind is the buddha don't need to shave their head. Laymen are buddhas too... once you see your nature, you're a buddha even if you work as a butcher."

Bodhidharma's teaching revealed the truth of Zen, shaking up the entire Buddhist establishment, which had fallen into the sterile doldrums of imitation and pious self-righteousness. Bodhidharma came to China from India with a mission; to bring Buddhism back to the heart of the Buddhas message--that all beings are inherently Buddha and need only see their true nature to realize the fact.

The Father of Zen balked at institutions and individuals that claimed exclusive teachings or demanded specific spiritual practices.

As Red Pine translates, "To find a buddha, you have to see your nature. Whoever sees his nature is a buddha. If you don't see your nature, invoking buddhas, reciting sutras, making offerings, and keeping precepts are all useless. Invoking buddhas results in good karma, reciting sutras results in a good memory; keeping precepts results in a good rebirth, and making offerings results in future blessings--but no buddha."

You can't find any Zen more authentic than that of Bodhidharma. Red Pine has done us all a great service by bringing the Founder of Zen to life for English readers, and allowing him to remind us of the simple truth. Zen has nothing to do with enlightened "roshis" "Dharma-certificates" or sectarian purity. Zen is not about escaping the world, does not demand renunciation, or sitting in particular postures for long periods.

Bodhidharma gives us the straight scoop, "Seeing your nature is zen. Unless you see your nature, it's not zen." Period.

ZEN IS THE DIRECT KNOLAGE OF THE MIND WITH OUT THE EGO! THATS IT. THERE IS NUTHING ELES TO IT. LIVE IN THE PRESENT MOMENT ITS THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN EVER EXIST! EVERY THING BUDA TOUGHT WAS DIFERANT WAYS OF TELLING YOU THE SAME THING! JUST BE! THIS BOOK IS OVER LOOKES BECAUS ITS SO SIMPLE BUT THE TRUTH OFTEN IS!

Simply an outstanding and lucid translation of four teisho by the original Chinese Zen Master, Bodhidharma. 'Bilingual' in the title refers to the inclusion of the original Chinese text, taken from a Ch'ing dynasty woodblock editiion. Please read this, and give a copy to someone you care about.

The original stuff from the man who brought it all to China. Reading this book is like reading Thoreau's Walden. Peaceful. It is so interesting to read Bodidharma focusing on the central core of the teaching. Brief, concise. The text with the chinese characters on the facing page is pleasant to look at.

By all means, avail yourself of Red Pine's translation of Ta-Mo. Then go to John Bright-Fey's "Whole Heart of Zen" for an in-depth expounding of Ta-Mo via the oral tradition. There's more to the story than meets the proverbial eye!

The Whole Heart of Zen: The Complete Teachings from the Oral Tradition of Ta-Mo (The Whole Heart series)