Works Books

Excellent book for all catholic it reminds you why you are and also is good for those who just became catholic.

Thomas Howard's work was instrumental in my conversion from evangelical protestantism to Roman Catholicism. He is consistently Chestertonian and Lewisian. He presents the protestant concerns with more rhetorical flourish than they normally do. On Being Catholic is no exception and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Among the new breed of Catholic apologists, none are as rewarding to read as Thomas Howard. Raised in a prominent Evangelical family, his move first to Anglicanism and then to Rome caused him some personal trials as he lost both friends and employment because of his beliefs. Despite this, he has remained grateful for the lessons of the faith he received in his former ecclesial homes and sees his path as one of completion and not repudiation of what went before.

In On Being Catholic, Howard outlines his reasons for joining the Catholic Church with a humble passion that is the hallmark of his writing. This humility is important to Howard - he is adamant that it is not his place to reinvent the faith of the Church to his own liking. We are not to reinvent the faith with every generation so to make it easier to digest for contemporary sensibilities but faithfully follow, preserve, and pass on the truths that have been handed over to us.

Howard begins by making note of the inherent religious nature of man. As much as militant atheists may have in the past harped (and continue to do so) about their way being the wave of the future, kyries continue to be sung, prayers made in a thousand tongues, and coversions made in countless places around the globe. Atheism is ultimately a dead end and the question for the believing Christian remains of how we are to worship God. That is, what do we do when we enter the God's presence? For Howard, the answer is as simple: We do what Christians have done for two millennia - we join together in the liturgy to hear the Word. We baptize believers. We break bread, and drink from the cup. In both Word and Sacrament, we do as Christ himself has commanded.

Howard contends the Church finds its purpose in its liturgiy under the authority of a bishop and ultimately the Bishop of Rome. There may be different rites but the same basic outline is followed by all. No one may worship another way as a matter of personal preference. The Catholic Church is not, Howard claims, arrogant to insist others commit to her way of doing things. If one believes what the Catholic Church teaches, then it is as simple as truth and error. On the Catholic side, there is no record of any type of worship common to modern Evangelicalism prior to the last few centuries. All Christians with a history back to the early Church also worships using one of the historic liturgies. This is true for the Eastern Orthodox and other Eastern Churches as well as those who follow Rome.

Howard emphasizes how the liturgy affects the Catholic view of the act of corporate worship. Unlike most of Protestantism, it is not just a gathering of fellow Christians but a participation in the re-presentation of the one the one true sacrifice at Calvary. When a Catholic goes to Mass, it is the union of all the Church throughout time as the veil between this world and the heavenly realms is opened. The Eucharist becomes the real body and blood of Christ for the Church to feed upon and it is in this great mystery that the Church is made one throughout time and space. The Mass itself may be seen as a "diagram of glory" where the "work of the people" is to participate in this great mystery. Hence, attendance at Mass for the Catholic is never just "going to church".

Turning then to salvation, Howard points out that Catholic teaching differs greatly in the understanding of what it means to be saved. For the Catholic, being saved by the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a moment but a process that begins with their baptism continues throughout their life in the Church. He further points out the simple "sinners' prayer" salvation common to much of contemporary Evangelicalism is a recent innovation. Catholicism and the early Church held to a higher standard of commitment than one might deduce from watching a televangelist.

The alien nature of Catholicism to modern sensibilities continues even in so intimate an area as prayer. In Catholicism, prayer is not merely an intellectual or emotional activity but one that incorporates all the senses. Thus the artwork, the music, the incense, and the requests for the intercession of Mary and the Saints can leave most Protestants more than a little uneasy. Yet all of this is part of the great fabric of the Catholic faith and follows from the understanding granted to the Church throughout history.

All of this is integrated, the author adds, into the importance of the physical in Catholic theology. We are not disembodied creatures and the dualism where the physical is seen as bad and the spiritual as good within Evangelicalism is completely foreign to Catholic thought. Christ took on our flesh and we are to be redeemed body and soul to serve Him. Thus what we do with our bodies does have consequences - not because our flesh is to be disdained but because we are to use it in accordance with God's plan for mankind. It is this embracing of the physical and making it holy that separated true Christianity from its gnostic competitors and allows Catholics today to embrace the mystery of Christ dying on a cross or the hidden wonder of an obscure young woman giving birth to a child in an obsure village.

The Catholic is one, Howard emphasizes, who lives within the tradition of the Church. For many Protestants, tradition is a dirty word that conjures up visions of prelates and priests coming between the "simple truths of Scripture" and the humble peasant. Only the peasant has rarely been humble and the myriad of interpretations on important issues underscores that Scripture is often not quite as perspicuous as some would like to imagine. In this cafeteria like atmosphere of doctrinal innovation, the consistency of Catholic tradition through the centuries is a guard against the chronic individualism common elsewhere.

In submitting oneself to the Catholic tradition and its demands on one's conscience, many suppose this is a surrender of one's freedom. Howard rejects this inference and claims that in becoming part of Christ's Church one finds a greater freedom than in the fleeting pleasures that the world associates with freedom. The mystery of the Church - including its discipline - opens our minds and hearts to a greater union with Christ in which we can experience true freedom and joy.

Howard finishes the book by examning a symbol associated closely with Catholicism that places many Protestants on edge: the crucifix. Again it is the Catholic embracing of the physical - even physical suffering - that allows this image of Christ suffering on the cross to hold such a central place in Catholic devotion. It gives comfort to many who suffer to be reminded that suffering is not always purposeless. This making visible the very physicalness of our salvation is in line with the entire sacramental view of the Church that is the core of Catholicism.

It would be a mistake to see this as a contentious book designed to make debating points in the endless squabbles along the Catholic/Protestant apologetics divide. It would also not be in keeping with Howard's generally charitable demeanor to engage in such argumentation. But do not mistake this charitableness for timidity or lack of conviction. In many ways, On Being Catholic is among the best books in defending Catholicism because instead of attacking Protestantism's weaknesses it focuses on Catholicism's strengths. There are certainly points where I believe Howard was a little too assured of the historicity of the papacy, but the overall power of the presentation and its understanding of the importance of the Sacramental life within historic Christianity ranks it among the most important popular Catholic books in recent memory.

This book meaningfully explores and probes the "good tidings" of the Catholic church, measuring its teachings and concepts against preconceptions and objections by both non-Christians and, especially, non-Catholic Christians. Howard looks at a variety of topics moving from the general to the specific, from the question of whether man is essentially a religious being, through discussions of typical Christian subjects like the Gospels and evangelism, to considerations of particularly Catholic doctrines such as the Church's view of Mary and understanding of human freedom. Probably because he is a converted evangelical himself, Howard tends to be at his best contrasting Catholic and Prostestant views; the chapter which considers whether or not Catholics are "saved," for instance, is one of the book's best. He also excels in his treatments of Church tradition and prayer. A late chapter on "Hiddenness," primarily about gender, is probably the book's weakest mainly because Howard seems too tentative.

Reviewers like to compare Howard to C. S. Lewis; I don't wholeheartedly agree. There is the same tendency to work with apt analogy, of course. And Howard also works "in dialogue" as did Lewis, anticipating and answering objections as he goes. It's appealing and familiar, to be sure. But Howard tends to gush more than Lewis and a lot of his discussions get away from him. Lewis's voice is calm, solid, and reassuring in its peculiarly British sobriety. Howard's voice, on the other hand, bears the weight of much learning and enthusiasm. He's excitable and sometimes overwrought, like a old fashioned preacher. Consider his liberal peppering of the text with Latin phrases, something Lewis (a classics professor) certainly could have done but didn't rely on so much. All this is not to say Howard is less worthy, only that his style is perhaps not so accessible as Lewis's to a wide variety of reader.

Of course this is a nitpick, offered here only because of the common comparison to Lewis. In general, the book is fine, rewarding reading for both the committed Catholic or the curious non-Catholic. For the most part Howard manages to be open-minded and conservative at the same time, not an easy trick.

As a convert to Catholicism I had already been introduced to Mr. Howard's work in his book "Lead Kindly Light" and had been very impressed with how well he told not only his story of conversion but mine as well. Because of that experience I couldn't wait to get started on this book once I had it but I have to admit that I was a little disappointed in this one. It may be that the other book was just so good that I expected too much of this book, it may have been that the author seemed to delight in using big and sometimes archaic words, or it may have been that this book was a little deeper than the other one but whatever the reason I found this book to be a little dry in comparison to "Lead Kindly Light."

That being said, I would still say that this is one of the better books on the subject of what it means to be Catholic. Having been raised an evangelical Protestant this author is very aware of the horrible misconceptions that many Protestants have about the Catholic Church and is also very aware of the kind of questions that evangelical Protestants sometimes ask Catholics and he takes these questions and answers them in a clear and concise way. He points out that many of the questions Catholics are asked don't resonate at all with them because the question is based on something that is just not part of their belief system. To help clear up these misunderstandings he takes the time to explain to the Catholic reader the background of questions like, "Are you saved?" and then explains to the Protestant reader why they may get a blank stare if they ask this question of a Catholic.

Throughout the book Mr. Howard takes great pains to get to the very essence of what it means to be Catholic and takes on some major issues that divide Catholics and Protestants. He takes on the arguments over tradition, which was never hard for me to grasp as I journeyed home to the Catholic faith and he also takes on the veneration of the Blessed Virgin, which took a while for me to grasp. Everyone I suppose has different hang ups as they make or consider making this move and the author has done an excellent job of tackling most of the things that are most likely to be sticking points. As a side note since grasping the devotion to Mary I have become as devoted to our Blessed Mother as any cradle Catholic.

One significant positive that I found in this book is that the author, with the sensibilities of a former Protestant, backs everything he asserts with scripture. The Church Fathers are liberally quoted as is the Catechism but even the most dedicated disciple of the doctrine of scripture alone will find every one of Mr. Howard's points to be clearly documented by scripture. Curious Protestants will find that this book answers a lot of their questions and devout Catholics will find that this book brings home the truly glorious experience that it is to be Catholic. I would especially recommend this book to any Protestant who is curious about the Catholic faith of a close relative and to any non-Catholic who is married to or about to marry a Catholic.

Don't look at this with the eye of a photo critic or you may miss the magic. This is an intimate glimpse into the life of Sammy, his family, friends, and acquaintances as only someone "on the inside" can capture.

A wonderful book!

an amazing collection of photos that serve as a historical and entertaining view of the times he lived through.

This book is so fun. It has so many candid great photo's, really intresting history on Sammy Davis Jr. and his relationship's. I really enjoyed this book. Great coffee table book.

I originally picked up this book as a curiosity and found its links to a bygone era utterly fascinating. The subject matter, i.e., rat pack photos were wonderful but the photographic mastery of Davis Jr. is, I think, equally as stunning. A look into Davis Jr.'s remarkable life is given by him in the way, like other great photographers, he insightfully choses to document and communicate with his subjects through the lens. Again, like many great photographers, the images are powerful and soft, crisp and dazzling. More talent revealed from a man who had more in his baby finger than most of us have coursing through our entire bodies.
Bravo. Well done.

Few have personified the phrase "self-made man" as did legendary entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr. (1925-1990). The world remembers Davis for his varied and extraordinary accomplishments as an actor, singer, musician, dancer, and comedian.

But hardly anyone outside his circle of friends and family has been familiar with his photography--until now. With this hefty book, interspersed with reminisces by longtime friend Burt Boyar (who co-wrote Davis's autobiographies Yes I Can and Why Me?), his old fans and a new generation can revel in hundreds of images that reveal yet another significant facet of Davis's far-reaching talents.

Though Photo lacks the singular thematic focus of books published by such photographer-celebrities as Dennis Hopper and Gerry Spence, that's no drawback for this posthumously published volume. Rather, it pulls the reader into the exciting world of nightclubs, casinos, and Beverly Hills homes in which Davis moved, mostly from the late 1940s through early '70s. A voracious shutterbug, he took his photography seriously: his compositions are strikingly iconic, employing sophisticated use of line and form. Yet, his pictures are mostly snapshots--in the best sense of the word: they capture their subjects spontaneously, and his joie de vivre suffuses his work. Think of it as a highly stylized family album packed with candid portraits of "Rat Pack" pals Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Shirley MacLaine, as well as other famous friends like Nat "King" Cole, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Sidney Poitier, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Jerry Lewis, and Bill Cosby.

Among the more touching aspects of this book are the portraits of his actual family: his parents, his second wife May Britt and their children, and his third wife (and widow) Altovise Gore Davis. The most poignant are the many shots of actress Kim Novak, the first great love of Davis's life, who was forced by Columbia Pictures studio chief Harry Cohn to break off their relationship (interracial relationships were strictly taboo in 1950s Hollywood, not to mention in society generally).

One photograph, despite its matter-of-fact framing, is particularly chilling. Through the window of a passenger train en route to Miami, Davis snapped a picture of an elderly white gentleman on a station platform holding a cigarette, standing before a pair of double doors over which the foreboding phrase "WHITE WAITING ROOM" is painted. Davis's photographic abilities and inclinations were such that we see a mostly glamorous world through his eye. Thus, when we arrive at this jarring image, it's impossible not to apprehend it from his point-of-view--and also not to feel the sense of injustice that he must have experienced in the Jim Crow South as he clicked the shutter.

As Davis's show business career took off, many venues--even north of the Mason-Dixon Line--were happy to let blacks perform onstage; but the same headliner artists weren't even permitted to drink at the bar, use a dressing room, or occupy one of their hotel rooms. Photographs from Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, and portraits of politician friends Senator Robert Kennedy and President Richard Nixon, give silent witness to Davis's largely forgotten achievements as an outspoken civil rights advocate.

Photo is a coffee-table book that won't spend much time on the coffee table if your houseguests are anything like mine. Because of a car crash in 1954, Sammy Davis, Jr., was left with only one eye. But what an eye this cat had!

I have read this book a number of times and share it with friends and associates. I have found the delivery interesting, and it moves along with stories and examples. The message is Universal. We are here to learn and grow. So "Carpe Diam."

One of the best business books ever written. Awesome insights which should be read over & over by anyone desirous of running a successful business.

No matter your business - corporation, sole propietor, financial, education - or your role within that business - owner, manager, new hire - this book can help you grow within that role. Not only can it help you professionally, but also personally. As a corporate trainer, I recommend it in all my management classes as well as to those who come to me for career coaching. It's a great, quick and powerful read.

This great book by Larry Wilson is all about choosing growth over fear. It's about the miracle of personal development and no one knows more about personal development than Larry Wilson.Playing to Win is a soup to nuts approach to personal development as only Larry Wilson can do.Are you playing it a little bit too safe? What is that costing you? Read Playing to Win. It may revolutionize your whole life as it has mine. Outstanding book.

This is a very solid book. I took a class provided by the company the authors either work for or own (I read the book as well). This was a tremendous gift for me to read this. Much of what prevents both businesses and individuals from reaching their potential is fear. This book deals with the very issues that commonly hold us back, and gives logical solutions to those issues. I learned things from this book that I was able to implement in my life that changed my personal and professional life for the better. I don't agree with every concept in here. However, I do have to admit that I was able to look at my life from a different perspective after I read this. I used concepts in this book (as well as the bible and other books) to challenge myself to get my nursing degree (which really helped the company that originally sent me to this), buy a home, and become a better husband. I might add that my company's production went way WAY up after a group from our clinic took this class (which is just the book in lecture format). No, I'm not saying this book will take all your problems away. I am saying that some of the concepts in here can only benefit an individual/company's life if implemented with a real desire to improve.

this was a decent book with a lot of good usuable information. It is a Must Read for anyone over 45 who has a poor diet and is over weight. It is written by medical doctors who are interested in healing the body-not just treating the symtoms. there are also many suppliments that they recommend that are available in most stores (unlike Kevin Trudeau who recommends product not even available in the U.S.)!! It was well worth the money and I strongly recommend it to any one who is concerned about heart disease.

I've had a heart attack. I want to take personal responsibility for my health and do all I can to prevent my experience from reoccurring. As I began recovery and started researching the why's of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), I found there was more I needed to know. Dr. Sinatra's book helped me understand how my body works and what I and my doctor can do to promote healing and restore my health. Dr. Sinatra's book is well written and chocked-full up-to-date information that the reader can use. The resources contained in this book are invaluable. There is hope. GW

Nice book especially the supplements section, such as vitamins, enzymes, etc...that is if you don't mind taking supplements instead of or in addition to standard medications.

Dr. Sinatra's book endorses traditional medicine's solutions to heart disease -- as a last resort! He believes there are many changes in diet and supplements that may help you avoid/postpone heart surgery. And he backs up his findings with research. Finally, a intelligent approach that lets the patient decide what's right for them.

I have been reading a lot of books on medical matters. The titles in general are always very promising but the content deceives from time to time. Not this time. This book is a must read for everybody, CVA-diseased people but even more for healthy people. I should recommend it also to every doctor. Not only in the States but certainly in Europe where medicine is based on treating the symptoms. That's old stuff. Prevention is what the population needs and that's what this book is all about.
A very sincere congratulation for the authors of this fantastic work.

Been interested in filigree for a while now. This book makes it very easy to read. The instructions are very simple and I'm able to follow them without trouble. To learn the basic shapes was fun to practice. I can look at other jewelry and know how it's done thanks to this book.

Am new to silver work, but was so inspired by this book that I learned to solder and made 2 pendants! I praticed first on copper then went on to design the 2 pieces using the patterns in the book for inspiration. Great fun!

Altho I haven't tried all the techniques, I have read it all, and the text and pictures are very easy to follow, I can't wait to get started!

Having seen this author's jewelry and her projects featured in magazines, I couldn't wait to get her book. I'm pleased to say that I wasn't disappointed. While not for the beginner, it's an excellent reference for someone who's somewhat familiar with jewelry making, yet just starting with solder work.

Ms Rhodes-Moen opens the book by giving a brief history of filigree jewelry and showing a variety of it's styles. She goes on to offer information on suggested supplies and equipment, and how to use them.

The following projects are lovely and her step-by-step instruction is detailed and easy to follow. You are even told how to correct pieces that don't turn out quite right. The book ends with samples of her own work and by giving insight into how to move on to designing your own pieces.

This is a must for your jewelry making library.

I wasn't really sure that I wanted to buy this book. Boy, am I glad I did! Besides the beautiful projects, we are told how to make our own filigree wire. The projects are explained well, with great pictures. If you are looking to get into filigree work, this book is a great addition to your library. Thanks for a great book, Jeannie.

The book really speaks to the most urgent problem in todsy's workplace in my view: lack of trust. As we are all asked to do more with less (time, people and money), it is more important than ever to establish and sustain trust in the workplace. The techniques and skills set forth in the book are applicable to every walk of life. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to improve their relationships with others, as well as with themselves.

Hi - this book has helped me explain to my employees and colleagues the importance of trust in the work place and how we can enhance it.

We've probably all experienced that really bad job that drained every bit of creativity, energy, and enthusiasm we had. Perhaps you had that overbearing boss who had unrealistic expectations or that supervisor who wouldn't just trust you do your work. Maybe you worked in a place where suggestions or attempts to solve problems were quickly quashed or met with anger.

Trust and Betrayal in the Workplace unequivocally illustrates that such situations not only make the job a hassle but also inhibit the potential productivity of all employees. Basically, as the employee realizes that he or she (or others around them) is being devalued, he or she becomes less committed to doing the best job possible.

Dealing with the resulting morale issue is extremely challenging. Even if the actual problem is addressed, often lost trust is difficult to repair. For instance, if the company attempts to encourage employees to report potential problems, few will likely come forward because they can't possibly believe that they won't get yelled at or have their issues ignored once again. Trust and Betrayal in the Workplace explains that this situation need not be futile. There are ways to rebuild trust and address past issues to create a stronger, more productive business.

This is an excellent work that cuts through the typical babble that fills many pages of others books on the subject of trust. The content is exceeding meaty. The organization of the material is first-rate. One of the very best books on the subject. Highly recommended!

The Reina's develop understandable definitions and offer a well researched and thought out framework for both the development and practice of trust. They also offer practical and accessible vignettes and case studies illustrating the 'trust behaviors' that are so crucial to effective organizations and relationships.

Probably the most powerful part of the book is the section on Betrayal. Betrayal is a huge factor in our lives and we rarely talk about it. This book offers a language, method, and solution for both talking about betrayal and beginning the process of healing from it.

This is an important book for people interested in getting to the root of systemic problems in institutions, families, and relationships.

I highly recommend it!

Although I wasn't bored with this book, I felt that it missed a lot of potential and ended anticlimactically. What could have become a story of international intrigue was ultimately just another Christian romance novel. It's too bad the Christian book world rarely dares to be more.

Lara is a young woman who just lost her husband to cancer. She desperately wants to have HIS baby. So, after a few months have passed, she approaches her doctors to use frozen sperm and fertilize her egg so she can have this dream child. Unknown to her, a billionaire who wants to live forever, has bought his way into the lives of those around her, and she ends up deceived, used and humiliated.

On the run, Lara never forgets the neighbor man who delivered her baby and she returns to him for help. A high profile trial is probably the peak of this book.

Angela Hunt certainly knows how to write a mystery book!!!

Angela Hunt is one of my favorite Christian authors! THis book keeps you going to the end.

"The Truth Teller" is a great novel. The characters are very believable and the dialogue is well done. The story involves a young widow who wishes to have a baby. Her late husband has left a sperm sample, but he died of cancer. Should she risk the pregnancy? Complicating it all is an evil and rich man. This smooth operator with a hidden agenda plans to use and exploit Lara, by having her become pregnant with DNA from an "iceman" who froze to death thousands of years ago.
The story is GREAT! Many plots twists and turns. I loved it.

This is a fun read for everyone. The fight of the "regular man" against the rich-and-above-the-law is similar to the style of John Grishm. The science fiction resembles a mix of Jurassic Park and Charmed. Theologians are given many deep levels and thoughtful questions to ponder. Christians will appreciate the positive representation of the Bible-believing faith.

The pictures are great. I love how the author captured the society and different personalities of the cats. However, I was disappointed that the writer didn't get around to explaining whether the cats were neutered/spayed until the end of the book. There were references to the old tom cat, beat up. Why didn't they get him neutered? Or the momma who had more than one litter. I don't know when this was written, but it is standard practice now with feral colonies to trap/neuter/release on a regular basis to manage the colony and keep everyone healthy.

I'm so glad I ordered this calendar, I couldn't beleave it was on my dorrstep the next day, it was like they new I was going to order it and sent it in advance, amazing. The calendar is so preciouse with all the pictures of street living cats, but the real jewl in this is the stoy the photographer shares on who these felines are, where they live, how he came to know them and take tell their stories. It makes one want to go out and take pictures of forgotten community of homeless and stray animals. It's a work of Heart.

A stark account of the lives of urban feral cats. The book may leave you sad and angry, but the black and white photos are precious, and you will run to give your own sweet, safe, healthy kitty an extra hug. I bought it for a fellow cat friend.

The concept of this book fascinated me because all of my life I have been surrounded by stray cats. Ever since I was a child, my family have always left food out for our neighborhood strays. Eventually, some of those strays made our backyard their home, regardless of where we have lived. Many, many cats - all with their own names and distinct personalities - have shared our yards and our lives. Some for fleeting moments, some for many years. We even have photos of some of these cats in our family photo albums, because they were like a family. Even now at their present home, my family has a colony of about 15 cats living in their yard. The numbers vary as they come and go as they please. Some never return. Like the cats in this book, many have met with sad ends - not due to coyotes, but mostly to cars and human cruelty in the form of poisonings. But the cats that remain are loved and fed, their antics entertain us, and they are buried properly when they die.

My mom has been trapping and taking all the strays that she can to be spayed and neutered for years now. I didn't even know it had a name (trap-neuter-release). It is hard work, though, because of her extremely limited financial resources and uncooperative or unable animal welfare agencies. The Humane Society of Miami, where we used to take some of the strays for low-cost neutering years ago, no longer performs this service for stray cats (only for those that are adopted from them), which I find unbelievable, as what can be more humane to an animal than to neuter it and prevent the inevitable suffering of their unwanted (by humans) litters?

Instead, they refer us to the city Animal Control, who has recently put a limit on the number of cats a single person can take in to be neutered. They also used to have a mobile trailer that went to different points in the city throughout the month to have cats neutered at free or low cost, but due to budget cutbacks this service has also been discontinued. My mom has had to fight tooth and nail and written to everyone from the mayor to the directors of the Animal Control simply to get permission to neuter a few more cats. My mom cannot afford to do this at a private vet's office, and she knows of no private vets nearby that provide this service for free or at a cost as low as the Animal Control. It's too bad that these agencies are unwilling to help the very animals they are supposed to protect.

Back to the book. It's a great book! Like another reviewer mentioned, if you only love purebred cats and see them as a status symbol, then this isn't for you. This is for true cat lovers who see as much beauty in a scraggly little stray kitten as in an expensive purebred Angora. The photographs are striking, but what I enjoyed most was actually the text. At the end of the book, the poignant stories of some of these cat characters are offered. Some have happy endings, some do not. But they are nevertheless fascinating to read. I would have read a whole book worth of them.

I think it's especially important to have a person who hates cats or at the least thinks they don't have as much personality as dogs to read this book. It will show them just how much love, loyalty, and devotion cats can truly have towards each other, and how intelligent and resourceful they can be. Most importantly, it should tug at the heartstrings and inspire feelings of compassion in people so that they stop needlessly hurting and killing these little animals. They need to stop seeing them simply as nuisances or pests, and more as creatures like us: with real families and real feelings, who mourn the loss of their relatives and would fight to the death to defend them.

Photographer Knox and freelance writer Sara Neeley have teamed up to produce a stunning, poignant photo essay highlighting the beauty of the hidden world of alley cats. Knox, well known for his gritty urban photojournalism, was inspired to photograph the feral survivors he encountered in his work. He soon uncovered a complex underground family structure of cats surviving the clash between nature and modern civilization. The authors readily acknowledge that this book shows only a sunny glimpse at the brutal life of street cats (for "who would buy a book that accurately showed the suffering" they endure?), but their purpose is to document this world and inspire citizens to make small changes, including spaying and neutering both domestic and feral animals.

This is a great book if you are going to embark on building a house. The author is very good at outlining things and it is also not boring. I've highlighted so many things in the book that I didn't know and need to consider or do. A must have for anyone who is going to build a new house or tackle a large renovation!

As a building professional (licensed general contractor since 1991), I think that this book by Amy Johnston is an excellent resource in preparing a person to undertake a building project. The book is chock full of practical, insightful information that gives consumers a 'peek behind the curtain' of building contractors, as well as the building process in general.

Over the years, I have heard of many construction horror stories and am dismayed to see builders with great marketing but little integrity continue to do project after project. If more consumers would take the time and effort to educate themselves about the building process, there would be far less 'money pit' experiences on building projects. This book makes it easy to be an informed consumer.

This book was an excellent resource - helps make you a more savvy owner. You will better understand both the process and the contractor's mindset. Good guidance on where to focus and how to avoid pitfalls.
Would also recommend Hiring Contractors Without Going through Hell.

there are thousands of books on the general subject of home renovation. for the important steps that take you from idea/dream to budgeted plan and actual work, this is the perfect guide. ms. johnston is a rare author whose main objectives are to inform and support. readers of this book, if they're anything like my partner and me, will be empowered to pursue their ideas in a realistic, fiscally disciplined way. after reading ms. johnston's book, we feel like agents or real participants in renovating our home, and not hope-filled homeowners eager to make someone else's labor work for us. we know what work we can do, and what work we need someone else to do. this is an excellent place to begin planning an addition or home renovation. it's a text you can return to again and again throughout your process. (i understand that a revised edition will be published in january 2008. i have the first edition, and will buy the new one. these comments refer to the original edition.)

I read and I reread this book often. We are getting ready to build and this is one of the most helpful reads that I have found. If you buy this book, you WILL stay one step ahead of the game.

Not your typical how-to-write book, but rather as the subtitle indicates, how-to survive and thrive as a writer. As I read, chapter to chapter, there were numerous times when I felt as if the author was speaking directly to me. All of the time, I felt I was receiving sage advice from someone who had been there, done that and come out the other side; someone further along the path willing to take a moment and share from his own struggles and successes in overcoming the various problems writers encounter on their writing and publishing journeys.

This is book is going on my books-on-writing keeper shelf. I highly recommend it to anyone who writes or wants to write.

One of my goals is to read every book on writing. I'm into my fourth year. There are very few books now that catch me by surprise and say something different. Rogers' book,

Of all the books I've read on writing, and there have been many, this is the one that addressed my real problem; my fear of not being able to summon up enough self-desipline to write my story. If this describes you...read this book. With the loving approach of a kind-hearted surgeon, Rogers gently pulls back the layers of writer's angst to uncover the size and shape of your particular "tumor". He then gives you, not feel-good pep talks, but practical excercises that liberate you from your black mass. I'm confident I will finish my book and be published, and when I am, Bruce Holland Rogers will be listed in my acknowledgements.

Book from a professional fantasy-writer and teacher (creative writing). The book contains columns, with advice how to avoid the slushpile of daily chores and keep at it, keep following the serious urge to write. This book adresses the possible emotional and psychological needs of the would-be-writer who wants to endure and stick to his writing.
As this is a book of columns, pieces which appeared earlier in a serialized form, there are some minor points which the reader needs to remember when using Bruge Rogers book as a guide to a writers existence.. Writing as the ancient rethorians maintained is as much about grammar, logic and ethos as it is about pathos (emotions).
Many aspiring authors do not lack ideas, but they do not know how to express themselves, or have not gained mastery of language as a working tool.
A book to buy if you are not looking for a work on the art of writing, mastery of language, style and the logic of building a narrative.

As a beginner who has been trying to stop procastinating, and start writing - I'd almost given up hope. After two years and having read at least a dozen how-to books on the writing craft, I gained a lot of knowledge on how to write. After reading Word Work I finally gained the knowledge that allowed me to write. In Word Work, Bruce Holland Rogers takes your fears and concerns about writing and buries them. He explained why I was procastinating and gave me the techniques to overcome it. Rogers takes all the excuses we give ourselves about why we can't find time to write and he shoots them down one by one.

This book is a must for all of you who say: "One day I'm going to write a novel", and for those of you who have lost your way. I highly recommend it