Works Books

While Stephen Charnock was a Puritan, this book is a product of the enlightenment.

For its time, this is a well written and quite thorough work on the attributes and existence of God. Charnock's comment on the existence of God (among others), "I shall further promise this, that the folly of atheism is evidenced by the light of reason" supports that the context of his thinking is the age of enlightenment - the age of reason. This is not necessarily a negative - in fact it is a positive in that it is an answer to the enlightenment providing strong arguments that one can be a person of faith and still be a person of reason - because God is a God of reason. In effect he turns the tables on his detractors and argues that to not believe in the existence of God is, to in fact, lack reason.

The attributes covered are:

God as Spirit; (followed by a chapter on spiritual worship)
The eternity of God;
The immutability of God;
God's omni-presence;
God's knowledge;
The wisdom of God.

On the existence of God he argues against atheism. The approach Charnock takes is to first assert and prove the existence of God, then relate what his his attributes are based on his existence. If he exists then he is spirit, he is omnipresent, he is eternal, immutable, and wise, etc.

Due to the context and age of the work - the reader will need to translate it in to the present and tweak it a bit to make it applicable for the 21st century - not that it is not applicable but that we are not in the enlightenment age anymore. One will need to absorb what is said, turn it over inside and then present it to others in a way they will receive.

This is a rare privilege. To own a Puritan from the 17th Century's work, is really an honor. The author of this book knew nothing of computers, lexicons, cd-roms, - all the modern gadgetry we have at our disposal. Yet he still exceeds in literary excellence, theological consistency and God-honoring exegesis compared to publications that are available from modern wisdom and prudence. He was chaplain to Oliver Cromwell.

'But what if the foreknowledge of God, and the liberty of the will, cannot be fully reconciled by man? Shall we therefore deny a perfection in God to support a liberty in ourselves? Shall we rather fasten ignorance upon God, and accuse Him of blindness, to maintain our liberty?' pg450

The chapter on 'The Goodness of God' is so beautiful. It inspired and reinvigorated me. The Puritans held such a high view of God. Everything they did and said was Theocentric. The fruits of their labor was produced under great trials, and yet this only seemed to spur them on to greater holiness. And so their legacy reaches our day and their spiritual vigor inflames our hearts anew.

A huge book and collosal work.

I have been looking for an excellent book to help me understand and get some insight into the attributes and nature of our God. This book definitely does the trick and make me really satisfactory. I do give it a 5.0 rating because of its excellency and in depth. One thing you should know of is the dated English style of the author. It was written in the 17th century, so it is somewhat difficult for me, especially as a foreigner, to read and understand his writing. From what I have read, the author had done an excellent work. I highly recommend this book for everyone who want to know God better and better.

Mr. Charnok's logic is impeccable, his prose beautiful, his inspiration Godly and the value of his contribution beyond measure. My only regret is that the publisher decided to single space the small type of this large corpus. This generated eye fatigue for my aging optical organs. However, as testamony to the works greatness I found the discomforts were far outweighed by the spiritual rewards. I plan to purchase a copy for my pastor. It will enrich the lives of the layman and set fire to the words from the pulpit.

Words really fail to describe how breathtaking this book is. Not mainly because of the author, but because of the subject - God himself. I can't think of any book I've read that has left me more stunned and awed by God and his majesty. Charnock was a Puritan, so this book may be cumbersome to those unaccustomed to Elizabethan English. But if you can handle the KJV, you can handle this. It is also a comprehensive book - long, despite the fact that the chapters are really just lengthy meditations put in a sermonic form. Characteristically Puritan, Charnock begins each chapter with the exposition of a text, then develops its "doctrine," bridging into a lengthy theological study on one of God's attributes, finally ending on the "use" or application. The application sections are especially helpful and heart-searching, but really all of it is good. Though, I must confess I've not read it all (this book must be 1200 pages long!), I've benefited from the hours I've spent in these pages. No human author will ever write an exhaustive study on the character of God, but I can't imagine anyone coming closer to it than Charnock. This is a powerful, powerful book!

This is a wonderful commentary on Don Quixote. The authors provide a historical context in relation to other contemporary works (e.g. Montaigne's Essays, Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel), the literary genres that were popular (pastoral and picaresque works) and Cervantes' life. The authors discuss the many layers of complexity of DQ and how/why it was ahead of its time. Fighting Windmills (I love the title) touches on major aspects of DQ, for example the interactions between DQ and Sancho, the complexity of Dulcinea's character, the contrast between Dulcinea and Teresa Panza, the fact that the characters change over time, etc., The later chapters mention how DQ has influenced other works of literature over time. Fighting Windmills deals with plenty of material in a clear, concise way at a fast pace. This the way literary criticism should be: interesting, informative, accessible and profound. The authors clearly made an effort to enlighten the reader, to make him/her go and read DQ. No boring or obscure prose here. What an example to other literay critics!! Last, but not least, it has a beautiful jacket illustration that is a joy to look at. Great work! Fighting Windmills should be made into a nicer edition with better quality paper.

Just finished reading Fighting Windmills and enjoyed so much learning about the life and times of Cervantes and his influence on the modern novel. It is an easy read for the literary novice, while at the same time, it provides many thought provoking ideas for literature buffs.

For those with literary inclinations though unfamiliar with Cervantes and his "Don Quixote", reading "Fighting Windmills," by Fay Rogg and Manuel Duran, is a most worthwhile endeavor. Even those who have read or studied "Don Quixote" will benefit from this unique piece of literary criticism. What the Rogg/Duran work wroughts in an engaging fashion are an encapuled view of the journey taken, a penetrating analysis of the two main travelers - the glorious Knight errant and his faithful companion,
Sancho - and their interaction.

At the onset we learn about Cervantes himself, his life experiences and their effect on the novel he creates. Then the body of his creation is delineated in detail and dissected by skillful surgeons, stressing its unprecedented departure from the prior art.

Finally, the stage is set for the climax - the pervasive impact of "Don Quixote" on the development of western literature. Like a heavenly body that zooms through earth's upper atmosphere once every 500 years, Cervantes' book, as the first truly modern novel, becomes the guiding light for many famous authors who follow in his orbit. From Voltaire to Melville, from Flaubert to Twain and beyond, novelists, playwrites and even filmmakers have been consciously and subconsciously influenced by the great Spanard for the better.

If there is a flaw in "Fighting Windmills", it attempts to do too much in too short a space. While well-written and organized, its message fragments at times in its long reach through literary history. Easy assimilation of numerous digested novels and their parallelism to Cervantes' classic could prove daunting to those having a scant background in literature.

Yet, all and all, "Fighting Windmills" delivers to the public where most academic books fail. First of all, it is written in language that flows gracefully and is understandable to a lay audience. Secondly, it is highly informative - we learn much at the feet of these masters. Afterwards, one almost feels he or she has been admitted to the ranks of the erudite without having to negotiate the shoals of graduate school. And for budding authors, this book gives a glimpse at the creative-writing techniques of a superior craftsman. Buy it and enjoy the read.

Ken Cascone
Manhattan corporate attorney and author of two novels:
"River of Triumph" and "Island Paradise"

Not only is Fighting Windmills a great story about a great story, but it is a pleasant and enlightening journey down literature lane with Don Quixote and his faithful sidekick.

When writing about Cervantes most writers fall into one of these categories: either too scholarly or too populist. I found "Fighting Windmills" to balance these tendencies to perfection, making a thoroughly researched book easily accessible to the lay reader. One of the most interesting points is that the authors cover not only Cervantes and Don Quixote in their epoch, but their influence in the Western Civilization through the ages. Most pleasant reading, even for a Spaniard.

This is great. Shows cheeses at different ages which is one of the most interesting points and makes this very unique as a reference book. If your in the business its a must have.

When I was a child and the milk soured, my ever-frugal mother would set it aside in a bowl and allow it to continue it's transformation into something wild and strange. When the curds and the whey separated, she would pour the contents into a cheese cloth stretched across a strainer and then gather and lift the cloth and squeeze the exess fluid from the curds. We ate the cheese as is...a form of "cottage" cheese I suppose. I was reminded of this when I read FRENCH CHEESES from Eyewitness Handbooks which contains a short history of cheese-making in the front section of the book.

I like this book, and since I am not a cheese expert, I cannot say whether it will make one an expert or not, but it has enlightened me a bit as I continue to experiment with the various kinds of cheeses available in the gourmet section of the grocery stores and the delicatesson in our neighborhood.

I have eaten various cheeses in Paris and other parts of Europe, and thought them better than anything I can buy in the States though I have eaten "fancy" cheeses in some upscale restaurants. I realize the French and others use unpasturized or raw milk in many of their cheeses and the U.S. frowns on the use of untreated milk so perhaps this is a factor. CHEESES identifies cooked versus raw versions.

However, many of the cheeses in this book are not found in U.S. stores because a limited supply exists and/or the product is consumed or sold locally. Generally these are artisanal cheeses (made by hand). CHEESES includes a map showing the farm areas of France and each cheese entry pinpoints the geographic location of the product. You can match the map with the cheese of interest to you and perhaps search for it on your next excursion to the French countryside. In the meantime, the list of producers in the appendix may prove helpful.

I collect field guides and what attracts me to some is the clever layout and design. This volume is in a class by itself and unlike some guides, the text was so informative that i could not put it dowm.
Should receive 6 stars out of 5.

As mentioned in previous reviews, this book does a great job of referencing hundreds of cheeses from France, providing photographs, descriptions, and wine recommendations. In these areas, it does a fantastic job. I've learned a lot reading it and I can't wait to take it with me on my next trip to France.

I wish the book gave more guidance on the tastes of the different cheeses and how you might select them. For example, if I like Brie and wanted to try a different nice mellow soft cheese, what might be recommended? This book isn't organized to help answer questions like that.

Overall, an important book for anybody serious about cheese.

Living in France, I am always making the acquaintance of cheeses I had never before known existed. I always scurry to find this book, and look up the tasty morcel I've just consumed. It's great for learning the basics about various cheeses -- and, as noted by other reviewers -- the photos are divine, but it's not the sort of book one takes into the bath to pore over for hours at a time. Put it on your shelf next to your dictionary and thesaurus; it's that useful!

From Cinderella to CEO was a great read, a lot of fun; Full of good advice. If you've had a job, you'll see yourself in many of the stories; I know I did. This would be a wonderful gift for a new graduate.

Cary's delightful journey into all the archetypes that fairy tales present helps us realize that the big bad wolf, the wicked witch and the trolls under the bridge whom we encounter at work can be sidestepped to our advantage--and gracefully.

She taps the age-old wisdom that helps us find our path safely through the forest of the corporate world. I've known Cary since she was about 10 years old, and she's always been wonderfully refreshing. The same Cary shines through in Cinderella to CEO .
Patrice Dickey, author of BACK TO THE GARDEN: Getting from Shadow to Joy

Cary Broussard's terrific new business book is filled with straightforward and powerful advice on how to get where you want to go in business. The great thing is that she does it by using our favorite fairy tales as metaphors for life in business. She takes us back to a time (our childhood) when we believed that anything was possible. By taking us there, she makes us see that in fact almost anything really is. It's a book, you'll come back over and over again.

Absolutely loved it! This book is a great tool for a woman at any point in her career. It's appropriate for men too!

I started the book and finished it over the weekend. I wasn't expecting to want to read the book cover to cover, but I couldn't help it! I am buying this book for all my girlfriends for Christmas.

At last a guidebook for women with heart disease by someone who's 'been there'! As a Cardiac Rehabilitation nurse and heart attack survivor, I can attest to the validity of Kathy Kastan's experiences, information, and advice. Patients will find this an invaluable guide to understanding their fears, emotions, conflicts and struggles. While writing from a first person viewpoint, Kathy brings home the impact of heart disease in an understandable and empathetic voice with which readers will instantly identify. I had many "oh, yes, that's so true" moments; the knowledge that another woman walked this path and is such an example of survival is a powerful and motivating message. From the Heart is a must read for medical caregivers of women with heart disease as it provides unique insight and understanding of the hurdles and experiences women endure from event to recovery. I will encourage all my patients and thier families to begin reading this upon diagnosis and throughout their rehabilitation. It is an identifiable,informative,and empowering source of affirmation that recovery and renewal is within our grasp. Ann de Velasco, R.N.

Heart disease is the number one health threat that women face and yet, many women are still unaware of their risks and most don't think it will strike them. And once it does strike, it is often misunderstood since women's symptoms and experiences are often different than men.

Kathy Kastan is to be commended for putting her story, and the stories of other women, into a resource that is motivating, realistic, comprehensive and consistent with current health care recommendations for women with heart disease. It is a book that can help everyone (including health professionals) understand the life changing experience of being diagnosed with heart disease and learn how to re-invent themselves during their healing process.

Many thanks to Kathy for putting her story, and the stories of others, in print! It truly is a guide to not only surviving with heart disease but living life again.

I do not have heart disease, but found this book to be a tremendous resource with practical information for how to be in touch with oneself and go on after any life altering event. It offers valuable insights from the author as well as other people about coping with challenges in life and how to deal effectively with interpersonal relationships (family, friends and workplace). It is also a great resource for support services and provides information about the law pertaining to discrimination based on health issues, so that people can become better advocates for themselves. This book is as useful as a therapist. What a bargain!

FROM THE HEART: A WOMAN'S GUIDE TO LIVING WELL WITH HEART DISEASE comes from an author who underwent emergency bypass surgery at age 42 - and who had to not only physically recover, but had to find new ways to recover emotionally. It's the first written for women to focus on the emotional repercussions of heart disease rather than just physical symptoms and recovery alone, and surveys topics ranging from regaining a strong self-image and handling fears to telling others about illness and learning to rely upon one's body once more. From gaining support to learning how to exercise without fear, FROM THE HEART is an essential reference any women facing heart disease will need, and should be a popular public library lend.

This book is written by a woman, for a female audience. And that's just fine. But in reading it I find that only a small part of the book could be restricted to women only. Things like risk factors are just about the same.

The first risk factor is 'Age fifty-five or older, and postmenopausal.' For men this might read age fifty, and of course postmenopausal doesn't enter into it. But then the rest of the risk factors: blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, family history, weight, exercise, diet -- are identical.

Accepting the few differences in men and women, this is an excellent book on both the technical aspects (i.e. risk factors) and the emotional aspects (i.e. relationships with friends and family) - we men are not that different.

Having completed a B.A. degree in youth ministry, no textbook was more influential for my ministry than this one. I read it again and again to remember why I chose the career path I did. Far from explaining "how to" of "what", this book inspires the reader to answer the question "why". Not a model of ministry, but a theology of transforming lives. Reading this book helps me remember my roots. A practical guide to build a foundation of incarnational theology to youth. In other words, this book helps its reader live as Jesus calls us to.

Working with teenagers in a Catholic highschool, I needed this information and all the stories that went with each theme.I not only was encouraged and inspired by this book,but informed so that I can share this information with those who teach in my department. THANK YOU!

This book, more than any other I have read to date, describes the changes that must take place as youth ministry enters the 21st century. The authors focus upon the necessity of having spiritual, youth relationships rather than just social, youth recreation. The crying need today is for churches to minister as only they can do to the emptiness young people face in their lives. Rather than competing with secular programming, Christian youth ministries are called to offer something entirely different from the secular world.

The authors describe in detail various measures to be taken that will energize youth in their Christian faith. This title is far from a book of programming ideas, but rather a very readable volume of philosophy and theology on youth ministry. I recommend it highly to all youth pastors, and other Christian professionals who will interact with teenagers on a regular basis.

This book reminds those in youth ministry why we are here: to be "God-bearers" to the youth whose lives we are entrusted with. This book is not about methods, how to grow a youth groups, or how to impress the rest of your church. This book is about realizing that at the core, youth ministry exists in order that we can form authentic relationships with young people. This book is a great read for a new youth pastor in order to make sure you have the correct focus in ministry. It would also make an exceptionally good read for the youth pastor who doesn't feel "successful" in youth ministry. Reading this book will encourage you and strip you away from the pragmatic standards of success and remind you that youth ministry only needs to have one authentic relationship with a young person in order for it to be successful.

I didn't give this book five stars because of the way in which it deals with Mary and some of the extra-biblical assumptions it makes. I found this part to be molded to fit the authors' desired point. Neverthless, this was a fairly minor drawback for me and I believe that every youth minister needs to read this book.

While the focus is on youth ministry, the ideas and principles in this book should be read by anybody who is a minister within the church. The "radical" idea of the book is that the church should be focused on changing the heart of people and society in order for all people to reach and strive for a relationship with God.
If you are looking for another gimmick in order to make a youth ministry program grow, this book is not for you. If you are looking for a book in how to minister to youth, thier families and the people who work with them, then this needs to be on your shelf.

All of the images in this book are noteworthy; some are truly spectacular. The only thing that the various images have in common is that the images cannot be seen by an unaided human eye; the images span from the microscopic to astronomic. Considering the quality of the images in this book, it's too bad that the paperback version is so small (under 9x6). Given the quality of these images, the larger size of the hardback would have been well worthwhile the slightly higher price.

The pictures are beautiful, varied, and amazing. Looking at them I felt the wonder of being a human in the universe. This is completely sappy as a review, I know, but the photos are of wonderful things, most of which you can't see any other way than in a photo (because they would require special microscopes or telescopes or other equipment or an unusual place to stand to take the picture).

The book makes a good gift too.

This is a superb book. I'm 73 with a scientific background and still very active in my field. The book has also been devoured by my 3 teenage grandchildren. They have been fascinated. The photographs are outstanding. The brief text for each picture is well written, succinct, relevant, interesting and scientifically accurate. I found the introduction stimulating and thought provoking. It's a great book. I'm glad I found it.

This is a facinating book that both my husband and I could not put down. Highly recommended.

This book contains one of the best set of images I have ever seen. There are pictures of different subjects on a whole variety of scales and colours, which are fantastic design sources for many arty/crafty people who lack inspiration for various projects. Some images are unidentifyable and are impossible to understand without reading the blurbs - I spent a while guessing what some of the pictures were & quite often got them completely wrong. It's one of those books which make you realise that you are glad that you cannot see to microscopic levels, especially of bedbugs & flies etc..! Well worth getting & some amazing photography.

I work at a Production company and a lot of contracts we hand to outside lawyers, but this is a good tool for me because it goes into details and discusses each point in a contract. This is something I'd love to have had many years ago, when I just got started in the business, and now that I have it, I am learning a lot of new things. There isn't any other book out there- quite like this.

Best book I ever bought dealing with the industry, bar none! I can't believe it's under $20!

Good but I liked the lingo section in the book Twelve Step Plan To Becoming an actor in LA but it was definetly helpfulGood Read

Josh Simon CAlifornia

This is a great resource for dealmaking, but most actors and writers that I know aren't negotiating their own deals. The trick is to get your agent to work harder at creating opportunities, so that they actually have deals to make. Yes, your agent should read this book ... but for myself, as an actor/writer the book HOW TO AGENT YOUR AGENT...is my bible. It helps me kick my agents in the butt ( without them knowing)and I get results...they're working harder and I'm getting work. Also I liked that book with all the casting directors pictures...just in case you see them in Starbucks and want to say hello.

THIS IS THE MOST USEFUL BOOK I HAVE SEEN ON THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. BEST DEAL-MAKING BOOK ON THE MARKET. 5 STARS!

It was great to find this. My husband read it as a boy and wanted to find a copy to read to our sons.

This is a touching story written from the perspective of a little Chinese boy and his journey home through war raveged territory. I've read it over 5 times (including each year to my 5th grade class) and it's sweetneess still brings tears to my eyes.

Boys can be picky readers, so I always take notes if they actually love a book. My 8 year old carried this book everywhere and told be about it every night for a week. Besides Redwall or Harry Potter, this is the first book he has raved about.

I read this book aloud to my sixth grade reading class. They loved it, and always wanted to hear more. Its also a great way to introduce students to some of the history of China, Japan and US involvement in the war there.

I read this book as a child and, in turn, read it to my children. It has a permanent place in our hearts. It is the well written story of a young Chinese boy and his beloved pig, "Glory of the Republic", who get separated from his family and caught behind Japanese lines when Japan invaded China in the late 1930's. It has some very scary moments. It also has tragedy. I think your child should be about 5th or 6th grade to be able to fully appreciate it. But the book will open your eyes as to what it might be like as a child to be caught in a war. The boy does get reunited with his family, but have your kleenex handy. As a parent you will definitely need it at the end.

The contribution of Delai Lama's writing's in this century may give the world a significant change as it struggles in material pleasures of life. May his message of love and peace win over human suffering and bring about a positive change in people.

Author of "A Hot Pot of Roasted Poems"
Editor of "The Blue Fog Journal"
Rohitash Chandra

Like a few other reviewers, I am in the beginning stages of my practice of Buddhism, and I have struggled with some of the concepts I have read about from other authors, lamas, and practitioners. However, when I read this book by the Dalai Lama, the veil was lifted from my eyes and I literally felt the sudden rush of understanding. Never have I meditated on a topic so deep and full of mystery and felt that it had been explained so thoroughly and with such clarity.

The pages just fly by as you get lost in your own thoughts - your world will be literally turned upside down as you proceed through the chapters. This book will have you thinking long after completion and will allow you to experience your life through completely different (and more compassionate and understanding) eyes.

Highly recommended for experienced practitioners, as well as beginners like me who wish to grasp an extremely deep and insightful concept that will not be explained with better clarity.

This was a wonderfully insightful book that challenges you to take a hard look at the "true you". It makes you think on the choices you have made in life, and where you want to go from where you are now. I found this book very enlightening and found great peace in it's reading. I learned many things about myself that I feel have made me want to be a better person, and I believe it has helped put me on that path. I recommend this title to anyone looking for self awareness.

This book asks you to look at the world and yourself in a new way.

As a beginner in Buddhism, this was the first Buddhist book that I read. Before reading this, I had heard of many ways of Buddhist thought through small online writings, but His Holiness' 'How to See Yourself As You Really Are' truly helped me to gain a more meaningful understanding of impermanence, dependent arising, and compassion.
I suggest anyone new to Buddhism and still confused read this book.
Also, I'm currently reading His Holiness' 'The Way to Freedom' and I feel as if It's the perfect thing to read along with 'How to See Yourself As You Really Are'.