Works Books

This is a lovely book with simple, thoughtful passages for the days leading up to Christmas. The passages evoke feelings of centeredness, peace and calm similar to awakening to a beautiful, fresh snowfall.

Good reading from a variety of excellent, trusted writers...Nouwen, Bonhoeffer, Manning, etc. all offer reflections on the Advent/Christmas season that will make you go deeper...

Personally, I struggle with reading during this time of year due to busy schedule but I have found this daily digest a perfect way to enhance my Advent season of waiting...

This book features a wide array of Christmas messages--old and new. This book will inspire you and make you think about the true meaning of Christmas. This book also makes a GREAT gift.

Also recommended:
Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices--heartbreaking yet inspiring
A Stranger for Christmas--a warm and cosy story for the holidays

Like a kid counting down the days until Christmas, I took a spiritual journey by reading the days until Christmas. My guide, Watch for the
light. Cheaper than a real journey...no stops for gas , no waiting in line. Pop open the book's cover and begin to read. Some funny stories, some poetry, some known authors and some not so well known, all leading the way to Christmas. When Christmas comes, you will be ready.

I love that this series, including "Bread and Wine:Readings for Lent and Easter," because it challeneges our complacent culture-dictated experience of Advent and Easter. This is not a feel-good book, it is a faith-building book. Be prepared to be shaken up and for God to meet you in a new way.

I bought copies for my friends and family. Everyone loved it!

The diversity of authors come together in surprising unity. This broadened my perspective and made me want to find books written by the individual authors. I also loved that the authors are from all points in history and geography. An experience like this is what all of us in the US need.

After my wife and I found out we were pregnant we bought half a dozen different books from Amazon about pregnancy. The two types of books we were looking for were those that track what's going on with the development of the baby and the other type was books that said what my wife's body was going to be going through. For the second book, what to expect when you're expecting has seemed to work the best, but for the one tracking the baby's development, Watch Me Grow has been our favorite. It tracks the development week by week, and short and straight to the point. Another resource we found online was a website called BabyCenter.com. We signed up for a newsletter that sends the same kind of info this book has every week to tell us about what's up with the kid.

I didn't find this book until my second pregnancy. It is very informative and the pictures are captivating. This book, along with the NOVA Miracle Months dvd, helped to explain to my older daughter (6 at the time) all about the developmental stages that her unborn sister was undergoing. I have since shared this book with many other women in my workplace. I al so keep a copy or 2 on hand to give to friends and family as soon as I hear that they are pregnant. The earlier in a pregnancy that this book is received, the more it can be enjoyed :)

The product was received in excellent condition. I was very satisfied with the delivery, and the book. I've purchased several pregnancy books over the years, but this book shows details I'd never seen before. Thanks! I would definately recommend the seller to other online shoppers. I'll definately refer others to shop online with Amazon.com as well.

This book has very good week-by-week illustrations. This is my first baby so my husband and I enjoy looking at the pictures each week and "seeing" what our baby looks like in the womb.

I live 2,000 miles from my pregnant daughter and this book helps me feel a part of her pregnancy. The information is great and not too much. The photos are unbelievable! I absolutely recommend this book!

This is GREAT! Well, done! Brava!!!

I wish I had read this book earlier, for many reasons! One, because it will make a fabulous gift for my friends, mom, aunts, etc. And also because it has some really practical advice for dilemmas I have found myself in! I definitely recommend this book, for yourself or as a gift for the women in your life!

This is such a fun book. The author basically tells us how to do stuff without being boring and its one how to book that I'm planning on keeping. This is a great book for anyone. I highly recommend it.

This book is a perfect college graduation gift, or for a friend just moving into her first apartment or house, and/or your mom. It's one of those books that should be left out for frequent browsing. The writing is fun, the topics are useful. Ladies who've read this book will seem to be more clever than their friends, which is always fun.

This book is a must, especially for women! The information is practical and the writers have a witty style that keeps your attention and makes you want more! I learned so much about the things most people my age are afraid to ask or are too embarrassed to say they don't know by now. Hats off to you, Elizabeth and Elizabeth!

This book is a must, especially for women! The information is practical and the writers have a witty style that keeps your attention and makes you want more! I learned so much about the things most people my age are afraid to ask or are too embarrassed to say they don't know by now. Hats off to you, Elizabeth and Elizabeth!

This is a wonderful book for anyone with a loved one that has a mental illness!

It was as if the author had spent the last several years watching our lives and was coaching from the sidelines. A must read for those in the same situation.

The book is good. After seeing 2 other specialist and as time has gone by, we have been fortunate to realize that initial diagnosis was wrong.
Please NEVER stay with one single opinion in cases like this.
I felt like I died for a month after hearing the first diagnose. It was wrong.I will neither get those days back nor erase the pain and stress it caused at the time. It is over and that is a ggod thing. Get a second, third, forth opinion. God Bless.

This is probably the best book available for the family members of someone with a mental illness. It includes comprehensive information and practical suggestions for coping with a severe mental illness in a loved one. Highly recommended!

This is a handbook for families, friends, and caregivers of those with mental illness. It provides clear-cut guidelines, with chapter summaries laid out in useful, easy-to-read charts that include specific suggestions. Very practical, very informative. Covers about any topic related to mental illness you can think of. This book should be required reading for anyone dealing with a loved one with mental illness.

I am so glad to have found Mary Oliver. I love her intimate relationship with nature. Her poetry makes me feel close to her, to nature, and to life in general. I benefit by her observations and insight.

I have already shared this book at my Book Club, at a women's retreat, and with friends. What a joy to read.

this book is so lovely I only wish I had the means to give as a gift to all my most cherished friends. Mary Oliver has certainly given it to us. I lived 7 years in Provincetown, read clips in the newspaper and NEVER knew she also lived there...somewhere, tucked into a niche of beauty. Ms. Charley Stites

I really don't know much about poetry, except that I like that it seems to be less fettered by rules. I like it for its rhythms and possibility and for its hope. A friend showed me a poem of Mary Oliver's this spring, This Morning I Watched the Deer, and I thought more people will read poetry if they are shown this poem.

Savoring Mary Oliver's poems bring me joy, they are a respite from the news of our times and a balm to my soul. The theme throughout this book is to pay attention, to stop and watch and be amazed.

Look and See
This morning, at waterside, a sparrow flew
to a water rock and landed, by error, on the back
of an eider duck; lightly it fluttered off, amused.
The duck, too, was not provoked,but, you might say, was
laughing.

This afternoon a gull sailing over
our house was casually scratching
its stomach of white feathers with one
pink foot as it flew.

Oh Lord, how shining and festive is your gift to us, if we
only look, and see.


Last night I attended a talk at The Wisconsin Book Festival by Rick Bass and Terry Tempest Williams. Their theme was to not only pay attention to the wonders of nature, but to pay attention to what is happening to it, local warming, the lack of water in the West, the disruption of migration patterns and habitat. Pay Attention.

Anything Cindy Laferle writes will predictably bring you home to what matters most: living gently, simply, with an open mind, a loving heart, and greater appreciation for life. Cindy's words have never failed to inspire me. In fact, on more occasions than I can name, her words have brought me to grateful tears. Her reflections on home, family, and parenting, especially, deeply touch the heart. This collection of essays will fast become one of your favorites. It is one of mine. It makes a wonderful gift book as well.

This book of domestic essays by Michigan journalist Cindy LaFerle is a major delight. The rich topic of LaFerle's family life, from delivering newspapers on dark Sunday mornings with her son to remodeling her historic home and baking bread for peace, is comfort food without the calories. The essays pair especially well with a warm cup of tea on a cold afternoon. LaFerle's calm and compassionate humor will remind readers to be grateful for the many blessings of home.

From the preface: "At a writers' retreat I attended several years ago, author Madeleine L'Engle posed a question, "Why do all of us want to share our stories?" Her answer affirmed what each of us knew but couldn't express as elegantly: "We share our stories because we have faith--faith the universe has meaning and that our little lives are not irrelevant." I found this profound and wanted to read deeper.

Cindy has put together some wonderfully arranged thematic essays. The essays are funny, poignant and show a slice of life. The essays are fun reading them in book sequence or skipping around (Sorry Cindy. You probably wanted them read in the sequence published.). I enjoyed reading them.

Cindy's writing style in this book is like a conversation between friends. There is a sense of humor mixed with plain down to earth speech and common everyday situations that anyone can relate to. Most essays are short, easy and fun to read.

The Christian Science Monitor, Reader's Digest, Country Gardens, Writer's Digest, The Oakland Press and The Royal Oak Daily Tribune have all published Cindy's essays and columns. Cindy lives in her home town, Royal Oak, Michigan, with her family.

I found this book easy and fun to read. I don't know when these essays were first published, but they just a relevant. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone wanting something entertaining to read. Since there a re a series of essays, there is no real need to rush, reading from cover to cover. You can pick up this book at anytime and read one or more of the essays when you have a few minutes to spare while relaxing. I would rate this book as a great read and worthy of consideration by readers.

Bob Medak, Allbooks Reviews

Cracking open Cindy LaFerle's debut collection of columns and essays is the equivalent of chatting with your best friend at a coffeehouse. She talks about everything under the sun -- from the love of her deceased tabby cat to the ubiquitous mean mommy syndrome we all face at the PTA. Her steady, flowing writing lulls you into the comforts of her world. It's not all rosy, however. Her discussion of the Iraqi War or Martha Stewart's decline are timely issues to be taken seriously. Nonetheless, you feel you are in trusted hands with Ms. LaFerle. She won't let you down. In every one of her 294 pages, she never does.



The book is a compilation of over a decade of newspaper columns in The Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, Michigan) and essays which have appeared in notable magazines such as Readers' Digest and Better Homes and Gardens. Since her background mirriors that of many work from home mothers, she is a highly relatable writer both in intention and in content. Her tone is never preachy. It is truthful and without pretense.



This nurturing scribe has stopped her column. Her local readers in Michigan must mourn the loss of their regular commentator. As she recently sent her only child off to college, she may have been concerned that her home life would not yield a full column's worth. She quotes Aldous Huxley at one point (page 64):



"Everyone who knows how to read has it in their power to magnify themselves, to multiply the ways in which they exist, to make their life full, significant, and interesting."



Cindy LaFerle does that with her writing. She magnifies her own world to make it our own. We can only hope she will be inspired to continue the quest with her pen. Her obvious talent to weave honest, yet striking tales is definitely something to write home about.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends WRITING HOME as a lovely bouquet of womanly thoughts about things little & big, sad & funny, & topical to today's modern life.

Cindy La Ferle's essays are grouped together by subject rather than eras: first she welcomes us into her House and Garden, & then introduces us to the muggy swamp of Child Care; to her Social Life (such as it is being a work-at-home-parent & spouse); to the philosophies of Kitchen Duty, & to her Creature Comforts.

Then she gets as serious as she can about Work Ethics before opening the Family Album. She also shows us how she's Keeping Up Appearance & Keeping the Seasons, & as with all things, she gets Older and Wiser & into Soul Caring.

Oh, & she's into organic produce, herbs, overnight retreats at a Jesuit monastery, walking with her women friends, & a life of prayer & peace. & she likes to laugh!

WRITING HOME is for everywoman who thinks about her world, & would make a perfect reading group selection, & gift, no matter the season!

Very unfortunately, the public at large too often misses out on opportunities to delve more deeply into something with which they are not familiar--in this case, I am talking about videogames. Many people have the idea that games are just about "Mario" or, at the other end of the spectrum, violence and shooting. Having said that, should you ever feel obliged to convince a friend or relative otherwise, to show them that games can be utterly remarkable and intricate works of art and creative thought, look no further than this book!

Conceived in large part by the duo of Kaori Tanaka (illustrator, designer, video game story writer) and Tetsuya Takahashi (director), the story affiliated with Xenogears is truly epic, not only in its ambitious scope, but also because of the utter attention to detail. Perusing this rare book does some part to portray the grandiose vision that these creative minds had. Indeed, I am beginning to understand why Squaresoft (as it was then called) seemed rather reluctant to further develop on this series; while Xeno's following is not as large as that of Final Fantasy, it is easily apparent that the amount of effort and resources needed to do this saga justice could easily rival that of the more popular Final Fantasy franchise. It is a shame we have not been granted the experience of another game in the Xenogears storyline; to this day, I still imagine what those games must feel like.

Taken from a reference at Wikipedia, "The Xenogears Perfect Works [book] contains detailed information of the world where the game is set. It describes the characters, creatures, Gear mechanics, geographical setting, social structures, scientific terms and the history, covering all the supposed six episodes of Xenogears (even if only one episode was published as a game)." As other reviewers have mentioned, if you have played Xenogears before (arguably one of the greatest RPGs of all time) and enjoyed it, then you owe it to yourself to pick up this gem. Even if you do not speak Japanese, and even if you do not like Xenogears, this book is still one of a kind, a true collector's item, and is worth the purchase. 5 Stars for me, without a moment's hesitation!

if you can read Japanese... or even if you cant. If you have played the game through then you must get this book. When I got this book i wanted to read its contents so badly that i took up Japanese and have eventualy been able to decifer the whole thing. So on top of reading the best book ever I have learned a new language to boot. And I will be the first to say that it was well worth it.

if you can read Japanese... or even if you cant. If you have played the game through then you must get this book. When I got this book i wanted to read its contents so badly that i took up Japanese and have eventualy been able to decifer the whole thing. So on top of reading the best book ever I have learned a new language to boot. And I will be the first to say that it was well worth it.

This is quite possibly the most INCREDIBLE Japanese artbook that I own. (And that is saying something; I own QUITE a few)

First off, if you love Xenogears, this book is an absolute MUST-HAVE. Every inch, every *millimeter* of the game is covered in this book. Take note that even though it IS in Japanese text, it is also a very beautiful thick artbook with EVERY official Xenogears artwork ever released between it's covers. All of the origins of everything about Xenogears is in this book, including explanations of the connections between all of the characters, the history and structure of different creatures, places, etc. Even if you know absolutely NO Japanese, buy this book. You won't be disappointed.

Oh yeah, there ARE some translations available online of various parts of the book. :)

This book contains anything and everything you'd ever want to know about Xenogears - from early character sketches to social structure to science to history to geography to thorough and complete background on the characters - ALL of them, meaning, everyone with a portrait.

Xenogears, despite being phenomenally complex for its medium, is a MASSIVE story squashed into a single rpg, and if you know the -true- complexity of the plot and their world, that becomes all the more apparent. So much about the characters and world/universal history were left out. For example, the game never mentioned how Yui and Citan met (which may sound frivolous, but it certainly is not), never told of Citan's brothers and parents, never got past stating one or two facts about Sigurd's past, did not go into Krelian's life before the war at all (did you know that he was originally supposed to assassinate Sophia back in their homeland of Nimrod, but seeing that she was then just a child, he took pity on her and didn't do it?)...really, I could go on for a while, and not just about the individuals we all know and love. PERFECT WORKS contains all this information and more. The text is completely in Japanese - but if you cannot read the language, translations are not too difficult to find online.

The single downside of such a treasure is that the spine is incredibly weak for a book of its size. A page out of mine is loose already, and I barely look at it as it is, in order to preserve it. Do not scan images out of it unless you have another copy, because you will certainly ruin it. You may want to invest in two so that you can have one to continuously look at and one to display.

PERFECT WORKS may become irrelevant in terms of content with the release of Xenosaga, as the new rpg is the starting point of a retelling of the Xenogears tale. However, that makes this book no less valuable, both for sentimentality and as an original. This is something no Xenogears admirer should be without.

With over 30 years of IC pain, I was tolerating only water and green beans until I read this book. The author, an IC sufferer and doctor, includes a wealth of suggestions which I immediately was easily able to incorporate into my diet and life style. Yes, the foods IC sufferers cannot tolerate are listed in her book which I found very helpful!

As a high school teacher and a mother of a medical doctor, the knowledge I acquired in this book led me to a FOOD SUPPLEMENT which has STOPPED my IC pain-it's been over 8 years that I have been taking this, not to mention no more neck and back pain, severe menstrual pain, a decrease in allergies, a clearer complexion, etc. YES! - A miracle food supplement for me! Prior to the discovery of this food supplement, my urologist offered an option of removing my bladder and wearing an external bag! I was about to give up teaching because I felt like a zombie from the IC pain that awakened me every hour during the night, let alone, all the trips to the lavatory in between every high school class period! The food/drink/vitamin information in this book and the food supplement I discovered have stopped the IC pain, as well as other pain.

What a fabulous domino effect! I started noticing that this same food supplement was stopping other pains! Prior to my taking this food supplement, the orthopedist recommended that I have neck and back surgery after years of recurrent episodes of excruciating pain when repeated physical therapy sessions and pain medications failed to provide relief. To avoid surgery, I went to a chiropractor for the first time in my life which continued for five years with therapy visits required every two months to stay pain free. I then went to a neurologist for a second opinion of the chiropractor's progress on my neck and back. The neurologist said I would always need to be under the chiropractor's care if I was to avoid the neck and back surgery . . . until the FOOD SUPPLEMENT stopped my neck and back pain! I have not seen my chiropractor in over 8 years or any other doctor for neck and back pain since taking this food supplement!!!

I take one tablet after breakfast every day and I am pain free!!! Basically, it is a naturally-occurring substance in everyone's body that feeds the nerve endings so that they are healthy and pain free; but, in some people this substance does not replenish itself as fast as the body expends it and, thus, the pain. This food supplement is a naturally-occurring source of organically-bound dietary sulfur that replenishes this deficit without side effects. It contains no solvents, sugar, salt, yeast, wheat, corn, dairy products, coloring, flavoring, or preservatives.

A well-known urogynecologist in Connecticut who sees many IC patients refers her IC patients to me to supply them with this food supplement.

...

Thank you, Dr. Gillespie, for the knowledge in your book is what led me to discover this food supplement which has returned me to a normal life!!! I have been able to continue teaching which has allowed me to provide the financial support to meet the educational needs of my son who is now a Physical Education teacher and my daughter who is graduating this May from the University of Connecticut Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut, as a medical doctor and to support my husband as he was caught up in the corporate buyouts and found himself unemployed until he changed careers and is now a U.S. Post Office employee. I can only imagine where my family and I would be had I not read your book!

You will refer to her book over and over again - as I have!!!

I suffered from recurrent bladder infections and the excrutiating symptoms even without the presence of bacterial infection for many years. I had massive long term antibiotic therapy, surgical procedures and saw several urologists - all without relief. My mother gave me this book in 1988 and I am so grateful to her and to Dr. Gillespie. This book changed my life! I now understand my condition and can manage it. Many doctors are unaware of IC or believe it to be very rare (it's not as rare as they think!). I still get 1-2 infections a year, but that is heaven compared to what I used to suffer. I can't recommed this book highly enough!

I came across this book 10 years ago at a seminar and have been giving it to patients ever since. It is very well-written especially for the layman, providing numerous things to think about it in the face of chronic bladder problems. Being a chiropractor, I also found it fascinating that Dr. Gillespie basically spells out the whole theory behind chiropractic care when she cites that the number one cause of bladder and prostate problems is low back problems! Using diagrams she shows how the nerves enamating from the lumbar spine enervate these areas of the body. Though she doesn't mention chiropractic care in her book, I had to laugh when I saw that she had, however unwittingly, totally validated the science and theory of Chiropractic care. Whatever the underlying cause of your bladder problem, you are likely to find some help with this book.

This is a ground-breaking book written by a doctor who truly understands both bacterial and interstitial cystitis. Before the 1st edition of this book, the medical world was virtually silent on the subject, telling women it was all in their heads! Dr. Gillespie shows a deep understanding of the all-too-common and frequently mis-treated and/or over-medicated cystitis (urinary tract infection). Further, Dr. Gillespie virtually forced the medical world to learn about interstitial cystitis (IC) and to begin research into more humane and effective methods of treating it. Dr. G is a personal hero for me. Her book has provided guidance in my dealings with IC,where unfortunately most doctors still don't know what IC is. This book can help the patient to make decisions about treatments that can affect their body for many years to come. This book has helped me to minimize the occurrence of bacterial cystitis. And while my IC is incurable, this book has provided insight and helpful methods to make the condition less debilitating. Thanks for this ground-breaking book!!!

While the book does validate IC-which 10 years ago was relatively unknown, the treatments will not work for everyone. I believe everyone needs hope with this dreadful disease, and at a first pass, this book provides it. I must thank the doctor for that. I read the book, was a patient of the doctor, and followed the protocol for 2 years. ....

This book has been pretty helpful, my girlfriend and I enjoyed going through it and reading certain sections.
It's true, most of the subject matter isn't a walk on the beach, but it's good information to know and understand. Besides explaining the previously unmentionable, it also offers good suggestions as to what to say and do if you're in a situation covered in the book.
The language is plain english and slightly humorous (without damaging the credibility of the information)
The only reason it's not 5 stars is because the book skipped one or two particular things we, as a couple, were looking for.

As someone who is active in the Endometriosis community, one of the most common problems women come across is explaining Endometriosis to their husbands or boyfriend. Since Endometriosis can cause painful sex, infertility, and other possible relationship problems, the disease can cause problems for both men and women. This book offered one of the best explanations of Endometriosis to men that I have ever seen. It does not go into too much detail, but it goes in enough detail that it allows men to really understand the full nature of this awful disease.

I found 'Your Guy's Guide to Gynocology' witty, informative and a big help in understanding the fairer sex. This should be required reading for every bloke interested in improving his relationships with women. Bekkar and Wahn deserve a medal.

Dr. Wahn, one of the authors of "Your Guys Guide to Gynecology",is my personal Gynecologist and for that reason I bought the book. Thinking that I knew everything in the book, I read it anyway. I found it not only to be informative, and humorous for men, but I also learned things that I didn't know.I think that this book should be a required reading for High School Seniors, both male and female.

The amazing fact about this book is that I learned a lot about a subject I thought I already knew a lot.It is fun to read and the more you read the more fun you will have in using or living your gained knowledge.I am more sensible towards my girlfriends feelings which gives me a better feeling,too.This book is definitively a recommendation for both sexes,because there are always two involved in a relationship. Thank you for teaching me!

This book provides a great foundation for the classes I am teaching in e-commerce. It's chapters on site server also are excellent! I found the fundamentals section to be outstanding for handling the task of getting new students up to speed.

This book is really useful from the standpoint of providing an overview of what ESD is doing today, and how e-commerce tools from Microsoft are making it possible for organizations of any size to buyild their own sites. I found the chapters on managing a new site useful with some good suggestions for getting everyone on the same page from a development standpoint. Good reference book and teaching tool for new administrators.

I have been studying up on e-business and found this book to have a personable tone and many insights into how I could get up to speed quickly with terms and concpets to manage the outsourcing of our company's website quicker. I liked the chapters on building a framework for organizing solutions and found the chapter on electronic software ditribution very enlightening. An easy book to read.

This book has interesting information about Microsoft's Site Server applications, and shows the plans for electronic software distribution Microsoft authored with key industry leaders. it is decidely pro e-commerce and provides an interesting approach to managing web development through cross-functional project teams.

I found this book to provide a level-set for my staff, who is working on the definition of our websites, and what we could reasonably expect with the resources onhand. This book gave us hands-on guidelines and advice from experience we could use for getting our site completed in the minimum amount of time with the least disconnects between what we wanted and what we ended up creating. E-Commerce is constantly changing, and this book brings all the change into perspective. Good teaching tool.