Works Books

If you want to know more about your subc.I heartily recommend these CDs

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind
The Master Key System
Thought Vibration or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World
The Science of Getting Rich
The Science of Mind
Think and Grow Rich: Original Version

I have a copy of Awakening the Giant Within by Robbins, TNT by Bristol and I bought two different books of NLP. I bought this book recently.

The two books on NLP were so complicated that I just put them aside. Carpenter's book is an easily readable nuts and bolts of the subconscious mind and how to program it, although he left out the "avoid using don't in your scripts. There was one part that I the skeptic do wish he had left out and that was about the pendulum idea of determining a baby's sex, etc. That is a bit hokey but it does demonstrate the power of the mind just like a ouija board. This one I didn't want to put down and I'm sure I'll read it again.

My 13-year old son has spent the last school year putting into action the suggestions and insight he has gained from this book, and has made such progress (in scholastics, sports, and social arenas) that I have to attribute much of this to the lessons contained in this fantastic book. I also have been awakened and am improving in multiple facets in my life.

I have added about 40 or so similar books to our home library, including all the usual suspects (Napoleon Hill, Troward, Wattles, Vernon Howard, Christian Larson, etc.), but this is such a concise and actionable book that really summarizes the practical applications of the wonderful power in our possession - a power we all have but that we have to be reminded about and not neglect it.

I highly recommended to read this book with an open mind, and you cannot help but be a better person. There is an inexpensive CD that accompanies the book, available at the auther's website that is highly recommended, too. Good Luck, and enjoy reading and learning!

This is a great book. Not too long. Easy to read. Reaffirms what I have always heard about the power of our subconcious mind. It's a shame that we waste all this power and ability.

If you are struggling to achieve the success that you want, then you need to do three simple and easy things: 1) Buy this book, 2) Read and learn the concepts contained in this book, 3) Apply what you have learned in this book.

The author boils it all down to an easy to learn science on how you can utilize your subconscious mind to achieve anything that you desire. This is key since I've read several books on the subconscious mind. After reading this book, I know now why I didn't succeed using other author's suggestions. This book is almost more like a fun to read manual of how to program your subconscious mind for all the success you want!

My advice to you is to IGNORE all other books on this subject until after you've read this book and applied the techniques. I have and am seeing very successful results after the first day.

Bought for my grandson's 7th birthday. He loved it, he is into everything Titanic right now. Even my husband loved it book, as did his father.

Awesome, in every sense of the word... One of the best books on the wreck i have ever viewed and it ties in brilliantly withthe movie which is probably one of my favourites too! I recommend this to any Titanic bod..

This book is a welcome additon to any on the RMS Titanic. Its not just history but of the crew of the deep sea submarine. The Titanic always captures ones imagination. This book shows the wear, and tear that nature is bringing the wreck of the Titanic. Its sad how much has changed since her discovery by Bob Ballard. The book goes into depth through pictures, and artwork of famed painter Ken Marschall. What is happening to the liner is awful. I also can respect a book that goes to the abyss without raping the Titanic that is a graveyard too, that deserves to be left alone to its fate by nature. Thank you for Amazon for allowing me to review this book, and give a little opinion on the subject of Titanic.

This book is an excellent tribute to those who designed,built and sailed on the world's most famous ship. It is also a fine tribute to those who sacrificed so much to find the ship laying on the ocean floor,at a depth of 2 1/2 miles below the surface,375 miles SE of Newfoundland,and 1,000 miles due East of Boston; and bringing back to us, in unimaginable detail ,how this magnificient ship, in all her splendor, looks today in her final resting place.For many decades ,there was wild speculation of how the ship would look after so many years under such great pressures and even if she could ever be found. All that speculation has been resolved,thanks to the efforts of these determined and talented people.Not only have they found her,visited her,returned with fantastic photographs;but have also done a superb job of sharing it with us through Motion Pictures,Documentries, beautiful,haunting and imaginative drawings and keepsakes such as this dazzling book.
Where this book shines is that it shows what things originally looked like ,using actual pictures at the time;and then showing what they look like now,after over 90 years of ravages by time and elements.
While the photos alone would make this an exiquisite volume,the text covers much information on the ship,how events unfolded and why things happened the way they did.
The painting by artist Ken Marschall of the Titanic, majestically forging ahead ;while she is being fatally ripped open by the iceberg shows the spirit of man against all odds of nature;and even though man is often set back,he refuses to be defeated. This scene in History is reminiscent of the spectacular explosion and loss of life with the Challenger Spaceship.We all owe a gerat debt of gratitude to the artists who portray images such as Marschall and who have the imagination and talent to paint such a picture as is on page 35, showing the Titanic breaking up,the many unfortunate passengers and crew heading with the ship to their watery graves;while a few fortunate are saved.The lifeboat with its few survivors ,where the artist shows that while some look on,others can't even bear to watch.While photographers can produce excellent images of events,if they get the opportunity;it takes an artist to record events like this.
The book is dedicated to those who perished on April,15,1912,and on September 11, 2001. As the world watched the events of 9/11,the crew who gave us the scenes in this wonderful book,were actually at sea ,diving on the Titanic.
We need books like this to remind us of the hopes, struggles and endurance of Man against both the forces of Nanure ,as with the Titanic and and the Evils of Man, as we saw on 9/11.

"Ghosts of the Abyss" features a collection of the greatest Titanic Wreck images to date. Cameron has wandered into areas of the ship inquiring minds like my own have often wondered about. The contrast of the Titanic then to what she is now reveals the tragic aspects of this signifciant historical disaster. What was by far catching were several 3-D models present here and there such as the Grand Staircase among other locations within the ship. The angles of the images taken and lighting of the wreck were brilliant. If anything, the rare images of the D-Deck vestibules make the book worth the price. A must have for anyone who is captivated by the former elegance of the ship of dreams.

I enjoyed this book--even to the point of giving it as a gift to a friend. It's an easy read, with humor and inspiration. Given the options presented to the author, a lawyer on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC., she gives up her exciting career to return to her hometown in East Tennessee and help her aging father in his medical practice. The only negative was her use of her language--she would occasionally slip into the dialect of East Tennessee, which startled my senses. I found that it occasionally left me unsettled. Overall, the book was a delight and her characters worthy of the attention they received in the book. I'm recommending this book to my book club!

When I picked this book up at a relative's while visiting, I figured it was a "chick book." But, it was several hours later when I finally put it back down. It was such a real and compassionate story about every day heroes who care for (and about) America's hardest working blue collar men and women. A good book to bring you back to earth and help you sort out priorities. Great book for both men and women to read.

Heart in the Right Place is the story of one woman's return to sanity after the dizzying world of high powered success and big money. Carolyn honors those of us who choose to give our lives to the care of others and find ourselves blessed by the lives that touch ours. This is the story of a spiritual transformation. The author lifts us up with her insights and her ability to tell vivid stories. It is very much recommended.

Readers looking for something touching and personal will certainly enjoy this. It is a fast book to read, mixing humor and poignancy well. If you like A Prairie Home Companion With Garrison Keillor (30th Anniversary Season Celebration) then you will be interested in this. The book does tend toward over-long explanation, especially at the end. The tale could have finished on a more powerful note if it had been three chapters shorter. However, if you are tired of reading books that cram the heroine's love life down your throat, you will certainly enjoy the maturely understated love that may be blossoming for Carolyn here. Just a note of warning to the squeamish, there are graphic descriptions of accidents and surgeries.

A very good friend recommended this book to me because I don't live very far from the town where the author's father practiced medicine. It turned out to be an excellent recommendation because I don't know when I have enjoyed a book more than I did this one. Being a native of the same area as the author I recognized many of the characters that she describes although they have different names and live a little farther to the east. I even had a relative who was just like Miss Hiawatha. Miss Hiawatha in case you are wondering is one of the many delightful characters that populate this book.

The basic plot of this book follows a powerful Washington DC attorney (the author) who has to take a leave from her job as a Senate council to come back home to East Tennessee to help out her parents. Her father is a doctor in a small town just outside of Knoxville who offers care to anyone and everyone regardless of their ability to pay and he even takes things like chickens in trade. Because of that he can't afford to hire a receptionist when his wife suffers a heart attack and has to take some time off. The author plans on spending a few days helping out but days turn into months and she ends up getting very attached to the job.

As she tries to settle in to her new duties the author runs into a cast of characters that could never be called up from even the most fertile imagination. Besides Miss Hiawatha there is a farmer who has the worst luck in the world and a George Jones like character who gets drunk and drives his lawnmower down the four-lane highway. And those three are just the appetizers. There are parts of this book that will make you laugh so hard that you will cry. Of course with this being the story of a doctor's office there are other very sad stories that will make you cry for other reasons. This author has a distinct talent for causing her readers to get very attached to the characters that she writes about.

On the technical side this is a very well written book and it contains some very thought provoking chapters. The author put a lot of feeling into this book and it shows. Above all though this is just an enjoyable book about some wonderful and sometimes eccentric people who reside in East Tennessee. This was a very good book and it is one that will always hold a special place in my personal library.

I bought this book as a Christmas gift for a friend who is a hypochondriac. She got a kick out of it which is what I wanted. I'm not sure how informative it is but works good as a conversation piece on the coffee table.

This is the FUNNIEST book you'll ever read. Hands down. Fast delivery with good packaging (bubble wrap) for protection.

This book was funny. All the diseases shown are some of the worst diseases anyone could ever imagine. You won't even want to shake hands with someone after reading about Bejel. *ew*

If you have the nerve, and are into perverse entertainment, this is the book for you -- or someone who will appreciate midnight black humor with a glossy blue sheen. We're talking forty-five horrifying ways that Nature is out to get you, with plenty of gruesome details on how she will succeed, and the pitiful or nonexistent steps you can take to protect yourself.

The writing is excellent. The author has a way with words, content aside. It really takes talent to make me laugh out loud, all the way through a book, especially when what I'm reading is also giving me cold sweats and an irregular heartbeat. I couldn't put the book down, and now I'm afraid to move or breathe. Other people have to get their thrills on mountain tops -- me, I can sit right here, white knuckled, waiting for unspeakable dangers to come to me. I am now regarding my cats and coworkers with suspicion -- no, outright terror.

Three days ago, I had no trouble making the leap from tiny flickering pain in my head to malignant brain tumor. Now I look at that self-diagnosis as a sign of childlike innocence. Do you have any idea how many truly unspeakable, debilitating, and deadly diseases start out with a simple rash or swelling? Numbness, coughing, itching, of course headaches, the list of innocuous symptoms is comprehensive, and all symptoms seem to lead to blindness and loss of body parts.

I find the ailment Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, where your immune system decides to replace your sore muscles with bone, particularly insidious, although I feel better about not going to the gym now. Another favorite: Fatal Familial Insomnia, in which you never sleep again. (It's now 2 a.m. -- I'm feeling perky, and worried.) Furious Rabies, Norwegian Scabies, very bad. And let's not ignore good old pinworms, which 1 in 10 of us have at this minute and everyone has a 50/50 shot at getting at some point before they die (probably not from pinworms, which, by the way, are IN your butt and come out at night to lay their eggs ON your butt. Remember that time you scratched your itchy butt? Yuh huh. Trust me, the least of your worries. You want to be focusing on Scleroderma, in which your skin and organs slowly harden and you begin to resemble a statue, or Myasis, in which maggots crawl around beneath your skin. If you're lucky you'll get off with Chronic Idiopathic Diarrhea or Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. Both of which sound marginally better than the Mycobacteriosis I could get from changing the water in my fishbowl, or Bacillary Angiomatosis (cat scratch fever).

Giving this book to a full-blown hypochondriac is what passive aggressive behavior is all about. Or, you just think your mom will really get a kick out of it.

What better way to bond to the sweet hypochondriac in your life than by giving them this book? The diseases are real, the commentary is hilarious. Guys, believe me, you won't want to swim in the Amazon after you read this.

My daughter had been looking for this book for some time after seeing it on Reading Rainbow TV show. The book is fun for her (5 yrs old). Great buy at a great price.

I have an autographed copy of this book, and from the moment I read of a little girl with antlers, I was hooked. Years later, this story still captured me, enough that when my husband asked me what we would name our new little kitten, I piped up with "Imogene!". It fits, believe it or not, some of the time! This book I talk about with all the childhood wonder and love, and reverence due to it. Its the most wonderful book to read to a child, and the ending is just as fun! Too bad David Small hasn't written another book to follow up! I'd buy it in a heartbeat!! I treasure this book and I CANNOT wait to read it to my children!

This is a darling book! David Small has created such a lively story and pictures that my children have loved. We raised 4 kids who are now teenagers who fully enjoyed this book; they first saw it on Reading Rainbow. Now, we're starting over with a new baby who will undoubtedly wear out her copy of this book. As a former English teacher, I can say with authority that this is a childrens' classic and a must-have.

Our Daughter loves this book!!! Her Daddy is a deer hunter so seeing a little girl grow antlers is really funny to her!!

This book has received great reveiws far and wide. I hate to admit it, but I just don't see why. The protagonist, Imogene, wakes up with a set of antlers on her head. To many of us, this would be a big problem. But, Imogene doesn't seem to mind all that much. Her family, however, hates the whole idea. Now, in most children's story books, the protagonist is faced with a certain conflict and at the end of the story he/she has solved it and has grown somehow from the experience. In this story, Imogene isn't bothered by her problem and does nothing at all to solve it. In fact, the problem solves itself. She wakes up and voila, no more antlers. Instead, she had grown a new problem. (Another that she doesn't seem to mind.) In no way do I see that either Imogene or her family has grown or changed in any way. I admit, some of the situations are comical and in their own way pull the book along. But again, there is no solution to the problem and I have issue with that.

I just cannot praise this book enough. Ellman's biography of Joyce is amazing, bewildering, daunting (at least in its length) and wonderful -- not coincidently, just like James Joyce. One caveat: I imagine a reader might be quite confused if s/he read this before reading any of Joyce's major works (Ulysses or Finnegans Wake). I am kicking myself that I didn't read this biography years ago! Truly a marvelous work -- and a must for readers of Joyce.

For those of you interested in a biography of James Joyce that's as erudite as his works themselves, then Ellmann's "James Joyce" is most definitely for you. This is a product of years of interviews and correspondence with many of Joyce's friends and family members; and Ellmann's love for both the writer and the man radiate through every page. His sections on the key themes and events that inspired both "Ulysses" and "Finnegans Wake" are invaluable. Moreover, you'll find yourself chuckling a great deal of time, and even shedding a few tears, as I did. My only critique of the book, albeit fairly minor, is not so much directed at the author as it is at the publisher: there is little room in the margins for notes, as well as very sparse flyleaves; hence for those of you who like to engage a book with gushing pen in hand, then you'll find the layout of this book quite restraining, as I did. One might counter this critique, however, with the perhaps granted point that it leaves all the more canvas space on which to overlay layers and layers of brush strokes much needed when attempting to paint the life of this very complex, gifted, and charming man.

In all things about James Joyce, no one has exhibited more of an acute understanding of the man and his works than Richard Ellmann. He is the bridge by which readers who have not read Joyce or do not understand what they have read by him to the inner workings of the artist and his life.

This biography, "James Joyce" has been around for decades, virtually unchallenged. He presents to the reader all the facets of Joyce's life and personality. This is no mere star-gazing. Along with all the great things about Joyce, he also examines his weakness: his superstitions, his drinking, his occasional selfishnes, his sexual complexities, and his failure to really take care of his family. We get to see Joyce in all his dimensions and from several perspectives. That makes this book not only the best biography of James Joyce but one of the classic biographies of all time.

Richard Ellmann's biography of James Joyce is hands down among the three best or the best biography written in the 20th century. For anyone with a serious interest in Joyce or his writings, will truly enjoy getting to know Joyce and his writings through this book.

I've read maybe a few thousand reviews of other titles on this website but this is the first book I've felt I needed to comment on. I comment mainly because I noted that two reviewers gave this book "4 stars". What unmitigated gall!

Richard Ellmann's biography is the most definitive and complete examination of James Joyce that has been written. This extensive work examines Joyce's life from his birth to his death. Ellmann's narrative derives from Joyce's letters as well as accounts from Joyce's brother, Stanislaus. The book is most revealing in offering an understanding of the process it took for Joyce to come up with his most monumental works, ULYSSES AND FINNEGANS WAKE. Ellmann states that Joyce intentionally made it difficult for anyone to understand what he wrote. He wanted to keep his critics, academics and scholars, guessing of what significance his nonsensical gibberish creation represented. In addition, Ellmann intertwines events that occurred in Joyce's life that show how they closely resemble the characters in the works he produced, such as his early work, A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN.

James Joyce most likely can be considered a "starving artist." He would go without a new pair of shoes until they wore down to the soles, but looked debonair and sophisticated with non-matching suits. In the beginning, he aspired to be a work within the realms of Jesuit studies, but later opted for a writing career that would take him from Trieste, Paris, and Zurich. Joyce struggled with poverty through out his life even as his most famous works were published. Monetary problems and health conditions that affected his eyesight never hindered his creative process. If he lost his eyesight, he probably would have continued to write blind. Joyce appeared to be an eccentric and stubborn man. However, Ellmann shows a caring and supporting man who loved his wife and children, and most of all, his father, John Stanislaus Joyce.

In terms to history and literature, Ellmann constantly references Joyce's fascination with Shakespeare, ancient civilization and history. This is best displayed in ULYSSES, but one significant footnote is that he did not appear to care for American history. He makes a minute reference to Ulysses S. Grant in ULYSSES, but he did not even know who the man was; Joyce loathed the United States. Also, Ellmann offers a birds-eye view of what his cohorts thought of his work. Gertrude Stein as well as Ernest Hemingway praised and envied Joyce's contributions to Modernism.

Ellmann examines a tremendous amount of information within his narrative. When one completes JAMES JOYCE, what else do you need to know about this genuine writer who used his craft as a means of getting back home, but never quite made it there? But he preferred Zurich and its snow-capped mountains as home rather than the complexities of his former Dublin. JAMES JOYCE is the springboard one needs when beginning a study of Joyce the man and his works, which should begin with PORTRAIT and ending with WAKE.

This book needs to be in every horseman's (and women's) library. Clear, concise, easy to follow, great photos and best of all AWESOME Advice!!!

This book is a great book when starting your weanling on a course of training. Unfortunately for me I had already read Imprint Training by Dr Robert Miller and most of the training covered by John Lyons had already been covered in the Imprint Training book. However if you were to start training at weanling stage this would be an excellent book to begin with. Both methods are very similar the choice is up to the individual whether they wish to begin training @ birth or wait until they are weaned. All in all a very informative book. Highly recommended.

My baby isn't born yet but this book is easy to understand and should be very helpful in the future.

I find John Lyon's Bringing up Baby very informative! The pictures do a great job illustrating each lesson. I just purchased a filly, and I want to give her the best life possible. I think by following John's techinques you can't go wrong. His videos are great too!

Sometimes we forget to use common sense when working with horses, and if you pay attention to them and learn to properly communicate, you will find a great new enjoyment with your horses!

this book is great for illustrating kind, consistent lessons to educate yourself and you young weanling. if you want to establish a good relationship, and have your youngster become willing, accepting and to like you, then buy this book.

There's nothing like browsing the shelves, looking for something new, something different, something well written, something funny--and coming across a 'Keep It Real'. The sarcasm is relentless, the one-liners numerous and hilarious, the writing as crisp and polished as anything I read last year. If you like Dorsey, Hiaason, Jenkins, Leonard try this book.

This was by far the best book I read in 2007 (excluding medical textbooks of course).... You will laugh out loud and will read it in one day. Abso-f'ing-lutely hilarious book!

My lead-off vacation reading when I got on the plane was a library book titled Keep It Real by Bill Bryan. With Dave Barry's quote on the front "If you like to laugh, and you hate reality TV, you will love this wonderfully, viciously hilarious book", how could I not pick it up? Good choice too, as it delivered plenty of laughs to keep me distracted during a very long flight...

Ted Collins has gone from the heights of journalistic fame to the bottom of the TV barrel... from a Pulitzer for investigative journalism to being a producer for a reality TV show called "The Mogul". And yes, you can assume it's a rip-off of The Apprentice, right down to the Donald Trump catch-phrase. The only reason Ted keeps going is that his ex-wife has custody of their daughter, and he desperately wants to get more than court-supervised visits with his child. But legal issues and mental breakdowns will do that to you. During a visit with his daughter (at his ex-wife's mansion), he overhears an argument between a rap star and his latest "date". When the "date" goes missing, it becomes front-page news, with Ted holding a few cards as to what may have happened to her. This chance to get back into real reporting coincides with his promotion to executive producer of The Mogul. He decides to blend the two situations by having the rap star appear in an episode of the show so that he can spend some time snooping around to find physical evidence of the suspected murder. Unfortunately, "control" is an illusion, and network egos keep changing the plans faster than Ted can devise them. And with each change in direction, the likely suspect(s) keep shifting in and out of focus...

This was truly a fun read. Ted has an incredibly active imagination, and his dialogue is acid-sharp. His job is made up of completely dysfunctional coworkers and executives, and the daily "eat or be eaten" mentality is sort of what you'd expect in the pressure-filled world of network ratings. But underneath all the laughs and sarcasm, there's a real caring person who will literally kill for his daughter, and who wants to save her from the uncaring materialistic world in which she's being raised. The twists towards the end of the book kept me guessing on how it would all turn out, and I had more fun reading this than many other recreational reads of late.

If you're a fan of Dave Barry or Carl Hiaasen, Bill Bryan's Keep It Real should make you feel right at home.

Ted's life has taken a strange turn. Once a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, he now finds himself heading up a reality television show called The Mogul. Normally Ted wouldn't even consider the job but he's got bills (alimony to his ex who is living in luxury spending more on her appearance in a day than Ted makes in a month). Then, there's Hallie. Ted's daughter is the absolute love of his life and he'll do whatever it takes to spend more time with her. Despite the new job and the sold out attitude, there still seems to be a bit of a journalist still in there. So when Ted stubbles upon a mystery he just can't seem to let it go.

Keep It Real is a witty read with fully developed characters and a number of good one liners. Normally, I like raw, sarcastic individuals but I felt that perhaps Ted and his buddies were just a bit too over the top. Unfortunately, I never really felt a kinship or bond with any of the characters so what could have been a really good book was reduced to an interesting read.

Ted Collins hit rock-bottom after his wife left him, taking with her the movie rights to his Pulitzer-prize-winning article. From the peaks of investigative journalism, he's now a low-level producer for a truly horrible reality TV show. He's also still filled with anger at his wife and her new husband. That anger has resulted in his being denied any unsupervised visitation with his daughter.

When he oversees a conflict between a hip-hop star and the star's beautiful girlfriend--a model who vanishes shortly afterwards, Ted sees a possible road back to investigative journalism. In a celebrity-obsessed society, this is the kind of article any newspaper would sell its soul for. The problem of how to investigate when he doesn't even know the hip-hop star is solved by using his reality TV show--and making the hip-hop artist an integral part of the show. With a host of cameras on the scene, Ted is certain he'll be able to get to the truth. Maybe he'll even get lucky with the pretty detective assigned to look for the missing model.

Author Bill Bryan is at his best as he skewers the American media, with its concentration of self-proclaimed geniuses, its anything for a buck mindset, and its concentration on humiliation as the ultimate in entertainment. Bryan also manages some pithy observations on relationships between men and women, and on racial relationships in America. I found myself laughing out loud a number of times as I read through this entertaining and well-written story. Bryan is definitely an author to watch.

I would have liked to see a bit more concentration on the mystery, at least some additional investigation to bring up evidence to point at hip-hop star, Boney. Without that, the twist at the end of the novel didn't have quite the impact it could have. Still, I'm happy to recommend KEEP IT REAL as a fast-moving and compelling mystery--as well as an insightful look into the world of glitz, Hollywood, and reality TV.

Pictures and text to satisfy the most discriminating. Inspirational to this nature photographer especially interested in the overlooked/underappreciated aspects of the world around us so worthy of our attention.

Professor Brodo is one of the great living lichenologists, and in this book he brings his many decades long experience to fruition. Beautifully illustrated, readable, and very complete, it is probably the only work like it on the subject of lichenology. All the main groups and species get covered, and although this is a very technical area, it's written to be accessible to the non-specialist as well.

I had the great fortune to take lichenology from the late, great Dr. Harry Thiers, and the year I took the class (1984), it was the only lichenology class offered at a college in the U.S., which gives you some idea of how esoteric a subject lichenology is even for botanists, who are used to working more or less in obscurity and not having their area get the attention that other more glamorous areas of macrobiology get, such as mammology and ornithology, which are far more popular with the greater public. But for those interested in learning about this unusual and difficult area, this is probably the best book on the subject that has ever been published.

I have not often encounter such a beautiful and well put together book! Every page was filled with fascinating information and pretty much all species was visually stunning with lovely photos. If you like fungi, lichens, or even plants, this book is a must have. If you love art and photography, this book will be a wow. I display it on my coffee table and it certainly deserves to be there. The price is fantastic for this huge and colorful book! I highly recommend it!!

A coffee table book that you will be proud of! The most beautiful pictures I've seen on lichens.

Receiving this book was beyond all my expectations. I have not seen anything like this on this subject before. It is well-organized, detailed, and of highest class. The print quality is excellent. The book starts with an over 100-page general overview of the lichens before going into botanical keys and the description of individual species. The photography is just stunning. This book is for the scientist as well as the general nature lover.

What a lovely, spare set of koan-like wisdoms Edie Hartshorne has shared in her poetic memoir of grief, Light in Blue Shadows. The writing, so vivid and fluent, moves through a story rhythm that elicits the page turn. I found it so clear and lyrical, a spiritual epiphany worthy of widespread reading. I am sure this book will be gifted to many families and individuals needing music and light in the midst of grieving.

Loss is the shadow twin of love. When we give birth to a child this inevitable separation is already written into the narrative of connection that begins with the first breath. And yet, who among us imagines the shape of this parting as we go about the uneventful day-to-day routines of family life. The shared hours we spend together are precious, fleeting and ordinary. We both know and don't know that life is transitory, that each moment we share with our children is potentially our last. "Light in Blue Shadows" is a rare record of one mother's passage through the stations of pain that accompany the sudden loss of a child. Edie Hartshorne's book begins with the absolute horror of the first phone call -- the one we all dread -- the one from which there is no escape. We share with her the chasm that separates her simple three word question -- "Is Jonathan okay?" -- from its unimaginable answer -- "No. He's not."

We follow the author through the days, weeks, and ultimately years where the loss of her son slowly became integrated into the marrow of her life. We share the intimate lyrical letters she writes to her beloved first-born:

Dear Jonathan,
I'm looking at your baby pictures. So vividly, I remember that moment you transformed our lives, falling like a sapphire star into my heart. Dear Jonathan, imagine--I've been writing to you ever since you were born. I just found this song I wrote for you in my old Kyoto journal. You were four days old. Of course, I never would have shown it to you while you were alive. But now everything's different.

There is a moment late in the book where Edie begins to comprehend the wholeness that can exist along side the irreversible truth of physical death. She writes that "In the shower this morning, I suddenly realize: We are a `blended family' both living and dead, combining two cultures. It is just that Alan and Yoko and Jonathan are on the other side, and we are here. I was touched by this passage because at this point in the narrative I felt included in Edie's large circle of caring friends. There is such intimate truthfulness in this book that the barrier between author and reader begins to seem illusory. We are all part of the human blended family.

"Light in Blue Shadows" unflinchingly chronicles a sorrowful subject in a way that allows the reader a glimpse into the grace that ultimately transcends sorrow. Edie Hartshorne's moving memoir reinforces the truth of both/and that is well captured by Rumi's famous lines:

We are the mirror as well as the face in it.
We are tasting the taste this minute
of eternity. We are
pain and what cures pain, both. We are
the sweet cold water and the jar that pours.

Ms. Hartshorne's book both feeds the soul and nourishes the heart. It is a welcome addition to the library of wisdom literature that offers solace in times of great need.

Edie Hartschorne has presented new questions about the mysteries of love, life and death. How does a mother survive the death of her beloved son?
How does her heart heal? Does time heal all wounds? Or are we blessed with a source of healing that patiently awaits our calling? And finally, how does the deepest grief break open our heart and gently breath us back to life? WIth a lyrical soul and a generous spirit, Edie's journey is a bright beacon for others who grieve and mourn.

An exquisite rendering of the unbearable pain of losing a child, this account of the sudden death of a 'perfect' son at the age of 20 could be too hard to read. But given the 15 plus years that pain flourished and subsided and became internalized has tempered the mother's ability to tell the story. Written in short, simple sentences, and with the greatest restraint possible from a mother's burned insides comes a lucid, detailed account of how a computer whiz kid, working for a company on the usual "rush" schedule, inhaled nitrous oxide to stay awake through the night and accidentally killed himself.
As a mother whose daughter died earlier than she ought to I find the writer's blend of the overwhelming grief and the lucid rendering of those waves of pain just the right balance for the narrative. Neither sentimental nor distanced from the loss, Edie Hartshorne's intellectual, emotional, maternal instincts are woven together in a perfect tapestry of shock and awe at what humans are capable of absorbing.
This book is a balm and a beacon of courage.

I found Edie Hartshorne's book Light in Blue Shadows both clear-eyed and heartfelt. She digs deeply into sorrow that seems at first unbearable and incomprehensible. You feel her courage and her intelligence...a deep caring for Life no matter how unkind it can seem...a wish to understand and embrace whatever good can come of a family tragedy. You move with her through her process of grieving, questioning, longing, and finally coming to terms with her loss. I found it both moving and helpful.