E Books

This is the best of the series, but I suggest that you read the "Dragons in our Midst" books first. This book ties all of the lose threads together. As you read things click. It keeps you reading, a great page turner. I recommend this book to everyone who likes young adult books. Very well done and hooks well into the bible and doesn't sound cheesy like the others. Great for most ages. A definite read!

I just love this book and the DIOM series.When I went on a journey before the Oracles of fire came out,I took the whole DIOM series with me although I had alredy read it I read each book in the journey twice.I recomend this book for every teen who wants to know more about Gods love i'd tell you to read it.This book is really worth reading not only this one but DIOM also.Im anxous for the rest of the books to come out.

A friend of mine lent me this book after he finished it. Truthfully, I was skeptical. I'm a fantasy novel/game type of person, but it seems that a lot of fantasy novels are like sci-fi, a good book is one in a thousand.

Heres the one in the thousand. Bryan Davis masterfully wrote this book, with a strong storyline, that follows multiple plots, and still keeping interest, and not getting jumbled together.

I couldn't put this down. It was almost the same as when "Deathly Hallows" came out after a 3 year wait.

I look forward to reading more Bryan Davis novels, and I doubt he will let me down, with his writing prowess.

This was my first novel of Mr. Davis's. As I had heard that Eye of the Oracle was actually a prequel of his earlier series, Dragons in the Midst I decided to start with it. I was immediately impressed to find several things I really love in a good novel. 1.) being thrown into the action quickly--Eye of the ORacle sets us smack down in the middle of a dragon attack upon a villianess you'll not soon forget!
2.) Superb writing--Mr. Davis's prose flows as smoothly as Bing Crosby singing Silent Night.
3.) The unexpected--Eye of the Oracle seamlessly weaves a tale of dragon heroism into the Biblical narrative. We begin just before the flood with the Ark in preparation for its fateful journey upon the waters of God's judgment. In the midst of this, Mr. Davis blends the familiar biblical persons with many we've not heard of before. New demons, Nephilim, Anakim giants, are all thrown into this epic brew with characters from the King Authur Legend as time progresses in the story. DAvis throws twists at us we would never expect, like Merlin as a prophet of God...WOW!
It all boils down to marvelous storytelling and the kind of heroes you'd be proud to sit down and share night after night reading with your own children. Eye of the ORacle delivers on every level, folks and I for one have been transformed into a FAN!--James Somers: author, The Chronicles of Soone.

As I closed the last page (my third time reading it through, by the way.) just the other day I let out a long hard sigh. Something about Eye of the Oracle really gets me thinking. The amazing power of God, and how he can take such small events, and what seems like such insignifacant people and things, and turn it all out for his good, is awe inspiring. And that is what Eye of the Oracle did to me. And there is one part in the book that I especially enjoyed, when God opens Sapphira Adi's (one of the main characters) heart and shows her his mercy and love. It was beautiful. Just absolutly beautiful!
The book starts with the Flood (Noah and the Ark), goes to the Tower of Babel, then to the era of King Arthur until finally it reaches modern day. So much happens in those pages, but it's most certainly not your normal, run-of-the-mill christian fantasy book, it's so unusual, and I think that's whay makes it so wonderful to me. I've never read a fantasy (or any other fiction for that matter!) book like it. It brought me along with it, and I understood the characters, and what they were feeling and what they were going through. I felt their pain, joy and sorrow. And I loved them all for it. And the depth of the writing, it's spectacular!
People kind of raise an eyebrow at me when I say that the characters in books are some of my favorite friends, but it's true. And especially with Eye of the Oracle. Please read it. You wont' regret it!!

Rae Voight knows that Anthony is still mad at her for going behind his back to find out about his dad and he even tries to avoid being paired with her in group therapy, but they get stuck telling each other about their hopes and dreams. Rae is surprised when she finds out that Anthony really wants to go to Sanderson Prep, her own high school, so that he can play football there. Anthony knows that he can never go there because it is way too expensive and he can barely read, let alone pass a bunch of tests. But Rae is determined to make this dream come true. She helps Anthony study and learn to read better and sets up a tryout practice with the coach at Sanderson Prep. Before he knows it, Anthony is on his way to the rich kids' school and he gets to play on the best football team in the area.

Rae is so happy to have Anthony at Sanderson with her - now she will finally have a friend at school! However, things don't turn out the way that Rae planned. She is shocked to discover Anthony hanging out with her old group of friends - even Marcus, her ex-boyfriend who is trying to get her back! Rae doesn't know what to do and she finds herself leaning on Yana, her only girlfriend, more and more as more strange stuff happens. First she gets some fungus on her tongue and is worried that she is developing the same symptoms her mother did before she died. Then there is the creepy teacher, Mr. Jesperson, who always seems to be watching her. And Rae still doesn't know anything more about her mother and the New Agey group that she was involved in before she was committed. Rae has a feeling that she is finally going to find some answers when she finds out her mother's group used to meet at Wilton Community Center. However, when she goes to the center and meets Aiden Matthews, she ends up having more questions than she did before. Rae desperately wants to go over everything with Anthony - but all he ever talks about is football and Jackie, one of her ex-friends from before. How can she deal with all of these secrets on her own?

This is the fourth book in the Fingerprints series and if you have read the first three before this, than this one just keeps drawing you in deeper. Every time Rae finds out something about her mother there are a ton of other questions that pop up and the reader is really kept guessing as to what is going to happen. And its not like Rae can just worry about her mom, she has to worry about not having any friends at school, whether she should get back with Marcus or not, what the heck she is supposed to do about Anthony, typical, normal life stuff. Just be advised that the book has a total cliffhanger ending AGAIN - make sure to have book #5 ready to go!

Rae Voight with help from Yana now knows about her mother. She gets many messages from the person who is trying to kill her, saying "stop asking questions". She knows that if the person wants her to stop she must be getting close. She is so determined that she will go see this man that she and Yana have only met once. When her and Yana get there it is not at all how they planned. Rae and Yana need Anthony's help but, will he figure out how to help them in time? Read this book to find out!

This book is very interesting. It has a nice mixture of mystery and romance. I really enjoyed this book I hope you will too.

In this book, Secrets, Rae tries as hard as she can to find out about her mother and her past. Because she knows her ability is somehow connected to her mother and if she dosen't hurry her own body will beat her stalker in killing her. Usually she would run to Anthony and ask for help but he seems to have more important things to do ever since he started at her school. Rae is furious at him. It looks like it's just Rae and Yanna now to solve the ongoing mystery but Rae could be walking into a trap. THis book was great. Melinda Metz once again delivers suspense, romance, and mystery in book [amt]. I can't wait till the next book, Betrayel, comes out. I hope it's just as good as this one. I reccomend Secrets to anyone who's a fan of the series and wants to read more. Have fun!

Rae Voight has finally discovered the truth about her mother -- and has even found a horrifying revelation about herself. It still seems apparent that those that are after her, because of her extraordinary ability to touch a fingerprint and read the thoughts of the person who left it behind, aren't giving up on her yet -- and it seems that more actions are being taken by the ones who hide in secrecy. Anthony has just gotten into Rae's school, Sanderson Prep, and is finally happy with his place in society. But at school, there's a girl named Jackie -- who is looking for danger. Anthony has to figure out the truth about Jackie fast, before something bad happens. But more so, Rae has an even bigger agenda -- it's finally time to search for her mother's past. There are many secrets to uncover, but little does Rae know how much the danger is growing. Fingerprints #4: Secrets is the thrilling continuation of the exciting Fingerprints series by Melinda Metz, and the most harrowing book in this intense series yet.

In "Secrets" Anthony starts to go to school at Sanderson Prep. He hopes that this will get him and Rae even closer. However things are way different then he expected. He is befriend by Rae's old friends, the very ones who abandoned her. It seems that Jackie Rae's old friend seems to be hitting it on with him making him very uncomfortable. What he doesn't realize is how Rae is feeling as their misunderstanding grows deeper.

Rae feels Anthony has abandoned her. It seems he never has time for her problems anymore since he keeps blabbering about how there is something seriously wrong with Jackie. Whats more it seems like he has befriended her old friends. Now she only has one person who cares about her---Yana. As she and Yana dig into Raes mom's past they get themselves closer to danger as they look into the New Agey Group Rae's mom particpated in.

Just when Rae has gotten pretty close to the truth Jackie is sent to the hospital on overdosige of aspirin. Rae realizes how wrong she was and decides to repear her friendship with Anthony.

However just when things are getting much better between the two of them Rae disappears with Yana. Can Anthony figure out he clue she gave him and find her in time?

Rae/Anthony fans will be very happy in the end when they...Sorry! You will have to read it to find out!

I won't go into all the details of the book since the other reviews describe it very well. All I have to say is that I was a bit hesitant to purchase it at first since I was afraid it wood be too dry of a read. I recently purchased another science/health relatad book and it was a terrible read.
I'm about halfway done and find myself not being able to put it down. A friend of mine even commented that a book about germs could not be that interesting. Well this one is! It is very well researched and lays out the facts without being (in my opinion) alarmist.
I would hope everyone has a chance to read this book. I only wish our media networks would present this information the way Jessica Snyder does.

Jessica Sachs writes about the intimate relationship between people and micro-organisms. Our skin has a 2-deep layer of bacteria, our mouths and gut have trillions of them; they are a constant part of our environment.

We've co-evolved with bacteria, and we need each other. Animals raised in a truly sterile environment, with no bacteria, do not thrive. Good bacteria help with food digestion, produce enzymes so we have better nutrition, and help fight off disease by crowding out disease-causing bacteria.

It looks as if we've been too successful in sterilizing our environment. Children raised on farms, where they are exposed to more bacteria while they are growing up, have a much lower rate of allergies and auto-immune diseases than children raised in cities. It looks like we need a certain amount of stimulation of our immune system by outside bacteria for it to develop optimally. Otherwise, our immune system grows up to be on a hair-trigger, ramping up too quickly and aggresively. Kids need to get dirty to grow up healthy :-)

This is an excellent book, with a background on the science of bacteria, how they evolve and respond to our use of antibiotics, how we are now threatened by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, techniques for reducing risks from disease-causing bacteria, a survey of probiotic developments and research, and discussion about where we are headed. Well written and engaging, highly recommended.

I purchased this book because I heard an interview with the author on a Scientific American podcast and was intrigued. I've known a few people who contracted MRSA not too long ago and so I was interested in learning more about the topic. When I read the book, it did not disappoint and I found myself not wanting to put it down.

The book covers a number of topics that have been puzzling us recently: Where are these super-aggressive MRSA infections coming from and how did they become resistant to antibiotics? Why are so many children developing extreme allergies to certain foods? The answers are more complex that I originally thought and many go against conventionally held beliefs regarding germs.

Many people I know have the impression that all germs are bad and therefore we should eliminate them through the use of antibacterial agents (soaps, disinfectants, etc). However, research shows that we need these "microflora" as much as they need us and we would be unable to survive without them. There are, in fact, "good germs" and "bad germs" and in our quest to eliminate all germs, we often wipe out those who keep the bad guys at bay.

The book begins with a history of what we know about bacteria and how we've tried to combat disease. The next section presents the idea that we are, in fact, an ecosystem for millions of bacteria. The author explains how we become colonized with microflora from birth and beyond. The main parts of the book explain why our sanitation methods and over-use of broad-spectrum antibiotics may be causing us more harm than good and how we can change our methods to be more successful at combating the bad bacteria.

I found the information in the book entirely fascinating. I had no idea that two distinctly different bacteria could swap their antibiotic-resistant genes so that a bacteria strain that had never been exposed to a certain antibiotic could suddenly become immune to it. Also interesting is that children who grow up exposed to animals (through farm-life or pets) are less likely to develop serious allergies or auto-immune diseases such as Type-II diabetes.

The book provides a wealth on information from hundreds of studies to help the reader understand what we know about germs, how they work, and how they can outsmart us. I walked away with a completely different perspective on germs and their role in our lives. This is a book that everyone should read!

Lastly, I should mention that the author did an excellent job of presenting factual information gathered from hundreds of studies in a manner that was very interesting rather than dull. Also, I don't think a reader has to have a medical background to gain insight from this text.

Starting at birth, the new, innocent body becomes home to a host of microscopic invaders. These days, at that same instant, forces are brought to bear to stop or repel that horde. As Jessica Sachs explains in this comprehensive account, we are only learning the first lessons in what microbes mean in our lives.

Perhaps the first thing readers should take from this book is that "antibiotics" don't contend with viruses. Those costly drugs only fight bacteria, a more complex and elusive critter. Another difference between bacteria and viruses is that we generally need the former, but not the latter. Which means we'd best be cautious about trying to ravage them with chemicals. The number and variations of bacteria in our bodies seems countless as you follow Sachs' account of who they are and what they do. Or fail to do. Most of us grew up with the "bad germs" litany drummed into us. "Wash your hands before dinner!" and "Don't play in the mud!" still echo in our minds after many years. The point was to "prevent" germs from entering our bodies. It turns out that Mum's cautions weren't always on the mark - Mummy didn't know best after all. We needed those bugs - they help us stay healthy.

Jessica Sachs guides us through the findings of scores of scientists' work that has revised the approach we were taught about "germs" in our childhood. Eating mud, something many of us were at least verbally chastised for, turns out to be a good thing, even a necessity. From birth, the introduction of certain microbes initiate processes the body needs to keep going. For most people today, it's well known that microbes in our tummies are part of the process of digestion. Escherichia coli is known to be a true friend - in controlled numbers and certain strains. What's less known is how many other bacteria the body relies on to get certain jobs done. One of those jobs is keeping the immune system properly tuned. A lazy immune system is unresponsive or unable to react to invasion. An overly ambitious one can turn on its own body and destroy it.

Both friendly and destructive bacteria live in our mouths, eyes, skin and elsewhere. Over millions of years, the body has come to an accommodation with those creatures, generally striking a balance ensuring survival. This balance has been severely offset in recent years, due to a "cleanliness" obsession that arose when it became clear that some germs were responsible for diseases. This idea was effectively demonstrated by UK researcher David Strachan, whose research led to what is now called the "hygiene hypothesis" - respiratory illnesses result from lack of cross-microbe activity to build immunities. In short, rich, small families were more prone to allergies than large, poorer ones. As Sachs points out, humans in our society overreacted to the new knowledge about disease-causing germs and sought to eliminate them all. The imbalance has led to many tragic situations, and initiated a guarantee that more, perhaps worse, situations are in the offing. What are we to do about it?

At the end of a superb compendium of case histories, research investigations and depictions of the scientists themselves, Sachs arrives at glancing into the future. The path is vague and unclear, chiefly because we have changed the past so drastically in our present - particularly in North America. European research has offered some pointers, but the microbe population here has already been distorted beyond restoration to past conditions. This situation indicates drastic new approaches must be tried. Perhaps the most disturbing for many will be the development of bio-engineered treatments. The realisation that bacteria can not only pass antibiotic-resistant genes among their kin, but provide them to other species means "scatter-gun" forms of vaccines must be developed. We will likely have to imitate Nature, applying the gene transfer process to counter what human-produced "superbugs" are doing to us. Clearly, the suffering public must be kept fully informed about the options and their implications. The education process begins with this book. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I've read a number of books on microbes in recent years, including

Bakalar, Nicholas. Where the Germs Are: A Scientific Safari (2003)
Biddle, Wayne. A Field Guide to Germs, 2nd ed. (1995, 2002)
Ewald, Paul W. Plague Time: How Stealth Infections Cause Cancers, Heart Disease, and other Deadly Ailments (2000)
Heritage, J., and E. G. V. Evans, R. A. Killington Microbiology in Action (1999)
Karlen, Arno. Biography of a Germ (2000)
Murray, Patrick R., et al. Medical Microbiology (2002)
Oldstone, Michael B. Viruses, Plagues, and History (1998)
Shnayerson, Michael and Mark J. Plotkin. The Killers Within: The Deadly Rise of Drug-Resistant Bacteria (2002)
Tierno, Philip M. Jr. The Secret Life of Germs: Observations and Lessons from a Microbe Hunter (2001)

What sets science journalist Jessica Snyder Sachs' book apart from these fine books is the intense detail and focus that she brings to the work and the fact that her book is up to date with reports from the latest research. Written for a general educated readership, it gets a little dense at times and there's a lot to keep in mind and to understand. But I think the time and effort are worth it. I must warn you however, it does get a little scary. If you are prone to hypochondria or to paranoia, I would suggest you skip reading this since it appears that we are teetering on the edge of any number of possible microbial disasters.

At the same time there is also the promise of a level of understanding of how drugs, bacteria and our immune systems work together, or are at odds, that will lead to healthier lives for all of us.

Some of the topics covered:

--A bit of the history of medicine before the germ theory of disease rose with Pasteur to the balmy times circa 1960 when some authorities were predicting the end of infectious disease, to the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria that characterizes today's world.

--The interaction between bacteria in our intestinal tract and the fact that we could not digest our food or even live without the benign bacteria that help us. Sachs quotes Nobel laureate Joshua Lederberg in this regard: "'It would broaden our horizons if we started thinking of a human as more than a single organism. It is a superorganism that includes much more than our human cells.' Lederberg calls this cohabitation of human and microbial cells the 'microbiome...'" (p. 238)

--The "hygiene hypothesis," in which certain diseases such as allergies, asthma and immune system disorders are thought to arise because we keep our homes too clean, and our children do not have the exposure to common germs early and often enough to build up a proper immune response. In the case of allergies and autoimmune diseases, apparently exposure when very young to would-be allergens "teaches" the immune system to regard them as harmless. Without this exposure the immune system may go wild. Sachs' treatment of this murky subject is the best I have read.

--Bacterial mutations, including the exchange of drug resistant genes between species within our intestinal tract. (Bacteria do have sex on occasion!) This rather sobering part of the book explains how bacteria manage to elude our best defenses and prescriptions. Implicit is the fact that we do indeed live in a bacterial world that has in toto a greater grasp of biochemistry than perhaps we will ever have. They've had two or three billion years to perfect their defenses, so we have our work cut out for us.

--Various new methods of dealing with microbes including new drugs, infecting bacteria with viruses, inculcating ourselves with good bacteria to keep the bad out, bioengineering new benign strains to replace the dangerous ones. This approach is called "probiotic," that is, "proactively replacing the body's trouble-prone bacteria with strains and species of our choosing, even of our own making." (p. 193)

--Enhancing the immune system so that it better fights harmful microbes while at the same time leaving its own tissues alone, checking inflammation and autoimmune disease.

Some interesting info:

Our intestine when empty of food harbors about 15 trillion microbes; when full, perhaps 100 trillion! (p. 44)

Babies typically get their first intestinal bacteria by riding face down out of the womb, picking up a bit of the inhabitants of mother's stool. (p. 53) Babies delivered by caesarian section have more allergies than vaginal birth babies and may have a tougher time setting up a stable flora in their digestive systems. (pp. 99-100)

It is now clear that healthy tissues in our bodies are not necessarily microbe-free. In fact, I learned here that the way the immune system works sometimes is to ignore resident bacteria that are not causing any trouble. Furthermore, our immune systems can get used to some pathogens and just leave them alone after awhile. In fact sometimes real trouble starts when the immune system goes into high gear and tries to rid the body of every last germ. A case in point is the plaque build up in the arteries of some people in reaction to the presence of harmless bacteria. In other people the immune system doesn't respond and there is no plaque build up leading to heart attacks.

The fact that "it's not bacteria that wreak the deadly damage of sepsis, at least not directly." Instead, it is "a person's own immune system...." (p. 221)

This is an outstanding book, engagingly written, meticulously edited and proofed, with a plethora of endnotes and an excellent index.

Light-hearted, indeed, but I found myself hoping the Mitty-like husband would turn his dreams into reality. A wonderful read, and a nudge for those of us who have never fulfulled our own dreams. I'm going out and buying a Harley. And maybe a boat.

Is there such a thing as good-natured writing? This is it. Delightful and fun to read. There are some laugh out loud lines. You'll have a good time finding them!

"The Good Stuff" is absolute visual hilarity. It's a story about Mark, who longs for fine wine, travel, a Harley, a yacht, and a Frenchwoman with a fringe that just touches her eyebrows. The only thing blocking his dream is his condescending sock-mending wife with an unsettling habit of settling for less. Until one day, Mark takes a stand against brussel sprouts.

It's no wonder Louis E. Catron has a theatrical background. His characters speak and move with such clarity, and the prose flows so easily that I felt more like I was watching rather than reading

Louis Catron shows readers all too much of what many would call an all too familiar, forgettable life. However. He raises the bar on typical short fiction and sprinkles it with mystique, warmth and hope. He challenges complacency through the dreams of his character, and I found myself crossing fingers and toes that the story would finish in first place. It does.

The Good Stuff will not disappoint those who long for a satisfying, UNforgettable ending.

This is the kind of sweet, whimsical fantasyland that is truly irresistable. Who doesn't want to root for the little man struggling to find the light? This character is the essence of struggle and determination while stuck in a quagmire of boring ordinariness. It's hilarious and delicious to watch him Vroom his way to a happy ending. I loved it.

This is one of the best articulations of the inherent problems with modern forms of ecclesiology that I have ever read. Fitch digs very deep in his deconstruction of the 21st century church, and -subject by subject - provides an intelligent, thought-provoking argument of why we should consider getting back to our Christian roots, based on the ancient creeds and practices of the early centuries. All this within the context of a highly technological, ever-changing world... still in need of Christ.

This book rocks! Are you an aspiring pastor, missionary or a person in church leadership? Are you going to church and not feeling that it is satisfying your spiritual longing for depth and relationship? If you fit the above categories, (hint, I think we all do at some time or another) This book is a must read.

David systematically works through the different roles that the church plays in the community and clearly and concisely shows where it is falling short, then proposes ways to change it.

This book is not for the faint of religious heart. If you are looking for a weak and consumer oriented religion this book is not for you. If you are looking for ways to lead yourself, your family, and your church into a deeper relationship with Jesus and his church, read this book.

This biting critique of the modern American church has basically lifted the veil off the capitalistic, consumeristic, numbers-oriented megachurches. David Fitch, Pastor of a church just 20 minutes from the headlining, 10,000 member Willow Creek Community Church, levels a pretty harsh attack on the big churches. While there are positive suggestions for alternative church models at the end of every chapter, it's clear that Fitch has a bone to pick.

He goes systematically through the modern church's emphasis on quantifiable success, evangelism, leadership without moral accountability, emotive worship, expository preaching that does not take place in community, justice that is farmed out to parachurch organizations, spiritual formation that is farmed out to psychiatrists, and education of children that is entrusted to an areligious public school system.

For anyone whose lived in the world of the megachurch, this is a really fun read. It's what we whisper about over coffee on the patio when the sermon has taught us 7 steps to better marriages or when the Good Friday service is "exciting" rather than sobering. Fitch has a determined, analytical mind. I hope he writes more.

The downside is that his alternatives sound like an afterthought that do not admit to their own weaknesses. It's very dubious that he's found an alternative to megachurches that is itself without just as many flaws. He's not nuanced enough to suggest that he's offering a cooperative alternative in a megachurch culture. Rather, they're wrong and he's right. Secondly, chapter seven, on spiritual formation, is a bit insensitive. Though he credits this to modern ideologies, it might be his personal style.

But everyone who's interested in the evolution of church culture and the development of new models of community should definitely read this book. Anyone who's either been to or resented the megachurches, everyone whose ever used or disparaged the word emergent, and pretty much anyone else who wants to know where church is going should read Fitch.

In his excellent study "The Way of the Modern World," Craig Gay observes that "it seems that the ideas with the most profound consequences are frequently taken for granted. They are the ideas that lie just behind conscious thought, providing a kind of foundation for the deliberations of everyday life." In "The Great Giveaway," Dave Fitch attempts to diagnose and offer correctives to some of the ways in which the evangelical church in North America has come to "take for granted" many of the unconscious assumptions and controlling ideas of secular modernity thus leading it to "give away" being the living Body of Christ in the world. He attempts to uncover the ways in which modern assumptions concerning such things as success, leadership, character formation, and justice have warped our understandings of them as Christians and have lead us to be unfaithful to the Bible and the gospel of Christ. He also attempts show how evangelicals have given away even specific practices of the church such as preaching, worship, and evangelism to the controlling assumptions of modernity, sometimes even when we think we are being the most faithful.

Fitch identifies some of the hallmark characteristics of modernity as being a fascination with technique, a fixation on efficiency and effectiveness, individualism, elevation of experience and self-expression, and an attachment to scientific rationality among other things. Fitch argues that these characteristic assumptions of modernity have infiltrated evangelicalism and have hampered our ability to be faithful to the mission of Christ in the world. For example, he argues that our view of leadership in the church has become more shaped by the CEO model of American business culture than by the teachings of Jesus and the model of the New Testament church. Or again, he argues that our understanding of spiritual formation and personal well-being has been overtaken by the categories of modern psychology.

Fitch is not the first person to express concern about the shape and character of contemporary evangelicalism. Fitch's book differs, however, in the way he uses the insights of post-modern thinkers to expose and undermine the modern assumptions that have shaped the practices and character of contemporary evangelicalism. Many of those who have expressed concern over the state of current evangelicalism have specifically associated some of its negative character traits with post-modernity and have displayed an almost reflexive anti-postmodern attitude. While Fitch does not endorse post-modernism willy-nilly, he sees the insights of post-modern thinkers as a source of help for the church and as a means of deconstructing the pretensions of modernity that hold evangelicalism captive. In some cases this leads directly to controversy, such as Fitch's claim that expository preaching, which for some evangelicals is synonymous with faithfulness to scripture, actually ends up giving away the faithful proclamation of scripture to the forces of modernity while leading us to believe that somehow we are interpreting scripture "objectively" and are therefore protected from error. In other cases, however, I think it clearly makes Fitch's case stronger, such as when he uncovers the interpretive, narrative, non-scientific character of much of modern psychology and shows how it contrasts with the scriptural narrative that should be shaping us as Christians.

Since each chapter of the book deals with a different issue, it is possible to read and benefit from individual chapters without reading the whole book. My guess is that most discerning readers who are alert to the issues and problems of contemporary evangelicalism will find at least one or two chapters they agree with, even if they find themselves in violent disagreement with others. In my opinion, the first, third, and seventh chapters alone make the book worth purchasing. It is also my feeling that reading the whole book will lead to a better overall picture of the state of the contemporary evangelical church and the crisis it faces. If I had any criticism to make of the book it would be that I wish certain parts were better documented, which would make Fitch's overall case even stronger, especially given the controversial nature of some of his claims. Overall, however, I think Fitch strikes a good balance between academic seriousness and accessibility to the layperson. I think he has rightly diagnosed many of the serious problems that currently plague the evangelical church and has offered some helpful suggestions for how we might begin to reclaim being the Body of Christ again in North America. I think this book is must reading for anyone seriously concerned about the faithfulness of the church in our times.

Fitch's overall intention in the book is to show how modernity has transformed clear gospel teaching into modernistic trends, he does this by looking at eight areas including success, evangelism, leadership, the production of experience, preaching, justice, spiritual formation, and moral education. Then the "task" of the book is to (1) examine the ways we have "given away" being the church to modernity by allowing its influence to individualize, universalize, syncretize, and commodify the tasks, truths, and even the very salvation we have been given as a people from god through Jesus Christ, and (2) to offer practices to evangelicals by which we may receive back being the church, the people of God ruled by Jesus as Lord in resistance to such modern influences.

List strengths of book.
With each of the eight areas of discussion there are clear strengths to be found in the explanation and solutions offered, however the strongest areas of the book include the chapters dealing with success, evangelism and spiritual formation. With the topic of success, Fitch contends that we measure success by size because we have accepted the modern values of individualism and efficiency. Instead, success should be measured by measuring faithfulness rather than size. With the topic of evangelism he states that we rely on arguments, presentations, and proofs in our Gospel presentations, rather than embodying the reality of Jesus Christ being lived within our churches. And with spiritual formation we have accepted therapy and psychology, and in many cases have substituted these for the biblical practices of confession, repentance, and speaking the truth in love in the context of community. Additionally, the book includes over thirty pages of excellent notes for further study and reflection.

List weaknesses of book.
While I believe there will be more than a few people who believe Fitch's assessment is incorrect because they find it difficult to see beyond a modern perspective, I find very little not to like about this book.

If you want to read a book of significance, look no further. While it may be a difficult read it is one of the most influential and important books ever written.

There were only 9 reviews on this book . . . what can one say. . . either something brings you to this book or it does not. . . if you are reading these reviews, then buy it.

This book is one of the most important and influential works on ethics. It is dense, not an easy read, the structure is loose and troublesome at times, but it is groundbreaking and brilliant.

There are many internet resources to guide you along the reading,. so do not be intimidated. Much of future work will rest on the contributions by Kant.

This version of the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals provides a clear and concise introduction. You will find it useful to understand how Kant's moral philosophy fits within his general philosophy and to get acquainted with some of the debates around his work. Although this book is rather expensive for what it is, it is useful and worth buying if you are really interested in this topic.

As translator H.J. Paton states in his introduction, 'Kant's "Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals" is one of the small books which are truly great' despite the unapproachability of the title. Many rank this book alongside Aristotle's 'Ethics' and Plato's 'Republic'. Its main topic is the supremacy of morals and moral action, and Paton gives a section by section analysis of Kant's book. The purpose of this work is not to work out all of the implications and difficulties with the a priori part of ethics, but rather to set a foundation of the supreme principle of morality.

The centerpiece of the Groundwork is Kant's most famous proposition, the Categorical Imperative. While this is often equated with the Golden Rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you), the Categorical Imperative argues for a more universal set of moral action - for example, if one does not mind being lied to, then lying does not become a problem, according to the Golden Rule, but for Kant, this would be unacceptable as it is a violation of the rational principles of what morals are.

Kant proceeds to look at issues of law, duty, free will and the good will, and autonomy of action. Kant argues strongly for the need for philosophy to guard against whim, taste and personal desire from becoming normative agents in the way we construct the moral universe. He argue for objective principles to govern the will, and categorises these as either hypothetical or categorical. 'All imperatives command either hypothetically or categorically. Hypothetical imperatives declare a possible action to be practically necessary as a means to the attainment of something else that one wills (or that one may will). A categorical imperative would be one which represented an action as objectively necessary in itself apart from its relation to a further end.'

Kant goes from this discussion to the formulation of universal law and the way in which rational agents should formulate and view this kind of law. The final section of this work introduces ideas that will be more fully developed in Kant's 'Critique of Practical Reason', the second of his three-volume Critiques. He also covers some of the arguments from 'Critique of Pure Reason', but not very fully; as Paton states in his analysis, 'Kant cannot assume the elaborate arguments of the "Critique of Pure Reason" to be familiar to his readers nor can he attempt to repeat these elaborate arguments in a short treatise on ethics.' The finite, rational person must regard himself or herself both as a member of the world of experience/perception and also as a member of the world of ideas/rationality. This is the essence of the Empiricist/Rationalist split that Kant synthesises together in the first Critique.

This is not easy going - the original 'Groundwork' had 128 pages, contained here in less than 100 (allowing for type-face differences as well as translation). Paton's version has 40 pages of analysis, endnotes, an index, and a statement about the translation - it is the 40 pages of analysis, keyed to section-by-section sequence, that makes this a very useful edition. This is perhaps the best first text of Kant to read to get a sense of his style, thought, and the foundation of what has become known as his most important principle.

'Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals' by Immanuel Kant is easily the most important work devoted exclusively to thinking about morality in the history of Philosophy, especially considering it's size.

The cornerstone of the work, and the end result of Kant's analysis is the categorical imperative which says that a moral law are only those for which you can state should be true of all people.

In one fell swoop, Kant marginalizes all thinking about relativism in morality and at the same time distinguishes moral from religious thinking.

If you pair this up with St. Paul's statements in his letter to the Romans (3:19-28) which states strongly that adherance to the law has virtually nothing to do with salvation, it should make things pretty clear to all concerned.

Unfortunately, things are rarely that simple. As important as Kant's conclusion is, it is necessary but not sufficient for a complete analysis of morality.

One excuse may be that this work is really Kant's version of 'Cliff Notes' to his moral argument. His full presentation comes in the 'Critique of Practical Reason', which, however, is not often read.

Note that contrary to another review of this edition, the translator and commentator is the noted Kant scholar of 70 years ago, H. J. Paton.

To people who are not used to reading philosophy, I will not hide the fact that Kant is tough going. He may not be quite as tough as Hegel, the Existentialists, or the ancient Greeks, but he is definitely harder to understand than any modern nonfiction book I can think of.

The biggest argument against the 'Groundwork' and the categorical imperative is usually the fact that it does not rule out trivial rules, such as 'you must always eat a starch at least once a day'. This rule is physically possible for anyone living anywhere in the world, yet it is certainly not a moral law. It is not even a very good dietary law, but that's neither here nor there. A second argument is that Kant's argument seems a bit circular, when he says that the only thing which unqualifiedly good is a good will.

For anyone who has been vexed by moral questions, an honest reading of this work will at the very least give you hope that with the right amount of thought, one can make sense of moral issues.

A truly great book.

The true story of the mixed blood George Bent is far more exciting than most fiction novels. The authors do an outstanding job of giving George the credit and recognition he deserves. Clearly George Bent, Chyenne raised and white school educated, had a never ending challange fitting into either world. His trials and tribulations are vividly portrayed in this book.
Review by Will Davis- Author of "Bell County Bushwhackers"

An imbibing read of George Bent's life as a halfbreed White/Cheyenne Indian from the mid-1800's to the early 1900's. Bent was the son of famed trader William Bent and his Cheyenne Indian wife Owl Woman. In later years he wanted to tell his story from the Indian point of view which makes this a captivating read. For years we have been exposed to thrashings of the Native Americans from the slanted and one-sided views of Hollywood, dime novels, etc. that we oftentimes forget that there was another side to the story.
George was raised among the Cheyenne Indians at Bent's Fort in Colorado, later schooled in Westport and St. Louis, fought as a Confederate soldier in the Civil War, rode with the renegade Cheyenne Dog Soldiers in retaliation for the horrific Sand Creek Massacre, hired as a government interpreter to the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, knew and met with the many Indian chiefs to promote peace and acted as an intermediary between both worlds.
Throughout his entire life he was confused and frustrated as to which side of the heritage line to choose. The authors are to be commended on the manner in which they incorporate this struggle for identity along with critical historical events that shaped and incurred during his lifetime.

George Bent was truly one-of-a-kind. Born the son of a wealthy and prominent White trader and a beautiful Cheyenne woman in 1843, he was raised half-White and half-Cheyenne. He was educated in the White man's world and served in the Confederate Army, but became a Cheyenne warrior when his tribe went to war with the United States, participating in 27 war parties. He later worked as an interpreter and a broker -- not always a good one -- between the Whites and the Cheyennes. Perhaps his more important role came late in life when he served as an informant to the historians and ethnologists studying the Cheyennes. That they are among the best documented, most admired and studied of all Indian tribes is largely attributable to Bent.

The authors have done an outstanding job in compiling the story of George Bent. This is a scholarly, well-researched, well-documented, book that is complex but reads easily and tells a fascinating tale of a man between two worlds and comfortable in neither. The characters of Western legend appear in the book: Kit Carson, Wild Bill Hickock, George Custer, Phil Sheridan, and Buffalo Bill. Desperate forgotten battles between the Cheyennes and their White enemies are recalled and described. Perhaps the most interesting chapters of all describe the relationship between Bent and the scholars -- Hyde, Mooney, and Grinnell -- who used him as a resource to write their books. Bent had a burning interest in assuring that the story of the Cheyenne was recorded and remembered. He succeeded.

"Halfbreed" is a sad book as it describes the destruction by disease and war and massacre of a people and of Bent's own efforts to survive in a world that collapses around him. I don't know of any other book that delves so deeply and movingly into the world of the halfbreed. Bent deserves the recognition this book accords him almost a century after his death on the Cheyenne Reservation in Oklahoma.

Smallchief

This is a brilliant study of George Bent, the son of William Bent and Owl Woman, a physical union of the American settler and the American Indian in the west during the 19th century. He was not necessarily a central figure but nevertheless is emblematic of an entire era. In a time when we have few sources and fewer books regarding the progeny of Indian-european unions, this serves as an important and fascinating book that looks into the two worlds and momentous events of Bent's life. He lived among those great men of the American west such as Buffulo Bill and Kit Carson as well as witnessed the destruction of the native-American way of life. As a dog soldier, or elite warrior, of the Cheyennes he saw the massacre of Black Kettle's people and the subsequent war between whites and Indians on the plains. He later lived to serve as translator to the slowly defeated tribes and ended his days as a teacher at an Indian school, witness to the passing of an era. This is a well written book that reads like fiction but serves as an important testimony. A fascinating story that anyone will enjoy but should truly be read by anyone who enjoys the American West in all its flavor.

Seth J. Frantzman

When I moved to Santa Fe in 1983, I became fascinated with the history of this area and all things related to the Santa Fe trail. David Lavender wrote a great book on Bent's Fort that has always been a favorite of mine. Bent's Fort is a "living museum" in south eastern Colorado that is really worth visiting. When my friend loaned me his copy of Halfbreed, I was so impressed with its insight and easy reading that I bought two copies and sent one to another friend to enjoy (he did). I've read it three times now and will enjoy it again. I was moved by the authors' sensitivity of a true unsung hero who tried his best to preserve his knowledge of the Cheyenne oral traditions before they were forever lost. I will one day soon travel to the village of Colony, Oklahoma and visit his grave sight to pay homage to a great man that through this book, I have come to know and honor. I recomend this book for all who are looking for a good book to read.

Peggy Klaus' sophomore effort - a sequel of sorts to her Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It - covers the personal skills required to successfully navigate today's workplace. Each chapter is on a different aspect of these so-called soft skills, from dealing with a boss to managing others, even daring the reading to ask some tough questions (am I in the right career? am I cut out to be a manager?) and of course a chapter is devoted review the important lessons from Brag! Don't worry, every chapter has something for everyone, from someone on the lowest rung on the corporate ladder to the chairman of the board. Unlike Brag!, which reads like an excellent refresher course for Peggy's couching sessions and seminars, The Hard Truth feels like a trusty companion to her couching work and is highly recommended for anyone in the workplace - from a two person business to a Google-sized corporate environment. By presenting each topic in a real-life situations/case study, this book is highly readable and enjoyable and would make for a great summer read. What are you waiting for? If you read this far pick up the book and share it with your co-workers when you're done. Better yet, pick up a copy for each of them as well!

Where was this book when I started in the workplace?! Peggy's essential pearls of wisdom will help you fast-forward your career and navigate confidently the perils of the workplace!

Ruth Stergiou, CEO, Invent Your Future Enterprises

I have been highly recommending Peggy's first book, Brag!, ever since I attended one of her workshops in Palo Alto a few years ago. She is a dynamo in action and Brag! is terrific. So, I was thrilled when she published her new book and took on another important challenge for business professionals - those critical 'soft skills'. I have been working with women leaders (both entreprenuers and corporate women) for 15 years and one of the key lessons I have been teaching is the importance of managing your own behavior & style in the workplace. Moving up the career ladder requires both working hard and managing the workplace politics which includes 'playing well with others'. Peggy's book will help anyone who is interested in understanding how to navigate these challenging waters. I highly recommend it!

When I first met Peggy she was booking stand up comics on a local San Francisco TV station. That was 20 years ago. She was six years old and I was sixteen. She began coaching me, and within a short time I appeared on the Tonight Show! For the next 20 years I have enjoyed her friendship and enjoyed watching her grow into the force of nature she is today. She helped me thru the difficult transition from Performer to Personal Manager.
Today I manage, among others, Lewis Black, who also adores Peggy. I would have written this review of Hard Truths sooner, but when I started to read it I became so excited that I started putting her suggestions in play. Honestly, I have been so busy becoming even more skilled, I didn't get to it until now.

Because I believe in the wisdom of this book, I have purchased a dozen
and will give them as gifts! Now that's an endorsement!

Peggy Klaus has an uncanny ability to lead us toward dissecting our shortcomings and self-destructive behaviors. Like the best of life coaches, she is benevolent and practical in analyzing workplace situations and suggesting behavioral strategies. This book will benefit everyone from the CEO, to the manager, to support staff, to teachers, to shop owners, to freelancers, etc... as it is really about interrelating even away from the office. I came away from this book with a list of easily assimilated action steps to incorporate into my working relationships. Klaus' use of case studies and alternate scripts makes this all the easier to think through and project into our own scenarios.

I consider selective mutism as an extreme form of anxiety disorder, much like the authors of this book and several of the reviewers.
However, there are reasons why children with selective mutism are sometimes "misdiagnosed" with autism spectrum disorder. Frequently, in my experience, the two overlap, especially in children with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome. I also say this from experience: I am diagnosed Asperger's as an adult, but could not speak fluently until I was 8 due to word-finding difficulties associated with autism. There was no diagnosis of high-functioning autism when I was a child, so they called me "elective mutism with autistic features". (Selective mutism used to be called elective mutism.) I had a great deal of anxiety in situations where I was expected to speak to others for years afterward, and frequently would not speak with anyone other than my parents and teachers.
I must say, though, that the authors did not include the techniques I have found that work best with children with either or both selective mutism and high-functioning autism disorders, including asperger's, who have anxiety about speaking.
Some respond very well to the use of masks. I try to have it be a mask that the child has made, with my assistance, and gradually modify the mask to look more like the child, or modify the base material from paper to nylon around a base.
Another good therapy tool is a sock puppet. Gradually make it look more like the child, such as by adding hair, eyes the same color as the childs', etc. Gradually try to fade the use of these as the child's anxiety decreases.
Best of luck.

What a find!! Helping Your Child with Selective Mutism is a well-researched and organized resource that is a must read for educators and parents alike.

This is the first book I would buy after receiving a Selective Mutism diagnosis. It's well written and organized in a logical step-by-step fashion. Well worth the money.

I also highly recommend Maggie Johnson's "The Selective Mutism Resource Manual". It's pricey by comparison, but worth the cost.

As a mother of a child with selective mutism, I can tell how helpful this book can be. Practical and comprehensive, it helps you rate your child's level of selective mutism and gives hints on how to work your way up the ladder of a child's social relationships. Feels good to see the progress. If your child is well described by the first chapter, then get a copy of this book for the teachers.

We have a 4 year old who did not speak at all in preschool for the first several months. We were very worried about her. Her teacher initially misunderstood her behavior, thinking she was just being uncooperative. I initially consulted the website, [...], and shared the information from it with her teacher. Together we implemented several strategies recommended on the website, including a teacher home visit, and realized some positive, albeit limited, results. I then found this book, and again shared it with her teacher. We had a very clear understanding of SM as a result, and implemented some additional strategies suggested in the book (like another teacher home visit, building on the friendships she had outside of school, being cognizant of classroom seating, etc.). To all of our amazement she is a little chatterbox at school now (same school year)!!! I am incredulous that implementing the simple suggestions on the website and in the book had such dramatic results, and highly recommend the book for parents and teachers of children with this problem. THANK YOU to the authors!!!

Looking for books that will challenge an 8 year old boy that is a good reader but doesn't like fiction. The Henry Huggins series is just the ticket. Although the stories are somewhat dated, nevertheless they are well written. The stories have humor in them and they contain object lessons for their readers. I can say that a boy for sure will find them interesting.

I think Beverly Cleary did a good job writing Henry and the Club House. Henry and the Club House is part of a series of books. This book is about a 11 year old boy who has a paper route. But, some times he forgets his paper route. One day he forgets his route and his mother has to do it. He has lots of problems but his biggest problem his Ramona. Ramona is a four year old girl. Every day Ramona is upto something. Henry has to get an idea to get rid of Ramona. In Henry and the Club House Henry has to deal with Ramona and a clubhouse that he is working on with his two friends Robert and Murph. I think every one from 7-11 should read this book.

This story takes place in the present during our time in the 21st century, in a little town called Pitchfork, Oregon. Since it is in the 21st century, the setting is important because he would not have all the things he has right now. The reason for it is because back then some people did not have what they wanted. People were always fighting in the United States.

This book is mostly about a ten-year old boy named Henry Huggins. He and some of his friends are building a clubhouse, but Henry also has a paper route to do every afternoon. During his paper route he has trouble with Beezus' little sister, Ramona. She keeps on pestering him and his friends at the clubhouse, also when he is doing his paper route. So he wanted to do something with her so he could fell better.

In my opinion, I really like this book. It's amazing! Sometimes in the story, it makes me want to get excited. Some of the parts make me feel like it is funny and mean at the same time. When I read this book, it reminds me of me and my little brother. I would recommend this book because it's entertaining.

Another fine Henry Huggins book...and sadly we only have two left about Henry before we have exhausted this series. We simply love these books, my daughter is anxiously waiting until we get to the library tomorrow to pick up Henry and the Paper Route and we'll top off the series with Ribsy. Like other Henry Huggins books, this one is divided into chapters (7 to be exact) and each chapter is practically a short story in and of itself...the chapters build up to an overall theme/goal for Henry. In this particular book, it's building a clubhouse and buying a sleeping bag so he and his friends can sleep in the clubhouse.

The chapters start out with Henry forgetting about his paper route and winding up riding through town in a bathtub, then Henry and Ribsy making the acquaintance of the new neighborhood dog, we follow them on Halloween night, on a day of collection for his newspaper route, through his building of the clubhouse (with a strict No Girls policy) and his run in with Beezus and Ramona as a result (hilarious), Henry's clever "solution" to Ramona's pestering, and how he wound up with a little shadow! Overall the stories are clever and humorous in a way that I think kids genuinely appreciate and relate to!

Where does he find materials for his clubhouse? How does it turn out? What's up with that huge stuffed owl? What's it like to ride through town in a bathtub? How hard is a paper route? Will Henry ever get that sleeping bag? If you want to know you simply must read Henry and the Clubhouse, you won't be disappointed! These stories were written in the 1950's and 60's, so money matters are a bit off, but the rest is charming and the overall themes, humor, and childhood joys, frustrations and embarrassments have held up so wonderfully over the years...these books are great for girls and boys! I give this one an A+, another fine Henry Huggins adventure!

I just finished reading Henry and the Clubhouse to my little boy, who will turn six next month. He loves the Henry books (we've read 5 or 6 now), but I think I love them even more. My mother read these to me when I was 6 or 7, about 28 years ago, and I hadn't picked them up since. Now, as I read them to my son, every scene comes back to me with all of the humor and warmth that pervade each of Beverly Cleary's books for children. The author has remarkable insight into how the minds of young people work. Reading these books is an absolute delight.