F Books

Delerfield's engaging history of the men who led Napoleon's armies across Europe is essential for anyone who is interested in this period of history. While not an in-depth study, the author did an excellent job of bringing the marshals to life, especially the larger-than-life Ney and Murat. These men made their imprint upon Europe as no one before or since. The reader practically becomes a part of the great campaigns of the Grand Armee across Europe and the torment of the Peninsula War.

While this book is not exceptionally well written it is very readable and keeps the reader engrossed in the events of the time. Even for any accomplished student of the Napoleonic Wars this is a must read.

Aquellos que les guste un poco de historia es un buen libro para conocer más alrededor de Napoleon Bonaparte

My only gripe is that it wasn't 2000 pages so it could have really covered all of the ground. As it was the book offers lots of good insights into many of the lesser known Marshals like Suchet and Davout, two fighting marshals who were sorely missed at Waterloo.

Buy and read this book.

You will give Delderfield credit for his vision, his ambition and his broad coverage to the Age of Napoleon. This book is a synthesis of the age and a complement to all your other Napoleonic reading. It is an enjoyable book which weaves back and forth and round and round as the author tells about the personalities of and interrelationships among the 26 men who became Marshals of France.

There are many reasons I like Delderfield himself. The leading reason is that he values selflessness, effort, merit and ability. Though British, he could have hardly been more American in that respect. He was not the often encountered British snob who promotes the view that Napoleon was an ogre.

I share Delderfield's view, unabashedly, because I am a Son of the American Revolution and I hope also a true Patriot. While we owe our cultural heritige to the English in very large measure, I believe we owe our freedoms mostly to the French.

Delderfield is critical about the 26 men and their Emperor when needed, but he understands the great achievements of the time. He appreciates the blows that the French made and took in the name of liberty and progress.

I thought I was buying a book biographical portraits like Aubrey's Brief Lives, Seutonius' Twelve Caesars or Plutach's Lives. But, what I got was the whole story of the Age of Napoleon retold in a dramatic serial fashion (it would be a great HBO story) and in the action story form of Delderfield's own fiction Seven Men of Gascony.

The book organized according the normal conventions around the coalitions and campaigns. The story line begins at the end of the Age of Frederick the Great in order to bring the early lives of the oldest Marshals, such as Augereau, into focus. The story finally ends about 70 years later with the Funeral of Napoleon led by Marshal Soult to the tomb in the Invalides.

The story revolves around the twelve or so basic campaigns and the role of the respective Marshals. The book is fresh and it does not repeat known erroneous myths or trite cliches.

From this book we get insights into the interacting character of the 27 men (Napoleon included and chief among them). Very few of the faults of the Marshals are left unexposed by the end of the story. Those who achieve the highest place in Delderfield's pantheon and remain relatively unscathed are Davout the Iron Marshal; Ney, the Bravest of the Brave, Lannes, the Roland of France; and Poniatowski, Prince of Poland.

The other Marshals are treated well and complimented for their roles and abilities -- though depreciated for their weaknesses and vanities. They are put on a lesser shelf revealing more than anything the values of the author. I happen to agree with Delderfield that adherence to duty, bravery and loyalty are the three highest standards to judge these men.

All of the Marshals have an interesting personal story. We have to give all of them credit for ability and bravery beyond the common varieties. None of them became Marshals of France because they were incompetents or cowards. The abiding values of the Napoleonic Creed were merit and joie de virve or elan. The Marshals, on the whole, personified these values.

The Emperor could forgive vanity as in Murat; disloyalty as in Bernadotte and greed, as in Messena. He forgave them all, and many times, in the name of merit (also probably in the name of necessity which is often a reflection of the same thing).

I recommend this book for three reasons. First, it is organized. It gives a compact lucid picture of the chessboard of the age. It tells us a about how the campaigns and politics were structured. Second, it is complementary to other work such as Gallo, Tolstoy, Chandler and so on. It provides an additive perspective on the events which can enhance and enrich your reading of all the other literature on Napoleon. Third, it is literate and enjoyable. As I have already said, I share strongly the values and sensibilities expressed by Delderfield.

I suspect Delderfiled's perspectives on the French and Americans were shaped by interactions in World War II and World War I. The 20th Century Delderfeld, if placed in the 18th Century, would have been a political sympathizer in the American Revolution and he might have crossed the Channel to march with Davout, Lanne, Bessieres, Oudinot or Ney.

I don't mean to say he would be a traitor to England, I do not wish to dishonor him that way. What I mean is, from the benefit of perfect hindshight, he would have seen the vision of marking men by ability. He he would have marched off of the old Road to Serfdom, as Hayek called it, and onto the new Road to Freedom which was then being beaten across Europe by the French.

As will all books about this age the principal subject is Napoleon himself, who by any objective standard was the greatest leader of men in battle the world has evern known. As is usually the case with a leader, you will see in this book that any given leader cannot do everything in a complex enterprise and so must organize around himself a way that expresses his own goals, interests and competencies.

By examining the complexities of the individual Marhals and their interactions, you will be looking into the heart and mind of the Emperor himself. You will see why at Waterloo Napoleon was no longer himself. He was no longer able to articulate his visions without his Marshals of years gone by. You can speculate, for example, that if Berthier was present at Waterloo, the calvary would have stayed in reserve for the coup de grace and that Grouchy would have not been lost, hence blocking Blucher from the field, while Napoleon finished Wellington -- who was at the time already beaten on the hillsides of Waterloo.

While Richard the III would have given his kingdom for a horse, Napoleon lost his Empire for want of his Marshals.

I flew through this book. The narrative style of writing lent itself to a quick and enjoyable read. I came away with a better overall picture of those who were surrounding Napoleon.

Although the subject is broad in the sense that the author tackles so many people. He none-the-less does an excelent job of rounding out a solid picture of Naploeon's marshals, their personalites, their ambitons...flaws and credits.

There are several marshals that I would like to read more about based on the information gleaned from within these pages. Understandably the author could not devote as much time as he may have liked to each and every member of this group. He did, however achieve the goal of introducing us to all of them and more than just a basic glossing over.

What I liked most is that the author took the events and let time itself introduce and develop the marshals rather than simply lining each one up and giving the reader an encyclopedia type synopsis of each individual. This really brought each marshal into better focus in terms of what was going on at the time and why they entered the picture whent hey did, as well as what they were doing prior to entering into the service of the Empire.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Napoleon and also intersted in getting a better feel for those around him and what drove them to thier positions.

The Seth material is an indivisible whole. It is so difficult to grasp in its implications that I feel quite accomplished to have a fingernail- hold on some small part of it. The Nature of the Psyche posts some indespensible chapters. Chapter nine, "Characteristics of Pure Energy" is so clear about the nature of creativity and dreaming that readers will never again be able to think of these matters in their old way. It's that good. It really is. Of course, if you're a reader of Jane roberts you already know this. Do you not agree that Jane Roberts is one of the bravest people of our modern age?

Among other things this book proffers a very touching, and original, view on love--in its various manifestations. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

This book could be called the psychology of Seth. Where his other books are geared toward describing non-physical reality and it's relation to physical reality. This book describes from Seths' unique higher perspective human psychology and is truly outstanding even among Seth books. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It ranks as high as the Eva Pierrakos channeled works from a human psychology perspective.

How we create our reality, psyche, sexuality, dreams, simultaneous time, dimensions, love, and our past are some of the more in-depth points in this Seth book. Although this is just the beginning.

In beginning, my view, this book explains the "nature of sexuality" more completely than any before. I am euphoric Seth shared his opinion because it is a very important subject. Many, many people may be shocked at Seth's view of sexuality, homosexuality, or lesbianism. Seth helped me understand this hot topic much better. Anyone interested in this area should read. This is but a small portion of this book.

Some of Seth's explanations do seem repeated from previous material, however there is much new material. The way in which Seth explains the subjects in new wording tones and sentences are far enlightening. I find there is some great info regarding dreams. In my opinion, Seth has always been outspoken on the importance of dreams. What I exuberantly enjoy about Seth are his explanations of dreams and the dream reality, this is how I correlated Seth's information into my belief of Seth. By having a foothold of my own dream experiences I have correlated them with Seth's view of the dream world.

In addition, Seth can explain how we create our reality like no one else.

Something beyond the words, and the symbols of this book. A feeling, tone, or a transcendence sense that I come away with Seth's spoken, then written words. This perception been commented on many of times within Seth groups, and as I look back and write about this sense, it still feels strange and unknown. Any person having a fond love for a book will understand.

The Nature of the Psyche is not as detailed or long as "The Nature of Personal Reality" but amazingly to the point, the chapters are shorter and gave me an excellent explanation of the topics presented. I like the fact that it is shorter.

I left much out of this review but I do believe this book would be a good starter for beginners interested in Seth's concepts. A+ material thanks Rob, Jane and Seth.

I love most of the Seth books, and this one was not too bad, its a shame tho, alot of it, just seemed to be repeated over and over again, till you kinda lose interest. Of course its interesting and has alot of good points, but takes a turn with the constant repeating of the same thing. If your an avid Seth reader, then its okay, but you may be lost if your not.

One of the best all around references I have found. It gives you the important info you need and cuts out the fluff.

The 17th edition of the Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics is available now. I have seen it on the publisher's website. This textbook is one of the main physician-level educational sources for pediatrics, and I highly recommend it for the personal libraries of all medical professionals as well as those in training. No matter what your field, there will always be the potential that you will become responsible for caring for a child. However, it is usually best to find the latest edition for any textbook.

The Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics covers just about
every possible subfield in childrens medicin. As
a lot of different authors have contributed, the style
tends to differ a lot between different sections and
chapters.

Some of the chapters, such as the one describing the
immune system, are very technical and only aimed at
the well-versed in microbiology, whereas others, like
the acutely ill child, are very descriptive and make
a compelling read.

NToP is a particularly useful reference work for
those who want to read a good description on a
particular pathology or disorder. It is not written
or intended as a diagnostic aid, but rather as
a starter to bring the reader up to speed in a
particular subject after the diagnosis has been made.

It is also not intended as "the last word" on anything.
For instance, although the pediatric cardiology section is
extensive, you will need rather more to discuss a complicated
case with the pediatric cardiologist at the local university
hospital.

Sadly, some topics are barely touched. Look for sliding
hernia or oesophagitis, for example, and you will be
disappointed.

This book is a useful investment both for medical
practicioners and the loving parents to which it is
dedicated.

THis is THE textbook of pediatrics. I own Rudolphs and Oski's as well. This is the book to buy (or read if you have MDconsult). It has the best diagrams, graphs, authors, and is the easiest to read. Don't waste your time with the minibooks such as currents or the mini Nelson's. Just read this one. You'll be glad.

When I was on my PA Peds rotation, I often consulted this great reference in the medical library. Now, that I have my own book, I know its value. There is no other Pediatrics book out there that is better than this one. Don't waste your money on less expensive books like Current Pediatrics which doesn't cover half as many topics as Nelson. Also, for a great little pocket books, try Harriet Lane and Current Clinical Strategies Pediatrics 5 Minute Review.

This book gives you a good overview of what your Will should say. I used it as reference only. I had my lawyer revise some verbage in my will.

This book (6th edition) has taken a BIG weight off of my mind regarding writing a will. My husband and I currently don't have a will (and apparently have lots of company - reportedly 60% of Americans don't have wills), but I am in the process of changing that with the reassuring help of this book.

Yes, you CAN write your own legal will, and it truly isn't difficult. As this book points out, even lawyers use standard forms for wills which they customize to their clients. The NOLO CD that accompanies this book also contains standard forms which you can modify, and it walks you through the different parts of a will and the various decisions you need to make. It also flags decisions/areas that you need to give particularly careful consideration. And it flags more complications situations that might or do require a lawyer (such as, wanting to give more than 50% of your estate to someone other than your spouse).

I will say that our situation isn't complicated, our "estate" basically consists of our home and some savings/investment accounts, and we have young children to provide for. I feel very confident that a will written using this book/CD will be completely legal and appropriate.

But I think this book would be quite valuable even to people planning to use a lawyer for more complicated estate planning needs, as it explains wills and their components in clear, concise terms.

This subject is presented in a logical and easy to follow way. I appreaciated that all bases were covered. I would recommend Nolo`s Simple Will Book as a good investment.

I bought this book mostly because I wanted my daughter in the right hands if something were to happen to both my husband and I. Peace of mind knowing that she will indeed end up with the people we select is worth a million and we didn't to have to spend much money to set this up. This book is great to have your wishes put down so everything is distributed how you want it. Much more convenient then going to a lawyer and saves you a lot of money.

Nolo Press was founded on the principle that not all legal transactions require retention of a lawyer. A valid, legal will can be drafted with the help of Nolo's Simple Will Book. You will get far more utility than the cover price of $36.99 (regularly 30% off at Amazon) would get you from a lawyer for that cost. The author is quick to point out when specific family or estate situations are too complex to be addressed by a self-help title, and he directs the reader to professional legal help in dozens of specific scenarios.

For someone who has basic property and investments to leave in their will, this book offers a number of full-in-the blank or completely customizable options for writing your will. Despite the urge to skip right to the forms, the reader should take his or her time to read through the opening chapters to familiarize his/herself with the clauses, vocabulary, witness requirements, and potential pitfalls of drafting and finalizing a will. There are dozens of tables scattered throughout the book which break down the laws in every state, showing which are community property vs. not, which recognize civil unions, which have specific legal provisions, and so on.

This book is worth every penny and no adult should be without a legal, binding will. This book will show you how to draft your will in a matter of hours and at a cost of $37.

I found Path Crossing a very delightful and insightful book to read. In many ways I had to go back and search myself for answers regarding the people that I came across, and if took the time to tell them about Christ. This book allowed me to see that people cross our paths for reasons, and not by chance. I am reminded after reading this book that being a christian is not just being a chrisian on Sunday's, but that everyone that I come in contact with, I should tell them about christ. I will truly view all of my encounters differently from this day forward. Thank you Dr. Horstemeyer

If you want to read an encouraging book, that reveals the true value of those chance encounters you had; at the store, at work, at a business meeting, at school or on vacation, then this book is a must. It's a quick read.

i read this book a few years ago and still remember the scenarios that Mark Horstemeyer experienced and wrote about. it has had a lasting effect on me.
i found his view of loving people encouraging. he didnt just package it as 'telling everyone you know about God so you win big up in heaven', he put love back where it belonged and has been missing.
his writing was clear also. at the age that i read it at i was not reading very many books, but this book met me where i was at and encouraged me to move forward.
this is most likely a book that a will read a couple of times over.

Path Crossings is a wonderful journey that I did not want to end. It chronicles some of the most interesting chance meetings, or encounters that the author has had in his travels and how God used him in a powerful way in these circumstances. The cast of characters is compelling and very diverse. The author Dr. Mark was A good and kind listener and would offer a gentle word of encouragement, but would also sternly and intelligently defend and evangelize his Christian faith when necessary. If you believe in God and his passion for our lives, you will quickly see that these many "Path Crossings" we have all experienced are not by random chance. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have and that you'll look at your next "Path crossing" as an opportunity to plant productive seeds of hope in the lives of spiritually tired and weary travelers. I highly recommend this book to all Christians and those who have a heart to be a blessing to others. Well Done.

I found this book to be a quick read that challenged me to think differently about daily situations. I am now looking at each encounter with other people as an opportunity to touch a life, to share God's love or the truth of his word. I found this book stimulating and thought provoking.

I guess the main idea here is whether or not the soul is immortal.

Does the soul exist outside of this physical, earthly experience ?

I've only begun reading Plato after years of reading a lot of other new age type books such as the Edgar Cayce material and Dr. Brian Weiss.

Plato is often consistent with those new age ideas but he expresses his thoughts in a more poetic way.

Plato and those others believed in reincarnation and even being reborn as an animal.

A new age theory about this is that if you go back to 10,500 BC and beyond you had a lot of people running around with for example the body of a human being but the head of a horse, tree branches for arms, etc..

Most people had tails back then.

This was a result of people projecting themselves into this physical dimension and getting entangled in the animal and plant worlds. As they did this across multiple incarnations they started to develop those animal appendages in their physical bodies.

It was in ancient Egypt around 10,500 BC that the priest Ra Ta and other Atlanteans helped these "things" to rid themselves of these animal characteristics.

That "mystery of mysteries" the sphinx is a creature that is part human and part lion. Don't think this doesn't have some very deep and hidden meaning.

Another key point in the book is the death of Socrates. He dies like a true philosopher, not in fear, but calmly.

At one point Socrates actually proves that one plus one is not equal to two. That's power.

Jeff Marzano

Same Soul, Many Bodies: Discover the Healing Power of Future Lives through Progression Therapy

Lives of the Master: The Rest of the Jesus Story

The Lives of Edgar Cayce

Edgar Cayce's Egypt: Psychic Revelations on the Most Fascinating Civilization Ever Known

.
What happens at death? Is the soul immortal? Why does the philosopher seek death but avoid suicide? What is so attractive about death to Socrates?

This is a masterpiece of a book. While Socrates does not prove the immortality of the soul, his arguments for such, as in the "law of opposites," the "theory of recollection" and the combination of the two, make way for a very interesting and mind enhancing read and is a hell of lot more valid, intelligible and religiously inclusive than any of the biblical literalist's security hold in fallacious illusion, or was Socrates and Plato infallibly inspired? Was Homer infallibly inspired? Of course not. In turn, Socrates is counter-argued with the "theory of attunement" and subsequently argues back for the immortality of the soul.

His thoughts which entail the body as the inhibitor of obtaining true wisdom, that philosophy aids a man to go beyond his body, so that at death he can be released from the body and use his wisdom to achieve a higher realm of true wisdom, as the body acts as a place of desires that prevents men from perceiving the world of ideas apart from the world of appearances. The death of the body is the release of the soul and the condition of the soul, either that controlled by desires or that of philosophy that has brought it to a higher realm, will determine where the soul travels to after death.

Socrates further gives us a description of the round, spherical earth. This exposes the fallacy of biblical literalists who attempt to prove biblical divinity by quoting Job 40:22 and Isaiah for the spherical earth, or does that make Socrates inspired? His further description of the earth's hollows by water and the place called Tartarus brings us to the identical words of St. Paul, who certainly was influenced by many non-Christian teachings, which permeated his entire belief system. Also Socrates gets Eastern in the reincarnation of the soul back to the world of desires, including that of animals and insects, which makes this book a fascinating read to say the least. This book is a gem and great masterpiece to contemplate on. I love Plato - and Socrates too.

I will not quote myself, but I'll evoke the words that I have written here before in the review of Krishnamurti's book. Since you're reading this I guess you're interested in Plato's philosophy and this work in particular. I'll just say few words and then will let you to dive into the book and find the meaning for yourself.
This is the book that belong to Plato's later works, and debate continues whether Socrates in this book is historical Socrates or just voice of Plato. If you take into consideration few Aristotelian lines than first option would be the true one. But, no matter which one is right, Socrates here is presented as few characters of world literature are. I can not speak about philosophy here, so I shall speak about style. Bearing the posture of romantic poets, and if you picture ancient greek dungeon as some reneiscance castle dungeon, you'll have the setting. And tht's it. No quarells, no fightning and vicious murdering, just one of the most beautifull speeches conserning human soul, and only one, diginified, death.
Books like these give me hope that there is still a chance for a world to become the better place.

If it was up to me to preserve just one of the dialogues of Plato for posterity it would be the Phaedo. That is because this is the metaphysical core of the teachings of Socrates (the main character) as told by Plato. As is emphasized in the text, death is the main topic of concern for the true philosopher- and that is what is covered here. However, there is nothing morbid about it. This is a message of hope, for Socrates establishes the divinity and immortality of the soul. The good man, he who has purified himself through the love of wisdom (Philosophy) goes to a higher, purer realm to be with like-minded souls and the gods themselves. The bad man also goes to his just reward with those of like character.

If I was to abstract the core truth here it would be that the true philosopher is always trying to free his soul from the body- for only then is the soul free of the distractions and distortions that can corrupt it and keep it from direct perception of the Ideals (Absolute Truth, Good, Beauty, and Justice.)

You easily see where the Church borrowed so much of its basic theological underpinnings. In fact, reading this work abolishes forever in your mind the idea that the pre-Christian pagans were in anyway necessarily savage or barbaric in their deepest spiritual beliefs. This is spirituality more pure than anything preached by the Church- and it is supported by reasoned argument and not appeal to empty faith and authority.

The closing of the dialog is probably the finest depiction in Western literature of the death of a great and good man. You truly concur that Socrates was indeed the wisest and justest and best of all men.

Socrates is unique among philosophers, not just for his place among the early Greek philosophers, but also for the fact that he is the most famous philosopher to never write his own books. What we know of Socrates comes from contemporary accounts and students, most particularly Plato.

Set in 399 BCE, the Phaedo is a reconstruction of Socrates final conversations with friends on the day he died. We do not know when this dialogue was written, but it was probably before The Republic (Plato's most famous work, also featuring the figure of Socrates). Like The Republic, this dialogue features a well developed theory of Forms -- these are introduced gradually here, slowly filling out the details of each step. This develops the story of the caves idea from Plato's earlier work in epistemological, metaphysical, moral, and semantic terms. Plato also advances the 'imperfection argument' here -- the idea that when we sense something, it is never perfectly the thing we are thinking of, and that idea or standard to which we relate what we see, hear, feel, etc. is tying into a more perfect Form.

However, the idea of the soul is rather less developed here than in The Republic. The soul is simply mind, or intellect - all emotions are here placed as bodily aspects. This is rather Pythagorean in a fashion, that only the soul grasps the perfect Forms, and so should consist of nothing but reasoning ability, for emotions distort and cloud the perceptions and judgments.

In the end of the Phaedo, we witness Socrates drink the hemlock, without fear or trembling, as a philosopher should know the value of life and welcome death with a firm hope. The story is almost religious in nature here.

David Gallop's translation is good and true to the original (in as much as I can tell from my small Greek learning). It is somewhat tending toward the formal side. This is serious stuff, but in a small number of pages manages to capture much, and this makes it all the more relevant.

Across a broad spectrum of titles, subjects and the like, this is by far one of the best books I have ever read. It is very difficult to put down, once you get into the meat of it. I've never ever had Purgatory explained to me so well and so concise. If you don't believe in Purgatory...think again. If you think Purgatory is simply a stopping off or resting place prior to Heaven...get ready for a BIG TIME reality check. On the good side, if you've made it to Purgatory, at least you are on your way to Heaven. The whole idea, though, is to work here in this life to get straight to Heaven. It's a whole lot simpler and eternally less painful to purge oneself of sin in this life...and not wait until the next. This book needs to be read by all.

I'm 21 and going to a very secular private university in southern California which is full of lukewarm Christians...especially lukewarm Catholics. My generation has all but lost a sense of fear in God's Justice, and this book is exactly what we need. It helps to clarify everything you ever wanted to know or were curious about Purgatory, restore the gravity and incalculable value of Mass in the mind of the reader, and develops a profound appreciation and inspiration of the Saints of the past.

I had a very rough notion of what Purgatory was before I read this book and boy am I glad I read it. The cover makes it look really ghetto and like some cult book which I wish they kind of changed, but nevertheless, never judge a book by its cover AMEN!

Very few books have covered a topic so well nor have deepened my faith like this one. I think in an age where we have forgotten the concept of guilt, this book is a must read for all Catholics.

More people my age should read this, because it does such a good job of setting values and priorities straight in one's life, creates a strong urgency in a person to change for the better and to strive for perfection, to grow the right type of fear in God's Justice, to better understand and become confident in His Infinite Mercy and most importantly, the book ends on a note of charity and suggests a variety of ways we can fulfill this Divine Commandment towards our brothers and sisters -the Souls Departed.

What can I say?

I love God even more after this and there can be nothing but good that comes out of that :)

Looking forward to reading the book again and again throughout my lifetime.

Peace

Must read for all Christians. Fr. Shouppe dispells the notion, within The Dogma of Purgatory, that a Merciful God cannot have a purgatory or hell. He proves using the lives of the Saints that we all need a better understanding of what is purgatory and how it effects our growth towards holiness.
This book can be used as a general reference and as a study guide for your writing and sermons.
If you do not understand or believe in purgatory you will when you finish this book, or you will when you get there!

In reading this book (3X's) I must say that it truly shows God's love for us. This book is not written to convert those non-believers but rather to show God's infinite wisdom, and his knowledge of human weekness. Although it is frightning at times in the first half of the book, the second half is truly uplifting! If you read this book pray that the Holy Spirit guides you through and that you will truly be touched....

People seem to have forgotten about the doctrine of purgatory and the importance of praying for the souls in purgatory as well as letting our trials and sufferings go to waste without offering them up for their relief. This is a great book that explains in great detail just what purgatory is about and what the Catholic teaching says about it. I was very impressed by the first few pages that actually cites rulings from the Council of Trent of the 16th century on the issue which itself cites the authority of this teaching as coming from the early church fathers as well. Clearly this doctrine is not a recent "invention" but has been accepted and understood from the early days of the church fathers. Everything you've ever wanted to know about purgatory and essential reading for all Christians let alone Catholics.

What a great read, just a pleasure to read the works of Sigurd. His stories give a real feel for what it is like in nature and gives a desire to enjoy the outdoors! His writing style is inviting and detailed, Truly a classic!

Every small story in this book seems to bring us peace & serenity. Sigurd brings out the part of a person that is called to nature and is connected with the earth. Every time we read from the book it seems to recenter us and put us back on track for better more fulfilling living.
The only semi-negative comment would be that his writing is very male dominated. This is not totally surprising since it is written in the early to mid 1900's.

This book consists of 28 essays, each a few pages long. The essays discuss general themes related to the outdoors, with reference to the North Country from Minnesota to Alaska. Olson is a marvelous writer, and the essays are captivating.

The book is divided into three parts: "Primal Heritage," "Search for Meaning," and "The Imponderables." The first group of essays ruminate on themes such as nomads, hunter-gatherers, silence in the woods, and the implications of these themes for modern life. The second group on meaning concerns one-word themes such as harmony, aliveness, beauty, and simplicity. These essays would provide an excellent basis for discussion in a book group or a classroom setting.

The third group is the least successful, and moves to a poorly-developed religious climax. In earlier essays in the book, Olson revealed himself as a Christian who sees the beauty of God's creation in the great outdoors. In the third part he moves toward a more synthetic position, finding common ground among many religions. That's fine, but it leads him to two essays on an "emergent God," which don't really work. He is a nature writer, not a theologian, and it shows.

Though many of his themes are timeless, such as the need for people to discover their true nature away from their urban lives, Olson discusses many anachronistic practices. When he would arrive in camp, his chores might include cutting pine boughs for a mattress, chopping down a tree for firewood and tent poles, and other destructive practices. Those are no longer possible.

Olson also reveals himself as a man living in a patriarchal time. He would disappear into the woods for weeks or months at a time, leaving his family behind. In this book, he mentions his son Sig several times but never mentions his wife, who presumably raised Sig and managed other household chores. Olson also sings the praises of his canoe-makers, and the joys of simple food in the backcountry such as rice, beans, and meats, but he does not raise any of that food himself. This reveals him as being connected to a wider economy and to people such as farmers who cannot disappear into the woods as he can.

Would Olson have been able to live his life in the woods without his wife, farmers, canoe-makers, and others living their lives in a house? The thought never crosses his mind, but we should ponder it.

This is the best book ever written on wilderness.

This book compiles some of Olson's best writings. In it, his last book, Olson further explores the concept of self-reflection and self-discovery through wilderness solace. His writing will be of interest to anyone who enjoys the outdoors (especially canoeing), but also readers who enjoy general contemporary philosophy.

I receipt the book very quikly and in excelent conditios of use, as a new book.

Reinforced Concrete: Mechanics and Design (4th Edition) (Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics)

I think this book is very good quality, and shipping is not bad...

I have the 2nd edition of this book which I loved. This edition is excellent and is easily the best text on Reinforced Concrete there is anywhere.

This book is the best for those who want a deeper understanding of reinforced concrete design.Since the author presents a step by step way to introduce the concepts,the reader is able to get a more detailed information and retents more concepts instead of procedures

This book was already one of the best concrete design texts and is even better with the addition of the new co-author James Wight, who adds valuable information on the design of concrete structures to resist seismic forces. There are a few minor errors in the examples that still exist from the 3rd edition, but they are minor and the examples are detailed enough that the corrections are usually forthcoming. I recently finished a MS in Structural Engineering focusing on concrete design and this book (3rd edition) was one of the 2 or 3 that I found myself referring to most often.

Reviewed by Kim and Sean Peterson for Reader Views (5/06)

Karen Greene gives in to peer pressure. Wanting to be accepted, she agrees to ride a horse that demands more skill than she possesses. When she and the other teens ride the trail, Karen struggles to control the uncooperative horse, Comet. Her poor choice and the sudden appearance of a dirt bike on the trail place horse and rider in danger. When the frightened horse bolts, Karen and Comet suffer injuries in a traumatic accident on the nearby road. Although her body recovers, nightmares and lack of confidence plague her. Karen fears riding her own gentler Morgan horse, Robin.

Karen's parents decide to move Robin to a different training facility, Gallant Morgans, with the hope that their daughter will find a way to overcome her fear of riding horses. The less intimidating atmosphere exposes the teen to new friends, including Heather Richardson who helps the owner Chauncy train horses for show and for the trail.

As the humans, horses and other animals at Gallant Morgans help her overcome the apprehension about riding, they also encourage the redeveloping bond between Karen and Robin. The mare doesn't take advantage of Karen's trepidation, but is the essence of patience as her young owner strives to re-master the skills that have seemingly abandoned her.

As volunteer horse caretakers at a local therapeutic riding facility, we feel that Feld accurately portrays both the responsibilities of caring for a horse, as well as the special bond developed through time spent together. Girls (and guys) who long for the full equine experience will savor this fourth story in the Morgan Horse series.

All I can say is, I wish I were a teenage girl again, because this series would have been on my bookshelf right up there with the Black Stallion series, the "Flicka" series, Marguerite Henry, and all the other horse books that were close to my heart. I recommend starting with "Blackjack" and reading the series through in order, as you can see the characters, both human and equine, grow and learn, and new characters add a new dimension, just as they do in real life. The best part is, as I can testify as an owner of 5 Morgans, the equine episodes in the books are realistic. Morgans really ARE like the horses in the books. And as a mother of 3 teenage girls in the past, I can also testify that the girls in the books are very much like the adolescent girls that filled my house all those years ago. Even though I am WELL beyond my teenage years, I can't wait for the next book in the series - I hope it is as exciting and uplifting as "Robin". Knowing this series, I am sure it will be!

This is a great book for horse crazy people, children and adults. Well written. Ellen keeps getting better and better, her Morgan horse books are something any teenage girl would want, and adult horse lovers too. Highly recommended. All three books in this series are EXCELLENT!!

Once again Ellen is right on the mark when it comes to a believable story with the delicious overtones of whimsy and fantasy that horses conjure up in all of us. All of Ellen's books are worthy additions to any library of children's classics, and are a recommended read for all ages and genders. We await more additions to the trusty list!

Ellen Feld zooms me back to my childhood and memories of riding with my friends. Yep, we did some crazy things with our horses...and so many times it was a result of peer pressure. Our horses, like the Morgan horse Robin, seemed to know better and were there to help teach us so many valuable lessons. Ellen's story takes hold of this reality and addresses it with a mature hand and detail that floods the senses with the smell of horses and leather, the sounds of hoofbeats and laughter, the sight of green grass and wonderful Morgan horseflesh, the feel of the reins and a freshly-curried coat, and the sheer bliss of spending time with horses and friends. I have to wait (somewhat impatiently) while my son finishes each new book that Ellen writes!