Works Books

John Tesh has written an easy-to-digest little book which covers the basics of a happy life. He's a very down to earth man, adn his stories are both touching and credible. I hope this book is just the first in a "chicken soup" type series.

John Tesh puts together a great book full of heart and inspiration to encourage anyone who reads it to take back the passion and purpose in thier life. This is a great self help book for anyone and just an all-around great read to keep at your nightstand. To be composed of so many segments, it really flows well and is tremedously readable and enjoyable. John shares many lessons from his own life and encourages others to turn up the volume on thier lives. The book is not preachy and is written in a very warm, conversational way. John has this ability to connect with his listeners that really carries through to print. I believe that anyone and everyone will benefit from reading this book.

Lots of short little self-motivating lessons from finding passion in your life to taking care of others, taking care of yourself, taking care of business, etc.

One of my favorite suggestions dealt with the constant urge to check e-mail, a big time-waster - Tesh suggests instead dropping down for 10 pushups. That's a great cure! Digesting a "lesson a day" will help brighten your day, and build better tomorrows.

The book "Intelligence for Your Life" is a must read. John Tesh challenged me to really evaluate my passions for life. He encouraged me to create a plan to fulfill my dreams.

This is a wonderful book, I recommend it highly. I listen to his radio program and his book is the icing on the cake. It gives you something to think about and goals to strive for.

This book has some really great info that you can't find other places. A real must for anyone dx with or close to someone dx with "iron overload".

This book was recommended by a friend when my 26 year old son was diagnosed with hemachromatosis, before I even knew my husband and I are both carriers. I ended up getting two of my sons (2 of my 3 have hemachromatosis)a copy. It relieved a lot of fears and answered a lot of questions, questions that my family doctor didn't know the answer to. It also gave us direction as to what to do and what to expect. Very easy to read, very easy to understand.

This book should be much easier to find.The information is badly needed.If it were more accessable more people would see the symtoms and perhaps get better diagnosis. All doctors need this in their offices. My gastrointerologist said he'd have to do some research on this!!! He's suppose to be the "specialist"!This has helped me understand that with proper diagnosis and treatment this disease need not be a serious problem. Well written. A must read. Many thanks to Dr. Phatak for writing this.

At long last, a single source of invaluable information about diagnosis and treatment of Hemochromatosis along with many personal trials and tribulations of those who have experienced the frustrations of obtaining an appropriate diagnosis. "The Iron Disorders Institute's Guide to Hemochromatosis" is a tremendously welcome resource. I was so impressed I purchased 7 additional copies for my 5 adult children and 2 of the RNs who conduct my frequent phlebotomies.

I'm also relieved that newly diagnosed "Rusties" do not have to go through the agony of research as I did back in 1979 when I was diagnosed as a result of my younger sister's autopsy results. There was scant information available in the medical journals of the period. I recall one occasion spending more than 4 hours in a medical library only to locate a single 2 year old article about Hemochromatosis, which was replete with statements that have since been proved mythical. No one will have to endure that again with the advent of IDI's "Guide".

The "Web" has certainly provided considerably more accessibility to Hemochromatosis information, yet much of what is available still has to be validated. The "Guide to Hemochromatosis" overcomes this problem by providing in a single-source forthright testimony, easy-to-understand charts and time-tested data contributed by highly recognized scientists in their fields.

The "Guide" can reduce, even eliminate, the frustration often experienced when trying to convince a family member of how crucial it is for having the appropriate blood tests conducted to determine stored iron levels. The feedback I've received from those whom I have given this book to has been overwhelmingly positive. There is little doubt as to the value of this book in one's arsenal for educating loved ones about the insidiousness of excess iron and the damage iron can do to the human body.

I found that one can simply read individual chapters in no particular order and assimilate a plethora of knowledge without being bogged down in technical jargon. This book relates well on a very personal level. I can not emphasize enough the value of this book. It commands a highly visible location in my reading library, replacing the "Reader's Digest".

I also highly recommend this book as being very germane to every individual, worldwide, who has Irish, Scottish, or English ancestry.

Finally, there is definitive information out there, instead of just people passing word of mouth warnings. This books is worth gold for people of Celtic ancestry. I was diagnosed with HHC, laughingly called the Celtic Curse because it can strike people of Scottish and Irish ancestry, there was not a lot of information out there about it. One in four people can carry the gene that causes the body to store too much iron in the deep muscle tissue, kidneys, liver and heart. It can be fatal if not caught. This book helps those find a way to live with this problem.

When I learnt I suffered from this, I had not heard of it, no one I knew had it. However, within in the last five years, many people I know are aware of a friend or family member that now has it. It often mimics many other health problems, so it's good to get early treatment and have books such as this one that help you manage your lifestyle.

This book addresses all the issues and give people a sound understanding of the problem, how to face it and how to live with it.

This book, the first in a trilogy, is a great collection of stories, thoughts, penses and ideas. It is a book in the great Jewish wisdom tradition. Jacob is a baker, and each day on his way to the bakery after his prayers he thinks and reflects on God and life. While the ovens are warming up, he jots down his thoughts. One day by accident, one of his scraps of thoughts gets baked into a loaf of bread. The lady who finds it is overwhelmed by its insight and wisdom. She asked the owner of the bakery if Jacob will share more of his ideas by baking one in each of some rolls for a dinner party for her. Reluctantly, Jacob agrees and his peaceful life is shattered.

Soon Jacob has no time for himself. When he goes home people are awaiting him, in the morning they are on the path to work, and every day they are in the bakery, asking him questions, seeking advice and wisdom. They soon desire to make Jacob their Tzadik, their wise man. These stories will warm your heart, and open your eyes to the divine in yourself and in others. It will teach you to live with love and grace and mercy towards others.

This book, the first in a trilogy, is a great collection of stories, thoughts, penses and ideas. It is a book in the great Jewish wisdom tradition. Jacob is a baker, and each day on his way to the bakery after his prayers he thinks and reflects on God and life. While the ovens are warming up, he jots down his thoughts. One day by accident, one of his scraps of thoughts gets baked into a loaf of bread. The lady who finds it is overwhelmed by its insight and wisdom. She asked the owner of the bakery if Jacob will share more of his ideas by baking one in each of some rolls for a dinner party for her. Reluctantly, Jacob agrees and his peaceful life is shattered.

Soon Jacob has no time for himself. When he goes home people are awaiting him, in the morning they are on the path to work, and every day they are in the bakery, asking him questions, seeking advice and wisdom. They soon desire to make Jacob their Tzadik, their wise man. These stories will warm your heart, and open your eyes to the divine in yourself and in others. It will teach you to live with love and grace and mercy towards others

This book, the first in a trilogy, is a great collection of stories, thoughts, penses and ideas. It is a book in the great Jewish wisdom tradition. Jacob is a baker, and each day on his way to the bakery after his prayers he thinks and reflects on God and life. While the ovens are warming up, he jots down his thoughts. One day by accident, one of his scraps of thoughts gets baked into a loaf of bread. The lady who finds it is overwhelmed by its insight and wisdom. She asked the owner of the bakery if Jacob will share more of his ideas by baking one in each of some rolls for a dinner party for her. Reluctantly, Jacob agrees and his peaceful life is shattered.

Soon Jacob has no time for himself. When he goes home people are awaiting him, in the morning they are on the path to work, and every day they are in the bakery, asking him questions, seeking advice and wisdom. They soon desire to make Jacob their Tzadik, their wise man. These stories will warm your heart, and open your eyes to the divine in yourself and in others. It will teach you to live with love and grace and mercy towards others

Easily digestible brain and soul food. This book would make a great gift for anyone on your "wonder what to buy for" list. I can also see it as a discussion opener for parents with older children. Many short lessons that can open up conversations that teach values. I short changed this marvelous book one star because I felt cheated by the last lesson. It just seemed as if someone else wrote it. But go ahead, you read it and see what you think.

This book is great. Some people may be reluctant to buy the book because the fact that it is somewhat a religious book, or the fact that it has some "Christian" teachings installed into it, but that should not turn you away from this great book of life lessons. It is a book of many proverbs that the author claims to thought up of himself. That in itself is impressive. Each proverb can be applied to daily life and we can easily apply it to our own lives. One proverb states "A fish cannot describe water until it is caught." It has a lot of depth but is a very light read. It is like "chicken soup for the soul" book series. There are stories that accompany these proverbs. Stories that at first glance may seem pointless, but analyzed, can give you a lot from it. Why not try this book?

I bought this book when it was first published and used it as a primer to learn how to cook. It is highly practical with the chapters arranged by technique (boiling, braising, sauteing, etc). And it is well illustrated with simple drawings that effectively communicate how to execute those techniques. I would recommend it to anyone, especially those who are just learning to cook. Unfortunately, even though it was re-issued a few years ago in both hardcover and paperback, the used booksellers think this book must be worth its weight in gold. It isn't. If you can find a copy in good condition at a reasonable price, consider buying it. If not, look for James Peterson's -Essentials of Cooking- which, in many ways, is a superior book and should be available at a sane price.

Selection, technique and associated recipes from this legend make this a book one turns to often. Mine is worn out from over fifteen years of usage. You'll put it profit in your kitchen.

This is the classic of American cooking, the first cookbook to own and the one you go back to all your life.
Beard had a brilliant sense for food, and in this book he shares concepts and approaches, explaining the equipment you use, and the techniques, methodically, clearly and with his particular elan.
Anyone can follow this book. But between the recipes presented throughout the book (organized in the unusual manner of by technique - things you boil, things you bake, things you roast, etc.) and the concordance (organized by food), you can find great recipes and just plain information and direction to help you make just about enough food to last a lifetime.
I brought it with me to France and still rely on it.

This classy reprint of a standard cooking guide deserves a spot on the shelf of any serious cook's collection: this edition provides an introduction by Julia Child and a foreword by Barbara Kafka as it covers the basics methods and ingredients of good cooking, with a healthy dose of Beard's philosophy added for spice.

A must for anyone who loves good food. I bought my copy about 20 years ago in my bachelor days, and still refer to it regularly. If you can learn the techniques in this book and in "From Julia Child's Kitchen," you'll be in the 99th percentile of home cooks. Add a couple of Pierre Franey's 60-Minute Gourmet or Cuisine Rapide volumes, and you and yours will eat well for life.

What a fun idea for a book! I love the comedic tour through various jobs, some of which I have held (and in the same area, since I graduated from the same University, albeit a decade or so later.) Classic Ayun Halliday style is applied to her adventures through the world of the classic jobs of youth. Humor, honesty, candor, fun, rollicking storytelling; all that you'd expect from this author.

Some of these are the jobs we've all had at some point in our lives: temp, telemarketer (ok, I've had these jobs). Others are jobs we've only thought about: larger-than-life department store Bert and Ernie, failed costume maker.

Wherever life takes Ayun Halliday, antics are sure to follow. Romping with us through these fictionalized reflections on her somewhat checkered career past, Halliday sheds a light reminiscent of Barbara Ehrenreich's on serious issues like poor wages and working conditions... without ever crossing over into self-pity or depression.

Halliday's book, we know, has a happy ending - her regular readers will know she's gone on to become a successful mama, zine publisher, author, wife and more. So this chapter - this series of chapters - reads like a funny preface to Halliday's REAL life, the life that began when all this job hopping ended.

A light, quick and insightful read. Brava!

This book hits ever so close to home and the "what if" thoughts that flash through my mind once in a while when I fall into crazy reveries while slogging through the slower parts of my, albeit awesome, job.

I too was a theatre nerd (but, you know, the cool kind) and spent a short period after college exploring the same path as Ayun: half-heartedly working crap jobs by day, and doing experimental theatre [......] Fortunately, my low tolerance for audition rejections and the sickening appeal of paid vacations, forced me to bail on "the life" a mere 18 months later and I became a willing tool of the Man for nine surprisingly swift years (now I'm a used car salesman in Little Rock, jealous?).

Seriously, I loved (and deeply commiserated with) this book. You just can't make this stuff up. Believe me, I tried. Even if you didn't come a whisker away from this lifestyle like I did, the stories will draw you in, make you shake your head and wonder how some people get through the day without being arrested or accidentally killing themselves. These are sociological findings that college professors pay good money for, not to mention being hilarious. Ayun is a wizard at taking all forms of misery, and the jackholes that play supporting roles, and making it funny. This is something I'm put in the position of doing all too often, so I know it ain't easy.

Good one Ayun.

Ayun Halliday is one of my favorite writers. I've been a fan ever since reading her East Village Inky zine years ago, which she continues to publish. I've also gotten to see her read live, and she is one of the most lively readers I have ever seen. Anyway, this excellent collection of stories about her various jobs is charming, honest, eye-opening, touching (especially the story of her job at Dave's Italian Kitchen), and most importantly, hilarious. The picture of Ayun at the end of her introduction is a perfect represenation of how great this book is: It's nostalgic, a bit-crazed, and funny. My favorite story is the last one, about Ayun's experiences as a massage therapist. Very revealing about the nature of the job, about customers, and about one particualar boss... Quite a character. I highly recommend this book.

As an aspiring actress author Ayun Halliday wished to keep her business commitments and work life flexible: her Job Hopper: The Checkered Career Of A Down-market Dilettante provides both a funny and thought-provoking review of these many jobs which avoided regular paychecks, hard work, and a dress code. This could have appeared under 'humor', but any involved in business and the work world will especially appreciate Halliday's humor, and will find Job Hopper packed with funny realism.

This book is a great coffee table book! The colors in the book are so dynamic that you can't help being drawn to it. The Kosher Billionaire gives great tips to live a fun, healthy life with some great recipes too. Who knew Kosher could be so easy, enjoyable and glamorous.

Holiday after High Holiday I'm left with the same dilemma: my desire to keep kosher Sunday-Thursday conflicts with my stomach. My beliefs -kosher. My diet, uh, not so much. When I'm not walking through Robertson Blvd on a pristine Saturday afternoon my thoughts drift between my abhorrence of dietary restrictions and the guilt of not practicing my faith in full. Keeping kosher sometimes felt like being on restriction --forever! You see, food is what I love best about life. It is a small indulgence I make 3xs a day. I love to watch spices and colors blend into irresistible aromas -flavors I believed could not be replicated in a kosher kitchen. I thought I was in a no-win situation until a married couple gave me a copy of this book for encouragement. Plenty of people will get me when I say, Mrs. Cohen has given me the inspiration to see beyond the kugel...

The thing I like the most about this book is that it exemplifies a kosher lifestyle that is abundant with compassion.

When we live under G-d's laws of kosher we are mindful of what we eat, how we live, what we think and ultimately what we say.

We hold ourselves to a higher standard of living and are humbled by answering to a higher authority.

We are living in a more thoughtful, compassionate manner in which we are living responsibly and kindly.


While living the kosher lifestyle we are holding ourselves responsible to doing the right thing, offering ourselves to do good works of philanthropy and reaching outside of oneself.

I love the fact that Stacy Cohen spends her time helping with numerous charities. Anyone who touches the lives of Cancer children, helps children stricken by the tsunami, helps with the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa is a person who lives in a respectable manner and is truly a loving soul that we can take inspiration from.

We can all strive to accomplish the inner peace that Stacy embodies. Thank you Stacy for all that you do to make this world a better place.

I am a dog lover and a vegeterian and my wife likes meat so this book came very helpful to us that we can now have better and healthier meals in our lives. I gave this book to my wife as a gift and she said: no way, you know I love to have my meat and so I thought well it was worth a try. But one evening I caught her reading it in the living and she seemed to be so into it that she wouldn't bother with the phone ringing. She was amazed with the way Stacy Cohen was adding a vegeterian dish next to every meat option. My wife is making the Holiday dinner with the Tofu Ragu with Eggplant Timbale with fresh Pea Puree and the Braised Beef Cheeks with Salsa Verde, Horseradish and mixed Baby Greens with Crema Cantalana (with soy) for dessert. I mean it's good. Also being a dog lover and all, the values of Kosher are more compassionate to the animal so it doesn't have fear or produce adrenaline when its soul passes to the next life. Therefore carnivores are eating in a more compassionate mindful way. Thank you Stacy!

Regardless of what comments say, the bottom line is that Stacy Cohen has elevated the stodgy, starchy, fattening, generally revolting excuse for edible that kosher food can often be, and has instead created something that every person---Jew and non-Jew alike--can serve to loved ones, guests, and at every sort of event imaginable. Sure, some of this book is pure inspiration/aspiration, but that's okay: at a time like this, we need escapism now more than ever. Remember: this is why the glitzy movies of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were so popular during the Depression----viewers needed them, and we still watch them today. Regardless of what anyone says, Mrs. Cohen has created a wonderful, usable piece of escapism---but has grounded it in delicious KOSHER recipes and menus. And no other book that I know of does that. L'CHAIM!

In November, Vienne Kenney makes a life-changing decision. After failing the bar exam, again, she decides to return to Clayburn, the town she left eight years ago. She learns quickly that the ghosts of her past still inhibit the small town. Nor has she found the strength to forgive her alcoholic father. She tries to make a go of her mother's café. With the help of town artist, Jackson Linder she might succeed at something. Jackson Linder left Clayburn eight months ago for reasons he would like to forget. Those who matter to him, realize the accident that took the life of his best friend's wife wasn't his fault. But he drank to forget and became chemically dependent. Months of rehab have sobered him. Trevor is remarried and happy. Can he return to a town full of gossips that won't let him forget?Award winning author, Deb Raney has woven yet another great story of overcoming insurmountable odds through the grace available in Christ. Christians are not immune to disappoints, failures, and tragedies. Sometimes these experiences can alter our lives in ways we could never expect. Sometimes, we find God forgives our past more readily than our neighbors or church associates. Through Vienne and Jackson's story, Leaving November, the heartwarming sequel to Remember to Forget, reminds us that our pasts are in the sea of God's forgetfulness. Where they need to stay.

LEAVING NOVEMBER
By Deborah Raney

Reviewed by Marion Kelley Bullock

Vienne Kinney failed the bar exam-- a second time. After she'd spent tens of thousands of dollars on a law degree that's now useless. Then her mother suffered a stroke and Vienne came back home to Clayburn, Kansas, determined to make a go of the fancy coffee shop that was once her mother's café. She must swallow her pride and try to forget that the townspeople probably view her as a failure-- just like her father, who was the town drunk.

Jackson Linder is back in Clayburn, after a mysterious absence of nine months. He must make his art gallery a success. How many people know his secret? He's working hard and keeping busy shooting prayers up to God-- the God whom he leans on.

Vienne and Jackson, two new business owners, form a tenuous friendship. When she finds out about Jackson's past, she vows to have nothing to do with him. If she dares to let herself fall for a man with the same addiction that killed her father, she fears it will end up like it did for her mom.

Leaving November explores the curse of addiction, the healing balm of forgiveness, and the faith in God that makes it possible to succeed one day at a time.

A beautiful story, I could never do it justice in a review. As have other Deb Raney books, it touched my heart in a special way. Vienne and Jackson, and even Pete, will live on in my memory because Deb made them real.

Vienne Kenney is back in her hometown of Clayburn, Kansas - but not by choice. After investing years of time and energy, to say nothing of money from a source she'd prefer to forget, she fails the state bar exam that would secure her future as a lawyer. But before she can fully absorb the impact this crushing disappointment will have on her life, her mother is struck down by a major stroke, and Vienne finds herself once again the resistant resident of a town filled with bitter memories.

Jackson Linder returns to Clayburn willingly, but with no fewer shadows in his past. Fresh out of rehab, he's determined to reopen his art gallery and make a success of his life - clean and sober this time. But he finds himself tempted by more than an alcohol addiction when the coffee shop across the street takes on a new look, a fancy new name - Latte-dah - and a new owner with mesmerizing turquoise eyes.

Jack is the very kind of man Vienne has sworn to never love. Never mind the crush she had on him in high school. Never mind his heart-stopping smile and kind eyes. She's suffered the effects of alcoholism enough for three lifetimes, and is determined not to make foolish decisions that will force her to relive her mother's sad existence. So what is she to do with her overwhelming attraction to the handsome artist across the street?

Second in Deborah Raney's Clayburn novels, Leaving November is yet another unforgettable journey into this charming town where everyone knows everyone else...or do they? Even simple folks have secrets, some of which have the power to shatter dreams, break hearts and destroy lives. This particular jaunt into Clayburn takes the reader on an exploration of heartbreak and healing, failure and forgiveness, and welcome redemption.

Due in no small part to Ms. Raney's deceptively simple writing style and captivating storyline, it's hard to say good-bye to the residents of this lovely town after each sojourn down its sidewalks. Remember to Forget was a beautiful introduction; Leaving November provides the reader a personal "stake" in Clayburn. I plan to take a little room next door to Latte-dah and wait impatiently to see whose story comes to light in Yesterday's Embers.

Deborah Raney's books are worth the wait, that's for sure. This second book in the Clayburn series is everything I hoped for - complex characters, unique setting, and a gentle reminder that makes the book worth reading again and again.

Vienne Kenny and Jackson Linder find that they must rely upon God to, "..make new creatures from the old. To change lives," and I thoroughly enjoyed peeking in on their efforts to gain that understanding. Watching them learn to forgive old and new hurts was sometimes painful, but always intriguing.

The Clayburn people are such fun, especially the oft-misunderstood Pete Truesdell. The characterizations are so well done, so true, that when I traveled to the small town that inspired her setting this past summer, I found myself searching for Jack's art shop and Wren's inn.

This is a great read, and I'm anxiously awaiting book three in the series!

As with any reader, I have my favorite authors, those whose books I anticipate, who get pushed to the top of my to-be-read pile. Award-winning author Deborah Raney is one of those authors. I met Deb several years ago through American Christian Fiction Writers, and we have been friends ever since. But that's not why I love her writing. She just happens to know how to capture my imagination and keep me turning pages.

She has a tendency though, to rob me of my much-needed beauty sleep. Her newest release LEAVING NOVEMBER (from Howard Books/Simon & Schuster) had me reading last night by flashlight! I never do that! Honest!

I had already spent a few hours last evening reading this can't-put-it-down book and had about four chapters to go. I took a break to work on my work-in-progress ABIGAIL, which all of these fine books I've been reading of late have inspired me to work on, then watched a rerun of House with my dear husband and scampered back upstairs to read the rest. Dear hubby came to bed, exhausted from having stayed up to watch the Red Wings go into triple or quadruple overtime and lose the night before, and hoped I didn't plan to have the light on much longer. I had two chapters left!

But, sweet, kind wife that I am - I decided to grant him his wish and turned out the light. But you know, those chapters weren't that long, and there were only two left! So I dug in my nightstand drawer for my flashlight pen - the pen that I use on rare occasions when I wake up needing to make a note of something or if perchance I had a midnight inspiration. (I usually don't.) I tend to want to spare the flashlight pen's batteries, but threw caution to the wind and turned it on to read.

I wondered how she planned to wrap up the story. Would the ending satisfy? Many books struggle with this - I'm at that point myself right now! I am pleased to announce that this book is thoroughly satisfying and deserves every sort of award out there! LOVED IT!

Here's a glimpse of the story:

Daughter of the town drunk, Vienne Kenney has escaped Clayburn for law school in California. But after failing the bar exam--twice--she's back home with her tail between her legs, managing Latte-dah, the Clayburn café turned upscale coffee shop. Jackson Linder runs the art gallery across the street and Vienne has had her eye on him since she was a skinny seventh grader and he was the hunky high school lifeguard who didn't know she existed. Now it's his turn to fall for her and suddenly Clayburn seems like a pretty nice place to be...until Vienne discovers that Jack is fresh out of rehab and still struggling with the same addiction that ultimately killed her father.

Deb's characters are so true-to-life - Jack was my favorite, but then I love a flawed yet tender hero - and Deb knows how to handle tough subjects yet leave the reader with hope.

You will want to read book one in this Clayburn series first - REMEMBER TO FORGET is the story of Trevor Ashlock and Maggie Anderson ~

Who hasn't dreamed of getting a chance to reinvent yourself and begin a brand new life? That's exactly what graphic designer Maggie Anderson is offered when a terrifying carjacking leaves her stranded a hundred miles from her New York apartment--and her abusive boyfriend. When a kind stranger offers Maggie a ride, she begins a cross-country journey that ultimately lands her in tiny Clayburn, Kansas. Reinventing herself as Meg Anders, she is welcomed with open arms at Wren's Nest, in exchange for helping Trevor Ashlock remodel the cozy inn. But can Maggie trust Trevor? Trevor has always been Clayburn's favored son, but tragedy has put his faith in crisis, and now he has trust issues of his own. Once Maggie realizes Trevor is for real, she falls for him...hard. But if she confesses all the lies she's let him believe about her, she will lose his trust and destroy everything she's worked so hard to build. Meanwhile, Kevin Bryson isn't crazy about the fact that his girlfriend and erstwhile punching bag has disappeared. When he unearths a clue to Maggie's whereabouts, her life may depend on revealing the truth to Trevor.

REMEMBER TO FORGET is the recipient of three awards:
* 2008 Christy Award Finalist
* 2008 HOLT Award of Merit
* FH&L Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Finalist

Great job, Deb!

If you are on the road of recovery or if you are searching for answers as you face the challenges of life, Life's Healing Choices is a practical book to help you find hope as you overcome the hurts, habits and hang-ups that we all face in some way on another in this life.

As the Serenity Prayer denotes "accepting hardship as a pathway to peace", this book helps us to understand why we struggle and how; with God's help we can overcome those struggles. The book is a great read and in a very non-threatening way revels how much God really loves and wants to help us. I recommend it to everyone.

This is a well written book for anyone dealing with personal issues. In a simple to understand common language. After reading this book I felt sure God really did care about me and I believe you will also.

Life's Healing Choices is an excellent read for anyone who is struggling with a hurt, habit or hangup or knows someone who is struggling. John Baker takes an honest look at the issues facing people today and offers hope and solutions for living a full and abundant life. The testimonies in Life's Healing Choices demonstrate that, no matter what circumstances we may find ourselves in, there is a solution. A must read!

Pastor John Baker has done a tremendous job of providing a source of growth and encouragement with Lifes Healing Choices. A long-standing fan of his Celebrate Recovery materials, he once again has done a great job of providing a pathway of healing through this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who may be looking for answers to lifes many struggles.

This is a major compilation of the work of the intriguing graphic artist, M. C. Escher. Remember seeing depictions of events that seem plausible but, under closer analysis, involve impossibilities? That describes some of Escher's most interesting works.
The book provides just about everything Escher produced (appearing in the "Catalog" section of the book), including his earliest works compiled during his teens. Among the most well known (and fascinating) include "The Waterfall," "Ascending and Descending March," "Convex and Concave," "Liberation," "Synthesis," "House of Stairs," and so on. The catalog section is fun, for one thing, simply to trace the evolution of his art.

But there is more to this volume than the works themselves. The volume provides context, with a brief description of his father's life as well as a more detailed analysis of Escher's life, from his birth in 1898 to his death in 1972.

There is also a most useful chapter labeled "The Vision of a Mathematician" (featuring the thoughts of mathematics teacher Bruno Ernst). It begins by noting two periods in the work of Escher--(page 135): ". . .pre 1935, in which landscapes predominate, and post 1937, which is characterized by a marked mathematical tendency." Ernst describes the mathematical principles in some detail (for those interested in this, a fascinating discussion). The textual portion of the book concludes with an essay by Escher himself on "The Regular Division of the Plane," including his reflections on his art.

This book has been around a while, but it is a valuable backdrop to getting a sense of the art of M. C. Escher.

I love everything Escher. I have several books, numerous calendars, as well as large jigsaw puzzles, T-shirts, magnets and mini jigsaw puzzles. Because of the detail in this book, I will never need to add another book to my collection. I especially appreciate the explanations. I am nowhere near smart enough to figure out what Escher was doing in each of his artworks. The detailed lesson on what each piece means is much appreciated by an art fan who is not an art scholar. I think this book would be great for any Escher fan, but I feel the need to tell you it is very large. Make sure you have room for it.

And c'mon - if you've seen his work, you're a fan.

The great thing about this book is not just the extensive and readable biography, but the complete (so they say) catalog of his graphic works. Even people very familiar with Escher's ouvre will be surprised by some of the entries here. They go back to work he did at ages 18 and 19, and show the devleopment of the Escher that has become so famous. It's just a little disappointing that the catalog is printed only in black and white, when so many of his works used color. The catalog reproductions are just that - a listing of his work, not a gallery, so the quarter-page size of most pieces is adequate for recognizing a piece, if not for appreciating it fully.

It is fascinating to see Escher's style develop though his (and the twentieth century's) twenties. Various influences early on suggest Beardsley (cat. 49, 67), Picasso (cat. 51, 58), or the pervasive Art Deco of his time (cat.34). Even then, some of Escher's later fascinations begin to emerge, including hands and reflective balls (cat. 88 and 80), symmetries and tilings (cat. 61, 65), and complex interactions of many figures in a repeating structure (cat. 90). The lesser-known parts of his work also start to emerge by the time he's 30, including delicate lithographs (cat. 129, 132). As much as I love his visual paradoxes and flirtation with the infinite, the lithos and mezzotints are the pieces that truly move me. "Snow" and "Blowball" (cat. 278 and 330) have an eloquent simplicity. "Eye" and "Drop" (cat. 344 and 356) demonstrate his classical sense and his perseverance with the demanding medium of mezzotint.

The text is also thorough and enjoyable - a good thing, since it takes up half of this heavy book, including its own set of illustrations. I admit that I have only skipped around this section, which starts by describing Escher's father. It's small wonder that his father was an engineer and that his son Arthur studied geology. Although an artist to the core, Escher had fruitful contact with mathematicians and crystallographers. He is one of very few artists that have successfully incorporated hard science into their artistic vision at such a visceral level, and the scientists appreciated that as much as anyone.

Although out of print, this book is available inexpensively on the used market. It's one of the best bargains around; if you've read this far, you'll probably find it well worth having.

//wiredweird

I haven't even had a chance to go through all of this remarkable book yet, but I am so impressed with it so far I cannot burble enough about how delighted I am with my purchase. This is a beautifully produced, designed, and wonderfully complete book. Many tales of the personal life an vision of the artist, countless, cleanly reproduced graphics, many works I have never seen or heard of before. Terrific! Can't recommend enough!!!

Definitely the first book every Escher fan should purchase. It's helpful in getting to know about the man himself as well as his brilliant artwork. It may seem pricey, but it's totally worth it, being hardcover (at least the one I got), and high quality photos of his work. It also shows his lesser known works (ones never released apparently), as well as photos of himself and his family. A very informative read and a quality edition.

With this book, Ken Croswell opens to the reader the beauty of our universe with his unique prose coupled with the best pictures from leading observatories around the world. From the cover itself you will experience an unforgettable journey through the heavens, with splendid vistas and splendid lectures that will give you a taste of the cosmos on a "majestic scale". First, you will encounter "The Planets", "one by one as they race around the sun". Then, "The Stars","colorful gems that make the heavens sparkle". Farther away, "The Galaxies", "specking space the way flowers dot a spring garden". and then, "The Universe" opening up with "cosmology's first observation: the dark night sky". Poetic and visually amazing, the book also contains colorful tables for data lovers and a small glossary for quick reference as well as an index for further reading. In short, a magnificent book!

This is THE astronomy book for the coffee table. The photos are truly awe-inspiring and will have house guests thinking about getting into astronomy! For amateur astronomers, this book makes for great cloudy-night browsing. All photographs have brief but well-written captions explaining what you're looking at. The gorgeous colors and large format pages allow for great dramatic impact.

It is an expensive book. However, it is (to my knowledge) the best of its kind. Admittedly, I went through it a couple times and now it just sits on my bookshelf! But it's always fun to show it to other people. I think every amateur astronomer would want a book like this to let the imagination run free once in a while. The various galaxies pictured in the book seem so close and detailed that it's easy to start dreaming of journeying there in a spaceship. We forget how incredibly far off these behemoth "island universes" are.

I'll echo the thoughts of the other reviewers. Great picture book for the coffee table. I slightly preferred the pictures in Malin's Invisible Universe, but I bought this one for one basic reason: it's smaller in size and actually fits on our coffee table! Unlike Malin, it also has pictures of the planets. You won't go wrong with this or Malin, but I'd buy Malin's first if I had a bigger table, mainly because his pictures of several star fields are just glorious. "What a mighty God we serve!"

Big beautiful deep space photos and concise elegant text make for a visually and intellectually satisfying book. The explaination of our solar system, galaxy, galactic neighborhood and universe is both clear and simple to understand and to the point, uncluttered and packed with insight. (It is remarkable and totally appropriate to find an author willing and able to let the facts speak for themselves and keep their ego out of the big picture.) The photos are some of the best I've seen.

This book is packed with stunning photographs from our universe, starting in our own 'backyard' with images from the solar system such as the planets and their moons. The close ups are amazing!
We then move on to the stars and galaxies that fill our night skies. Again, the images are breathtaking. There is some background information too although not enough to keep a serious astronomer interested but with such a visual feast who cares? A delightful book for anyone with an interest in space