Works Books

I went to a Sarah Vowell talk. She talked about American History. She had a fascination with Puritans. She disparaged "Sinners in the hand of an Angry God" and Edwards. I wanted to ask her if she will read any other book by Edwards. If so, she would realise that his portrait of the beauty of God and of Holiness is far more powerful than his view of Hell. He is one of the greatest thinkers that the North American continent has ever produced and Vowell was judging him on one short sermon.

Don't get me wrong. This book is dry in spots. The language is a little convoluted. He is so systematic and precise, I wanted to skip ahead, but that would have been a mistake. It took me forever to get through it. I read it because Piper recommended it, but I stuck with it because my soul was being fed. Even in the first few chapters where he is setting up his argument, he throws out sentences about how we should enjoy God, how we should not judged others, and how we can better live the Christ life. He taught me how I should enjoy God and how I should more accurately view salvation. Every body should read this book and read it slowly. The prose lulled me to sleep and then he gave me another insight into the Christian life I never thought about before.

I like Piper, but this book is far better than anything Piper has written. This is one of the main sources where Piper derives his "Christian Hedonism." People criticise Piper because they think he is flippant. They think Christian Hedonism doesn't address suffering and other aspects of the Christian life. They should read this book. Our enjoyment of God and our desire for God is what sustains us in our suffering. It is a thirst we will never fully quenched. It is a well in which we will never reach bottom. Piper's theology is not new and it is not shallow. He draws his theology from the deepest and most thoughtful writers of Christian history. "Religious Affections" will deepen your walk with God.

The Religious Affections is probably the most profound analysis of spiritual experience ever written - and by the most brilliant philosopher/theologian to ever come from North America (and possibly the English language).

Jonathan Edwards wrote this book after the Great Awakening with which he was closely involved. He wrote as both a friend, defending the authenticity of revivals - and also as a critique, warning against putting trust in things which were not certain signs of genuine Spirit-wrought affections.

His treatise takes three parts. In part one he defines his terms and gives twelve reasons why genuine religion (i.e. Christian spirituality - "religion," in Edwards day, did not have the negative connotations that it carries today) consists much in the affections. The affections, for Edwards, are more than mere emotions - they are the strong and lively inclinations of the will, seated in the human heart.

Part two discusses twelve things which are not certain signs of true religious affections. These are things which Edwards warned should not be trusted as evidences of grace OR discarded as evidences that the Holy Spirit has NOT worked in a saving way. They are not indicators one way or the other.

Part three is the most lenghty and examines twelve things which are signs of a true work of the grace, wrought by God's holy Spirit in the heart. This is where Edwards is at his best - carefully, logically, biblically, and passionately describing the true evidences of regeneration. His analysis is keen, his thoughts clear, his argument orderly, his scholarship extensive, his knowledge of Scripture profuse, and his understanding of the human heart profound.

This particular edition - produced by Yale and edited by John Smith - is the best critical edition in print. The introduction and notes on the text are very helpful, as Smith summarizes Edwards' arguments and backgrounds the Puritan writers and their books which Edwards quotes in Religious Affections. This volume also includes Edwards' related correspondence with Thomas Gillespie from Scotland - this being the first time the complete correspondence has been printed in the same volume with the Affections.

This is not an easy book to read. Edwards takes getting used to. But it is very worthwhile. I'm currently reading it for the third time and I continue to find it useful. I highly recommend it for pastors and preachers and all Christians who yearn for a personal and corporate work of the Spirit in revival and spiritual awakening.

This is one of the three Edwards works every Christian should read, along with Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God and The Prevailing Notion of the Freedom of the Will... (the original title was a mile long!). Sinners is the shortest read, then this, then Freedom. This will help you understand the Great Awakening from Edwards perspective, while kindling in you a passion to know God more intimately.

This is one of the great devotional Christian classics of the 18th century, but it still packs a mighty punch today. It began its life as a series of sermons preached by Edwards to his Northampton congregation in 1742 and 1743, and was first published in 1746. Edwards discusses the place of religious fervor and feelings in the Christian life. For those who prefer a more staid and serene Christian existence, Edwards discusses the prevalence of such scripturally based affections as love, joy, desire, compassion, and zeal. He concludes this opening section by asking how can people sit and hear about "the unparalleled love of the innocent, and holy, and tender Lamb of God, manifested in His dying agonies, His bloody sweat, His loud and bitter cries, and bleeding heart, and all this for enemies, to redeem them from deserved eternal burnings, and to bring to unspeakable and everlasting joy and glory, - and yet be cold and heavy, insensible and regardless! Where are the excesses of our affections proper, if not here?"

After this stirring salvo, Edwards then addresses those who have gone overboard in emphasizing emotional experiences by giving 12 false signs which are thought by many to be indicative of someone who is experiencing true religious affections from God. Many people trust in the depthness of their emotions, the zeal for doing churchwork, the experiences they have had when a scripture verse came to mind, the appearance of love in a person's life, etc, but these things in and of themselves are not conclusive proof of God's divine grace.

Then in the body of the book, Edwards discusses 12 clear signs that God is at work in the life, and the chief sign is that there is a greater appreciation and love for God for who He is and not primarily for what you can get from Him.

Another sign that you are expression truly divine religious affections is that you continue to live for Christ every day. If you have one or two days in church where you feel genuinely inspired and then go back to living a life of sin, then you have not experienced a genuine awakening from God, because when God awakens you, you will be changed forever. Everything you do in life will be motivated by a selfless love for God and for His divine qualities and a selfless love for others.

This book was a shattering read for me because I have often looked upon the religious experiences in my life as proof that I was 'in the Lord,' or proof that I was walking with the Lord, when in actuality, a changed life is the proof.

I should also say that the book is a bit wordy. Many sentences are almost a whole paragraph long. You really have to concentrate to get the main idea in certain portions of the book. The reader not used to 18th century writing might have to adjust to these long and sometimes meandering sections.

But you will be greatly rewarded if you give this book the time and study that it deserves.

An essential work on Christian faith and its natural manifestation in human emotion. Written by arguably the greatest Calvinist preacher to ever live.

There's considerable thought put into this book. It puts many current and widely acknowledged ideas on their heads with reasoning anyone can understand. If you're struggling with relationship issues, this book is for you.

This book is very helpful to anyone who has been hurt deeply in a relationship. The book is not just about affairs. It is helpful for both the offending party and the victim. Well - written and easy to follow with advice that is easy to put into practice.

This book hit the nail on the head with how I really felt in my situation. I only wish my therapist and my husband would read this book. It spells out exactly what a person needs to hear and feel in order to genuinely forgive and reconcile.

This book clears up many of the common misconceptions about forgiveness and is very validating. It's a good resource for both the hurt party, and the offender.

There are four ways to responding to a hurtful offense.

Cheap Forgiveness -which is often granted too quickly, issues are swept under the rug, usually this is done when the hurt party fears rejection and just wants to keep the peace. Issues are not resolved, healing doesn't occur, trust is not rebuilt and resentment builds.

Refusing to Forgive- Refusing to forgive, no matter what the offender does to try and earn forgiveness. Refusing to forgive breeds bitterness and cuts you off from resolving the situation.

Acceptance- This is done when the offending party is no longer around or refuses to show remorse. It's the hurt party's way of healing and moving on and not letting the situation eat them up. Can happen with or without reconciling, usually, acceptance with reconcilliation occurs when the hurt party lives apart from the offender.

Genuine Forgiveness- the most healing, fulfilling form of forgiveness.

It's commonly believed that Genuine Forgiveness is a one-person job. That it's granted unilaterally. Or that forgiveness is unconditional. It's none of these things. Abrahms-Spring talks about how Genuine Forgiveness is a two-party transaction, and requires participation on the part of the offender, as well as the hurt party. Genuine Forgiveness IS conditional, because the offender must earn forgiveness, show remorse, repentance and want to reform. It means the offender must acknowledge the hurt party's pain, show empathy, apologize without making excuses, justifications or throwing in qualifiers ("sorry, but...") and work to earn back trust.

When genuine forgiveness is not earned, all you can offer is a cheap substitute. (Cheap Forgiveness) Genuine Forgiveness occurs when the victim no longer has to hold the wrongdoer accountable for their actions, but the wrongdoer holds himself/herself accountable for their actions.

Forgiving is not an all-or-nothing type of thing. It's a common myth that someone needs to forgive 100% or not at all. Not true. You can forgive 5%, 95% or any number above or below, or in between, depending on your situation.

The writer also teaches you how to forgive yourself.

There are many references to infidelity in this book, but this book is good in helping one to forgive any type of wrongdoing or betrayal.

Dr. Janis Abrahms Spring has written a wonderful book here. She talks about refusing to forgive, which breeds bitterness, and Cheap Forgiveness, which is "an inauthentic act of peacekeeping that resolves nothing." This is usually comes about when the hurt party is fearful about losing a relationship with someone who hurt them, or where the hurt person believes quick forgiveness is what's required by their spiritual beliefs. Ultimately, Cheap Forgiveness is a position of weakness. It doesn't build trust in the relationship or heal the hurt person. It just sweeps the offense under the rug.

Genuine Forgiveness, according to Dr. Spring, is the most fulfilling type of forgiveness but requires the participation of both the hurt party and the offender. It's a transaction, and is conditional on repentance and restitution on the part of the offender. In other words, the offender has to acknowledge the pain the hurt party felt, apologize genuinely, non-defensively and responsibly, and work hard to regain the trust of the hurt person. Only then can the hurt party offer the offender Genuine Forgiveness -- a vital building block for future relationship between the two.

But sometimes the offender is not available to participate in forgiveness. She might be dead, or he might be unwilling to admit that there was a wrong committed or deny that he has any responsibility. What then? Dr. Spring offers a third way -- a beautiful, thoughtful, helpful third way -- Acceptance. This is a path toward healing which the hurt party can travel alone. In her book, Dr. Spring suggests ten steps to get to Acceptance of the offense. By working through each of these steps, a person can learn and grow beyond the pain, beyond the hurt, and move on.

Forgiveness is not always as easy as some would like to think. For those who have been victims of a deep hurt, this book provides insight and a way forward without platitudes and simple panaceas. Through personal experience, I've learned that forgiveness is a process, and that responses to injury are more varied than simply "forgive" and "not forgive." Spring proposes that there are four possible responses, two of which are healthy, and two of which are not. She describes each response in great detail, its benefits and harms, and gives both victims and offenders a road map toward Genuine Forgiveness.

Like Schleiermacher, Otto wants to theorize a religious faculty completely distinct from the rational, moral, and aesthetic faculties. The object of this faculty is the "holy," which is fearsome, mysterious, and fascinating. Most importantly, it remains essentially distinct from the rational, moral, and aesthetic, which means that any language we use to talk about "numinous" reality will always be analogical. This is important because "the religious" as a distinct category has been under threat since the 18th century (or since Spinoza) by other discourses that effectively explain it away. Otto's contemporary, Freud, was about to deal the religious yet another heavy blow by reducing it to a vestigial remain of infantile narcissism. By only allowing an analogical relation to other discourses, Otto wants to preserve the religious from this encroaching secularization. Of course, it is not certain that his own theory is not a secularization. He does not, after all, make room for miracles (in the strong sense).

I'll admit I was a little surprised at the heavy Christian turn at the end, only because Christianity seems to tame the wildness of the "tremendum" and the "mysterium." All in all, a fascinating and useful read.

The first time I ever stumbled on the word "numinous" was in a doctorate that proposed to analyse vampires as "numinous entities". Then, reading CS Lewis, I again crossed that word's path, and eventually, I decided to read the real thing.

In very short, the numen (from which the word "numinous" is based) is the mysterious, overpowering, and terrifying aspect of the Deity. It is "non-rational" in the sense that it is not to be grasped by concept and ideas, but something to be felt in one's flesh and soul, like actual fear, awe, and majesty.

Otto focuses on that aspect too often neglected by some religious people themselves: the mysterious and unknowable. Fanatics have a tendency to consider only that, to the expense of the rational side of the Deity. But both similarly denature It.

While this book is a classic, and a worthy reading for anyone interested in the subject of God and the studies of religions, I will say that, personally, I seem to have missed out on some of the things mentioned in the book. Maybe I badly read certain parts, or maybe the book is complicated and dense enough that a second reading is required to clearly understand it all. Or both.

In a way, Rudolf Otto gives mysticism the kind of analysis it deserves, and re-establishes those more obscure areas of religiosity as something worthy of our consideration, and undeserving of our scorn.

The best way to read this book is to HAVE READ IT in a state of obsession years ago and find that its general mood and the texture of its ideas exert a subliminal and subconcious influence on one's concious thought. Taken in parts it contains many assumptions or assertions that are actually quite disputable but in general, as an aesthetic device, it is necessary reading for any spiritual seeker. It is certainly a welcome anti-dote to those spiritual guides that make God out to be a divine butler waiting on his chosen humans beck and call. It also suggests a wilder and more flamoboyant spiritual universe than the one portrayed in so many lesser works. God, if he or she exists, is a wild, ecstatic, and uncontrollable force that transcends the vulgar, petty humanizations we force upon him or her.

The student of human religion is generally confronted with a serious problem; unlike say, science or philosophy, religion is much more strongly dependent on the subject and the social and cultural beliefs in terms of knowledge, practice and belief. It is harder as a historian of religion to divorce any 'essence' of religion or religious knowledge from its context and practice, especially given many of the leading lights of the world's religions seem to emphasize ineffable and unrepeatable subjective experience. Yet it is vital to try and understand religion and what role (if any) it plays in the human quest to understand the universe, and also ourselves.

Otto, a Protestant theologian, offered a concept he called the 'holy.' Also often called the numinious, this was a sense of something being sacred. Holiness gave Being a special set of qualities which set it apart from the universe and its furniture as we 'ordinarily' experience it. This experience is often one of terror and fear in the prophets of monotheistic religions (Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Moses, Abraham, Jesus and Mohammed) while in native and Eastern religions, it can be a sense of power or awe. In this work Otto applies the idea of the Holy to Christianity and other religions, and would later form a critical tool in the phenomenology of religion and religious experience.

This book is essential reading for any scholar of religion or philosopher interested in religion and questions relating to religion and religious experience.

Rudolf Otto(1869-1937) presents the idea of the Holy as that profound, overwhelming feeling of awe that can sometimes strike you regardless of your particular culture and/or religious affiliation, a feeling that's been a part of us since pre-historic times. He calls this feeling the "mysterium tremendum" or the "numinous" and proceeds to describe it in great detail, with examples. I liked the way the idea is first developed in a more general sense before emphasis is made of its Christian aspect, making it accessible to all people interested in the idea of the Holy and God.

...purchase this book. I was looking for web sites to enjoy with my nieces and younger cousins and decided to purchase a book which could "direct me" in the right places. This book is a wonderful addition to have if you have younger children and younger visitors and need a way to "keep them occupied"! Buy this book. It is very well put together! It is also worth every cent. The only thing it doesnt have that I would give it 5 stars is a CD ROM directory for the electronic version...otherwise go for it if you dont mind typing in the sites yourself!

The Internet Yellow Pages is a "must have" book for students, adults, schools, teachers, and public libraries. Parents, teachers, and libraries should have access to this fabulous resource. After all, most homes and offices have at least one telephone directory. Let your fingers do the walking with this fabulous Internet directory which includes over 800 pages of carefully alphabetized, categorized, and graphically appealing subjects that can be used for research and information gathering. Does your child or someone you know need to write a report? Possibly a state, gold rush, science, animal, or other type of school report? Look no further. Just get out the Internet Yellow Pages, type in the URL and you will be instantly connected to quality web sites without wasting valuable time using various search engines.Each site is full of great information that has been carefully reviewed as "kid safe" by the author, Jean Armour Polly and her staff.

In addition to the excellent educational locations there are also many sites that are fun to visit, such as, jokes and riddles, toys, sports, games and fun, rainbows, boating and sailing, to name a few.

The final section of the book is dedicated to parenting and families. This section includes subjects such as entertainment, movie, video reviews, education, baby-sitting, health and safety. All the information is carefully referenced in the final index and the bonus CD-ROM includes tutorials, for safe and fun surfing on the net. This is a wonderful book and a very good investment. It is a reference guide each home, school, or library should have at their fingertips.

C. Mendenhall Teacher Deer Creek School

Customers may be confused by the way this book is listed. There is a NEWER edition of this book out, I should know, I am the author! It's available here at Amazon. Look for the one that says 4th edition. The ISBN number of the new edition is 0-0072121858. It is also called the Millennium Edition.

Our Girl Scout/Brownie International Day was a smashing success thanks to this book. Our troops were able to find information, recipes, songs and dances quickly and easily. We kept it at the Headquarters for a few months and everyone turned to it to find out about every country from Haida Nation to Iceland. The girls loved the website activities and the leaders loved the ease with which they could retrieve information. I also used her editorial blurbs to entertain the crowds between performances.

The 2002 Net-mom's Internet Kids & Family Yellow Pages directory offers kids and their entire families a number of refreshing, entertaining, and informative Websites. After a brief introduction readers are treated to Net-mom's top hotlists, top Websites, and safety tips for surfing the Internet. Then the real fun begins!

This 587-page yellow page directory covers hundreds of topics of interest to kids and their families. Websites offer information about animals, art, buried treasures, coin collecting and money, computers, food, foreign countries, American history, insects, interesting facts, the Internet, music, scouting, ships and shipwrecks, space missions, sports history, toys, transportation, weather, world leaders, and much much more. I took the time to visit some of the Websites listed in the book. Here are several that caught my interest:

Students will be in for a real gooey education at Silly Putty University. Here they will learn about the history, composition, and many uses of this still-popular toy - the toy with only one moving part. Students will also learn about the many varieties of Silly Putty currently available - the original pink, the 50th year anniversary metallic gold, glow-in-the-dark colors, temperature sensitive color changing colors, and an assortment of bright colors. When ready, students can elect to take the final exam in order to receive their Silly Putty degree!

After viewing the Silly Putty Website I moved on to Coin World , to look up some information about my favorite coin - the 1943 steel pennies. During the second World War copper was needed for the war effort so zinc-covered steel pennies were struck. However, some rare 1943 copper pennies and even rarer 1944 steel pennies were made. At least one 1943 silver-bronze penny was made! I performed some additional online research and ended up placing bids at eBay for some steel pennies - and I won!

As with any child-age educational material, parents should become seriously and creatively involved with the upbringing of their children. They should take the lead to protect their children at all times while they surf online. To her credit, the author advises parents to review certain Websites that contain sensitive material. Topics such as religion, politics, child development, environmentalism, and the creation-evolution debate sometimes touch upon controversial issues and require responsible parental involvement.

The author provides brief and concise summary descriptions of each site mentioned in the book and creatively relates topics of interest to encourage readers to dig deeper in their online researching. As I've found out for myself, visiting Websites like the ones listed in this book can be a good educational experience, as well as a bunch of fun for the whole family. Parents can sit down with theirs kids and have many hours of fun and adventure. This book is ideal for babysitting, daycare, home-school, and public school use!

I loved everything about this book. I particularly enjoyed the card deck. I was unable to put the book down once I got into it. I spent a weekend in a hotel room with this book and a notebook charting my next move in all areas of my life.

It's Your Move inspired me and got me up and moving. This book is a roadmap for anyone that is serious about going to the next level in their life.

Regardless of how old you are and how long you've worked, you can always learn new tools to make you more effective in life. A book that can add to your learning is It's Your Move - Dealing Yourself the Best Cards in Life and Work by Cyndi Maxey and Jill Bremer (Prentice Hall).

The general design of the book and plan is a series of 52 techniques, or "cards", that you can play in your life in order to improve your effectiveness in life. The techniques are grouped into a number of sets: preparation, attitude, visibility, style, presentation, listening, learning, balance, and flexibility. At the end of each chapter, you are instructed to "draw" one of the cards and start to apply it to your life. By not being able to pick and choose what you want to do, you are forced to examine possibilities that you may shy away from if given your choice.

If you've read books of this genre before, you'll recognize a number of the techniques... take risks, set goals, etc. But regardless of how many you've heard before, all it takes is one new idea to propel you forward. Maxey and Bremer have an easy style of writing that makes it simple to understand and incorporate the idea into your life. They also use actual personal stories to help the reader relate to the technique. All good stuff...

Worth reading if you're looking to make a change in your life...

This book was a real eye opener for me in many ways. It's down-to-earth format makes it easy and interesting to read. Within the 253 pages you learn how to enrich your personal,professional,financial and emotional strengths and how to vastly improve your weaknesses. It puts into words and organizes how to deal with almost any challenge one can confront in life and how to succeed and win at the same time. It makes sense! It's a blueprint to becoming or remaining proactive,powerful and self confident.

Although classified as a Business book, this title is really a self-help book. It was confusing for me as a reader, possibly based on my expectations.

Based on the subtitle of the book, I expected that I might see a card deck kind of format clearly presented. I imagined perhaps 52 great ideas that I could use to build my effectiveness. The fan of playing cards on the book cover reinforced that expectation. When I finally got past the pages of the publisher's advertising to reach the table of contents, I found that there were nine "hands," an introduction, a preparatory chapter, and a conclusion. Each hand (examples: attitude, visibility, style, listening, learning) in the table of contents has categories that highlight information and advice that would be helpful for anyone looking for some self-improvement help. There are graphics of success cards at the end of each chapter, but the graphics were not emphasized as well as they could be in the chapters. This is a design issue, rather than content, but the design affects the readability of the book.

Some "players" are introduced in the first chapter, representing composites of readers. The idea here, I believe, is that readers would be able to identify with these characters as they move through the book. These characters do stay with us through the book, but an army of other people pop in and out as examples in various vignettes. This parallel theme confused me as I was trying to follow the players and all the valuable advice being offered by the authors. The result of all these themes, a large number of call-out boxes, and a sans serif typeface made this book seem overly complicated.

Unquestionably, there is a lot of valuable advice in these pages, but be prepared to separate the book you'd like to read from the others that seem to be interwoven with it. The index, which appears just before the closing advertisements from the Financial Times, is helpful. The conclusion includes a survey with check-boxes that will enable the reader to focus on next-steps.

I've read quite a few self-help and business how-to books, and usually they are good for an idea or two. This one goes way beyond that, however. It has more helpful concrete information per square inch than any other business book I've read. I assumed I'd read this, then pass it along or resell it -- but no way! I'm keepin' this puppy. (Buy your own!)

If you want a reality check about the image you project at work, or some ideas about how to break the ice with the boss, or you need to figure out why your ideas just never seem to get the response you'd like at meetings, this book is definitely for you. It doesn't just tell you what to do; it describes a few ways to go about it, describes how each way might be perceived, and then walks you through some practical examples of how to go about trying something new.

I was surprised at how much information the authors included on topics that I hadn't considered much but that, by gosh, really do matter. A lot. This book comes at a topic from all different angles, and gives you quick fixes, easy things to do that are very effective, and also things you can (if you choose) build on if it's something that matters a lot to you. It is extremely thorough, in an easy-to-read way. For example, I've never really paid serious attention to clothes. I have the requisite business attire and know the "rules" -- nothing flashy, good tailoring. But I was fascinated by the discussion of color, different levels of business dress from formal to casual and what really differentiates each level (the unspoken rules that, yes, really do matter), a detailed and intimate talk about details you thought you could only count on a close friend for (bad breath and what really works and what doesn't, taking basic care of your fingernails), and a marvelously sensible talk about how to take care of different fabrics ("Between cleanings, wool garments should be hung out overnight before being put back in a closet. Wool is a resilient fabric and will return to its natural shape if allowed to breathe."). I found myself approaching my closet with new respect.

This is one of only a very few self-help/business books I've ever read that actually resulted in my changing something. And it was easy. I can count at least 4 things I changed immediately, with little effort, after reading this the first time. The chapters on increasing your visibility (hard for us shy types) and attitude and style are worth their weight in gold. The book is very useful as a reference you can go back to for ideas, and for ways to rethink a situation.

This one's a keeper.

this is a great story, both to read out loud and to read alone. it's about a girl whose mother wants her to clean her room, but her friends come over and they end up playing instead. her mother tells her a few times to go clean her room and she seemingly goes to do it, but she takes her friends with her, as well as her baby sister, and they get distracted by their imaginations, so we get to see them pretending to be a bunch of different things. at the end though her mother puts her foot down and tells jillian to clean her room, so she tells her friends to come back when her room is neater.

the book rhymes, which is amazing for reading out loud, or for singular readings, the flow is nice. the illustrations are great too, the characters look like they're having fun. the way they're drawn conveys a lot of energy and excitement, and yet the drawings are simple... i guess they kind of remind me of children themselves, not a whole lot to them, but invest your time and you'll have more than your share of fun.

this whole series is great. i recommend.

This was one of my favorite books as a little girl, and now my two little nieces can't get enough of it. I'm actually buying a replacement book now because the one we have is so worn out from reading it again and again. I definitely recommend it for the kids in your life.

Awwww I feel like crying! This was one of my all time favorite books as a child! My favorite library teacher let me have it in 1st grade and I read it over and over until i knew the words by heart

This was my favorite book as a child. When my mom found out she was pregnant with my sister, my parents allowed me to choose her name if she was going to be a girl. I decided to name her Jillian after my favorite book. When I was in 3rd grade I memorized the book and brought in my sister for show and tell. Anyway, this is the best book ever.

This was my favorite book as a child, and in fact, my mom still has the book stashed away so that I will always have it. Being 21, I don't have any children of my own, however I will be sure to buy a new copy for them to enjoy since my own copy is definately worn out due to the millions of times I read it. Overall, this is the best book of all times and I will never forget how much fun I had reading this with my mom and reading it on my own.

This is a terrifically entertaining and informative compendium of 1950's science fiction movies that, for fans of this inexplicably overlooked genre, will serve as an almost endless supply of delectable brain candy. Other reviewers have nicely captured the essence of this book; I'll simply add that this is the one volume you'll want to keep by your bedside and savor night after night.

do you ever wonder about the old days? how people thought about space and time, and oh yes, giant monster bugs? then look no further than this fine and funny volume. from 1950 to 1962, warren covers the best to the worst with a wry sense of humor and a clear love for the subject. almost everything is covered, from obscure jungle movies, to elaborate space epics. if you want to know about these old films, and have a laugh or two, then by all means pick up this book.

Bill Warren is obviously very knowledgeable concerning classic science fiction films, having spent a lifetime researching the subject. "Keep Watching the Skies" is not only factually accurate, it is also extremely entertaining to read.

Highly recommended for all fans of the genre.

If you're a fan, or even a casual watcher, of science fiction movies of the 1950s and early 1960s, this exhaustively researched, 2-1/4-inch-thick tome deserves a prominent place in your library. It is, quite simply, THE definitive reference book on the subject. Period. There is none better. The conscientious reviewer MIGHT point out only one minor "problem"--but more on that later.

Mr. Warren does an unbelievably thorough job of presenting the most minute details of virtually every American science fiction film produced from 1950 through 1962. The classics are all here, of course. "Destination Moon," "The Day the Earth Stood Still," "The Thing From Another World," "Forbidden Planet," "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and "War of the Worlds" each receive 10 or so pages of treatment (in very small, closely spaced print, mind you). Mr. Warren tells you everything you could ever want to know about the script, the director, the actors, the special effects (such as they were, in those days), the budget, the editing, the musical score and the reception that each movie got on its initial release. He includes meaningful, interesting details and fascinating anecdotes, many of which I can't imagine how he managed to dig up. Lesser films such as (to pick a couple at random) "Mesa of Lost Women" and "The Rocket Man" get only a page or so, but still with full discussions of each film's production and how it fits into the genre. Well-chosen still photos, typically printed in full-page size and in many cases not the same ones seen in other books, illustrate some of the movies.

I found that the best way to use Mr. Warren's monumental work is to refer to it just after watching one of the films that it covers (which means ANY science fiction movie of the era). With the screenplay fresh in one's mind, reading the relevant chapter adds immeasurably to the viewing experience, much as a director's commentary does on a DVD. You can, of course, read "Keep Watching The Skies" through from cover-to-cover, but only at the risk of information overload. Its usefulness is sure to last for many years--as long as there are VHS tapes, DVDs or (if you're very lucky) old 35mm prints of classic science fiction movies to watch and enjoy. It adds new meaning to the term "reference book."

Now, for the one and only "problem" with "Keep Watching The Skies." The book consists of two parts. Part 1 covers the years 1950 through 1957; Part 2 covers 1958 through 1962. Both parts were apparently once issued as separate volumes. For this reissue, both volumes are bound together. Each part has a comprehensive index, but ONLY for that part. Thus, it can be a little difficult to find a specific film if you don't know its year of release, especially since many films in Part 1 are referred to--and thus indexed--in Part 2, and vice versa. A single integrated index would make Mr. Warren's magnum opus much easier to use. With that single tiny quibble aside, I give "Keep Watching The Skies" the highest possible recommendation. Five stars is not nearly enough. It deserves a galaxy of stars.

The best science fiction book I have ever read.A must-have for everyone fond of golden age movies and classic science fiction.
I read the book in one go.I wish I could read another book like this!

I could be verbose and describe the virtues of this book in great detail, but the pictures in this amazing work speak much louder than anything that I could write. He was a man who gave his life for his craft, and this book is a powerful tribute to that craft. Absolutely stunning and indispensable to anyone that wants to understand "that war" and the power of the visual image.

Larry Burrows was and still is a benchmark which other photojournalists should strive to attain. Great book. Buy it.

What is a good photograph even in times of war? Look into this book. Larry Burrow gave us a clear message.

An amazing book, incredible images from the great artist Larry Burrows. Although taken 35 years ago, they are as relevant today as they were then.

This collection of Burrows' work in Vietnam is unbelievable. At great risk, he captured photos of American soldiers and Marines in Vietnam -- photos of young men that seem to leap off the page. Nothing like this has come of coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- not because the photos weren't taken, but because of the incredible cowardice and corruption of the American media. This book is a tribute to the courage and skill of one photojournalist, and an imperishable record of the men who fought and died in that war.

Reading his words, we are saddened in knowing he is soon to die a martyr at the young age of 39 by the Nazis. Bonhoeffer fought for biblical truth, and against appeasement. He writes his thoughts (at times very deep and philosophical) from prison, when he entered in 1943 until extradition to another prison over two years later, just before the Allies' liberation in 1945. In his letters to his parents amazingly he is not bitter, but thankful and in good spirits. He was always hopeful. He finds joy in even the smallest of things. Some of the letters we will discover are slightly coded to get through the "checkers". The preface sums it up better than I can: "page by page, these letters show us a picture of life in a prison cell, as it was experienced in all its aspects, with the intimate details of an individual life fused into a striking unity with the disastrous events that were going on in the world outside, a unity produced by an outstanding mind and a sensitive heart."

Much of Bonhoefffer's letters were written to his dear friend Eberhard Bethge. Bonhoeffer expounded with difficult theological questions for Bethge........I would like to hear his answers. Bethge as editor writes the foreword and preface, along with what Bonhoeffer experienced during his final days. The preface is a short biography and explains how the papers came to be.

The two years Bonhoeffer spent in his dreary jail cell he consumed an immense amount of literature; he discusses his favorites. He also gives us a hint of what jail life was like: the solitude, the allied bombings (air-raids), the cell attendants, and his fellow prisoners, whom he does not justify their pathetic cowardly actions; he believed prison was no excuse for poor behavior. Other subjects he touches on is liberalism within the church, and a world that is increasingly existing without God. He believed his thoughts were somewhat odd and his poems needed work, but they were far from it.

This is a book of hope for all who will believe. If Christ is a lie, think of the millions who then threw their lives away in martyr for Him.

Wish you well
Scott

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "Letters and Papers from Prison" is the account of an extremely intelligent German theologian and pastor who was thrown into prison during WWII. The correspondence Bonhoeffer shared with his family members during the time he spent in prision (over a year and a half)reveals his character in a remarkably honest way. The love and concern he has for his family and his selflessness, even while sitting in prison, are a great testament to the Christian faith regardless of your theological position.

I read this book several years ago at the behest of my Pastor when I was still a man of faith. And although I've essentially fallen out of that faith in the last few years, I still consider this one of the most inspiring true stories I have ever read. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German minister who openly spoke out against the Nazis-and allegedly even participated in the plot to kill Hitler-was imprisoned in 1943 and eventually hanged by the German government shortly before the end of the war. This is a collection of his correspondence with his family and friends during his two years of incarceration.



The strength of this book is that Bonhoeffer was not only a truly courageous man who refused to abandon his principles, but as a Christian, he actually practiced what he preached. This seems to be rare these days and I think the reason that so many people resent Christians and Christianity is that they see so many of them as hypocrites. They constantly talk about God and peace, and righteousness, yet they are so quick to drop a bomb or condemn those that disagree with them. Bonhoeffer represents a pure Christianity of love and justice. This is my take at least and others might disagree with my assessment. With that said, this was a man who truly believed in his God and accepted with dignity whatever fate that God had in store for him. His courage and joy in the face of such a harsh fate is evident in his writings. So, even though I don't share Bonhoeffer's religious beliefs or some of his "ethics," I don't hesitate to recommend this truly inspiring book to believers and non-believers alike. My only warning is that there is a lot of theological discussion and those with little or no knowledge of the religion might find these parts a bit over their head.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Letters & Papers from Prison was a most edifying read, primarily because it stripped away the mystery and mythical aura that surrounded him, before and after his murder by the Nazis in 1945. The fact that his reputation is so universally well known is greatly due in part to his brother-in-law, the late Eberhard Bethge.

Having been raised in a very German household myself, I would hear occasional stories from my own father, who grew up in Germany at that time, about the German pastor who was a part of the plot to kill Hitler, the one who was the moral conscience who aided the conspirators while they tried to rid Germany of the diabolical dictator and his vile atrocities that were sweeping throughout the land, for nothing was sacrosanct.

Bonhoeffer, known throughout the Christian world for his books, The Cost of Discipleship and Ethics, among other treaties, pamphlets and sermons, was a great example in respects to how a man or woman can truly live an independent Christian life while working in the world and that heroism does not necessarily come from preaching the Gospel, but rather, living it or trying to. It also comes from incorporating nuances of those truths, big or small, into the daily activities of ones life and sharing that Christian goodness (in a healthy and practical manner) with people from all walks of life, irrelevant of class structure, education, ethnic background, et cetera.

In this book, Bonhoeffer's theological musings move from the act of suffering to the meaning of love, whether human, religious or even material, and the insights that he shares with some of his correspondents, especially Eberhard Bethge, is sometimes profoundly compelling, and one can endlessly cite the abundant source material to back that up. But while he was accepting his cross of suffering, knowing in a way that it was a gift, he had an agony for those whom he was separated from, specificially his fiance, Maria von Wedemeyer-Weller.

The overall profile of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as presented in this work, showcases an all too human man, sometimes short-tempered and impatient yet very religious, contemplative, moral, ethical and surprisingly creative. For an example of that, read his short fiction piece entitled: "Lance-Corporal Berg: A narrative" which is almost similarly reminiscent, style-wise, to that of the writer and author Erich Maria Remarque. His poems, however, were not that great, but it made him only more real.

Though I am Catholic and my interpretation of Scripture is slightly different, much of what Bonhoeffer wrote spoke volumes to me, especially in tackling the day-to-day challenges and experiences that life has to offer. I think he speaks to many people, and that is good, for what he has to say, by his life, writings, choices, down to his martyrdom can cross all ecumenical boundaries. And that is indeed a remarkable witness.

I bought the book looking to know more about Bonhoeffer's theology..and ended up learning more about my own. Though at times I didn't agree with his thoughts, I found myself agreeing with the man. These letters mix profound questions with small daily details of life. It is authentic and transparent in a way that typical straightforward "theology" books can't be. There is honest, articulate, and earnest faith in these unselfconscious and private thoughts.

This book saved my marriage. Everything that I had been trying to say for years was finally said by an expert and not me. My spouse was able to read and understand through the book and he was not able to argue about what the book said, like he would have done had it been only me saying those things. I also learned a lot about my own destructive habits (lying was one of my big ones... "Are you mad?" "No, I'm not mad, everything is ok" when in fact it wasn't).

My suggestion is that you read it together, or have one person start reading it and writing comments into the book as you recognize yourselves in it. Then when the other partner starts to read it they too should write comments into the book as well. Later you should both go through it together to read the added comments and use those as talking points.

I also feel that if your marriage is in really bad shape that you read this book first because you HAVE to stop the "love bank withdrawals"... they are causing your marriage to go bankrupt. Once you have a handle on your withdrawals then your deposits (His Needs Her Needs) will finally be able to accumulate to the point of causing positive change. You can make as many deposits as you like, but everyone knows from life even that if you don't control your withdrawals that you can easily overdraft your account.

If you are struggling in your marriage, READ THIS BOOK!

This book is written so it is very easy to understand,no overload of hard to understand words. It has great ideas and solutions for marital problems. You will find much help in it. I can't wait to read HIS NEEDS, HER NEEDS: BUILDING AN AFFAIR PROOF MARRIAGE.
I can highly recommend this book!

Extremely practical guide to save a troubled marriage. Well worth the read and thoroughly recommend - even for the sake of improving your marriage.

After 8yrs of dating and 4yrs of marriage, our relationship had become...well, boring. Our date nights, if we had them, were typical dinner and a movie. Something was definitely missing. A church marriage counsellor recommended this book along with The 5 Love Languages. It is a must read for BOTH spouses. Do not expect results with only one partner reading and/or applying it!

If you are thinking about buying this book or any other relationship book - do not delay! Dr. Harley's books (including His Needs, Her Needs) have been very helpful to my marriage following a crisis. He makes excellent points that somehow seem to reach both of us and explains things in a way that both of us understand without either one feeling hurt or attacked. It is a terrific book, and I believe anyone who reads it and adopts it in their marriage will see improvement.