Works Books

Relevent, thoughtful, thought-provoking. The space beside each day's reading is a great way to keep notes, prayer concerns etc.

I was looking for a devotional book that would give me a simple outline but informative spiritual messages, which I could develope my knowledge into experiences... that would be beneficial for me spiritually. I was very happy to view the subject of chapters that where interesting, and realistic in growth opportunities of learning simple knowledge, that could be applied during my christian walk on this earth.

I am looking forward to reading my daily devotionals and making notes in my fantastic journal, that will assist me in experiencing God day by day!

EXTREMELY good insights and teaching w/ room to write your thoughts, Great for a couple to use for their daily devotions or for just yourself. Not the usual thoughts/teachings/yada yada that you find in most devotiobals. Far above the pack!!

my fault i should have looked at the inserts. i have gone through other studies by the same author and am looking forward to beging this one, right after i finish the one to which i have already commited myself.

A real thought provoking devotional with the last paragraph has a real "can you hear me"? which I have to say "Amen".

i was amazed at the photos. i could not help but to wonder if any of these women and men could be my ancestors. you see so many similarites in the faces on the pages to people you see everyday. i wish there were more in the captions to explain the photos. but when you consider the time that many of these photographs were taken, the captions are in the faces and the demeanor of the subjects. why? is probably the question that could never be answered. and if a reasonable explanation could somehow be given it wouldn't be enough. no matter how broken the mother, father, sister, brother in these photograghs looked. i wish they could all know that their unbearable weight, sorrow and pain helped to develop a strong, defiant, capable and proud race of people.

This book covers generations of history. The pictures are
breath-taking....it gives you a sincere sense of purpose.

This book covers generations of history. The pictures are
breath-taking....it gives you a sincere sense of purpose.

The visual imagery in this collection is terrific, enabling readers' memory, longing, wisdom, regret, sorrow, enormous admiration (of the subjects and all that they represent)- and wonderment. The people and the settings resonate. These are important images. You might well be moved to tears. There is no shortage of emotional appeal to the viewer. One cannot be unaffected by this collection, and all that it represents.

In addition, historically important works of art (engravings and paintings) are reproduced - although unfortunately none in color. The captioning is - for a work of this scope and size, and for illustrations of such power - inconsistent and therefore disappointing, though.

Because it's published by an academic press, I expected a more careful and rigorous treatment. Books of this scope and ambition are few and far between, and one treasures the illustrations - the historic visual record - in and of itself. It's dicey to criticize a collection that has as its focus such a compelling (and neglected) subject: the history of African American women.

The subject matter is terrific - but the book is less so. One wishes that the editors had had an editor. (Why, for example, is the "b" of "black" capitalized? To my knowledge this is not conventional usage, and it detracts.)

So what happened? At times the work seems rushed. For example, three people are photographed, two are identified by name, the third called "unknown." In fact, the writer means "unidentified." Accompanying a photo of a shoeless farm worker is the caption telling one, redundantly, that she is barefoot. A number of captions identify the subject as "Unidentified woman, [location, date.]" That seems lifted directly from states' historical societies' archives. One expects more - or less - but not words that merely interfere with one's experience. One does not need to be told that a photograph is a "photograph."

Occasionally, the editors engage in assumptions regarding the illustrations that, in my view, interfere with the power of the imagery, and reduce the value of this compilation. Guessing as to the subjects' activities in a photograph by Jack Delano, they write that a woman and several children are "possibly waiting for the husband and father to get his hair cut." In fact, one cannot know, and do not need to know, what the people were doing that day. The photo is about much more than that. Another incredible photo of a woman and a girl is accompanied by more guesswork as to the relationship of the subjects (mother and daughter?). There is wordiness to many of the captions. Worst case, there is sometimes unintentional patronization: subjects are identified as "lovely young women," (p. 81) or "fashionable," "attractive" (p.4). The end result is a sense that this book was rushed, and that - despite the impressive pool of archival material from which it was assembled - some corners were cut. The editors use interesting and illuminating quotations in places - but meagerly. There is brief index of names of subjects, and names of quoted women, omitting place names and more.

I wish that the authors of this work either done more, or less. Mostly, I wish that they had more convincingly respected the ability of these powerful and important illustrations to speak clearly to the reader, and had also trusted readers to make the connections between text and visual imagery that is so satisfying and essential to the meaningful experience of organized archival material.

This is a marvelous and moving selection of visual moments, carefully chosen and elegantly captioned. It is refreshingly free of the stuffily convoluted prose one would expect of a book from an academic press. Although the pictures could be said to speak for themselves (and sometimes they can), the information supplied by the gracefully literate writer(s) is helpful and interesting.

Groups of photographs can be wonderful to look at. This collection rises far above what it might have been by means of the exquisite care that was taken in its selection and the highly accessible captioning that accompanies the images.

I'd highly recommend this book for people who already know something about Catholicism, but need a bit more depth in order to understand why Catholics believe what they do. I have used it as a resource for people who are Catholic but it has been a long time since they have had catechesis, or for non-Catholic Christians who want to understand more about Catholicism.

It may be a bit too detailed for someone just beginning the Inquiry or RCIA process unless they want a thorough resource book, but in this case I would definitely pair it with a simplified copy of the Catechism.

It makes a great gift book too!

My seminarian friend recommended it to me. At times Opus Dei can be too black-and-white with no gray in between, but this book is still a wonderful way to connect all of Catholicism. I go to Mass regularly and have gone to a Catholic HS, but I still didn't feel like I knew my faith. This book was able to show me how we do know a lot about our faith, but we just have a problem making sense of what we know. Also, his analogies are brilliant. I use them constantly in explaining Catholicism to others.

This is required reading for the Catholic, literally as many catechism classes require it. It is also very useful for those wanting to learn more about their faith or the Catholic faith in general. It is full of useful information laid out in an informative and well written manner. It is easy to find information and questions. That being said it is also very dry, but its hard to make a book like this a page turner.

I've owned this book now for about 3 years and have read it through all the way, once. I've gone back to sections for refresher information, many, many times. What I like the most about this book is, if you do not have the capacity (time, or stamina) to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) all the way through - this is an excellent way to get "more than the basics" of what is in the CCC in a very clear, concise manner.

From the very first page (just like all catechisms of the Catholic church) it starts with the three fundamental questions. Who made me? Who is God? Why did God make me? Just that first page will have you hooked and you will not want to put it down. I constantly recommend this book to anyone over the age of 13 because it is that clear in it's method of explaining the faith. I do not believe this book is for anyone looking for a "dumbed down" version of the faith, and by that I do not mean there is anything wrong with the book written by Fr. Tregilio called "Catholicism for Dummies." Quiet the contrary, these two books are just for different types of readers.

Another interesting observation on this book is the different kind of people that love it. I have met such different personalities and ages of people (13 to 79) who love this book that I think that fact is also a recommendation of the book.

Read it, it's good for answering all your questions AND will untangle any misconceptions you have developed along the way, or just remind you of what you may have forgotten.

I highly and unreservedly recommend this book.

I use this text frequently for inquirers into the Catholic Faith. Every one says it is witten in a very interesting style. Many can't put it down once begun. Well written and faithful to Catholic Church teaching.

Robert J. Laplander has written one of the best unit histories I have read. This book is a public exposition of this private historian's lifelong passion in search of the Lost Battalion. His approach is markedly unique. His research has set a true benchmark for the accolade, "exhaustive." His style, while occasionally non-standard, is clear, simple, and often vivid. Every chapter reveals this artisan's uncompromising pride in getting it right. The cumulative effect is a labor of love, and a clearly superior achievement.

This is an outstanding book. This is not a casual read. My rough estimate is 200,000 words, or twice the standard historical narrative. I was not surprised to learn Laplander cut the length in two from his initial draft; the quality and quantity of his research and analysis suggest there was much more that he just could not shoehorn into the final cut.

American attacks in the Argonne were relentless, repetitive, and gruesome. Like the battle, this book grinds you down; it leaves you emotionally drained. But Laplander recounts the sacrifices of these men and they call you back to see them finish their dirty job.

Laplander's understanding of American infantry tactics is remarkable. His explanation of how the doughboys fought at the squad and company level, which he derived from personal accounts, is straightforward and worthy of citation by professional historians.

I found Laplander's biographic study of the Lost Battalion's commander, Major Charles Whittlesey, the most compelling passages in the book. The author examined this complex and tragic figure and revealed his uncommon leadership and his personal demons with respect, integrity, and humanity.

I would compare this book favorably to other diamond-in-the rough regimentals such as Warren Wilkinson's Mother, May You Never See the Sights I'Ve Seen: The Fifty Seventh Massachusetts Veteran Volunteers in the Army of the Potomac 1864-1865, Joseph Balkoski's Beyond The Beachhead: The 29th Infantry Division In Normandy (Stackpole Military History Series), and Shelby Stanton's The 1st Cav in Vietnam: Anatomy of a Division. I highly recommend Robert Laplander's Finding the Lost Battalion to armchair historians, military professionals, and Great War enthusiasts. This is a must-read for students and enthusiasts of the American Expeditionary Forces and the Meuse-Argonne battle.

Here for the reader is a great historical work supplementing the Author's first book on the same subject. I found it precisley what I was looking for as a avid WWI Historian and amatuer sleuth to see for myself what history had preserved for us younger Americans the deeds oof our fathers
long ago in the confines of the Argonne Forest and "The Pocket" of the
action. The maps, though hard to read, were only used as an indicater for orientation to any reader familiar with the subject. If this work does not peak your appetite to delve into the other actions by the American Froces in this 90th Anniversary year of the events, then little else will.

It is a highly recommeded book and a treasure for any WWI or Military library.

My wife used to tell of her grandfather relating the story of being a part of what was called the WW1 Lost Batallion. His children had heard the story and thought it was an old man talking. In her research into those tales, she came into contact with Robert Laplander and through his research has confirmed the story was true.

It is said that history is written by the survivors. The survivors were telling their story, but no one was listening. Robert Laplander has given a voice to those men and their history is preserved.

A very easy read, with the facts to back it up as true history.

This is one of the finest books on the US Army in WW1 I have ever read, and I have read them all. It is well researched, well written and is not only the best work I have seen on the lost battalion in a scholarly way, but reads smoothly. The tale itself is a great one, but it often gets sensationalized. I don't know how Laplander did it, but he found a lot of material that others have missed and seems to have left no rock unturned in digging out the facts.

It's big, thick, and the text is a wee bit small - but I cannot see any even semi-serious library of WW1 AEF books with out this one. Seriously, I'm impressed and that does not happen often.

World War I has become a minor passion of mine, so I read as many books on the topic as I can squeeze in. One of the first was the 1938 book, The Lost Battalion. I was hooked. Then along came the thin volume, Five Days in October. I loved it. Then I got this... WOW!
Robert Laplander has written the definitive work on the subject. It's extremely well researched. The writing is terrific, engaging and entertaining. He not only provides reams of detail, but he does it while keeping you interested and awake. He tells the story in a manner that is clearer and more accurate than any of the other books I've read on the topic. The author is very engaged with his subjects and his excitement gets transmitted right to the reader. I'm sorry the book is done.
Compared to the other small books on this topic, this one makes you feel like you're creeping through the woods, minute by minute, under fire, bullets and gas and shells. All this while communicating the history. It's just amazing. He gets a lot more of the German point of view across than I've read in most books on World War I.
I have to say one thing about the book that really irked me though. The maps in the paperback edition stunk. No other way to describe it. There was only one per chapter and it was confusing and difficult to read. Not only that, but the printing of the maps provided was in this large scale dots sort of thing like an old time comic book that made it even worse. It's a good thing the rest of the book was so utterly amazing or the maps might have dropped this down to a four or three star review.
If you're interested in World War I, this is a must read. If you need a good book, regardless of interest, this is a must read.

Simple, easy to read for kids. Application to Biblical values is pretty good. Great pictures. May need more input from parent (to child) after reading through devotions, question time, etc...

My 5 and 6 year LOVE these devotions. A great way to take all of God's creation and apply it to our lives.

Wonderful devotional. My mother bought this for our daughter (she's 7 and in first grade) as a birthday gift and she just loves it. We have read through the entire book over and over again and she never gets tired of reading the devotionals. It's very well done. The stories are great and keep her attention. The scripture versus fit the stories perfectly and are easy for her to understand. This devotional is not over her head. All the subject matter is stuff that she can understand and can relate to her everyday life. This is very well done. Highly recommended.

I love this book for the children because it kills two birds with one stone. First, it explains the characteristics of each animals, (for each story), then they tie that in to what God wants us to do/what He wants for us. They also have a verse to pull it all together. Each story takes about 3 minutes to read. Every family should have this added to their library. Great buy too.

This is exactly the sort of resource I was looking for to have conversations with my children (4, 2, + baby) about God. The set-up is IDEAL - it's similar in style to our favorite children's book (educational, contains relevant questions, encourages curiosity) and the ideas are concrete - not just "be happy because God loves you" - these ideas go beyond that. I love the book and I would recommend it highly!

How sweet the sound that saved this wreched human race. O'Connor writes of God's love and redemption of humanity. She uses exaggeration to make her point. Her characters are so very silly, obtuse, bigoted, loathsome they become cartoons, yet there is a deep integrity to their shallowness. She's not making fun of them, but giving them the justice of a pitiless description. Indeed they do not seem judged, but naked -- the fruits of their stupid, misguided ideas and actions on display. And these children of God do shocking things to others and themselves. And yet . . ..

And yet God allows them to live and learn, or not learn if that is their inclination. He gives them this freedom. He loves them. How can this be? How?

I love O'Connor for her art, her convictions, her courage, and her love. She is so very true and honest.

In addition to her novels and a thorough selection of short stories, there is a chronology of her life and a selection of her letters which are rewarding reading. The book itself is a wonderful object. The pages are of fine paper. The binding is such that you can lay it open on a table without breaking its back, and the pages will not move unless a breeze or you do so.

I am thoroughly enjoying this authoritative collection of O'Connor's writings. The writing speaks for itself as truly great and unique. This particular book is very classy and well put together; an excellent choice for someone with a significant interest in O'Connor.

The complaints about the poor organization of the collection can be overcome by simply reading it from front to back. Surely it is that good.

My foray into the works of Flannery O'Connor, a southern, gothic author of darkly humorous novels and short stories came via a recommendation in Harold Bloom's, "What to Read and Why." As it turned ot, I had read one of her short stories, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," in a collection somewhere and had been surprised and shocked, by the turn of events and ending of the story, so much so, that I remembered it instantly, even though it has to have been thirty years since I read it. I enjoyed everything, short stories, novellas, and even her letters. She writes about southern Christ-haunted people, most backward, all damned, but many redeemed. Bloom says that according to her, we are all damned but one should put that aside and simply enjoy her beautiful, grotesque, and wonderful comedic stories. Her protagonist is often a woman, forced to take on a role and duties she didn't sign up for but resignedly and with no illusions playing and discharging both out of a sense of morality or necessity; those women are usually the most superior beings in her stories.

Many of her insights stick with me months afterwards. For example, O'Connor says in one of her letters, "...Hazel's integrity lies in his not being able to do so. Does one's integrity ever lie in what he is not able to do? I think that usually it does, for free will does not mean one will, but many wills conflicting in one man. Freedom cannot be conceived simply. It is a mystery and one which a novel, even a comic novel, can only be asked to deepen." That brought tears to my eyes -- perhaps because it is so beautifully put.

Now that I've read everything by O'Connor (including works that were part of her thesis for her degree in writing) I am still amazed and inspired by her work. I'm not from the south or Catholic and I was not alive during the eras of which she wrote, but her writing transcends region and time. My favorites remain A Good Man is Hard to Find, Everything That Rises Must Converge, and Revelation, but I love all her stories, although I find the novels a bit more challenging - I think short story was her finest form. Her ability to mix desperation and violence with comedy is amazing, and often when I read her I think: "I shouldn't be laughing at that." I often wonder what additional work she would have produced if she had not died so young. Highly recommended.

Oh yes! I adore her, and so do my mum and dad. They talk about her all of the time, and so I grew up with the prose ringing in my ears. I am so pleased to be reading her now.

The Four Quartets by TS Eliot is a classic and should not be missed. It is of the type of poetry that evokes meanings from their hidden places in us through the use of word trails that are only partially logical. Our own emotions connect things, so when it is read, don't approach it with the usual straining to decipher the meaning. The ring of a gong lingers after it is struck, something of a parallel to how the poem works. Fascinating, too, is its approach to understanding the elusive sense of time, but it is couched more in the sensibilities of the East than the West.

Among all these reviews, not one comes to terms with the very title of this opus: Four Quartets. When was Eliot anything but precise in his choice of word?

The inspiration for these poems -- or reflections -- are the late string quartets of Beethoven, those numbered from 12 through 16. It is the 5-movement No.15 in A Minor,Op.132, that seems to have exerted the strongest influence, with it's famous adagio movement, which Beethoven inscribed as the thanksgiving song of a convalescent.

Actually, No.15 was the 13th in order, but the Quartets were published out of sequence, which was not uncommon in Beethoven's time. The Late Quartets progress from the classic 4-movement No.12 and add a movement to each work up to the 7-movement Op.131 in C-sharp Minor. The 16th and final quartet returns to the classic 4-movement form. There is an expansion of form concluding with a contraction and return over the course of 5 works.

Like Eliot's Four Quartets, Beethoven's Late Quartets reflect upon time and faith -- and the 'speech' is often plain: repeated phrases that appear stuck in a groove, hammered chords, cheap tunes that seem to be lifted from a band in a local inn; from long-breathed melodies that look beyond what Wagner and Mahler will eventually bring to music, to cell-like motivs not heard again till Bartok and Webern.

The 'learned' aspect of Eliot's verse can lead us astray, so that we are forever parsing the meaning of the lines. I am taken with the sounds he makes as I read the poems aloud, and the sounds he chose to convey what the poems mean are, in a sense, the essence of meaning. From the first I was struck by the sheer sound of 'time' in the context of these Quartets, which are Eliot's swan song.

I am a deeply religious Sikh living in America. The Four Quartets is to me a shining example of a man of deep understanding of God and reality. I have read this poem many times since I first read it back in college. It speaks directly to my soul. There is no passage, no phrase, which does not work for me.

I read some sections to my wife when we were first married, and she thought that it was an English translation of the Sikh holy texts.

"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time"

There is no better explanation of Eastern religion than this. I am eternally grateful for this work.

There is a line in Section III of "The Dry Salvages" that has bothered people: "I sometimes wonder if that is what Krishna meant--" as perhaps being too overdone, or even unnecessary to the poem...but, the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna does give some insight into Eliot's comments on time and reality...when Arjuna is faced with the possibility of killing his own relatives in the opposing army, he can't handle it...Krishna then tells him that it doesn't matter....because of the immortal aspect of The Atman (man's inner spirit) which is not touched by our reality....no one really dies and so, only the doing is important:"Realize that pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, are all one and the same." And so, in relation to the poem, Time is looked at in much the same way...We have the illusion of leaving and arriving: "You are not the same people who left that station Or who will arrive at any Terminus"...it doesn't matter what you think or your regard for the fruits of your actions...the only important duty is to make the trip: "Not fare well,/but fare forward, voyagers." Being in the flow of time, living moment to moment, doing what is necessary is all....perhaps, at the quantum level, as another reviewer has suggested: normal perceptions are topsy-turvey, we're in the rabbit hole and if we can see that, then:"...the way up is the way down, the way forward is the/way back./You cannot face it steadlly, but this thing is sure,/That time is no healer:the patient is no longer here." When the insight is achieved, time disappears, all duality vanished and you are left with that still point of consciousness only seeming to act...so, what the hell?: "Fare forward." or as Krishna would put it: "That which is non-existent can never come into being and that which is can never cease to be."----Don Hildenbrand/Eugene, OR., USA

This is a tiny book, more like a pamphlet, only 58 pages long with large print and some blank pages as part of the design. But it is mighty in its impact. These "four quartets" are four of T. S. Eliot's poems meditating (among other things) on the nature of time - time past, time present, time future...If you are of my generation and have read the poems before, you might love carrying this little book around just to dip into it for a line or two, and maybe understand something you never understood before. (T. S. Eliot is not always an easy read.) If you have never read them before, I envy you!

Abrams, accomplished scholar and critic, has created a monument for himself and the best, most reliable, and concise glossary of literary terms. Opening up the recent trends, but not as trends, as developments from within established scholarship and literary science. This glossary is special, with a good index of terms, one for authors, and dense, usable, clearly written articles with further reading, its form is unchanged since it first appeared in 1957. The 8th edition I purchased opens with the Absurd and closes with Wit, Humor, and the Comic. The articles are articles, not just key terms defined, but developments traced and contextualized. This is no replacement for an encyclopedia of literature or an Oxford Companion, but a vital tool next to these. None of us can keep every term in mind, and this is a serious book to help our feeble minds, for which we should be grateful and which delivers bang for the buck.

Every student of literature should have their own copy of this book. Non-students would get a lot out of this too. And while the price might appear excessive, I think in the long-term this book is a worthwhile investment. What makes this guide of literary terms different from others, is its comprehensiveness. Abrams goes into great detail on the important terms that one comes across most often in literature. There is information on theories and movements in criticism and terms such as modernism and post modernism, are clearly defined. there is also material on symbolism, metaphor and other figures of speech and so on. A Glossary of Literary Terms, now in its 8th edition, is written in a lucid style, and is a must buy for anyone who wants to expand their literary horizons. Recommended. 5 stars.

Abrams supplies very nicely written explanations of many terms you are likely to come across in literature, or more specifically, in literary studies. If you have puzzled over an "objective correlative", then he explains that it wasn't due to TS Eliot, as many believe, but to Allston. Though Eliot was the one responsible for popularising the term. Or, if you want to use "doggerel" properly when deconstructing some Bukowski poem, perhaps check Abrams first.

This is a very well-researched encyclopedia covering almost any literary term that comes to mind. Try it, look up the term as if using a dictionary and one finds a clearly written paragraph, if not essay, that explains it all. It also provides links that can point the reader in different directions. In the event of literary jargon overload, there is no better treatment currently available.

As a student, this is an essential reference for me, but it is also something that I would want to keep forever as I think it would be very difficult to find such a useful, interesting and intellectually credible/incredible guide to literary terms. As a future teacher I look forward to using this book for many years to come.

The reader who complains that the 8th edition is radically different from previous editions with respect to the definitions of literary terms such as sonnet and ode is entirely mistaken. The entries on these and other terms are either unchanged from earlier editions or improved and updated. Moreover, a number of new terms have been added.

It's in the knowing of someone that we can develop trust in who that person truly is. This is precisely what our Creator means for us to do concerning Him. Purpose to know Him, believe Him, understand Him, trust Him. As we come close to God through His written word and prayer, we know Him as our Comforter! This book leads us in that direction.

To me the title makes it sound like a book for those of us in need of sympathetic, "touchy-feely" encouragement. Instead I would say it is a book encouraging us to take God at His word, in spite of how we would want to wallow in our own ways, and thereby finding in Him true "rest for our souls."

To understand Scripture and God in a new light is powerful! For example, the chapter that has recently hit me is on Self-Examination. Too often we in the Church are urged to regularly examine ourselves, a practice that often leads to inward, self-centered and myopic, if not discouraging, spiritual vision. Yet in actuality the Bible tells us only to do this in two different passages: prior to Communion and once said to a church to check if "one is in the faith" - a Yes or No question. From that point, Smith writes that we instead read in Scripture to invite GOD to examine US (not we ourselves), asking HIM to reveal in our lives HIS ways and plans; in other words, we are to focus on HIM, learning of Him, growing toward HIM as a result of it being He who we chose to spend time with, about, and for. Taking our eyes off of ourselves, even when looking inward appears a pious undertaking, and turning our examination toward Him gives freedom from self-focus, inherently grows our relationship with our Lord God, and allows our hearts to be changed not from our own working but from God working in us! This was an incredible change of perspective for me!

Excellent, excellent book!

My wife has read this book off and on for years. She decided it was so good that she wanted to give it to a close friend who has cancer. Our friend said he really appreciated and loved the book.
E. T. Owens

Another WOW, just the depth and richness of her writing, and understanding of God, His words, and His LOVE will encourage, and enlighten you, you will be amazed at the simpleness, as well as the profoundness of her words, and more impressive, as it was written in the middle 1800's, and addresses anything that is relevant today.

The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life ( Complete and Unabridged)

I have been teaching this book for nearly a year to my ladies Bible class on Wednesday nights. The class consists of 25 women, who, in varying ways, need to be comforted. Even though this book was written in 1906, and these women range in age from 20 to 60, it is the best book I have found to address each of their needs. This book has taught me that God can and does meet all our needs and even though each of our needs are very different, His way of meeting them, individually, is very similar. Hannah Whitall Smith has a way of simplifying and explaining how God can and will comfort us. Chapter eight, The Lord our Dwelling Place, has been particularly helpful to those of us who have had wayward children. She has a way of convicting us that God is there and He really is Our Father. Even though I thought discussing 17 chapters would be long and redundant, the class has proven to be one of the best I have ever led and the women have recommended it to more people than any class I have ever taught. I highly recommend it.

Easy to read but the message is a bit more subtle. Enjoyed the book for its insights. It is a book to be read more than once to understand the nuances.

I read this book to my yoga classes. Her prose/poetry is perfection meditation material. She's clear with her message. I have bought several copies of this book to give as gifts and recommend this to anyone who enjoys spiritual reading. Short stories alternate with beauutiful inspiring poems.

This book touched me so deeply, I bought ten copies to distribute to friends and family.

Karyn Kedar understands and addresses the sense of loss and isolation which are too often part of the human experience. She confirms that our dreams and hopes are attainable, when we work to connect with others, look for meaning in the day to day, and realize God is found in a myriad of places we would least expect. When we look and listen closely, God is softly speaking to and directing us.

This book is sustenance for the spiritually hungry.

I bought Rabbi Kedar's book after learning that she had been chosen as the Senior Rabbi of my synagogue, B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in Glenview, IL. I am now not only excited about reading her 2nd book, but getting to live these experiences with her on a routine basis. This book lived up to its introduction where it suggested that I would find great comfort in some of what I read in the book, but I will also become fearful of some of the stories as well as angry about some of them. In each case, however, it caused me to reflect on how I would and should react and what was truly causing me to feel the way I did. I think this book will help me in my every day dealing with people. Applause to Rabbi Kedar for an outstanding book (as well as to BJBE's search committee for a great choice for Senior Rabbi!!!!).

Slow down and give yourself a gift and read GOD WHISPERS by Rabbi Karen Kedar. It is one of those amazing texts that seem to speak to you when you need it most. Many of her chapter/lessons will stay with you and "pop out" during your life and the most unexpected moments. Because of her style, you can pick up the book and read it from the start - or middle. Each chapter will add to your life and speak to your soul. How fortunate we are that Rabbi Kedar shares her experiences and wisdom with us! read it and feed your soul!