Works Books

This boxed set was almost a steal it was such a price and quality! The works flowed with what can only be assumed near the original prose and was explained in great detail. Please do buy this item!

"The Iliad":
It is obvious that, as Santayana wrote in 1924, "Only the dead have seen the end of war" and, as elegantly shown in Fagles' translation of, "The Iliad", the tradition of military brutality coupled with the equally obvious fact that, "Iron has powers to draw a man to ruin" (Odyssey) are elements of the human condition; they exert a compelling attraction in their various forms and facets to humans of all stripes, but especially, perhaps, to poets, historians and novelists.

"The Iliad", as is known to any high school student, recounts the siege of Troy by the Achaens and the "rage of Achilles" directed both toward his putative ally and commander (Agamemnon) and to his enemy, Troy. The machinations of the gods underpin the tale, with the Judgement of Paris (arousing the ire of Hera, Queen of the Gods) as the motive force. There is gore galore in the epic poem and plenty of raw emotion, tellingly conveyed in the new English text. The extensive introductory remarks by Bernard Knox place the work in historical and literary context.

While this translation has been extolled by a pantheon of reviewers as the "climax" of the art, I still favor the E.V. Rieu (founder of Penguin Classics) prose version of 1946 of both this epic and "The Odyssey". Rieu's effort (acknowledged by the translator, but not considered on par with others) carries the reader in a more "Victorian" and perhaps fastidious fashion to the harrowing conclusion (Achilles triumph over Hector, killer of Patroclus). I am not able to compare the various versions with respect to the original; I only express my opinion as a lay reader.

"The Odyssey":
The "sequel" to "The Iliad", this recounts the eponymous saga of Odysseus (Ulysses) in his attempts to return home from the siege of Troy. It is truly an epic and is, like "The Iliad", one of the cornerstones of Western literature. Really, one cannot claim to be "educated" in Western civilization without a working knowledge of these two books. The claimant to the throne of "best book of the 20th Century" , James Joyce's, "Ulysses" simply cannot be fully appreciated nor understood without a knowledge of this work. As I wrote for, "The Iliad", the new Fagles translation is outstanding, but I again favor Rieu's version; a minority opinion.

In conclusion, these are magnificent works which deserve the recent attention the Fagles/Knox collaboration has engendered. "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" should be read and appreciated in any translation, but these are probably the best. Both also prove that, "...fate takes hold and lays them out at last" (Athena to Telemachus, "Odyssey"). So also does hubris and the lure of revenge, because, like fate, the lust for revenge cannot be tricked.

Incidentally, the boxed set/deluxe edition is well worth owning, compared to the "trade" paperback edition.

I really am enjoying reading this book again. read it in uni and hated every bit of it; but this time around, with this version, i can really get into what is happening. the index and annotations in the back are great for those of us that are not experts on Homer.
The book itsself is really cool. i love how the pages are serrated. books are lightweight and not so big at to be a pain to carry in your bag. this is a solid purchase.

I love feeling pages in between my fingers and a new book always lifts my spirits. The boxed set is truly a collectible item.
The books by themselves are translated by award winning translator,
Robert Fagles.
The introduction takes the reader through the premise and the verse itself is very simple and simplifies the epic.
The reader wont get confused with the myriad of characters but instead the book sequentially unfolds the main characters and their importance to the legacy of Iliad and Odyssey.

The Iliad

With many books, translations are negligible, with two obvious exceptions, one is the Bible, and surprisingly the other is The Iliad.

For example:

"Rage--Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles,
Murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many souls,
great fighters' souls. But made their bodies carrion,
feasts for dogs and birds,
and the will of Zeus was moving towards its end.
Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed,
Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles."
-Translated by Robert Fagles

"Sing, O Goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a heroes did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures for so were the counsels of Zeus fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles first fell out with one another."
-Translated by Samuel Butler

Our story takes place in the ninth year of the ongoing war. We get some introduction to the first nine years but they are just a background to this tale of pride, sorrow and revenge. The story will also end abruptly before the end of the war.

We have the wide conflict between the Trojans and Achaeans over a matter of pride; the gods get to take sides and many times direct spears and shields.

Although the more focused conflict is the power struggle between two different types of power. That of Achilles, son of Peleus and the greatest individual warier and that of Agamemnon, lord of men, who's power comes form position.

We are treated to a blow by blow inside story as to what each is thinking and an unvarnished description of the perils of war.
=======================================================
The Odyssey
"I long to be homeward bound" Simon and Garfunkle

The Trojan War is over and one of our hero kings is lost. His son (Telemachus) travels to find any information about his father's fait. His wife (Penelope) must cunningly hold off suitors that are eating them out of house and home.

If he ever makes it home Odysseus will have to detect those servants loyal from those who are not. One absent king against rows of suitors; how will he give them their just deserts? We look to Bright Eyed Pallas Athena to help prophecy come true.

Interestingly all the tales of monsters and gods on the sea voyage was told by Odysseus. Notice that no on else survives to tell the tale. So we have to rely on Odysseus' word.

Many movies took sections of The Odyssey, and expanded them to make interesting stories those selves.

Not just the story but the way in which it is told will keep you up late at night reading.


Troy (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)
The Archaeology of Heinrich Schliemann: An Annotated Bibliographic Handlist

I loved this book, it is definitely one to keep in my collection. Although I noticed that the type is very small and therefore a bit difficult to read ( and I have good eyesight ). Also I think something should be mentioned co: the pictures in the book, I knew it was tribal but I was not aware that there were photos. I still would have bought the book but I would definitely give it a PG rating.

If you are a Christian - this is a must read. If you are not a Christian - this is a must read.

This book should be a part of every Christian's library. I had heard Elizabeth Elliot talk on the radio and had known the story of "the five missionaries" but reading the book gave me great insight to the lives of these families- devoted to ministering to the unsaved. They gave definition to 'the purpose driven life!'

Great book. Poor presentation in this current printing. Words and pictures are small. Paper and physical book itself is low quality.

This book really makes one question: How much do I truly trust the Lord? What would I be willing to give up should I be called to it? Would I be willing to sacrifice the basic comforts I know and depend on? Would I be willing to sacrifice my life with forethought decision? Even harder for me to think of than the sacrifice of my own life, would I be willing to sacrifice that of my husband, packing him up for a trip not knowing if I would ever see him again on this side of heaven?

Elisabeth Elliot does a fantastic job of giving an account of the families' journeys to and in the mission field by using the journals and letters of some of the men and women. The men's and women's excitement at God's faithful attentiveness to their prayers is stirring, and their spiritual struggles are also encouraging. I give a lot of credit to Elisabeth Elliot for that. She doesn't fluff up the missionaries as uber-Christians. She shows through their struggles and lives that they have the same power as you and I, and that power is the blood of Jesus Christ.

Even if you are not a Christian, this book may shed some light on both tribal culture and missionary culture. Whatever you believe, this is still a powerful tale of sacrifice, struggle, hope, and forgiveness. It is also still well written and well organized with multiple story lines forging into one giant one. Elliot knows how to pull you into the story. If for no other reason, this book is an interesting read because it shows the developing stages that led to the historical event that captured the compassion of the world - Christian and non-Christian alike.

This particular version has updates to the story as well, which is a definite plus. I hope you are blessed by this book.

Small compact paperbook can take with me when traveling. Am enjoying the brevity, but not as much the small print type, but still very enjoyable book.

I love this book. It shows a beautiful example of the artists work in alphabetical order and a great short history of each artist. I discovered a lot of artists I wasn't familiar with. It's a great quick reference and easy/enjoyable reading. It's more than I expected! A must for anyone interested in art/artists.

A bargain at the cover price and even better at the prices listed here at Amazon. I have copies at both my homes and am always referring to it. Would that Phaidon could do the same for music and lovers of great literature.

An excellent mini art history book. It covers the majority of well known artists with a representative work. All this and the paperback is small enough to carry around. I present it to my students for special achievements.

This little book couldn't be any more straightforward or useful. Over the span of 500 pages, each page is devoted to a different artist, with one representative work by that artist and a short description of his or her life and work. At the end, an invaluable 6-page glossary provides short and informative descriptions of the major genres and schools of art (e.g., Fauvism, Constructivism, Expressionism, etc.) that don't require a PhD to understand, as well as explanations of common art materials and techniques (e.g., gesso, fresco, tempera, etc.). It's a great value, and much more inexpensive than almost any other art book this informative. Buy it now!

This book was recommended by several collegues at a recent convention. I read it in one sitting. There is so much usable information in this book! When I went back thru it, to highlight the key items, I ended up highlighting something on almost every page. Buy the book and jump on The Energy Bus.

Very good simple basic rules for work, life and family. Is a good easy read.

If you like the "better business life via metaphor" style, you'll enjoy your trip through this little gem.

This easy to read book could at first seem simplistic, but the truth hiding within its pages will set you on a new journey. The Energy Bus is an interesting read with golden nuggets of wisdom along the way. I work 50+ hours a week and I took the time to read it. Soon you'll be passing out tickets and asking people to get on the bus!

I liked what the book was saying. The only thing I really had trouble with is that trying this in real life situations is really hard. I'm an assistant manager in a hair salon, and my stylists just don't seem real motivated to join the bus. But I wouldn't give up.

I'm a first year vet student and have read this text over the summer to get my feet wet. Excellent. Its just enough to explain the real mechanisms of specific cells and immune functioning. I would highly recommend as this text gives a thorough explanation to very difficult material.

For someone with no immunology background this is a great place to start. I wish I'd known about this book before taking immunology in medical school. It is short enough and such engaging writing that I'd strongly recommend reading it before taking an immunology course. This book isn't going to be one you go to for specifics about this receptor or that cytokine it's all about understanding how all the parts fit together.

This is one of the best books I have read in Medicine, for its ease and information. It stimulates you to go and read more.

The beauty of this book lies in its folksy language, brevity, completeness, and versatility.

First, the author avoids making you snooze over this potentially dry subject. The prose is clever and written basically as someone would talk to you. Of course, the prose does get a little too relaxed at time, but I find the language far more understandable than some stuffy textbook.

In addition, the author has compiled a brief yet very thorough composition on the immune system here. If you were seeking a very complete overview of immunology without needing to memorize all the details (like cytokines, names of cell receptors, etc.), you could read this book in one night and have a very good understanding of the immune system. However, if you're a medical student needing to actually memorize all those seemingly trivial details, this book is probably sufficient for you as well. That versatility really lends this book to a very diverse audience.

I think that anyone from a college student in an introductory immunology course up to a practicing physician needing a quick reference to the immune system would love owning this book.

I'm a first year medical student and hadn't had immunology until I was taught it in about two weeks this year. This book was exceptionally helpful in giving me the big picture while still providing enough detail to unite the big pieces together. The book isn't exhaustive, but it's not meant to be. It's also very easy to read and memorable. This book was quite useful to me and I highly recommend it.

Craig and Mark may be young in age, but they are definitely old souls. Their grasp of Spiritual concepts goes way beyond their years.

The book shows that it doesn't matter what you know intellectually; unless you live it, it is meaningless. As one individual, you may think you are powerless, but everyone underestimates the extent to how much of a difference they can actually make.

These two brothers proved that in what they accomplished in such a short period of time. Absolutely amazing.

I read mostly self help books and I have read many. The book, Me to We was one of the very best. I read it while traveling to and from San Diego this past week. The two authors, brothers in their 20's, talk about how we must take the focus off of me and ask "How can I help others." In changing our focus onto the other person we help ourselves to grow. They give many great examples, examples from both ordinary people and very well known celebrities. Just learning about their own personal experiences helped change my way of looking at the world. Buying AND reading this book will be one of the best investments you can make in yourself.

I found this book to amazingly inspirational! For someone so young, these two young men have been blessed with amazing insight and wisdom. I would recommend this book to all who are stuck in wondering what the purpose for their life is. If you can't find a purpose somewhere in the chapters of this book, you must be dead!
Not only is this book informational, but it addresses much of the complacency and apathy of a society that has become so spoiled. Want to be inspired to go beyond your comfort zone? Read this book!

Free the Children is a fantastic organization, and reading more about it inspired me to live more of the "Me to We" philosophy. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Me to We is one of those books that will get you thinking about what you are doing with your life, and what you could be doing. Written in an easy to understand manner, it is suitable for teens and seniors alike.
Me to We is truly inspirational in the way it speaks from the heart, and encourages all of us to make a difference in our lives, our community, and our world. I truly recommend this book - you won't be disappointed.

I have a small part time mail order / direct marketing business and was looking to go full time. This guide was a blessing in giving me the information quick and direct. With the information on this CD my sales are increasing rapidly!

Ugh, I am a marketer but definitely not a writer. I needed some help with my autoresponder and marketing emails, a guide of some sort. This was the guide I was looking for. My sales and response levels increased within a couple of weeks! Awesome!

One of the best ways to attract many costumers is to use internet email marketing campaigns. Internet marketing campaigns attract a lot of costumers from allover the world. Your sales increase rapidly after using this method and I assure you that it's nothing complicated about it.

Great for the aspiring internet maketer who does not know the way the internet maket operates. I used this to start a camaping a long time ago and it's still succesful, and no ISP toled me to stop doing it. The book has a friendly writing style and appeals to all ,even thos who don't know the industry terminology

Ever wondered how much money can you make only by using internet to promote your products? Well I am telling you that you can make millions!!!
This book will teach you a step by step procedure on how to attract more clients and sell with the help of the internet.

I bought this book for 2 people i know who have RA. I don't think either of them read it. You really have to be ready to think outside the traditional medical box to get this book. It was originally recommended to me by someone with RA who read it and is doing the treatments and is living a wonderful life because of it. She said it saved her life. I think it's worth knowing this information.

This book gives a very clear and concise description of the Marshall Protocol, an anti-biotic based relief program for Auto-Immune disease.

I have given it to my family Doctor to read and he is convinced.

I am starting the protocol as soon as I have a couple of tests undertaken to check for suitability.

This text provided my family and I an alternative treatment outlook for the future of an RA suffer. At my age, 28 the toxic medication on offer from my specialist wasn't appealing. We were able to read and understand the disease better, it's long term impact on our lives and hopefully have found a safe effective alternative treatment. We have nothing to loose.

An excellent book for newly diagnosed people with RA who are unaware of alternative treatment available using anti-biotics, instead of current medications perscribed by mainstream doctors, which I believe are destructive to the human body.

Unfortunately doctors do not feel free to administer anti-biotic treatment because it is not approved, yet they can administer drugs that have destructive side effects. I did not feel I could survive the strong drugs being used as the standard of care due to my age. Luckily I found this alternative that has given me hope. Although I have just begun treatment I am experiencing improvement.

The book also has information on The Road Back Foundation, a resource for people affected by arthritis and other diseases.

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at 33 years old. I grew up very healthy and active. In September 2005, I had my second child, a girl. I was 32 years old. During both pregnancies I had hyperemesis gravidarum, which means extreme nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. In October and November of 2005, I had two root canals (I ruined my teeth from vomiting during pregnancy). My immune system was down because I had just had a baby (the immune system lowers as to not reject the fetus), I was getting very little sleep with a newborn, and I had just had two root canals, the perfect entrance for bacteria. In December 2005, the balls of my feet began to ache. By the beginning of January 2006, I knew something was wrong. I did some investigating later and found out I had a great aunt with Scleroderma and three second cousins with RA. There are also a lot of allergies and asthma in my family, indicating a pattern of hypersensitive immune systems. (I always thought I was the lucky one in the family who didn't get allergies. It seems my allergies have just manifested themselves in a different manner.) About a week later, I was in extreme pain and I had read a lot about RA and knew that my symptoms matched. I referred myself to a local rheumatologist. My pain had spread to over 35 joints. I was having trouble lifting my newborn baby, opening jars, turning car keys, fastening infant seats, putting on my 4-year-old's socks, brushing my teeth, washing my hair, etc. I required at least 12 hours of sleep at night, and was still tired during the day. I was very depressed. I would cry every day, usually out of frustration because I could not undo my seat belt or put on my son's socks for school. Everything that I read said this disease was progressive, degenerative and crippling. I could not imagine it getting any worse than it was! I was referred to [...] by other RA patients. I read and read. I contacted my local area contact. I told him I was considering starting Enbrel the following week. He e-mailed back that I had a choice to make. I could give antibiotics a try and possibly go into remission or get significantly better; or I could go on potentially harmful immune suppressors, which would usually eventually wear off and I would have to jump from one drug to the next. And what would happen if I ran out of drugs to try? He said there is hope in AP. With AP, I had the hope of getting better. With the other drugs, I was merely suppressing the symptoms, not getting to the root cause of the illness. I ordered the book The New Arthritis Breakthrough and started posting on the roadback board. It made much more sense than the conventional autoimmune wisdom which stated that: One random day my immune system just up and decided to attack my joints for no reason at all. I finally came to the conclusion that I did not want to just suppress my pain and symptoms. I wanted my life back. I knew that in the past I always tended to get side effects of medications and I thought I would probably be one of the 1% of people who got lymphoma, TB, or severe infection from the biologics. I knew I wanted to be alive to watch my kids grow up. It was not like I was NOT going to be treating my RA; I would be treating my RA with an American College of Rheumatology approved DMARD. I decided to try the antibiotic protocol. It was the best decision I have ever made. Within 1-2 months of being on Zithromax, the depression and fatigue had disappeared. Within 3 months, I felt 60% better. After 10 months, I was 98% back to my normal self. 18 months later, and I have only one finger that will not bend all the way into a fist (it is about an inch away). My rheumatoid factor has dropped from 282 to 28 and my CCP has dropped from it's all-time high of 153 to 55. My sed rate is 1.0 and my CRP is .3. I walk two miles a day. My feet, neck, knees, ankles, and shoulders do not hurt at all! I thank God, Dr. Thomas McPherson Brown, Henry Scammell,and The Road Back Foundation for giving me my life back!

Page-Turning Southern Novels!

Shadow of Dreams Book Review by Barbara Robinson
The novel is full of realistic Southern characters. If you love Southern novels, don't miss out on this one! Shadow of Dreams by Eva Marie Everson and G. W. Francis Chadwick is a well-written, well-developed novel full of foreshadowing. The main character serves as an excellent example of what happens to many young teens glamorized by the big city and running from problems at home. Instead of the prodigal son, the main character, Katie, is the prodigal daughter. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to Katie and her husband, and the bad guys. I loved the way the authors used literature for clues. I also loved the way the small-town Georgia guys protected their own and took care of the big-city guys. These authors do not preach, but they certainly know how to spin a tale that could serve to help others. These authors offer much insight, and a reflective reader will benefit from the experience of having read this novel. A good, reflective reader will find that this book is about many things that connect to life in such a way, it can't help but be realistic. The characters are realistic, not mere shells of characters. The way they talk and the things they say, the dialogue, provide that realistic touch to make them come to life. Katie's mom is really a Southern character. It is ironic that she seems to treat Katie as her own mother treated her, but she does not realize this.

Summon the Shadows Book Review

By Barbara Robinson

Summon the Shadows by Eva Marie Everson and G. W. Francis Chadwick is the second novel in a trilogy you won't want to miss. Katie, the main character loses her husband, but refuses to believe he is dead. She is forced to take over his business, running a posh hotel, as she faithfully waits for his return. Her faith in God sees her through. Katie remembers her roots and from where she has come. While being thankful to God for her own escape from the world of exotic dancing, she tries to help three other dancers find their escape by offering them jobs in the hotel. Looking back unable to let go of her past, one dancer secretly returns to the exotic dancing.

This book will not offend anyone with its subtle message of God's caring and love. Everson and Chadwick have interwoven the hope, love, and joy of His message throughout this exciting journey of Katie's life. Katie escapes the evil plot of others with the Lord's protection. Her faith and belief in God see her through the trials and tribulations she encounters at the hands of others. Even with so much turmoil in her own life, she still finds the time to love and care for others and opens her heart and hotel to saving the three dancers and turning their lives around.

This novel will keep you turning pages to find out what fate befalls the dancer who returns to exotic dancing. You will be on the edge of your seat wondering if Katie's husband will reappear, when she starts receiving gifts from an unknown admirer. Next, you will hold your breath as you await Katie's fate at the hands of so-called trusted friends who worked in her hotel. This novel is full of plot twists that make savory reading. Curl up with wonderful winter reads just in time for Christmas with this trilogy available through www.amazon.com because you won't want to miss a single book! What wonderful gifts of reading your presents may offer others!

Shadows of Light Book Review
By Eva Marie Everson
Book Reviewer: Barbara Robinson, Avid Reader and Passionate Writer, Educator

Shadows of Light is a page-turner with a Christian message delicately interwoven, so that the novel does not come off as preachy. Yet, it clearly delivers a much-needed message of God's love and forgiveness and how none of us are perfect. We all need loving kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and redemption, and the set of three novels in this collection clearly provide this message. Shadows of Light is the concluding book in the three-part series, one you will not want to put down until you see how it ends.

This final novel in the series of three illustrates how prayer and faith work in real life. Katie, the main character holds on to her faith, like the treasure it is, until her husband returns. She never gives up on him. Even when he returns and things are not picture perfect, she understands, has compassion, forgives, and continues to have faith in God. Maggie, the housekeeper, also models faith and how prayer works. She is not afraid of death and meeting her maker. In fact, she illustrates how she looks forward to doing so, and she tries to encourage Ben's faith. Just as in real life, all family members do not always share the same faith or amount of faith, but the novel displays a fine example of how one can model faith and belief in the power of prayer without preaching. One of my favorite parts of this novel is how Maggie is found with her finger marking a Bible verse and how Katie remembers the small things about Maggie, like where she kept Katie's slippers. For, when we lose our loved ones, it is always the small, simple things we miss the most about them.

Another favorite part is the epilogue and how the novel ends. I won't spoil the ending for you though. Read the book and find out for yourself! The ending ties in with an ongoing theme from the other two books as well as the third novel and wraps things up nicely like a well-wrapped Christmas gift. These novels would make great stocking stuffers for the readers in your life.

The novel also illustrates a love story and romance between Ben and Katie, the two main characters. It is very realistic to life and provides insight for the reader. If you like Southern novels, romance, or love stories, do not miss this delightful book. In fact, you won't want to miss a single one of the three.

This novel is full of plot twists that make savory reading. Curl up with wonderful winter reads just in time for Christmas with this trilogy available through www.amazon.com because you won't want to miss a single book from the collection: Summon the Shadows, Shadow of Dreams, and last, Shadows of Light.What wonderful gifts of reading your presents may offer others! Check out all of Eva Marie Everson's other great books online.

I'm hesitant to give low review to any author but felt compelled to do so because I was so disillusioned by the other reviews.

I kept waiting for something to happen in this novel and when it did, I was disappointed. It seemed that the entire book was written for the "surprise" ending which was overly dramatic and too unrealistic to be believable.

Then again, I had just read Francine Rivers' "Redeeming Love" and not much compares to that, now does it?

Eva Marie's series is fabulous. I couldn't wait to find the time to read the next page. I fell in love with Katie and hope there are plans to read more of her. Eva Marie's 3 books in this series is filled with exciting plot twists, suspense, and drew me closer to the Lord, plus making me even more appreciative of my wonderful husband. These books are delightful!

Once I started reading, I could not put it down. The characters and storylines are so realistic. I feel I know Katie personally (we are both from Georgia, after all). The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat with anticipation and the love between Ben and Katie warmed by heart. This is definitely a must read and will keep you coming back for more!

The prodigal daughter returns to her southern home after twenty-five years of absence. Katie runs from her problems, and she discovers she needs to make things right with God before she can solve her problems. This book was intriguing and suspenseful, and there were times when I was sitting on the edge of my seat! The characters were well-developed, and I'm anxious to start the sequal!

WHY THE WEIGHT? DARE TO BE GREAT! is like reading a Bible for those who want to lose weight. It is so inspirational that it should be kept out on a table to read and reread when one needs to be reminded of the multitude of ideas offered the readers. For those of us who have weight problems, it should be in a obvious place to use as a way of life.
Its contents are more than any reader could ever expect, without a page of disappointment.
Connie Nanasy, author of: Roamin' Around Planet Earth and
Love and Betrayal in Texas

This book helped me soooooo much. It's a spiritual approach to weight loss, and it's like nothing out there. Thank you, Jean

In this book, Jean Krueger talks about eating in response to "loss". She has had some profound losses in her life including the deaths of both parents and 3 brothers......but she expands the concept of "loss" to other areas as well.

A second point is Krueger's philosophy that weight loss is not only about the pounds. It is about adding things into your life. When you are overweight, you have no energy. No zest. No joy of living. She urges you to examine your life. Take on new challenges and make a list of things you want to do and start doing them step by step.

In my own life, I suffered "loss" of self esteem when I was unable to balance the stress of being a perfectionist at work and trying to be a wife and mother at home. I ended up taking a transfer in order to survive and felt embarrassed and ashamed because I hadn't been able to handle it all. My self esteem fell to an all time low. Eventually I retired and again felt the "loss" of an exhausting but exciting career.

Later, I fell from a ladder and suffered a debilitating injury which put me on medication and laid me up for more than a year. Food was an easy solution to both losses. Besides, I deserved it and it made me feel better..... temporarily.

I reached a point when I felt my life was over. I became depressed and discouraged and withdrew from friends and activities.

Weight has been a problem all my life. I have tried many weight loss programs and the scale has yoyo'd up and down. But when I found this book and started reading it, I wrote in my journal, "could this really be the time?" In other words, could I not only take off the weight but resume a meaningful life?

My mantra has become, "I am determined to take back my life." I have lost 10% of my body weight, am about half way to my goal and am doing more things and enjoying them more than I have for years. I am again in touch with old friends and am helping to plan a reunion of current and retired employees. I eat out all the time...and make good choices much of the time. I walk alot and go to the gym several times a week and my husband and I have completed several 5K fund raisers. I have joined a quilting guild and taken an adult education sewing class. I am in training as a volunteer for the American Red Cross.

I have been fairly diligent...but not perfect. For me, I no longer look for the "quick fix" to lose weight. Weight control is now more a change of mind set and life style and I owe my motivation to Jean Krueger and her insightful book.

Just attended a workshop featuring Jean Krueger and was sincerely motivated after hearing her speak that I purchased this book. She is truly a inspiration and I look forward to reading more about her method of weight loss. I would encourage others that are looking for a postive way to approach weight loss to hear her message.

Jean is an amazing woman and an inspiration to all. She is someone who has walked the walk. Her advice is on target. She is compassionate but shoots straight. Follow her plan and your life will change, along with your weight. I should know. I have been following her plan for a year now. I have lost 50 pounds, in spite of losing two important people. I dealt with the grief the right way -not eating my way through it. Thank you for everything, Jean.