Works Books

Well bound leather book with quality feeling pages makes this an easy book to pick up and use. I would recommend this small daily devotional to everyone. Easy to use, carry with you and to read.

I ordered Daily Light from Amazon and was thrilled to get the 5 copies I orders, especially since the book has gone out of print. I received excellent service.

Daily Light is a book that I have read for over thirty years. There is a daily reading, morning and evening, of various scriptures that are all on the same theme. It was compiled by the Bagster family of London, England. There were twelve children and it was Jonathan, their tenth child, who was mainfily responsible for the idea and for the method by which Daily Light was compiled. The family prayed over, discussed and agreed on each scripture and sometimes it was weeks before it was felt that they came to an agreement. Not one word has been altered from its conception (1794). Hundreds and thousands of Christians have read the same page with its message of comfort and help through the years since it was first published. It brings hope and encouragement each morning and evening to anyone who takes the few minutes to read it and let it sink in. "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)

Daily Light is a compot of Scriptures arranged around daily topics. It has been a favorite for generations but in 1998 Anne Graham Lotz revived it, published it in the New King James translation and offered it in a leather bound edition. Though very popular it is unfortunately no longer available. Our hope is that J. Countryman will republish it soon.

This book is a treasure of God's Word. Our family of 6 each have their own copy and we give it as gifts to those who are seeking the Lord.

I first read this precious book, when a friend sent it to me, after my husbands death.
It was such a comfort.
Now I send it, hoping it will help and comfort some one else.

This is a wonderful book to own for yourself or give as a gift to anyone that has had a love one go on before them to heaven. It gives a vivid picture of what heaven is like. You will feel close to heaven and those that have gone on to their reward.
I first read this book when my sister and then my father died in the same year. It was a tremendous source of comfort, and made the vast expanse between us seem so much smaller.
I highly recommend it.

I first read 'Intra Muros' in the late 1970s.
Although I realize it is not absolutely the truth, it gave me such a peace about death and the hereafter, I passed the book on to another.
At one time I bought 24 of them to pass around. Not one came back to me.
Isn't that wonderful!
Now I am doing the same thing with 'My Dream of Heaven'.
I wish everyone would/could read it.

I really enjoyed reading this book. This book is a great gift to give to someone who has lost a loved one. It helps you to imagine what Heaven will be like.

Although it is the author's dream of heaven, it is a beautiful story about how heaven may be and that it is a continuation from our life on earth. We will meet our family and friends and we will all be so happy and praising our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a lovely book and produces warm and happy feelings!

I purchased this book based on the numerous reviews exclaiming its excellence. As a first note, the photo representation showing a CD that provides actual examples of resumes and KSAs is highly deceiving. There is no CD with this book. On the final page of the book, you will find directions on how to buy this for an additional fee at the authors website. No doubt the author has experience and expertise in the convuluted federal application process. From biographical information that is available it appears that she was a key player in creating it and then she went on to build a business that capitalizes off of the confusion created in the process. The inforation in this book is good and reliable; however, the same information is available for free on the internet from a variety of sources. I was sadly disappointed with this book and the other Troutman book Military to Federal Career Guide that I also purchased. The CD is included with the second book mentioned. I has 52 files in total; but, these provide very few examples because the same resume is repeatedly used to show examples of different resume builder formats (e.g paper resume, USA Jobs resume, and Resumix)and each example is given in a word document format and PDF so immediately the number of eamples is decreased from 52 to 26. As such, the CD amounts to 13 resume examples and one that provides separate KSAs. The best value that comes from this book is a profitable marketing tool for the author's website and other, quite pricey writing and coaching services. Before buying this book, I would recommend that you check with your local library or bookstore to see if they have a copy so you can review the content and decide how useful it might be in relation to your knowledge of the federal job market.

Consider the "Federal Resume Guidebook, Fourth Edition," as the bible for serious federal job seekers. A few months ago I attended a Transition Assistance Program (TAP) class before I retired from the Air Force. The TAP instructor lightly covered federal resumes, KSA's, etc., I was totally confused. Family, friends, and former co-workers all provided me with advice on how a federal resume should be written, formatted, and distributed. After several misses on the job market I decided to purchase this book. HALLELUJAH ! This book will take you step-by-step on the federal resume process with some excellent federal resume samples you can use on your quest for a career with government agencies. I also decided to invest in the Entry-Level and Mid-Level Assessment Service offered by the authors company, The Resume Place. If your are serious about your federal job search I strongly suggest you purchase this service. You will not be disappointed. One last item, the author Ms. Kathryn Troutman personally provided me with the assessment and offered some great suggestions I had overlooked when I created my resume. WoW, what great customer service. This book certainly deserves a "Five Stars" plus rating. I'm certain I will catch the attention of the federal agencies where I want to work.

Now in a completely updated and expanded fourth edition, "Federal Resume Guidebook: Strategies For Writing A Winning Federal Electronic Resume, KSAs, And Essays" by federal resume expert, career consultant, and government human resources career trainer Kathryn Kraemer Troutman is a practical and superbly presented compendium of instructions that will readily enable anyone seeking federal employment to maximize the effectiveness of their online resume, analyze federal job announcements, and make the cut for interviews based on an effective presentation of their experiences and qualifications. Job seekers are provided with an illustrative wealth of federal resume samples, detailed procedures, and tips. Of special note is Troutman's advice for those transitioning from military service to a federal career, and for those transitioning from Wage Grade to General Schedule positions. With instruction on preparing for the new Behavioral Interview process and strategies for advancing a federal career, the "Federal Resume Guidebook" continues to be an indispensable and invaluable reference guide for job seekers regardless of the federal position being sought after. Simply stated, the "Federal Resume Guidebook" is essential for anyone seeking federal employment and is a fundamentally necessary addition to personal, professional, academic, governmental job center, and community library Jobs/Careers reference collections.

If you want to work for Uncle then you must have this book. After toiling for over a year trying to work for Uncle and getting nowhere, I bought this book. I spent a day revamping my resume as it describes and have been knee deep in responses ever since. If you want your resume to be in the right format to get you in the door then buy this book. If you want to continue hawking on the street or playing a fiddle for change then by all means do not buy this book.

I purchased this book after numerous failed attempts at being considered for various govt positions.
Literally after giving my resume a govt makeover with the suggestions from the book I've been considered for a total of four positions since purchasing the book last month.
I consider this a huge success only because I at least know my responses to the KSA questions are strong,
I highly recommed this book - definetly worth it!

Subject aside, this is raw poetry. It is bare. It is honest. It has all the marks of a true theophany: the mystery that attracts irresistably, and the horror that repels, that paralyzes with trembling fear at the same time. If you cannot have the experience itself, or if you want to read someone elses notes on an incomprehensible experience you've shared with them, you will want to read this. Most "great" poetry about world shaking events was written decades, if not centuries, after the event. There is, however, a short shelf of poetry written by the people who were there, written when it happened. i think people hesistate to call it "great" because it lacks the essential distance of greatness. That does not make it any less personal, any less human, any less intense--and a hundred times more fundamentally human. Reading this, I'm reminded of the overwhelming effect the Crusades had on European culture. The conquorers were conquored one by one, and Western culture is all the greater for it. I hope Brian Turner goes on to cast this writer's eye on every detail of the remainder of his life. The everyday life he grew up in the US with is no less worthy than the life he experienced over there--after all, THAT is the life millions have grown up with as everyday, by definition. Yet look at how extraordinary.

I was tentative when I ordered the book and thankful after I read it.
This strange and complicated and dreadful event which is raging over there was not made clearer (how could it!) but it was brought closer. For a while I was enabled to see it through the eyes and the mind of a man who has compassion and detachment at the same time. Linking his poems often to Koranic verses and Arab concepts provides an insight into the otherness as well as the comonality of these two worlds.
I bought 4 copies - one for myself the others for my children.
H. Boehme

"The history books will get it wrong.
There will be nothing written
about the island ferris wheel
frozen by rust like a broken clock...."
"Ferris Wheel"

In Here, Bullet, U. S. Army veteran Brian Turner gets it right as only a poet can. Through vivid and varied images and voices, Turner illustrates the nuanced reality of the Iraq War Theater. He shuns cliché as he chronicles the scenes of war from unique and unexpected perspectives. In "Baghdad Zoo," Turner displays the chaos widely reported after the 2003 invasion not through familiar images of looting, sniper fire, and explosions, but through the experience of displaced animals thrust into a surreal and alien habitat. The absurdity of the scene provides a powerful metaphor that rings excruciatingly true.

Turner displays a profound respect for the rich culture of the Middle East that is often overlooked in the strife of battle. In "Alhazen of Basra," Turner pays homage to scientific and mathematical advances that form the foundation of academics. "Gilgamesh, in Fossil Relief" honors both the ancient poet and the modern archaeologist. Narthere, a painter, strives to capture in art the war around him as Turner depicts his frustration in "Easel."

Many have been touched in one way or another by the current war. Turner broadens his readers' perspectives with the voices of soldiers, medical personnel, and Iraqi civilians. Through these balanced points of view, Turner does what no camera or history book can do. He reveals what it is like to feel a life slip through the fingers, to be at the center of an exploding market, to strive for a sense of normalcy in a world turned upside down. Turner jars the imaginations and emotions of his readers through the concise words of a skilled poet.

With a minimum of judgment, Turner illuminates the world that friends, children, siblings, and spouses have experienced in Iraq. And he reminds his readers of the common human emotions and desires shared by combatants on both sides of war and by civilians caught in between. Far from a political statement, it is a statement of the human condition in a time of war.

Iraqi-war veteran Brian Turner penned a collection of his poetry in Here, Bullet, which he says all but one poem was written overseas. The result is a well-thought out and well-written firsthand account of the travesties of war. Turner manages to see and record the poetry in even the most devastating of circumstances, with such grace and poignancy. It seems almost effortless, as Turner even admitted as such. "Here, Bullet," the title poem, Turner says, "I sat down and wrote it probably within five minutes."
Turner incorporated many interesting elements into Bullet. The collection is divided into four parts, eluded by a telling quote. In fact, there are numerous quotes throughout, most accompanying/introducing a poem, including some from the Qur'an and some from famous figures such as Ernest Hemmingway. His choice to include Arabic words (and the selections from the Qur'an) could be considered controversial, but Turner is quick to defend his choices said that it felt right to do so. The Islamic language and cultural was indeed a key component, as the poems not only tell the stories of the soldiers, but also of the people living in the war-torn country. In "Two Stories Down," young Iraqi Hasan is dying and whispers, "Shukran, sadiq, shukran," which is Arabic for "Thank you, friend, thank you." This was a great example of how Turner incorporated the language into the piece and how it gave the poem a realness and painful authenticity.
In fact, Turner's respect and admiration for those people, which he acknowledged, is so clear that he seems compelled to share it. By his working with the various translators, and integrating it into the collection, Turner is continuingly trying to educate the reader and encourages further exploration by including a "Notes" section in the back to explain the various references. I thought that was a nice touch, rather than using foreign words and not explaining them, which I feel alienates readers.
The poem that Turner seemed particularly proud of was 2,000 lbs., a poem capturing the surrounding experience of what happened when a bomb went off in Ashur Square, Mosul. From the suicide bomber, to a US Sergeant, to a local old woman cradling her grandson, each stanza seems to paint a harrowing picture of the tragedy that touched it. Turner said in the poem he tried to create a feeling like a spanning view of a movie camera to capture those moments and give life to the scene. He does it well, giving all the characters a moment of expression, and the reader can feel as if they had just witnessed it.
Perhaps what I liked best about Turner, aside from his fantastic writing, was how unassuming he was. Turner has a humble demeanor and sense of humor, despite all that he has seen and done. Whether he was cracking jokes, ("Let's see, I know I have a sex poem in here,") or honoring his fallen comrades, he always remains true to himself. Like how he said he is against the war at the risk of seeming unpatriotic, or that he honestly guessed how much the bomb weighed (found out later that it wasn't 2,000 lbs), or how he dealt with death, his honesty of spirit was always the most powerful to me. And perhaps that's the best a poet can hope for.

The experience of war is one which changes people profoundly. A poet can express most vividly the subjective experience of terror, pain and loss. The fatalism that overwhelms the natural buoyancy of youth, the loss of friends, the waiting for what seems an inevitable wounding, perhaps fatal.
This book brings home the loss of joy that these young people suffer in an alien environment, many never to find it again. Too sad to read all at once. Read it as a token of respect.

This is such a sweet (and sad) book. I have it in my school library and it is a wonderful book for children to read. I love how the little boy loves his dog and the depth of his feelings. My son and I have reread it everytime we have had to say goodby to one of our beloved pets. I gave this book to our family vet recently and this is the one he liked best for his young son. I highly recommend it.

Read it cried as usual. Great for my daughter. Did not do much for me on the healing process.

Of the three books I purchased for my two young friends (boys, aged 6 and 10) who was experiencing the loss of their life-time friend, Charlie-the beagle... this was the BEST BOOK of the three.
The pictures are wonderful, the text simple but meaningful, and most of all.. it tells us all that we should love and express that love while our 'friends' are with us. "I'll Always Love You" brought tears to even the adults reading it with the children; also a good lesson that it ok to cry and grief for our four-legged friends even if we are a grownup.
I'd recommend this book for any age child.

Sweet story. The best book I've seen so far to handle, in a children's story way, the death of a dog. The kid moves on pretty fast. That was the only discordant part for me, but i think i understand where the author was going with that...we don't need things to help us remember (except for me, i have the worst memory ever). Extremely cute illustrations. I am 36 years old and I cried when I read it. I had a best pal like the kid in the book, who lived with me for 13 years until July 2007. The ham hitting the floor reminded me of my buddy. Other books I found helpful, as an adult, before and after having to choose the time and day to let my best friend go. The authors give some contacts and advice if you are hitting a wall with your grief and how to take care of yourself. The Loss of a PetandGrieving the Death of a Pet, i also saw a journal for remembering that i am planning to buy. My Personal Pet Remembrance Journal.

Wilhelm, H. (1985). I'll always love you. New York: Scholastic, Inc.

Synopsis: Can pets live forever? This is the story of a young boy and his pet dog, Elfie. Elfie and the boy do everything together. As the boy grows older, Elfie grows older at a much quicker rate. Not a night goes by when the boy tells his best friend, Elfie, how much he loves her. This is without a story for all families that have a pet. Young children learn the importance of loving and caring for their pets.

Evaluation: The concept of dying is a subject many families do not explore until the time comes when it is necessary to discuss. This gentle tale allows readers to ready their minds for the inevitable time when a family pet will pass away. Wilhelm's story provides children with positive, upbeat way to handle a difficult time in life. Young children will find the text to be heart warming and easy to understand. The watercolor illustrations are soft and cheerful which adds to tone of this story. In addition the simple illustrations provide children an uncluttered view into Elfie's world. Having a pet, is an experience many young children can relate to in today's world. Families will find joy in the humor of this story as they watch Elfie and the boy grow up. It is a charming story for any family that has both young children and pets. Wilhelm writes this story in simplistic text that allows young children to read and understand the concept of death and dying. Parents and educators will find that while the text is simple; it is a book that will allow children to open up to the process of grieving. Readers ages 4-10 will find this book appealing. This story is a bright, happy and upbeat book needed in every child's collection.

It's hard to justify $85 for a jewelry book, but this combines history, technique and art in one book. If you intend to work with jewelry professionally, or are a very serious jewelry student, it's wise to get this book. You won't get the step-by-step techniques, but you'll get enough background technique you'll be able to wing it, usually sucessfully. He covers the international world of jewelry, so it has everything from ethnic tribal to Danish contemporary, and all the stuff inbetween. I sit down with this book periodically to just enjoy the book, and I always find something 'new' I want to try. Many times I use it a reference for finding the basis of a technique, or a particular table that has the info I require. Whatever it is that I need, I can find it in this book. It's worth the $85 and you won't regret the decision.

This one expands on were he stopped with the first book. 19 chapter headings with a multitude of sub headings.

* The Message of Jewelry, why we wear ornaments
* The Means to Creation: working environment, facilities and implements
* Metal, the Jewel's Raw Material: Its origin, quality control and variety
* Basic Techniques: processing sheet metal without deformation
* Sheet Metal: Forming by deformation techniques
* Wire: The uses of drawn or extruded flexible filaments
* Tubing: The use of Fistular Forms
* Surface ornament with out heat: Metal removal techniques
* Surface ornament with heat: Metal fusion techniques
* Fabrication: Building fragments into units
* Casting: Methods of giving form to molten metal
* Natural Materials in Jewelry: Using natures valued nonmetals
* Stones and their setting: Inorganic minerals employed in jewelry
* Metal Finishing: Achieving desired surface appearance
* Metallic Coating Techniques: Changing the base metal's surface appearance
* Metallic Buildup: Electrolytic molecular creation of surface and form
* Coloring Metals: Achieving patinas through heat, chemicals and electrolysis
* Standard weights, Measures and Tables
* Glossaries, Bibliographies, Sources of tools, supplies and services: USA and UK

Around 800 pages of pure golden info, I have read and keep finding new and interesting things since I picked up a copy last year. I find this gift keeps on giving every time I pick it up. He goes into detail that others can only dream about.

This book isn't only for jewelry artists, anybody that is into the metal arts working or a collector. This will give years of educational enjoyment. It is truly an investment grade book of knowledge. I use my copy on a metals arts forum for answers to question from people that are looking for answers that can be counted to be correct.

This book is the jewelry makers bible. I cannot begin to scratch the surface of its value by lising content. It is a gem of a book (pun intended).

Oppi Untracht did the jewelry industry and anyone serious about learning jewelrymaking the right way, a HUGE service by compiling the information in this book and presenting it in clear and easy to understand language. This book must have taken years of research and editing to produce and publish. That, my friends who harp about price, is why this book is so high priced. It is not over-priced, it is aptly priced. Think how much the Oxford English Dictionary costs- [...]
it's just words, why so expensive?!

You could learn a new technique or factoid every day for a year from this book and then start all over again and learn even more.
This book, however, is not for teaching silver or goldsmithing, gem setting, etc. It is not a how-to book at all. It is a reference book, like the ones that the library won't let you check out because they're too valuable.

If you are serious about jewelry making, fine and art jewelry- not hobby craft wire and bead stringing- put this on your wish list. You'll be thrilled if someone sends it to you for a birthday or holiday gift. If nobody will kick for it, save your nickles and find a used one, reclaiming the silver from spent pickle solution and making solder from scratch never goes out of style.

Jewelry Concepts and Technoloty by Oppi Untracht is the must reference text for the jewelry artist. Untracht provides historical reference for styles and techniques, clearly explains how various techniqures can be utilized by beginners, advanced art jewelry students and professionals. If that is not enough, the visuals and historical references stimulate the imagine.

This book was purchased to replace a book lost out of our Mineral & Gem Society library. We have many master gemologists and geologists in the club and each speaks highly of this book. It's full of basics but also provides information for the advanced jeweler. Highly recommneded.

These volumes are excellent quality. The paper is thin and buff color, the printing is two color, and the font is readable. They were much better quality than I was expecting. Thank you.

I realize that most of the readers of this review will be unable to carry out my suggestion but for those that can, I recommend this procedure to get the most out of the Liturgy of the Hours. After daily or even Sunday Mass, walk over to the rectory and suggest to the pastor that you would like to have the priests join and of course lead Morning Prayer in the Church before daily Mass. He will probably be overjoyed that you are that interested in praying 'his' prayers and will begin as soon as he can. In addition to the spiritual benefits of group prayer, you will be surprised how quickly you become expert in navigating the 'Breviary', even pointing out, diplomatically, the times the priests make a mistake. It becomes quite habit-forming and as others have said, your day will not be complete without it. Since we have two daily Masses, we are able to pray both Morning and Evening Prayer in common. The priests still pray the Office of Readings and Compline in private but who knows when we will join them for that. We have also printed up books with the Morning and Evening Prayers in them for those who do not wish to purchase the Liturgy. The only day we do not pray in unison is on Sunday and maybe someday we will bite that bullet. By the way, we are not the only parish that does this. I know of at least one other parish that recites the Morning and Evening Prayer and like us has a goodly number of participants. I do understand that work would preclude the majority of wage-earners from participating but for those who are retired or otherwise not working this does give you the chance to practice your faith. And finally, the daily reading of the Psalms mirrors so much of what is occurring in our modern life that it is almost scary. But then, considering the author, how else could it be?

It was just what I expected. It was given as a gift to a friend and I am so happy with the purchase. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to deepen their prayer life.

I wanted to buy the Liturgy of the Hours, but I wasn't able to buy all 4 volumes at once. So I've been buying them as the season for each comes. They are amazing! I used the Shorter Christian Prayer a little before, but each of these complete volumes is better. There is more variety in the prayers and it is great when it is a saint's feast day and you get to read about the saint. Not to mention the Office of Readings which often includes a homily from an early Church father! I recommend this to, well, anyone!

The Liturgy of the Hours is, after the Mass, THE universal prayer of the Church. Composed of Psalms, Biblical readings, intercessions, writings of the Church Fathers, and prayers specific to each day of the liturgical year, this beautiful prayer orders the day and unites each person to the other members of the Mystical Body of Christ, who are saying the same prayer the world over. I truly love this 4 volume set, finding it to be a deep well from which I daily draw the spiritual drink I need.

I want to congratulate Lise Cloutier Steele, and Mary Anne Wyatt, for this excellent book on the devastating effects of a hysterectomy. Incredibly, the vast majority of women who have a hysterectomy do not receive adequate information about the harmful side effects of their operation before their surgery. The women's stories represent the tip of an iceberg that reveals the chilling effects these surgical procedures have had on the lives of so many women: one in three women over the age of sixty-five in Canada have had a hysterectomy. It is difficult to comprehend the thinking within the medical community that ignores the scientific literature which speaks of the side effects and is responsible for the loss of so many vibrant, intelligent, and powerful women to our society. These are other excellent resources: http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/show_hysterectomy.html and the HERS Foundation in the U.S.
Cathy Woods, Vancouver, BC
(...)

I thank Lise Cloutier for writing misinformed consent book. Many of us women have been hysterectomized and we had no idea of the facts involved, simply because doctors do not tell the facts. I had a hysterectomy several years ago at age 21 at the advise of my doctors. I find misinformed consent to be specially informative for those facing hysterectomy, and informative for the rest of us as well because it indicates many of the side effect of a hysterectomy, which many are suffering with, but are not aware of the source of their problems. I do believe misinformed consent will help many women. Again, thank you Lise.

I felt like I had "come home" while reading Misinformed Consent. I cried as I poured over story after story of these courageous women and their health problems after unecessary hysterectomies. Everything I read validated my own experience and made me see I am not mentally weak, rather, I suffer from a physical endocrine problem caused by surgical menopause. I don't need a doctor to agree with me whether I am, indeed, experiencing symptoms like depression, insomnia, weight gain, low libido, etc. If I say I am experiencing them and if all these women say they are experiencing them, then it is TRUE. Shame on the pharmaceutical companies for making a buck while destroying quality of life for women. In Misinformed Consent, I learned there's such a thing as salivary testing for hormone levels, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy and compounding pharmacists. Thank you Lise Cloutier-Steele and friends, for this very edifying and informative book. If you want to LIVE instead of just SURVIVE and if you are contemplating hysterectomy, READ THIS BOOK!!

I cried when I read Misinformed Consent because story after story validated my own experience with symptoms and doctors.
These courageous women discover it's not mental weakness they're suffering from, it's physical endocrine problems caused by uneccessary hysterectomies. Any woman considering a hysterectomy should read Misinformed Consent. Any woman who wishes to live instead of survive should read this book. Thank you Lise and friends, for Misinformed Consent. In it, I learned, for the first time, about saliva-testing for hormone levels, compounding pharmacists, and bio-identical products for hormone replacement therapy.

The courageous authors of this remarkable book have accomplished the near impossible: They have taken on the medical profession and revealed its LIES AND COVER UPS. These are real stories by real women who TRUSTED THEIR DOCTORS and were BETRAYED, physically and psychologically damaged, and abandoned by those in whom they entrusted their very lives.

I can only imagine the pain and torment these women have suffered through their experiences, and the difficulty they must have endured in reliving and writing this book. WE are the beneficiaries of their heinous experiences. "Misinformed Consent" has unlocked the door behind which the careless, deceptive victimization of women has been well hidden. These women educate and inspire..and I, for one, am eternally grateful for their efforts in giving this book to the world.

"MISINFORMED CONSENT" is THE BOOK every woman MUST read and SHARE with mothers, daughters, sisters and friends.

I'm just glad I read this book while my children are still young. Now I get to use all of Merilee's fabulous ideas from the start! This book reads so quickly too and the ideas don't require anything but the desire to have your children be truly, deeply happy in life. I love how she discusses our society's misinterpretation of self-esteem. True self-esteem comes from true self-sufficiency -- not from mommy and daddy always coming to the rescue! It's so refreshing! MUST READ! This is the instruction manual for parenting that should come with every new baby! :)

I'm highly considering giving this book to anyone having a baby. It is SOOO wonderful, I cannot possibly tell all the great things.

But in case you are wondering, everything is in this book. Ideas of how to handle allowances, jobs, money management (I wish I were taught these things!), etc, etc, etc.

For any parent out there that just wants to be a better one- READ THIS BOOK! And then pass it to anyone you know!

Its been said before, but this is the best parenting book I have read. It is practical, fun to read, and full of ideas which will change your life. It provides your children with ways to gain experience, knowledge and direction. I hope my children will have many friends who were raised by parents who used this book. If I had to describe it in one word I would choose: empowering.

I haven't even read all the way through this book yet, and already know it's probably one of the best guides out there for raising confident, capable, caring ADULTS. Too many parenting books focus on raising children, and end up forgetting that the goal is to one day have your children leave the nest and be able to get along fine without you. The section on financial training alone is invaluable. If all children were raised and trained with these ideals, there certainly wouldn't be the credit mess there is now. If you have kids, PLEASE read this book and takes it's ideas to heart. It may make you the odd one on the block, but it will make you a much better parent and your kids will thank you.

I am very impressed with the thoroughness with which the author addresses the topic of teaching children to work, save, and become independent adults. In all of the reading--and research--I've done, none compares with Boyack's "Plan" for parents to raise independent and confident children. Never before have I seen a detailed, age-appropriate "how-to" list of what we need to teach in our families to produce the kind of adults that seem to becoming more and more rare in our society. I admit that I am feeling a bit over-whelmed by The List, as my children are already 3, 8, 11, 14, and 18 years old (and I am therefore quite a bit behind the schedule!), but I figure "better late than never" and will do my best to get them prepared for life beyond the family home. All in all, suffice it to say I WISH I'D HAD THIS PLAN YEARS AGO!

I have made it a habit this year to get through many of the classics on audio book during my daily commute. I picked Pilgrim's Progress since it was one of the most influential English books ever published, and I wanted to see what it was all about.

The audio book was published by Blackstone Audio and the reader was Robert Whitfield. The reader did an excellent job and was very easy to listen to. He did some characterization with his voice that made it easy to know which character was speaking. I was a little worried about the older style English, but it gave me no problem. It probably helps that I am familiar with the King James Version of the Bible. Overall, listening to this book worked out very well.

This is the first book length allegory that I have been through and I thought it was an excellent way to teach. There is no doubt which principal each character is supposed to represent by their name, and their actions represented that well also. I can understand why so many families had this book in their libraries. As far as Christian doctrine goes, there are a few things that some would disagree with, but most of the principals taught are still generally accepted today. The path to God's presence is filled with opposition, but there is help available and the reward is worth it.

I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to understand an important part of our heritage, and to see what an effective tool allegory is.

I love this book. It was written from a jail cell in the 1600s. This version is the original so the text is difficult to read at first but I would not want a watered down modernized version (which can be purchased). I find if I read in chunks it starts to flow nicely. The characters have names like, "Evangelist", "Piety", "Talkative", "Faith", etc. So you know just where someone is coming from. I have marked up this book with pencil just like I do my scriptures! It is like reading one long parable in story form! Cool book. I'm glad to have found it.

We've read this book to our son and he has really enjoyed it. He doesn't yet fully understand everything and we had to stop and explain a lot to him, but it is something that we plan on reading over and over again as our kids continue to grow.
I read a review that stated that a main flaw in this book was the lack of one on one relationship with Christ. I can understand what they are saying, but I think what you have to keep in mind is that while we are here on earth and in our day and age we do not physically see Christ. He was once here walking and living on this earth, but He is now in heaven. He uses other means now to maintain a personal relationship with us. For example, we can know Christ through His word and through prayer. Just as in the book, He often also sends other Christians along in our life to help us and encourage us. This book is a good example of a walk of faith. We can't see and physically touch Christ right now, but when we are in heaven we WILL see Him just as Bunyan talks about in the book. Christian persevered in his walk without physically seeing Christ and he was rewarded in the end for his faith. For now, how much greater our reward is for those who have not seen Him and yet believed!

Enthralling. This book will help every Christian deal with the battles of being a Christian in this life and all the struggles that go with it. It teaches you never to give up even when you feel like you can't go on. Life's struggles are not a new occurrence, but as timeless as human existence itself. It teaches you not to be too concentrated on your struggles, but to look at the great prize which is Heaven and not be distracted or enticed by the struggles of life nor the easy way out. Excellent. It is a must read for every Christian.

The first time that I encountered Christian and his pilgrimage was as a preface and a family favorite in the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Unfortunately, it was not until twenty-something years later that I actually got around to reading the book itself. If I were you, I would not wait that long.

The first part of the current combined book appeared in 1678. Bunyan, a nonconformist Protestant minister who was imprisoned for preaching without a license, wrote at least the first part of the book in jail. The second part was first published in 1684. It is likely the most popular allegory ever written, and is still one of the best selling books of all time.

What makes it so popular? The obvious key to its popularity is its simple, crisp style. Even accounting for the language changes between the seventeenth century and now, it is not a struggle to read Progress and it flows well for the modern reader. Although the book is allegory, the characters are full of little realistic details that make them feel quite human. Incidentally, I was reading this book as I was walking some of the old pilgrimage trails of Europe and it was interesting to me how vivid and applicable his version of the pilgrimage experience is. The Slow of Despair rang remarkably true, as did characters such as Talkative and Mr. Worldly Wisdom.

The Oxford University Press edition is bound with a scholarly introduction which is, for a change, worth reading. It also came with explanatory notes and a glossary which were helpful for the modern reader who is not familiar with the everyday language of the period.