O Books

Although it was originally published in 1990, this book was the most relevant I read during my tour of Iraq. I found many direct comparisons between the concepts mentioned by Mr. O'neil and the operations of the Iraqi insurgency. If you are interested in learning the inner workings of insurgency, or especially if you are delpoying to Iraq (in an MI capacity), you need to read this book.

This author does an outstanding job of organizing, synthesizing and conveying the essence of insurgency and terrorism. The one drawback to this book is that you will need to have a specialized understanding of the art and science of war. If you are a novice, buy the book and continue to do your research and professional reading. This book will become invaluable to you later and you will be grateful that you have it. Side bar... of course you might not agree with everything that this author says; thats ok, look past that and focus on the content of what he is trying to convey.
Of particular note, What I like about this book is that it is organized and fits nicely with the notion that there are "many" centers of gravity. for those that believe, like myself, that clausewitz had more than just a narrow defintion of how the principles of war were tied to more than just the political, then this book will become an excellent source reference for your continuing professional development as you explore the nuances and variables of the many types of strategies. All in all, this book is worth the effort.

Terry Tucker, Prof Military Studies/History
Senior Doctrine Developer, SANGMP

Since the conclusion of the cold war, insurgency and terrorism have become the primary means for the disenfranchised to demonstrate their global discontent. During the same time, however, the defense and intelligence communities have staunchly resisted adapting to new threats and recognizing the new players on the international stage.

Simply stated ..."Insurgency may be defined as a struggle between a nonruling group and the ruling authorities in which the nonruling group consciously uses political resources (e.g., organizational expertise, propaganda, and demonstrations) and violence to destroy, reformulate, or sustain the basis of legitimacy of one or more aspects of politics." P. 13. "Terrorism is a form of warfare in which violence is directed primarily against noncombants (usually unarmed civilians), rather than operational military and police forces or economic assets (public or private)." P. 24.

Dr. O'Neill's Insurgency & Terrorism: Inside Modern Revolutionary Warfare is one of the best volumes I've found that focuses on cause and effect, along with viable solutions as a whole.

Academicians and practitioners alike had long given insurgency and terrorism little attention, instead stressing studies on the military/defense industry's technical structure - particularly ignoring the waning of human assets.

So the lack of a comprehensive and up-to-date counterinsurgency program is hardly surprising. "A key point to be addressed when evaluating a counterinsurgency program is how well the government knows its enemy." P. 126.

This book presents the most important, current challenges facing counterinsurgency and anti-terrorism policy, addressing key issues and analyzing solutions within the perspective of collective expectations and role definitions for both civil and military players. "Experience and the experts suggest that the most effective way to deal with internal terrorism and small-scale urban guerrilla attacks against soldiers and policemen is to emphasize police work, good intelligence, and judicial sanctions ...Police and intelligence agencies are also the main instruments for combating transnational terrorism. In today's world the problem of transnational terrorism places a premium on international police cooperation and intelligence sharing ...Numerous cases suggest that the centerpiece of successful counter-guerrilla campaigns are small-unit operations - that is, sustained and aggressive patrols and ambushes in guerrilla-infested zones." Pp. 128 - 130.

In "Insurgency and Terrorism", Bard O'Neill has provided his audience (whether a fighting man or a student) with a framework through which to analyse insurgencies, past, present and future. O'Neill states that he believes that insurgencies are likely to remain a key level of conflict in the future. I agree with him. This is an important area and one which receives all too little attention, especially, in my experience, among the armed forces of the United States. Hopefully Dr O'Neill will redress the balance a little.

The book is split into 9 sections;

- Insurgency in the Contemporary World
- The Nature of Insurgency
- Insurgent Strategies
- The Environment
- Popular Support
- Organisation and Unity
- External Support
- Government Response
- Conclusions

In each case, O'Neill splits the areas up into smaller sub-sections for easy reference. He deals with different types of insurgent groups, different ways insurgents operate, the effects of terrain and outside support, the coverage is fairly comprehensive. He also, usefully, uses historical examples to illustrate his points.

As O'Neill himself points out, no framework for analysis can be infallible or perfect, but this is a pretty good start, whether you are in a counter-insurgency situation or in a seminar room. Good stuff. It should, of course, be supplemented with further reading (a bibliography would have been useful) but all in all this is an excellent piece of work in a field that has been somewhat neglected in recent times (it isn't fashionable in America at the best of times and many of the classic texts are now out of print).

A good piece of follow-up reading to this book (especially for a student) would be Ian Beckett's "Modern Insurgencies and Counter-Insurgencies".

This is an excellent framework for analysis, but you will need specialist information which is both current and validated before you can do much more than generalize in any given situation. Still, even this can be quite useful.
I came across this book while reading "Peace Operations in an Insurgency Environment", a paper written by Major Grootendorst for the CSC in 1997. In this paper he effectively uses the marketing management model of Kotler to combine the Mackinlay and Chapra theory of peace operations with O'Neill's insurgency model. Very nicely done. (I like Kotler - he seems to view business as war by other means!)
O'Neill's treatment is necessarily very narrow. Except in passing, his scope does not include pre-insurgency nor post-insurgency. I don't find this a deficiency with his work, but I do find it a deficiency with our thinking about insurgency. A common agreement among participants at the recent Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration course sponsored by the Norwegian Defense Force in Oslo is that we need to move beyond the central focus on insurgency. Necessary as it is to "calm the waters", current process does not seem to solve the underlying structural problems which then rise to a boil every decade or so -- and in addition the initial societal disturbance creates generational shockwaves that take decades of sincere and costly efforts to reduce to a manageable level. While O'Neill's is the close examination of a particular facet of a problem, we cannot afford to be so parochial.
I strongly recommend this book. Much of what we have seen come to pass in Iraq was largely predictable, at least in broad brush strokes, based on competent consideration of his model. (I actually read the book in early 2002 and have reviewed it again just this month.) Just keep in mind the broader picture -- think outside the box. We seem to be doing the same things over and over again, only harder and faster; and then seem surprised when we get the same results -- only quicker. A clear prerequisite is being able to empathize (as opposed to sympathize) with the opponent, no matter how we feel about his actions.

I have just written a brief article on "faith" for the benefit of those in AA who want to be healed of alcoholism. I cite this book and seven others as resource books that state positively just what the Creator of the heavens and the earth can do for alcoholics and anyone else who needs healing. Others have reviewed this Michael Brown book quite well. So I will just stamp it as an important, recent, scholarly affirmation of the healing power of "Yahweh that healeth thee." Its citations and resources alone warrant this as a key book on healing alcoholism--particularly because its author was delivered from that very scourge.

I just now finished reading this book. I have been reading it very, very carefully - writing notes from time to time - for close to three months!

From the cultural background of the Hebrew Scriptures to the etymological study of the Hebrew (and Greek) word translated "to heal" (and the convincing suggestion that it should be translated "to restore, make whole") to a rather full study of significant Biblical texts on the subject of healing to the discussion of healing in the NT to his "Conclusion and Reflections", Dr. Brown gives believers the necessary tools to build up faith in God's desire to miracuously heal today like Jesus did and poses a serious challange to those in the Body of Christ who hold to a cessationist view or have a distaste for the teachings, which they may have heard or read, on the subject.

This book is so important, I would suggest a careful reading of end-notes and, even though Dr. Brown suggests in his preface that the "nontechnical reader may want to skip" the sections on the root meanings of the Hebrew word "rapa", I think it is important that the nontechnical (like me) read it anyway; you may not get all of it but you will gain some basic but vital understanding (along with a section that discusses healing deities), that I believe undergirds and is foundational to all else that is said. If you do not get a satisfactory and firm grasp of what he writes in the Introduction and first chapter, I think you will miss the central significance of everything else fail to achieve the necessary firmness of understanding to strenghten any area where your faith may waver concerning God as Healer.

I cannot over emphasize that those in the Church who do not believe God is healing today should read this book. It is a challanging read and his arguments are logical and persuasive. If you are adamant and serious about what you believe, let me suggest that you gather up all your books on the cessationist view and read them alongside Israel's Divine Healer and see where it all takes you.

The book, as a whole, is not technical but it is packed with information that would be hard for any Biblical scholar or theologian to refute. If anyone knows of a book that challanges Dr. Brown, please let me know.

Brown makes it clear that the Old Testament root concept of healing was that of being restored from a broken or unhealthy state. This is a key concept and one that present (and often past) philosophers and theologians have not considered carefully. The mindset today is to contain an illness, to splice new genes into the old (new patches on old cloth?) with the conviction that the new will satisfactorily replace the old. However, there has to be, as Brown notes, restoration to God and ultimately our resurrection bodies will be like Adam and Eve's before sin overtook the world. In one sense restoration is figurative because we can't go back to Adam and Eve, but it is also literal because our "new" bodies will be recognizable when at the resurrection we are restored with God and taken out of a sinful world.

Israel's Divine Healer is the most scholarly book that I have ever read on the subject of divine healing from a Pentecostal perspective. Many books that I have read tend to focus on the individual or positive confession but Dr. Brown does neither and focuses rather on building a case that God is indeed a healer based on His revelations to Israel.

Dr. Brown further argues that God is immutable and therefore His promise of healing is the same for today. Dr. Brown's book has thousands of footnotes and is full of Scripture. For those not use to reading a book on divine healing from a theological viewpoint then you will want to skip this book. It is quite technical and deep. However, don't let that scare you. Read this book and be filled with faith that Jesus is a healing God.

Drawning on a depth of learning in Biblical Hebrew, Brown demonstrates how the key Hebrew terms for healing have been systematically and almost universally mistranslated and misunderstood by Biblical scholars and most existing Bibles. From this linguistic evidence, Brown reinterprets Biblical healing in a radical fashion. Absolutely essential for anyone studying healing in the Bible. (Some serious students and scholars may be surprised at the portrait of Jesus on the cover of a book labelled as an "Old Testament" study, but not to worry. Brown is a meticulous scholar. The footnotes alone--more than a hundred pages--are worth the price of the book.)

Joshua's Quest brings to memory books by the masters of literature I read in college literature appreciation. It has all the elements of a great novel which students of literature can evaluate and contemplate for many years. Mr. William Walker's book compares very favorably with those of the masters of literature.

Joshua's Quest is not shallow mindless entertainment. It evaluates moral and social conscience through the actions of its characters. It brings to mind biblical events and themes of the old testament. The characters and animals presented to the reader are not from this world yet they are presented in such a skillful manner that the reader can visualize them and believe they are real.

The events go from one climax to the next with building suspense. It is difficult to put the book down.

Please tell Mr. Walker he's got an excellent flair for writing. The story flowed, the story was interesting and exciting, and the story was fa scinating. Thanks Bill, Looking forward to a sequel.

I was highly impressed with William O. Walker's writing style as well as the manner in which the material was organized and presented. The book is so easy to read that it enhances the interest of the reader, and once you start reading, it becomes difficult to find a stopping place. The ideas are presented so clear and concise that your own imagination seems to blend with his. You can feel and see the action as it is taking place.

The main characteristic of the Legend is the ability of the writer to describe events so that you can see a picture of what you are reading; but when you arrive there you feel certain that the next episode is going to be even more exciting and full of wonderment. The descriptive adjectives used to descriibe the beauty of nature in this unreal environment defies the wildest imagination of the reader, it comes alive with astonishing clarity.

This world is made up of creatures so different and unusual that they bring chills to the reader's spine, but even so, the unrealistic seems to become real.

To all readers: I have recently read "Joshua's Quest" by William O. Walker. I thoroughly enjoyed this creative and interesting book. Being a fan of fantasy type books, I probably would enjoy it anyway, but I found this book to be exciting, full of creative and imaginative images. It is rare to find this level of unique creativity. Fantasy books often begin to sound like each other. "Joshua's Quest," however, is a delightful exception full of unique images on a par with MaCCaffery and Norton. Mr Walker has created a fascinating world full of unique and interesting beings and creatures which drew me along and filled my imagination. Suffice to say, I loved the book and can hardly wait for the sequel book to be published.

Along with being an avid reader and lover of books, I am also the Librarian for Sunrise Community Church. I can assure you, my patrons are equally delighted with this book. Along with myself, they appreciate it's clear and distinct picture of Christ and the Christian life.

Reading "Joshua's Quest" was for me a very intriguing experience. This legendary trilogy by Willian O. Walker successfully blends three dramatic works into a great literary adventure. This book is so paced and written that it grabs your attention and holds it chapter after chapter, without pause. In addition, it is illustrated by beautiful word pictures that will aid you to clearly visualize each event.

Starting with the opening chapter, it graphically seizes the attention of the reader by tracing the steps of the hero, Joshua MacKinty into a raging rain annd windstorm. Joshua is searching for a revered manuscript that he needs to determine the truth of his supposedly assigned "Quest". The swirling wind mysteriously guides the hero's feet into a book store where a mysterious "person" delivers into his hands the manuscript that will clarify his mission and calling.

The suspense and actions that develop following the discovery in the bookshop will captivate the reader. I highly recommend the reading of this excellent book. It will stretch the mind and will be hard to forget.

I sometimes enjoy reading to my son from my old Calvin and hobbes comic books, even though many of the strips go over his head and some of the others aren't really appropriate for a six year old. Among our favorites are the classic "Spaceman Spiff" Sunday strips, where Calvin is piloting his spaceship and fighting evil monsters, before he suddently finds himself jerked back to drab reality, often paying a price for what he did in the real world while his mind was in outer space.

For me, this book read like a series of Spiff strips. Although this superhero ("American Eagle") stays on planet earth and has a cute "Bug Lady" sidekick, the theme is the same--he repeatedly gets caught up in his imagination too much and gets a little bit carried away. Since the author is not constrained by the comic strip format he can also stretch out the artwork more, which helps keep the book enjoyable during the 1,000 or so repeated readings that your child will no doubt request (if he's anything like mine was, anyway). Lots of fun for parents and children alike.

This book is a big favorite in our house. My son loves to read it and look at the pictures. He is not quite 2, and I can't keep him away from it! It's also a fun read for adults. It has it all: action, adventure, comedy, and a moral at the end (that's not overdone). It's a great comic-type book without the stuff we don't want our kids getting into too young. The illustrations are fabulous, and the transitions between make-believe and reality are excellent. I highly recommend this book to anyone with young children.

I think we've all seen the toys-come-to-life-when-we're-not-around fantasy in roughly 70 millions different forms of media over the years. Far less common, but no less a part of children's daily lives, are stories in which kids pretend to be superheroes. They exist, but few are so carefully thought out and amusingly illustrated as George "First Book" O'Connor. Choosing to present his picture book in a graphic novel style (and earning himself a mention at the New York 2005 Book Fest as a result) "Kapow!" is a novel telling of three kids, their world of make-believe, and the consequences of major roughhousing. It's not a particularly original idea or a huge departure from already existing picture book superhero tales (like "The Adventures of Sparrowboy" or "Traction Man Is Here!"), but it's probably going to be VERY beloved of certain children in certain households.

A small boy is playing with his blocks when, with a simple removal of his jacket, he becomes the muscly chin-clefted American Eagle. Joining up with fellow superhero Bug Lady, the two ignore his mother's warning against getting too into their play and trap a dangerous panther (or housecat, depending on how you look at it) in a cage (washbasket). Then it's off to stop The Rubber Bandit from robbing the First National Bank. At this point, however, things get a little too crazy. In the midst of the heroes epic battle a bookcase plummets to the floor. Now it's up to American Eagle to do something actually heroic. Will he tell the truth to his mom, or will he succumb to the temptation to lie? Tune in to learn more this week in the exciting picture book extravaganza, "Kapow!".

Like fellow fearless cartoony illustrator Kevin O'Malley (author of "Lucky Leaf" amongst others), Mr. O'Connor is not afraid to place his story within a contemporary setting. Some author/illustrators chicken out when it comes to books of this nature and feel safer placing their story in the 1950s, or some such silliness. O'Connor, however, isn't afraid to contemporize his tale. The mom of the American Eagle kid reminded me a little of the mom in Bob Graham's, "Let's Get a Pup, Said Kate" but with less tattoos. And she's still doing laundry, so don't expect any breaks from stereotypical gender roles or anything. There are fun little details within the seemingly straightforward story though. While the book never comes on out and says it, I suspect that the poor kid wrangled into being the Rubber Bandit is probably American Eagle's little brother. Try removing the cover and comparing the picture underneath to the one printed on the cover too. Also, I was happy to find that American Eagle's duckish baseball cap never changes expression, though the mouth below it (his mouth) might.

The leaps between viewing these heroes as spandex-wrapped adults and costume-laden kids will be enough in and of themselves to garner a fan base. It's nice to note that the story is a pretty amusing one as well. Though it doesn't do anything particularly new or original, this is bound to help get Cartoon Network junkies into the whole reading thing. A useful book.

This book is great. My kids ask to read it at least once a day since we got it a couple weeks ago. It appeals to my 2-year-old, 4-year-old, and 6-year-old at different levels. The switch back and forth between imagination and reality is very well-done and the colorful illustrations are excellent. Plus, every Mom will appreciate the little moral at the end (don't worry, it's not too preachy.) One of my favorite things about this book is that it gives kids credit for being thinkers and doesn't patronize them. I hope your kids will enjoy it as much as mine have.

Comic books have outgrown the kids who are supposed to read them in recent years. Most of the time, they're simply too advanced for the age group that I was a part of when I picked up my first comic. "Kapow" does a fine job of bringing the comics genre back to the 4-7 year olds in a friendly and creative setting that will certainly appeal to these young readers. Adults who might be concerned that the book delves into the similar violent and angry sub-culture that comic books themselves sometimes enter into should rest assured that "Kapow" is more about make-believe and playtime and correcting mistakes than about anything else. It should also be noted that the book does a nice job of integrating "minority" characters like Bug Girl into the storyline without making it a book about integrating minority characters. This might seem small, but not many books do this these days. "Come On Rain" comes to mind, and I'm sure there are others, but I thought it worth noting.

Carl Panzram was a serial killer in the 1910s-20s and wrote this book while in prison. He was subject
to incredibly cruel treatment in jail until a prison guard who felt sorry for him gave him $1. I guess
Panzram was touched so he offered to write his bio for the guard, if he could smuggle him pen and
paper. He did and what results is the most penetrating study on the mind of a criminal I think that
is available. The recounting of the disgusting crimes is one part of the book but his analysis can only
be made by one who has experienced what he has. One of the most important things I remember from
this book is that he says if a child is not taught the right way by age SEVEN, he is LOST FOREVER and
cannot be rehabilitated.

KILLER has been out of print for years, yet it is one of the finest studies ever done of a serial killer. Panzram was one of the handful of such killers who possess any real intelligence, and the book includes long excerpts from the diary he wrote in prison while cheerfully awaiting execution for his murder and rape of so many young men. I had heard a rumour in Poland last week that the book had been reprinted. Is it so? No library on the subject is complete without it.

As the writer in 1997 said, a movie has been made, written and directed by Tim Metcalfe, can be rented in most video stores. Its a powerful drama and the only reason i can think of that it didn't get the attention "Monster" is getting today is that the public wasn't ready for it since the quality of the writing, directing and certainly James Woods acting should have been nominated for an Oscar.

Why this has not been made into a movie or mini-series eludes me!Anyone who reads this book will see how far our prison system has come but how far it yet needs to go. It is the true story of a life wasted. Carl Panzram was not created evil...he was a created evil by mans inhumanity to man. I believe he possessed a great intellect as one can tell from his writings but this same intellect was disgarded to fester and rot from a very early age. Imagine...this man was deprived of any real kindness until it was already too late to make a difference in his life. Unbelievable, you say? Read this book and you will believe!

An excellent read that penitrates the mind of a serial killer. What's more shocking is that it actually happened! Panzram details his life from childhood through the hardships of adulthood which made him the hardcore savage animal that he ultimately became. I loved every minute of this book! It's a shame that it's so hard to find though or I'd buy my own copy and read it every night before I go to bed. I suggest that anyone who wants something new and exciting to read should pick up this work and start reading. The public library should have it. Get moving!

Kristin Sorra's vibrant drawings bring an old English folk story to life in Aaron Shepard's engaging King O The Cats. What kind of intelligence can cats have? Young Peter Black has noticed some strange things happening among the local cats lately; but nobody will believe his wild tale. His investigation of what is affecting all the cats in town reveals a changing world brought on by a single leader.

Aunt Mary read _King o' the Cats_ to niece Robin, age 8, who really loves cats. She liked it all, especially the coronation scene. Robin is involved in Renaissance Faire activities and is attuned to the rituals of royalty. Aunt Mary liked the irony of Father Allen gaining a reputation for telling tall tales. Also, the illustrations were lovely, dark and appropriately spooky.

I read "The King O' the Cats" to a group of children ranging in age from kindergarten through 5th grade. After hearing the story, all the children thought this was a good book to read to kids, but that it might be too scary for the younger ones. They all like cat stories and liked how the cats helped prove Peter's "stories" to be true. They thought it had to be something important to get the cats to talk to people, though.
The illustrations lead to discussions on how the pictures were used to bring out the most important parts of the story, such as how the King of the cats stood out from the crowd as he was being crowned and thought it was interesting that the priest looked angry but spoke kindly to Peter.
There was the one child who prefered books with non-talking cats, though.

Our class really liked the book King O' the Cats. Kelly enjoyed the crowning of the cats, and all the cats going meow, meow. Mary enjoyed the details, which made her want to read more and more. Cheyenne liked how in the beginning Peter was making up stories, and at the end, the priest does the same things. Marissa feels that the book was "fantastic and funny." She especially liked when Tom jumped up and shouted "Then I'm the king o' the cats!" Diana enjoyed reading about Peter's shortcut. Shannon liked it when the cat hit his head! Alex B. liked the cats on the foxes chasing the dog. Brittany's favorite part was the cats in the church. Alex C. made a text-to-self connection, since he has cats, and he felt bad when his cat died. Daniel H. made a text-to-text connection-it reminded him of The Secret Shortcut. Destin also made a text-to-text connection, with The Boy Who Cried Wolf. (He also feels this book should get a medal!) Efren liked when the cats cried for the dead king cat. Morgan liked the whole book, but especially when the cats were speaking. Preston says, "I love your book, oh yes I do!" Ty liked when Tom went up the fireplace chimney, and he liked the title, too. Michelle wants Aaron Shepard to write a King O' the Cats part 2!

First the disclaimer: I am the author's wife. BUT...Wait...Before you decide to skip this review, let me add something.

I've never reviewed any of his other books.

So why this one?

King o' the Cats is a very special book. It's a slightly spooky story with twists and surprises in both the plot and the characters. It dramatizes truth and imagination, creativity and conformity.

But mostly, it's a delight. A special book, a special gift--for children, grownups, cat lovers, and anyone at all who enjoys a good story.

By the way, Aaron has a reader's theater script of this book available online at www.aaronshep.com/rt/RTE36.html

Good translation and the subject material in this book creates a deep emotional connection to parashah commentary. Highly recommended. Also the introduction to the book is well written and presents an interesting introduction to the Sfat Emet.

Arthur Green has done the Torah- learning public in English a great service with this translation and commentary. He elucidates the work of an important Jewish Hasidic thinker, one whose Torah is very much a teaching of the love of Torah. For the Sefat Emet the Torah is the unlimited wisdom of G-d that we can only imperfectly grasp. We human beings are half of our real selves, and the other half which is with G-d comes down to us on Shabbos, but also comes to make us whole whenever we learn Torah.
I hope this Shavuot to look into this particular Sefer more. It was also a favorite of my own Rebbe, the ' Holy Teacher' David Hertzberg who often taught it along with other favorites like the Kedushat Levi, the Moharran, the Degel Ephraim, Ishbitz, and others.

This is just to say that I enjoyed reading the above erudite review by mneueruncle.

Sfat Emet is an incredibly succinct and somewhat enigmatic work. There are portions that are so cryptic that one must read them several times in order to absorb their full meaning. Accordingly, Prof. Green's elucidation can be quite helpful. Furthermore, while Prof. Green taps into the universalism inherent in Sfat Emet, he is generally moderate in his interpretation of the Rebbe's work. As a result, he very rarely offends the sensibilities of the more traditional reader (i.e., one that might refer to "the Sfas Emes"). Finally, the historical information is good reading.

First published at the end of the 19th century, this is a work of startlingly radical theology. Green summarizes one short comment:

"There is an openness in this teaching to an authentic universalism that is rare in Jewish sources. All the tongues of humanity praise G*d, each in their own distinctive way but as part of the universal chorus. The Moses who "created openings, gates of Torah" in all the places and tongues of the world is not like the religiously imperialistic missionary who translates his own Bible into all the languages and thus rejoices at the spread of G*d's word. Here the "openings" have to come from within those languages and the cultures that are an inseparable part of them. If we understand that there is really but one G*d and listen to the prophet who says: "Everywhere incense and sacrifice are offered to My name" (Mal. 1:11), we will begin to understand our task as participants in and listeners to the truly universal human chorus."

The Gerer rebbe points out the real Torah was the innermost utterance of Hashem which created the universe. Everything in the universe is manifestation of Hashem. Even the Hebrew Torah itself is a "clothing" on top of the original Torah - a kind of translation, if you will.

One can only marvel at the succinct style and unique vision of this great spiritual master. While studying the Sefat Emet, I am struck by the spiritual poverty of this generations Torah leaders.

On January 28, 1999 I wrote the review of Laura Charlotte, and more than a year later it is still a favorite bedtime story of my, now almost 7 year old, daughter. It is one that my husband and I never tire of reading to her, and as any parent of a small child knows, THAT is a great recommendation in itself!

My daughters and I love this story, it is so full of love! It is getting more and more rare to find good childrens books that mix words, cadence & quality illustration. This is one that ranks up there with the best. It is simple and innocent, and the illustrations add to the drama of the story wonderfully.
I highly recommend this - it is one that you will enjoy reading again and again!

I bought this book for my daughter because her name is Charlotte and at the time, her best friend was Laura. How often is it that you find a beautiful story whose heroine is a red-headed, brown-eyed little girl named Charlotte! (just like mine!) This book is sweet, it makes you feel all warm and cozy inside, as it talks about the importance of a multi-generational family and the important family heirloom that stems from a birthday gift, a gift that was made with love from a Grandma to her granddaughter.

Laura Charlotte is an amazing children's story about the love of a family throughout generations. Laura's mother tells her about her favorite childhood memory and the history of her stuffed elephant, Charlotte. This book has been a favorite in my family and gives a sense of love to the reader.

Amber Campsen Clemson University Student

In Laura Charlotte, Laura is having trouble going to sleep and asks her mother to tell her the story of Laura Charlotte. Even though she has heard it a million times, she enjoys learning where her name comes from. To her surprise, this same elephant was her mother's and had received the name "Charlotte" because of the beauty of the name. This stuffed elephant, Charlotte, grows to be Laura's security object, which can sometimes, states Maria Nikolajeva, have a deeper context and meaning. Many of the words and illustrations also affect the way that the reader sees the main character as an innocent child who grows to need the elephant. She is a child who needs the elephant to help calm her fears and to be a friend, rather than a child who used the elephant as a play toy. Floyd Cooper, the illustrator of Laura Charlotte, makes it easy to understand the drawings in the story. Cooper draws with pastels and soft colors to represent pictures of children innocently. When seeing these illustrations, readers can understand the story from a child's standpoint. Cooper also places many of the shadows and dark colors away from Laura so that the reader can focus on her feelings. One point in the story, Laura loses Charlotte, and the reader can see the darkness outside the window. Laura looks out into the trees and says that she wants to find Charlotte because she knows that Charlotte is afraid. Laura tells this story in first person point of view, which makes a more personable story, than if the narrator had told it. Notably, the dialogue is written in small black print. This font does detract from the illustrations but still sustains the importance of the plot, due to its size. Maria Nikolajeva's 1998 article, "Exit Children's Literature?" states that the presence of one object can easily be seen as the representation of something else. "If we regard these figures as metaphorical representations of the weak and the oppressed or as the child's projections of his or her own desires, we should not be misled by the outer form" (222). According to Nikolajeva, children often use inanimate objects to help cover fears and hidden secrets. Like many children, Laura uses a stuffed animal as a security object. Laura uses Charlotte as an excuse for herself, when she speaks of the elephant as being afraid of the dark. She makes sure that she has the elephant with her at all times. Just as Nikolajeva says, Laura may be afraid of the night, and attributing the fear to Charlotte helps Laura over come her fear, since they are there for each other. The reader can see that Laura is using the elephant as an excuse. Seeing the attachment that Laura feels, through the text and illustrations, toward Charlotte, the reader can see how much she understands the importance of the elephant. Laura's grandmother wanted to name the elephant Charlotte because of the beauty of the name. It meant a lot when Laura knew she had been named "Laura Charlotte" because her grandmother had said it was the most beautiful name she had ever heard. Looking from the perspective of the reader makes it easier to understand this remarkable children's story in its entirety, coming from Laura Charlotte's standpoint as a child. Bibliography Gailbraith, Kathryn. Laura Charlotte. New York: Penguin Putnam Books, 1990. Nikolajeva, Maria. "Exit Children's Literature?". The Lion and the Unicorn 22.2(1998): 221-236.

Written from a husband's point of view. Compassionate, loving and glorifying to God.

This is an emotionally difficult book to read -- Lizzie experiences further health problems because of her treatment and she ultimately does pass away -- but it was a book that I could not put down. O'Donnell is honest about Lizzie's persevering spirit, his anguish at not being able to help/save his wife, and the theological questions this presented.

I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to caregivers and friends. More cautiously recommend it to cancer patients -- depending upon their individual prognosis, this book could be inspiring or discouraging (this is true with all personal stories related to cancer/disease). For me personally, as a Christian and a breast cancer patient, it was good to read about someone who loves God so much but who questioned and anguised over the sorrow that disease brings. The decision to buy or gift this book should be made on a case-by-case basis.

This book is a worthy companion to Sheldon Vanauken's A Grief Observed. Highly recommended for anyone battling terminal illness and wondering how to make sense of God's presence in the midst of unbearable physical struggle.

"Cancer teaches you harshly to think short-term, holding everything loosely." ~James O'Donnell

It is difficult enough to know how to react when a someone you love is diagnosed with cancer and even more difficult to face the reality of a friend or relative entering treatment for this devastating disease which tests the very fabric of existence. Letters for Lizzie explores even deeper struggles as a man's heart makes a transition from wanting a divorce to fighting for his wife's life with every ounce of strength he possesses.

Letters for Lizzie is a journey through a spiritual crisis where James O'Donnell is forced to reevaluate his life when Lizzie is diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. Together they travel through sickness and sorrow from Christmas in 1994 to July 2, 1996. While this book is filled with thirteen letters, James O'Donnell also provides a setting for each reading experience.

At first you may question James' decision to relocate his family and take a cut in his salary to become a teacher, but as the story unfolds, you start to realize how God works in amazing ways to put you in a place you need to be so you can be loved and nurtured. Not only do they move close to an Advanced Research Center, the community they live in supports them and cares for them through their struggles with frustration, anger and failed expectations.

As doctors struggle to keep Lizzie alive, she continues to weaken and yet manages to find the strength to write Letter Eight. Her strength and positive attitude wanes at times and yet even in this dark time she has a deep faith and commitment to God. In her letter she says:

I know it has cost each of you dearly to ride this wild roller coaster with us, yet I am convinced that it is your prayers and God's mercy that have carried us through this ordeal so far, and I can't begin to thank you. The best way I know how is to share with you the wonderfully ordinary life we now live, which we no longer take for granted. ~Lizzie

Written from a husband's perspective, James O'Donnell deftly describes the destructive qualities of the cancer diagnosis and gives insights into how to fight and how to surrender. I was surprised by the life affirming qualities of this work and how a story of cancer could be one of the most beautiful love stories I've ever read.

Tomorrow my father will find out what it will take to fight his cancer and this book has helped me to understand how I should react, what I should say and how my life will change in the coming months and years. Like so many, I never thought cancer would invade my family and just the knowledge of illness causes you to reevaluate your priorities.

If you are struggling with the emotional aspects of dealing with a cancer diagnosis or you are in the midst of fighting this disease, this book will bring comfort to your heart. In our world, where uncertainty is certain, this book provides a peaceful knowledge of God's care for us even when we think he has disappeared. James O'Donnell's conclusions are beautiful and he provides insight into troubling conflicts and difficult interpersonal relationships. In the end, kindness is what matters most and our presence in the life of someone who is suffering might be what is truly needed, even if we don't know what to say.

~The Rebecca Review

"Life is dangerous"...so begins the amazing journey of Jim and Lizzie O'Donnell as they battle for life and find an even deeper commitment to their faith in God. It is a heart-wrenching journey as you travel with them through the peaks and valleys of this illness that strikes many. Both men and women can relate, learn, grow, and understand how distance our ever present God can sometimes feel. Yet through the storm, Jim and Lizzie keep their faith, their love. You will laugh, cry, and be amazed at the strength of faith and family the O'Donnells share. Kudos kudos...a book well worth the read...

This true life story gripped me as I read about Lizzie's horrific battle to overcome amazing obstacles in miraculous ways. I became part of the story, cheering for Lizzie and fearing the worst with James. Once again, I'm reminded of the truly important things in life--love and family. This is true life heroism. A truly remarkable story with remarkable outcomes.

I received the book about the time I expected to and it was in very good condition. I would purchase here again.

I read this book for one of my MBA classes, thinking this would just be another book full of hosh-posh ideas and theories. However, once I picked up the book, I could not put it down. EVERYONE OUGHT TO READ THIS BOOK! It is both powerful and life-changing. Enjoy!

This is truly the guide book to help you apply the masterful groundwork explained in Hudson's The Adult Years: Mastering the Art of Self-Renewal. Having experienced it's impact firsthand, I have used it in my work with countless leaders and coaching clients in my consulting practice with brilliant results for years.
It is amazing to see the lights go on when clients see the life maps in the Adult Years and the 'fire return to the belly' when they work through LifeLaunch. Make the most of the next chapter of your life and read these books! Hudson has served as a master guide and inspiration to the who's who of the world.

Way back in the late 80's when I started to make a grand plan for leaving the corporate world at the age of around early 40's (that was my mid-life transition), I stumbled on to this wonderful book (together with several Richard Leider's books e.g. The Power of Purpose, Inventurers, etc.). Since then, this book has always been my inspiration to do what I love and love what I do. The most profound learning from this book came from my understanding - and eventual application - of the Cycle of Renewal, which the author has very artfully crafted in the form of visual concept models, systematically organised into five transitional steps.

I own and have also read the author's other book, The Adult Years, which also contains some great stuff.

I strongly recommend both books to anyone who is going through a mid-life transition.

After integrating the inventions of man's several thousand years of creativity, life is now more complex and perhaps less satisfying rather than simpler and more fulfilling. Why? Because people now invest less time proactively authoring their lives and more time reactively accumulating "stuff." While "self-help" books with advice for "fixing ourselves" are abundant, there are few meaningful writings on how to author our own fulfilling life stories. "Life Launch: A Passionate Guide to the Rest of Your Life" is one of these precious few.

"Life Launch" is a powerful, well organized set of tools for helping us author our own purposeful lives. Dr. Hudson's ingenious use of conceptual "maps" breaks even the most complex phenomena, like life transitions, into comprehensible visual models. These maps powerfully facilitate: (a) characterizing the experiences we endure as we traverse the cycle of life transitions, (b) increasing our awareness of our individual resources and opportunities, (c) defining and clarifying our values and life purpose, (d) acknowledging our numerous life roles, and (e) authoring our own lives-lives that more completely and fulfillingly engage us.

Dr. Hudson's "Cycle of Renewal" is particularly powerful as we enter the 21st century where people are striving for more connection with themselves as well as with others. Like the Yin and Yang, Dr. Hudson characterizes life as a balance of "being" and "doing." Similarly, while most of us have heard of "midlife crises", few of understand the dynamics of natural life transitions. Building on the concepts of seminal researchers in Adult Development, Dr. Hudson translates psycho-babble into understandable layman's language and presents them as "The Grand Adventure: from 20 to 90."

"Life Launch" is a valuable read for every person striving to author the life they've previously only dreamed of. "If one's destiny is shaped from within, then one has to act more freely as the creator. One has to be at once the subject, author, and creator." Life Launch is this person's toolkit. A definite five star read!