Works Books

Chaplain George Castillo is my grand-uncle. I think the book is very inspirational. Until I read the book, I didn't know he did such great work in the prisons. He's an inspiration to not only the prisoners and their families, but an inspiration to us all.

George shared from the heart in this wonderful book about ministering to inmates as a chaplain. He also includes some of the politics that go with working within the system, We were so touched by his stories that we included his work in "Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul" and "Serving Time, Serving Others: Acts of Kindness by Inmates, Prison Staff, Victims, and Volunteers."

I would love for the author of this great work to give a talk to my local civic organization. He has profound insight into the criminal justice system, and unique, yet practical, ideas on how to make it better. This book is worthy of being Oprah's Book of the month!

My recommendation of the Rev. George Ramon Castillo's book, My Life between The Cross and the Bars, grows out of a personal acquaintance with the author for nearly forty years as well as several readings of the book. The book is very well written and allows the reader to glimpse a first hand view of the circumstances and events that led George into the Christian ministry and into the Federal Prison chaplaincy. This life service offering reveals the character and integrity of the man, as well as the broader dimension of his professional service.
Of vital importance to George's life story is his account of his early years in British Honduras, now Belize, his early immigration to the United States, and his service in the U.S. Air Force, and his U.S. citizenship (October 26, 1953). Even more important was his marriage in 1957 to Muriel Jermain Seale, who has provided the moral and spiritual support for his successful career.
One does not just become a minister and a chaplain willy-nilly. The story of his religious development and educational experience tells how this came about: the early difficult years, then college and seminary.
I became acquainted with George while he was a student at Bangor Theological Seminary. He and his family eventually joined the congregation I was servicing, the First Congregational Church in Brewer, Maine. He was ordained under my ministry there, one of the high points, actually the highest, of my own ministry. When I left in September of 1967, the church called him to become their Interim Minister. After a year or so, he went on to serve churches in Detroit, Michigan, and in Ohio, and then was accepted as chaplain by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
All of this is essential to getting the most out of George's career as a Federal Prison Chaplain. The reader will share in the documentation and correspondence that became an important part of George's work within a difficult bureaucratic system. There were also unexpected difficulties with the machinations of opportunistic prisoners as well as with prisoners whose legitimate personal problems were all but insurmountable. If you want insight into an environment and setting that cannot be portrayed in a TV or movie scenario, this is the book for you.
A Federal Prison does not exist in isolation from the rest of society. George spells out the relationship of his work to the "civilian" religious community. This is part of his task in educating the rest of us to the enormity of the problem that confronts American society. Prison populations are growing fast, and the costs are skyrocketing. The solution to this problem, if we take George's perspective seriously, is more in terms of human relationships than in purely punitive or monetary terms.
But this comes only through genuine commitment, in George's case, Christian commitment, in a life of duty and service, with an equally dedicated life companion. There is much to be learned from what otherwise might be considered as one of the darker sides of life. George in his book, and in his life, has shown us the way.

Ray Wilbur

Initially, I was leery about My Life Between the Cross and the Bars for two reasons: I'm generally not a fan of autobiographies, and I don't know anyone who has been to prison. When I was only one-fourth of the way through the book I realized that it contains volumes of material to which I can relate. I highly recommend this book to individuals from all walks of life, as it has monumentous value for everyone. The author is a genuine inspiration to all people of every race and background, and his book is a great read.

I read this book for the first time about 25 years ago. I have read it about 6 or 7 times since. It along with the sequel, Light in My Window, is my all time favorite series. I highly recommend reading this book.

I think this book was published in 1946, but don't let the age fool you. The author presents the story in a much more real way than many of the modern Christian writers do today. In many of the contemporary Christian novels, the characters are either so perfect that they don't seem real or so have very filthy minds. A good Christian novel is one that is somewhere in between.

Francena H. Arnold, in Not My Will, keeps it real and presents characters with real problems that only God can solve. Contemporary Christian authors should follow her example in the novels they write. Parts of it are sad, but it is well worth reading.

You may also consider reading Searching for Mom, which isn't nearly as bleak, but it is a more recent book that explores the will of God in the family relationship.

Best book I've ever read!!! Loved to read it when I was a teenager, and still love it now in my 30s! A classic!

The plot of this book is great, and the ending is so unpredictable!

This book was really great and very hard to put down. I loved it! It is also a very inspiring book. The woman in this book is not very religous or spiritual but during a very difficult time she turns to someone who shows her such unconditional love that at first she finds it hard to believe someone could be so kind. Until she learns about the love of God and His love for her. She then realizes what her heart really needs to begin to heal and what is most important in life...her Heavenly Father. She learns to put her faith in God and to live according to His will.
An excellent book. It will surely touch your heart.
It is a love story like no other. You will not be able to stop reading once you start.

This is a must read for anyone that works in health care. Being a RN it has made a tremendous impact on me and my practice. It was very easy to read and I read it in two days and I am rereading it now. Great book on modern day nursing and is a instant classic.

I recommend this book to everyone I meet. It does a fantastic job of highlighting the nursing experience, while examining ALL of the factors that challenge our healthcare system today. I am a nurse and found many of the anecdotes to be all too relatable. I think EVERYONE should read this book!

I have been a practicing nurse now for 34 years. I have done everything from critical care, medical-surgical, some psychiatric nursing, to now; nursing education. This book accurately presents every thing I have experienced.

I read the book and am going to graduate from a nursing program in June of '08. I was so disenchanted as to what went on in the book as I see it going on when I am in clinicals. I probably wouldn't have picked nursing as my number one profession after being in the hospital setting and it should be a read the first quarter of new nursing students. The book is very factual, as to what I have witnessed thus far. It is a shame it has to be the almighty dollar when it comes to health care. This country is so rich and yet it has so many people without coverage. Most of my fellow students are trying to RUN from bedside nursing as the patient ratio is not safe. Schools need to revamp their programs with more hands on experience. We get little to prepare us for the real world. Any nurse will tell you "You will start learning when you get your first job, that is when the real learning begins." It is no wonder there are at least 300,000 med errors a year. Let us shadow a nurse for at least a quarter to see what it's all about. If I wasn't older, I would pursue another degree.

This a a very good, and easy to read nursing text book. It flows well because of the real life stories and examples that all of us at the bedside can relate to. It makes you think about what you do, and what you say. How these things can and do impact patient care, and relationships with staff, patients, facilty, etc. We are such a necessary part of the bigger picture, and this book helps support and encourage us to be the best that we can be and to stand up for what it right and good in nursing and health care.

As has been said, the introduction by Lewis is worth the cost of the book. Of course, Athanasius' masterpiece is in public domain and free versions abound, but this is a much better translation than you are likely to get for free, and the introduction is C.S. Lewis at his absolute best. A must-have for both Lewis fans and for those who love theology.

This is truly a great work and one that addresses issues that confront the contemporary Church. Athanasius would have nothing to do with the arguments for a "reasonable" understanding of Jesus that is compatible with a sensible religion. He contends for the honor and glory and truth of his Lord in a very strong and penetrating manner. The reader will find himself pondering a great deal over the ideas Athanasius presents. This work is a challenge to think on the Word Incarnate. It can be truly mind and soul stretching.

As an early Christian who really understood the faith Athansus shines here with the story of the Incarnation and the disagreements and heresies that arose surrounding it in clear, undiluted terms. It's a concise, clear capturing of the core of the faith (of the early Church and Christianity at large). Should be a must-read for anyone who thinks they know their Christian faith.

Very pleased with the condition and the Book. If you are a Believer in Jesus Christ and you want to study the "Incarnation" this is the book.

First, the introduction by C. S. Lewis is alone worth the price of this short work. Lewis argues that these works by the early church fathers are far easier to read than the commentaries of the works of the fathers. He also argues that we need to read at least one out of three books out of our century. He doesn't use the phrase "chronological snobbery," but the argument is the same. We need to read perspectives of other cultures and ages to help keep ourselves from falling into the errors of the present age.

Second, the book is not terribly difficult to read. The book is short and well organized. Some of the passages take rereadings, but the arguments for the most part are fairly straight forward and accessible. Meditating on what God did through the incarnation, the reasons for the incarnation, and its impact on our lives and history as a whole can not be a bad thing.

and get Dr. Fee's audio tapes from Regent College bookstore.
I studied with Dr. Fee at Gordon-Conwell while pastoring in Cambridge, Ma. Our church supported some of Dr. Fee's mission trips around the world. His books are all great, but his lectures, especially his exegetical NT book studies, are simply unparalleled, satisfying the intellect and the spirit and leading one to experience the Holy Spirit in the Word.

Gordon Fee does an excellent job in making his case that from Paul's perspective the Holy Spirit has a central part in our lives. We are to be people of the Spirit! His cry for the church to see that we are an "eschatological people in a world gone mad" resonates in my heart. We are to be the people of God in the world and the Spirit empowers us to be that! This book will breathe life into you and is theologically sound!

I came to this book already in disagreement with some of the author's views on charismata, and I expected to be in disagreement with most of the book.

However, I had little issue with most of the points he made and was glad that he reasoned from scripture and not human psychology.

After the second chapter I was frustrated with the phrase "at the heart of Pauline theology is...". It helps to understand the heart of one's theology to understand where they're coming from in all that they write. However, I think it was unecessary for the author to claim a new "heart" for Pauline theology to make his overall point about the Spirit of God and the church. It seemed to come from a desire to systematize something for its own sake.

Also, when defining the purposes of Paul, the author claims that "Paul was not writing to present a study of God, but to build up churches and address gut issues about being God's people in a totally pagan environment". He never explains why it can't be both. Obviously, Paul's ultimate purpose was for transformation and the practicalities of knowing God. But, the author's claim above suggests that Paul's studies of God in his letters (the indicative) aren't needed for the practicalities.

In the end, when the author addresses charismata, he didn't go into depth with scripture as much as I would've liked, but he does reference another of his books where he does. Also, in fairness, he points the reader to the best defense of the contrary view, which I appreciated.

If the reader is well read, the front 60% of the book will be skimmable.

I would highly recommend this book. The book has a very sound theology and has excellent scholarship at a layperson's level. It will help any reader gain a more insightful understanding of the purpose and leading of the Spirit in connection to the Church (people of God). Dr. Fee is able to properly exegete the Scripture of Paul's writings and help our understanding. This book is good for all Christians and especially those wondering (or concerned) about the role or move of the Holy Spirit.

Gordon Fee has written an easy to read version of his larger work "God's Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul." Recently, I read and reviewed Frank Macchia's book "Baptized in the Spirit: A Global Pentecostal Theology" and as much as I liked Macchia's work, this book by Fee is in some ways at least, better. I like Macchia's work on tongues and their meaning, but Fee really does an excellent job of showing the continuity and discontinuity of the Church who is the Israel of God and the nation of Israel in the OT. On page 50, Fee has a great chart that shows how that we are living in an already/not yet eschatalogical framework. Fee takes great care to show that the most important thing for the Church to get hold of is that we are the eshatalogical people of God and the Holy Spirit is the down payment on and fortaste of that future which is the come. He deals with Paul and is an excellent interprter of Pauline theology. Fee does not dismiss the importance of the Spirit in Paul, but shows how that, although, Jesus is the center of Paul's thought, it is the Holy Spirit that is driving this life in the Messiah and that give energy and freshness to the revelation of Jesus. This is an excellent work. I recommend this for everyone Pentecostal or not. I believe that a popular audience could probably read this book and benefit from Fee's great and scholarly insight.

She claims to have the answer to life - what we all are searching for in our trekking through it - and it is quite simple:

Live to give, not to get.

Live a life of service, and you will find true happiness and contentment. This is the truth, and it is life changing.

You may find this book for free on her website, or it can be delivered FREE of charge (the truth, she has said, cannot be bought):

www.peacepilgrim.org


<3

This is quite simply an amazing story told by a human being who lived by faith alone.

"Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words" relays the powerful, uplifting message of the "silver-haired woman dressed in navy blue slacks and shirt" who devoted 28 years of her life praying for world peace in a very avant-garde fashion. She went by the name Peace Pilgrim, an alias she chose because, similar to a pilgrim, she was a "wanderer with a purpose:" world peace. Peace Pilgrim envisaged a world without war and suffering, and sought to make this vision a reality by walking over 25,000 miles, across each state, "as a prayer" to inspire others to pray and to promote world peace. Though details about Peace Pilgrim's life before the Pilgrimage are scarce in this book (as the compilers wanted to focus solely on presenting the pilgrimage in her own words), we get a glimpse of who Peace Pilgrim was before her pilgrimage and a strong image of who she was during those 28 years. In chapter 2, titled "Growing Up," we find that Pilgrim was raised on a small farm, and did not live a life of luxury, yet knew how to appreciate what she had including her closeness with nature. We can perceive that Pilgrim is quite humble and serene through the stories she shares throughout the book, but it is most apparent in the struggle she articulates at the end of chapter 2: "I was trained to be generous and unselfish and at the same time trained to believe that if I wanted to be successful I must get out there and grab more than my share of this world's goods...these conflicting philosophies confused me for some time..." This inner conflict culminates in a plea to God, "Please use me!" Fed up with having too much while other's had too little, Pilgrim started out on her 28-year journey without money, food, or transportation. She traveled by herself, and depended on the generosity of others for food, transportation, and housing. Pilgrim spoke at universities, appeared in newspapers and on television, delivered messages from the mayor to Tijuana Mexico to the mayor of New York City, and had many interesting encounters, including run-ins with the law who jailed her for vagrancy on several occasions. With her she carried three peace petitions: one for peace in Korea, the second for the implementation of a Peace Department in the US government, and the final one for world disarmament and reconstruction. Whether good or bad occurred on her pilgrimage, she used her experiences to inspire others to find inner peace and to allow that peace to pour outwardly onto the world through dialogue and giving.

Pilgrim died in 1981 in a head on collision in route to her to an event in Indiana, yet her words live on in this book compiled by her close friends. The book comprises interviews, news articles, poetry, and other literature that serve as remnants of Pilgrim's message. Her friends hoped that through using Pilgrim's own words, readers could understand her mission as she understood it, and that "her words and spirit will continue to inspire." Indeed, we get a sense of Pilgrim's character and what her vision was as she explains to us exactly how she prepared for her pilgrimage through spiritual purification and discovering inner peace. While relaying her story, Pilgrim simultaneously teaches us how to find inner peace as well. This aspect of the book makes it both a memoir and an inspirational guide. Quotes from people who had met and were touched by Pilgrim's life are included at the end of the book, which makes the book more compelling because it shows the positive responses people had to her pilgrimage. Unfortunately, the book does not focus much on Pilgrim's life before her journey, nor does it tell us if her petitions were successful. But, as the compilers state, "these specifics...can be found elsewhere." We are not left with biographical facts, but a lesson on spiritual growth.

She's got a beautiful message to pass along, one for our modern age. It's the same wisdom and insight of Buddha and Jesus as well as all the others. I gotta tell you though, this book is offered, free of charge, on the website.

A good read and a handy source of both inspiration and wisdom.
namaste!

For those of us who have experienced the loneliness, embarrassment, and stress of hearing or speech defects in our professional and social lives, Kiril Sokoloff's book is a deeply moving description of his personal suffering and its impact on his marriage and family. His description of his dear fathers speech problems, and the letter he would like to have written to him to express his love and understanding, moved me to tears as did many other incidents described in this remarkable book. Despite the sadness and pain this book is ultimately the story of one mans triumph over adversity to become one of the most respected and widely read individuals in the financial world today. Thank you Kiril for your example to us all.

Kiril Sokoloff has written an incredibly honest story, chronicling his journey from self-consciousness and a sense of unworthiness to a personal transformation embracing the power of compassion, gratitude, and love. This is not a "self help" book drawing inspiration from others, but a powerful story of self-examination, self-acceptance, and ultimately self-love arising from the pain of his own life experiences. It is a moving reminder of the power within us to rise above our personal demons and embrace the richness of life.

Kiril Sokoloff's "Personal Transformation" is a real blessing. There is no other way for me to describe this amazing book. "Personal Transformation" touched my heart in a way that few books can or do. It is very difficult for me to put my thoughts about this remarkable book into words. Words do not even begin to capture the love Mr. Sokoloff shares with us. His heart-wrenching tale of darkness to light should be required reading for Business and Wall Street executives as well as all those in search of The Truth. We should all be extremely grateful to Kiril for sharing his heart and mind with us. "Personal Transformation" is a timely reminder that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Kiril Sokoloff's book is a powerful and poignant sharing of his life-altering experience of losing his hearing as an adult. It is deeply personal and most moving. He willingly relates in detail the gamut of his emotions when confronted with this crisis. His description of the isolation and loneliness that came to pervade his everyday life in ordinary situations was a revelation to me. I can only admire his courage and determination to cope with, deal with, and live with his deafness. This volume can provide inspiration for any of us.

Kiril Sokoloff's Powerful story of his life and the tribulations he has gone through to achieve peace with himself, is one of the most awsome books I have ever read.
It should be required reading for anyone looking for more meaning in his life, I for one am sending it to my four children.
It can not fail to help anyone who is fortunate enough to read it.
What a terrific and inspiring experience!
Barrant V. Merrill
Gulf Stream, Fl.
33483

This is a must-have item. It is an incredible beautiful book. If you are a pethead, you must have it. But, if you will buy this item, you must have in mind that is a catalogue of items, pictures and comments, the name is literal, not a book as "PSB vs America" or "Literally".

With 14 reviews already written, I doubt I can say anything that hasn't already been said. But I will give a short review of my impression of Catalogue.

This book is more like Pet Shop Boys history in pictures. While it's true this is a catalogue of all the album and CD covers. It is also the history of Pet Shop Boys in a brief chronology near the back of the book. It gives a time line of what they were doing on particular dates.

There's also an interview from April 2006 with Neil and Chris by Chris Heath. It also includes a complete in depth discography of all their singles and albums they released.

The silver cover of the book makes a great coffee table attraction. It's a must for any Pethead's collection. It's also a great reference book for new fans of the boys. For those who never subscribed to the fan club will enjoy looking at the various Christmas Cards and cover art of the fan club magazine Literally.

I purchased multiple copies so I could have one on display and to thumb through and one is kept sealed. At this great price, who could resist?

Pet Shop Boys Catalogue

El libro es excelente [casi una obra de arte] en el cual se repasa la historia gráfica del dúo a través de sus primeros 20 años de carrera. Un verdadero must para cualquier fan de los PSB.

This book is beautifully packed and chronicles the product of the pet shop boys for the first 20 years. It includes album/single covers, tours, costumes, videos, etc. It is worth every penny and a true companion for any psb fan!

You can easily forget that Chris and Neil, Pet Shop Boys have been making fantastic music together for close to 30 years now. This large volume is an authoritative visual representation of what the PSB have done throughout their career. If there is one problem (not really) it would be that since they Boys are still active, the book will be outdated nearly immediately following its publication.

Its fun to see all the international releases, versions, one-off items that have come from their musical output, from singles to albums to videos to other books. Catalogue is comprehensive to say the least. And the photos are many, and all relatively great quality.

This is a true gift to the real PSB fans. It is sort of like your own personal scrapbook if you've been following the Boys through the years or a wonderful collection to introduce newer fans to the career that Neil and Chris have enjoyed. Price seems more than reasonable for the quality of the book. The cover is stunning and makes a great conversation piece for your coffee table. It just sort of begs to be opened with its silvery cover image.

Pet Shop Boys fans should be thrilled that such a volume exists and that the artists have seen fit to offer something of this scale. So many bands, defunct or ongoing seem to spurn their fans requests for such items. In this case, no matter what the intent of the artist--whether purely self indulgence or wanting to give back, the fans who purchase this book are the winners.

Love this book. Love the Boys. And most importantly, Love the music they continue to release. Left to your own devices, you probably will buy this book.

Serita Jakes has a way with communicating every woman's honorable place/ service to/ with the Lord.

Serita Ann Jakes found healing by writing letters to the Lord. And since
that deliverance, her heart has been overflowing with the desire to
reveal how He has been her Secret Keeper. It is her hope that women
who read her story will also learn to trust their secrets to Him.

Mrs. Jakes gloriously parallels her message with the famed fairy tale
Cinderella. Every woman was born to be a princess, our Creator designed
His daughters to be the glory of men and the mothers of all living things.
We were the final touch of creation and the solution to loneliness in
mankind. So, she asks, "why have so many women have fallen from that place
of honor and esteem?" In her comparison to the fairy tale, she urges women
to take control of their lives. To not wait for someone to give them a ride
to the celebration, but find their own way to the dance as Cinderella did.

There are critics who say that life is not like fairy tales with happy
endings, but Mrs. Jakes responds, "just as a prince awaited Cinderella, a
Prince of Peace awaits you." It is time for women to be restored to the
place of honor that God intended for them to have. THE PRINCESS WITHIN
confirms and restores with scripture and reverence.

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Her words humbled me, and yet lifted me up to recog nize my place in the Kingdom of God. I am not just the daughter of the King, I am a Princess and I belong at the forefront of the Kingdom. I can describe how much this book has made me realize my worth in Christ.

This is a book that every Christian woman should read! It would be especially helpful for new Christians or Christians that struggle with feeling worthy to accept the wonderful things that God has for us.

The book is very affirming. It is a blessing that Mrs. Jakes choose to be transparent in writing it. I believe that most Christian women go through the same things she describes but they feel all alone.

Very Good Book!

God desires His daughter's to know that Restoration is possible in our lives. As with her husband, T.D. Jakes, Serita Jakes is a powerful writer and hits home with her vulnerable writing.

In this book she compares today's hurting woman with the story of Cinderella and how through God's healing love, "we can make it to the ball". She touches on the subject that God longs to be our secret keeper, and that He wants us to be honest with Him about our doubts, fears, and insecurities.

I highly suggest this book to every woman--whether she has been abused or abandoned, this book can show you how to lift up your head and walk without shame!

THis story is classic. I use this book so much that I have to retire my old copy and replace it with a new one every couple of years. It is a fabulous vehicle for storywriting in the primary classroom.

I have been reading Pat Hutchins books to children for many years. They are wonderful!! Rosie's Walk is a great book for sound effects! As Rosie goes obliviously on her walk,the fox encounters all sorts of sound effect producing trials. Great fun!

We have the board book edition, and I have to admit, I didn't think my 2-year old was going to like it when I first flipped through it. There didn't seem to be much to it --- no eye-catching illustrations and not much text. Shows how much I know... My daughter loves it. The story is less about Rosie the hen and more about the fox --- what happens to it from page to page. It is truly a sequential story and shows cause-and-effect: on one page you see the fox leaping towards Rosie, who is walking past the pond. On the next page, you see the fox in the pond. Your toddler will make the connection on her own: "Uh-oh. Fox fall in water."

My absolute FAVORITE book as a child! Simple, clever, and humorous all at the same time. GREAT for children starting to read! A+

We fell for this after watching the scholastic dvd series. It's on the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom video and we're hooked - love the detailed pictures and watching where thefox is headed.