T Books

This book was given to me by a colleague and has changed the way I think about organiational dynamics. The twin concepts of Jestership and illumination of blind spots are powerful learnings for those who aspire to lead great organizations. Everyone who works to positively contribute to their company should give this a read.

The Secret Life of the Corportate Jester provides specific, practical, and highly relevant insights into how to more effectively lead and manage organizations. The book's approach - on on-going interaction told in story form - engages the reader and keeps interest high to want to know, "What comes next?" Anyone who wants to better understand how to make a difference in organizations will gain value from this book."

Dave Riveness did a great job with 'The Secret Life of the Corporate Jester'. I read it cover-to-cover on a flight and couldn't put it down. The combination of Greek mythology and lessons for organizational change was a very interesting idea, and Dave's writing was crisp, clear and accessible. All in all, this is a great read on how to transform an organizational culture from the inside-out.

I highly recommend The Secret Life of the Corporate Jester - both entertaining and insightful! This book empowers readers to influence positive change in their organization -- regardless of organization or position. Corporate Jester will help you (and your organization) discover blind spots and influence others.

Thank you Mr. Riveness for simplifying what has become an over complicated topic! This entertaining story gets to the heart of True Leadership... that True Leaders are not defined by their positions or titles, but their courage to seek and speak the truth at all times.

The Apprentice Guide stories provide insight and guidance to uncover personal and organizational blind spots. A great read to increase individual and organizational effectiveness.

Seven Sisters is quite an enjoyable read. This book introduces some new characters to the Benni Harper series and makes for an mildly suspenseful read.

"Seven Sisters" is the seventh novel in the Benni Harper series. Benni Harper, a lifelong resident of the mythical Central california Coast town of San Celina, is a former cowgirl, a quilter, and now has a job as the curator of San Celina's folk art museum. Benni, who was widowed when her first husband died in a car accident, has been married to San Celina's cheif of police Gabe Ortiz for several years at the time of this story.

The story starts off with a bang when Gabe's nineteen-year-old son Sam tells Benni and Gabe that his girlfriend is pregnant, and they plan to marry. The story rapidly becomes very complicated when the identity of Sam's girlfriend is revealed. She is Bliss Girard, one of Gabe' rookie policewomen and, more importantly, a grand-daughter of the Brown family, one of the town's oldest and most powerful families. When one of the extended members of the Brown family is murdered at the engagement party for Sam and Bliss, the family struggles with the realization that there is most likely a murderer among them. As the police search for the murderer, the Brown family tries to keep all their secrets hidden. And Benni Harper struggles with trying to maintain a balance between her natural sleuthing capabilities and her role as the police chief's wife and future mother-in-law to one of the Brown family grand-daughters. Benni also experiences more than a touch of jealousy when Gabe's gorgeous ex-wife Lydia comes to San Celina to meet her son's fiancee.

The California setting is richly described with the conflicts between cattle ranching, horse racing, and grape growing.

Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. As I mentioned above, "Seven Sisters" is the seventh book in this series but it was the first one that I've read. What a happy discovery to find a whole new series with a wonderful setting and a richly developed cast of characters. I'm looking forward to reading all the other books in this series!

I started reading the Benni Harper mysteries "in the middle" of the series. I was hooked and immediately bought the whole series so I could follow the storyline thread. Her stories are very different from other mysteries with "predictable" plots but if I were to expand on that, I'd give away the unfolding of the Seven Sisters story. Actually, Earlene Fowler has a marvelous gift for drawing one into the lives of her characters. She makes me laugh, and provokes a "being there" frustration (empathic with Benni's frustration)with the events. Her stories are not all nice and neat - hey, life isn't nice and neat. But they aren't what I would call icky, gruesome and gory either. If she has written a series of "chick-lit" mysteries, it's chick-lit at it most fun. Her subject matter is also fascinating as a learning experience. That's from a fan who is nearly as old as Dove! Don't pull just one book (such as Seven Sisters) from the series - start at the beginning and become part of the community - flawed tho it may be. It's laugh-out-loud funny, snuggle-up-under a quilt comfort, confusing and unnerving chaos - and an absolutely marvelous read (even if, but please don't, read out of the series order). I'm so glad I discovered Benni Harper and her family and friends!

I love this series -- I am an unabashed fan. Even though I figured out the mystery very early on, I still enjoyed it very much.

This book is the rare mystery where the murderer never gets a legal comeuppance.

This is the seventh book in the Benni Harper mystery series and takes place in San Celina, California.

Benni Harper the curator of the local folk art museum and her husband Police Chief Gabe Ortiz seem to have worked out a lot of their earlier marital problems when Sam, Gabe's son tells them that his girlfriend Bliss is pregnant. Bliss, happens to be a member of the very wealthy and influential Brown family.

Both families seem to rally around the young couple and even Gabe's beautiful ex-wife appears for the first time in this series. At a party celebrating Bliss and Sam's engagement, a Brown relative is found murdered. Benni tries not to become involved in the case, but is forced into helping by Ford Hudson the officer in charge of the homicide investigation.

This interesting story is a little darker than the other mysteries that Benni had been involved with and takes us into the tangled web of old family secrets and the truth about the seven sisters.

It has been generally accepted view that Remarque was never a great writer. I largely agree with the verdict. However, he was a very good writer whose expertise was touching the sentiment of general readers , if not those of literary critics. Three comrades is definitely my favorite along with Black Obelisk , not only among Remarque's works ,but also any form of literature I have been consuming. Similar to his early novels , such as All quiet on the western front and the sequel "The Road Back" , Remarque took narrative of a first person (actually himself). Protagonist/ Narrator of the novel (Robert Lohkamp) is in some sense, typical "Lost generation" from the other side of hill. Robert(or Bob or Robby)'s psyche was so pulverized by the experience of the Great war and terrible aftermath that he seems to lose all meaning in his life. His only consolation is strong comradeship , that was in Remarque's previous novel seemed to disintergrated , and drininking in order to escape a deep depression ever frequently visits him in the night.By accident, Lohkamp and his comrades met Pat. Although three of them all fell for her. It was Lohkamp , with his comrades help , falls in love with mysterious and consumptive beauty Pat. Much of the novel is about daily harship , love, through which Robert slowly regain the meaning of life , and friendship.
The book conveys sundry aspects of love through contrasting author's ideal notion of love and life and harsh reality that doesn't seem to allow little preciousness ordinary people long for with much humility.

I particulary enjoy Remarque's humane description of characters in possibly Berlin in the last stage of the tumultous Weimar Republic. Besides his other comrades and lover ,racing driver Koster and self-claimed the Last of Romantics Lenz and Patricia Hollmann there are surprising lively characters as well, such as prostitutes in cafe Internationale, the Mother of sausage Stall, Frau Zelewski, Grau, Alfons,Valentin, Dr Jaffe, Gustav, Fred, and even symphaty provoking Albert and his mother whose taxy Koster bought at auction. Remarque maintains objective but symphathetic observation on these people whose lives are obviously shattered and go down to nadir by uncontrollable economic difficulties and political turmoil.

The other attractive aspect of the book is the authors description of subtle changes Lohkamp goes through. First several chapters , he was one of those hardened veteran who doesn't have any aspiration in his life and so full of weltschmertz. Yet after meeting and falling in love with Pat , Robert slows changes himself and finally last several chapters and its tragic ending . Lohkamp is the man who doggedly resist toward desiny he himself so well aware of.

When Remarque wrote this book, he was under severe pressure from both his own life and publishers who expected another best-seller. There are a bit of cliche and strong resembrance to Mann's "Magic Mountain" in terms of the motif in the later chapters. In spite of these weaknesses, the book will surely touch sentiment and make you want more about Remarque's other works. It's touching love story and at the same time honest representation of ordinary people's every day difficulties in one of the terrible moment in the modern German history. It's deeply pessimistic book ,but beauty of Remarque's pessimism somehow penentrate your soul , even though it was written almost 80 years ago. All in all, very renumerative reading and I am not hesitate to recommend the book to anyone who still value human decency over profit and sentimental romanticism over artistic pretence and intended complex.

I don't think anyone can fully define what a great book the three comrades is. No one can describe the love between Pat and Robert throughoutly. I truly believe this is the most romantic book of all time. We live in a very changed world now, where there is little time and place for emotion but if there are any romantics left, this book should be your best friend. I hope that sometime in the future this book can be taught in school instead of the usuall boring rubbish people have to endure. If anyone is interested in reading a book about friendship, love and most of all hardships of life, then this book is the one for you

My colleagues who have reviewed Remarque favorably on these sites are totally correct: he is a remarkable writer who still resonates with contemporary readers in a manner that more esteemed German writers such as Mann and Goethe fail to. A cross between Hemingway, Faulkner, and Fitzgerald, I have seldom spent more rewarding time reading. The combination of humor, philosophy, brilliant dialogue, unusual and touching romantic experience, war-weary and world weary articulations, social commentary, and perfect word craftsmenship (thanks to excellent translations of course), make him stand out among all European writers in my mind--but then again, I'm a more Modernist enthusiast. So far I love all of the novels I've read, but I tend to lean slightly towards The Black Obelisk with its absolutely profound and heart-rending romantic dilemma. I teach All Quiet at the university level, but I'm working on teaching A Time to LOve..., 3 Comrades, etc. BUT...can anybody tell me how in the freakin' world these books are out of print and how to do something about it?! It's a freakin' sacriledge!

I can't remember the last time I read a book that left me with tears running down my face. This one did. The last sentence echoed in my head for days after I got done reading. Maybe not the best book of all time, but beautifully written and very touching.

Does anyone even remember this brilliant author anymore? What a shame, that the average American is made inescapably and constantly aware of the Paris Hiltons of the world while remaining completely unaware of this man and his literary genius.

This novel will touch you in some way, provided you have even a trace of the Milk of Human Kindness running through your veins. It is a story of the small troubles and small triumphs of insignificant men, at least as the world counts Significance. It is the story of men who no longer understand the world they live in, resorting instead to an unspoken Code of loyalty to one another, as Comrades ought to do. At the very least it will remind you of what integrity and quiet self-sacrifice are really all about. This one is abundantly worth your time.

_The Unforsaken Hiero_ (1983) is the sequel to _Hiero's Journey_ (1973). Early in the novel, Hiero Desteen, now a prince by marriage, is kidnapped from the state of D'Alway and has his telepathic powers destroyed by drugs. He escapes assasination by a fluke of luck and begins another journey westward and then northward, without friends, weapons, or extrasensory powers.

Many of the flaws in the ecological background of _Hiero's Journey_ that I complained about in another essay have been skillfully avoided in _The Unforsaken Hiero_. This is not to say that Lanier has planned a detailed ecology with rigorous care; but he avoids any glaring errors, which is all that is really required for an adventure novel. He does this in several ways. First, he gives attention to herbiverous animals in the story, particularly in an account of Hiero's fight for survival across a desert and a prairie. Second, he gives more attention to fauna of a non-monsterous nature in his setting, which makes the occasional fantastic creature seem more realistic. And third, he gives more attention to details concerning how his creatures survive. For example, _The Unforsaken Hiero_ features another gigantic underwater creature. But this time, Lanier takes care to show how the creature captures its prey and how it has survived for its long lifespan. These improvements in the background of the novel make it superior to _Hiero's Journey_.

Perhaps the weakest aspect of the novel are the characters. They tend to be either bluff, hearty, courageous warriors on the side of good-- or foul, deceptive traitors on the side of evil. You can tell the latter by their eyes: "The face was no longer that of the harassed functionary, but something older and colder, the eyes gleaming with mockery and triumph" (24)... "It was the face of Amiable Aeo, and from the young eyes came the same blaze of pure evil" (ibid)... "At the sight of those faces, a child would have screamed in horror. The eyes were dead, gray pools of nothingness, in which there glowed a baleful fire" (62)... "Behind him, eyes glared in impotent rage from the narrow slit of a window" (166)... "The gelid eyes glowed with a light that came from the Ultimate Pit" (194). Other characteristics of the Unclean are voices that are cold and icy and mental patterns that are foul and filthy. One wonders how the villains could fool anyone enough to betray them or to achieve the power they wield.

I confess to a sneaking fondness for this novel. It's a passable adventure tale competently told, and it is great fun straight through. But there is a simplicity in its theme and characterization that prevents me from rating it as a classic or of classical quality.

I love the Hiero books but alas there will never be a third book

Mr Lanier suffered a stroke before he could write the third book and the story vanished in his mind. Enjoy what we have. There wil not be any more :(

I first read Hiero's Journey, and the sequel, years ago and they remain on my top ten list. Why? A great set of characters - of all species!! The post apocalyptic world is seething with all kinds of new life, some good, some bad, some just plain unknown. The good folks are really good, and the bad are totally evil - how can you beat a story in which the bad guys are "The Unclean"? This story has a similar appeal as Vance's "Exploration Team", in which a man and the animals he mentally communicates with explore new planets. Hiero maneuvers through his world, constantly exploring, and the reader gets to explore with him. As a consequence, adventures are just as much a surprise to the reader as they are to Hiero! Lanier does a matchless job of pacing the story. These two books are on a par with any science fiction written at any time and deserve to be savored again and again.

Like the reviewer "Catfish," I keep coming back to this book and it's predecessor "Hiero's Journey." This work is also on my top ten list of all time bests. I am always a bit surprised that more have not read them. The story line is almost flawless and the character development is acute. Lanier's smooth prose just tops it off. This is one of those works which I reread every year or so. There is something about the story that sort of keep drawing you back. I of course would like to see the series completed but am fearful that another author could not do it justice and would hate to see a wonderful work ruined. Would recommend this book to anyone wanting a page turner with some classic writing thrown in for good measure. If you can find a copy buy it (actually, buy several copies...I keep loaning my copies to others and for some reason they never come back home!)

Why I am new to the world of non-fiction, Sterling Lanier has enraptured me. The book's exquisite description and excellent character developement have made a a fan of his, and Hiero's. I'd also like to say that I recently read Lanier's works on the suggestion of his sister, whom I met on a train ride from Munich, Germany to Vienna, Austria. She did not go without mentioning to me that her brother has passed, that she missed him very much, and that Hiero's adventures could not continue for this reason. For all of the Sterling Lanier fans out there, enjoy what you have, for the saga of Hiero will not continue.

This book is definitely not for beginnings. The authors have put too many technical words into each sentence, which makes for much confusion. There are many fine books out there for those who are beginning to learn about automobiles. This is not one of them.

This book has alot of good information about automotive technology. It has the basics and foundation to get you started in your career as a technician or if your just curious about the industry in general. Great book.

I've always been interested in cars but never knew very much about what was under the hood other than the very basics. All I'd previously done to my cars is top off any fluids, change burned out bulbs and change flat tires. So, I finally decided to learn about cars and do some maintenance myself which led to this book. It took me a full year to read completely (maybe 2 months actually reading) but with a new baby and a move to a new house mixed in, I think I did pretty well! I was very serious about learning and that is almost a requirement as this book is very detailed and needs to be studied in many areas to really understand the concepts, especially if you have nothing else to go on.

This is a multi-semester text book intended for students in an auto shop class that covers all automotive systems from engine internals to wiring to air conditioning. Everything is covered in detail with multiple designs of components covered where appropriate.

My only complaints are that many times the text references figures that are on the next page so there's a lot of flipping back and forth. Also, some illustrations are a little difficult to make out to really visualize a complex part while some exploded views (many direct from manufacturers) are so overly detailed that the important information discussed in the text is lost.

These are small gripes though as the few gaps left from a few sections with bad drawings can be supplemented with an internet image or animation from sites like howstuffworks.com. These really help with things like differentials and transmissions.

Otherwise, armed with the knowledge in this book you will have no problem understanding any shop manual and doing most auto maintenance yourself. Where the Haynes manual you buy at the auto parts store goes over your specific car and what bolts to loosen to fix whatever and the torque required when you bolt it back together, this book goes into much more detail on all systems in a more general but complete way. It doesn't assume you know any of the basics. The layout is pretty good too. Things are broken up so you don't have a lot of very detailed chapters all bunched up like engine internals, carburetors and transmissions. They are seperated by chapters like Tool identification and use, electricity fundamentals and wheel alignment. The best part is how everything builds on previous chapters or sections. For example, the engine internals section starts with just a piston in a cylinder, then they add valves, then cooling, then timing for those valves, etc until all the major components are added to the final engine drawing.

I can't say enough good things about this book. It's obviously a mature work (previous edition copyrights go back to 1963!) and I can't see much that can be improved. So buy this book, a service manual for your car, a jack and some tools from Sears and do your own work and be able to knowledgeably discuss more complex procedures with your mechanic when it comes to that. Also find a forum on the internet for your car (such as automotiveforums.com) for help troubleshooting.

I am a beginner mechanic, this book is helpful in explaining how a vehicle works. It shows you many types of engines, there parts and how they work together, plus it shows there subsystems. trans/clutch/axle/air/heat and so on.

I am new patent attorney working on patent applications related to the automotive industry. I was looking for a great book that was easy to understand and had tons of diagrams. I have found it!!!!

In. My. Purse.

All. The. Time.

Seriously ---- This book is amazing. It has a permanent home in my purse... (it's not too small, not too big - just right) And I use it almost daily....or at least a few times per week. Sometimes I'm in a bad place and need a quick inspirational message, and sometimes I just feel like feeling better about something....Whatever the reason, you will LOVE THIS BOOK. I ordered 5 more after I got it to give to friends and family...that's how much I love it. I know when some open it they will think "ummm....ok..?" at first....but they end up thanking me later.

GET THIS BOOK you wont be sorry!

this book has been so helpful at valuable to me so many tough times like i'm going through now. the messages are short but powerful. this book will certainly help you restore your peace. like another poster said mine is getting worn out.

Each time my spirt is down, or I'm going through a situation, I turn to this book. I hold the book in my right hand by its spine, fan the pages with my left hand to stop at randum. The passages I've read, I have felt its deep spirtual feeling and I understand its meaning. Then I reflect on my situation and the passage fits. It helps me to understanding whats going on. It uplifts my spirit to deal with my situation. It give me insight to view my problem from a different angle. It also assures me that what I am currently going through will end. I will get through it. In my view, its a powerfull book. I have read several other books by Iyanla, even watched her talk show (sorry that went off the air), but like the bible, I keep Faith In The Valley near by.

This is my FAVORITE book by Iyanla Vanzant because of: It's size(small enough for your tiny purse), its lack of preach-i-ness and how the index is organized by subject. I feel its a synopsis of all the subjects covered in her other books. I also feel the book is applicable to women of ALL cultures. You can use it as a daily guide or you can use the index to find a subject for which you could use guidance.

I can not express how insightful and helpful this book is! It really makes you look deep into the reason(s) why you thought you needed a book of affirmations in the first place. This book is perfect for those "why me" and "I really can't take any more" moments when you feel like life, and everything in it, needs to give you a break. If you're a woman experiencing a lot of change in your life and it seems like you just can't handle another crisis (or is it a crisis afterall?), this is the book for you. I carry it in my purse!

This was the first book I ever read all by myself, with the help of the rhymes and picture clues. I read it over and over, and still recite some of the rhymes to my children. I found a copy several years ago through a scholastic book order at school, thank goodness. I've written several lesson plans around this book and read it to my kindergarten class every year. All the children love it! I wish I could find it in hardcover or library binding, I'd buy a copy for myself, and one for every school in the district.

My brother and I, 46 and 42, respectively, were just remembering the book from when we were children. We loved this book and remembered many of the rhymes. We have since read the book to our own children and still have the original copy of this book. I would recommend this book to all people... we still get a kick out of it, it is such creative imaginative fun.

I may as well add in the praise for year 2005! My sister and I LOVED this book as children and I inherited the copy for my now 3 year old. He loves it!!! It is so battered though, I need to (hopefully) find a better one. I have read that rhymes are one of the greatest ways to teach reading and word structure, (etc, etc!) and I think this proves it. I start each phrase and my son will finish it. That's the ticket said the.....cricket!!

Not only is this book super clever, but a great way to teach your kid's about rhyming. It also is a good tool for character study as most of the characters are caring, concerned, and encouraging, and work together to fix their broken teapot friend. We got this book when my daughter was three. She loved it then, and now at 4 1/2 still likes it, and I suspect it will be a favorite for quite awhile.

How can I resist adding my comments, after reading how many others went in search of this book for exactly the same reason I did! I have a old, tattered copy from my childhood that I recently pulled out to read to my 3 1/2 yr. old, thinking he was finally old enough to listen to it. He listened intently, asking all about why the teapot fell and what the spiders were doing... and when we came to the line, "Don't be dumb" said the crumb." - he burst out laughing in a fit of joyful giggles that lasted a full 10 minutes! How could I not go in search of a new copy so my children and I can share the laughter together?
A truly wonderful, joyful book about friends and teamwork.

I loved this book. I bought it as an aid for designing training, but it's really a manifesto for living. It is indeed full of wisdom - read it, enjoy it and use it. And just show up.

I devoured Improv Wisdom the first time through, recognizing immediately the value on each page. Then I gave a copy to each of my adult children and to two of my best friends. And now I keep the book by my bed so that every morning I can open to a page at random and make the message on that page be my focus for the day.

It's amazing what small shifts have resulted from this practice. After two months these small shifts in attitude and behavior have led to some major positive changes in my life. Life is happening NOW; Madsen's maxims give you a way to milk each moment as it unfolds.

I just finished reading Improv Wisdom this morning and was ready to start again. Patricia's ideas are immediately useful and applicable to everyday life. Writing this review is proof, as I'm not typically prone to do so.

How many self-help books have you read that leave you shaking your head saying - well, that was 3-4 hours of my life that I can't get back? (I have read many!) You won't find yourself saying that with this book. Patricia Ryan Madson offers up 13 strategies on how to lead an inspired and satisfying life by facing challenges in an unscripted manner. The book is beautifully written. It is filled with anecdotes and helpful techniques that will enhance your everyday life. Where was Ms. Madson when I needed her in college?

1) Say Yes
2) Don't Prepare
3) Just Show Up
4) Start Anywhere
5) Be Average
6) Pay Attention
7) Face the Facts
8) Stay on Course
9) Wake up to the Gifts
10) Make Mistakes, Please
11) Act Now
12) Take Care of Each Other
13) Enjoy the Ride

This book reminds me of another one I read and reviewed recently, Walter Mosley's This Year You Write Your Novel. Both emphasize the importance of just getting down to business, and relying on your subconscious to take over when you need it to.

Like the author, I am a big fan of Keith Johnstone's Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre, and very much agree with his idea of not trying too hard to say something witty, funny or off the wall (which makes "Friends" such a silly and implausible program) - that only leads you away from the seemingly trivial routines, exchanges and dilemmas that are the stuff of our life, and that are therefore what we are most able to identify with and most interested in exploring.

I like how the author is careful to qualify her advice, e.g. when *not* to improvise, and how she keeps everything solidly grounded in reality without over-idealizing. Although you can't put into practice everything she suggests all the time, and you'll sometimes forget some of the principles and lose focus, you can use the chapter titles as handy reminders. "Paying attention" is a chapter I especially took to heart, since it is so easy to lose oneself in one's work and use it as an excuse for not attending to other important things, like remembering people's names. Madson's thoughts on "making mistakes" were refreshing and insightful - mistakes are our most persistent and individualized teachers, and we should treat them with due respect rather than just knee-jerk embarrassment or shame. "Saying yes" is a basic starting point with much life-improving potential; it's so easy to be safe and conventional - and never get anywhere interesting. This book contains grains of gold collected over decades of trial and error, careful thought, and successes, in both improvisational theater and everyday life. It is our own loss if we do not avail ourselves of the long years of prospecting and panning others have already done for us.

This book is a great place to start learning about Therese. Includes the full text of the autobiography, and some supplementary material incl. a introduction to the autobiography and life of Therese and some of her letters and prayers. You can get much of this stuff online, but the book is a delight, with many pictures.

Therese is a very special person, and I recommend a familiarity with her beautiful soul.

Excellent book and in her own words unedited. Also a good little book on St. Therese is 'Heart of a Soul'. This book Iam reviewing is A MUST Read.

It is a well written, inspirational text. I really liked the historical aspects as well as the religious excerpts. Great book for anyone experiencing an ongoing illness. It helps to put the disease in perspective. :)

From her own words, we can see how this important and popular Catholic saint dedicated her life to the unconditional love of God. Through a life of simplicity and obedience, she came to be one of the most revered saints in the history of the Church. The book takes us from her childhood to her death and clearly outlines her path to sainthood. An inspiring and uplifting book for someone who already knows Therese of Lisieux, as well as for those interested in learning about her life and her "little way."

Rev. Thomas Taylor's early 20th century translation of the memoir of St. Therese of Lisieux was made from the only manuscript then available outside her monastery, one substantially rewritten by Therese's sister Pauline, who made five thousand changes. Scholars interested in the documents which gave rise to the cult of St. Therese may wish to consult it. I urge those who want to read what Therese wrote to read the third edition of "Story of a Soul" translated by Fr. John Clarke, OCD, and published by ICS Publications in 1976. The Clarke translation, made from the unretouched manuscript written by Therese (which was published in French only in 1956), is recognized as the standard throughout the English-speaking world. No other translation compares to it. Whether you have not read "Story of a Soul" or have read only earlier English translations (Taylor, Knox, Beevers), the Clarke translation will open the world of Therese to you. Don't miss it. You'll find it at Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux, Third Edition

This book requires more concentration than others to comprehend. However it is worth the effort. Am still reading and will reread again. We can explore other dimensions ourselves, given enough energy and correct techniques.

With a deep interest in Toltec philosophy, I purchased this book based on the reviews on Amazon. My initial reading along with my experiental unfolding of the content of the book, simply does not comport with the claims of others in the review section of Amazon. I have no malice against the author, nor do I wish to impugn his work. I am only reporting my experience. Within the context of my expereince, Lujan's book read as any novel might. As far as the book being a catalyst for non-ordinary states of perception - never happened for me. That is not to say the relative merit of the book is to be avoided. The only one that can make that judgement is you!

I will say that my most powerful experiences of the Toltec Teachings have mostly been driven by the work of Theun Mares and Carlos Castaneda. Both of whom stand alone in my view.

I am a long-term student of the study of consciousness, altered states, Castaneda (and his crew), Chi Kung, Gnosis, Lucid dreaming and meditation. These have allowed me to understand what it is like to objectify not only "external" reality, but also the various levels of the mind/personality, mainly and formost the EGO!

This type of inner objectivity will come and go, as consciousness moves in and out of it's phases of distraction and "waking sleep". This sleep and distraction cause us to lose track of the fact that we are unconscious psychologically when we are walking around with our eyes open daily or in bed snoozing. This means also being unaware of our reactions to our environment, impulses from other levels of the Universe and to our own inner workings.

Though i have done my best to remain vigilant and wakeful, when it comes to recognizing all of the shrouds to consciousness, moment-to-moment in my life, i have never recieved such an immediate boost (over the course of a week) to this ability (besides, occasional spontaneous inner experiences) as with the slow reading and digestion of the imagery created by this book .....imagery seems to be the key factor here. I now view my own inner activity in minute detail, and remember, when interracting with impressions from beyond me, that they are indeed that. I also keep a-mind that what we call "reality' is shifting cosmic dust, that i, less and less, need to be reactive to. This type of awareness also now naturally accompanies me on my way in and out of the sleep state, which i think will lead to breakthroughs in dream awareness, as i continue.

For those who have not responded to this work with changed perception, it may be due to not having a foundation for knowing what to look for.....otherwise it may be that they may already be "there"! There may also be a problem if you have trouble allowing imagery to unfold in your mind's eye.

I also have plans to accompany my reading with Carlos's Tensegrity/Magical Passes work. This, as well, has caused an immediate energetic response in me, after viewing the beginning of the Magical Passes disc, while casually trying only four of the basic movements......i can't even imagine what full-blown practice would produce! Having a strong prior foundation in Chi Kung (Qi Gong), may afford me an edge with this though.

Whether or not Castaneda and these guys are authentic, in the eyes of their critics, i have to say, personally, that they have truly hit upon something that carries monumental significance to our race. Why not try it before you trash it?

The Force is out there for us all.

Most of the 5 star reviews here are the ONLY reviews that the reviewers made.

What's up with that?!

I found the book to be well-intentioned while also rambling and perhaps a bit confused.

obviously the author is doing his best to convey his experiences through the written word and that is something to be commended. the allusion of the author's name to Castaneda's "don Lujan" is a bit comical.

Im quite fond of this book, I have read all the carlos castaneda books easily 30+ times, taken notes.. the works. This is definitly worth checking out if you have an interest in this type of thing, I find it to be much more practical. Im on the verge of buying a few more copies to give to my friends and family. Onward to infinity!