T Books

If you want help in understanding and helping your teen, read this book. I've read so many books in the past year on teens, parenting, depression, etc. and I gained some knowledge from them. But this book ALONE had the MOST helpful information on the best way for me to interact with my daughter, to listen to her, to understand more about her and to help her make better choices. I love the prayers and suggestions of how to pray for our children. It's an excellent book and I'd recommend it to anyone with a young child, pre-teen, teen or grandchild. It's been so helpful.

Some believe it's almost impossible to bridge the gap between adults and teens. But In Real Issues Real Teens, Suzanne offers parents practical, and Christian-based principles for bringing the two generations together. Through her own transparency as a parent, her personal work with teens, and through true, "live" interviews, Suzanne lets the reader hear the hurts, joys, and frustrations from a teen perspective. From sexuality to spirituality, she offers frank advice and communication that allow any parent to climb inside their teen's thoughts. A fearful ride? Maybe. But not an impossible one. And somehow, this author makes the trip easier. I love Suzanne's compassionate, yet authoritative manner. Where was this book when my kids were teens? This is a book for parents, youth workers, grandparents, and anyone who works with or knows teens. Suzanne's love and passion for teenagers show on every page.

EVERY parent needs a copy of this book! It is a powerful tool that will enhance your communication and relationship with your teen. I really urge every parent to read it.

a great book for teens...it seems the author has put much time anf thought into the book and seems to be great with teens...she must be a great mom!

I so wish I'd had this book when my kids were teens. It is so insightful and eye-opening. Every parent needs (I mean: needs!) to read this book.

Along with Moo, get this commentary! Schreiner is so solid and scholarly. I also have his work on 1,2Peter and Jude in the NAC. This NT scholar is so good.

His approach to scholarship reminds me of Dr. Moo. Both are really good. Schreiner does his own translation, and for me that is what makes this commentary so outstanding. If you appreciate adeptness in NT Greek, you'll appreciate this volume. But at the same time, Schreiner makes this simple enough for the person who doesn't understand NT Greek to get by.

This should be in every pastor's and anyone who's looking for the best work on Romans collection. Get this one!

This is a very good commentary on Romans. It is very well written and is clear and easy to understand. Great Reference material that can be used for years to come.

As someone who has done extensive work in Romans and is NOT a Calvinist, I have found Schreiner's volume to be the best all around commentary on Romans (not the best commentary on any book, however, as that would go to Schnackenberg's 3 volumes on John). He covers what you need to teach and to preach through the book.

While knowing Greek will certainly help one follow the author's arguments, he makes it easy enough to move past difficult material and get to the heart of the matter. Moo has a tendency to list multiple options and then pick one when it is unnecessary to list all the options due to a choice being obvious or else he does not list options at all when the choice is difficult. Schreiner avoids that problem by correctly majoring on the majors and minoring on the minors (with the exception of some issues at the end of Romans 8).

For Schreiner, this is certainly a step above his previous work and is much more readable than his book on Paul. The only Romans commentary I would rank ahead of this one is the incredible two volumes in the ICC by Cranfield, which is certainly not a series for those who do not know their languages.

Schreiner's Commentary is an excellent work when studying the book of Romans. Amazingly, he manages to retain a contemporary edge on such a difficult book of the Bible. His technical prowess comes forward as he examines significant words in the Greek and helps the reader to explore for the correct understanding. This work coupled with Douglas Moo's commentary on Romans are powerful technical resources for any pastor or theology student.

Schreiner's work is one of the most celebrated commentaries on Romans today. Schreiner's interaction with the Greek text and scholars alike is quite impressive. The author shows familiarity with Second temple literature as well. The work reflects the author's best achievement (See his theology of of paul, Paul, Apostle of God's glory in Christ). This is a commentary that seeks to be faithful to Scripture and ultimately celebrates the glory, majesty and excellency of Christ in the book of Romans.

One of the reasons we read is to remind us we are not ordinary. We are beautiful, complex, brilliant, and flawed at any given moment. Mary takes us deep into the parts of humanity we crave: the excitment of desire, the edge of fear, the loveliness of sorrow, the pull of longing, the danger of love, the disconnects...
She captures us with unique images and strong language and moves us toward a greater understanding of ourselves. Those of us who are seaching creativity are inspired.
We're all connected on this path--if only in imagination

Mary utilizes colorful phraseology in her deep and passionate verse. Her contemporary style evokes promise unlike those in similar fashion. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys avant-garde, thought inspiring poetry.

When reading Ms. Eastham's poetry I'm reminded of an impressionist or expressionistic painting. She uses words like an artist uses color. At times the ideas are clear and recognizable coming clearly into focus but more often this artist is not spelling out every detail for the reader. One has to use their imagination, creativity and experience as a human being here. These ideas take a moment to penetrate and sometimes require multiple readings in order to establish a connection. It's definitely an interesting read, one that will give you pause for thought.

Lovely, lovely words and feelings, images and emotion. Amazing writer you are, Mary. What an imagination and talent you have for moving your reader on a deep level.

"When asked to describe her childhood, she said it was like riding a bicycle through sand." Ahhhhhhh. Perfection.

Kissing Harrison sent me on a journey of emotion that comes from rich and authentic details. In the end, I ached for her lost love. Same with the title poem. Beauty, too. Loss and love, the two thematic threads tie the book together. Universal, thus evocative.

Undertones, deliberate? or not? hint at deeper themes. A man can't give her what she wants because another woman has already stolen his heart. hmmmmmmm

To love and to lose. Mary's book leaves me determined to live fully in love while thumbing my nose at the impending loss...

What a joy to find this book. Ms. Eastham has found the words for her heart. This is a lovely, special book of poetry that anyone who has thought they were living life will be surprised by. It touches in deep corners.

It is a fine interpretation of the Songs. I was looking for a little bit more of spirituality in it which I didn't find.

From a female perspective, there are times when nothing satisfies quite like really good chocolate. Over the years, I've done my share of research to find the perfect one: rich taste, silky texture, and only a trace of fat and carbohydrates. My search continues.

Similarly, some of us know that there is a longing in our hearts that only deep romantic love can satisfy. Fortunately, the One who placed that desire in our hearts has also given us His thoughts on romantic love, hidden in a Song so beautiful that some may wonder: can this kind of love possibly be real?

Respect, devotion, emotional and sexual intimacy, profound companionship, forgiveness granted and delights shared. All ideals we value in a romantic relationship. But while I value the quality of the ingredients and exquisite process of chocolate-making, what I really want to know is: if it is actually tastes that good, can I have a bite? I think many of us may have wondered if such a love might be too much to hope for.

Gifted and insightful author, Craig Glickman artfully answers these questions as he gently unveils the vision of the Songwriter's heart through Solomon and Shulamith's journey of love, passion and joy. He writes: "Could this much happiness be too much? More than they have a right to expect? Of course not. Their happiness is not about a right to expect but a gift to enjoy." This IS real. And just as exciting, it's not earned or achieved. This kind of love is a gift, and like a box of chocolates, its greatest purpose is to be enjoyed by those who receive it.

I am encouraged, even inspired. Whether you make it this summer's beach book or you read it curled up beside a warm fire, Solomon's Song of Love will encourage your heart to open and receive the love of your dreams.

Romance, passion, and intimacy. These are the landscapes of love and the longing of the heart. The beauty of this is seen in the Song of Solomon. Craig Glickman is a leading scholar on this remarkable Song, and in this new book weaves its hidden treasures into an understandable and enjoyable display. This book provides a clear vision of what real love between and man and woman can be, and what it should feel like. A must read!

This book unveils the mysterious and romantic Song of Songs, explaining its meaning with beautiful prose, and illustrating its message with touching stories. I have never felt more open to the beauty of romantic love than after reading this book.

This "work of art," as Dr. Paul Meier calls it, is a refreshing contrast to the dozens of Christian books that miss the romance. Many are simply ordinary sex manuals with Christian words sprinkled in, while others follow the format of the self-help, how-to guides that guarantee certain steps can "make love happen."

Solomon's Song of Love shows that love goes far beyond our ability to manipulate it. It is not simply our choice. It is also a gift. From God to us, and from us to each other. And it is filled with feelings of wonder and delight that are not illusory, as even some Christian writers have claimed.

I find Solomon's Song of Love refreshingly romantic!

Indiana Jones may have discovered the lost ark, but Dr. Craig Glickman has uncovered Solomon's lost treasure -- the meaning of the Song of Songs. Acting as expedition leader for this adventure, the author guides us through the Song's panorama of romantic wonder.

Buckle your seat belt for the ride! Whether by time travel to view love in ancient kingdoms -- from Sumeria to Egypt and beyond -- or by visits to the havens of poetry in Old Europe, or by excursions to Hollywood's romantic movies and love songs, I discovered secrets of the ancient world that explain the Song, and stories in the modern world that illuminate it.

If you've ever wondered what the Bible really says about sex, love and romance, you need to read this book. For centuries the Song has been shrouded in mystery. But now its breathtaking vision of love is unveiled. Love songs come from the heart and speak to the heart, and none have touched me more deeply than this mysterious Song.

I found out this book is still being sold by Amazon on their Canadian and U.K. websites (amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk). If you're in the U.S. you can order it from those sites, but the postage will be a little higher. There are lots of other Nick Butterworth books on those sites as well - some which you can't get on the U.S. site.

Great story rhythm. Pictures are charming, mixing the past with the familiar present items the children will recognize easily. Just the right mix of text and pictures. I read this to my son when he was 5 or 6 years old and when he could read, he read this by himself. Now I want to give my grandkids the chance to read and fall in love with this book, just like we did so many years ago. It is a classic!!

I bought The Lost Sheep and House Upon the Rock 15 years ago for my children. I have tried to find more of the books since I now have grandchildren. I was very excited to find The Stories that Jesus told. My grandson, 6, and I enjoy reading it every night when he comes for a visit. We love the humor and the illustrations! Please bring more of these books back. We want more.

Stories Jesus Told is a fantastic book with clever and humorous illustrations. It impacted me and my children through the stories and vivid illustrations. My kids just keep asking to hear the stories over and over again. That in itself speaks volumes. The stories gave me a deeper understanding of the spiritual principles Jesus taught in the scriptures.

I purchased several copies of this book years ago for my own children and to give as gifts. It is my godchild's favorite book to read at night. The familiar parables are given an amusing twist with illustrations which enhance the story line and strengthen the underlying lesson. I love this book for both the content and the illustrations and would love to see it reprinted.

This book has all the essential stretches for the entire body. Complete head to toe stretches. It also sorts out the stretches accourding to neck, legs, wrists, arms, etc. Not only does it sort those out for you, but it gives a list of stretches for those who sit, stand, and all other sorts of diffent activities. One downfall, believes in evolution. The author did not need to include her opinions that we used to come from apes that swing on trees. This view damages a man's identity. Ok exact quote, "Because human beings no longer hang from trees as we did when we were evolving from primates,...." Get rid of that evolution phylosophy. It has never been proven, and why some man wants to believe we were once some ape is beyond this person, or better yet, that we evolved from a rock that was rained on for billions of years; and somehow this rock came to life. Bunch of garbage if you ask me. Other than that, it is good for what it was designed for.

This is a great book for people who are just starting out with an exercise regimen as well as for people who are already active. I used this book to help me train for the Avon 3-Day Walk (60 miles in 3 days) and am proud to say that after doing the stretches in this book (even at the beginner level), I could walk 15-20 miles in a day and never have even shin splints. This is a great way to make exercise (relatively) painless.

These days physiotherapy is becoming rather specialized, with "sports therapists", "dance medicine", etc. Unfortunately, there's a lot of quackery mixed in with some half-useful advice.

"Stretch and Stengthen" is one of the few books on stretching I can give an unqualified recommendation. It was written before the Pilots/Yogurt craze, and manages to avoid all the goofy (and completely useless) mental imagery and holistic gibberish. The routines are comprehensive, thorough, and if followed regularly really will increase your flexibility without decreasing your brain cells.

She gives suggested routines for specific sports and specific problems. I have immense amounts of flexibility combined with insanely tight hamstrings and gait-related issues, and of course I have lower back problems. A combination of daily stretches from this book plus Thai massage has done wonders--I'm truly ache-free for the first time in over 20 years. (And I will also attest that one hasn't worked without the other.)

My only complaint is the book's organization. The routines are listed at the beginning of the book, but the actual stretches are scattered in an rather unorganized fashion throughout. I had to make copies of the individual routines so I didn't have to keep flipping through the book. Not a big deal, but a little annoying.

An easier way to deal with this is to list pointers from each routine to the next one. For example, if you're doing "the tight hamstring routine" the book would then list the next stretch in sequence. One of the other stretching books I've read (perhaps the Fitness stretch book, I'm not sure anymore) did this and it was a much better solution.

In any case, although it'll never be among the most popular stretching/fitness books because it doesn't have any brand-name power, it's really worth the money. It has the most stretches per dollar of any of the books I've read (plus the greatest variety--she even covers doing splits) and she does an excellent job of describing how to perform each stretch along with specific "troubleshooting" tips which I've found enormously helpful. I've read most of the recommended stretching books, and this one has stood out for me.

after 15 years and dozens of other stretching books judy alters books are the ones I use the most

I've just started looking at this book and the stretches really do seem effective. The descriptions are detailed and the program is very complete.

I wish it had photos of the stretches instead of drawn diagrams but this does not take away from the book.

All in all, definitely worth buying.

The quality of the book is great,many delightful color photos.The templates very easy to use.This is a keeper, it will not spend eternity gathering dust on my book shelf.It is a great asset for the never ending search for creativity and inseration.I only wish it was spiral bound.

I watched Simply Quilts on HGTV and thought the this was the book for me. In turning the pages I found myself dreaming of one project after another. I think what this book did for me is give me the confidence in my own choices and inspired me to create my own work of art.

This book is really good. It shows and explains things very well. I was in a group of people doing a class with this book and templates. It went well. Everyone's was different. And no one was having any problems understanding how it all worked. :)

I've now made two quilts from this book. Everyone who sees them is amazed at the seeming complexity and beauty of the designs and the interplay of the colors. I was always intimidated by sewing curves, but this method makes it simple and fairly foolproof. But I was most surprised by how much fun it was. I found myself literally running from the cutting table to the design wall to try out various placements for each block. I've been quilting for less than four years and the projects went together exactly as described in the book. Follow the directions and you'll be amazed with what you can do.

I have seen several wallhangings made from this book and the other Strips N Curves version and they are stunning. Each quilt is unique and leaves you looking into them for a long time trying to figure out how they did that. I haven't made one yet but am going to.
sincerely, LP

Town House by Tish Cohen is a light, funny, interesting novel about how our man, Jack Madigan, a famous rockstar's only son, deals with hurt and painful memories he can't leave, can't escape and seems to not want to. He is locked into the town house with them, and this he does completely willingly, except for his problem, he is an agoraphobic (no that does not mean a fear of spiders). He is completely unable to go outside without taking a heavy medication, which lately isn't even doing the trick. Jack's time in the town house is father left him is coming to an end, he needs to sell the house since he is not keeping up with the payments. Will he be able to leave the house and find a job? Will he be able to keep his house?

Two women in his life push and shove him to break through his fears( his naive Realtor, and his precocious neglected 8-year-old next door neighbor girl), but he constantly lets them down. He can't help them if they are standing outside his house, and how can a friendship stand strong when it seems so one-sided at times?His son Harlan, an amazing kid with a true loving heart, is slowly loosing hope for his father. He is a teen, a teen should not be seen with a father who cannot leave the house except to get dizzy, create a scene and embarrass his son (or so Harlan thinks!!!)

Well, read it!! Town House is a perfect book that is not as silly as chick lit, and has much more substance...but it also is very funny. Jack the main character is full of sarcasm, and he will draw you right in, and you will love him, at least I do. So, if you are looking for a book in between reading Tolstoy and Henry James, this is it. The quality is there, the lightness and humor are there as well, and yet it is completely quirky and real. Dive in!

Quotes from the book:

" No, the rood of your problem lies in your lack of a stable childhood home. Lack of parenting. Lack of a solid family life. Your father was and obsessive -compulsive with olfactory issues who left you to sleep in a Coca-Cola crate" (p. 21).

" Harlan would be much better off with his mother, Jack thought. Hell, he'd be better off with this Yale guy, who takes all the vitamins. Only the most selfish of fathers wouldn't see this" (p. 62).

"This house has turned you into a prisoner. It being sold is, like the best thing that could ever happen to you. And me! Let's get the hell out of it!" (p. 81).

"It was all so delicate, so temporary, this thing called life. One minute this was your world; the next minute it was gone" (p. 249).

My mother heard I was thinking of moving into a Boston townhouse, and she sent me this book as a sort of warning, for Tish Cohen lays out all too clearly the perils of getting settled into a town house, no matter how spacious and airy. In this way, the book is rather like the forthcoming Dale Peck novel, in which a young boy who inherits an entire New York brownstone mansion, soon finds himself climbing the walls with loneliness (THE GARDEN OF LOST AND FOUND). Cohen's treatment is rather different, for she mixes the whimsical with the deadly and dangerous disease (or neurosis I suppose) people call "agoraphobia," where you never want to go outside. Jack Madigan has it made, the son of a famous rock star, and the father of a handsome teenage son Harlan, he has it all on the outside, but for him, there is no outside, it is a spooky and unimaginable world to which, as it happens, he has now lost his lovely wife Penelope who, or so it seems from the outset, has just about given him up for there are some people who just don't understand those of us who hesitate before lesving the house.

I heard the author of SEABISCUIT, Laura Hillebrand, recommend this book on one of those NPR radio chat shows where famous authors give tips on what's new and deserving. Hillebrand, as many know, herself is a real life victim of agoraphobia and despite that she did what Tish Cohen has done, built up a whole world out of a place where she has never been.

If asked what the book is like, I would pause and then reply that it is sort of a cross between ABOUT A BOY and PANIC ROOM. It would be a great movie with Hugh Grant and Jodie Foster! And some cute little girl like the one who played Foster's daughter in PANIC ROOM. There's also a good part for a realtor, someone like oh, Thelma Ritter used to play. Dorrie Allsop, the realtor in charge of selling the town house, provokes the crisis in Jack's life, by making him realize that even the safest refuge isn't always the best option in life. A funny chapter shows her perplexed when the ad she puts up describing the town house, that read, "Shelves in Cellar," is altered by the compositors so it looks like "She Lives in Cellar," and people reading the ad stop and say, "Who lives in the cellar?"

It's also a little bit like LOVE ACTUALLY (also with Hugh Grant), but with a Canadian twist. (Although set in the USA, it has some Canadian locutions that give it a strange, though welcome, freshness.

Town House is an amazing story by Toronto author Tish Cohen, whom I met in June with authors Patry Francis and Jennifer McMahon. Not only did Tish write her book in three and one half-weeks, (it WAS fully plotted - but, still - that is an amazingly fast write - even for a writer who writes, as Tish does - everywhere - (on the keyboard or on scraps of paper scrawled while grocery shopping) she soon sold Town House to Fox movies.


Ridley Scott has been signed as the producer; Doug Wright as the screenwriter.

Tish told me recently in an email that filming is slated to begin in Boston in January.

NEWS FROM THE AUTHOR, (Tish herself!)We've had some nice film news--John Carney, who directed the much-acclaimed indie film, ONCE, has signed on to direct Town House. ONCE won at Sundance, it's a great film that's getting a lot of Oscar buzz.


Tish has a fantastically creative and quirky style. That is one reason her book sold so quickly. Another reason? I have no idea. But hum a few bars for me or give me the recipe and I'll try my hand...Hmm. Maybe not. Tish is sui generis, a unique author with a unique story to tell.

On to Tish's book. Admittedly, an agoraphobic herself, Tish's main character, Jack Madigan, is also agoraphobic. He lives in the house his dead, rock-star legend father, Baz Madigan, left in his will.

(This fictional house and the cover of the book is a Boston Town House, the subject of the book. Once upon a time, Tish fell in love with Boston when she was here for a conference. She skipped the conference but toured Boston with its fabulous history, culture, and architecture.)


Like Jack's life, the house is a once-glorious enterprise now in near ruins. Yet, Jack is still way too good looking for his own good and is fast spending the inheritance from his father's royalties. However, in Town House, like in real life, once the money runs out, it becomes time to pay the piper. Jack must negotiate his way through many characters in this fast-paced story. The bank is threatening to foreclose; the ex-wife wants to take their son to California - and a maddening girl next door keeps barging in on his life. Then there is the matter of the real estate agent.

So Jack turns to his ingenuity to save his mortgage, his sanity and his son. And to venture out into the real world beyond his front door. This is a comic read in the best sense - zany characters who seem too nutsy to be real and yet they are characters you recognize as your own neighbors (or, possibly as yourself).

* * *

Excerpt:

This is from the Prologue:

"The pills clung to the bottom of Baz's dry tongue like barnacles. He held his breath, waiting for the nurse's tyrannical bosom to swing away and lead her downstairs, toward the street where her teenage son was waiting, or honking rather, in his shiny new '78 Pinto.

"Swallow," said the nurse, narrowing her eyes.

He opened his mouth to show his empty tongue. "Were you always this bossy?" One of the pills struck the underside of his tongue stud.

"Only with the sneaky ones."

The Pinto beeped again.

"Go ahead, Louisa." Baz's words hung, wafer-thin and dusty, in the stale air of his bedroom. He closed his eyes and swallowed, sending trickles of pain across his temples and down his neck. "I'm going to sleep until Francine comes up with my dinner."

"How that fine woman ever birthed a wretch like you, I'll never know." She gathered his mane into a loose ponytail and stuffed it down his T-shirt. "Your hair smells nice today."

Baz cracked one eye open as she lifted the leather jacket from his shoulders and replaced it with a soft guilt. Having assured himself she wasn't mocking him, he glanced up to admire the giant Bazmaniacs logo on the back of the battered jacket as she hung it on a chair - right next to his Fender Stratocaster electric guitar and three framed gold records."

And from Chapter 1:

" Jack Madigan squeezed his eyes shut. Hard. He wasn't going to cry over this. There were exactly three events in his thirty-six-year-old memory that had brought him to tears, typically life-splintering events; such as his father dying on him while he was away at a sleepover; his son, Harlan, bursting - squalling an bawling - out of the womb and into his heart; and his ex-wife sashaying out the front door of the old Boston town house and wishing Jack a good life.

She'd forgotten the tweezers."

* * *

So will Jack be able to find love? Save his house and child? Venture outside into the real world? All that will become evident in the final chapters of this MUST read!

Although this is a novel, it has the ring of truth throughout. Imagine trying to save your home and maintain sanity and stability while battling agoraphobia (for those not in the know, this is a phobia which makes it nearly impossible for sufferers to leave their homes without feeling extreme anxiety,including panic attacks).

What I found amazing about this book was the humor inherent in a very difficult situation. Jack Madigan has lived within his home in an old townhouse along with his son, a cat and his wife. His wife left him and s already planning her marriage. Whenever Jack tries to leave his home, he has panic attacks, a particular type which causes him to feel dizzy, head spinning,unable to stay upright. While this could be milked for far more drama, I liked the rather wry take Jack has on his condition, even as his son expresses a mixture of emotions, from resentment to compassion to shame.

Of course, nothing stays the same, not even in a seemingly controlled environment and the world comes crashing in on Jack. His income dries up and the townhouse is put up for sale, pressuring him to face the reality of change - and far more change than simply stepping outside his door, something he finds difficult unless he is extremely angry- and even then, his anger generally wears off quickly and he is panicky again. To add to the mix, his real estate agent is a quirky person who is quite chatty, often overwhelming or baffling Jack. But there is more to her than meets the eye.

I thought the author managed to convey the particular traits of agoraphobia quite well, although there are many types and varieties of this condition. Some people can make it outside their home, within a certain area of safety. Jack has a far more severe form than those people, finding it impossible to even step outside to pick up a dead bird. He is known as a "hermit" by many in the neighborhood, even taunted by children.

Few anxieties are cookie cutter imitations of others and depend on the person, their will, their biochemistry and other factors. For those who find the novel a bit contrived or can't relate to Jack's quirkiness, I hope you'll find the writer's style unique enough to balance anything that seems a bit pat. For those who are prone to anxiety and panic, they may find some comfort in a book which acknowledges the realities in a far more accepting and matter of fact way than you might expect.

There's Jack, the agoraphobic son of a late rock star. Dorrie, the ditzy real estate agent whose strategy to try to sell a house is to point out its every flaw. Mrs. Brady, a one-eyed male cat. Lucinda, the girl next door who dreams of becoming an ice skater and barges into Jack's kitchen--and life. These are the characters who populate Town House, Tish Cohen's debut novel.

But Ms. Cohen has done more than simply give us a bunch of quirky characters trying to make the best in less than favorable circumstances. She makes the reader care for them--as flawed as they are. Lucinda is one of the loveliest and most unforgettable characters of any book I've read in a very long time--she made me laugh, she almost made me cry, and at the end I was sorry to say goodbye to her.

Town House is the rare thing: a novel that makes you laugh, breaks your heart, and remains with you long after you've read the last page.

First, please ignore the odd review of this wonderful book from Publishers Weekly and follow the reviews of the other readers of this book who have given John's book 5 stars. I have seen John Welshons in person at workshops and he is in every sense the real deal. He is one of the most patient and loving people I have ever come across and he has a unique ability to address every questioner in a caring and direct manner. I have given copies of John's first book to many people who have experienced a loss in their lives and they have always thanked me for the gift. They also recognize that "Awakening From Grief" is not just a book about death, but very much a book about life. I hope you will all give this book a chance to serve you in your quest for love and happiness.

John Welshons has written another fantastic book! In an easy to read, compassionate and nonjudgemental manner, the author urges the reader to try to look at the way life is and not how we each believe it should be. A scholar of the world's religions, he draws on traditions from both the East and West. While the book does deal with different types of prayer, I think its appeal is much broader than those interested in theology. It is a book about how to find joy by understanding what is truly important. I recommend it as a gift to anyone you want to help find more joy in their lives!

A book I can pick up at any time to get an inspirational lift. Filled with such tenderness, compassion and lots of hope when so hard to find when carrying such a heavy heart. As fate would have it, When Prayers Aren't Answered came out to the bookstores it was like the book was written to match my life for the past five years as the same with John's first book Awakening From Grief. Once you start reading you will not want to put it down. I highly recommend reading it. John Welshons books are my Beacon of Light..

I definitely recommend this book. I love it because it considers all religious beliefs, and it makes quite clear that we are like little children in our love to God. If He doesn't give us what we want then we desert him and loose him all along, while the challenge is to love God and be connected with Him either He gives us what we want or not. Most of the time for our best.

A question answered even for me, who doesn't per se believe in a God that is a controlling entity outside of ourselves. Remembering that every moment can be a prayer - not necessarily seeking something to get, but an intuitive way to be so that cosmic guidance and positive attitude become a way of life and the answer is within ourselves.

I've yet to read the whole book but expect that it is as good an inspiration as Welshons previous book, Awakening From Grief, which carried me through the passing of my father, and a year later, the passing of my mother. I found Awakening From Grief to be more of a guide to living correctly than a way to just cope with death.

Great job Frank. Very glad you were able to make it home. The title says it all. Thanks very much for the autographed copy via you golf buddy Luis.

Take care, Jon

In life we regard a hero as someone who has done something great. For example Michael Jordan is a hero to many because of his basketball prowess. In life there's another kind of hero and Frank Anton is one of those.

An extreme pleasure to read the words of a man who spent over five years in the worse kind of hell imaginable, a POW in Viet Nam. Anton's book is more than words on paper it's a living testimony to those who served.

Follow along and you'll find yourself living out the horrific condition he was subjected to. You read about Bobby Garwood and how he turned on his fellow prisoners. Most of all you stop to catch your breath.

From the depths of despair to the ecstasy of coming home, Frank Anton shows that heroes don't always make a thunderous entrance. In fact, those that survived and those left behind are the real heroes. 10 Stars!

This book is quite different from what folks might come to expect from a "war" book. This story brings the raw truth of the personal account of being a soldier and captured. I agree with another reviewer that this account is completely different in that it is about an Army pilot being imprisoned in South Vietnam before being sent up the Ho Chi Minh trail to the North. The years of endurance and emotional drain are hard to even imagine. And then, in the end, find out that your military knew of your locations and only took your picture! Hanoi Jane could do no worse. I served with a sister unit of the 71st in the 178th Boxcars at Chu Lai and was in country when Frank was captured(though we didn't know it that time}. I was getting ready to go home in just a few weeks - Frank's tour got extended by 5 years. Sorry Frank, if we knew where you were it would have been different or we would have been dead. I have the highest respect for this story, the truth, Frank and all the POWs who served their country but the "higher ups" could have done alot more to help but choose only to "observe" instead of have the guts the POWs did. Read this book and put yourself in Frank's shoes and you would ask the same question he did - AND he's right!

This is a powerful book that gets to the heart of what it was like to have been a POW in the jungles of South Vietnam. Anton's account is a remarkable account; a gut-wrenching story that will take you to the edge on a very real nightmare, teach you something about perseverence, and give you hope. It is a story that must be included in any war books you have on your shelves. I urge you to buy this book.

In January of 1968, helicopter pilot Warrant Officer Frank Anton was shot down in Southern Vietnam and spent 5 years in captivity. Many prominent books have been written of U.S. POW's in Hanoi's prisons but this story is a riveting look at POW's held in prison camps in Southern Vietnam which may have been worse.

Frank Anton has written a very detailed and graphic account of severly brutal conditions and treatments he and others suffered at the hands of the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong. For 3 of his 5 years in confinement in the south (he spent time in 4 different camps), he weaves a harrowing tale of torture, starvation, non-existent medical treatment, disease, and barbarity suffered by prisoners. He further adds that during his confinement, he was witness to many Americans dying in the camps and also of betrayal and enemy collaboration by one of their own.

After 3 years of confinement in the south, Anton and the surviving members of his camp, in an incredible display of courage, strength, and determination, are forced to march on foot for an astonishing 6 months to one of Hanoi's prison camps known as the Plantation. For an additional 2 years, this was Anton's new home before being released from captivity in 1973.

Upon arriving home, Frank Anton was debriefed by the military and he eventually found out, to his dismay and horror, that our government know exactly where he was the entire time he was being held and that no serious attempts were considered to rescue him or his fellow soldiers.

In the last chapter of this book, which is absolutely astonishing, you will find out why no attempts were made to rescue many POW's. Additionally, you will learn the current fate of large numbers of POW's that were left behind and are currently unaccounted for in Vietnam. This information is highly disturbing and tragic and paints a very callous and unscrupulous portrait of our government with their regard to our missing servicemen.

This book is exceptionally good and comes highly recommended. As a side note, Pfc Robert Garwood (possibly the most notorious U.S. POW collaborator of the Vietnam war) is featured prominently in parts of this book. For those interested in the complete story of Robert Garwood, you would be well rewarded by reading "Conversations With The Enemy: The Story of Pfc Robert Garwood" by Winston Groom and Duncan Spencer.