Works Books

This small book is basically a small concordance that covers the basic scriptures on almost every subject (God's promises, promises for salvation,promises for spiritual growth,promises for your personal needs, promises for various relationship and eternal future), with some warmly advice written in between by the famous MWS. It makes a great gift to new christians and and to students that are graduating from h.s. or college.

This is just a wonderful book.......I recommend it to anyone who is a Michael W. Smith fan

Michael W. Smith's book Friends are Friends Forever focuses on growing friendships that will glorify God. He uses Scripture throughout the book to back up his opinions and advice with God's Word. Smith tells stories of his own experiences and friendships to encourage Godly relationships among his readers. Excellent gift for a good friend in the Lord.

This book was the next to best book I have ever read. (The best being the Bible) I recomend that everyone read this book. It tells about real stories that for me hit close to home. If you know of a teen that is in trouble be a friend and give them this book.

This book is very easy to read and it's contents are excellent food for thought. The ideal gift for a young person or someone graduating high school or college. The main part of the book is a section of Biblical promises for every situation imaginable and it is punctuated with notes by Michael W Smith, who is gifted when it comes to writing for young people. His advice and recounting of experiences he's faced are simple but profound, and very down to earth.

I was also very impressed with the presentation page at the front and autographs section at the back of the book. Definitely one to put on the shopping list!

For those desiring a 'meat & potatoes' study of the Middle Way, this is an excellent book.

Nagarjuna: Theory and Practice

Nagarjuna was a philosopher of unparalleled excellence, both in the East and the West, and Garfield has presented his Mulamadhyamakakarika with clarity, competence and coherence. If you like philosophy, and are a serious spiritual seeker with an inclination for The Perennial Philosophy, then this book is for you. However, you will need determination and perseverance to finish this book, for it will take you six months to a year to master its contents.

Here is a sample of Nagarjuna's tactics. He begins by attacking causality. He dissects causality down to its root premises (a thing is caused by itself, by another, by both, or has no cause) and then he closely scrutinizes those root premises and demonstrates that none of them possess any "potency", or power, to force, stimulate, compel, oblige, constrain, drive, make or cause anything to come into existence. Therefore, they are "empty". That is, they have no inherent self-nature or essence to affect anything else. They are like Mother Hubbard's cupboard, there is nothing there. Therefore, if the causes are "empty", the thing created is "empty". But all that is theory.

But what about in practice?. Reading this book will change your thinking. You will unconsciously become a Skeptic, and will not be aware of the state of your own mind until you ponder an issue found in Nagarjuna's treatise. Only then will you realize that you are stuck between three equally unsatisfactory propositions "Things exist", "Things do not exist" and "Things both do and do not exist." Not to worry though. You will be experiencing precisely what Nagarjuna intended.

Garfield specifically declares Nagarjuna's intention, page 314, "This, of course, is the key to the soteriological character of the text: reification is the root of grasping and craving and hence of all suffering. And it is perfectly natural, despite its incoherence. By understanding emptiness, Nagarjuna intends one to break this habit and extirpate the root of suffering."

Next to the Heart Sutra (Maha Prajna Paramita Hridaya Sutra), one of the most important writings for Mahayana Buddhists, and this is a good translation and commentary (there is Ocean of Reasoning, but that is way, way too massive and far more than what is necessary). Stick with the basics and simplicity, I always say. For a book of this magnitude, pick this one. You'll have enough to study while still coming to grips with its message.

i have not studied all of nagarjunas logic carefully in this book, it seems that he is arguing for the underlying emptiness of all things on the basis of his assumption of dependent or mutual arising. perhaps its a bit more complicated than this though. a cup of tea is not a cup of tea in itself. nor does the teabag have any individual or inherent identity, rather the teabag is a collection of collections without any individuality. just as my finger is a collection of cells, so a teabag is a combination of dependent things. infact he believes that everything depends on the presence or absence of something else. tea leaves depend on the presence of tanins, flavins, cells, maturation, drying, there is nothing inherently existent that could be called the individuality of the teabag. this of course defies common sense, but is reasonable. why cannot a collection be at one and the same time an individuality. ie one in many, or many as one. such an argument though would be contrary to nagarjunas thrust, which is to emphasise the existence of emptiness through dependence. ie everything that is dependent has no individual uniqueness (or soul) since all individuals are merely collections.

i am still studying nagarjuna, it seems that a statement such as "walker is not the same as walking, nor is it different from walking" can be argued any way which can. "walker is not the same as walking, if it were how could the two be told apart, nor is walker different from walking, or otherwise there would be walking without walker." it could be argued on the grounds of oneness that walker and walking are one and the same, that structure and function are inseperable. you could just as easily say that walker is the same as walking and that is why there isnt walking without walker. if nagarjuna says that legs are not the same as arms because they can be told apart he is right, because they can be told apart, but wrong because arms and legs are all part of one body and cannot be separated. so paradoxically one can say that walker and walking are not the same, but one can also say that they are the same (the same body/oneness).

it can be argued that walker is walking, walker is not walking, and as nagarjuna says walker is not the same as, nor different from walking. infact whatever you seek to prove, if you are clever enough, you can prove it. this is the nature of reason and logic. a donkey that is lead by the carrot of the person who possesses it.

i find his logic is clear (it is)infact, it is pure genius, but as with all logic one has to realise that at this moment logic is thoroughly illogical. though perhaps when he wrote it was thoroughly logical. logic being logical? logic being illogical? two sides of the same coin. if logical can be illogical why discuss something as important as emptiness using logic? this defies a common understanding of nagarjuna, unless of course he wished to impress buddhist emptiness upon the minds of the common people. or, perhaps he really did believe in the immutable logos (reason) of plato. that insoluble all pervasive notion of truth. personally i see that reason has its uses (many of them groundbreaking and earth shattering), but can often be used to say what you want, especially when it comes to philosophy.

i find the argument for emptiness grounded in dependent arising 'can' be compelling, or not compelling. its just how you approach it. in that a collection does not necessarily indicate an individuality, it could be seen as a collective, for example a sea sponge colony 'may' have no singular conscious individuality as the colony as a whole, but then a human being is a collection with a consciousness . but as i see it, dependent arising could be used as a proof against emptiness just as much as a proof for it. i believe that the buddha would have days where he took time out from such an approach, that is he would respect the agile logical display of nagarjuna, but have said "not on mondays nagarjuna" (but only if you dont mind my friend).

i dont think that the buddha was about dogmatising certain concepts and words such as emptiness, as useful as they may be. even freedom can become an obstacle to relationship and his word "liberation" can be in buddhism taken to mean many different things. it may just be that mental freedom and freedom from suffering are synonymous. emptiness is representative of water and air, but one should not forget the presence of fire, or gold (earth)(male elements)that are representative of fullness/form. to argue away form for emptiness seems unbalanced. just as to argue away emptiness for form would be unbalanced, though it may be an interesting excercise (and not too difficult). infact rising to the challenge if one looks in minute detail/huge magnification at an area of space one will find it a quantum soup, and not nearly as empty as one expected. infact buddha is implacable when he says emptiness is form for this could imply that there is no emptiness, only form. or visa-versa one could argue that all is empty.

i have also read nagarjunas, i think its called the flower garland, which was less a discussion of emptiness and logical proof for such, though his approach in the middle way comes across in this book too. no, i remember now its called the discourse of the precious flower garland.

i realise that my comments on nagarguna's mulamadhyamakakarika may seem disrespectful regarding the buddhist saint, and have no desire to show disrespect, but i do feel that all in all, though brilliant his arguments are not compelling ground for emptiness. this is because i am aware of the bias behind reason. there are other ways to illustrate emptiness. the buddhas "emptiness is form" for example is a much clearer statement of anti-logic, that i find very elegant. also the prescence of the zero in any effective numerical system requires a hypothetical emptiness.

i have no doubt that in the original tongue nagarjuna was a marvellous poet, sadly this does not come across in this translation or in "verses from the centre" a different translation of the same work. perhaps, in his poetic form his genius would have shone out as much as it does from his rational genius.

this is an interesting book to read, a fascinating insight into the mind of an early buddhist saint and an example of how one can use logic to prove anything, even that which intuitively seems almost impossible. but personally i dont feel it tells me anything, other than showing patterns of logic, which are a useful thing to aquire. i must say though that i am 'astonished' by the mans logical dexterity.

i would have found nagarjuna more interesting if he had tried to prove the existence of form and balanced this with a proof for the existence of emptiness. for in truth it is not balanced to prove the existence of emptiness without proving the existence of form. and you cannot prove the existence of emptiness without proving the existence of form, for emptiness is form. it can be argued that all is emptiness, but it can also be argued that all is form. whatever you look for is whatever you find. such is the nature of reality. seek and you will find.

infact... making things fun, and killing the buddhas word, i would say that "form is not emptiness, form is form" is just as true as "emptiness is form". this is the buddas freedom. playing with logic, one does not take reason too seriously on mondays, but... aah, on tuesdays it is profoundly important.

thank you nagarjuna for the encouragement you have given many.

love, flakey xxx.

Before you stare at a wall to practice suchness, you may want to spend some time acquainting yourself with this philosophical presentation that justifies your practice.

It will be no easy task. Both Nagarjuna's text and Garfield's commentary are challenging: I'm sure that would be true for the Western philosophers Garfield's commentary is targeted to and it certainly was for me as a lay person. But I persisted in what often seemed repetitious and tedious to find enough interspersed wisdom to make my patient reading worthwhile. This is not a book I could comfortably have browsed. Without Garfield's commentary, I might have quickly read over Nagarjuna's verses and believed I had understood much of it. Despite much that seemed cryptic, I'd have thought myself well educated in dependent origination, impermanence, emptiness, the self and other key Buddhist concepts. But, if I did that, I may have missed about 99% of what Garfield found therein.

A Sanskrit text by Nagarjuna translated into Tibetan and then into English by Garfield. A commentary informed by a tradition of Tibetan teachings. Understandings which may enrich one's meditation ... on emptiness. It is humbling to consider that Nagarjuna composed his verses in India about the 2nd century A.D. Such a thorough and penetrating analysis must have resulted from many challenges from others. That it holds up is something worth ... experiencing as one reads Nagarjuna and Garfield.

Nagarjuna's text is presented by itself, then again interspersed wihin Garfield's commentary. Garfield proceeds very precisely, keeping his interpretations closely tied to the verses at hand. Together they offer a tour de force in Buddhist philosophy. If you read this book and later hear someone say, as if it were a complete thought, that the self is an illusion, you should understand much better what the too often unstated context for such a statement is.

There are many valuable lessons: about the lack of inherent existence, interdependence, conventional and ultimate truth, dependent origination of all phenomena, the emptiness of even emptiness, even dependent origination as dependently originated, reification, of the self as a conventional designation. There are conclusions I found profound such as that "the conventional nature of conventional entities and their emptiness are one and the same". That "to say of a thing that is dependently arisen is to say that its identity as a single entity is nothing more than being the reference of a word", i.e. that its identity "depends upon verbal convention". Do I follow that? One problem may be that at the time I read such lines I may think I do but a short while later, I've lost it. This is not a book I would want to be tested on anytime soon after finishing it. I don't know when I will be ready for such a test. The answers may not be found through further study of the text and commentary but through meditation ... or perhaps some of both.

I recommend going back over after a first reading and making notes. Even then, it may take ... years ... lifetimes? ... for everything taught in here to sink in, but the intent is to enable you to internalize the teachings presented here through meditation so that it becomes more than philosophy but a way to live. A tall order but that is what Buddhist meditative practice, properly understand, seems to be.

I do feel I understand better from this reading, if only a little better, why meditation seems warranted. Being a less confused about that seems worthwhile.

The End for Which God Created the World represents the core of Jonathan Edwards's thought. Edwards's thesis is this: God designed everything to revel in his glory, and he desires for us to take joy in his magnificence. What's more, those who enjoy God will enjoy him with ever-increasing joy for all eternity. Isn't that a breathtaking thesis?

Edwards marshalls huge amounts of scriptural evidence to support his claim, and, as always, he brilliantly answers philosophical objections against what the scriptures reveal about the matter. His writing throughout is penetrating, perceptive, persuasive, and deeply worshipful.

I think John Piper's goals in his contribution to this work were to whet the reader's appetite for the feast of The End for Which God Created the World and to make the work more accessible to the average reader. He succeeds in both respects. After reading Dr. Piper's introduction I was eager to plow forward, and, while reading The End . . ., I found Dr. Piper's explanatory footnotes helpful.

The End for Which God Created the World is a majestic work, and I am grateful that John Piper took the time to re-introduce it to the general public. May God use this humble offering from Jonathan Edwards's pen to help our tragically parched world find the living water flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb!

This book recovers a much needed perspective for the evangelical church-- the importance of theology (what we believe about God) and intimacy (how well we know God). Too often, we get caught in the middle, in methodology (how we do things). Most books, most conferences, etc., deal with "how" instead of the other, more pertinent issues, which Piper relays from Edwards in this book. (I see this most often in the "church growth" movement-- where pastors all get together, go to conferences, and seek to copy what's working in some other place in the country, rather than struggling to know God in the present.)

J.Edwards was one who, according to Piper, was steeped in both theology and piety-- both, without neglect the other. Theology without intimacy leads to cold, dry orthodoxy. Yet, intimacy without theology often has no moorings... no depth...

The book is challenging... and will stretch you to move beyond simply copying the methods of others (whether you're a church leader or whatever) and get back to the God you know and relating to that God as you seek to know Him and make His glory known.

The book is in two parts. The second part of the book is an essay by Jonathan Edwards called, "The End for which God created the World." Edwards lived in the 18th century and was a careful and brilliant thinker. Needless to say, the essay is very tough read. I tried reading it slowly and carefully, but I gave up and decided to read it in normal mode. I plan to go back in a year and try it again. The essay needs to be digested slowly with multiple readings. Piper has added many footnotes to help guide the reader through the more difficult passages.

The first part is Piper getting you prepared emotionally and physically for the intellectual climb. He does an excellent job of encouraging the reader to make the climb for the view is great from the top.

The book is worth reading even if you don't understand it. It helps bring into focus all of Piper's writings.

This is a solid, powerful, stunning, and most biblical text from both Jonathan Edwards and John Piper. This book includes Edward's essay titled "The End for Which God Created the World," along with comments and further delineation from John Piper. To read Edwards sometimes takes much concentration and hard work, and Piper has done a great job bringing this work to life.

The first part of the book is an introduction to Edwards's work, by Piper (a sort of commentary, if you will), and the later part is the actual work of Edwards's. Piper begins by expressing his concern about the issue at hand, and then leads into a discussion of not only Edwards's life but his work as well. Piper comments on Edwards's conclusions in relation to Piper's concerns in his current ministry and then allows the reader to take what Piper has discussed and make application of it through Edwards's original work.

The thing I find most interesting about this work is its relevancy. What I mean by this is the fact that Edwards's wrote this work 200+ years ago and it is still pertinent to our own culture today (sure proof that the Truths of God endure forever). This is a great text, solid theology, and extremely relevant reading for today. I heartily recommend this work!

This is a general comment on Piper's books. I deeply appreciate the work of John Piper--especially his emphasis on missions and on living God-centered, Christ-exalting lives of worship. And I am Augustinian, so I love Piper's theology and am thrilled that he has become so popular. But I do want to provide a warning. Piper's main emphasis is (and you'll read this over and over again) "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied (or delighted) in Him." This is a biblical and wonderful proposition that Piper became aware of through the writings of Jonathan Edwards. To Edwards, this proposition was one small part of his theology.

But Piper has taken this idea, which he calls "Christian Hedonism," and built his whole life and ministry around it. The problem is that if you read enough Piper, you will begin to focus on the FEELING of being delighted in Christ, rather than on Christ Himself. And when your feelings don't match what you want them to be, you will become disheartened. (And let's face it, few of us have the emotional intensity of John Piper.) At that point, your feelings (of being delighted in God) become the object of your desires and, thus, an idol. Yes, they are feelings TOWARD God--but those feelings are NOT GOD. And when the focus of your life has become your emotions, it has deceptively become an idol.

I know Piper fights against this tendency. But I'm afraid he is often unsuccessful. The fact is, the Christian life is not going to be one of unending joy in God. Read the Psalms to see how often the psalmists cry out in agony and desperation and sadness to the Lord. Read Romans 7 to find out how tough and discouraging the Christian life can really be.

According to Piper, our happiness in God should be the driving motivation in our life. But when Christians are inevitably not overflowing with delight in God, then under Piper's framework, the only solution is to seek that feeling of joy rather than just do our duty. There are times when duty and obligation (which Piper hates) are the only motivations for the Christian to be obedient and live a life of faith. I agree wholeheartedly with Piper that delight in God is a much better motivation for the Christian than duty. But when that delight is not there, we still must be faithful and obedient, and we can't always wait on our feelings to drive us on toward the prize.

Read Piper's books. And enjoy his passionate and Christ-exalting preaching. But beware and repent when your emotions--rather than the Triune God Himself--become the focus of your life.

I couldn't put this book down. I read it at the perfect time for me. I've studied and taught the Bible for decades from a Christian viewpoint, but I've always been drawn to the connection between Judaism and Christianity. This curiosity has led me to spend more and more time in the Old Testament, or Tanach. This book is the account of another Christian Bible student with a similar attraction to Jewish thought; however, Dickson went directly to the source and attended regular study sessions at a local synagogue. Through this book I have been stretched intellectually and spiritually in ways that are brand new to me. My resolve to learn more on these subjects is stronger than ever. I've even signed up for Hebrew lessons at a local synagogue. I am excited about the possibilities of future spiritual growth as I dig deeper into the Scriptures revered by Jesus and his disciples.

Very well written, thought out. He covers alot of area and does it very well. Everyone should be open minded and read this book slowly.

This was a great read. Highly recommended.

The book reads smoothly, uses comfortable language, and flows in a logical way. Dickson employs several mini-stories throughout the book to introduce and illustrate the subject matter of that chapter.

Dickson touches an area of Christianity which is desperately needed. We embrace so much of our faith without having any knowledge of its roots or foundation in Judaism. Christianity and Judaism are not synonymous. They have significant differences, and Dickson does not ignore these differences, or try to homogenize the two faiths. But they ARE similar, and Dickson does a great job of showing just how so many of the themes in Christianity overlap with those of Judaism, even if that doesn't appear to be the case at first glance. Most of Dickson's focus is not on the minutiae differences of Christianity and Judaism, but is on the larger elements of our faiths, including the differences in how we approach our faith, and how we answer the hard-to-answer questions.

Allow me to share my favorite aspect of the book. Dickson discusses, in detail, the difference in the way Christians and Jews deal with difficult questions about our faith. I grew up in the church, Dickson is correct in characterizing the way most Christians answer those questions: we often try to make them seem less difficult than they really are, and look to some pre-fabricated answer found in our "ways to answer those questions" manual. Many questions are off-limits as quasi-heretical, meaning that we often never quite satisfactorily examine the things in our faith we struggle with. By Contrast, according to Dickson, no question is off-limits for Jews, and they embrace difficulties and questions concerning their faith. I believe more Christians should react like the latter. We should be willing to ask questions--the answers in our manual may be correct, but we should be willing to go and see.

One of the things that make this book so good is its ability to make you think-it encourages you to examine what you believe. You will find yourself pondering the things you read throughout the day. I cannot agree with everything that Dickson asserts in the book, and there are some areas in which I felt he could have elaborated and discussed more thoroughly. But the book DID make me think, and it did have an effect on what I think about a couple of issues. If you read this book, and consider the things discussed in it, there is a fair chance that your view on an issue or two will be tweaked in some way too.

The book is great. The book is easy to read, and enjoyable. While I still don't necessarily agree with everything Dickson says, those things are rather minute and mostly insignificant. People interested in the subject matter should definitely read the book. I am confident that you'll enjoy the book, and that you'll be glad you bought it.

This was neat. But in saying that, it was by no means at all, a light read. Athol Dickson made you think. A great writer of fiction, he writes great stories, with a message. But when he wrote, "The Gospel According to Moses," he is to be taken very seriously. Upon joining a Chever Torah group, his faith was challenged. And his faith was ultimately strengthened. He wasn't afraid to address difficult questions.

When I read this, Dickson wasn't afraid to to discuss what a Christian believes, opposed to what a Jew might think. And he wasn't afraid to apply Torah and Bible scripture. He takes examples in The Bible like Moses and Abraham, and events in their lives. He begins by stating, "Life's most important moments are often disguised as the commonplace." In this case, in the situation that Athol Dickson knowingly put himself into, that is most certainly true. Did he expect to be challenged? Possibly. He wasn't afraid to expose the differences. Or was he? Where does Jesus fit in this? You'll know soon enough.

So, if you want a few of the topics that Dickson addresses in a nut shell, I'll give a few. In the opening chapter, Dickson talks about dealing with doubts. He'll talk about why God lets us suffer. He'll discuss finding connections between obedience and grace. And in the final chapter, he'll ask a real tough one: Are Jews going to Hell? He discusses a lot of other stuff as well. The topics are 13 chapters total. I would dare to say, give this a try. If you have tough questions, then maybe this has the answer. Will it give you satisfying results? Only you can answer that.

Is this possibly a "Jesus Freak Among the Jews" account? Quite possibly, and a little more. It was awesome.

Based on insights gained from his experience as a Christian guest in a Reform Judaism Bible study, Dickson offers his thoughts about God, scripture, and interfaith misunderstandings--such as the relationship of faith to obedience, grace to works. 'The Gospel According to Moses,' one of the most refreshing books I've read in a while, has caused me to study the Jewishness of the Christian faith, which in turn has brought new depths of understanding of and awe for God and the Bible--and more questions to contemplate and explore.

As others have already reviewed, I am a fly fisherman who purchased this book to get a better understanding of freshwater invertebrates other than mayfly and caddis species. (For a highly detailed description of mayflies and caddis for the fly-fisherman, I would recommend the titles "Nymphs, volumes I and II".)

This guide is well-written and not too difficult to follow, even for the beginner. There is a focus on stream ecology and some tips on how to collect and identify various species. Be clear - the focus of this book is not specifically on fly-fishing, but more of a biological guide to aquatic invertebrates.

For a beginner, this book is a great place to start, but is also a nice reference for those with a little more experience. The color drawings are detailed enough to help determine the differences in various species. All in all - Excellent Book.

This books is easy to comprehend, and the plates are well defined. Extremely useful for ID'ing aquatic creatures.

My teaching partner and I will use this in our Freshwater Ecology class at the secondary level. It is a great basic guide that will be used as a reference tool and identification resource at an introductory level. Excellent for the money.

This book contains easy to understand pictographs for beginners, plus distinguishing characteristics for experienced entomologists. A major plus to any and every watershed association out there, and every limnology, water pollution biology, fisheries, etc. class offered at the collegiate level.

A definate must have for nymph fishermen as well!

Well done for a price that doesn't take a bite out of the pocketbook!

This book is great for beginners or someone who wants to brush up on invertebrates. The descriptions are wonderful, as are the pictures. Highly recommended!

I teach math in high school, and I have found this dictionary more useful than the textbook. The definitions are more precise and understandable than in a book designed to be understandable. It's compact, lightweight (because it's paperback) yet it's packed with information. It has been one of my better purchases this year.

Well written and edited. Definitions and explanations are clear and to the point. As I flipped through the book, I ran into many, many entries which I did not understand, but in that regard, an unabridged dictionary of the English language has many, many entries in it about which I know nothing.

I'm yet to find a better maths dictionary. Lots of definitions. Well organized/cross-referenced. As an undergraduate, I'm yet to look up something and be disappointed. Handy tables at the back.

It doesn't get 5 stars because of a few glaring misprints.

My job requires extensive technical writing skills in the form of developing mathematical algorithms or creating presentations or other documentation that frequently requires that mathematical concepts be clearly defined for the reader. Even when you think you know a good definition for a mathematical term, this dictionary will likely give you a better one. Good reference to keep around.

This is perhaps one of the best, if not the best, mathematics dictionary. But it is just that, a dictionary of mathematical terms and phrases. Do no expect it to teach you any subject in mathematics. It would be great for any student taking a mathematics course. If the student runs across a term that he/she might have forgotten, the student can refer to this dictionary for a quick reminder.

If you're anything like me, you enjoy reading while in the toilet, doing one of the necessities of human nature, this reference has a great "random open" feature, where you can just slide your thumb at any page and find an interesting term you can think and learn about, I dont know how much the shallow discussion to these complex terms is really useful, but it gives you interesting things to think about, it also contains some mathematics history and some information about famous mathematicians, the paperback cover provides for some nice comfortable format, this dictionary has replaced the old Almanac I used to open randomly when I'm bored.
A 5 star for the cuteness.

Enjoy.

This book is written very warmly. Not only do we all live in relationship with God, God wants a dynamic relationship with us! As our family copes with the turbulence of the times, He is right here with us. I couldn't put this book down, and I felt so much clearer and more hopeful for having read it. Thank you, Carol!

Carol Denego's first book is filled with charming personal vignettes about one woman's encounter with the vicissitudes of life, those events that fill our own storybooks with memorable moments of joy and sorrow, challenge and triumph. It is a friendly and honest book, guileless and funny in a way that touches us all no matter who we are or where we're from. Her message is deceptively simple: We are never alone, and life unfolds in perfection if we but do the journey. There is sweetness and magic in her stories, and they ring with the truth of everyday reality.

Carol's book is inspirational and gives the reader pause to "see a loving God" in every action and breath of one's daily journey. Her examples of her own life help the reader feel His presence and love. Her writing style allows the reader to ponder the book's meaning and not feel like you are being force into one view; rather to question, How is God's love and presence demonstrated in your life? You'll find yourself writing your own "High Road to Faith"!

I could not put Carol Denego's book down. I felt like I was visiting with her, and getting to know a very good friend. Her life's experiences are inspirational. Carol's book, The High Road of Faith: A Personal Journey, is a book I am sharing with all of my family and friends!

Upon hearing the title, what comes immediately to mind is the old Loch Lomond refrain which goes, "Ye take the high road, and I'll take the low road...and I'll get to Scotland "afore ye"... High road or low road, the intent is the same: to move forward on the road of faith. Consciously embarking upon a spiritual journey is a decision of strong intent, coupled with a sharpened sense of awareness that whatever we encounter along that road has a multi-faceted significance.

Carol experienced this, too, and shows us the importance of receiving each event in our lives--uplifting ones filled with song and friends but also losses and adverse events--as an opportunity to grow spiritually and develop our faith in an underlying purpose for our presence here on Earth.

In the best tradition of spiritual seekers throughout the ages, Carol's "gypsy" journey sends her to all sorts of places, both physical and metaphysical. Her earthbound travels take her around the world--from San Francisco Bay to Brazil, from Switzerland to Western Samoa, and from Hawaii to exotic Asian destinations like Thailand, Indonesia, and Mainland China and back again to Oahu.

At the same time, her spirit takes flight on journeys that are as passionate as they are, in the end, peace-filled as she learns to listen to "Spirit" and trust in a higher power to guide and keep her on that high road of faith through all of life's large, and small, trials.

Writing this review after the tragic terrorist attacks in New York and Washington brings home the fact that, as Carol confirms, "we create our world". Even a person or a nation as seemingly invincible as America can be momentarily caught off guard and dealt a devastating, if not lethal, blow that forces it to look inward to discover what circumstances permitted, indeed encouraged, such evil havoc. Spiritual cleansing requires deep and often painful introspection.

At the same time, being paralyzed by introspection and fear is not the answer. Carol shows, with a mixture of trust, curiosity, and humor, that she--and indeed any one of us--can summon up the strength to overcome uncertainty and self-doubt, breaking free of the past to embark upon our own personal, and highly rewarding, spiritual journey.

As Carol travels on towards new challenges and discoveries, another old Irish blessing comes to mind, one woven to strengthen the spirit and heal the hearts of all travelers on this, life's premier journey: "May the road rise up to meet you; May the wind be always at your back; May the sun shine warm upon your face; And rains fall soft upon your fields; And, until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand."

Mr. DeVos' book has moved me deeply and powerfully. I have already started applying some of his beliefs and principles in my life and am feeling more empowered than ever. He also has boosted and strengthened my belief in God and my trust in Jesus. His inspiring personal story and his acknowledgement of the power of God's grace will have a lasting effect on me. I suspect anyone else who reads his terrific story will feel the same. The book is a "quick read' and I love the format of how the ten lessons for life are presented. This book should be read by Christians and non-Christians alike in my opinion. Thank you Mr. DeVos for sharing your story, your wisdom, and your unshakeable faith in our Lord and Savior. You have made me realize even further just how much He loves each and every one of us.

Rich Devos, co-founder of Amway and owner of the NBA Orlando Magic, writes his passages from his own experiences. He is encouraging and honest by presenting the many possibilities of life's pained times while showing how to positively grow from them. This book is dressed with vibrant pictures from cover to cover and filled with inspirational quotes that are the kind anyone will want to jot down on a post it and leave next to the front door. Rich Devos will give the reader an edge and feel of strength page by page.

This book is like a life guide for me. Rich Devos really knows how to touch you deeply with simple facts of life. I'll recomend to anyone and hoping this book will be translated to many other languages so it could really reach anyone.

If you need rules or guidelines for your life without an entirely religious or spiritual basis, this is them. Rich DeVos is a very religious person, but is able to relate ten lessons of how to succeed in life. From faith through love, Rich tells us how each one provided great things in his life. Being successful in all areas of his life, Rich is someone that everyone should listen and learn from, in business or not, christian or not, successful or not. There is always room to grow in your life, so let Rich lead the way.

I can't think of a better word to describe this book than - INSPIRED! You will be blessed by this book. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, get comfortable on the couch and.....enjoy.

I am 37 and am loosing my hair, The information in this book has made me aware of all the reasons women can loose their hair. Many of the reason have the same symptoms. Which at first is frustrating until you realize more reasons means more possibilities to get it back even if only part of the hair. If you are considering hair transplants read this first, please.
I read other parts of the book that would be relevant to some friends this book is a great one, I have 3 more books about hair loss one is pretty good but abit out dated, the other is OK , and the other I will use to start a fire.

I went to Dr. Redmond over three years ago with a whole host of female problems that were preventing me from feeling good and enjoying my life. All that has completely changed due to his expert medical care. When I read his book, I knew that I had to buy copies for all my female friends! If you often feel that something is just "not right" with your health...then you owe it to yourself to read this book.

This book is a must-have for every woman and teenage girl. Provides a wealth of info about female hormones & physiology in an easy-to-read format. Dr. Redmond is a leader in his field, and his depth of knowledge and compassion emerge effortlessly from the text.

This is an excellent book on the subject of hormones! I highly recommend that every woman read it.

If you are a woman suffering with unexplained hair loss on your head, hair growth where you don't want it, irritability, constant fatigue, dry skin or other skin problems and you are starting to feel generally more like a man than the beautiful woman you used to be, this book is for you. There ARE medications that can help you although most doctors will ignore and dismiss you. I went to see Dr. Redmond and he was able to help me, it was worth the trip into NYC and every penny. I feel like myself again and that is a miracle.

After much previous reading and study wihtout learning how to medidate reading this little text gives a clear and simple path towards achieving the rewards of medidation.

This book is a blessing

This is an inspiring and practical book with exercises to live lovingly in the world.

The contribution of Delai Lama's writing's in this century may give the world a significant change as it struggles in material pleasures of life. May his message of love and peace win over human suffering and bring about a positive change in people.

Author of "A Hot Pot of Roasted Poems"
Editor of "The Blue Fog Journal"
Rohitash Chandra

Like a few other reviewers, I am in the beginning stages of my practice of Buddhism, and I have struggled with some of the concepts I have read about from other authors, lamas, and practitioners. However, when I read this book by the Dalai Lama, the veil was lifted from my eyes and I literally felt the sudden rush of understanding. Never have I meditated on a topic so deep and full of mystery and felt that it had been explained so thoroughly and with such clarity.

The pages just fly by as you get lost in your own thoughts - your world will be literally turned upside down as you proceed through the chapters. This book will have you thinking long after completion and will allow you to experience your life through completely different (and more compassionate and understanding) eyes.

Highly recommended for experienced practitioners, as well as beginners like me who wish to grasp an extremely deep and insightful concept that will not be explained with better clarity.

This was a wonderfully insightful book that challenges you to take a hard look at the "true you". It makes you think on the choices you have made in life, and where you want to go from where you are now. I found this book very enlightening and found great peace in it's reading. I learned many things about myself that I feel have made me want to be a better person, and I believe it has helped put me on that path. I recommend this title to anyone looking for self awareness.