Essays Books

Praise be onto God and kudos to the author for this excellent book!

This book is a "must have" for those seeking GOD's voice. There are verses for the symbols so that you can dig in to the scriptures and see what the bible has to say. Above all she is teaching you how to seek GOD about your dreams! I highly recommend this book.

This is a book that I thought was expensive for a paperback, until I realized that it had such a great reference key for symbols. Well balanced and supported by Scripture.

This is a good book for understanding what the Word of God says about dreams and visions. It is also a great reference book that can be used as a word study in the Bible. The symbols dictionary serves well as a cyclopedic index. I highly recommend it!

As a young reader, I really understand and appreciate this book.

I really enjoyed the heart felt and brutally honest stories in this book. Being a women in her 20's, this book spoke to me greatly.Every girl should read this at least once while in her twenties or even in her thirties just to have a laugh. I've been the girl in each of these stories and it lets me know- I will survive these years of confusion, frustrations and let-downs.

This book is the perfect antidote to the quarterlife crisis blues. Covering all topics ranging from love relationships to housing to careers to friends, whatever is bothering you, there will be an essay reminding you that yes, your 20s aren't that great, but no, you definitely aren't alone, and the best news: you'll survive, and likely end up far happier and fulfilled than you think you will. Overall, an inspiring read, with little bites of wisdom and perspective.

It isn't set up like I expected it to be, but it's definately the truth. hah.

As a twenty-something, I picked up this book for obvious reasons. It was so heartening to learn that what I am going through, other women have gone through and no one has all the answers no matter what path you choose. I plan to share this book with all of my girlfriends.

I was in Borders when I stumbled along this book and thought " What a clever title and concept." As a twenty something professional in higher education that deals with early twenty something women on a regular basis, I highly recommend this book. It is a quick read but able to be put down and picked back up easily. There were times when I shook my head in agreement and laughed aloud hysterically.

A must read book if you grew up in the 50's and 60's. You will laugh and cry as you read the true and hilarious adventures of Roger and his friends. It will make you yurn for the good ol days. I read the book in one night, and have read it again.

Roger really nails it with this book and I should know because I was there. Roger was my best buddy. He physically pulled my lazy carcass out of bed each summer morning in 1958 & 59 and dragged me to swim team practice. (I was a night person; Roger was a round-the-clock person.) I devoured the book in one sitting and have been reminiscing ever since. The characters we grew up with and the things we got into could easily provide material for two or three more books! Let's have'em Rog!

Very funny and entertaining book...Once I started reading it, I
could not lay it down..Several friends that I told stories to from this book,really had several laughs and each related similar
experiences...This is VERY enjoyable reading...Yes, I do think
all of us are in this book in a LITTLE way...The author did a very NICE job putting this one together.....This is my FIRST review but NOT my last....I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK...THANKS !!

Very Funny...Great MEMORY reading...I can relate to this book...
A lot of DOWN to EARTH humor...Reminds me of my CHILDHOOD...
I highly recommend to all 30 to 90 year olds...There are towns
in Texas that are very similar to Bainbridge...I am sure that
EVERYONE who reads this book will LOVE it...Seems so REAL...
Anyway, my family and friends LOVE it...
Edley Martin...Harlengin, Texas

A TRUE small town AMERICAN book...Big city residents will ENVY
all small town people..A MUST READ for ALL travelers of AMERICA..Wish we had this book years ago...WE take the side roads and LOVE to explore small towns...EVERY RESIDENT of EVERY SMALL TOWN CAN "RELATE" TO THIS BOOK..A true tell it like it is
book..SERIOUS,FUNNY,TRUTHFUL and SAD...We "HIGHLY" recommend this book for ALL of America...Wish the book had been LONGER..
Really hope EVERYONE has the opportunity to read it...Yes, we believe it is a FIVE STAR book...GREAT GREAT JOB..Many thanks to the author for TELLING it like is WAS and probably still is..

This is Jim Church's answer to those who say that you must have a "God given eye" to take great photographs. Jim is above all a teacher. His ability to bring complex ideas down to the level where a novice can comprehend is legendary. His method, rather unique in the world of underwater photography and videography, is not to show you great stuff and say "beat this", but to start with basic principles and work you through until you are automatically seeing the right solution to the situation before you. I would bet that any "name" underwater photographer if asked "where do I start?" would answer "pick up Jim Church's books and read them 3 or 4 times then get in the water.". This book, at less than the cost of 2 rolls of underwater film and developing, should be considered mandatory reading for anyone with a desire to take photographs (or video) underwater.

When I started in uderwater photography, I was told by a very wise and respected professional, "Composition cannot be taught ... it is not a concept or a method. The photographer is born with an eye for composition and it is an art." To which Jim Church's book has proven that statement to be "Hogwash, INDEED!" Composition may be a gift, but it is a gift that can be honed and trained, just as Jim Church has done with this book. He has given the reader all the tools, tricks and tips to develop that skill into an art. Liberally sprinkled with the Jim Church wit and humour, this book stands up to reading after reading after reading. This book stands alongside his "Guide to the Nikonos" and his "Underwater Video" books as "bibles" for the ardent underwater photographer. As for Jim Church's method of teaching and guidance, I can tell you that nine years ago I was using a disposable underwater camera. I have studied the books and travelled with Jim Church as often as possible and I am now a contributing editor and Photo Pro for an international dive magazine. So, if you ask me if Jim Church's methods work, I would resoundingly answer "YES." If you aks me if this is a book worth buying, I would answer resoundingly "YES!" No matter how many times you read this book and no matter what level of photographer you might be, there is always something new in this book that you can apply in your pursuit of great photos. These concepts of composition are NOT restricted to the ocean floor, either. The methods and concepts explained in this text --- in easy to understand terms --- also apply to land photography. This Essential Guide is exactly that---- ESSENTIAL! I regret that five stars is the highest rank offered for this book. The only thíng wrong with this book ---- it wasn't written sooner! I could have saved a lot of film on badly composed shots!!!!

People come to photography by many strange and varied routes and my own is as different as the next - though I shall not bore you with that particular story here. Suffice to say that, my first photograph was published in 1974, my first underwater photograph in 1980 and, right at this time, my work has appeared (somewhere) every month since December 1998, I am in the process of completing my fourth book and my photography has even been purchased by National Geographic.

The relevance of all this, however, is that I am largely self-taught and that always leaves me wondering if I am missing some of those basic lessons that would have been explained on the very first day of any professionally run photography course. "Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition" goes a long way to fill any gaps there might be.

This book has two outstanding qualities; Firstly, it is written by a man who really does know about every aspect of underwater photography. Secondly, and most important of all, however, Jim Church has the power to explain his knowledge in words we can all understand. In so doing he has produced a book for the professional underwater photographer and the amateur diver alike. If you have just bought your first camera and are about to embark on a very expensive trip to try it out, this is your in-flight reading material. Believe me, you will come home with better pictures - I did.

"Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition" is a 9in x 6in paperback book containing 136 pages, 80 colour photographs and 8 line drawings. Each photograph and drawing serves a purpose and are used to explain each of the many lessons involved with composing underwater pictures and, basically, the difference between taking a good photograph and not. All of which is, of course, supported by the non-technical information imparted in an easy-to-understand style.

The book begins with absolute basics - and what could be more basic than explaining the function of the human eye and then adapting that information in order to provide a better understanding of the function of a camera lens. In short, this is a book about "stepping stones" and each time a relevant point has been explained and demonstrated, the book builds on this knowledge as we step forward onto another stone for even greater knowledge of the subject in hand.

In Summary, this is one of the few books I have ever read which achieves exactly and precisely what it sets out to achieve and is made all the more valuable because the Author is a man who knows his stuff and is able to explain things without getting bogged down in technical jargon.

Five Stars are not enough for this little gem.

NM

For all UW imaging systems users, this book is less about the technique (which can be found in Jim's books on Nikonos and Video systems), and more about the art of UW photography. Jim again uses the Situations approach, and helps you develop an eye for good pictures. Really useful stuff on working with models.

Jim Church was an astonishing photographer and those that have followed in his footsteps owe much to him. This book is one that I recommend to ALL divers starting off in underwater photography. Have you ever come home with a bunch of shots only to find that none of them really "grab you"?....this boom is for you. Simply and clearly, the text and photo examples show you how to turn an ordinary shot into a "Wow!" shot.

I read the Boyhood section published by the Sierra Club. An engaging, descriptive writer was John Muir. If you enjoy detailed descriptions of nature you will not be able to put it down. He was a student of human nature as well as nature and quite an inventor!

This is essential reading for anyone interested in conservation and those who simply love nature writing. I read this book before reading "The Wild Muir". In comparison, this one is obviously a more thorough overview of Muir's life. Reading this book first makes "Wild Muir" more enjoyable....kinda like reading a novel before watching a movie based on it.

John Muir was one of the founders of the early 20th century conservation movement and godfather to today's environmentalism. This collection of three books and shorter works demonstrates the reason. Muir's description of the natural world is at times scientific, at others spiritual. Here nature is not some remote thing but the living manifestation of God's love. This is not a religious book as such and yet he finds that all parts of the natural creation from rocks and mountains to trees and animals have inherent within them a life force which makes them precious. Humans are neither removed from nor a "higher" part of nature. Muir shows that we are part of this larger whole - a radical concept when he proposed it and radical still. Muir set the standard in calling for preservation of the natural world. He was a genius as an inventor and scientist and, in addition, is one of our finest writers ever. These collected Nature Writings are simply beautiful and wonderfully presented in this Library of America edition.

I've only read "My First Summer in the Sierra," and attest to Muir's enchanting style and lucidity. He writes as an enthusiast, but gives his stories a plain-spoken clarity that can be enjoyed by all.

Muir must have been quite an individual - after working as a shepherd for a few months, he talks of getting time off from his employer, "tying some bread to his belt, and walking to Mammoth" from the Merced area of the western foothills of the Sierras. Yep, a nice casual stroll. Or climbing and looking down into the ice cone on Yosemite Falls. Why not? It's there every winter...

I hope Library of America will put out another volume so they can make "The Yosemite" available to all. In it, Muir describes the three native Californian "Yosemite" (Tuolumne, Sequoia, and Kings) almost as a tour guide. This book is a glaring omission from the LoA volume, and gives great insight into the mind of the premier conservationist of the early 1900s.

As always, LoA delivers a quality volume at a good price.

This Autobiography of John Muir was a look at the life of an amazing man. He was the type of writer that could take you to the place where he was living and make you feel like you were right there with him. His childhood experiences in Scotland and the farm life of Wisconsin formed the basis for how he viewed and related to the rest of his life and those around him. He was a world traveler who looked through the eyes of creation to observe ecology and invention. As a world traveler I also observe through the eyes of creation and as a native Californian I have had extensive experience hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada's. John Muir's writing style took me back to the places I have loved and remembered.

I very much enjoyed Michelle Caffrey's honest and fresh account of the agony and ecstasy of barge life. Being a fellow bargee, I can well relate to both the fears and the exhileration she writes about in her account of their first year of barging. It also made me long to cast off the ropes of my own barge and go travelling again - something I will be doing very shortly too. Thanks for a fun and inspiring read, Michelle.

This review was posted on Amazon Canada by Jan Rehner:
You don't have to know anything about barging or boats to love this book. All you need is a desire to learn about Burgundy France from a unique perspective. Michelle Caffrey tells her true-life story of buying and refitting a lovely barge and lets you drift with her along the tree-lined canals of one of France's most beautiful regions. Textured with fascinating characters and the rich detail of food, wine, and countryside, this book lets you "just imagine" an intriguing and peaceful life style--with a good measure of surprise and humour mixed in.

Most books of this nature are re-hashes of the same story, but "Imagine...." goes a few steps further. It is well written and, for me, it was a good one-day read; not because I couldn't put it down....because I wouldn't put it down. It was that enjoyable. If you have ever thought about owning a barge, a boat, or even an RV, you will be able to enjoy this tremendously. This is a story of their first year. I hope there is a follow-up coming.

John Hardman

Like many of us, the Caffreys have a gipsie hidden deep in their soul. They were able to set theirs free. I'm extremely jealous. I've lived in Europe before and would love to find a way to return for extended stays. Barging is a recent lifestyle discovery for me and Just Imagine, has shown me the way to return to the old country and free my inner gipsie.
As something of a technical geek, the descriptions of the boats they looked at and the buying process they went through to find Imagine was of most interest to me. I now have a better idea of not only what kind of boat to buy but how to go about finding one. I did enjoy reading about the places and people they met but I'm also an explorer at heart, looking forward to my own discoveries. Their sense of entrepreneurship in starting Barge and Breakfast was also of interest as my wife and I both are involved in teaching entrepreneurship at Colorado Mountain College. My exposure to Roma people in Eastern Europe taught me that if you are going to be a gipsie, you also better be an entrepreneur. Sharing my boat with strangers in close quarters is not my idea of fun but it works for them. Proving that there are many ways to fund your dreams if you are creative. Seems like that is what "Just Imagine: New Life on an Old Boat" is all about anyway.
If there are any criticisms of the book it would be that the closer I got to the end of the story, the more grammatical mistakes I found. Not serious stuff but an indication that maybe barging is really more fun than writing about it.
Sail on friends. Some day we will gather by a campfire on the same riverbank to share a bottle of fine wine and a story or two.

I have been to france many times and Michelle's story brought it all back to me. Her descriptions of the trials and tribulations made me wonder if I could ever be as brave as they were to take all this on. It was fabulous as her words helped me to remember the beauty of the landscape and the thoughts of the food and wine made my stomach growl. What a great story and a very easy and fun read.

I liked this book so much, I ordered another copy through Amazon to be sent to a dear friend, I met at the Redgreen lodge. I am waiting for the chance to see the documentary on most of our PBS stations again. Or Discovery, whatever they show it on. In either case, a good read for just about anytime. thanks, paul

Pack your bags and go along with Kenny as he ventures along the banks of the Mississippi River. You'll think you're right there with him.

I met Kenny and his stories are just as he is. He has a skill in telling stories that makes you wish you were there with him. I would recommend the book to all the people that enjoy the Mississippi river area.

Kenny Salwey's a talented storyteller with many Mississippi tales to tell! I recommend this author to all outdoor enthusiasts, & anyone that loves a good story. It's a MUST for anyone living in a little river town!

Wonderful book by Salwey...took me back to a simpler, down to earth time. Kenny weaves a profound story of man and nature.

There was a brief stage in my college career when I hoped to get into newspapers. Unfortunately, I'm a very slow writer. I would sweat bullets over remarkably simple stories, and my editorial prowess was equally dubious. It was at that time I discovered Carl Hiaasen and his remarkably subversive novel, TOURIST SEASON. His author's bio indicated that his newspaper setting was drawn from authentic experience -- he was a columnist for the Miami Herald.

Unfortunately, the web was just in its infancy, and access to Hiaasen's newspaper writing was apparently one of the few exclusive benefits of living in South Florida. KICK ASS turns out to be just the sort of collection that I had been craving for many years.

KICK ASS does not disappoint. It begins with a nifty introduction that provides a smattering of biographical information on Hiaasen, as well as a context for the subjects and tone of his columns. Hiaasen clearly resides in a longstanding tradition of muckraking American journalism, and I mean that in the best possible way.

This is no mere sampling of his work -- there are more than 200 columns here, organized by topic, and just about every one of them meets the mandate stated in the title of the collection. Hiaasen has a passion for the environment, consumer protection, crime control, and good government. His portrait of a Florida reeling after the flood of growth and development of the last three decades is even starker than the one in his novels. Speaking of the novels, it is also fun to see where he "lifts" some of his ideas for the things that happen in his books. The overamorous dolphin of NATIVE TONGUE appears in KICK ASS as well.

If there is anything to regret about this book, it is that the topical organization often generates confusion for the reader when certain figures re-occur. Some of them almost develop a roguish charm. After all, us non-Floridians don't have to live with the direct consequences of local corruption. A little wrap-up to let us know how some of the notorious figures and controversies ended up would have been nice. I always hated that device at the end of his novels, but it would be perfect for a collection like this.

As a lifelong resident of Florida (albeit a ninetten-year-old one), I have seen Florida at its best and worst. Hiiasen's columns represented in this book illustrate the "politics" and people of a great but confused state. If you live in Florida, have visited, or even have heard of it, this book will both amuse and depress you, as is the nature of the state. Everyone will identify with the outrage Hiiasen evokes over the disregard of the envirnment, the sham of politics, and the overall life in Miami, and indeed, all of Florida. This book will remind readers of what Marjorie Kinnan-Rawlings and Marjorie Douglass once experienced in Florida, and tells both the good and the bad of what has happened after a hundred years of exploitation If you want a non-stop laugh and a big dose of reality, read this collection - it's one of the best books in print right now.

This book is; to borrow another Hiaasen title a real Hoot. He is without a doubt not only informative,and thought provoking but he does it while leaving his readers in stiches. I think he shows a genuine affection for the idiots he writes about

I've never set foot in Florida, but I can't get enough Carl Hiaasen. I've read every single novel he's written and I have to say his columns are just as worthy a read.

From the opening column of the book (Carl Hiaasen's Florida Stress Test) to some of the more serious writings (the group of prostitutes he talks to, the crumbling county health building) Hiaasen writes it all with a razor-sharp flair and zeal that can't be matched. You know this guys just loves going to work every day.

Who else would refer to the newly elected mayor of Miami as a "pernicious little ferret"?

Keep them coming, Carl. I'm waiting on Volume 3.

Sidenote: I also wrote this review for "Paradise Screwed" b/c it's the same book, just different selected columns.

If you've ever read a Carl Hiassen book (or Tim Dorsey for that matter) and you wonder where he became so cynical, or where he gets his outrageous ideas from, read this book. Taking only the best of his newspaper columns, this book gives little glimpses into the absolute mess that was Miami/South Florida in the 80's/90's. Taking on anything from connected land developers, to cartel-backed politicians, to prostitute employing evangelists.

Each column is 1 to 1.5 pages in length making it the perfect length to read here and there, or big bites at a time. If you're a fan of Carl Hiassen, try this book not for Hiassen's opinion, but just for the shear knowledge of ludicrisiosity he imparts.

"Kisses From a Distance" was recommended by a friend and I'm thankful to her for that! It's a very readable memoir, touched with humor and filled with first-hand stories handed down to Raff Ellis. His narrative flows easily and the photos add much interest. I drew many connections to my own Irish great-grandparents' experience. They immigrated to NYC during the Irish Potato Famine. I just wish I had the treasure trove of letters and photos that Raff has. They are priceless. All Americans are descended from immigrants, so we can all identify with "Kisses From a Distance," no matter our ancestors' ethnicity. Kudos to Raff for this labor of love.

I so much enjoyed this book so much I found myself slowing down towards the last pages because I didn't want it to end! Someone recently said facts are numbers, dates, and events . . . the "story" is something else altogether. As a first born child of immigrant parents, it brought my own family history to life while helping me to fill in many gaps. "Kisses From a Distance" is filled with many interesting historical facts . . . but the author's true gift is his ability to bring the past to life in an objective and hearfelt way as he tells his family's "story!" Liked it so much bought several copies to give to others.

Raff Ellis's story of his family's immigration experiences can be read as if it is an engrossing novel in today's market of published written works. Combining his miraculous discovery after the death of his mother, of a cache of over 200 letters, extensive research and visits to Lebanon, the author is able to tell in narrative form the family's trials and tribulations. I found myself continually referring to the family trees to keep track of all of its members and their interactions.

The highlight of the story for me was in the fact that I discovered more about one of Raff's brothers, Al, (like how he got his name) with whom I worked for 5 years in our parish in Andover, MA. This past June I also visited him in South Africa where he is pastor of a mother parish with three "outstation" Zulu parishes. I came to realize that we all have family and personal backgrounds that make us who we are. Don't miss this fascinating tale of one family that journeyed to America, becoming a part of the whole of our nation of immigrants. You won't be able to put it down. The story will be circulating in Andover and wherever else it finds its way. Pass it on, for that is what storytelling is all about!

I teach a course, Writing Your Memoirs, in which I not only encourage and instruct students in writing their own stories, but to read the stories of others. I read a lot of published memoirs---in fact, it is one of my favorite genres---and provide my students with bibliographies of Recommended Reading.

Raff Ellis' "Kisses from a Distance," the life stories of his immigrant parents who came to America from Lebanon, is a book I'm definitely adding it to my Recommended Reading list. It's a good story, very readable. It is obviously a long labor of love, good writing, and much research.

Especially interesting is the way this author interweaves the past, the lives of his parents, and the present, his commentary on the research, talking with relatives and others in Lebanon who knew his parents. I hope he will now write of his childhood growing up Lebanese-American, and bring the story up to the present.

I highly recommend "Kisses from a Distance" to everybody who likes to read memoirs, is interested in the immigrant experience, and who appreciates history and good research.

Raff Ellis has done an incredible job of chronicling the struggles, courage and dreams of immigrants coming to America in the early 20th century.
After discovering numerous letters written to and from his mom he was able to put together this historical and fascinating sequence of events that led to his fated life as an American. His eloquent writing style makes this story interesting, enjoyable and a great lesson in American history.
This is a must read for anyone, but especially for those who've had family members migrate to America from foreign lands.

This is the overwhelming feeling that you will get from this book! How many times have I sat at my grandmother's table, my mother's, a friend's? Just as much as they have sat at mine! And there is aways something to share, to learn. Nora, thank you for sharing the wisdom you've gathered from others.

This evocatively written book is a meditation on life, cooking, kitchens and relationships. I was touched by the author's honesty and her discerning and reflective eye. It's the kind of book that becomes, like a good friend, someone who is not afraid to speak the truth and share their vision of life, warts, joys and all.

The book does not read like a linear story but is rather like a poem where the ebb and flow of images and reflections transports the reader into the author's memory. That place where stories, sensations and the touchstones of experience are lodged. What is wonderful about this book is that the author's approach triggers memories in the reader so that the reader feels they're a member of an extended 'Kitchen Congregation'.

I enjoyed meeting Ida, Senta, Cynthia, Molly, Laura, Dr Rodgers, visitors in Seton's kitchen. Because Seton generously shares her memories, the reader feels that they have known these visitors too.

Whereas speed and convenience reign in this modern age, Seton's book reasserts the importance of the kitchen as a place to prepare, nurture, reflect upon, and experiment with, not only the cooking of meals but also,life's journey. My only criticism of the book is that I found the author's use of imagery and metaphor a little overdone at times. But all in all, a book to be savoured and experienced many times over. Beautiful!

I have recommended this book to my friends who love reading and find joy in the perfect phrase. As soon as I finished reading this book, I started it again. The descriptions of friendship, raising children, cooking and best of all mothers are gifts to the reader. I hope I am able to find Nora Seton's first book.

We (women) recreate our childhoods in our kitchens. We bring to it everything we remember as good, pushing the bad and unhappy aside. It is where we gather, not to cook like the "little hommaker" but to nuture and to nourish. Nora Seton has drawn together some remarkable memories of her mother, intertwined with stories of friendships and insights gleaned during time in other kitchens, as well as her own. Friendship with Senta, the older woman who invokes angels to assist her, and who accompanies the author through one of life's most difficult journeys. Ida, sharing hard won insight into the precarious balances struck by women and men. Seton writes of a good friend contemplating divorce. Much of what is important in life is discussed as she moves through the comforting, numbing, sustaining work in her kitchen. Friends gather at the table, gaining physical sustanance. More importantly, they sustain one another, continuing a thread established by others long ago....women gathered in the kitchen. Meals are prepared,regrets expressed,dreams unfurl and unravel, recepies for food and life are shared, husbands analysed, lives discussed, children intrude and are gathered in, we tend to rehearse amd inspect what is most precious in tandem with the mundane. Never is Seton more elequent, then when writing about loss. The loss of a parent, a child, the bloom of love, the tolerence of marriage,the dreams of youth, all these are brought to the table in distilled form, after simmering over a low flame, stirring and tending, until the clarity remains. Nora Seton has crafted a remarkable book of her continuing journey in the kitchen, seeking sustanance. I was moved and comforted by what the book brought to me (it also sent me looking for the novels her mother wrote, a wonderful tribute).

I read much of it on an airplane, and cried (discretely) throughout. The guy sitting next to me thought I had a stinking cold. This is a chicken soup for the soul book. Filled with warm textural stories within stories. I am a "hard sell" when it comes to books like these...don't like to be told how I should be feeling, and I think Nora did a good job of leaving us to decide for ourselves. Not a lot of the common childhood "let me drivel about what happened to me when I was a kid" trauma-shocker type stuff that I run across a lot in contemporary novels like this, and I appreciate that Nora chose not to go there with this book. It is a very finely CRAFTED book. I noticed how carefully every word was selected - much like picking just the right peaches for your Mom's peach pie recipe. -A wonderful tribute to her own mother, and a clear sign of good things to come from Nora.