O Books

This is a very special book to me, because it fills me with joy to see so many other people with security objects. I, myself (a 20-year-old college student), still sleep with my baby blanket. He's faded to a yellowish-gray now, and I have to wash him by hand due to his delicate state, but I would *never* give him up (and, yes, he *is* male!). He's my most cherished possession. Reading this book fills me with such warmth. I think most of us can identify with the need for security. The people featured in this photostory collection range from toddlers to the great-grandparents, proving that age is nothing but a number when it comes to love and security.

My friends who are Moms love this book. They pick it up and keep reading until they have read it all the way through and then they begin sharing their memories. The book touches the special memories they've kept of when their children were young and were so attached to that one essential comforting object. My friends who had a "creature comfort" themselves love the book because it brings back all their good memories and validates the importance of their special object. This is a great book for Mother's Day or your Mother's birthday or even for a new mom-to-be who will soon have a child with a special comfort object of their own.

I picked up this book at our English department's booksale on my college campus the other day. A quick glance showed to me that it would be a perfect gift for a couple friends of mine who are opening up a coffee shop. I bought the book and walked off to go about my business.

Later, when I had a break between classes, I sat down in the main square and started reading. I was not prepared for the effect it had on me. Funny at times, touching at others, the book had me smiling and tearing up at the same time.

I won't reveal which people and their objects were my favorite, because they need to be unwrapped and savored on their own. Suffice it to say that they are people of all ages, from all walks of life. I would definitely reccomend this book. I wish I could keep it, but it's obvious this book needs to go to the coffee shop so it can be enjoyed by everyone!

Creature Comforts reminded me of Dingaling (my stuffed horse,) cherished through childhood, used as a potholder in adulthood, and with me still. The book is a sweet read and provides poignant insight in to our human attachment to things. It made me wonder if people around the world behave in the same way. A sequel perhaps?

Creature Comforts gives us a fresh, insightful look into what makes us feel secure--a fine example of pictures and words working together effectively.

As adoptive parents, we are always looking for books to share with our daughters regarding adoption and all different kinds of families. Lin Fong O'Neill's "Daddy Why"? is beautifully written and illustrated. Ms. O'Neill beautifully shares the anticipation and fears any child may have waiting for a new silbling. We also love that it is explained through a father-son relationship. The pictures are wonderful and really hold our children's attention. We are glad to have both "Mommy Why?" and "Daddy Why?" as part of our family library.

Lin Fong O'Neill has a rare talent for writing stories that soothe a child's hard questions with very smart and sensible answers. She writes in a style which will make the child reading think "yes, that makes alot of sense if you look at it THAT way!" In other words Lin finds the words to make hard issues look easy.
I love her style of writing.

On the surface, DADDY, WHY? is a book about adoption, or interracial adoption. After reading the story, I realize that its message goes beyond adoption itself.

DADDY, WHY? begins with Billy's concern about an impending addition to the family, a seven-year-old adopted sister who looks different from the family. The story unfolds with Billy pesters his father with questions about love and acceptance.

On love ~

Billy asks, "Why do you want another kid, Daddy? Our family is already happy."
"Daddy's heart has lots and lots of love to give. It's like a magic merry-go-around. It never stops!"

To comment on Billy's watering of a young tree, his father says, "The tree is big and strong. It gives us wonderful blossoms to enjoy in the spring, and a lot of shade to play under in the summer. When you give love, you end up getting lots of good things in return."

On acceptance ~

Billy asks, "Daddy, why did Mrs. Nelson adopt Ava? She looks different from the family. Grandpa said that she must feel like she is wearing someone else's hat, and that it doesn't fit right."

"That's not true," says Daddy. "Everybody is different. See? Your hair is straight like mine and Jack's is wavy like Mommy's, but we love you both the same."

"Will you help make Maggie feel welcome and loved?" Daddy asks.
And Billy says, "Yes, especially if she walks Mimi and picks up her poo!"

DADDY, WHY? delivers important messages to young children with a sense of humor, and at a level that they will understand. The fine illustrations from Adrianne Spota delight readers of all ages.

"Daddy, Why?" is a refreshing children's book which touches upon the sensitive topic of adoption. Lin Fong-O'Neill handles the issue of adoption skillfully and tenderly, speaking in a format little ones can understand.

The beautiful illustrations will delight smaller and older children alike, and the glossy pages and easy to read language will keep children reading to the end.

Once again, Ms. Fong-O'Neill writes from the heart while infusing a soothing remedy for little children who are faced with the prospect of having their parents adopt a child into their home.

Certain issues in life are hard to tackle even for the most accomplished of writers. It takes rare skill to use the subject of adoption as a prism to craft a story about unconditional love.
And yet Lin Fong O'Neill manages to do this, and her story "Daddy, Why?" speaks to children and adults with a depth of feeling rarely achieved by similar books.
It is genuine and powerful because of its simplicity and the truth of its message. Combine this with the wonderful illustrations by Adrianne Spota and you have a winning combination.
Highly recommended.

This little book has been my companion off and on for over 15 years. I have given away more copies than I can count. O'Malley is not only a poet, but a playful and wise man who knows what it is to have one's pretensions shattered. Perhaps some of this comes from the years he has spent teaching youth at Fordham Prep School. He is a master of simplicity; just a few words, a few lines, make a prayer that can stay with one all day, or all week, or for a life. To see an example of his playful and wise spirit, turn to his original "parable" re- the "big black dog that gallumphs" beside him on his walk, p. 120.

I recommend this to anyone who wants to pray but feels there is not enough hours in the day to do so. The book title pretty much says it all. The readings are very short. I think it is an excellent book to begin out on, but if you're like me, you will begin desiring more and may need to move to a larger prayer book.

I have used this book for three years. I am back to purchase an additional copy for my 18 year old daughter. I would like to buy it for all of my close family and friends-but won't until they ask! What is remarkable about O'Malley's book is the pertinence of the prayers, and the excellent selection of timeless poetry ( English majors- here's Donne, herbert, Pound, Tennyson, Dickinson, truly remarkable selections- artlessly placed throughout the month. Coupled with his own paraphrases of the psalms and a very direct personal and yet intelligent conversation with God- he usually gets me started by saying to God precisely what I was about to say myself, and lets me move on from there. The dailiness of it helps to form you. The book consists of a month's worth of prayers, three per day- each a short series of prayers, psalms and a selection from literature. Intended to be used in place of or the same way as a breviary. Everyone zI know who's used it, lives with it.

Daily Prayers for Busy People has just 30 days of prayers, but you won't be bored on even the 10th time around. The combination of simple and sophisticated, stimulating and soothing, makes this the one book that I always take along with me. O'Malley has the ability to touch the soul with just a few words

This volume has a well-deserved sequel. Fr. O'Malley has developed a prayer book with a four week cycle which speaks to contemporary Catholics to whom the psalms and patristic readings are "dead". This is not an adaptation of the Liturgy of the Hours; rather it is a substitute. Morning and Evening prayer have a simple structure: an opening prayer, a "grace" or single sentence to carry with you outside the formal prayer time, a psalm expanded to include a variety of Biblical poetry, a hymn which is usually poetry from the last three or four centuries, and a closing prayer. Mid-day prayer is the longest adding a prose reading and a Scriptural reading to the format.

Representative authors of hymns and readings include: Gerard Manley Hopkins, John Donne, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Graham Greene, John Masefield, e.e. cummings, John Milton, Thomas Merton, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Dag Hammarskjold, T. S. Eliot, Eleanor Farjeon, William Shakespeare, Elinor Wylie ...

If you have not found the Liturgy of the Hours prayerful, consider this volume as an alternative. It is an excellent volume.

I give this movie 4 stars mainly because of the character of Alfie Halder and the genuine portrayal of one of the darkest times in history. The scenes involving Karl Ibsen's imprisonment are as heart-renching as the scenes describing the Kalner boys' escape and their refuge in New Church are tense and heart-stopping. The New Church scenes bring to mind the atmosphere of the Diary of Anne Frank. Lori Ibsen is rather like Anne, dealing with physical and emotional changes in herself (she seems to both love and hate Jacob Kalner) as well as the dangers brought about by war.

Indeed, Lori, Lucy and Marlene, the three new females introduced in this book, are the reason for my less than perfect review. All the problems that the Wallich family and the "Danzig Gang" suffer seem to be solely because of their female members. Lori and Marlene are always whining or arguing or doing something that puts the others' lives in danger. Lucy is something of a silly weakling though she does get better as the book goes along. I wished for some more likeable, heroic females like Elisa, Leah and Victoria of the previous books in this series rather than the weak, disobedient "daughters of Eve" found here. BROCK Thoene must've helped his wife write this one; there is so much woman bashing! And as for Peter Wallich, I HATED HIM! His sister Marlene is just a child, after all, and he is BEASTLY to her. When reading about him, I tried to tell myself that he, like Jacob and Lori, is trying to deal with growing up fast and handling a difficult, adult situation, but still I wanted to shake him! After enduring so many arguements and frustrations at the hands of the Danzig gang and the Wallichs, the scenes involving Alfie and Werner kitty were like a breath of fresh air. Alfie is something of a foil for the other characters in this book. He seems simple, yet he understands the dangers that he's in. Of all the characters, he is probably the most untouched by the war, still maintaining his innocence and his happy outlook on life. When you can identify with and understand characters that you don't particularly like, it is a sign of a good writer. Yes, I rank this 5th on my enjoyable scale of the six Zion Covenant book, the tragic Munich Signature being 6th. Maybe it's not my favorite in the series, but still very good. I recommend it.

This is one in a series of 9 books. I can't put them down! We read a Thoene book and ordered a series to read...this Zion Covenant series because my husband likes anything to do with WW2. They concentrate on mostly Christian Jews trying to get away from Hitler and the people that help them.

These books emphasis the power of prayer in our lives and how God can take the impossible and make it possible. Some of the ways God uses to get people, esp. children, out of Hitler's reach is just amazing!

The Thoene's are excellent writers! We plan to read all of their books now!

this review is more for the series than just the book. it is AWESOME!! i really wish more books were written like this nowadays. it has action,romance,ACCURATE historical information,...good stuff. and above all,it carries out the good news of Jesus Christ. TWO THUMBS UP!

This fictional series, which is based on an historical era, is the best that I have ever read. Brock and Bodie Thoene combine just enough history with fictional characters to truly capture the reader's interest as well as offer some real insights into the experiences of those who lived through the holocaust. It was difficult to put the book down. I could read this series over and over again. I anxiously look for new books by B&B Thoene, because of the Covenant and Chronicle series, both of which I have read and enjoyed thoroughly!

By chance I picked up this book from the local library. I have not heard of the author before. It is excellent and forces me to read all the series in the right order! I love historical fiction and Bodie Thoene is very good.Set in Germany and Austria just before the Second World War, the reader's attention is gripped from the first page!

Just finished "Dark Moon Crossing", my third novel by Sylvia Nobel in the Kendall O'Dell Mystery series. It is difficult to say which one of these three novels I have liked the best, but they seem to just get better and better. I did not want to put the books down, they really keep you on the edge of your seat! Makes me think of Mary Higgins Clark style of writing, but much more suspenseful! Love these books!!

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the Kendall O'Dell series. I bought my first one at the Prescott Art Festival and have them all now. They keep my interest from beginning to end and it is the only book I have read all in one day. Hopefully she will have a new one out soon.

I loved this book as well as all her others. The problem is now I have to wait impatiently for her next book. I don't think I can get enough of this witty author. Now that's the sign of a good writer! I want more!!!

Mrs. Nobel has done it again!! I could NOT put this book down. It was the perfect comination, just enough romance and compasstion to touch your heart and spooky enough to make you gasp. My kudos to Mrs. Nobel!! I am looking forward to the next book.

I have bought all 3 of this author's books and find I am never disappointed. This book "Dark Moon Crossing" in particular is a "can't put it down" novel. I am an avid reader of mystery novels and I didn't foresee what was coming in the end! Another good job Sylvia Nobel!!

I became familiar with Walter Scott Houston's column as a young teenager, and followed it until his death. This as a great compilation of many of his classic and timeless columns, carefully edited by Steve O'Meara.

Not a "guidebook" in the strictest sense, but a "suggestion book." It is one of my favorites. Highly recommended.

Walter Scott Houston was a dedicated amateur astronomer whose monthly column, "Deep-Sky Wonders" appeared in Sky & Telescope magazine for almost 48 years, from 1946 to 1994. Though he passed away in 1993, his writings live on to educate and inspire both new and old generations of stargazers. Noted amateur astronomer and author Stephen James O'Meara compiled Scotty's monthly columns and edited them into book form, Deep-Sky Wonders (1999, Sky Publishing Corp.).

There is a chapter for every month of the year, with Scotty's engaging descriptions of the objects and how to find them. Many are challenging, with a brightness of 10-11 magnitude or less. Each chapter begins with O'Meara's personal comments and ends with a table of that month's objects, in ascending order by M- and NGC- number, showing the type of object, its RA and Dec, and page and chart numbers in the Millennium Star Atlas, Uranometria 2000.0 and Sky Atlas 2000.0.

Scotty blazed trails in amateur astronomy, never content with the status quo. This book illustrates his spirit for seeking out elusive objects and his love for the wonders of the heavens. He often asked readers of his column to submit their comments and observations. Many of those observations are recounted in this book. Scotty was a master, with vast knowledge of the realm of space, but was ever down-to-earth in his discussions with his readers. In the pages of this book you will find friendly, familiar Messier objects and exotic, hard-to-find challenge objects, all skillfully described in Scotty's own words, with anecdotes on how he came to see them.

O'Meara's preface to the book explains his relationship with Scotty on the S&T staff and as editor of Scotty's column in the 1990s. O'Meara idolized Walter Scott Houston, and attempts in his own books to emulate the nearly-poetic writing Scotty was famous for. Two other well-known astronomy figures, Brian Skiff and Dennis DiCicco added their comments in forewords to the book.

But Scotty's own colorful words make up the bulk of Deep-Sky Wonders. Here is a long passage from the first page of chapter one, "January":

"I learned my constellations in Tippecanoe, Wisconsin, a town that long ago vanished into the urban sprawl of Milwaukee. Back then Tippecanoe was a rather treeless tract of farmland bounded by the great clay bluffs of western Lake Michigan. The sky ran right down to the horizon and, with an almost irresistible force, called for you to look at it. In January 1926, after a midnight walk home from ice-skating, I wrote:

`Snow crystals sparkle like blue diamonds, but with a dreamy gentle radiance totally unlike the harsh gem. A rail fence as black as Pluto himself runs along the road. The forest is black in the distance. The landscape is a masterpiece in ultramarine and sable.

`As if in contrast, the heavens above blaze with a thousand tints. Incredible Orion leads the hosts with blue Rigel, ruby Betelgeuse, and bright Bellatrix. His silver belt and sword flash like burnished stellar steel. And more advanced is dark and somber Aldebaran, so heavy and gloomy. In fitting contrast are the delicate Pleiades, who sparkle "like a swarm of fireflies tangled in a silver braid".

`How can a person ever forget the scene, the glory of a thousand stars in a thousand hues, the radiant heavens and the peaceful Earth? There is nothing else like it. It may well be beauty in its purest form.' "*

*(Scotty referred to a stanza in the poem Locksley Hall by Alfred Lord Tennyson.)

Get the book, Deep-Sky Wonders, and get to know Walter Scott Houston. Let him inspire you with his timeless message to get out under the stars. Enjoy reading the book on cloudy nights, and use its lists on clear ones.

Deep Sky Wonders is a collection of issues spanning several decades of the late Walter Scott Houston's monthly column in Sky and Telescope magazine. The noted astronomer and author Stephen James O'Meara organized Houston's writings by subject matter and further by month of optimal viewing for better readability. O'Meara also only edited the text for consistency in a couple places, so it remains Houston's work. I think he did an excellent job in the compilation. A section on any given constellation or deep sky object may contain excerpts from many of Houston's articles, yet O'Meara managed to make the transitions seamless and got the flow right.

I read this book over about a month and it was a most enjoyable experience. Houston's writing is superb, which is not surprising considering he held degrees in English. Also, his love and enthusiasm for amateur astronomy comes through better than in any work I've read so far barring perhaps Burnham's wonderful Celestial Handbook. Houston knows the sky and was an active observer right up to his death in 1993.

Both beginning and veteran observers will enjoy using this work to plan observing sessions, to check what interesting or challenging objects are up during a session, or to read in a comfortable setting on a night of no observing. I plan to take this book with me on every observing session. Highly recommended!

I must confess that I have been reading Walter "Scotty" Houston's Deep Sky Wonder's column in the Sky and Telescope magazine ever since I started on this amazing ride that is amateur astronomy in the mid 80's. His columns used to inspire me to observe from my light polluted backyard with my small beginner's telescope all those years ago. So when I saw that they were going to publish a "compilation" of his works, I knew I would have to get the book. And get the book I did. It was a no brainer really as I knew his witty writing style from his columns. An excellent cloudy night read and a tribute to a great visual astronomer!!!!! Your words of wisdom will live on Scotty...

Walter Scott "Scotty" Houston is a name many astronomers know well. Author of the Sky & Telescope Deep Sky Wonders column from 1946 until his death in December of 1993. He was a passionate amateur astronomer to the end of his long life. Houston's last column appeared in Sky & Telescope in July 1994 issue, and since that time, amateurs have had to scour back issues to excavate Houston's gold mine of observational knowledge. Enter Stephen James O'Meara. O'Meara has been on the staff of Sky & Telescope magazine since the late 70's, and was editor of Houston's column from 1990 until his death. O'Meara began the compilation by working with photocopies of the nearly 550 individual columns spanning Houston's career. He sorted, organized, and collated each of the works and produced a chapter for each month of the year, into which he inserted Houston's colorful prose, descriptive history, and observational commentary. O'Meara begins each section with some light annotation, but most of the words in this book are Houston's, and as a collection, they jell beautifully into a seasonal observer's guide that challenge Burnham's for the sheer elegance and depth of feeling that emanates from the pages. Upon receiving the book, I quickly turned my attention to a few of my favorite deep sky objects and marveled at the timelessness of Houston's descriptive prose. Before I knew it I had been reading for over an hour and could have spent several more lost in the beauty of Houston's finely knit web of description, quotes from other authorities, and the words of his readers. An example from his description of NGC2403, a little known but beautiful galaxy in Camelopardis:

"My 4-inch Clark refractor shows it as a lovely gem. I logged it as an "ocean of turbulence and detail" as seen with a 10-inch reflector under dark Kansas skies in the 1950's. In 1992 I saw it with a 20-inch telescope from the Florida Keys - a view that transformed it into a hurricane of cosmic chaos." (pp 28-29)

O'Meara's compilation of Houston's works has quickly taken its place as one of my favorite cloudy night books. It is also a valuable resource for planning observing sessions. It's organization by month lends itself well to selecting some prime targets for easy observing, with a generous does of difficult challenges for the more adventurous. This book is destined to be an instant classic.

i am Happy to see the site, i cannat spellwords,

sorry

nithyanandan

I found this book to be a great way to become familiar with the range of issues that come to bear on incorporating graphics into a web page. Despite the exclusive use of Photoshop in the examples, the concepts are explained in such a way that makes it easy to identify the same graphic-editing techniques needed to be used with other software such as Paint Shop Pro, my graphic editor of choice. Good clear explanations and excellent examples do a great job of illustrating how "tweaking" things like the color depth and color pallete affect file sizes, download times, and picture quality. Originally, I kept renewing this book from my local library until I finally just bought my own copy. A great book!

Although the book is oriented around Photoshop on the Mac (which is even better if you use a Mac), the concepts are universal. The book is visually pleasing, very informative (especially on graphic formats), and an inexpensive way to get started

The book is deceptive. The author makes it seem simple. In fact she packs in a lot of very cogent points whilst retaining a friendly style. Great for anyone starting out in graphics for the Web (though it does more or less assume you will be using Photoshop).

I found this book by accident in the library when I was starting the process of designing our office's web site. Because I was a rank beginner to the world of web design (although I knew the PC, Windows 98, Microsoft Office, FrameMaker, PageMaker and a little Photoshop), I needed some hand-holding to get my feet wet. This book was better than anything else I found for that task.

There are other web design books I like (like Roger Black's book on Adobe Press) but this is the best one I have seen for the person who literally knows nothing about the topic.Yes, it was written in 1996 and is somewhat dated for the person who wants to be cutting edge, but you have to crawl before you can run, and this book got me through the crawling stage so I could start to feel comfortable with the concepts I would need to work with my Adobe (and now Macromedia) software.

The writing style is crisp and clean and right to the point. I read it in three hours.

Try this book if you don't know anything about web design, then take a look at Roger Black for one designer's viewpoint on design issues. Once you have those two books under your belt, the author's latest book, Web Design in a Nutshell, would be a great next step.

The author gave some great historiography infromation concerning various religious sects as to how pastoral care emerges from each group. The book was not to finite with detail, but it was precise and breif enough to encompass a broad perspective. The CD that comes along with the book was just as useful to use as the book itself.

The Dictionary is useful for readers across a wide spectrum, not only for pastoral carers. Contains concise and practical information. The theological import of each entry is spelled out. Each entry has a bibliography for further reading or cross reference. I found myself browsing at leisure!

Anyone who has worked in the area where psychology and religion interface will appreciate this solid, thorough and carefully edited work that is without par in the field. Grounded in the actual experience of the "theology of living documents", the articles are as much practical as theoretical and academic. Thoroughly ecumenical, this massive reference work promotes dialogue between faith and theology and clinical theory and practice. If this is the kind of subject that interests you then you need to own this book.

F.X. Charet Phd

This a comprehensive and well-written reference work with more than 1200 articles and 1346 pages. For the parish minister or pastor who needs guidance, this book should definitely be on the shelf as a mandatory reference work. For seminarians, it might be overwhelming, but would be a wonderful book to own. For more experienced religious leaders, pastoral counselors and pastoral psychotherapists, however, there is much here that can be gotten more easily and in more sophisticated form from smaller, more specialized books on theology and especially aspects of psychology/psychiatry. Still, it is an admirable piece of scholarship and one that most caregivers will want and use. (Non-religious mental health workers could also use it for working more effectively with religious populations.)

The Dictionary is useful for readers across a wide spectrum, not only for pastoral carers. Contains concise and practical information. The theological import of each entry is spelled out. Each entry has a bibliography for further reading or cross reference. I found myself browsing at leisure!

As a curious person who enjoys history of all types, "Divination ~ Sacred Tools for Reading the Mind of God," by Paul D. O'Brien, pleased me greatly with its interesting and thorough historical background information on five major divination systems...Astrology, I Ching, Tarot, Numerology, and Runes. The author, amazing creator of the first authentic computer-generated divination programs and the originator of the website, Tarot.com, clearly understands, loves, and uses divination himself. He is so enthusiastic and yet respectfully serious about divination that he rightly makes sure that his readers know what he feels divination IS ~ fantastic tools to help people make better decisions and to stimulate their own intuition...and what divination ISN'T ~ a fortune-telling sham.

Some of my favorite sections in the book are the appendices, including Appendix C, "Divination in the Bible," which highlights the passages from the Bible that are in favor of divination and those passages that are decidedly not in favor of divination - very helpful for me to know as a Tarot reader, especially when one encounters a Bible thumper who proclaims Tarot as nothing less than a "capital offense" and quotes ONLY the passages against divination.

Chapter 7, "Divination Practice Today," was particularly helpful in that it focused on the when-why-how to successfully choose and use a divination system that will be meaningful to each person individually. I liked the section on what to look for in a live reader (and when to back out the door!), if one chooses to go that route. The information on what types of questions work best when using divination is downright excellent.

Additionally, I found Chapter 5, "Enemies of Divination," fascinating...including the mention of how misconceptions regarding divination get spread through television programs and even via incorrect and misleading definitions in dictionaries.

On an internet note, much appreciated was the listing of what Mr. O'Brien felt were the "Three Criteria for Authenticity of Interactive Divination"; particularly helpful so that one can decide which websites give an authentic divination experience and which do not.

I tend to adore and soak up enlightening quotes, by famous folks and otherwise. This book is chock full of such quotes almost to a fault, as there are sidebars of pertinent extra facts or tidbits of knowledge and/or italicized quotes on nearly every page. For the first few chapters the abundant sidebars disrupted my concentration as I read, but I must admit such quotes/sidebars were often such good reading that after awhile I didn't mind the hiccup to my train of thought.

This book wasn't "hard" reading per se, but in several areas it wasn't easy, plow-through-quickly, reading either. I found myself rereading passages again and again, especially in the first few chapters, to make sure I understood what was being said. In the end, it was worthwhile taking one's time to absorb all the helpful information. What I came away with was much more than a mere overview of five divination systems...I came away with an account of a rich and often controversial past that has grown and evolved into the divination systems that are revered and used by many the world over today. The author points out that such divination systems are not just for the rich or a chosen few...people from all walks of life and various backgrounds are enriched by these "sacred tools," which help them make better choices in their day-to-day living.

Paul O'Brien's love for divination and his dedication to literally placing divination tools on the desktops and laptops of millions around the world have driven him to write this revealing, spiritual and informative book.

Follow Paul on his journey through life, and see how it has meandered through his attraction to the spiritual arts and ultimately, blended in with with his passage to success in the world of software and sales. Discover how he combined his passion and his talents to build a company, Tarot.com, that is responsible for bringing people closer to the Spirit that resonates throughout the Universe on a daily basis.

More than just a description of different divination techniques, Paul's book demonstrates the way spirituality works in a person's life. It really is possible to be technically savvy and spiritually connected at the same time. In fact, once you read Paul's story, you may be inspired to follow in his footsteps.

His guide to esoteric arts provides a sound and accessible outline of the many divination practices that are available to the reader. The origins, history and practice of such "occult" arts as Astrology, Numerology, Tarot, I Ching and Runes are provided, along with information that guides the reader to the methods that best suit his or her individual needs.

Paul O'Brien is a masterful writer with a heart as huge as the vision of the cosmos he has been generous enough to share with the rest of us. This book is his gift to anyone who is curious and courageous enough to open up to see the magic that underlies the phenomenon we know as everyday life.

Several types of divination resonate with my soul. I have been accessing guidance from Runes, Tarot, Numerology, and Astrology for many years. Positive personal experience and connection were reason enough for my continued usage until I read "Divination". Paul O'Brien's book enriches and supports anyone's practice of these tools by giving a concise history, sharing pertinent stories, and explaining how to use divination.
First of all Paul O'Brien combines a vast history of divination in a concise easy read. I found this fascinating, as I had no idea most religions reference divination in their holy text. It's very useful to have access to these facts, some positive, some not and to be able to further research areas of interest using the extensive bibliography included.
This book also includes several true stories and incidences of the value gained by the use of divination. As a personal touch, the author weaves his life journey throughout the book. One can see how divination influenced his destiny by going from a mere user to becoming a catalyst to share and expose the world to these tools via the internet, [...], and this book. As a creative touch, famous quotes, symbols and pictures appear on each page that relate to the subject discussed.
Finally, O'Brien explains several helpful techniques on how to approach a reading. His advice would aid a newcomer as well as offer insight to someone who has used divination before. For instance he advises writing down your question before you begin. I have never done this before. I would just ponder the question in my mind. I can see the value in writing the question as it gives more power of intention.
So all you readers who use divination as a source for personal guidance or you curious ones, I recommend this book as an informative read. Spread the word but don't give this jewel away. I suspect you'll reference its knowledge often.

Great book. I don't even like religion, or reading for that matter, but he had me at "when logic fails...". Sometimes you need a more creative path. This book helped me get there.

I believe that Mr. O'Brien has been in the trenches. Those are the folks I like.

I like being able to see beauty in all things, and I don't even meditate!

I like leaving hate behind.

Mr O'Brien's book touches on all of those concepts that have helped me feel more complete today. I don't know how it worked, but it did, and "Divination: Sacred Tools for Reading the Mind of God" was a big part of it.

Is divination nothing more than a crass attempt to foretell the future, or does it encompass a much broader range of metaphysical endeavor and archaic thought than most of us are aware? According to Paul O'Brien and his book `Divination: Sacred Tools for Reading the Mind of God' divination entails a myriad of systems, most of which are thousands of years old, designed for stimulating insights and unlocking the doors to synchronicity so we may access the mind of God (however you perceive the Divine) and fully manifest our intended destiny.

The author has a tall order to fill and he does an admirable job at doing so in this informative and nicely illustrated 232 page volume. O'Brien's book is a beautifully conceived, expertly organized and meticulously detailed presentation of the topic that will continue to serve as a valuable resource long after your initial reading is complete. The book is worth the purchase price for the Appendices alone.

I believe the most important contribution O'Brien makes to the ongoing study of divination is the material dealing with the rapidly evolving technology which is in the process of making these ages old esoteric systems new and relevant to a computer oriented generation.

As the author points out, "The responsibility for your spiritual progress is all yours" so if you really want to manifest your destiny you must be willing to hold nothing back on your journey of self discovery and say along with Paul O'Brien, "Wherever God Drags Me, I Will Follow".

My kids loooove this book. They have listened (cd included) to it so many times they have it memorized.

The story in and of itself is a masterpiece to say the least with its poetic style and beautiful, playful illustrations. Adding the CD just makes it come alive for the reader or listener!!! As a former classroom teacher I can see so much creative writing coming from it; to say nothing of the unending pictures that will be drawn all about it and the stories from those pictures. It can definitely be used in classrooms as part of extended health/science lessons teaching children about the best eating habits. The CD makes it a MUST HAVE classroom story from Kindergarten to 6th grade and even older. The 6th graders could write a play and act it out for the younger grades on parent's night. Every child should have this book & CD or at least hear this adventure story. I hope the author is contacting every librarian in every school there is and the public libraries too!!!

My six-year-old was mesmerized with the graphics and narration.
He held on to the book for an hour or two, walking around the house after the first read.
You won't go wrong with this one if you want some fun while the kids are learning about eating right.

Our family reads the Doc Broc book together to talk about how living alkaline foods give us energy and help us to "be healthy and strong like Doc Broc". This is an important message for our children who are surrounded by the unrelenting mass marketing of acidic foods and drinks.

Below are reviews from my daughters:

"I am a eight year old girl and I love the Doc Broc book.

My favorite recipes in the book are Vegan Chili and Grapefruit Super Soy Pudding.

I like the part when Big Bad Burger Bully burps in Doc Broc's face! Then Lucious Lettuce ripped off a piece of her skirt and threw it at Big Bad Burger Bully. He got blinded. Then he jumped on his skate board and it lead him straight into a wall. There were pieces of cheese, ketchup, mustard and mayo all over the room, too much of a mess for a mop or a broom.

I learned that health is not only healthy - it is fun as well. I think that other kids deserve a good life too, free from sickness and weight." - Stefanie

And from my five year old...

"I learned that if you eat alkaline you'll feel good that you taked care of yourself good." - Caroline

This story book is a classic! Written like a poem, it's really catchy. Kids will love this book and the parents will too. It's simple, educational, inspiring and carries a powerful message. At last a book that really steps youngsters into understanding the truth about healthy foods and healthy bodies.

I thought the pictures were adorable, bright and colorful and there are some really hysterical details. I like the fact that kids get to journey through and learn about the digestive system on this adventure.

I loved the CD that allows kids to listen and read along on their own if they want to. The background music makes it really impacting and the sound effects will make kids laugh.

The recipes are actually delicious!!! From breakfasts, to dinners, to quick and simple deserts, and there are some really healthy alternatives to fast foods. I'll eat these foods every day, you don't need to be a kid to enjoy this food!

All round, this books a winner!