O Books

Find a copy of this book if you are seperated or divorced. It is a powerful book with a wonderful message.

Find a Fresh Start retreat you can attend also. You will not be disapointed.

I bought this book so I could get some emotional help as I go through my current divorce..... I have had it for a couple weeks now and a near 6 year marriage ended 2 months ago..... If anyone is in any type of situation like this,, I recommend this book.. Questions such as: How did you know when the relationship was 'really' over? Who all are you angry at right now? What did your spouse do? What have you done to contribute to the current situation? How have you tried to keep the relationship together even when you knew it was over....... basically, questions that make you admit the truth to yourself so you can heal and grow from this and go on to enjoy your life... During the lonely days and nights, and times I don't want to answer the phone, this book is a Godsend!

My own divorce hit me like an earthquake: my whole world shook apart and then collapsed. I was left to raise two sons on my own.

I found this book soon after the divorce and was immediately comforted by the well-organized approach to the problems I was facing. This book helped me structure my life and gradually, get back on track.

Well-written, very practical, this book takes you step-by-step through the major things you are already dealing with --- or soon will be.

Barbara Sheldon, M.S.W.
Single Mom with two sons
I also highly recommend: Moving Forward After Divorce: Practical Steps to * Healing Your Hurts * Finding Fresh Perspective * Managing Your New Life

Let's face it: divorce often catches us by surprise, and it always changes many things about our daily life. More than just the loss of a partner, we find ourselves confronting brand-new challenges and dealing with things we never expected. For some of us, it's just too much: we can't handle it.

This author (not the radio host Jim Burns) is a minister who himself went through the experience of divorce. Out of that experience he gathered some of the most useful ideas and successful strategies that helped him and have helped others also. The result is a highly readable book.

You'll find good help here, especially if you're struggling to keep things together and trying to figure out what your priorities should be. Well-written and helpful.

Dr. David Frisbie
The Center for Marriage & Family Studies
Author of Moving Forward After Divorce: Practical Steps to * Healing Your Hurts * Finding Fresh Perspective * Managing Your New Life

This book has helped me through one of the most difficult times in my life. Things that made me feel like I was going crazy, I realized are just part of the proccess. I realize now that I will get through this and I am not going crazy.

This is a book that makes a great deal of sense, is gentle, loving and powerful...Her world view definitely speaks to me...I have already recommended the book to my friends.

This is the best book on the topic of compulsions that I have ever seen. What impressed me the most were some simple and quick to do exercises that, simply put, have worked every time I've taken the 30 seconds or so to do them. Frankly I'm amazed at the power of this book.
I met the author briefly after a lecture she gave, and I give her an even higher recommendation than the book. She's one of the real ones.

This book was recommended to me by a therapist who deals specifically with eating disorders. I started reading the book and immediately became engrossed. O'Malley really does take a revolutionary approach to compulsive behavior by asking us to see our compulsions as friends rather than enemies. After a lifetime of battling my compulsions and hating their control over my life, I am slowly learning to listen to what they are trying to say. Like young children, our compulsions are desperate for our attention.

While I don't really relate to O'Malley's humanistic perspective, I was still able to apply her ideas within the framework of my own spiritual beliefs. No matter what your "world view", I think this book has a great deal to offer those of us who are tired of fighting and losing the battle of our compulsions.

This book truly finds the words for inner turmoil that addictions compulsions create in our lives. The word that comes to my mind is "committment" and the ways we truly avoid engaging in life out of fear of being consumed ourselves. It's a paradigm shift that is meaningful for those that use the mind way too much and escalating self made prisons. If you want or need to understand on a deeper level the spiritual ramifications of self destructive behavior and how to heal them, please go here.

If you want to find a compassionate and insightful way of reconnecting and trusting yourself, read this book and take it to heart! Mary O'Malley's invites us to recognize compulsions for what they are: a survival system asking us to pay attention to the here and now.

I invite you to read it, so you too can begin to cultivate the healing power of attentive curiosity!

A good book for those who love Halo 2 and those to need a little help gettin' the edge on the enemy!!!

Do you want to know the type of work that is currently being done by the Halo community? If you do, you're in luck! Author Stephen Cawood, has done an outstanding job of writing a book that will show you how to explore the new dimensions of Halo 2 games and some of the most interesting Halo 2 mods that you can create on a modded Xbox.

Cawood, begins by showing you some of the more interesting Halo 2 jumping techniques. Then, he covers the most mysterious of Halo 2 Easter eggs, the skulls. The author continues by showing you how to find some more interesting Easter eggs. Next, he introduces you to interesting things that you can do in the Halo 2 universe. Then, the author covers some interesting anomalies in Halo 2. He continues by showing you the best software tools available for changing the way Halo 2 functions. Then, he shows you how you can create your own weapon variations. The author continues by covering mods that can be made to Halo 2 vehicles. Next, he introduces you to some mods that alter the Halo 2 environment. Then, the author covers mods that relate to the presentation of Halo 2. He continues exploring mods that affect the Halo 2 game engine. Finally, he introduces you to some of the best modded maps that have been produced to date and gets you started on making your own.

In this most excellent book, each hack stands on its own. This book has been written with the same goal in mind, that is, to give you afresh way to enjoy your Halo universe.

He was a little disapointed with the item. He thought it was a book not a magazine

Halo 2 Hacks is a very well written book and easy to understand. The pictures and "visual aids" are very helpful. A definate must for EVERY Halo 2 fan! The section on modding is really well done too. A good introduction to modding, a good source for "how-to" find/use gameplay secrets. A well done book. 5 Stars.

I bought this book, because I'm a big Halo 2 fan. I play Halo 2 all the time. And let me just tell you, this book is the greatest.

Don't let the name Halo 2 Hacks fool you, the first half of this book shows you plenty of Easter Eggs, techniques, glitches, and awesome stuff in the game. The second half shows you modding tools, where to get them, and how to use them. It does absolutely nothing to show you how to cheat on X-Box Live, which is good. I'll bet you didn't know that you can mod a map so when you crouch, you get an ariael view of the sky. You can jump a bazillion feet into the sky. You can put a Scorpion turret on the back of a Warthog. You can even make your shotgun fire dozens of plasma grenades, and this book shows you how to do ALL of those.

See people with interesting textures on their modded maps? This book shows you programs you can use to make those. You can inject meta (I bet you don't even know what that is, but this book will show you!) to make a picture of George Bush apppear over the map. Now I don't know why you would want to, but you can!

I bet you had absolutely no idea before that the Scarab gun is in the form of a Plasma Pistol on Metropolis. This book shows you how to get it. There's a giant soccerball on Metropolis, also. This book shows you how to get it. There's a skull that changes the physics of the game and makes everything explode bigger. This book shows you how to do that. This book shows you EVERYTHING!

In overall, I give this book a 11/10. It is the best guide book I have ever read.

This book continues a couple of generations after the first in the Genesis Trilogy left off. I quickly got into this new heroine, Keren's, life, though it was hard to say goodbye to the previous heroine, Annah and her husband, Shem. They make appearances, though, in this story.
Keren's life quickly heats up when she's taken captive by Nimr-Rad (Nimrod) and taken to his city. Again, I really enjoyed reading about this ancient time. The author does a really good job at describing the way of life, both in the rural, highland areas, and in the fledgling city on the plain, from clothing, food & its preparation, even to make-up. Again, I really liked the heroine & hero, but was disappointed that the framework allowed so little communication between the hero & heroine. There was very little development of his character, especially, though the author hinted at past traumas in his life. Then there was a sudden 5 yr. jump in time which threw me off, also, b/c suddenly he and the heroine had an unspoken understanding which the reader had no time to enjoy seeing develop. It wasn't until the very end that they can finally talk to each other. Very frustrating for a romance lover!
But other than that, really good story, and I'm looking forward to diving into the last part of the trilogy.

"Keren noticed Nimr-Rada shifting impatiently. She glanced at him; he was watching her closely, his eyes impenetrable. She felt like prey. Was he wondering why she hadn't bowed? Or if she had returned to the ways of the Most High? Well, let him wonder."

"He Who Lifts the Skies" begins several hundred years after the Great Flood and revolves around the lives of Noah's descendents, specifically Nimrod the great hunter mentioned briefly in the Bible. The earth has drastically changed since before the flood, and man has been given another chance to serve God with a pure heart. Once again, man is beginning to turn his back on the Most High and already the story of the flood is considered folk lore. However there is a remnant who stand true.
Keren, a firm believer in the Most High, is taken captive to the Great City of Nimrod and threatened with her life should she refuse to bow to the king. Will she go against her convictions and bend her knee to someone other than the Most High?
Her beautiful yet immoral sister is a constant source of anguish for her, and a forbidden love tugs at Keren's heart. Her years are filled with persecution and trials, which leaves the reader hungry to know how this young woman will handle each difficult situation.
The storyline of He Who Lifts the Skies is captivating and original and one of the best reads around. A continuation in The Genesis Trilogy, by Kacy Barnett-Gramckow, "He Who Lifts the Skies" should be classified as "a book that can't be put down".

He Who Lifts the Skies, second in the Genesis Trilogy, is a captivating follow up to The Heavens Before. I found myself eagerly turning the pages until the very end.

While The Heavens Before tells the story of the great flood, He Who Lifts the Skies picks up many years later, after the sons of Noakh have had time to multiply and begin replenishing the earth. Already, many of the tribes are walking their own paths and refusing to honor the Most High. Nimr-Radr, a mighty hunter, has declared himself Great King (or He Who Lifts The Skies). Those who refuse to pay tribute to him face swift and painful death.

Keren and her sister Sharah create quite a stir when they are born because of their unusual, light-colored eyes. Until their birth, all people had been born with dark hair and eyes. When Nimr-Radr hears of the sisters with pale eyes, he travels to meet them, wanting them for his own.

While Keren ignores his interest, Sharah seeks the power and honor that the Great King can give her. But Nimr-Radr doesn't want just the one sister, he wants both, and Sharah will not let her sister's wishes come between her and her goal. Keren finds herself in the difficult and dangerous position of being the only one with the power to end Nimr-Radr's rule of tyranny, but at what cost will it be to herself, and to those she loves?

Kacy Barnett-Gramckow does an amazing job with her research, not only making it a fascinating part of a page-turning story, but also leaving the reader with plenty to ponder. The romance is quietly woven into the story, and while it is not as prominent as Shem and Annah's romance in book one, it is equally compelling. Next in the series is A Crown of Stars, which I look forward to reading with much anticipation.

Armchair Interviews says: Second in a wonderful trilogy of stories.

I have been looking forward to reading HE WHO LIFTS THE SKIES for sometime. It is the second part of the three-part Genesis Trilogy. I wasn't for sure what to expect from the first book in the series, THE HEAVENS BEFORE, but really enjoyed that book. I was eager to see how that story would connect with this one.

The Great Flood ended over a century before and once again the Earth has begun to be peopled. However, God told the people to spread out across the Earth and multiply, but instead many of them are coming to live together in one place, the Great City. In the Great City there are no wide pastures for animals to roam or large fields for children to play. Instead, everyone lives in close spaces and it seems that the extreme nearness breeds wickedness. Keren and her older sister, Sharah are descendants of Shem and Annah (the heroine of THE HEAVENS BEFORE). They are unlike any people they have seen because of their pale skin, light hair, and bright eyes. Some would claim that because they are so unique, they are the most beautiful women on Earth. As the girls become women, tales of their beauty reaches the builder of the Great City, Nimr-Rada (Nimrod). He wants the girls for his wives. Sharah eagerly agrees, abandoning her husband and son, but Keren protests and is taken to the Great City against her will. When she arrives she discovers that Nimr-Rada is planning even more wickedness--a huge tower he plans on building that will reach to the Heavens, proving once and for all that mankind does not need the fabled Most High. Keren becomes torn as she tries to find temperance between her own desires and the will of the Most High. Something must be done, but who can stand against a man who kills leopards for sport?

Like THE HEAVENS BEFORE, HE WHO LIFTS THE SKIES is a fictional tale that remains true to the Bible. It's full of vivid images and engaging dialogue. However, THE HEAVENS BEFORE seemed to be more of a romance to me. HE WHO LIFTS THE SKIES includes some romantic elements, but the book reads more like a tale of suspense. For instance, Keren's eldest brother Ra Anan is very mysterious and it isn't always clear exactly what he is plotting and what his plans are. In that since, HE WHO LIFTS THE SKIES is a story that appeals to a bigger audience. I also liked how the story connected so seamlessly with THE HEAVENS BEFORE. The stories complement each other nicely.

If you've read the first book in The Genesis Trilogy, then you definitely need to read HE WHO LIFTS THE SKIES. Even if you haven't you can still enjoy the book. Especially recommended for fans of Biblical fiction.

I have almost given up on fiction retellings of Biblical history as very rarely does an author actually stick to what the Bible states on the subject. Therefore, I was tremendously pleased to read this wonderfully, vividly written story! It stuck faithfully to the Biblically provided information, though there really wasn't much there for this period (post-Flood during the time of Nimrod and the building of Babel). This author not only is a talented writer, but she put a lot of time, research, and thought into what the post-Flood world during this time period would be like. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

The author explores religious concepts, prejudice, hatred, love, compassion, and relationships all so well in this easy-to-read novel. Real life issues to ponder with well-developed and fun to know characters. You'll be glad you read this one.

are cleverly packaged in a novel that reveals intriguing yet believable characters. The author comforts his readers' hearts while they journey through Ryne's path to healing. Vivid depictions of universal struggles are interlaced with love, kindness, and innocence. When readers finish the journey, they have learned more than Ryne's story. They have learned how a child can lead them to a place of forgiveness, humility, and growth. Easy to read, easy to love, but not easy to forget.

I can't imagine who wouldn't enjoy this book. Appears that everyone who reads it takes something important from the story. I loved the characters and loved the story line. It leaves you wanting more of the lives of the folks of small town Tynbee. Can't wait for another book from this author.

I wasn't too familiar with this author's other work, so I didn't really know what to expect when I started this book. What a wonderful surprise! Scott Philip Stewart weaves together a heartwarming (and sometimes heartbreaking) story filled with characters with whom you can relate...and empathize. Everyone knows couples who have tried every imaginable way to conceive a child - IVF, etc. - and the exhiliration associated with finally having one. This book draws you in with just such a couple, living in unfortunate circumstances, and keeps you pulling for them through a series of twists and turns. You have a front row seat as you witness the power of love, hate, raw bigotry, redemption, and high-minded idealism. Ryne will tug at your heartstrings, and you'll think about him long after you put this book down.

What an amazing book! I fell in love with every single character in this book (and this book has some of the most well-developed, captivating characters I've "met" in a while!) Everything about this story was well done...I literally could not put it down. Esther in particular really came alive for me...I could see her, hear her, and truly feel for her very quickly. She made me laugh out loud, cheer out loud (terrific scene where she charges into a parade and beats up an unrighteous man), and cry my heart out. As a truly avid reader (2-4 books/week for 30+ years and church librarian), it is a rare book that I can say is simply PERFECT! I hope that the author will write another book and let us know how things progress in the life of Esther, Olie, Sister Styker, the pastor and his wife, Luther, and the entire church body in Tynbee. I'll be waiting...
Very happy reader!

It was so exciting that I could not put the book down until I finished reading it. I hope it could be used in a movie or TV series.

Absolutely amazing! Brandon and Ryan -- there must be a part two. Is there a part two? I'm running to the bookstore. This is a great story about growing up for all ages. A good yarn.

The Everglade's descriptions are fabulous. Only someone that has been there can only describe the Florida Everglades as well as Mr. Carballo does in this book. I loved reading the novel about the two boys that go on a "Huck Finn" adventure through the streets of Miami. There is great deapth in this story as in all great books. I'll be waiting for the next one!

This book was very thrilling. It kept me on my toes from beginning to end. The themes and concepts portrayed in this book are very powerful. In this book you really have to read deeper than the words to truly understand what is going on. The transitions were very clean and the language and tone in certain areas were very fulfilling. The use of descriptive details let you see how the characters really looked. The novel is also very deceptive. It pushes you into thinking one way about the characters in this book and yet the character is actually completely different. I couldn't put the book down. Even while I slept I thought about the book, as it relates to real life, as it is a true story. But the boook and read it and I'll guarantee you will enjoy every page.

What a story of two young boys growing up in the Florida Everglades!! The Florida Everglades scenery was stupendous. Characterization was phenomenal. I'm looking forward to reading your other book, TEARS OF A RISING SUN!

I bought this as a supplement to starting a new job where I knew I was going to be focusing on more inDesign. The book works well as a reference as well as reading through it one chapter at a time. It's a great addition to my growing library.

This book with it's DVD let me accomplish thing I would have had to pay other thousands to do for me. Deke has a is very entertaining style.
I can not recomend this book highly enough!

Deke is a great teacher: easy to follow, speaks clearly and isn't boring.
I don't think everything in the book is on video, but the book is also easy to follow. It too is a great teacher with lots of illustrations, tips and concise directions. Though I was a Quark user and completely new to InDesign, One on One does a great job of teaching it.

Read the lesson then watch the video in a blend of exercise book and video package in Adobe InDesign CS3 One-on-One. It's the perfect lesson approach for any learning Adobe either on their own or via on online class: Step-by-step text lessons pair with the DVD video demonstrations and projects keyed to real-world experience. With over 900 color images, diagrams, and over three hours of video instruction, these 12 self-paced tutorials will prove invaluable keys to any who seek a progressive lesson plan.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

McClellan's series of Adobe books are an invaluable reference for me. His tutorials are lessons I actually use in my work. He gives practical use of the software in a way even a novice user can understand and yet the professional will turn to time and again. Actually seeing the author use the tools in a video is the perfect way to learn software. I have many adobe manuals on my shelves, THIS one sits on my desk.

This is an excellent overview of the OT, with helpful chapters on each book. But, it's a 1994 and somewhat dated. The book now has a second edition, which Amazon curiously does not list. The newer version is a year or two old, published by Zondervan, with Tremper Longman III listed as the first author - e.g., "Longman and Dillard."

Professor's Dillard and Longman's Introduction to the Old Testament is an outstanding resource for understanding the literary, theological, and historical background of every Old Testament book. It is evangelical in its perspective, yet interacts with historical - cricial methods of interpretation that have been prominent over the past 100 + years or so.

A typical overview of each Old Testament book will start with an overview, useful commentaries and articles for each book, the historical background (date, author, and purpose), a literary analysis of the structure of the book, its theological message and how it applies to the New Testament.

The reader of the book will find an outstanding reference book for understanding and studying the individual books of the Old Testament. A real strength of this book is its description of the literary style of a book and what that means for the reader. Yet, the authors warn wisely that while it is important to take into account the book's literary context for the reader, the importance of understanding a particular Old Testament book, the importance of placing literary context within the historical context is paramount.

The authors make solid use of previous scholarship in their introductions for each book, even wisely dividing what is useful from the neo-orthodox and critical scholars and what is not.

This reference book will be of great use to ministers, lay teachers and the general student of the Bible.

This is an excellent book for those who are studying the Old Testament.

This volume should be in every serious student of the OT library. Pastors especially should delve into this concise yet reasonable volume.

I highly recommend this volume.

An excellent, informative overview of cursory introductory matters. OT introduction is quite a mindfield; however, Dillard and Longmand present a well-informed discussion. It is brief often on issues of dating and authorship, which makes this an excellent "first grab" off the shelf when a question arises. The volume is probably worth double its asking price for the literary analysis. This volume takes into account literary compentency and provides genre discussion (thanks to the illustrious Tremper Longman's coauthorship). All in all each student of the Bible needs a basic OT introduction; this is an excellent choice for the reader of today.

I brought this item as a gift for someone who was dealing with fibroids. Prior to ordering the book on line, I had the pleasure to review the book as well. It is an excellent and informative book, which is well written. I recommend this book for any women who is dealing with fibroids.

Thank you.

the best book on the market for women of color who suffer from fibroids.when i was thinking of surgery monique's book helped me make the final choice.I am so glad I bought it.I will recommend it to all those who are going through the same thing.

This book is WONDERFUL. It is easy to read and the humor is great too! It gives you more information then you can image. It prepares you with questions to ask your doctor; what foods to avoid, how to share what you are going through with your mate and much, much more. More importantly, she praises God! A book to have in your library. An EXCELLENT Reference tool. I have recommended this book to four women within the last two months and told at least twenty or so about it. Ladies, we must not keep this to ourselves... SHARE it with others.

I found Monique Brown's book more informative than any I read of its kind. So much so, I recommended it to a number of women and even purchased it as a gift for some of my friends.
Many of them wished they would have known about the book prior to undergoing a hysterectomy or a myomectomy.

I found the case studies inspiring and the resources quite helpful for my research. The diagrams were awesome as they helped me to picture what fibroids actually look like in and on the uterus. Furthermore, the natural healing information has been extremely helpful in providing alternatives to surgery. Overall, I especially liked that it was an easy warm read and not cold and clinical.

First, let me say that, "It's A Sistah Thing," by Monique R. Brown, is one well written and well researched book on fibroids. Ms. Brown's credits include: senior editor of Black Enterprise Magazine, an adjunct professor at Long Island University, and President and Founder of Professional Women of Color.

The author, Monique Brown, had fibroids and has herself faced the horrible specter of hysterectomy. She was one of the lucky ones and got a myomectomy. She reports that her myomectomy improved her sex life.

The main thrust of the book is to advance alternative approaches to fibroids; however, she does take the op to sound many important alarms. She is delicately raising the hysterectomy/race connection. She notes UAE is new with few studies done and then adds Dr. Scott Goodwin's remark, pg. 203, "If you embolize and block the blood supply to the nerves going into the uterus, those nerves may very well be damaged. And if you were feeling something in your uterus that was pleasurable, you may no longer feel that after embolization."

And Monique is pretty straightforward about hysterectomy and sex. On page 204 she quotes Herbert A. Goldfarb as saying that 40% of women indicate a reduced sexual response after a hysterectomy and then goes on to briefly explain why. But what made me buy the book?

One short sentence found on pg. 201, "There's also a theory that the vagus nerve, a nerve that shoots from the cervix to the brain stem, is a pathway for orgasmic sensations." Readers, that is not common knowledge. Ms. Brown has done her homework.
Let her share what she has learned with you!

I am both a photographer and a "train nut". This book is outstanding!

I'm not a railroad enthusiast per se, but I have to admit I was captivated by the photographic artwork of O. Winston Link. This book abounds with not only great photographs, but Mr. Link has definitely defined Americana of the 1950's through his photography. As a child of the 50's I can definitely relate to the steam locomotives, by the beautiful sounds they made not only at rest, but also by the rhythm of their wheels, and the melodic shrill of their whistles. O. Winston Link is without question one of the greatest photographers of our country, and his photography shows it. This is a great book, and I recommend it to anyone interested in a bygone era.

American steam railroading should go down in history as the most evocative and romantic aspect of the industrial age. Winston Link understood what was happening during the 1950s, and he took care of it. Times were changing, the cheapness of the airplane and automobile were replacing the steam railroad with its giant fire breathing behemoths--indeed the most 'human-like' machines, in my opinion. Link primarly photographed at night using indepedent flashbulbs and reflectors; this way he could control the lighting. This makes his images haunting, yet nastolgic and desirable.

My favorite shot in this book is titled "Highball for the Double Header", one of the last images Link photographed of the railroad, and one of the few in which he used color film at night. In it you witness his mastery for composition as well as symbolism: two articulated steam locomotives being given the all clear by a switchman's lantern, the man being dwarfed by the giant engines and their cloud of steam reaching far up into the night sky--all perfectly illuminated by Link's flashbulbs. A fitting end to Link's oeuvre.

Get this book, you won't be disappointed. Check out the new museum dedicated to his work in Roanoke: www.linkmuseum.org

O. Winston Link, in my opinion, was the best train photographer that ever lived. He knew where to aim the light, how much light to have, and the best places to take photos. Most of Link's photos are taken at night, which enhances view of the massive amount of pure white steam.

This book defines nostalgia more than clearly. Being a railroad and steam locomotive enthusiast myself, I dream about the living in pictures that Link took. In the book, Thomas Garver, one of Link's assistants, illustrates the sounds, details, and reasons for the trains being where they are in each photo.

The Norfolk & Western was the last major railroad in the U.S. to say "good-bye" to steam power. When Link heard of the inevitable decision, he immediately began to "document" the railroad as it was before steam was gone. From about 1955 to 1958, he spent countless hours taking thousands of photos of the steam engines on the N&W. "The Last Steam Railroad in America" brings out some of the best photos he ever took.

I like the photos in this book that pertain to the "Abingdon Branch" of the N&W. I used to live in Damascus, VA, a small town that was one of the major stops on this line. The railroad bed is now a bike trail and I have found every spot that Link stood at in order to take his photos of the Abingdon Branch.

I highly recommend "The Last Steam Railroad in America" to any train enthusiast, photographer, or anyone who has memories of a steam locomotive roaring by their home. It will always have a special place on my bookshelf.

While my major interest in photography has always been the early-20th-century Camera Pictorialists, I've always loved the photographs of the late Winston Link. With their tremendous detail and chiaroscuro, they have qualities few photos have - drama and mood. Link was actually trained as an engineer but made his living as an industrial photographer. Even his commercial photographs had a strong narrative drive; they told the story of his clients' products. Because of his tremendous mastery of technique, Link was able to compose photographs with great spatial depth, and through well-placed illumination, bring them off. Link was long interested in steam locomotives but when a commercial assignment brought him to Virginia, he began a five-year-long project to document the Norfolk and Western railroad, the last steam railroad in america. While he shot the trains of the N & W in daylight - in both black and white and color - it was his night scenes that made Link a cult favorite among photographers. To capture the tremendous size of the locomotives and their ever-present steam, Link carefully composed each shot, blocking in where the locomotive would arrive and placing syncronized flashbulbs along the track to capture a steam locomotive at full cry. Winston Link was an American original who answered to his own muse - the steam locomotive.