One The Books

This book appeals at so many levels. It is a gripping historical novel, with well-researched references to the art world of New York City around World War I. It is a mystery novel. It is a love story. It is a psychological study of a desperately troubled young woman. The author is a meticulous researcher and every historical reference, providing the story with texture, rings true. Beautifully written. This is a book you will not easily forget.

THE RIVER, BY MOONLIGHT by Camille Marchetta is a literary jewel set in 1917 New York with characters so clear you could pick them out of a crowd.

This story begins a little after six in the morning when Henrietta Canning gets a disturbing call from NYPD Detective Malone. A lady has drowned in the Hudson River and the police believe it's her twenty-five year old daughter, Lily. Once the identity is confirmed, the next concern for her family is whether this was an accident or suicide.

As the people she left behind come to terms with this loss, we get to know Lily and what it must have been like to walk in her shoes. It won't be until the last few pages that we understand completely what happened that fatal night at the Yacht Club.

Marchetta's book would make the perfect book club read!

A compelling story and a wonderful piece of writing. The novel gets its power from the author's close observation of conflicting human emotions seen against a richly detailed portrait of New York City just before World War One. That tragedy looms over the characters sharpening their emotions, but the author never overplays her hand The true tragedy plays out in a long, heart-breaking andante near the end. Edith Wharton would have been proud to have written this moving story.

On the surface the story is simple: a young artist, Lily Canning, dies - her life story is told by the people who loved her. Set in the months before World War I in and around New York City, the times and places are vividly drawn and investigated. Both the War and the Modern Art movement are characters in this beautifully written novel, and we see the advent of both upset the values and dreams of a generation. The story is a woman's cry from the heart for freedom, recognition, and love told by a master storyteller.

A sensitive telling of a tale set early in the last century (at a time of upheaval in the art world, and the beginning of war), The River, By Moonlight (I do love that title) intrigues at the same time as it breaks your heart. Marchetta is one of my favorite authors, and the reasons are simple. She has a feel for a story and how it should be told that surpasses that of many writers, and equals the skill of some of the best. The beautifully drawn array of characters she creates (some inhabitants of a seemingly serene Hudson River town, others of a pulsating Manhattan) will stay with you long after you have turned the last page of the book. This is a writer whose sure hand and delicate touch can always be counted on.

Very well written. A true story of God's amazing grace & mercy. A wonderful tribute to those involved with the Gideon's and Prison Fellowship and all who obey God's leading. A wonderful book of encouragement for all of us. Thank you, Jodi.

Martha J. Craig

A great biography, I read this book in about 4 days. It is a fascinating story that shows the power of God's love and grace in a person's life. Below are four main points about this book, two negative and two positive.

On a negative note, I always am bothered by biographies and non-fiction books that quote 30 or 40 year old conversations as if they were word-for-word fact. I have a hard time believing that things happened just as they happened. The skeptic in me imagines the exaggerations and the "fill in the blanks" that have to occupy many nonfiction books. Secondly, I sometimes cringe at the continual use of phrases like "God told me...." God has talked to people in the past (the Bible records such divine exchanges), but I don't think this is the standard today. I personally have never been talked to by God (outside of His Word) and I think that many Christians feel discouraged about their relationship with God when they hear of some people getting "talked to" and then they never experience anything like that.

OK, on a positive note, I loved reading of how a life was changed by God. Mary Kay's story is amazing and it is always encouraging to see how people can go from a life of complete selfishness and then after becoming a Christian their lives take a turn towards love and service. Even the staunchest unbeliever has to be impressed by the change that comes over Christians. In this case a dishonest, thieving, deadbeat mother is transformed into a honest, serving, selfless citizen. Also encouraging about this book is the way that it shows the effectiveness of prison ministry. Mary Kay's life was changed because of the people who gave up their time and comfort to love people in prison. People in prison have often come to the end of themselves and are eager to start a new, different life. Christians who teach the bible, encourage, and spend time with prisoners have an amazing opportunity to see lives be changed for the better as Mary Kay's life was changed. This book serves as a reminder to all Christians that those who serve and love prisoners actually are serving and loving Christ himself (Matthew 25:36).

A compelling story of an amazing, transformed life. This is one of those books that you must share with your friends, family, and everyone that you know! "Rogue Angel" demonstrates the incredible power of God to take a life most of us would consider "unredeemable", and a person many would describe as "unlovable" and mold them into one of His great instruments of truth and love. Mary Kay's story is engaging and inspiring (Once on the FBI's Most Wanted list, she is the founder of Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree Ministry to the children and families of prisoners). Do yourself a favor and warm your heart with this highly recommended true story of redemption and how the power of God's love works in our lives!

This book held my attention, uninterruptedly until I manufactured time to finish it. It is hard to imagine such a tremendous change in one individual from the bottom of the pile to the top. Reading Rogue Angel is time well invested.

What a compellimg story, told in masterful way. The fact that by the Grace of God, such an individual as Mary Kay was chosen to spearhead such a marvelous ministry gives me renewed strength. This inspiring story touched my heart!

Any teen who's ever thought of running away from home needs to read this novel to learn what life on the road is really like. Lisa is just thirteen years old when she helps herself to some of her Dad's cash and takes off with her older boyfriend, Bill. It seems so easy - "We'll just run away" - but the reality is that together with the freedom comes a constant struggle to find food, warmth, a place to sleep, and another ride. The next vehicle to stop might hold a friendly trucker who's happy to share his lunch ... or some wild drunks who are planning a gang rape.

Elisabeth Freeman is a writer, speaker, and mother of four teens. But she was once a runaway who spent two years living on the road with her boyfriend, and this gives her book a powerful authenticity. Some of the most horrific experiences described in the novel - the ones that you hope are fictional, such as a rape at knifepoint - actually happened to her.

As Lisa and Bill travel from one crisis to another, the action never flags and the book becomes increasingly difficult to put down. It ends with Lisa about to make a major decision. Will she try to take control of her life? You'll have to wait for Book 2 of this trilogy to find out!

Lisa Freeman did a brilliant job of capturing teenage emotions like angst and loneliness in this book. Every teenager will be able to identify with the main character, who has yet much to learn about love and being content. The author definitely speaks the language of young readers. Her book will help young people to understand that they are not alone and it will help parents to understand what their kids are going through. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

I find both of Lisa's books and encouragement for others who have faced similar circumstances. The honesty presented in her books also helps the reader identify with her and see that yes you can come out of trials and tribulations. Lisa's book also shows you can do something with your life, that you dont have to let your past be the ruins of you. This a must read for anyone who has gone through hard times and felt no one understands, i enjoed reading her story and I can guarantee this is a book to keep in any family library for your family and future generations!

This book was so cool! I was literally glued to the pages. It keeps you in suspense until the very end. Lisa is one of my favorite writers--she really knows how to pull her readers in. If you buy this you definitely won't be disappointed, in fact, you'll be wanting more--the only question you'll be asking is when will Book Two be released!

Based on a period of Lisa Freeman's life, "Run For Your Life" will have you doing anything but running. That is to say, you won't want to go anywhere but sit on the edge of your seat and get lost in this book. I found it impossible to come unglued from the pages. All I could think of is that Lisa actually survived through this. Once you read "Run For Your Life" I have no doubt you will be asking yourself the same question. While hitching cross country and back Lisa and her boyfriend encounter murderers' rapists' and mobsters' and every so often a kind natured soul. Freeman takes fear to another level. There's something much scarier than ghost's and goblins in this book; human beings. An amazing journey both physical and spiritual for both the characters' and the readers'.

This is not for kids. As our society has evolved to such a relaxed mode manners have evaporated. Respecting one another is not an option but a necessity to maintain a civil society. In my view we have to get manners back or we are lost. Social interaction is fundamental to the human experience. Please, please buy and read this book. And thank you for giving them out as gifts on every occasion...you won't be sorry. Thank you. You will be pleased.

The important thing he notes about the book is that it is not a step by step quide, but rather a book about Respect. We don't need manners, we need respect for other human beings.

I loved his stories and experience. You understand that he's not perfect and he doesn't expect everyone to be. I'm not a Christian, but I'm glad he talked about what he knew as a preacher and a seminary president.

A very good read.

I wish I could drop millions of copies of this book from the sky. It should be required reading by every human being. Has the author been on Oprah? Larry King? Good Morning America? Today? Rosie? How about a PBS special? If so, I'm sorry I missed those segments. If not, then where's his publicist? Can we get rid of Dr. Laura and replace her with Donald McCullough?

It would be such a lovely world if we were all to get back to the basics of mutual respect and consideration. There would be a lot less stress in today's world if everyone followed the very simple principles in this book.

Buy it, read it, share it, and most importantly, DO IT. You'll stand out among the herd--that's for sure.

Short and sweet. For anyone who loves to get a hand-written thank you note, a birthday card in the mail, or the perfect gift just because-this book is for you. Donald McCullough first is a magical writter, and second a wise and kind teacher.

We need to get back to the nature of caring and doing the little things that make human life special. Saying please and thank you are such fundimental human feelings, the loss of these words in our language will no doubt be the loss of the very threads that help to create the weaving which is the nicer side of our human family.

The gift for all ocassions (I purchased 20 of them!) and a great place to start with the kids. Help us keep the sweetness of human kindness alive, read and enjoy "Say Please, Say Thank You...!

This is an excellent book. The author writes about how society has lost its basic manners, and how important it is that we get those back. He includes a lot of personal stories to use as good examples, and in each chapter, he talks about the way he thinks people should act in different situations. This is not an etiquette book, and Donald McCullough makes that clear. He admits that he would probably never know which fork to use at a fancy dinner party. Rather, this is a book on how we should all show proper respect for one another. He makes some great points, and at other times, will have you laughing out loud at his stories. It's very heartwarming, and I wish every human being would read this!

In my 18 years in eyecare, I've never come across a better book on monocularity (having only one seeing eye). I've recommended this book to several patients, with wonderful results. My best advice to any person with only one useful eye is two-fold: always wear safety glasses, and get this book! It is full of practical advice that I've passed along to patients, even those who have two good eyes but must wear an eye patch on one for a while. This is grass-roots stuff to help you where you live...driving, dining out, even shaking hands. As an author and editor of eyecare material myself, I'm very particular and picky. But this book is a winner any way you look at it.

Do not be gouged by the used book sellers. The newest edition of the book is available from the book's website for a reasonable price. Put the name of the book into a search engine and you will find its website.

I was born with a Cataract in 1971 which wasn't removed until I was 7 years old in an out of town hospital (due to the fact that the doctors in my area who were not educated in Cataract surgery in infants.) From birth, I did not have vision in my right eye.

I was introduced to this book by my Ocularist when I received my scleral shell for my eye in 1996. (Yes, yet another doctor in my area that had no idea what he was doing. I lost my during a procedure he performed that was unnecessary.)

This book was helpful to me in understanding how and why I do certain things with one eye. Also, it explains how to compensate for the lack of depth-perception or peripheral vision. It gives a list of famous personalities with monocular vision so don't feel so alone. These people did great things in life with only one eye, for example Theodore Roosevelt, Sandy Duncan, Peter Falk, Guglielmo Marconi, John Milton, Horatio Nelson, and Hilaire Germain Edgar Degas are just a few.

I recommend this book to anyone who knows someone or is a person with one eye. Some may have lost their eye years ago or recently. Either way, it is a help to all.

I lost sight of one eye in 1988. It did not hurt, but I did not know what to expect, and how I would adapt to monocular vision. No-one seemed to be able to advise me - until I came across "A Singular View".
This book explains it in 129 large print pages, using ordinary English, not in medispeak. It explains how most people see, the process of adjusting to the use of just one eye, and tips to adapt in a wide range of day to day situations.
If you have lost, or are losing, the sight of one eye, are you close to someone in this situation, this book is a MUST.>

My 7 year old son lost vision in one eye through a accident. My sister found this book in the public library and it was very helpful to us as parents and for my son. It helped us deal with some of the every day difficulties in the first few months. It also helped us realize that he could continue doing alot of the same activities, with extra precautions of course. I have passed on the name of the book to all the eye specialist we have seen. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has lost vision in one eye or any one dealing directly with a friend or relative who has lost vision in one eye.

Gene Moser captures the essence of both Phil and El as their relationship grows through time. The conflicts between their cultures is handled sensitively and accurately so the reader is left looking forward to the next volume.

Reviewed By Shirley Johnson @2002
Amazing Authors Showcase Reviews
Author of A Divorced Mother Talks To God
I was not quite sure about Gene Moser's book, when I first began to read it.I thought the first story stopped quite abruptly and it annoyed me. That was not the case however. Gene wove each story into the following making for an interesting read.
Gene's main character, Phillip Boydon, is an Army brat. Raising my own children as Army brats, brought to remembrance many of the activities Gene recounts in his book. I enjoyed that. Phillip desperately tries to fit into a civilian world, but is often ousted by his peers, until he meets a young girl named Elaine Goodman.
Phillip and Elaine begin to taste young innocent love, and although I will not give away how far their love takes them, it definitely leads them down a path they did not want to go.  Gene ends the book leaving you wondering what will become of Phillip and Elaine.
Skinny Dipping and Other Stories is a light, easy and enjoyable read. I look forward to seeing what turn Phillip and Elaine's lives will take in Gene's second book.

Gene obviously lived through this time, and even remembers it! Not bad when you can remember details from 50 years ago. It brought back memories of those days. I had forgotten about pedal pushers. Extremely well written and a pleasure to read. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to return to the days of yester-year. A good book also for non-brat spouses who might want to get an insight into their brat half about what made them what they are.

I grew up in the 1950s and this story is true to them. Phil and Elaine are both typical of the time, if a bit bolder than some might be. Yet these stories show a moral - teenage experimentataion is dangerous. The cover implies that there will be more to come. I hope so.

Gene Moser's first book is a delight to read. It is an inside story of two young people growing up, one a maturing military brat who also was a military school brat, and a charming if innocent young lady who is reaching for adulthood and the nuances that offers. It is sensitively written through the eyes of one who has been there and one who remembers. Having been a former military school teacher myself - and a former teacher of Gene Moser - I can identify readily with his portrayal of life in a military school, with all its challenges and opportunities. Ah, the mind of such a student is rife with intrigue and energy. Gene captures it all very well.

"Stella" is the fascinating tale of a lovely, young and blond Jewish woman given an incredible "Sophie's Choice." 'Die along with your family or cooperate and save both yourself and your loved ones.' Cooperation, of course, meant cooperation with the Nazis at the lowest level. Stella would have to search out and betray hidden Jews to the Nazi death machine.

Stella made her choice and I do not judge because, never having lived through the horror of arrest and threatened extermination, I don't know what I would have done. I'd like to think I would have chosen "honorable" death over dishonorable life...but...I really don't know. Nobody knows what they would do if faced with a similar fate and a similar choice. Christ said, "Let he who is without guilt throw the first stone." I wouldn't and won't throw that stone.

Stella made her choice and it was a horrific one. She became a griefer and was responsible for hundreds of arrests. Hundreds died who might have survived had Stella never existed. The story implies that Stella may have taken some satisfaction in her skills. I don't doubt it. Once a person gets pointed in a certain direction she usually gains satisfaction from a job well done. Besides, there is the Stockholm Syndrome where the victim identifies with her victimizer.

This story is valuable at seveal levels. It is a study of human nature under remarkable stress. It is also a study of the complexities and inconsistencies of the Nazi extermination system. Stella lived but her family died. Would she have also been killed if the war had gone on longer and her source of victims dried up? Or would she have lived like a lovely butterfly in a bottle? Would she, with her blond good looks and charm, become an honorary Aryan?

I'm reminded of a story told on Heinrich Himmler. He is walking outside the wire of one of his camps one day and spots a goodlooking blond man behind the wire. He called him over so he could talk to him, "Are you a Jew?" "Yes." the clueless man answers. "Are your parents Jewish?" asked Himmler. "Yes." replied the young man. "Are your grandparents Jewish?" "All Jewish." the man replied again. Himmler shook his head, "Then I'm sorry I can't help you."

This story is fascinating because it implies that Himmler may have saved the man had he proved less than completely Jewish. Likewise, Stella might have survived the Holocaust even if Hitler had won the war.

Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God" on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico

Stella is my kind of history. First person who was there, through their own eyes. When I majored in American History I wondered what happened to the Jews who were my age during the war. Thinking that I would not have fallen in the Nazi traps which led to the camps. This book helps explain where the 20 year olds went during the war. The author was in Berlin before the war with many school friends and neighbors. The follow-up with his friends and the stories of their lives during and after the war is amazing. Riveting. I couldn't put it down and would recomment this book to anyone interested in Berlin history during the war.

I do not wish to hurt anyone who has suffered from the holocaust by writing this review, nor do I want dishonor anyone who was destroyed by it. I am only making an observation about what happened to this woman named Stella. Stella was a beautiful blonde girl who reached early maturity during WWII in Berlin. She was Jewish, but with her blue eyes she could easily pass for a gentile. When Hitler started his personal war against Jews, he initiated the most horrible and beastly experience that could happen to human beings. With his henchmen, and their vicious attacks on Jews and other peoples, he pushed people into emotional dungeons, and it is at these dark, these lowest levels, that we discover what we are really capable of doing. In his painful memoir of his experiences of the holocaust, Elie Weisel, shows us in Night, that when the Nazis tossed tiny bits of bread to starving Jews, many of them killed for that one morsel of food, sometimes ending the lives of their loved ones for a chance to put something in their mouths. For me, this book was about survival. No one knows what they are capable of unless they are taken to that horrifying nightmare place of doom, and unless one has been there, there is absolutely no way of knowing what our choices would be. Many would argue that Stella did not get to the extremes that occurred in the death camps. But we do know that she was beaten over and over and over again. And then she was offered a chance to have it all end by being a "catcher" for the Nazis. We know that other Jews committed suicide to avoid the beatings and the offer of becoming a catcher to stay alive. I can only thank God that I have never had to be in such a situation, because I don't know what I would do. How could I know? I do know that I have a very strong instinct to live, and I think that may have been why Stella took the path that she did. I believe, that in making that choice, she did lose her "soul." I think that is the only way that a human being could do what she did. For Stella did not only "catch" Jews for the Nazis, many eyewitnesses said she seemed to enjoy it. I think for anyone to make that "choice" you would have to put your entire being into it in order to perform those horrible crimes. In the end, I think Stella suffered far more than if she had allowed herself to die at the hands of the Nazis. At the age of about 21, she began the life of a person who is hated by virtually everyone she had ever known and anyone she would ever meet. She lives her life constantly attempting to convince herself that she didn't do anything wrong. She lives in total seclusion, with the lights always dim, year after year with no one to love her, no one to hold her, no one to console her. And still she survived into old age. Survival was Stella's strongest urge. It kept her alive to live a lifelong death, the death of her humanity, with the destruction of hundreds, perhaps thousands on her hands. Would I choose survival? In retrospect, had I been a "Stella," I can only pray that I would have had the ability to accept my death at the hands of the Nazis.

Wyden mixes personal reminiscences about his youthful schoolboy infatuation with schoolmate Stella with a history of the persecution of Jews in Berlin and Stella's ever duplicitous role in it. Ultimately, he portrays a pathetic, lonely and isolated woman who refuses to acknowledge any guilt, real or alledged, or personal responsibility in betraying Jews to the Gestapo.

This book is history and personal anecdote while concurrently begging thought provoking questions about guilt and capitulation. One could easily conclude that had Stella been born in a different place at a different time she would have been a totally ordinary person living out an uneventful life. Sometimes it almost seems that Wyden wants to believe this too. For her part, she claims that even had there been any cooperation with the Gestapo it was to spare the lives of her parents. Is she guilty out of concern for her parents (they ultimately perished) and therefore somewhat forgiven by the "I was just obeying orders" defense so frequently echoed throughout World War II and VietNam; or is she guilty because an ordinary person was born into and negatively impacted by the truly bizarre and cruel world of 1940s Berlin?

Stella is ultimately a disturbing portrait of a truly personal human tragedy; her own and those who suffered for it.

Few can match the infamous Blond Poison, Stella Goldschlag, who stalked the alleys of Berlin seeking former friends, School Classmates and neighbers as as well as total strangers not out of loneliness but in order to betray them and send them to the Gas Chambers to be murdered in her place during the Holocaust. She well deserves her reputation as a Judas to the Jews of Berlin, the men, women and children whom she betrayed by the score to preserve her own life.

This book is basicly her story. Written by a former classmate.

It details much of her early life to the best of the author's knowledge. It then goes on to describe her career as a Griefer, one of the scores of Jews who openly chose to assist the Gestapo finding the Jews in hiding so to deport them to the death camps in exchange for their own survival.

A career in which Stella Goldschlag was one of the Gestapo's best.

One could compare her to the infamous Blond Irma Grese (who is not mentioned in this book) but Wyden shows her life was a far cry from nightmare that of the infamous Blond Beast's. She was not mistreated. Her mother spoiled her. Her father hardly interfered. She certainly had contact with better men in the beginning. A far cry from the horrors of Irma Grese's nightmare life that ultimately exploded with deadly fury upon the inmates of Auschwitz with all the savagery of a mistreated dog.

When one looks at the infamous Blond Poison and her Domestic Partner Rolf Isaacson one finds no reason to sympathise with them at all. They did what they did as a matter of choice. Wyden even reports the infamous Blond Poison enjoyed her work.

This is the story of one woman's choice in Evil.

After reading Stepping Out of the Bubble a year ago, I went back and read it again for a second time. I was able to pick up even more information this time around that helped me understand and overcome some of my own internal conflicts. This is a book you can read at any point in your life and always find information that pertains to that particular moment. Krehbiel has a way of explaining things that others may consider unexplainable. Whether you are a student, a teacher, or just a guy like me, this book can and will change your life.

James P. Krehbiel's Stepping Out of the Bubble was a fascinating read. I found myself underlining various passages. His explanation of how we get stuck in the bubble (comfort zone), and how we find our way out is powerful. It provided me with hope as I move through my own personal journey. I found myself experiencing an emotional reaction to many of the case examples and concepts he explored. He definitely hit some "hot buttons" in my life. But Mr. Krehbiel also provided specific guidelines and tools for stepping out of the bubble. At one point he says, "Courage can be defined by those who live outside the bubble as opposed to those who live in it. I like to compare stepping out of the bubble to wading into the water."

His chapter which includes ideas on multidimensional thinking is appropriate in today's political climate. He indicates that true dialogue takes into consideration the appreciation for differences in opinions. He makes some profound statements about pop culture's affect on the lives of today's children. He also gives parents tools and resources for assisting their children in bettering their behavior. The book ends with a resounding "yes" to life with a hopeful, powerful way of perceiving and reframing life's problems. This was an excellent book!

Stepping Out Of The Bubble by James P. Krehbiel, Is an outstanding book on Counseling Therapy. Krehbiel, is able to put life patterns and fears into perspective so that the lay person can fully understand the mystery that most think is behind counseling. His approach to show that so much of what we seek answers for is within ourselves and with the right counsellor we can become free and step out of the Bubble or Bubbles that a lot of us are in.

This book should be a gift to every teen and their parents, no home should be without it.

"Stepping Out of the Bubble : Reflections On the Pilgrimage of Counseling Therapy by James P. Krehbiel is an amazing and outstanding book that provides help and direction to the many people that are suffering from problems described in this book.

I was amazed at how many of the problems and challenges, that the author writes about, are problems and challenges I have seen many people suffer with.

The counseling theory and practice information in this book provides a direction for people that have a problem and are willing to go to counseling and risk moving forward in their journey toward finding personal growth and development, and eventually stepping out of the bubble.

Many people have problems and challenges that they never seek help for and they and their loved ones continue to suffer. This book goes a long way in bringing the thought of counseling to people and helping people to better understand the counseling process.

To author James P. Krehbiel thank you for writing your great book. I am convinced your book will help many people and because of your book many more people will step out of the bubble. I recommend this book very highly and also feel it would be a great college text.

For me, "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" was reminiscent of the renowned books of author, M. Scott Peck, in the style of presenting profound insights into sensible, easy-to-understand language and clear ideas an average person can relate to. Practicing Licensed Professional Counselor and Nationally Certified Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist and author of "Stepping Out Of The Bubble", James Krehbiel proficiently shares a portion of his expertise, condensing great weight into accessible and workable solutions for a more fulfilling life's plan.

The "bubble" represents our security and comfort zone, but it is also the inner place where we store the pain of our past experiences and the unpleasant reality of that not being made conscious which keeps us bound in unhealthy and self-defeating patterns. Staying within this bubble limits our emotional responsiveness as we numb ourselves to the coexistence even as unresolved issues unconsciously filter forth. To step outside of the bubble is to courageously examine the contents in all honesty and to face life's reality outside of the bubble. Once outside the bubble, one can move forward to experience life in more emotional depth, fullness and passion. "Being a fully functioning individual is about being true to whom you are and letting things be the way they are," explains author, James Krehbiel.

With brilliant and compassionate understanding, Mr. Krehbiel briefly details methods used and pertinent case examples within his therapy practice. "Self-regulation is a goal of therapy. I educate people in the fact that all the answers are ultimately within." "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" strives to do the same, by giving information on how we become trapped in the bubble and how beneficial the making of conscious choices to leave, can be.

Some of the many topics included within this book are: being assertive, characteristics of an "authentic" person, the integration of each of our different personality parts, the difference between true guilt and false guilt, setting boundaries, addictions and addictions to "manic" relationships, awareness (staying in the moment or mindfulness), grounding, honoring one's inner voice, panic attacks, OCD and mood disorders. The section regarding kids and parenting was exceptional, in my opinion, and I found many points about discipline that made much sense. Also appreciated was the section relating to religion (dogma) versus faith (spiritual) as well as what needed to be said about pop culture.

I enjoyed reading "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" and would recommend it to anyone. It is enriching and inspirational.

This book just takes me back to the Woodstock Days....I was 19 and never went as I had a 3 month old baby at the time..lived in Brooklyn..reading Elliot Tibbers book about the White Lake area brings back such funny memories as my parents used to take my brother and I to the bungalow colonies in Monicello NY and Woodridge area each summer.
I was just cracking up at his accurate discriptions of the area and reading this book reminded me so much of my own Jewish parents and paternal grandmother from Minsk, Russia.
Wonderful book!

wow. a great book to collectors of woodstock trivia and the awful
stuff during that time of vietnam to one of peace and music! the
author shows a great ability to tell a story that kept me glued to the
pages. read it overnight!!! someone ought to make a movie of this
unusual tale.

The above would be an appropriate subtitle for this heartfelt but energetic and witty coming-of-age autobiography/memoir by Elliot Tiber, whose main claim to fame is that he fought the petty politics and narrow-mindedness of his small town of Bethel, NY, in order to make possible the Woodstock Festival in 1969.

The author (born Eliyahu Teichberg) grew up in the richly ethnic neighborhood of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn in an emotionally-starved but hardworking family with his Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. His father worked as a roofer, while his mother ran a housewares store in which they all helped out. Elliot finished college and began a moderately successful career in art design, primarily starting out dressing store windows and painting murals for rich Manhattanites. A trip to the Catskills resulted in the family buying a run-down motel right off Highway 17B at White Lake, in the town of Bethel NY, and Elliot found himself splitting his time, working weekdays in NYC and spending weekends doing whatever had to be done to keep the motel operational and barely financially afloat.

At the same time, Elliot came to the realization that he was gay, and - for whatever reason - favored the underground S&M flavored scene that existed in NYC in the mid 1960's. He met and partied with Robert Mapplethorpe, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, and even encountered Rock Hudson at one point. Of course, coming out to his conservative parents wasn't an option for him at the time, but his "secret life" during the week somewhat served to make bearable the weekends at the motel, scrubbing toilets and dealing with customer complaints (The Teichbergs cut a few corners in customer service. For example, they had phones in each room, but they weren't connected to anything. The TV was an empty box, as was the air conditioner sleeve below the window. Need soap and a towel? It'll cost ya extra, but you're lucky you made it in today, since Dad has hosed off your sheets - the only cleaning they ever got - just yesterday.)

In early 1969, Elliot read with interest the news accounts that the promoters of the planned Woodstock Music and Art Festival had been denied a permit by the town of Walkill, their planned location. As president (nobody else wanted the job) of Bethel's Chamber of Commerce, he had the authority to issue festival permits, and contacted the promoters about the possibility of moving the festival to Bethel, and offered the meadow of a friend, dairy farmer Max Yasgur, as the perfect venue. Much of the book details the whirlwind events that followed, as the festival took on a life of its own, eventually attracting around 500,000 people to the small town, resulting in threats by locals, payoffs to those who opposed it, nudity, drugs, gangsters, people bathing in the lake, shortages of food and water, but - despite it all - the most historic event in music and counterculture history, after which nothing would ever be the same again for Elliot and his family.

The author has a gift in telling a story, even one as obviously self-centered as this one is, for the most part. Witty and engaging, sure to bring back memories of that era. Loved the reversible (regular/psychodelic) dust jacket! 5 stars out of 5.

Born Eliyahu Teichberg, poor Elli struggles to break what he calls the "Teichberg Curse" and changes his name to Elliot Tiber--hoping that would break the curse. Always on the brink of financial ruin and trying to hide his deepest secret, he dreams of the miracle that would change his life.

In 1969, he got that miracle. Manager of his Jewish parents' failing resort hotel El Monaco in White Lake, New York on the weekends, Elliot runs during the week to Greenwich Village where he can live the life he chooses as an interior designer and meeting the likes of Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams and Robert Mapplethorpe--all the while keeping his gay life a secret from his family. That is, until June 28, 1969, when he finds himself at the Stonewall Inn and the famous "Stonewall Riot" that would revolutionize the gay culture breaks out. With a newfound boldness, he finds out in July that the town of Wallkill has revoked the permit for the Woodstock festival. So he contacts Mike Lang, the concert's promoter, to offer his 15 acres for the concert. While Elliot hopes this is the miracle he has been waiting for, Mike Lang and his entourage arrive by helicopter but they end up feeling that the swampland of his resort hotel won't work for the concert. Tiber assures Lang and company that, since he has been the president of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce and has held a concert and art show for the past few years, he can get the necessary concert permit. Quickly, he calls his good friend Max Yasgur--who supports everything Elli does and only lives four miles up the road--and asks him to hold the concert. Elli explains to Mike that Max has a dairy farm on a hundred acres--more than enough to hold a concert. Arrangements are made and, before he knows it, Elli is caught up in the magic that will change his life forever. He is introduced to the hippie scene where everyone is accepted no matter who or what you are and learns he can love himself.

Whoa! Totally awesome and even far out and groovy! This book is absolutely amazing! This reviewer couldn't put it down--in fact, read it twice before writing this review. If you've ever dreamed of being at Woodstock or even if you were there, the author Elliot Tiber will take you back. The Sixties will come alive and you won't want the trip to end! But that is only part of the story, as Elliot takes you through the time of his troubled past and describes in perfect word pictures the struggles of his secret life, his childhood, the insanity of running the hotel resort, and dealing with bigoted locals who persecute him because of his Jewish heritage. In the end, you'll feel you know everyone and that you were there, too.

See Woodstock through the eyes of someone who lived it, who helped bring it to life - you'll never look at this period of history the same again. Don't pass this one by, as this autobiography guarantees to be one of the best reads of 2007 and is to be released just in time for the media's annual August remembrance of that great music festival. Also an awesome unique feature that this reviewer really likes is the reversible dust jacket--one side conservative, the other psychedelic. This feature, according to Square One's publisher Rudy Shur in Publishers Weekly, represents "The notion of duality [that] has been a central theme throughout Elliot's life, and we wanted the book to represent that notion of difference in a very direct and colorful way." So whichever trip you decide to take, this is one you'll never forget.

Cheri Clay
Reviewer's Bookwatch

Being just a bit too young to have lived the Woodstock experience, I have been left to rely on the tales of others, mainly from an audience point of view. Having read Tiber's accounts of the experience from conception to fruition, brings a new appreciation for the era, the event and the effect on those who were a part of it.

As a fellow endurance rider, I really loved reading all of Dodie's stories. Sometimes sitting there on the couch yelling out loud, "No, don't do that." I am sure my husband was tired of having to wait to get his chance at the book after listening to me explain why I was laughing, yelling or snorting. And after reading Dodie's stories, I didn't feel too bad about some of the crazy things that have happened to us over the years getting our start in endurance riding.

I have loved horses all my life. I think if I had read this book years ago, before I started Endurance riding, I would have enjoyed this book and possibly started in the sport much earlier. There is very good information in this book on what to do and what not to do. Thankfully the info is wrapped up in entertaining stories that any horse lover should love to read.

Opening the cover of this book is exactly like that - once you open that bag of good chips (not the cheap-o store brand!), you HAVE to finish it! Dodie's writing style is fast, fun, furious. She truly makes you feel like you are out on the course, in the camper, waiting in line with her at events. No matter your riding style, you will laugh to the point of tears for most of the book. A non-horsey person would get a good laugh from the book, but would scratch their head in wonder and think aloud "and they think this stuff is FUN?". A great gift idea. Get more than one copy, because once you loan it out, it may not come back! Can't wait for the next one, Dodie!

To Finish is to Win is not a polished narrative on a lesser known sporting event, but more a series of campfire stories told between close friends. Each chapter stands well on it's own, but together they form an inside look at one woman's harried life and the demanding sport of endurance riding. I think that anyone who loves horses will get more out of the book than a non-horse person. Horse people, no matter what their sport, are a crazy bunch and are more likely to see the humor in these stories. One person's humor is another's insanity. I went into the book knowing that the sport existed and came out with the burning desire to know more. Any book that can entertain, educate and instill desire is well worth the read.

I am the Connie of the book and it is all true. I started with Dodie 5 years ago when she said 'you can do this'. Read the book to learn the serious side of the sport and the hilarious things that happen to make is even more fun

This was a wonderful and fabulously fun book. I could not wait to get to the next story to see what adventures Dodie & her crew got into. It made me laugh out loud and has inspired me to get myself into training for this great sport. Thanks Dodie!