Reds Books

I love hearing about ordinary people, placed in extraordinary situations. Great stories about people who are your next door neighbor - which is kinda what the Red Cross is all about.

A book that takes you inside the American Red Cross and introduces the volunteers and employees who live the mission- helping neighbors in crisis, locally, nationally and around the world.
Michele Turk has also done a terrific job of illustrating how this organization rises to the occassion- from wartime to the devastating natural disasters and acts of terrorism- and how Americans depend on the Red Cross to respond.
The mission is what it's all about, and Ms. Turk presents the stories of volunteers and staffers in a way that makes you appreciate the blood, sweat and tears that they have given to the people they have served.
It's an inspiring book and one that should encourage you to call your local chapter and volunteer!

This is an amazing collection of true stories of generations of Red Cross volunteers, which is both a compelling look at the lives of these brave and adventurous Americans as well as an intimate account of the events that have shaped our modern society, from wars and disasters to improvements in safety and community development. I read the book cover to cover on a long flight and was in tears more than once. The lives of the volunteers and the way in which Ms. Turk organizes and presents their Red Cross focus shows the real life generosity of spirit and humanism of the Red Cross, without sugar coating some of the controversy surrounding its bureaucracy.

As I read the individual stories I found myself smiling and tearing.

Ms Turk brought the oral history of the American Red Cross to life in such a way that captured the compassion, dignity, and gentleness of generations of Red Cross responders.

Instead of shying away from the tough criticism challenging the American Red Cross, Ms Turk helped the reader understand that in spite of difficult challenges the American Red Cross is always there providing vital services in the most difficult situations.

Readers may find themselves motivated by this book to discover how they too can make a difference by getting involved in helping others in need.

I purchased The Bridge of Stars as a gift for my friend's young son, Harry, for his First Holy Communion. The book is so well written and thought out, and will provide him with inspiration and comfort as he ages and goes on his journey through life.
So impressive is this book, that I will be adding to my own collection.

As a student of theology, a writer of poetry, a mother to three children, and a collector of beautiful books, The Bridge Of Stars is a wonderful addition to my library. In my quest to instill in my children the oneness of all people, I find that prayers, hymns, and poetry from around the world reveal to them the common beliefs, hopes, and dreams we all share.

Apart from being a remarkable collection of writing, this book is probably the most artistically abundant book of its kind. Among the images that adorn each page you will find flowers, waterfalls, landscapes, and even the magical quality of a rain-drenched spider's web.

This masterpiece was well thought out, with the perfect placement of text among the artwork. The words and images combined create a feeling of peace and tranquillity, as well as a connectedness to all of nature. For example, the poem/prayer One Equal Light by John Donne is accompanied by a photo of sunlight flowing through the limbs of trees in a peaceful wood.

For all with an interest in spirituality, this book of art, poetry, and nature is a must-have addition to your shelf!

The selections are beautiful prayers as well as beautifully written poetry. The illustrations are breathtakingly serene. Open to any page and just start reading! The process is refreshingly simple, but relaxing. The book also serves as a great resource for finding the perfect words for expressing your thoughts and feelings. I have found passages appropriate to include on a card to my son's teacher, an admired co-worker, and best friend! The feelings expressed are multi-cultural and timeless. For example, a prayer for forgiveness, written in the 6th century in Persia, is as much relevant today as it was when it was written. You will definately want your own copy, but it would also make an excellent gift for anyone from your mother to a close friend.

In the many dark days which followed the atrocities of September 11th, when the American spirit looked for truth, it became a mantra of the people, "We must try to understand." We may never fathom the actions of fanaticism, and few of us have the preparational groundwork to fully comprehend the religious differences offered as an excuse for war, but one thing is certain: we need to go beyond the differences to build a better future. Marcus Braybrooke affords us the opportunity to take a step towards that goal in his compilation of prayers, blessings and meditations, The Bridge of Stars.

The Bridge of Stars is an invaluable tool in seeking to discover what can bind us together as children of one World, one Creator. Providence certainly played her part in the book's timely creation. Now we simply need to build the bridges. It is amazing how many times, as we build from one end, we encounter a stranger building from the other, and, as two worlds connect, we have a pathway.

Marcus Braybrooke, a parish priest in Oxford, England, has spent over thirty years, and many miles, urging the world toward a greater understanding of the need for Interfaith Dialogue. As reader you will enter that dialogue with voices from many sources, spanning many centuries and treating topics common to all. Each voice, or prayer, visually presented in a creative format which enhances the particular theme, will resonnate with the sense of unity which connects us to the Scource. Call your Creator what you may, in this compilation culled from many different traditions, there is no attempt to draw you into one direction or another, but to speak directly to the heart. The Bridge of Stars is a book which speaks to you, not around you; for you, not in place of you. Where so much inspirational literature these days is emotional disguised as spiritual, Bridge of Stars is spiritual to the core. It will lift you, rejoice with you, comfort and console you, and as you find the Creator, whom you name as you will, in the prayerful words of a Hindu or a Buddhist, a Native American, a Moslem, a Jew or a Christian, you will understand and know that I AM.

To find a voice: Read also Learn To Pray, by the same author/editor, a companion book to The Bridge of Stars.

Fun having the same story brought up to date and a terrific way to show how things change.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Carmine:A Little More Red"; it is a creative interpretation of a classic. The illustrations are beautiful!! While the vocabulary was too advanced for my 3- and 4-year old children to grasp, the pictures held their attention and I am sure that it will be a treasured book for years to come.

Little Red Riding Hood is reincarnated in this imaginative retelling of a favorite tale, Carmine taught to read by a beloved granny who uses alphabet soup to instruct the child. She started with a spoonful of letters and now Carmine can read a whole bowl. Whenever Granny makes a fresh pot of soup, like today, Carmine is invited for lunch. Before she leaves, Carmine sorts through her clutter for anything she might need on her journey, pencils, paper and paint. Accompanied by her beloved dog, Rufus, Carmine has been known to dilly dally on the way to Granny's house, although she has been warned by her mother that the route is fraught with danger. This time a lurking wolf spots the child, who has stopped to paint a picture for her grandmother, distracted by nature's abundant beauty. Racing ahead... well, you know this story. Luckily for Carmine, her Granny doesn't meet the same fate as the original grandmother, this one hiding in the closet as the hungry wolf gathers an armful of soup bones to take home to his pups. Happily reunited, Carmine, Granny and Rufus sip their soup while admiring Carmine's latest work of art.

The artwork in this book is vivid and imaginative, combined with a layout that introduces new vocabulary words used in context with the illustrations. This artist thinks outside the box, using both visual images and language to inspire young readers, cartoon balloons filled with Carmine and the Wolf's dialog as they confront their situations. Words like pluck, dawdle, mimic and nincompoop add alliterative rhythms, balanced with lively drawings, a bright palette accented with every shade of red: scarlet, carmine and fuscia. A multi-level reading experience, Carmine is a fabulous addition to a child's library, a visual and verbal feast as exuberant as its young heroine. Luan Gaines/ 2005.

Little Red Riding Hood. There is probably more psychological baggage and scintillating undertones associated with this little tale than any other story in the Grimm repertoire. Accordingly, with every year more and more alternate versions and retellings hit the market full force. From James Marshall's classic version to Ed Young's stylized Chinese retelling ("Lon Po Po", in case you're interested), there are more little girls in red hoods out there than you can shake a fist at. "Carmine" is one of the most recent additions to the fold, and it makes for a lovely little read. Bringing together such disparate elements as the alphabet, gradations in color, a heightened sense of tension, and even a recipe at its conclusion, "Carmine" is not the most accessible of Little Red tales out there, but it's certainly one of the most pleasant to thumb through. You're not going to get the straight dope on Little Red with this version, but for the modern kid Sweet's interpretation of the events involving one girl in a hood, one granny, and one wolf makes for a perfectly nice and perfectly new story of its own.

Each plot twist in this book begins with a letter of the alphabet. So the first step in the story comes with the word "Alphabet". Carmine loved going over to her granny's for a little alphabet soup. "Beware". There was a wolf about and Carmine was warned to go straight to granny's and not to dilly-dally. Unfortunately, Carmine is a world class dilly-dallier. There are few dallys she hasn't dillied (or, alternately, dillies she hasn't dallied). Since Carmine is a fan of painting she spots some poppies on her route and decides that granny deserves a picture of them. "It may seem farfetched to think that any painting can be improved by adding a little more red, but Carmine believes it to be true". Unfortunately, the wolf is most certainly about. After a quick conversation with Carmine's terror stricken dog, it heads straight for granny's and catches her unawares. Fortunately for everyone involved, the soup bones by granny's pot strike the carnivore as more enticing than her old creaky ones. Carmine learns her lesson, granny loves her painting, and a fine bowls of alphabet soup are had by all.

The essential conceit of beginning each new thought with a letter of the alphabet is all well and good but there isn't much rhyme or reason to Sweet's choices. All the same, I was a little amazed at how effectively the author cranks up the suspense when the wolf has visited granny and her cry for help has been foreshortened. Adults familiar with the original granny-in-the-belly-of-the-beast versions of this tale will be as relieved as their offspring to learn of her safety. The story itself does, I should add, make the reader think for a moment that the wolf has returned home to its young with its arms full of granny's bones. But however bleak that image, it is quickly remedied by a simple extraction of the old lady from her own closet.

Prior to reading "Carmine", my only other association with Melissa Sweet came with her lovely illustration work done on Catherine Thimmesh's fabulous, "The Sky's the Limit". In that book Sweet conjured up a very satisfying selection of mixed media. "Carmine", similarly, draws upon a variety of different elements. Open the book up and immediately the first thing you see is a collection of color swatches. Each shade of red is spelled out with alphabet soup letters and they have everything from Sienna and Vermillion to Crimson and Magenta. The rest of the book is a combination of cartoon and illustration. Sweet makes continual oblique references to fairy tales and nursery rhymes throughout the story too. For example, the wolf creeps by Little Boy Blue asleep on a haystack and The Three Little Pigs make a brief appearance in a small cartoon panel. What could have come across as haphazard or messy in the hands of another artist merely takes on a rather vibrant and exciting feel under Sweet's direction.

The version of this story that "Carmine" seems the closest to (at least in spirit) would probably be Lisa Campbell Ernst's, "Little Red Riding Hood: A Newfangled Prairie Tale". Both books feature the heroine on a bike on the cover. Both are updated retellings and both end happily for the wolves involved. Both even have recipes for the foods mentioned (muffins in Ernst's, alphabet soup in Sweet's). But while "Carmine" is a far more stylized retelling with a very real sense of tension to it, Ernst's tale makes for a much better readaloud, especially when you take into consideration its homey southern drawl. All the same, "Carmine: A Little More Red" is a lovely modern take on a old story and one that I'm sure many a child (particularly those enamored of the many shades of rouge) will find themselves enjoying.

a breath of fresh air amongst all the garbage that is out there. this is one of the few books that simply and excitingly tells the truth of the greatest spy network in history. is there any wonder that the russians were so far ahead of us during the cold war considering the lead they had built up? this book reads like a novel with exciting caracters only the caracters are real. it takes less than 200 pages for v.e. tarrant to do what most authors of dubious reputation like louis kilzer only try to do. tell an incredibly fascinating and true story that is historically accurate. 5 big stars

This book details the devastating (to the Germans) effect of the 'European' spy ring known as 'The Red Orchestra', whose many sources included a direct pipeline to OKW. It tells the story of the beginnings, people, and fates of those involved. It tells of the info. so massive in size that was given to the 'Director' in Moscow, that the 'Ultra' intercepts the west was receiving was miniscule in comparison. For the first time in available info. to the west some of the exact transmissions from the ring that the Soviet military were able utilize most effectively.

It clarifies in an easy and readable manner the significance of codes the ring used, (Werther was not a person, but a 'cover code' signifying the text info. was army related. 'Cover code' Olga was info. about the Luftwaffe). It also shows the breadth and depth of the 'underground' of people involved in destroying the Nazi regime, Communist and non-Communist. (Rossler was a right-wing conservative).

Drawn from sources recently made available from the ex-Soviet state, interviews with survivors, and established known data from the War, it puts to 'lie' the historically flawed book "Hitler's Traitor" by Kilzer and shows him to be a 'sensationalist' whose book should be in the 'fiction' classification.

Reads like a fast-paced thriller .

The book tells the story of the biggest intelligence -gathering operation in the history of espionage .

On June 22 ,1941, Hitler launched the invasion of Soviet Union .The attack code- named "Barbarossa " led to the biggest land campaign in the history of war .Eastern campaign was four days old ,panzers smashing their way through forward Soviet defences ,when German long -range radio monitoring stations at Kranz on the Baltic coast of East Prussia intercepted cryptic messages beamed by clandestine radio transmitters.

Signal intelligence squads of Funkabwehr immediately swung into action. Using director- finder sets took cross bearings of these transmissions ,established that directional lines traversed Brussels ,Paris ,Lucerne and even Berlin itself .From the nature of these transmissions German intelligence admitted that this was the work of Soviet spyring in Reich and occupied territories ,recipient of enciphered messages was housed in Moscow.

Welcome to Red Orchestra .Though created by the GRU( Soviet Military Intelligence ) it included in its ranks people of several nationalities ,coming from different walks of life ,having diverse political persuasions ,but all united in their hatred for Nazi regime. Red Orchestra network of spies ,agents ,informers frustrated Hitler's
bid to conquer Russia.

Soviet spy apparat (network) in Berlin while transmitting information used call signs "Choro " , "Wolf " .After much dedicated and laborious detective work the cryptoanalysts of "Funkabwehr " uncovered their identies ."Choro "was Lieutenant Harro Schulze -Boysen, a Luftwaffe desk officer in the Reich Ministry of Aviation .This allowed him to access highly sensitive information ."Wolf "turned out to be Dr . Arvid Harnack ,a senior Civil servant in the Reich Ministry of Economics .Being members of Berlin high society they brushed shoulders with highest ranking officers of German High Command and Nazi party.

Another important cog of GRU spy network was Grand Chef's circuit,which operated from Belgium ,Holland ,France .But who was Grand Chef ? He was Leopold Trepper alias Adam Mikler ,Jean Gilbert , a Polish Jew.Recruited into the GRU,he went to Belgium .There he opened a commercial enterprise as a cover for his clandestine activities .His firms Simex ,Simexco -after the German Occupation of western Europe -did lucrative business with Todt organisation which supervised works of construction and fortification for "Wehrmacht" .Money generated from the business was used by Grand Chef to further expand activities of the network .As the author aptly puts it " Third Reich was subsidising the Red Orchestra just as a living organism will nourish the cancer that is eroding it "


It was during the course of such interactions Trepper's agents heard Hitler's preparations to invade Russia.However the most important source of intelligence for GRU proved to be "LUCY".LUCY worked for Soviet
Soviet intelligence which operated from neutral country Switzerland .The network dubbed "DIE ROTE DREI"(The Red Three) was erected by GRU agent ,a Hungarian map maker Sandor Rado ,whose call name was DORA.

LUCY was Rudolf Rossler, a German refugee publisher living in Lucerne,Harsh treatment meted out by Alfred Rosenberg who seized his profitable theatre company made him a rabid anti-nazi.Rossler alias LUCY ,whose identity was to remain secret long after the war had ended ,received information from sources in German High Command (OKW).The post war CIA study had partially unmasked their identities .The most important among them were Lt.Gen Fritz Thiele,second -in-command of OKW's communications branch and Baron Rudolf Von Gersdorff chief of intelligence on the staff of Army Group Centre on theEastern Front.

Thus through LUCY the GRU penetrated German General Staff .Scarcely ten hours passed between taking of a decision by OKW and its receipt in Moscow which means the decision was known to STAVKA(Soviet High Command)even before it came to the notice of German field commanders.
This was intelligence windfall of the first order which had no parallels anytime in history.

The operation of Soviet spy networks helped Red Army to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat .War began disastrously for the Russians .If only Stalin had heeded to the warnings of Red Orchestra of about impending German attack ,Wehrmacht could have been stopped on its tracks.

The book contains some startling revelations .This pertains to Operation Case Blue launched on June 28,1942 by Wehrmacht .Mr .Tarrant has debunked the claim of leading historians of the war on Eastern Front who said Stalin again ignored intelligence warnings and was responsible for the destruction of South -Western front with the enemy reaching the banks of Volga at Stalingrad.

Author has shown that Stavka was aware of German intentions thanks to Red Orchestra .Entire ten pages of Hitler"s Directive No:41 setting out the strategic intentions of summer offensive was transmitted to Moscow thanks to Lucy.This enabled Stalin and his generals to devise a strategy where by Germans were lured deep into the Soviet territory .In military parlance this is know as elastic or mobile defence.Red Army retreated,shirked contact with the enemy,surrendering vast swathes of land in the process.Author says Germans where drawn into the jaws of enormous steel trap which snapped shut in Stalngrad.

Knowledge bestows power and intelligence represents highest form of knowledge .Soviet foreknowledge again of German intentions helped Red Army to parry enemy blows .This was precisely what happened during Operation Citadel .Thanks again to LUCY, Red Army was able to blunt the German drive to pinch out the Kursk Bulge .

Some what strange it looks,Soviet histriography of war has virtually ignored the contribution of Red Orchestra in that country's victory over Nazi Germany .On the contrary author under the chapter ,"Ultra Myth " has reproached attempts made by some historians in the West to belittle its role.

By the end of 1943, Red Orchestra networks were all dead ,snuffed out in a massive counter -intelligence operation launched by Abwehr and Gestapo.LUCY's sources too perished due to purge unleashed by Nazi regime against senior Commanders of German Officer Corps for their attempt to assassinate Hitler on July 20, 1944.However by this time the tide of war on theSoviet front had changed ,Red Army began its inexorable advance towards Berlin .


Based on solid ,painstaking research ,this book I rate the book best read in recent times Author has shed new light on the war in the Eastern Front ignored by historians in the West for which he needs to be felicitated .Now it appears the history of Soviet-German war needs revision ,reinterpretation.

The book tells the story of the biggest intelligence gathering operation in the history of espionage. I n fact "RED ORCHESTRA" was a loose collection of Soviet spy apparats ,networks which operated in Nazi Germany ,Nazi -occupied France,Belgium ,Holland and in Neutral Switzerland.Erected by the GRU, (Soviet Military Intelligence)its purpose was to spy on Nazi Germany .It included in its ranks people from different walks of life .Some of its members were strategically -placed German officers ,who fed the Soviet Agents operational decisions ,details regarding German conduct of war in the eastern front.

The organisation ,played a key role in thwarting Hitler's designs to conquer Soviet Russia..The Nazis Came to know about Red Orchestra after Germany had launched its invasion of Russia.The founder of Soviet spy network in western Europe was a Polish Jew ,LEOPOL D TREPPER. However ,the most important among all the espionage network was the Lucy Ring ,which operated from Switzerland.Lucy warned Russians about Hitler's plan to invade Soviet Union, even went to the extent of giving the precise Time and date ,when invasion will commence.Strangely Stalin chose to ignore those warnings.As a result Soviet Union ,came to the brink of military disaster.

As the war progressed , Lucy started passing on top- grade intelligence to Russians .Top secret plans of the German High command ,were known to Soviet front -line generals ,even before they were known to German Field Commanders .Lucy's sources of imformataion were two senior officers who served in communications Branch;Col.Rudolf Von.Gersdorff, Chief of Intelligence in the staff of Army group centre.(Eastern Front)The information Relayed seriously compromised the German Military operations in Russia..During the latter half of the 1942,contrary to what I had known ,the WEHRMACHT was drawn into the jaws of an enormous steel trap Which eventually led to Stalingrad.Subsequently, on July 1943,again thanks to the intelligence provided by Lucy, the Red army was able to stop the German drive to pinch out the KURSK salient .

By this time ,Soviet spy networks were all rolled up by a massive counter-intelligence operation launched by the ABWEHR and the GESTAPO.Swiss network also stopped functioning.Lucy sources dried up due to ruthless purge unleashed by the Nazi regime against senior commanders of German officer corps for their alleged complicity to assassinate Hitler on July20,1944.But success came too late for Germans.Strategic initiative had already been wrested by the Red army as it began relentless drive towards Berlin.

Gripping ,thrilling absolutely marvellous book,the best that I have read in recent times.Based on solid painstaking research ,Mr Tarrant has shed some new light on Russo-German War for which he needs to be felicitated. This book is bound to alter how the posterity may look at this event.-Reviewed by K.Mukherji (mukherjik@hotmail.com

I was very pleased with my purchase. Item was new and pkgd well.

This bible is basically a repackaged version of various Tyndale House Living Bible publications from the 1970's. It's a paraphrased version using modern english. That of couse brings with it all the ups and downs of the "Living Bible" concept. The paraphrase makes it easier to read. But there are some verses that seem too far from the accepted translations. So for shear accuracy and study I would vote no on this one. But for an enjoyable reading from cover to cover, I don't this I could have done it (and understood it) without this paraphased version. The quality of the book is good with several clear modern day pictures of the holy land and maps inside each cover.

This bible does a wonderful job of interpreting scripture in an easy-to-understand language. I highly recommend it to anyone wishing to deepen their knowledge of the bible.

Allthough removed from most translations of the bible this must be one of very few bibles that has Gods personal name (JEHOVAH) where it should be ! Well at least in the Hebrew scriptures or (old testament) ! Psalms 83:18 in this translation says untill they know that you alone, Jehovah ,are the God above all gods in supreme charge of all the earth! After all which one of us has a personal friend that we dont know the name of ? That being the case how much more so that we know Gods personal name!!John 17:3 says and this is the way to have eternal life-By knowing you,the only True God,and Jesus Christ,the one you sent to earth,Also does'nt Revelation warn of ones of adding or subtracting from the holy writings ? - Revelation 22:18-19! And yet some translations have had The Authors name removed !It is so good to see it included in this translation !!

Chakra Tonics is a multifunctional book. This book starts off noting the basic foundational beliefs about chakras, explaining that there are numerous philosophies and interpretations and the reader should explore these variations in order to come up with his or her own theories in this regard. I really found this aspect refreshing as many such books never admit that there are alternative thoughts on the subject let alone encourage the reader to make up his or her own mind.

The rest of the book explores each of the chakras describing the location, purpose, color, sound, and various problems often associated with energy blockages. Included for each section are recipes that the reader can replicate. The intended purpose of these recipes is to balance out the energy in particular chakras.

All of the recipes provided are either fresh juicing recipes or smoothie recipes made with fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts. In my mind, these recipes simply provide new and creative ways to provide healthy energy building nutrition into the body rather than opting for caffeinated, carbonated drinks that reduce natural energy. If they also help balance chakra energy that's just an added bonus.

Whimsical little book which artfully combines healthy juice/smoothie/tea recipes in relation to the corresponding chakra. Such a creative idea, i think this book would make an interesting gift or excellent conversation starter for someones coffee table. Thank-you Elise Marie Collins.

I found this book to be a nice read on the energy centers in the body and the means for promoting healing and wellness. Nice combination granting one the opportunity to expand their conciousness and delight in the elixers that heal each aspect.

CHAKRA TONICS: ESSENTIAL ELIXIRS FOR THE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT could also have been featured in our Spirituality section but is reviewed here for its broader appeal to audiences interested in juices, shakes, smoothies and drinks which have healing and beneficial properties as well as taste appeal. From a Fig Shake with cinnamon believed to help diabetics to a high vitamin C Hibiscus Shake, drinks are very easy to make up with a minimum of specialty ingredients and CHAKRA TONICS organizes recipes by health benefit for easy consultation.

John Taliaferro does a great job of separating fact from legend in this well-written, engaging account of Charlie Russell's life. Russell wasn't above embellishing his western credentials (he never, in fact, lived with the Indians, as he once claimed), but Taliaferro shows us that he did have genuine cowboy credentials, cutting his chops over years of nighthawking on the Montana range.

This biography is fair to Russell's wife, Nancy, who was often vilified by Russell's friends for her money-hungry, status-conscious ways. Nancy was a young, uneducated woman who came from dirt-poor circumstances. She took on the sole responsibility for managing her husband's art career. If Nancy made a few enemies over the years, she deserves credit for taking Charlie from being a cowpoke selling his sketches for $25 to a world-renowned artist.

Art critics spend much time arguing about the value of western art and as to whether it can really be classified as art at all. Some of the more snobby critics attempt to discredit western painters by referring to them as "illustrators" as if that changes anything. They argue that if an artist is commissioned by other than the loftiest of patrons or if their work is used primarily to illuminate a story then their art can only be classified as illustration and not as fine art.

As an art student I argued this one ad nauseam with my art professors. And invariably the work of Charles Marion Russell, my favorite ARTIST - period - would arise. But that's enough about small-minded art professors and their unwillingness to accept art wherever they find it.

The work of Charles Marion Russell (hereafter CM Russell) is accepted by thousands as arguably the best of the western genre. It remains the standard against which all other western pieces are judged. Russell also was an accomplished western wit who drew and kept the fast friendship of the king of western wit, Will Rogers. In his book Charles M. Russell: The Life and Legend of America's Cowboy Artist, John Taliaferro not only discusses the art achievements of Russell but also provides a biography that paints the life of the artist and the west Russell knew so well in the most vivid colors possible. And indeed CM Russell was the most colorful of characters.

Read this book and I'll bet you will at least become the owner of a CM Russell print and at most plan a pilgrimage to Great Falls to visit CM Russell's museum, studio and home.

This is a very well written biography of an American Original, Charles M. Russell, cowboy, artist, story teller and someone you would probably like to hang around with for a bit. I have always been rather fond of Western Art, in general, and Russell's work in particular. I have, from time to time read articles on the life of this truly individual man but have before now, been unable to read a complete work on his life that I could give credit to for being valid. John Taliaferro has treated the artist rather fairly as well as the artist's wife Nancy, who I have always suspected has not been appreciated for just what she did for her husband. Truth be told, I doubt if Charles M. Russell would have ever been the artist he was without her. It is good that the author has given credit were credit is due. I have also had some problems with the separation of truth from myth. The author has done a very nice job of this with this work.

This book is a bit more than just the story of the life on one man though. If you pay attention, you can find a pretty good history of the evolution of the Western Artist here, and the role he played in this particular genre of art. I say art, because I believe that is just what it is. I realize that there has been, is, and probably always will be the artist/illustrated argument being pitched back and forth with each new generation of artists and art teachers. Personally, I am one of those people who looks himself in the mirror and says "if I call it art, then by God, it is art." This of course my personal standard and I am sure there are many who would disagree. And that is the way it should be. The purpose of this biography was not to establish the answer to this question one way or another. Let the argument rage on...it just makes things more interesting.

The author of this work does have a very readable style, has well foot noted his sources, and when he simply does not know something, says as such. When he speculates, he specifically states that he is doing so. Now I will warn the reader that the author, Mr. Taliaferro, does love his Thesaurus, aggressively uses it, and does display a quirky sort of vocabulary. I personally like this, as I love words, but some readers may find it just a bit distracting. This is a very minor problem though, if even a problem it is.

I feel it is important to understand our art if we are to understand ourselves as a society and also feel that we need to know and understand those who are able to create this art. Works such as this help greatly with this understanding and by reading them, simply makes life a bit more enjoyable. I know that I will certainly look with new eyes now, each time I view a Russell painting or sculpture after reading this work. A well written biography, informative, fun and a pleasure to read!

As a young boy he heard the words of Horace Greely, and indeed went west to seek fame, fortune, and adventure. After two years with Jake Hoover in the Judith, his dreams of wranglin', and ropin' came true at the O H ranch. Over time the home of the "Big Sky Country" became his perminant domain, and his mother Miss Montana, she blessed her son with a gift that would speek for many of his kind that ventured before him. He illustrated with brush, and canvas. He wrote in scripture, and sculptured in bronze. With his gift, C M Russell was able to protray what it was like to live in a time when spurs, the six-gun, and the feel of leather was a cowhands only cherrished parcel. He became the "Cowboys Cowboy", and the voice of the "Red-Man". Montana's dearest son had done what she wanted him to do. Russell for those who knew him was Loving, Kind, and Loyal. He never forgot his roots, no matter where he traveled. In the end Montana was more than proud of him. For she had raised him as Montanan. Over the years he became a Montanan. And at the end of the trail, he was buried as a Montanan.

As Lone Wolf, you are dispached by the king to investigate a missing shipment of gold...ok, where have we heard this before? But hold on-the plot thickens! You journey to Ruanon, a mining province, and discover that evil again is plotting to rear it's ugly head-in the shape of Lord Vashna-the long defeated and very powerful Darklord of Naar. The Acolytes of Vashna are attempting to ressurect him, and only YOU can stop them! Grab the book and pick up the fight!

The Lone Wolf books are divided to 4 groups, book1-5 is the kai series, book6-12 is the Magnakai,13-20 is the Grand Master series and 21+ are the New Order series... The Chasm of Doom is the best book in the Kai group.It is very challenging and requires your utmost caution and strategem.A must-have!!

I started this series probably 15 years ago, maybe more. I remember being so wrapped up in this interactive adventure that I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next installment. Well, while cleaning off my shelves a few days ago I stumbled across these gems and I tell you, I got overwhelmed with the same feelings.

You are Lone Wolf, the last of the Kai Warriors in the land of Sommerlund. Throughout your adventures (the are 28 books and 4 "World of Lone Wolf" books) you will face monsters big and small, wizards, magicians, puzzles, riddles, and everything else your imagination can think of. This book starts as a mission to discover what has happened to the missing gold shipments that were supposed to be on the way to your homeland of Sommerlund. However, there is much more going on in this adventure that will test your Kai skills.

This book is just like your standard "Choose Your Own Adventure" book except that it is more interactive. Not only do you choose your path, but you also choose your skills, equipment, and whether or not you want to battle enemies. This book employs an interesting combat system in which you pick a number from the "Random Number Table" at the end of the book by closing your eyes and poking the page with your eraser (see my shared photo). I highly recommend getting ahold of a 10-sided die to use instead, because after a few books one can learn where the higher number areas are.

I had the first 15 books of the series when I was younger and now that I've reread them, I am scrounging ebay and used Amazon books to locate the next ones. Unfortunately all of these books are out of print. If you are looking for these books, I highly recommend getting the UK editions of books 12-20 because the US editions are abridged and are missing huge sections. Additionally, there are many "broken links" since they were edited so when it says to turn to page XX it takes you to the wrong place. Also, good luck finding books 21-28 as they were ONLY printed in the UK. They are very rare and if you have them, hold on to them!

Finally, Joe Dever has authorized the free distribution and licensing of his Lone Wolf series which are available online. This resource has the unabridged editions which makes it great. I will not give out the URL as part of the reviewers agreement but with a little searching you should be able to find it. However, I would rather read the paper version anyday but this is still a great resource.

This is the best book I think in the Lone Wolf series. You are Lone Wolf and you are out to find the king's gold that was stolen. The things that I like in this book are you are able to choose your suplies such as weapons, special abilities, backpack items, and Kai Disciplines. The Lone Wolf series is a good series to read on vacations, coming home from a trip, or just a book to chill out with...

This easy to read work intrigues. It does this by carefully challenging the previous conclusions of the churching of America, i.e. Ahlstrom et al.

Starting with Colonial times, it reviews the quantitative analysis and the qualitative conclusions as well. It determined that much beginning from these times on has been distorted by bias and not using the best census material available.

They deduce that successful church movements base their focus on otherworldliness, starting out thus as sects which grow. The tendency however is to eventually make minor concessions to the culture, thus shifting the emphasis away from what gave them success, high tension with their culture towards lowered levels. This cyclical pattern they have found repeated over and over, the sects becoming churches thereby giving birth to new sects that revitalize the church and grow.

The pattern begins with the upstart Baptists and Methodists outgrowing the established Congregationalists, etc. Then themselves, especially the Methodists losing their dominant position to new groups.

Their conclusions are fascinating, disputing much of the established findings of scholarly American Christian history. Rather than finding the changes in churched American as attributable to sudden cultural/societal glitches, rather the authors find "a long, slow and consistent increase in religious participation form 1776 to 1926--with the rate inching up slightly after 1926 and then hovering near 60 percent. Second, they conclude that the primary factor is what they term "the sect-church process" (roughly sketched out above) in supporting the progress in America.

The future? They place confidence in humans as "rational beings, not puppets enslaved to the strings of history and always have the capacity to choose." Their surveys and literature they use suggest that American will continue to want and find or start movements which maximize otherworld rewards sufficient to inspire sacrifice.

One must remember this is sociology speaking, not theology. Theology of the best kind tells of God's unfolding plan of salvation (heilsgesitche) which will occur exactly as God has planned. True faith, belief and membership in this salvation is His doing through His church, where His Word and Sacraments are truly spoken and distributed.

In this book Finke and Stark take a very analytical and careful approach to why some denominations grow and others shrink. Rather than rehashing the same ideas and theories, the perform numerical analysis of the actual percentage of Americans in each denomination, state by state, from 1776 to 1990. The results are amazing.

United Methodists: note that our church has been shrinking since _1850_ as a percentage of the American public. Basically since the circuit riders dismounted and we established seminaries.

The conclusions are frightening and will make you reevaluate "what's wrong with our church". If this book is correct, most of the solutions suggested by other books will not address the core issues.

You must read this book!!!

In this fascinating book, the authors (both sociology professors) look at the evolution of the American religious landscape since the Revolutionary War. In their study, they discovered three trends. First of all, in frontier areas (which in 1776 still included whole swaths of the thirteen colonies) there was a larger proportion of men to women, and consequently a lower rate of church attendance. As areas became settled, the proportion of men to women decreased, and the rate of church attendance increased.

Secondly, they found that sects (religious organizations with a high level of tension with their surrounding sociocultural environment) tended to have a higher rate of growth, and a higher level of commitment than churches (religious organizations with a low level of tension with their environment). The third trend is that over time, sects transform themselves into churches, lowering their demands on members and as such lessoning their tension with their environment.

As they follow American history, they show how these trends affected the growth and/or decline of the fortunes of various churches, both Protestant and Catholic. I must admit to have been absolutely captivated by this book. Not only do the author make an excellent case for their theory, but also the book itself is compelling reading. I was especially interested in what the authors had to say about how denominations change, and what it means.

I greatly enjoyed this book, and recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the Christian church in the United States.

Even though this book was published eight years ago, it still ought to be on the book shelf of any serious student of American Christianity, and be a part of the strategic knowledge base of any denominational executive who pretends to know what it will take for his or her denominational organization to be a viable force for societal and spiritual transformation in the twenty-first century.

The 214 years of American religious history covered by this book represents the transformation from a time when as a nation most people took no part in organized religion, to a time when nearly two-thirds do. The continual founding of new religious movements during this two-century period has allowed for a freshness that could not be controlled by institutionalized religion.

The control exercised by established churchlike religious organizations in the past actually led to their decline. They could not survive in a free market religious economy. Methods of establishing control included identifying a state-endorsed church, controlling who could be ordained and serve as pastors, and having a non-congregational polity or form of governance.

While it may seem to be a contradiction, it the high expectations that religious organizations--particularly congregations--place on individual believers that results in a tenacious and growing church movement. What was true in 1776 is still true in 2000 and beyond. To discover the secrets of past and future success and vitality, purchase and read this book.

Clara Barton proved that even shy people can do great things and overcome their fears. It is very inspirational! (I loved seeing my daughter reading for enjoyment!!)

I really liked this book because I really like to learn about different people. To know who Clara Barton is and what she did is very exciting. People who like reading about famous people and what they did would really like this book.

I ENJOY READING ABOUT HISTORY ...I THINK CLARA BARTON WAS A VERY BRAVE PERSON AND I WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH THE RED CROSS SOME DAY AND HELP PEOPLE.

I enjoyed the book Clara Barton because it was a very inspiring book. Whenever she had a goal she would never give up on it. I thought it was very nice she would go all the way to the top just to help people and I think it's a great book for you to read!