Saint The Books

I have already read the book and it was great! I found it very intersting and not wanting to put the book down until I finished it!

While this book is written for the young adult, I read it recently as a "older" adult and loved it. I have limited spare time so it was great to be able to finish this book in a day or 2. It is simply written yet gives the reader a clear, comprehensive guide to the life of a brave, determined peasant girl. All important facts of Joan's life are included, her childhood, her goal to defeat the English and secure the French throne for Charles VII and her capture and death at the hands of the British. After reading this book I now have a clearer insight into the life of this popular heroine, her call from God and her amazing accomplishments.

In "Beyond the Myth: The Story of Joan of Arc," Polly Schoyer Brooks provides a biography for young adults that makes a point of separating historical facts from popular legends. One of the main strengths of the volume is how Brooks establishes the situation in 15th-century France which involved a king who suffered fits of madness and his weakling son and then tells the story of a peasant girl from the countryside who accomplished what appeared to be miracles in rallying the French to her banner. The result is a book about Joan of Arc that captures her humanity as well as her heroism.

Brooks neatly divides the story of Joan in half, with the first six chapters starting with Joan's life in the village of Domremy and ending with the crowing of Charles the Dauphin as King of France, and the last six depicting Joan's fall from glory, trial, and execution. Brooks emphasizes that the situations that brought about her martyrdom were beyond Joan's control and details the political calculations that ended up putting her in the hands of the English. However, as Brooks emphasizes, though the English burned Joan's body to ashes they could not wipe out the memory of her deeds from the French people. I appreciate that Brooks makes it clear to her readers how the effort's to restore Joan's name and honor after the English left France were just as politically motivated as the trial that condemned her.

This young adult biography is illustrated with historic prints and paintings, including a sketch by a clerk of his idea of Joan drawn in the margin of his report, as well as contemporary photographs of historic sites, such as Joan's stone-and-rubble house in Domremy and the statue on the post were she was burned at the stake in the marketplace at Rouen. Brooks has also written similar biographies of Eleanor of Acquitaine and Cleopatra. However, as Brooks notes, although more books about Joan have been inspired than any other women in history, she remains an enigma. In "Beyond the Myth," Brooks tries to answer the key questions concerning Joan's life and to restore her humanity, which in the final analysis, Brooks sees as being her greatest virtue. For students who are ready to get beyond your basic juvenile biographies of Joan of Arc, this is a thoughtful volume to which to turn next.

Like many females, I enjoy learning about female historical figures. I want to know as much truth as I can find. The author does exactly that for the reader. This book is a detailed account of the events that triggered Joan d'Arc's dedication to her country and its rightful king. The author traces the history based on documents and other works that have been carefully researched. She provides the reader with the personality traits and beliefs of the time which drove the events that led to Joan's trial and death. Accusations of witchcraft and sorcery were used by church and secular leaders to destroy the young life of a heroic woman because of jealousy, superstition, and shady business surrounding the church and state. In addition, health and medical issues of the times are revealed that are shocking and entertaining. Read this book to learn about Joan, but also about the way people lived. Just learning about the reasons for the need for all those castles made the read worth the time.

I am glad this book gives tribute to people who knew Christ.

In honour of unspoken mystics (persons in whom Christ has revealed mysteries above human understanding) throughout the ages,I would like to add that the world at the present time knows very little about millions of mystics who existed through the centuries and the ones that exist today. We will all be suprised when we find out the stories and beliefs of the millions upon millions who were touched by Christ in this world.

Technology offers the attraction for hot new inventions, and these can even seduce our nature into accepting change for changes's sake. And confronted with secular pretense and it is easy to miss the subtleness of mystical experience altogether. Ursula King's "The Christian Mystics" provides an account of this other activity that is possible to miss. But the alternative activity cannot be dismissed easily as King catalogues the life of numerous mystics, from early Christians (e.g., Clement of Alexandria, Origen) to those contemporary mystics (e.g., Simone Weil, Thomas Merton) .

King (page 15) writes: "All mysticism is characterized by a passion for unity. To the mystic, true Being and Ultimate Reality are One. This can be experienced as both impersonal and personal, as Ground of Being, Ultimate Source, Perfect Goodness, Eternal Wisdom, Devine Love, God, or the Godhead. This Reality contains, yet transcends, everything there is. It is the One whom all is lost and all is found." Mystics share the same experiences, and as these experiences are common they provide a level of validity that is not so easily ignored.

I must comment here. God is not found separate from God's creation, God is with us. The dualism that finds God apart from our world, either coming from theists or atheists, does not find support coming from mystical experience. I need only point to King. The situation is reversed from dualistic constraints, it is mysticism that is open to scientific investigation of a kind proposed by Wallace in "The Taboo of Subjectivity".

King (page 19) writes: "Of Great importance also is the concept of God who is not simply One, Ultimate Reality or the Absolute, but a personal Being who yet transcends all notions of personhood found among human beings by forming a community of persons with the mystery of the Trinity."

King (page 80) writes of Hildegard of Bingen: "She describes her visions in terms of light, speaks of mystical rapture and prophecies, and expresses her passionate desire for God with great intensity. Her visions are marked by brilliant colors, her descriptions by apophatic negations."

King (page 109) quotes Meister Eckhart: "The union of God with the soul is so great that it is scarcely to believe. And God is in himself so far above that no form of knowledge or desire can ever reach him... Desire is deep, immeasurably so. But nothing that the intellect can grasp and nothing that desire can desire is God. Where understanding and desire end, there is darkness and there God's radiance begins."

King (pages 152-153) writes on St. Teresa of Avila: "For Teresa, mental prayer was the beginning of the path to new ways of understanding, to the tasting of deep mysteries of faith, which included the indwelling presence of the Trinity and of Jesus Christ in his humanity and divinity, as well as insights into sin and grace, the Church and the sacraments. Her visions were both spiritual and physical, and she eventually experienced the grace of perfect union with Christ so that she became inseparable from him `as when a little stream enters the sea'."

King (page 235) writes on Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: "As a child he had experienced a deep sense of oneness with nature, later followed by mystical experiences linked to `vast open spaces' of sea and desert, to the riches of fossil life and the vibrant energy of cosmic evolution. All these made him ecstatically perceive `that through all of nature I was immersed in God.' For him Jesus `comes to us clothed in the glory of the world.' "

Trinity finds agreement with the Advaitic experience. King (page 241) writes: "Swami Abhishiktananda's experience included the belief that there is an Advaitic dimension, an experience of deep, underlying unity, in Christianity itself which must be recovered." On page (242): "He realized a profoundly personal synthesis of Hindu-Christian spirituality in his own life."

King (page 247) writes: "Reading the stories of past Christian mystics, it is remarkable how often mystical experiences of union and communion occur through intimate contact with nature, with the haunting beauty of its myriad forms of life. Hildegard of Bingen saw God's fiery essence in the beautiful meadows and waters, the blossoms, fruits and breeze, but also the sun, moon and starts, whereas Fracis of Assis spoke to the animals and praised Brother Sun."

King (page 248) writes on the basic message of all mystics: "Divine radiance, light and life suffuse all there is. It is for us to accept this, and just let be or, in the words of the Christian mystics, to conform our will to God's will."

Disclosure: My agenda is declared in my profile.

Writing a book on the history of Christian mysticism would be a daunting task for any historian, because everyone is looking for something different. This book delivers neat, concise and well written mini biographies of the famous and infamous mystics of ancient, Western, Eastern and modern Christianity. Each installment gives you enough information to get you interested to study further, but not too much to make you bored. I recommend this book for all levels of mature readers.

Ursula King is a professor of theology at the University of Bristol in England. She is the right person to tell the story of Christian mysticism. Ms. King writes with great clarity and the way she chooses to tell her tale is by giving us brief biographies of sixty mystics from the earliest centuries of Christianity down to the modern period.The list includes Origen, Hildegard of Bingen, St. Francis of Assisi,Theresa of Avila, Francis de Sales and Thomas Merton.

The biographies describe unique individuals who in most cases led extraordinary lives.Their experiences, however, can hardly be called uniform since there are so many different paths to mysticism.I recommend CHRISTIAN MYSTICS highly to anyone who enjoys inspirational reading.

A few months ago I became interested in the lives of the saints, and anyone else who shares a curiosity of them finds out fairly quickly that many of the more famous ones were mystics. I was pretty much an amateur in my knowledge of the topic and asked people who knew more about it than I did what *exactly* mysticism is, and very few people could give me a good definition---then I came across this book, and it did exactly that. But the great thing about Ursula King's "Christian Mystics" is that anyone could get use out of and learn from this book.

King starts by giving a foundation of how mysticism developed---starting at the very beginnings of Christianity as we know it, the political background of what caused the very first mystics to withdraw from society, and the proverbial "fathers" of mysticism. She follows in chronological order with the mystics of the early Christian church, then on into the medieval period, following a style of giving a concise and extremely informative biography of each specific mystic, and then smoothely making a connection to the next mystic, often a student or contemporary of the former. A lot of the most famous mystics are covered, as well as many of those of Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy. Although the title is "Christian Mysticism," you'll be getting much more out of the book than just that---a great basic history of Christianity and the world as it develops with each person, relevant devotional quotes and references to other works of the mystics that can further your studies into them and their writings, and a great and entertaining read all at the same time.

I've highlited the heck out of this book and come back to it for information on the people found inside it many times---it's an indispensable resource for the amateur and expert a like, you won't be disappointed having it in your library. The fun part is...finding out which of the many deserving categories you can put it under. Good luck.

This episode of "...stuff" was better than the first book. The main character and her cast become more developed and the story flows more smoothly. Jane Wheel is unlike any character I have come across. I look forward to more adventures.

Maybe it's because I'm not into antiques and can't understand why someone would want to spend all their time going through and buying other peoples' junk, but I found the whole premise of a "picker" to be silly and boring.

As for the story, I did find the whole thing somewhat confusing with all the saloonkeepers and various characters. It was an easy late-summer read...although I really don't think I'll be continuing with the series.

.
a Six Pack to go! o/~
Jane Wheel, Kankakee saloon owners' daughter, former ad exec, Charley's estranged wife and Nick's momma, now antique "picker," sentimental "junquer," and ameuteur sleuth, bought a whole room full of old bar Stuff at a going-to-the-assisted-living-home sale. Included in the Dead Guy's (former Chicago tavern owner Oscar Bateman's) Stuff was a grusome discovery which gives new meaning to the phrase "giving one the finger." Jane has bought herself another bushel of trouble in this second installment of Sharon Fiffer's fun and witty "Stuff" series. The gang from her first foray into the cozy colorful world of collectors and collectables is all here, as well as the, er, "mature" ladies from the old Shagri-La Lounge. Is it true, what she says, that "the jadite is always greener on the other side?" It's MIB: mint in book!
TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer, former patron, Peg's Tavern, Hinckley, IL.

Dead Guy's Stuff continues the story of Jane Wheel (Killer Stuff), an antique "picker" who has made a career of going through old stuff and finding treasures to sell to dealers. However, Jane is not that successful yet because she has a hard time letting go of her finds and she has a tendency to buy memories instead of valuable items, such as Elmira's old schoolwork. Needless to say, Jane is ecstatic when she finds a whole room of 1950s saloon ephemera - just what she needs to redecorate her mother and father's tavern in Kankakee. She loves the Bakelite darts and dice, advertisements from long-defunct liquor suppliers, old bar games, bowling trophies, old photographs and a severed finger in a jar? Jane immediately calls her friend Detective Oh and asks him what she should do. Oh graciously comes over and takes a look, but, while a little macabre, it isn't as if Jane found a dead body or anything. So Jane tucks the finger away in the glove compartment of her car and heads for home to redecorate. There she finds the dead body of her parents' former landlord - with a finger that is almost completely cut off. Jane is positive that there is a link between her finger and the dead guy. Now she just has to find it while dealing with her parent's attempts to keep their past secret, decorating her friend Tim's kitchen for a house show, rooting through the dead guy's three houses of stuff, her mother's kidnapping, her friend's suicide and a fascinating group of little old ladies...

Once again, Sharon Fiffer has presented readers with an absolutely fabulous book. Those who were captivated by her attention to detail and great characters in Killer Stuff will not be disappointed with this follow up. Again, there are great details about antiques and collectibles, as well as fascinating glimpses into small town life in Kankakee. Jane Wheel's associations with her fellow characters are always entertaining and her mother is a real kick. Don't wait for this one to come out in paperback - it is well worth the cost of the hardbound price!

...so I could run off to garage sales and flea markets like Jane Wheel does! That's the hazard of reading Sharon Fiffer's series during the dead of winter. If you've ever been even temporarily addicted to sifting through other people's wretched refuse, you know what Jane's weekends are like, and you know what her house looks like. You might even know the touch of Bakelite, or feel your heart a-poundin' as you thumb through a box of old discarded photos and papers. It may sound awful or silly to the unexperienced picker, but the sights and sounds and smells of this diversion are wonderfully portrayed in these mysteries. In most instances in real life, you don't find EXACTLY the same things Jane does. (Thank goodness!) Read the books; they're almost like being there.

Robison's insights into the the progression of the construction of the Kirtland temple are priceless windows into the most significant landmark in the timeline of mormon architecture. This is a great coffee table book for historic preservation buffs and mormoms alike that won't be put down!

Robison's insights into the the progression of the construction of the Kirtland temple are priceless windows into the most significant landmark in the timeline of mormon architecture. This is a great coffee table book for historic preservation buffs and mormoms alike that won't be put down!

Robison's insights into the the progression of the construction of the Kirtland temple are priceless windows into the most significant landmark in the timeline of mormon architecture. This is a great coffee table book for historic preservation buffs and mormoms alike that won't be put down!

Robison's insights into the the progression of the construction of the Kirtland temple are priceless windows into the most significant landmark in the timeline of mormon architecture. This is a great coffee table book for historic preservation buffs and mormoms alike that won't be put down!

Robison's insights into the the progression of the construction of the Kirtland temple are priceless windows into the most significant landmark in the timeline of mormon architecture. This is a great coffee table book for historic preservation buffs and mormoms alike that won't be put down!

Pearson's memoir drew me in from the first page, as she relates her initial encounter with her future husband. "Gerald shone. That's the best way I can describe him. He shone."
Can't we all relate to that Kismet moment, the first meeting with "the one." When our pheromones come alive and propel us to pursue the OBJECT, the prize, our destiny.
The author's Mormon religion has instilled in her, early on, a desire for an "eternal marriage" much like her parents own union, which only ended at her mother's death.
Gerald, also a Mormon, and Carol Lynn, joked about Brigham Young's statement that "any young man over the age of twenty-one who is not married is a menace to the community."
After Gerald proposes, he decides to share a deep truth with Carol Lynn. Which is that he has had homsexual experiences, but has repented of his sins. He then promises her that she will be enough for him sexually after they are married.
She accepts Gerald's promise, as she'd always been taught that when tempted, boy's were weaker than girls. Their ensuing marriage brings challenges beyond the norm, as Gerald loses his battle against his homosexual cravings. Yet Carol Lynn's love for her husband never dies.
As an author and a human being, she shines. Her personal integrity, compassion, and capacity for unconditional love, awed me as a reader. I devoured this book in two sittings, fascinated by the true love shared between this husband and wife. She supported Gerald, even when he contracted AIDS, and brought him home to die with she and their children by his side till the end.
They both rose to bear witness to their highest selves, in spite of their horrific circumstances. This memoir is full of rare insights into the complexities of a romantic relationship, and to the human condition. It educates, entertains, and inspires. Kudos to Pearson's courage in sharing this extremely personal story. An awesome book by an outstanding writer.

I had heard of Carol Lynn Pearson's story, and I expected the story to be interesting, but I had no idea how much I would feel, and how many things I would have to think about (a lot, not just the reality of homosexuality, not just the many types and forms of love, but many many things.) I was completely unprepared to laugh, but I did, and I must say, the Pearson's were amazing people. Such strength, such energy, such a desire to be like Christ and do what is right. This story is incredible and incredibly written.

This is the first book I came across that truly captured what it is like to be gay and married and it was written by the straight spouse. Of course, that was years ago and now I have come out of the closet and have found my voice and know what is in my heart. But back then I was deep in the closet and this book was a godsend. Thank you, Carol Lynn, from the bottom of my heart. It was wonderful to see in words what before I had only felt and not understood. However, I wished I had read your thoughts and feelings about being a straight spouse more carefully. It would have given me so much insight into what was going on with my wife. It took me years to gain that insight on my own. But back then it was all I could do to handle my own pain.

You might not think an account of a couple who divorces due to homosexuality could be a memorable love story, but this one really is. I read this book many years ago, and was so moved by it. Carol Lynn Pearson is a remarkable woman. She writes this book with such transparency of her emotions. The love she had for Gerald Pearson before, during, and after their marriage is so rare. They truly were soulmates, but couldn't be married and both be happy. I started out by reading other books by her, especially about women in traditional church. She is Mormon and I was, at the time, too. I grew up Catholic, and that church and the Mormon church both put limits on what women can do. In in the Catholic church women can't be priests, and in the Mormon church, they can't hold the priesthood. She writes about the bewilderment of that inequity, the same way she wrote about her bewilderment of her husband deciding to live as a gay man, and the struggles he had with that decision. I have felt similar struggles trying to find a place as a woman in traditional Christian churches. When I tried to talk with others about my feelings about feeling less as a woman in the church, I was told I shouldn't feel that way. The way she writes about people who feel disenfranchised by policies and religious tenets made me feel like FINALLY someone gets it. I actually called her on the phone many years ago to tell her to tell her how thankful I was that someone else understood about being a woman in a tradtionally male dominated church, and she was so generous and gracious on the phone to talk with me for a few minutes, so I could tell her thank you. The compassion she has for people who feel like outsiders, and how she treats those people, is what I think of as true Christ-like love. I highly recommmend this book for anyone who ever felt like they don't belong. She went through a very difficult time and showed unfailing love, just like Christ would do.

Carol Pearson is a wonderful writer. I felt like I was right there with her she relly pulls you into her life and feelings. I only hope that Carol has found love and happiness with a strong, straight loving man, which she deserves. She treated her husband Gerald with compassion and sympathy, something not a lot of other women would do. The only thing that bothered me was Gerald's insistance that his children call him "gerald" and not "Dad" since he was the children's biological father. I sincerely hope Carol and her children have found closure, peace happiness and love: they deserve it! A wonderful book!

Ida Frederike Gorres creates a completely vivid, inspirational and detailed account of Therese Martins' short life time, but with a realistic perspective. She analyzes Therese as merely human; as one who struggled in childhood with vanity, sensitivity, stubborn mindedness and self-absorption, but who was consistently taught by the church and at home that faith and love for God are essential to the well being of her soul. Therese blended these fundamental teachings with her human desire to please God and others, until at last, before entering the Carmelite order ( which was accomplished as a result of her refusal to take "no" for an answer, along with the support of her sister ) she was given a powerful grace; which calmed her sensitive nature and effected her interiorly with a desire to wean herself from the love for attention, that she strongly felt at home. Meanwhile, this worked into a cycle of maturity that cultivated virtue and love for her neighbor, which grew abundantly in the convent.

THE HIDDEN FACE clears away any notion that pre-destiny plays a role in sainthood, or that some people are born into it, while others are lost to their ego. The author lets the reader identify with Therese and to discover his own potential for holiness, by imitating the simply brilliant examples of love that Therese taught to others, which in turn won for her the heart of God. It is a book that can be used as a guide to holiness.

It is unfortunate that Therese of Lisieux has become known primarily by the term "The Little Flower" and is expected to drop roses from heaven on her followers. This study of her life and "Little Way" reveals the journey of a pampered, excessivly emotional and devout middle-class French girl who was formed into one of the only three women who have been declared Doctors of the Church. Ida Gorres strips off the sentimentality that has threatened to turn Therese into a sugary caracature of herself. She carefully deals with all the negative aspects of Therese's culture, upbringing, life as a nun, and unglamorous, excruciating and humiliating death of TB at age 24. When Gorres has exposed all the aspects of the sentimental religiosity of that time and place, sparing nothing in revealing Therese and her family to us with all their "warts", she then proceeds to delineate how Therese rose above all that, and even contradicted it in her "new" spiritual understanding. It becomes clear that it was a direct action of the Holy Spirit, needed by the modern religious seeker.

Jansenism still tainted the devout Catholicism of that time. Somehow, Therese saw through the heresy and formulated a spirituality that returned the Church to the basics of Christianity. What is most surprising to me is that she did it alone, with no person to teach or counsel her. Indeed, very few of the people around her even understood her, including her loving blood sisters who were also in the same convent. Ida Gorres tells this story clearly and with considerable insight into true sanctity.

This is not a book to approach lightly, although it is not hard to read. It stretches the reader's understanding, calling one to greater love of God and the truth about following Jesus. One dares to try Therese's Way even in very different circumstances of life. Gorres does away with the plaster saint figure of church statues and gives us an intelligent, flesh-and-blood, mature, serious, and appealing saint to be our teacher. I recommend this book highly for anyone who is seeking true teaching and inspiration in their Christian walk.

As Ida Gorres examines the life of St. Therese she challenges the longheld idea that Therese was some mamby pamby creature who earned sainthood by never complaining that her woolen habit was scratchy. This biography teaches not only about Therese's life, but about the Christian life and how to respond to the grace of God. An exquisite biography of an amazing woman!

This is a wonderful book. I spent an entire Sunday afternoon reading it. I couldn't put it down. Ida F. Goerres gave us a real flesh and blood person and not the, all too common, prayer card one.

Exhaustive expose of Saint Therese of Lisieux. Insightful and highly enjoyable to read; the text will edify any Christian striving to do God's will and longing to be encouraged on a sound method. Be aware: "Little Way" is a blatant oximoron; Therese's path is no small feat! Consider Jesus' admonitions and modelling in the Gospel accounts. However tall the order may be, it is not impossible to imitate. Therese's rose petals are made of steel. Coupled with Jesus, she is one of the greatest inspirations for attaining intimacy with God.

This is an absolutely outstanding collection of stories by some of the most talented authors around! Exciting, original, delightful, with a brilliant concept-- heroes worthy of dreams, actors whose faces we know, and characters with whom we are familiar. These threads tie the stories together, yet each one is unique and wonderful. Whoever you have secretly dreamed about will be here. The level of quality in this collection is extraordinary, there's not a disappointing page in the entire book. An incredible offering--something for everyone, and more! You'll want to buy more than one copy to give to friends. I did!

From Mary Kirk's lovely tale of immortality to Courtney Henke's hilarious story of ancient gods, from Ruth Glick's intriguing romance of love between an alien and human to Barbara Cumming's heartwarming story of a journey back in time, all the stories contained in this anthology are totally delightful! I'm buying more copies to send as Christmas gifts for friends and relatives who love thrilling and thoroughly satisfying romances.

"In Our Dreams" is a unique collection of stories. While the authors use television/movie heroes as inspiration, they have managed to build on those images and make them uniquely their own. From Mary Jo Putney's twist on Arthurian legend to Courtney Henkes tongue-in-cheek take on mythic fantasy, I found myself eagerly turning the pages. This was a wonderful read with something to feed the romantic cravings of any reader. Whether your tastes run toward rugged Old West types or the cool elegance of the English Regency, there is something here for you.

The concept rocks: write stories inspired by TV and movie heroes, but don't do it directly.

Much of the writing is equally good: obviously all these authors are excellent writers.

Some of the stories were compelling, some were mildly entertaining. None were awful.

However, this book is uneven. I have a hard time imagining that any one person would love all these stories. Some of the stories suffer from being so short, and others are just not that interesting.

I loved Moon Over Miranda and Mary Jo Putney's reworking of the King Arthur tale.

Five stars for concept and two of the stories. The other stories were all 3-star and 4-star in quality, so I'm averaging it all out to be four stars.

Get a copy of this anthology while you still can. You will NOT be a bit disappointed. Ten novellas from talented authors whose stories are inspired by TV and Movie heroes. What a kick! Regency, Western, Contemporary, Futuristic... They're all very well represented here. Stories and characters that will make you smile for days to come. Don't be put off by the mix of genres. This confirms that when written well, romance stories are timeless.

Lessons from the School of Suffering is written for a person with a heart that seeks God. Fr. Jim passionately and honestly expresses all of his feelings about his illness, his human condition with its doubts, fears, and struggles. Then he shares prayers that lead to spiritual growth, words for ALL people, not only those with life threatening illness.This is a book with humor amid the pain.It's inspiring!!

Fr. Jim Willig is my brother. His cancer not only had a profound effect on his life and our family but on the many thousands of people who searching for Jesus. This book is a close up look at what he thought and went through. Nothing happens without a purpose. Those who are suffering with cancer or other tragedies will be conforted by Jim's book, there is a reason and purpose to life. It all holds meaning. Those that God holds dearest are the very ones often given the most difficult path.

Jim passed away on June 24, 2001 surrounded by our family and frineds in what I call a very holy moment. There is no doubt in my mind that this book was inspired. I see the hand of God in all this writing. May it be a blessing to you. It will no doubt change your life, forever.

I found this little book at Milford Spirituality Center near Cincinnati. It was the only book, except for the Bible, which was left in every retreatant's room -- a very good recommendation. It lets us follow Fr. Jim Willig, a much loved local priest, from his first diagnosis of renal cell cancer until his death. A man of faith and prayer, honesty and humor, love and profound humanity, he offers us the privilege of sharing his final thoughts and feelings. In each chapter he focuses briefly on some aspect of his journey and lists like a good teacher the lessons learned and assignments to be done. It is a quick read, very moving and worth re-reading, and the lessons are not just for those who are suffering and dying, but for all of us.

I have had the privilege of hearing Father Jim speak both in person and on audio tapes. I was anxious to read this book as I have been touched by Cancer in my life. My sister died of Brain Cancer at 37 years of age; my brother-in-law died from Liver Cancer at 41 years of age; my father-in-law has Colon Cancer; and I have fought Breast Cancer. As I read it, I got more out of his book than I ever imagined I would. Also, as I read it, I realized how many lives this book could touch not only in my own family, but friends as well: those who have encountered untold pain in any way (mind, body and spirit) and those too, who suffer from incurable diseases. In all honesty, anyone would benefit from reading this wonderful book. My 26 year old daughter read the book along with me at the same time, while we were on vacation. We took turns, because we had only one copy. She has that copy now. My daughter has encountered incredible pain over the years having had scoliosis back surgery (a rod placed along her spine), childbirth twice without drugs and she is pregnant with her 3rd child. After I finished reading it, I bought 10 copies to send to family members and friends. I have kept one copy that will stay with me forever! My husband started reading my copy last night. I know it will touch him deeply when he reads it. It is heartbreaking to tell you that dear Father Jim lost his battle to Cancer, June 24th, the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist, after a courageous journey to the end. During his journey, he never gave up reaching out to others, providing his most thought provoking, "Spiritual Lessons" along the way. His Spirit will always live on in our minds and hearts forever. You will see, his book will be a keeper!!!

In telling his story, Jim Willig demonstrates incredible strength and human weakness. It is heartening in a sense to see a man of such incredible faith struggle with his own mortality; It makes one feel better about the doubts we struggle with. Jim teaches us that in the end, all we have is faith (I don't know what the future is, but I know Who the future is). He lived an example of acceptance that we can all learn from. God bless Jim Willig. May his example lead us in our daily acceptance of what life gives us!

This book drew my attention because of the kid-friendly introduction to the saints' lives. It is artfully written in a way for the kids to relate to the saints' personal experience. I like that it is not syrupy sweet, like the books I used to read when I was younger. The author uses modern vocabulary and poses thought-provoking questions for the young readers. I appreciate that the more well-known saints of the early centuries and more contemporary (recently canonized) saints are included in this collection. My students (those who have actually read it) have had a very positive reaction to the book. Highly recommended!

This book is very helpful; even junior high students will enjoy and find the book very useful.

ray

I bought this book for my kids and we have incorporated it into our bedtime routine at least once a week. All of us, including my husband and me, have learned so much! Wellborn writes in a easy-to-understand, and easy-to-remember way about our successful brothers and sisters. It really highlights the things we have in common with the saints who unfortunately seem so super-human the way some books tell their stories. It's important for us all to remember that they're just like us, only famously successful in their "running of the race."

I would actually rate this book 4.5 stars if Amazon had that option. The reason I can't give it 5 stars is that the author does not use proper capitalization when using pronouns referring to God (i.e. "his" when it should be "His"). Also, there is some other ungrammatical language that is clearly a deliberate attempt to appeal to modern kids but that really bothers me. I know Ms. Welborn can write proper English, and as a home educator that's what I expect in the books aimed at impressionable young minds.

The stories are very engaging, and there is a good mix of familiar and unfamiliar saints and blesseds from throughout the ages. I like the organization by theme- "saints are people who...(love children, teach us new ways to pray, help the poor and sick, change their lives for God, etc.)" The author does a good job presenting the stories in an age-appropriate manner, which is always a concern given the violence many of the saints had to endure.

Amy Welborn has produced an excellent book that brings the lives of the Saints to children at a level they can enjoy and understand. I read a variety of stories and literature to my two sons' before they fall asleep each night. However, we often decide to read a couple stories from the Loyola Kids Book of the Saints. They are just the right length for our nightly ritual. Each story begins with a short moral dilemma or question that children can get their heads around. Then the story of a particular Saint is used to help them work through the question. The stories are always interesting, sometimes heroic, often are poignant. We especially enjoyed the stories about St. Nicholas and St. Wenceslaus this past Christmas season.

I checked this out from the library for my husband; he loved it so much I planned to buy it for him. Meanwhile my father-in-law came for a visit and loved it so much he wouldn't put it down... So, I ended up buying two books; one for each of them. Neither could put it down and said how they would want to read it over and over. My two favorite men in my life absolutely LOVE this book. Also, it is a great add to his growing collection of Johnny Cash books and music. It adds an important part of who is was. Also, it was very interesting to find out what an educated Christian he was; in detail.

Anyone familiar with the tenets of Christianity know the conversion story of the apostle Paul, a persecutor of Christians, who came to faith in Jesus. After his conversion he became one of the early church's biggest missionaries, converting hundreds upon thousands and building churches wherever he visited. His life story is astounding, and Johnny Cash has done a remarkable job in telling his story in "Man of White", a fictional account of the life of Paul.

"Man in White" paints an overwhelmingly realistic portrait of Saul of Tarsus, a zealous Jew who felt called to persecute his fellow Jews who had turned to faith in Jesus. His conversion and blinding on the road to Damascus changes his life; his encounter with the Man in White affirming that his mission in life is not one of persecution but of love. Cash's narrative is fast-paced, Biblically grounded and well-written. The reader is swept into the time and trials of the early Christians, the deadly persecutions they suffered and the fearlessness they had to have in order to give their lives over to Christ. Cash has created a backstory for the apostle Paul that fills in the gaps with clarity and intuition, a daring task for anyone, but one that Cash accomplishes with seeming ease.

For those familiar with Johnny Cash only through his music and his history of drug problems, it may seem strange that he chose to write a novel about the apostle Paul. Yet one could draw parallels between what Cash went through to overcome his demons and finally get his life on track, with what Paul went through as he tried to run away from the Lord. Cash is a fitting author for this novel because he knew all about running away from a calling; this novel ate away at him for years before he was able to finish it. He didn't think himself worthy to write about Paul, struggled with the conversion scene, until he too had a dream about a vision on a road. Johnny Cash was the "Man in Black" who wore that color for "those who never read / or listened to the words that Jesus said", and talks straight to those who would listen through the "Man in White".

I think Johnny Cash did a tremendous amount of research & thought to write this novel of the Apostle Paul. I was impressed how Cash put it into simple words, easily understood in the flow of the very interesting story line.

This helps put the greatest evangelist in a human perspective. I would highly recogmend it to any Christian or any Johnny Cash fan. Johnny Cash's autobiography "Man In Black" is also an incredible book. Bottom line, Johnny Cash was a wonderful author, not to mention an incredible musician.

I would not call myself a huge fan of Johnny Cash, but I'm certainly a huge fan of this book and its story. Making direct application of Biblical characters is the whole point of the Biblical characters in the first place. If we don't live vicariously through ancient personalities we don't learn a thing from them. Mr. Cash draws an uncanny parallel between himself and the converted Paul. He too had a blinding flash of the obvious. I am so impressed when a celebrity shares his/her faith in Christ unashamedly with no intent to criticize or for self-gain. The direct connection with scriptures teaches life changing experiences.