Saint The Books

In The Confessions of Saint Augustine, Augustine concentrates on his powerful and zealous ongoing spiritual questions. His dairy- type book tells of the history of one man's struggle to obtain and maintain a close spiritual walk with God. John K. Ryan translated the book in an attempt to make Augustine's work more reader friendly.
John K. Ryan's translation of "The Confessions of Saint Augustine" is a very easy book to read. His 22-page introduction and notes with Bible scriptures at the back of the book help the reader understand and tie together St. Augustine's work. The scriptures that Ryan provided the reader appeared to come from the King James Bible. With this in mind, I examined the possibility that Ryan was Protestant and not Catholic in his own spiritual ideology. I than questioned if that had tainted his translation. Therefore, I read parts of other translations of the Confession found on the Internet and discovered them all to be like-minded. I concluded that Ryan's translation didn't show any bias, but tried to relay to the reader that Saint Augustine's true desire was to understand God's "Will". Therefore, Augustine was portrayed as a sinner turned saint. The book was organized in a chronological manner, taking the reader from the beginning of Augustine's spiritual journey to being known as a saint and a church father. Ryan's approach to translating "The Confession of Saint Augustine" was a social history because his translations were geared toward the aspects of civil society that show the evolution of social norms, behaviors, and more.
"The Confessions of Saint Augustine" is a valuable read because it offers a first hand look at how Augustine struggled to understand God's divine power and aspiration for his life, and to be of assistance to others in the future. He raised questions that men and women since time began have questioned during their sacred walk with the Supreme Being known as God. His personal thirst for righteousness consumed his life, and he is known as one of the great Christian thinkers.
The Confession was not what I thought it would be. I truly thought it would be a book full of confessions from a saint that was "suppose" to be a prefect person that had fallen by the spiritual wayside. Instead, the Confession was like an autobiographical journal, which did included doctrine, scriptures, studies, praise, memories, and confessions. I was impressed by his ability to swing from scriptures to his own thoughts, but had you not read the scriptures prior to reading the book you may not have realized the source of this information.
Augustine was a wonderful philosopher/thinker and his writings have been the subject of many discussions throughout history since it was written in 397 A.D. However, the Confession was written in a prayer-like manner addressing various issues making it difficult to focus on the subject for long periods of time.
Some of the things Augustine questioned to the "simple-minded" or should I say "non-philosopher type" is somewhat of a given. For example: in The Infant Augustine, he wrote, "I myself do not remember this. Therefore, the comfort of human milk nourished me, but neither my mother nor my nurse filled their own breast. Rather, through them you gave me as an infant's food in accordance with your law and out of the riches that you have distributed even down to the lowest level of thing." (7) Why did he question such things? Female animals of all types feed their young from the breast. This is natural. He apparently was so far above me as a thinker that where he was going with this is beyond my comprehension, unless, he was just saying, "Thank you Lord for supplying my needs even as a child, when I knew you not." He almost said these same words in the next few sentences but to go back so far and question every aspect is as I said before, beyond my comprehension.
As you can tell I have never read a book of this nature before unless you count the King James Bible, but I did try to keep an open mind. I was surprised that he didn't appear to be a happy Christian in all his efforts to be "Christ like". This disappointed me. However, there were times while reading the book I could relate to Augustine and many of his questions. This book reminded me that no matter what God a person chooses to serve, as human beings we want to become the best we can be spiritually.
During my reading I realized that Augustine through his quest for righteousness must have gone through many of the same stages that persons in earlier cultures and time periods have. For example: he questioned what pleased God, how should he praise and show his thankfulness to God, and in what way did he want to serve God. Throughout world history these same questions have been asked at one time or another.
Ryan did a wonderful job of translating the Confession. Augustine's book written like a diary made the confessions more personal. He was one of the greatest thinkers and Christian fathers of his era. His spiritual struggles were genuine; his desire for righteousness was obvious in his writing. I sit in awe at his wisdom and his pursuit of knowledge. This book was a good read and I will study it again someday. It gave me insight to what other cultures throughout history underwent to comprehend and to determine what path of Christianity they would embrace.

Any edition of Confessions of Saint Augustine is "must" reading for anyone who has traveled a road of self-examination about right/wrong, good/evil and finding truth. Augustine surely dissected his own belief system and came to terms with the meaning and purpose of life. I have read several translations of Confessions and have found them all worthwhile reading. I shall yet, read them again.

Let me just begin by saying that this book is brilliant. Augustine is one of the greatest thinkers that the world has ever known, and it shines through in this book. In this book, Augustine manages to cover an amazing number of topics, and does so in a beautiful way, filled with prayers to God.

I am not sure what the reviewer from June 10, 2005 is talking about. I think that they were reviewing the wrong book. This book is 400 some pages, not 90, and it is the complete version, not an introduction or abridgement.

Normally when I read books I underline quotes or passages that I think are especially good, or that I think I will be able to use in papers in the future. I then write the page numbers of the pages that have underlining on the back page. In this book, however, I ended up writing the pages numbers of pages I DIDN'T underline in on the back, since I underlined something on nearly every page. This book is absolutely filled with wisdom and knowledge of God and how He and the world He created works. This book inspired me to find a copy of The City of God, which I am now just beginning. If it is one-tenth as good as the Confessions, it will be well worth the money.

This is a beautiful book even if you aren't familiar with the Saints. It opens like a flower as you read. It is completely about this wonderful man's own thoughtful analysis of his own emotional experiences. He reflects on his early life when he was actually a pagan worshipper, and then focuses on his conversion to the Christian faith. Once he converted Saint Augustine returned to Africa and set up a monastic community. What makes this book so special is that is told with the utmost candor and he holds nothing back. It is also a beautiful book in praise of God and how he changed Saint Augustine's life. Although religious in tenure, this is not a totally religious work. So many observations and thoughts that this man had in his lifetime (354 AD is when he was born). It is a book about friendships (both true and false), faith, celibacy and love.

This book is a Roman Empire era classic, but not for the reader in a hurry. The translation appears to attempt to faithfully follow the original Latin long sentences and has therefore had to deploy advanced literary English to deal with the frequent multiple midsentence clauses. This is one of the reasons I found it slow going from a time perspective, but worth persisting with. One really good addition to the book is the notes section with all the Bible references; this is where having a cleric as the translator is clearly a bonus.

As other reviewers have pointed out, the book is a combination of St Augustine's personal life and his discussion of theology and philosophy. His personal life details include petty theft of fruit from an orchard, sitting around unemployed, youthful indiscretions, living a few years with his girlfriend until they split up, and his personal spiritual realignment from a heretical sect to the Catholic tradition. The Biblical references are mainly letters from the Apostle Paul, the Genesis story of the creation, and the Psalms, and there is nothing much from the Gospels or the Prophets. The philosophy component includes a review of his personal experiences with sense of time and memory which was no doubt drawn from his experience as a professional teacher of rhetoric and philosophy.

What one gains from all this is a great snapshot of what someone of religious conviction in the fading days of the Roman Empire saw and thought, including the experience of just scraping by to make a living. Overall, recommended for the patient reader!

I really loved this book. It made you laugh and made you sad. I wish I could have the courage to rescue dogs in the same manner as Randy Grim does. Truly inspiring stories.

Mr. Grim is a living saint in the mold of Brother Francis. If you believe that a dog dumped by someone who doesn't want him anymore will end up wild and free like a wolf . . . if you think neutering your dog will somehow affect your own manhood . . . if you think your dog should have "just one litter" because "the kids should see the miracle of birth" . . . read this book and then try to sleep at night. Dogs are not wolves in Snoopy costumes, able to return to the wild at a moment's notice. Dumped dogs die slow and terrible deaths, and dogs born on the street live short and wretched lives. They need us. They can't survive without us. Our ancestors made them that way, and passed on to us the responsibility for their life and death. Randy Grim knows this in his guts.

Read this book, and when you stop shivering, call your local animal shelter and ask them what they need most. And if you see a dog wandering alone, look into its eyes. You'll know what I mean when you're done with The Man who Talks to Dogs.

Randy Grim hates being called a hero. He feels like a fake when people use that term to describe him because, in his eyes, he's a frail and fearful person, full of complexities and issues. It takes all his energy to face life's challenges but, for some reason, it all changes when he's on the trail of a dog that needs his help. Then he's a fully focused, driven machine that will wade through filth, skid along icy, dark streets and face down the roughest, toughest people to accomplish his task. He can't and he won't leave that canine alone on the street.
This book is fast paced and fascinating. I was hooked from word one. The author has managed to weave together the story of a fascinating, though reluctant hero with the graphic and gritty reality of the price being paid by the strays in our midst. The author dissects the various causes and brings the tragic results into sharp focus. It is hard to blink, to look away, to pretend it doesn't exist. Those weary, confused eyes stare back from the pages.
While we witness the dark side of humanity and it's wretched victims, we are also allowed to share the small and great triumphs that result from Randy's dedication. Many are the hurdles that have to be overcome but, step by step, the right people join the battle, sanctuary is provided, supplies appear and donations arrive.
This is how heros and saints come to be. It's the leap of faith that says, "I don't know whether I'm making a difference. I don't know how I'm going to manage but I will. Because I'm not taking my eye off this one, and the next one, and the next one until they're safe." One small miracle at a time creates a haven. For the strays, for the people who care and for the children who see that brutality or indifference are not the only choices.
Thanks Randy, for showing the way and thanks Melinda, for telling the story so well.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. There are few people I have encountered that are as dedicated to a cause as Randy seems to be. His devotion and tenacity are to be commended. He is doing such a great service to the city of St. Louis. There are a lot of us out there that would've never even realized there was such a stray problem in this country. I am so glad to have read this book and to be more informed on the conditions these dogs have to live in. It has been said over and over about this book, but the prevailing message is that one man can make a difference and seeing that proven in Randy's case is a great motivator for the rest of us. For anyone who loves dogs and/or loves inspiring stories, read this book.

A warts'n'all portrait of a man who devotes every spare moment and every spare dollar to rescuing abandoned and abused dogs from the streets of St. Louis. Though numerous stories about dogs tortured and neglected may be upsetting to sensitive readers, this is ultimately a deeply inspirational story about how one man CAN make a difference. As soon as I can, I'm hunting down his address and sending him a check. Makes a good companion piece with Kat Albrecht's THE LOST PET CHRONICLES.

PS: As I write this, the animal shelter in Buffalo may be a victim of budget cuts. One step forward, two steps back.

The product came to my attention during the Christmas Season.
I could not be happier with my decision to purchase it.
I have read it twice and I cannot count how many times my wife has read it.

If you are familiar with this song and realize that it was written by Mark Lowry then having this book also written by him and him performing the song is just great. He puts as much thought in this book as is in the song. They go hand in hand.

The words to this song is the story of the real Christmas. Such a talented man is Mark Lowry. I understand that it is the only song he ever wrote...with one like this one, who needs another one!

I bought this for myself and then went back and ordered more for Christmas gifts. Everyone who received it has commented on the story and the music. It is also a special treat for me to listen to every Christmas season. I just love it.

This CD and book is THE most beautiful and meaningful gift I've ever received. My husband heard the song on the radio and went searching for it at music store where he found the Mark Lowry book/CD. I couldn't stop crying the first time I heard it. To read the birth of Christ through the eyes of His mother, the most Holy Theotokos, brings a new perspective to this great and holy holiday. I encourage everyone reading this review to purchase one for yourself and one for someone you love.

No Mirrors in My Nana's House: Musical CD and Book This is a superb book for toddlers and young readers alike. It's music is by a member of the premier acapella group Sweet Honey in the Rock and teaches a wonderful message in a thoroughly enjoyable way. My nephew wanted it read and the music replayed over and over as he danced around.

Another music teacher here to recommend this book. My first graders LOVE LOVELOVE IT!!!! They love the pictures, they love singing the song - even the shy children, and at the end of the song they always ask to hear it again.

Plus, I wish you could've heard the interesting conversations we've had about why the people don't have faces.

I love Sweet Honey and I love this book!

The lead teacher at my son's school suggested that I buy this book for him because he loved it in music class. I had not heard of it, but decided to get it anyway since it had grabbed my son's attention. I am glad that I did. The whole family enjoys the book as well as the catchy tune of the CD. This is one worth having.

I am an elementary music teacher. I have shared this book with all my students from kinder through 5th grade. Every child loves the book and the song, they leave my class singing is every time we sing it. The artwork is so inspiring, a great conversation starter. Excellent resource for a teacher or parent.

"No Mirrors in my Nana's House" is great to have in your collection of musical books. The kids love the song that tells the story and it sends out a great message and shows diversity.

Great book for anyone! A wonderful historical and spiritual look at a man who captured the hearts of Italy and then the world. A real pleasure to read!

Reading this book has been one of the most beautiful gifts that a human being
can receive. I was delighted reading it from the beginning to the end. The whole time I read it, I was overcome with thoughts of Padre Pio throughout my day. The book was beautifully written. It made me cry and it made me laugh. Padre Pio is the most loving man, priest, a true holy and faithful follower of Jesus Christ. What a life Padre Pio lead. It is amazing the relationship he had with Jesus and Mary, even with his Angels. Reading this book has been a healing, a transformation, and kind of a retreat for me, allowing me to see life with true faith, hope and love. Somehow it humbles you and brings you a feeling of peace; I even felt Padre Pio's presence while I read this book. Renzo Allegri deserves the Nobel prize for having taking the time to accomplished all the documents and information to write this wonderful book. Indeed he did a great favor to those who want to learn from Padre Pio. You will not be sorry to read this book. This book changed my life.

Padre Pio is a modern day saint. With the exception of Mother Teresa, no other person in the religious life has commanded so much respect in recent times. Rather than focusing on the controversies, Renzo Allegri focus on the man in Padre Pio: Man of Hope. It is truly an inspiring read.

Padre Pio is the most recent man to bear the stigmata or wounds of Jesus Christ. The mystery of the stigmata alone makes Padre Pio's life compelling. Padre Pio lived the life of a monk in Italy. Even in his youth, Padre Pio experienced visions which made his relationship with God different. With the stigmata came the pain the that he suffered in his unique relationship with the Lord. The pain of this burden was also a blessing. His relationship with God allowed him to perform miracles and healings that are documented in the book for skeptics. To witnesses and believers, this is testimony to the power of God.

This is truly an amazing story. I would hope believers and non-believers alike are inspired by this book in the same way I was. Knowing of this amazing man, I will think of him in my prayers and works. I will hope Padre Pio would guide me in my work.

De todos los libros que he leido sobre el Padre Pio, este es de los mejores. Está escrito en un lenguaje muy sencillo, y fácil de entender para aquellos que no tenemos el inglés como primer idioma. Contiene hechos de la vida del Padre que desconocía, principalmente de su niñez y adolecencia. Es una excelente herramienta, tanto para los que conocemos sobre la vida y obra de Padre Pio, como para los que quieran conocerle por primera vez. Lo recomiendo a ojos cerrados.!!!

This book will fill your heart with astonishment, respect and true love towards a 20th century Saint. If more people were to read this book, a significant change in faith would occur. Man of Hope may become a personal discovery of God or for those that have already discovered God, the discovery of a true Saint

St Barts is about great food and this book completely encapsulates the essence of the island cuisine. You want some incredible recipes?. Then get this book and bon appetit

St. Barts is very dear to my husband and I, but more so for me. It holds a very special place in my life. It has offered me peace, contentment, a chance to regroup, recharge. We have placed our copy of Paradise Found on our coffee table at home. Robert and Kara have produced a book that is both a recipe book and a history of St. Barts. The book takes me back there whenever I look at it, read it. They have captured not only the essence of St. Barts, but the people that make St. Barts what it is. The stories are fascinating. The photographs are breathtaking and when I look at the photo on the front cover, I can smell the ocean, hear the ocean, feel the sun, feel St. Barts. I have tried several of the recipes and so far none have failed. As a "wanna be" gourmet chef, this is quite the accomplishment ! We have been to most of the restaurants featured and have now visited those we hadn't previously. This is a beautiful, wonderful book and if you love St. Barts, you'll love this book. If you've not been to St. Barts? This will make you go !

Debby Best

This book reveals St. Barthelemy in a unique way. The Brooks' exceptional photographs & revealing interviews with resident restaurant owners present a compelling case. "Paradise Found" is in a class by itself--more than a guide, more than a cookbook. For those who already know the island, it keeps the flame alive between trips. For those contemplating a first trip, it will give a feel for the people, the marvelous cuisine and the ambiance of a special piece of paradise.

As a long time visitor to the island, I found the book accurately captures not only the cuisine, but the feel of the island...the blend of french and caribbean influences creates some memorable meals, which the book will allow you to duplicate (well, sorta...LOL) in your kitchen at home.It's a great way to keep memories of St Barts alive, and a wonderful introduction to the island for a first time visitor.

This book is a wonderful blend of terrific recipes and an inside look at the beautiful island of St. Barths. The photos are breathtaking and the recipes delicious! If you haven't already been to the island, you'll definitely want to put it on your travel list after reading this.

True it is that there is one mediator between God and man. So, should I not ask you to pray for me? On the contrary, scripture commands us to pray for one another. To not do so would not be scriptural. And, can death separate us from one another? Are we "saved" only to care for ourselves? As St. Paul might have said, perish the thought!

To deny the presence of the cloud of witnesses and the communion of saints simply because they happen to have passed into the next life, is to deny Christ's victory over death. The biblical mandate to share one another's burdens is clear and the denial of any part of the body of Christ for a "just Jesus and me" Christianity is no Christianity at all. It is unbiblical and not historical.

In this easy to read and solid introduction, Patrick Madrid counters the common Protestant objections with 4 pillars of truth: 1) The church is Christ's body, 2) Christ has only one body (not one on earth and one in heaven), 3) Death does not separate Christians, and 4) Christians are called to love and serve one another. Mr. Madrid takes the offensive by asserting these truths from scripture and history rather than simply responding defensively to Protestant assertions. In so doing, he gives a positive and uplifting view of this and doctrines related to it such as purgatory, relics, and icons and statues. Being such a positive and inspiring work, it is ideal for sharing with your Protestant friends.

Very readable and very highly recommended. Well done.

This is a well written book and an easy read. The author, while being a expert in Catholic beliefs, writes at a level where the inquiring person or a new Catholic can understand.

Madrid provides a needed service with this book. He addresses the following subjects: 1) What is the Communion of Saints? 2)Classical Protestant Objections 3)"Me nad Jesus" Christianity Isn't Biblical 4)The "One Mediator" Argument and Other Objections 5)Praying for the Souls in Purgatory 6)The Testamony of the Early Church 7)The Veneration of Relics 8)Statues and Images 9)Does Honoring Mary and the Saints Offend God? 10)Epilogue 11)Appendix: Council of Trent Decree Concerning the Invocation, Veneration, and Relics of Saints and Sacred Images

This book has been given to many Protestant friends and has clarified a great deal for them. It is also very useful for Eastern Orthodox Christians, with the exception of the chapter on purgatory (Orthodox have a different understanding of the matter).

Other books of interest may include: Discovering the Rich Heritage of Orthodoxy, by Bell; Lossky's, Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church; The Experience of God, by Staniloae; The Encyclopedia of Early Christianity, ed. Ferguson. For a detailed account of Icons and their usage see, The Resurrection and the Icon, by Quenot. Enjoy!

Growing up Catholic, I never gave the pharse "communion of saints" that I regularly professed as part of the Creed during mass much thought or analysis. I thought it merely meant there were saints and that was that. Then my parents moved to the Bible Belt, where false representations of Catholic doctrine were presented and attacked by non-Catholics particularly through here endless use of circulars.

Patrick Madrid's book provides an acccessible and succint summary of the Communion of Saints doctrine. The book can easily be read in an afternoon, but it does not omit any essential detail or fail to address any of the common arguments presented against the doctrine. Ideal for Catholics who want to know mroe about their faith (particualrly thsoe who have had their faith attacked and need help with the defense) or for non-Catholics who want to understand the role of saints in Christianity according to the real Catholic perspective.

Catholics do not worship saints or Mary, but believe that death does not separate the souls dedicated to Christ. That the righteous dead are just as much a member of the living church as the living. There are biblical foundations for this belief, which Madrid offers in detail. One of the conseuqeunces of this belief is the docrtine that saints pray with us at mass and may pray for our individual intentions.

The Communion of Saints doctrine is the belief that we can and should ask they dead the pray for us, juat as we ask the living to pray for us. It is not the pracitice of implying that anyone can take over the role of mediator, which was exclusively given to Jesus Christ, but it is the belief that just as friends on earth can pray for us to Jesus, so can the saints - including Mary. Madrid has a special chapter on Mary and the misunderstandings that surround her. The book also includes a section on the concept of Purgatory and its bilical origins and role in tradition.

The use of statues of saints to decorate churches has biblical roots in the use of angels and other images that were used to decorate the Temple built by Solomon. The use of iamges of saints in religious icons representation in stain glass, is no different than how people on earth carry photos of their loved ones as reminders; except for the fact that images of saints remind us how to be more pleasing to God because of the role model of their lives.

This is a valuable resource which should be used by teachers of faith formation classes and RCIA.

I read this book over a year ago. It was fascinating. I have always recited the Nicene Creed in Mass and the Apostle's Creed at the beginning of every Rosary. However, prior to reading this book, I did not understand, nor did I have an idea of what the Communion of Saints was. I've heard the terms "church militant", "church triumphant", and "church suffering" before but did not know how they related. We don't use those same terms anymore, but we still refer to those "modes" of being in the Christian faith.

Patrick Madrid, a well known apologist, one of the best, has given us an in-depth treatment of this ancient doctrine. A teen, during Bible study asked me once about the defense of the Communion of Saints doctrine because his friend was denying and attacking the belief. I sat down for about 4 hours and skimmed through this book again, and managed to put together 4 full pages of hand written notes on citations from the Bible, Tradition and Church documents which piece this doctrine together.

I highly recommend this book for the Catholic who needs to brush up on his/her understanding of this beautiful doctrine, the Protestant who seeks answers to why Catholics pray to Mary and the Saints (not as a form of worship as they believe), and perhaps even Catholics who may have just lost a loved one and have doubts about Purgatory. We never do leave our Communion with the Church of God, whether on Earth, in Purgatory, or in Heaven.

God Bless,
Laurence

and get Dr. Fee's audio tapes from Regent College bookstore.
I studied with Dr. Fee at Gordon-Conwell while pastoring in Cambridge, Ma. Our church supported some of Dr. Fee's mission trips around the world. His books are all great, but his lectures, especially his exegetical NT book studies, are simply unparalleled, satisfying the intellect and the spirit and leading one to experience the Holy Spirit in the Word.

This is a wonderful resource, appropriate for anyone who is seriously studying Paul. It features detailed, thorough, analysis of passages from all of Paul's letters. Yet it doesn't become bogged down in minutiae. Fee's synthesis rises above the details to offer a compelling picture of Paul's Christology.

This book bridges an important gap in the study of Paul. It offers far more detailed analyses of scripture than the many theologies of Paul that have been written. Yet it examines the broad scope of Paul's writings in a way that commentaries on individual letters cannot.

This volume is primarily a scholarly work, but the author's own faith and love for the scriptures are readily apparent. I also recommend it for any academically-minded Christian who wishes to study Paul's letters for devotional purposes. I used this book extensively in writing a Masters' thesis on Paul's letters, but I also expect to use it for preaching.

Those who already own Fee's commentaries on 1 Corinthians or Philippians will find that there is a good deal of overlap between those works and this one--even verbatim repetition at times. However, this book is still worth getting for Fee's writings on other letters, as well as the synthesis.

Dr. Fee expects that this book will be most useful as a reference text and he is likely correct. This is not some 160-200 page large print book with a lot of fill material that you can read in a few days.

It is a thorough discussion (chronologically) of every Christological verse Paul wrote. It shows how Paul made frequent use of the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (the SEPTUAGINT aka LXX)when he referenced our Lord Jesus in his letters.

I am only an interested layperson but I could easily follow Dr. Fee's discussions.

One of the more interesting concepts (perhaps very familiar to Bible scholars) that Fee uses is that of "echoes." An example would be how 1 Thess 4:16 (the Lord descending)is an "echo" of Psalm 46:6 (the LORD; i.e. YHWH, ascending).

Very useful for reflection and devotional reading. Buy it, its is excellent

If you are looking for a detailed, deep review of Paul's Christology then this book is for you. It is not a light read but it is also not so technical and erudite that the average reader would find it too difficult. Dr. Fee has presented the material in an systematic and academic fashion. I suspect that this book will become the textbook for many college classes on the subject. This book and the new book by Bowman and Komoszewski "Putting Jesus In His Place" should end the critic's claims that Jesus wasn't thought of as divine until the 3rd or 4th centuries.

If one's eye drifts across the shelves of my study, and if all the loaned books have been returned, you would probably find more volumes by Gordon Fee than any other. I am happy to add his Pauline Cristology to my collection. I am currently designing a new course on the Apostle Paul and this work is invaluable to my study of Pauline Themes.

Summary: A comical story of what first appears to be a threatening dragon who the setting's people want to slay. The dragon, however, is of no threat. When St. George is sent to "take care of it" the dragon cowers. When faced with this threat he sullenly, but humorously, replies ". . . Say he can write if he likes, but I can't give him an interview. I am not seeing anybody at present" (page not numbered). The three end fast friends and an uncertain threat is no longer a bother.
The author creates a believable character of a harmless dragon. What usually is portrayed as evil and dangerous, the persona of the dragon generates into a believable story. The twist of the dragon being afraid of St. George adds to the imaginable meaning the writer wants to evolve. Carefully setting the story, the author helps establish the voice of the characters. It evolves into a theme that proves that "things aren't always as they appear."

this is a great kids book. and even i love anything that rhymes. thank you so much.

The original "St. George and the Dragon" story is a frightening tale. Depending on which version you read, the townspeople give the scaly, stinking, vicious, dragon tribute of two sheep per day, and, when they invariably run out of sheep, they begin feeding it their own children. The King is obviously horrified, but what can he do? However, when the lottery selects his own daughter, who should appear but Sir George, (later the patron Saint of England) just in time for the king, if not for the subjects. The daughter worries for his safety, but the knight spears the dragon in its one vulnerable spot, then in a gallant display, borrows the daughter's girdle to drag the wounded dragon down to the town. For his own tribute, George asks only that the citizens become baptized; after this, he cuts off the dragon's head. Not a good ending for the dragon, but then, he wasn't a very nice dragon.

Like others before him, Kenneth Grahame modified this bloody tale for the consumption of the very young, and turned it completely on its head. This dragon would rather sleep than slay, purr than prey, and his true nature is discovered by a tow-headed young boy who gradually becomes friends with the pacifist, poetry-loving beast ("why I wouldn't hurt a fly."). Lay low, he advises him. Naturally, though, St. George arrives, and everyone acts as expected--except for the dragon. He simply refuses to attend his own demise:

"Well, tell him [St. George] to go away," said the dragon. "I'm sure he's not nice. Say he can write if he likes. But I won't see him." The boy, however, understands the underlying social pressures (which echo those of the British class system during Grahame's time) and replies: "But you've got to," said the boy. "You've got to fight him, you know, because he's St. George and you're the dragon."

The dragon, the knight, and the young boy, a person with neither power nor social distinction, make a plan. The plan is simple: Fake it. And so, like one of Vince McMahon's TV "wrestling" matches, St. George and the Dragon have it out, with flames and fury, and, as St. George just barely pierces the dragon in a pre-arranged safe spot. The townspeople, who have brought picnics for the presumed slaughter, were satisfied with the spectacle: "And all the others were happy because there had been a fight, and-well, they didn't need any other reason."

The original story, one of several short studies published in Grahame's "Dream Days" (1898, ten years before Grahame's most famous and beloved work, "The Wind in the Willows") may be found at http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=GraDrea.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=7&division=div1. Grahame wrote "The Reluctant Dragon" long at times, and one sees his concerns with religion and nature so evident in the river adventure scene of Wind in the Willows. Inga Moore takes out most of the slower, descriptive narrative (which might be enjoyed by older readers), and focuses instead on the dragon/boy/St. George relationships and the exciting battle. Compare the following excerpts (the first is Grahame's); this is great abridgement except for the inexplicable deletion of the last sentence, a very funny, modernist touch by Graham:

1. Then a cloud of smoke obscured the mouth of the cave, and out of the midst of it the dragon himself, shining, sea-blue, magnificent, pranced splendidly forth; and everybody said, "Oo-oo-oo!" as if he had been a mighty rocket! His scales were glittering, his long spiky tail lashed his sides, his claws tore up the turf and sent it flying high over his back, and smoke and fire incessantly jetted from his angry nostrils. "Oh, well done, dragon!" cried the Boy, excitedly. "Didn't think he had it in him!" he added to himself.
2. Then a cloud of smoke billowed from the mouth of the cave, and out of the midst of it the dragon himself, shining, sea-blue, magnificent, pranced splendidly forth; and everybody said, "Oo-oo-oo!" His scales were glittering, his long spiky tail lashed his sides, his claws tore up the turf and sent it flying high over his back, and smoke and fire jetted from his nostrils. "Oh, well done, dragon!" cried the Boy, excitedly. "Didn't think he had it in him!" he added to himself.

Moore also displays great taste and talent in her beautiful colored pencil and ink drawings. She draws landscapes and houses in a traditional style with meticulous shading and detail, trees show the undertones of illustration from a 1912 publication. The friendly, easygoing dragon is drawn showing an easy confidence and an engaging smile, but he's actor enough to look ferocious when required. He's drawn in one of the most striking shades of blue since the ceramic in the movie "Diva." Overall, Inga Moore honors the original Grahame story while making the story and pictures maximally entertaining for young children. Publisher Candlewick has done it again; this is an extraordinary book.

Fanciful and charming. I enjoyed reading it to my nephew and he loved it too. The artwork is lovely also. I'm looking forward to reading it again, with or without my nephew.

I bought this book for my future child (due Feb 2006) as part of my growing library. I read it through and thought it was cute, if a bit antiquated (what do you expect for a book that was written over 100 years ago?) Basically, a young boy befriends a dragon. When the townsfolk realize the dragon exists, they call upon a champion to vanquish him, blaming the dragon for crimes that he didn't commit. The boy talks to the champion about his friend and they all agree to stage a fight, rather than fight to the death. Once the play fight is over (the champion only gives the dragon a small flesh wound), it is agreed by all that the dragon will not harm anyone and the townsfolk will stop telling lies about the dragon. Nice moral story.

My only problem with the book is that it has been "sensitively abridged". I'm not sure what that means for "The Reluctant Dragon", but my "sensitively abridged" copy of "The Wind in the Willows" (also by Kenneth Graham) edits out silly things like "splashes of whitewash all over his black fur". If the book has to be so politically correct that it can't even refer to the color of an animal's fur, I'm not sure that I really want to associate with the edition. I'd be curious to compare this edition of "The Reluctant Dragon" with the original text now.

This little book is not easy to come by but it is well worth the effort; how often does a reader encounter one small volume which encompasses time travel, mysticism, spiritualism, Japanese history, Christian teachings, the WWII Japanese American internment camps, fallen heroes, combat and personal sacrifice, and a multi-layered story of a young boy coming of age in a courageous, inspiring manner? Although this book almost defies description, the story manages to transcend age divisions, as it is fascinating and accessible to young readers but also keeps the attention of mature readers as well.

The timeless spiritual values, and the eternal virtues of truth and honor, are brought into a captivating story, and the dramas played out in this tale hold the reader's interest to the very last page.
The edition that I own was an early one, and there are a few typos which were NOT the fault of the author but which happened as the person who did the editing, transcribed and reformatted the original texts. But this is a small thing, easily overlooked, and hopefully it will be corrected if there is another edition on the horizon.
I also hope that this author will write more in the future; her style is warm and deeply engaging. As she reveals more and more layers of the characters, we come to feel that we know them and care about them, just as we do with new friends in our own lives.
All in all, I highly recommend this one.

Samurai and the Tea was not only historically accurate but kept my interest from beginning to end. Cathy Brueggemann Beil has an extraordinary talent for writing! After reading the book myself I am now reading it to my children. What an incredible way to learn about the beautiful legacy of the Japanese Christians! I look forward to her next book!

Not often have I learned so much while being held by a good story. Japan is was like so many other civilizations that encountered Christianity: that which is most noble and beautiful in the culture blends easily with Christianity. The japanese tea ceremony is such a custom and is the hub for Cathy Beil's story. What a fun way to learn about the Japanese martyrs and how Christianity survived in hiding for centuries in Japan.

While never being an avid reader in high school I am deliberately trying to broaden my literary horizons. I reviewed the consumer critiques of Cathy Brueggemann Beil's book, The Samurai and the Tea, and chose to read it. I was not disappointed. The book had adventure, mystery, and inspiration. I also loved the fact that it wasn't super lengthy. It held my interest and I strongly recommend the book. Looking forward to more of Beil's publishings.

Being nonCatholic and non Japanese I can truly state that I was enthralled with the story of Micheal. I strongly recommend to every reader to purchase Cathy B. Beil's book, The Samuarai and The Tea!! You will not be disappointed.