Seven Books

An excellent read if you're a chronic nice guy.. A great book if you want to become more confident, direct and effective in relationships.

Michael A.

In reading the cover description, I could identify with the book immediately. The author gives some helpful tips and exercises to learn to be more assertive. I was so impressed with the content, I sent it to others in my family who might enjoy the information.

Sure, it's good to be nice, but you may be "too nice." If you are clingy, care too much what others think of you and minimize the bad personalities of the people around you, then your niceness may be hurting you. Authors James Rapson and Craig English recommend seven practices that will put you on the road to a more balanced emotional life - many of these approaches will be familiar to readers who have engaged in any sort of meditation or self-awareness exercises. Lists, sidebars and quotes make the book's ideas easily accessible - although integrating these practices into your daily life will require some work. We recommend this book to self-help beginners who are tired of having sand kicked in their faces and wish to develop their tranquility and strength of character.

After reading Anxious to Please I had insight into some of my mother's behavior. My memories include her obsessive baking of desserts and giving them away to coworkers, neighbors, doctors, anyone she had contact with. She often couldn't pay her bills but always had money to buy the ingredients for her gifts. It is obvious now that she was one of the original "chronically nice" people. She wanted to be liked by everyone (except perhaps family members who were locked into a relationship by blood). None of these people became real friends.

My husband also identified his father as one of the chronically nice, though he treated his wife very poorly. He gave big parties for extended family and acquaintances paying for literally truck loads of liquor. His dad also bought people (would be friends) gas for their cars. Generous to a fault? The family was not well to do, and his mother worked in a factory.

This book will, no doubt, give others insight into themselves and into friends and family. I suspect many people will recognize relatives, who might not have always been nice to them, but who gave away time and things to strangers in a quest to be liked.

Dana Paulinski MSW

Reading Anxious to Please was like having a light turned on in my life. "Wow, that's my stuff. I do those things. THAT'S ME!" The good news is, Anxious to Please helps you clean it all up with simple, practical steps anyone can follow. The book itself is easy to read and navigate through and return to again and again. What I especially liked (and found useful as illustrations) were the real-life case studies/examples that were always dead-on hitting the mark. The practices take you out of the darkness where you can see, identify, and then correct habitual behavior. And in the process, forge better and stronger relationships, both old and new. Thanks Rapson and English.

I bought "Black Duck" based on the book's description and also based on all the great reviews it has received thus far. I loved the book the entire way through. "Black Duck" is geared for kids ages 9-12 according to the description with the main characters being teenage boys.

I enjoyed how the author intermixes the past with the present in "Black Duck" by making some chapters in the present day and other chapters in the past. Janet Taylor Lisle is able to bring to life what rum-running during the prohibition may have been like on the New England coast in 1929 by using a cast of fictional characters and how prohibition may have effected a community. The story is told through the eyes of Ruben Hart, who was a teenager during 1929.

Currently Ruben Hart is an elderly man. He is approached by a young boy named, David Peterson, whom wants to be a journalist when he grows up. Young David has his sights on writing a story about the the rum-running days and this is where he crosses paths with Ruben Hart. David is set on interviewing Mr. Hart about the rum-running days as he has heard that Mr. Hart knows something about those days. The interview happens over the summer vacation and David learns/hears quite a story from Mr. Hart & quite a tale it is. The two become friends by the end of the novel.

"Black Duck" is a good story with well developed characters!! The story is intriguing and keeps you wanting to know more about what will happen next!!

A year ago three of my sixth graders wanted to read Black Duck, a new book in our school library, for Literature Circles. That was my first experience with the book. I started reading on my way home to Illinois and couldn't stop. Likewise, my sixth graders had a lot of praise for the mystery set in the Prohibition Era. If you parents or teachers are looking for a book that will motivate even the most unwilling reader, this is it. One of the boys confided that although he is a jock, he had to confess he couldn't stop reading it. At first some of the girls were resistant, but soon they, too, had to admit they were hooked. Telling the story in an interview is a unique format. This book also lends itself to a variety of research topics the students enjoyed: Prohibition, the Great Depression, the Roaring 20s, Women's Suffrage, politics, gangs, gansters, Rhode Island, the East Coast, and of course bootlegging and smuggling. What a great way to learn some history! I highly recommend it.

The Black Duck is a real page turner that keptme reading.This shows how a friendship that was so strong can end up in the end so bad and how a boat can be an inspiration. This historical fiction book is about Ruben and Jeddy, who are best friends find a naked leg on the beach. Then in the man's pocket is a half of a fifty dollar bill. They each don't no what that means. Ruben doesn't want to report it to the police, while Jeddy wants to turn it in. While this is happenig rum smuggling is taking place and Ruben wants to find out who did this. This is making there friendship go bad. This is a great book for people who like boats and action. I highley recommend getting this book.

The Black Duck was my favorite and only book I've ever read. The Black Duck was a book full of action and is also a mystery based book. It was a story about old time gansters, that were smuggling alcohol by a boat called the Black Duck. At a time where alcohlo was illegal in the US. It was also about a man trying to write a story on the Black Duck incident that happened 40 years ago. He also interviewed the only surviver of the Black Duck. IT was A thrilling book even for someone who hates to read! I will always choose a book like this to read. I give this book a 5 star review, it was amazing!

The story starts when Ruben Hart and his friend Jeddy McKenzie find a dead body along the beach in a business suit. They search him and find a pipe and a tobacco pouch. The man is wearing a fancy golden watch which Jeddy and Ruben find odd because there is not really ant big business around in there town. The man was shot in the neck when the observed him so obviously some one was after him. Since Jeddy's dad is police chief the police tell them to stay away from the body. The next day Ruben and Jeddy went to check if the body was still there, but it was gone. There were no footprints, the tide was to low last night for a boat to steal the body. The boys start guessing what happened to the body and eventually figure that a plane must've come and stolen the body. They start wondering why someone would steal a body and decide to ask old Tom Morrison. Tom was one of the best fishermen until one day he crashed his boat, he decided to join another crew, but then he got his eye caught on a fishhook. So Tom now lived in a shack down by the beach people usually see him hunting for blue crabs. They go to tom house and ask him if he has seen a plane land around on the beach. Ruben notices that Tom is wearing a fancy golden watch the one that was one the body! So they ask again and Tom decides to answer he said that the had been a plane that landed by the body the men that came out checked if the body was still alive, shot him, laughed, shot him some more, and then stole the body. When leaving they heard a boat landing on the beach and hid in the sand dunes. After about a minute they heard a dog yelp and a gun shot. They went to see if he was alright and his dog was shot. This is the most I will tell you for now I recommend this book for 6th grade to about 9th this was one of the bets books I ever read.

This book is a must read for every parent. We need to bring up our children to be morally responsible citizens. Each chapter shares ideas and simple acitivities on how to plant the seeds to produce people you would want to be in charge of running the world. It also reaffirms that as a parent you have the most important role in shaping your child. As a counselor, teacher and most importantly parent to three children, I have recommended this book to both family members and clients alike!

I have a sixteen-year-old who is questioning all morals. I was finding it difficult to put into words the importance of morals. I bought this book for her to read. She isn't reading it, but I am and I'm finding it very helpful in facilitating discussions with her. At dinner time I bring up one of the seven moral virtues and ideas that the book presents. I've found that it leads to great conversations with her about character and moral behaviors. It has given me the words for concepts that can be difficult to convey in our current morally challenging times. I recommend buying this book when your children are young and referencing it often.

"Building Moral Intelligence" by Dr. Michele Borba is a book that every parent should read and own. In a world where there are so many negative influences on the internet, in the media, T.V. shows, magazines etc. many parents do not even realize the amount of immoral influences that our children are witnessing every single day. As parents, it is up to us to teach our children the importance of good character. We need to teach them about the seven essential virtues as Dr. Borba explains in her book!
I realize that I'm digressing from a review, but I want to say this. Our world and our lives have changed recently, but the one thing that remains the same is that our children are the future. And as Theodore Roosevelt said "To Educate a Person in Mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society" This book will not only help you raise good kids, it will open any readers eyes and hearts, inspiring them to build their moral intelligence as well. We must teach by example...this book will help you do that! If you want your kids to do the right thing, then this book is for you!

Very useful prescription to put kids on. It is what's missing in America today. To those who really love their family and our country, be sure to read Building Moral Intelligence by Michele Borba, and also, West Point: Character Leadership Education.. by Norman Thomas Remick.

Truthfully speaking i was so desperate to change my son's attitude and behaviour towards his friends and towards life.
I am a full time mother and i had done all i can think of to make my son understand more about life, etiquette, morality, character and how to make friends and be a friend.
This book has brought the truth to me.
It makes me really look at my own life first and foremost , how i deal with people, how i treat others,etc...
My action speaks louder than my words.
I grew up surrounded by priviledge and i take alot of things for granted. I just don't realise that my son whom i love very much is looking at me every second with open eyes and ears!!

This book does not only help me change my son's character, but this book also shows me how to be a better mother, a living example for my children to follow.

This book was an excellent read. I couldn't put it down, as with all of Jacobsen's books, I've read. I like how he writes about political issue from a perspective that is not often addressed in literature. I highly recommend any of his books to anyone who enjoys thrillers and mystery books. He does a good job of incorporating both of those styles into his writing, without making it too gory or scary. Just the right amount to keep you interested.

This was my first Clay Jacobsen book, and I'll be checking out EVERYTHING he does. A very interesting look at the polls, and just how far someone will go for a popular opinion. Hats off to anyone who dares to be like Mark Taylor. There are some issues that some people may not be comfortable with. But for those people, you have to see the whole picture, and you appreciate this book all the more. When I read about Mark trying to figure out what's just going on, the words came off the pages! Thank you, Clay! Bravo!

This is a fast paced story with lots of action.

Mark Taylor is an investigative reporter who is looking for a big story for the television 'sweeps' period. He begins looking into the opinion polling industry and encounters incredible corruption in the way that results are skewed to manipulate particular outcomes of events. During the course of his investigation, Taylor uncovers murder, kidnapping, and collusion on a grand scale. The plot explores the effects of the polling industry on the outcome of elections, issues, etc.

Christian characters and ideas are interwoven into the story during the course of everyday life.This is a great book for anyone who enjoys a page turner that is difficult to put down. It is also thought provoking for anyone who has ever had concerns about the rampant use of polling in today's political climate. Jacobsen does an excellent job of theorizing how manipulations could occur.

This is the first book I have read of this author and I have already purchased another. This was great reading with a thought provoking twist. The characters developed nicely and the story was very believable. I'll be reading many more from this author.

Having read The Lasko Interview (Mr. Jacobsen's previous novel) I was anxious to read this one as well. I reviewed this novel for Broadman & Holman Publishers because I am a buyer for a bookstore. Jacobsen does characterization and plot very well and I was pleased to discover that he did an even better job with this novel. He weaves a Christian theme into his books without making it too obvious, which is a talent not possessed by all Christian authors. The area of polls and questionnaires is one I have long been suspicious of, because they are so easily manipulated. Jacobsen does an excellent job of giving a fictional account of just how easily this can be done and at the same time giving an enjoyably exciting story behind it. He's just released his new novel (Interview with the Devil). Can't wait to read it, too!

I have been a fan of Prosek since his Trout days. This introspective book helped me to understand his precocious talent for observation and drawing and his need to get out on the stream. I wish him well.

The Day My Mother Left beautifully captures the agony and the pathos of an adolescent abandoned by his mother. The novel includes a myriad of conflicts that are typically found in realistic contemporary fiction. We see the conflict of person vs. person with the main character dealing with his father, mother and the school bully. The main conflict; however, is between Jeremy, the protagonist, and himself. His unresolved issues with the divorce, his mother leaving and offering no communication and his burgeoning artistic talent contribute most to the overall theme of the novel: beauty and love can grow from struggles and pain. Each character is round and dynamic; the major characters in this story evolve and change subtly as time progress in the novel. One of the highlights of the book is how the author reveals these character changes. The book is told through the eyes of Jeremy, an early adolescent. His self-centeredness only shows the other characters flaws and transformations when Jeremy finally sees them. Prosek reveals his characters and themes so movingly and realistically. This novel will appeal to late middle school students and up.

Nine-year-old Jeremy has a close relationship with his mother. She goes to every one of his baseball games, cheering him on from the bleachers. Jeremy gets teased for her enthusiastic encouragement, but he doesn't care. The bond they share is special. In fact, she is the only one to whom he has ever shown his collection of bird drawings. But when she abandons the family, Jeremy's world shatters into a million painful pieces.

It starts with an argument about her excessive drinking, the fact that Jeremy's father isn't making enough money, her crazy behavior at the fancy dinner party, his lack of attention, and especially about her seeing another man --- the father of Jeremy's rival, Rick. The two of them met at one of Jeremy and Rick's baseball games. Somewhere in the middle of it all, Jeremy's mom decides to leave and be part of a different family, one that doesn't include Jeremy.

Jeremy's older sister responds by escaping in her car for work and friends, while their father becomes imprisoned in his own despair. Jeremy must decide for himself how to put the pieces back together. Recreating his collection of bird drawings is the first step, since his mom took the old one with her. Jeremy finds comfort in the birds, in mirroring their beauty, in tromping through their wooded habitat. He also takes an art class to improve his talents and meets a girl named Casey.

Over the next three years, Jeremy continues to struggle with the fact that his mother abandoned him and never even called him on the phone, much less paid him a visit. But life continues, with even more obstacles to overcome, such as his dad remarrying and his beloved uncle getting sick. Jeremy learns to wade through the tough times without overloading his heart of bitterness. He even manages to say a prayer for Rick when he needs an operation. But will he ever be able to forgive his mom for leaving him?

James Prosek has created a beautiful story that all ages, genders and races will enjoy. He has an obvious love of nature, which shines through in his vivid descriptions of feathers, fish and forests. His novel's voice is precise and rare, nailing perfectly Jeremy's preteen character enduring pain and grief. Jeremy's spirit will inspire us all to be better people.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman

I first became aware of James Prosek through his artistic and literary treatments of fly fishing and thought I would give The Day My Mother Left, his first fictional effort, a go. I am so glad I did--what a wonderful little book! Though it is intended for young adults, as a mature reader I found it very engaging.

This autobiographical novel is a very candid picture of a difficult time in Prosek's, and his protaganist's, life. Prosek tells his touching story beautifully and without remorse. I would liken this book to Angela's Ashes in its portrayal of an unbalanced family and their troubles in a voice that does not blame but instead finds grace in the struggle. In the case of Prosek, his gravitation to art and nature provides ballast and equanimity; he shows us an inner journey enabled by his exploration of the natural world. And it is a damn good story. . .

Yale-educated James Prosek is clearly an extremely gifted and multi-dimensional creative talent. I know of few other YA books that tell such a story of charm and tenderness from the male point of view. I highly recommend it!

Jeremy's mother has often been disappearing for hours at a time, but on a Sunday afternoon all truths are told.

His mother has found a new love - the father of Jeremy's enemy at school and on the baseball field. A fight occurs between Jeremy's mother and father. His mother leaves, and she takes everything with her - including Jeremy's Book of Birds that he had been illustrating himself.

No one can believe that she left. Especially Jeremy. He feels abandoned and hurt. Through his father's sadness and his own mixed-up feelings, Jeremy recreates the Book of Birds and finds solace within himself through nature.

James Prosek's THE DAY MY MOTHER LEFT is very moving. Coming from a divorced family myself, it's easy to relate and understand Jeremy's feelings. Mr. Prosek uses outstanding details within the story and has also created lovely drawings. It is a great book and experience from beginning to end.

Reviewed by: Jeremey

This book talks about friends putting on a magic show for Hank's cousins. Frankie, one of Hank's friends, is the magician. He remembers that he wants to see a monster movie so Hank says he's going to record it.But he presses the wrong button. Frankie gets mad when they get home. Hank is so sorry he takes the cable box apart. They buy a new one the guy for the cable company has a copy of the movie that Hank didn't record. Then Hank invites Frankie over to see the movie.I like this book because it has a good ending and it like he's talking to you.

This is a good book because it has a lot of action. The book has a lot of action because Hank thought his sister iguana laid eggs in a cable box. Read on to see what happens.

The Day of the Iguana tells the story of a fourth grader named Hank Zipzer and his sister's iguana. Science projects are coming due for Hank, so he has to find a project and fast. He gets the idea to take apart his cable box and see what's inside. Wha† he didn't count on is his sister Emily's iguaua laying 23 eggs.
This book gives you a look at a boy called Hank Zipzer and how he gets through a few months of fourth grade with his best friend Frankie and his sister Emily and her iguana Catharine. The story starts in the beautiful modern city of New York. Hank has to put on a magic show for his twin cousins and promises Frankie to tape a monster movie when there doing the show but he accidentally presses the wrong button and tapes something else. Hank feels so guilty that he decides to take apart a cable box and see if he can prevent that from happening in the future. My favorite part in the book is when the baby iguanas are born. They are so cute. I recommend this book to children and family because it is about honor and trust. It is a great book and teaches kids that iguana birth can make a big change to your life. It also teaches you how to be a great friend.
W.S.

A story about three friends Hank, Frankie, and Ashley. Hank and his friends are a magic act they call themselves The Magik 3. Hank's twin cousins are turning four years old. The twin's parents hire a clown but the clown gets sick. Hank's aunt needs to find an act for the birthday party. She askes Hank if he and his friends would perform. Hank and his friends agree to perform. Then Frankie remembers that there is a monster movie marthon that he can't miss. Read the book to see what happens.

The way I see it, any book that can keep a 10 year old boy away from his video games, gets 5 stars and then some. "Day of the Iguana" and the other eight books will do for boys what "The Babysitters Club" did for girls. I've been waiting a long time for something boys can relate to other than "Yu Gi Oh" comic books and "Captain Underpants." Henry Winkler has done that with Hank Zipzer and his friends, he's made reading fun for boys. You can count on Hank getting himself in a situation that would be best handled being straightforward and you can count on him going out of his way being anything but. The best part is watching you kid choose Hank over the TV. Parents all over will understand just what an accomplishment that is.

This book is a wonderful novel of ups and downs of exciment and feelings. Ashlyn is a high schooler and is faced with a murder of her close counserler. Her boyfriend, Drew is accused as the murderer. Ashlyn promises to find her boyfriend a way so that he does not go to prision, but the more Ashlyn exetagated the crime the more she learns about erself and the others around her... Is she really alive, is her mother her mother, or did DRew really kill The counseler? REad this book to find out!!!!

Ashlyn Brennan becomes great friends with the guidance counselor at her school, Mrs. Rothins. Each day Ashlyn helps out Mrs. Rothins as a student aide. When Ashlyn comes to school one day and finds out that Mrs. Rothins has been murdered she is devastated. Ashlyn soon discovers that her boyfriend, Drew, is a key suspect, for he was seen leaving Mrs. Rothins' office right before she was found dead.

This thrilling page-turner kept my attention and caused me to think. Being a huge fan of mystery, I could not put this book down. Using great description, Betsey Hayes fills this book with action and suspense. While I was reading this book I felt that I could really connect with the characters. This is one book I would definitely recommend.

This book is so good. When i was in middle school i didnt really like to do summary reports on books inless we got to decided which book to read. For once in my middle school life we did. When i went to the library i just started looking and found this book. I took it home and read it in 90 minutes. It is such a great book, it makes you think twice about who really loves you and who you should trust.

My name is Lauren Stewart, for my English class project I chose to read Deadly Deception, by Betsy Haynes. Although I have never read a novel by this author before, I look forward to reading more of her work. The blurb interested me because enjoy to read murder mysteries and Deadly Deception is a great murder mystery. From the beginning Betsy Haynes had me thinking and my many questions were not answered until the very end of the book. I like that becausr if the climax is in the beginning, what is there to look forward to? There are many true-life problems in this novel which makes it 10 times better, ex: drug addictions. The way Betsy Haynes wrote this novel I was on the edge of my seat until the end of this novel.
The novel takes place in a middle class town, nothing exciting. Ashlyn Brennan lives a normal life until obscure events begin to happen. The major event that began to throw her life off track was the killing of a close friend of her's, Mrs.Rothlis,the school guidance counseler. Along the way of Ashlyn's investigation of the murder she discovers information about herself, herboyfriend and her mother that blew her mind. Ashyln's best friends think she needs to slow it down on the investigation because more and more Ashlyn is pushing herself to the limits. Without revealing anymore information about this novel I will leave the rest up to you, read this novel and you will agree with me that it is an "edge of the seat" novel.
Thank you for taking time to read my book review on, Deadly Deception, by Betsy Haynes.

Deadly Deceptions by Betsy Haynes was an excellent book. It was hard to put down. The main character is Ashlyn Brennan, a seventeen year old senior,who is really close to her school counselor. Everything was going well in Ashlyn's life when suddenlly her school counselor was found dead in her office and the last person schedule to see her was Ashlyn's boyfriend Drew.
All the fingers are pointing at Drew. He is the prime suspect in the crime. Ashlyn doesn't believe that Drew would do something like that. So she starts a investigation of her own. She finds a deadly family secret.
I thought that Deadly Deceptions was a very good book. It has romance, drama, and mystery. It is very well writtnen and it captures the attention of young readers.

I first read this book the year it was published. I have re-read it every year since and I always find new insight. For those who simply cannot accept Jesus Christ and His necessary sacrifice, or do not understand what His Passion meant and still means, this book will turn the light on for you.

I bought this book as a guided meditation during Lent one year, but I have kept coming back to it year after year. Fr. Neuhaus knows how to cut to the heart of the matter and really make us think about our lives. Ever since high school, I've had a practice of "giving up something" for Lent. However, recently I've found that "adding something", especially something as powerful as the meditations in this book, help me to prepare much better for the Easter celebration.

Of course, you don't have to wait until Lent to be moved by the power of Fr. Neuhaus's message. I recommend this book at any time during the year.

My first encounter with Fr. Neuhaus's writing came through the pages of "First Things", a magazine on the role of religion in public life. His penetrating insights and carefully crafted arguments are true gems of wisdom. I've come to appreciate them and depend on his daily reflections on current issues the way some people depend on a shot of caffeine to get them through a day.

This book, however, is written in a completely different style and with a very different aim. Here we see a more spiritual and meditative side of Fr. Neuhaus, and I, for one, am grateful for this insight. Here he contemplates the seven last words of Christ, devoting a chapter to each one of them. His aim is to takes us deeper into the mystery of crucifixion and the death of Christ, and to resist the temptation to just rush over to Easter. The book can be used as a devotional aid, and would be a good companion reading material during Lent.

The meditative nature of the book does not prevent Fr. Neuhaus from making and defending some theologically strong positions. The greatest, and for non-Christians probably the most controversial, claim is that "[i]f what Christians say about Good Friday is true, then it is, quite simply, the truth about everything." The purpose of this statements is not necessarily to argue a theological position, but to bring urgency and highlight the importance of what happened on that Friday afternoon. In reading this book we can make one big step closer to that goal.

This is one of the most profoundly moving books I have ever read. I re-read it every year during lent, and it never fails to move me in the same was as before. Here is why.

In the final scene of "Saving Private Ryan," Ryan himself, now much older, is visiting the grave of the soldier who saved him. He recalls the final words of the dying soldier who rescued him, a plea to make his life worthy of the sacrifice being given. In tears, he asks his wife whether he has in fact lived his life in a way that justifies that sacrifice.

Although "Death on a Friday Afternoon" is far too complex and nuanced to be summarized succinctly, one of its objectives (which it fulfills admirably) is to look its reader directly in the face and ask, "Are you in fact living your life in a way that justifies the sacrifice that Jesus made to save it?"

Two brief excerpts provide a glimpse of this book's seriousness and importance:

"Our lives are measured not by the lives of others, not by our own ideals, not by what we think might reasonably be expected of us, although by each of those measures we acknowledge failings enough. Our lives are measured by who we are created and called to be, and the measuring is done by the One who creates and calls. . ."

"To belittle our sins is to belittle ourselves, to belittle who it is that God creates and calls us to be."

This book is a call to seriousness about living our lives in response to what God has done for us.

There is much more as well. Don't miss it.

This is a wonderful book, written with patience, love, and care--written, at times, prayerfully and poetically. In contemplating our Christian faith, Neuhaus urges us not to skip Good Friday and go right to Easter and the joy of the Resurrection (though it IS joyful). Rather, we must reflect on the Crucifixion, on His death, without which there could have been no Resurrection and without which there would be no redemption. Some outsiders and even many Christians find the Crucifixion morbid and shy away from pondering it, but it is meant to shock and disturb. (This was not lost on Dostoevsky, who has some excellent passages and descriptions of the crucified Christ in The Idiot.) It was a death and murder, one in which we all are complicit. We must understand this before we can hope to understand the meaning of His death.

Neuhaus uses the seven last "words" (utterances, really) of Christ to explore the nature of His life and death, as well as the nature of our own lives and deaths. Tangentially, he comments on our culture and society, on permissivity and the like--ideas that will be familiar to readers of First Things. But this is primarily a book on religion, not politics. Nor is it an exposition of theology. Neuhaus avoids the often complicated and difficult-to-understand theological matters (and debates) that surround Christ's life, death, and resurrection, as well as the implications for us. Certainly, Neuhaus adheres to his--which is to say, the Catholic Church's--interpretation, but here he seeks to get to the foundations of Christianity. The result is something all Christians--and, indeed, anyone desiring to understand the faith--can enjoy and appreciate.

I am not a paleontologist (obviously). I am not, truth be told, even a dinosaur fanatic. What I am is a reader who is always looking to extend my knowledge base on interesting subjects, and this dinosaur encyclopedia fulfills that quest in spades!

Everything you could ever want to know about dinosaurs -- all types, all genuses, all sizes and shapes and colors -- is detailed, extensively, within the pages of DINOSAURS. There are wonderful illustrations by Luis V. Rey, timelines, graphs, rock cycles, detailed drawings of skeletons -- you name it, and this book has it. With an appendix that includes a 48-page Dinosaur Genus List and a Glossary of hundreds of terms, this is pretty much the only encyclopedia on dinosaurs that you're ever going to need.

I'm sure that some scientifically-minded people will yearn to find something that is missing, and they may even find it. But for the general dinosaur lover, this is definitely the book to add to your collection. Although the reading level is too advanced for younger children, those over the age of eight will find plenty to keep them interested and entertained.

DINOSAURS is highly recommended for classroom and home libraries, or as the perfect present for that dinosaur crazy kid on your gift list.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

I LOVE dinosaurs and this book was first on my christmas wish list and I was soooo excited when I got it. It's huuuuuugge!!! I loved it it's got a detailed section on sauropods, tyrannosaurids, hadrosaurs, and oh I can't list em' all!!! Also it admits that it speculates and that's what really drives me insane when scientists speculate and present it as fact. Sometimes it even gives 4 or 5 illustrations of what it could have looked like. It also has history on paleantology. I love this book!!! The only thing that keeps it from being a 5 star deal for me is it's an evolution book.

I got this for my 6-year-old daughter who loves dinosaurs, and not only does she love it, but it's fascinating for me too. It does go into a lot of detail, but does so in such a clear way that it's still very understandable (besides, we like detail). The tone is nicely conversational. This is a book that I think we will read and re-read for years to come.

This book is billed as en Encyclopedia for all ages. I bought it for my dinosaur-bedazzled five-year old grandson, however, and found it was much too detailed for him. I will have to save it for much, much later and hope that he still retains an interest in the giant creatures.

This is a very good overview of the subject of dinosaurs for the lay person. It covers the systematics of the subject with good descriptions of each grouping and the morphological characters that distinguish them. Most of all it conveys to the reader the breadth of the group and how diverse dinosaurs are; they're not just giant predators and plodding plant-eating monsters, but that they occupied nearly all ecological niches of the Mesozoic world. I certainly wasn't aware of how many different species have been described.


Holtz writes for the adolescent and older lay-person in generally informal language that's not too patronizing for the older reader. It certainly is not a challenging read other than the breadth of the subject. In addition he's generally good about pointing out what are facts based on examination of the fossil evidence and what is pure speculation. He discusses how different paleontologists have different interpretations of the evidence and doesn't present his views like they are the only possibility. This is a very good resource for the person who wants to know just how diverse and extensive dinosaur species were and how they lived based on recent scientific research.

I recognized practically every one of the dirty seven from either my life or from my girlfriends'lives. I wish I had this book way back when I wasted my time on the YAPpie who was scrounging off of me or the ScarMan who really wasn't over his ex and was using me as his "transitional" woman for years, until he went back to her!
People put a lot of thought into their jobs and financial planning and yet will let a real loser into their lives because they think these guys will get better. But they won't. Recognize them and move on!

Like a field guide to a mushroom gatherer, this book teaches how to recognize the poisonous types. In that sense, this is a money, time and life-saving guide. Just as you would not sample The Angel of Death mushroom, you would not try out one of these guys in hopes that he is not really true to type. Nor would you take one home, hoping that with enough love and care and hope, the poison will dissolve and the mushroom will be wholesome and edible. As she explains:

"This guide does not address what you can do to make yourself more attractive to men, how to improve your own character, or guy-meeting strategies. Its purpose is to help you sort through and reject the bad apples up front. Too many bad relationships are the result of women being so grateful that some guy even looks at them, that they jump at the chance to become intimate because they fear it will be their last chance in life. They are petrified that they will be old maids, alone on New Year's Eve. They marry some unloving guy who is full of himself, and they still feel alone on New Year's Eve."

This book is intended for women who are looking for a relationship, but it may also be helpful to those who are in relationships that are not working and are wondering should they stay or leave and can the relationship be salvaged.

The Dirty Seven is exquisitely written - it will both entertain you and open your eyes into different categories of qualities that some men bring into a relationship and which will only bring you pain and heartache in time.

The author points out that there are wonderful, loving and well-adjusted men out there and there are also those who are obviously a bad relationship material. This book doesn't deal with either of those, but rather it deals with traits that may not be so obvious, unless you're informed and know what to look for, traits that may confuse you and make you wonder is something wrong with you or is it him?

You will also get insight into what can be salvaged and whether it's worth your while sticking around, or should you better leave before you get deeply entangled - in other words: what to find out before you find yourself in a deeply messy situation that may be harder and more complicated to get out of as time goes by.

At the end of the book, there is a short overview of The Dirty Seven Sisters: Men Beware. The author has also written a separate book that deals with undesirable traits women bring into a relationship and in my opinion, people of both sexes who desire to enjoy long-term relationships may want to read both books. After all, it takes two well-adjusted individuals to create a happy, loving and harmonious long-term relationship and having insight into one's own shortcomings and doing something about them is as useful as being aware of what to look for in a relationship partner.

Sharply and smartly written, The Dirty Seven: Ladies Beware! is a candid description of seven male personality types that single women searching for a serious relationship should avoid like the plague. The Dirty Seven does not focus upon criminal types, but rather men who are simply poor relationship and prospective husband material, from the Young and Poor to the Excessive Baggage man. The Dirty Seven is highly entertaining to read, but contains a very sober message and is a "must-read" for any single woman in search of a mate.

This gem of a book by June Marshall has its thumb on the pulse of why so many women spin their wheels in dead end relationships. Marshall desribes in colorful detail the characteristics of "Mr. wrong", how to avoid the endless pain and suffering that a relationship with him will bring. The Dirty Seven sheds light on the subtle and insidious elements of a bad catch that most of us easliy look over in attempts to have a man in our life. The refreshing part is that Marshall does not male bash or leave the reader feeling that a fulfilling relationship with a man is impossible. On the contrary- I left feeling empowered and ready to seek out the qualities in a partner that count such as the ability to give and good character. But aside from the invaluable information presented in The Dirty Seven, it is hilariously written. I found myself laughing out loud throughout the book!