Personal Books

This was a really great book. Im in my mid 20's and found it useful. This would be fun for a younger girl too.

I love this book- I've never written a review for anything on this site, but I really feel that I need to share with others how great and useful "The Girl's Guide to Absolutely Everything" is. I've read several other books of this nature, and this one is by far the best. The tone of the book is just right- humerous but not as biting as other books of its kind. It has a useful section on style, and it doesn't overdo it on these subjects as I feel that "Three Black Skirts" does. I love fashion and beauty tips as much as the next girl, but I honestly don't think that anything you read in a book can really help you out that much in this area. That being said, I do think that Kirch has some good pearls of wisdom on the topic that are worthwhile.

I just graduated from college and I am now searching for my first real job and apartment in a new city. The book had some good job search advice, although if you are really looking to learn a lot about this topic I would suggest getting a book based solely on this subject. I feel that the most useful information provided were the chapters on ettiquette, household, and finance. There were honestly so many useful tips in these chapters. I consider myself to be pretty domestically savvy (I was lucky enough to have a mom who's been compared to Martha Stewart) but I still found so much excellant advice in these chapters. I've already got several of the pages dog-eared for easy reference later on.

This book would make a fantastic gift for any girl who has just graduated college and is ready to set out on her own in the real world. If you're planning on buying any book of this kind, this is absolutely the one to spend your money on!

this book is packed full of handy info! haven't gotten all the way through it. came quickly!

this book has about almost everything a girl could possibly need to survive life, tips, information, about everything and anything! it is awsomeness.

This book would be a great gift for most females. I think it might be geared more towards a teenager/young adult, but I'm in my late 20's and enjoy it very much. It really is a guide to everything. It's unlikely you'll think of a topic and it won't be covered in some fashion in the book. It's a book you can pick up and look for a specific topic or read from front to back. There are lots of sidebars and extra comments to make the material interesting. I would recommend this book for almost any occasion.

This is a book I'll recommend for everyone that wants to make it in life to read. It is a life changing book. I am bless tremendously by reading. I intend to buy more and give to my friends.

this is a book that everyone should read and students should be required to read before graduating from school. if we all followed these lessons, life would be a lot better for everyone.

I found this book to be both inspirational and educational.
Inspirational : I found myself connecting to Urban's life story and was inspired to do several of the excercises he recommends. The book is very well written and requires alot of introspection after reading. For every lesson, I found myself reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading. I read this with a pen in hand and jotted down thoughts as I read. After re-reading my thoughts on each section, I started to think deeply of what matters in my life and was inspired to think of my actions, thoughts, beliefs, etc. in a different way.
Educational: A great aspect of this book is the way Urban injects the works of so many other authors into his own. I found myself writing down the names and titles of many of Urban's cited works. His use of other's ideas to further explain and strenghten his own motivated me to further my knowledge base on the subject. For an author to actively tell the reader to go and look for other's insight only proves to me the author's good intentions and credibility.
Overall - I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for some help on the road of life. Urban does a great job explaining his 20 lessons, and he does an even better job in making the reader want to think about his or her own goals and rules of life.

I got this book as a present for my husband for Christmas. We always try to keep some positive reading around. He enjoyed it very much and has since passed it along to a friend. It's a very cost-effective but impactful gift and a simple, useful read.

As you read this book you find yourself growing with it.
20 simple lessons to follow. the overwall lesson is to learn to enjoy life .. and you will

Excellent book. meticulously researched. Easy reading. I wasn't aware some Jewish people were slaves. I recommend this book. It was an honor to Ann Kirschner's mother.

The story of Polish Jews who were lucky enough not to be sent directly to the death camps, yet unlucky enough not to make it onto Schindler's list or find some other long-term refuge. Writing mostly about her mother's family as they lived for six years on the precipice, Kirschner produces something amazing: an important piece of scholarship that never feels like a historical tome. Rather, it stands on its own as a deeply moving, character-based story that will leave you wanting to revisit passages about remarkably brave and beautiful people -- some survivors, some not -- who were nearly forgotten by history. Despite Kirschner's proximity to the story, she never forces herself into the narrative; rather, she weaves personal elements into the story only when they can add a new and critical dimension. The result is a book that deserves to be dog-eared and passed around repeatedly.

Ann Kirschner meticulously weaves the story of her mother's survival with the overwhelming accounts of the Holocaust...a fine balance between biography and history lesson.

This is a very moving tribute written by a daughter about her mother. It is also well-researched and well-written, shedding new light on the movement of mail through work camps and even concentration camps. Sala's story of survival and redemption is remarkable, and the reader can well imagine the emotional roller-coaster the author must have experienced uncovering her mother's story.

I was so moved by this book I will include share my heartfelt comments to the author.
Just want to THANK YOU for such an amazing book! Your decision to share your mothers personal life with readers who benefit so from your investment of labor and emotion is generous and to be admired! When you were complete it must have looked like E=Mc squared did to Einstein! Simple on the surface with the complexity of the universes author within. My highest regards to you and Sala Kirschner.
Glenn from Tampa Fl and sometimes Lake Tahoe Nv

This is the autobiography of Japan's greatest ace pilot to survive WWII. Saburo Sakai became a hero in his homeland and his account of his place in the Pacific War is even-handed and illuminating. In the early days of the war, victory seems to come relatively easy to him and the other pilots in his fighter group due to their superior training and the excellence of the Mitsubishi Zero fighter. As the war wears on, however, and the United States becomes more fully engaged on its Western front, the tide turns and the situation becomes increasingly desperate for Sakai and his compatriots, until the inevitable crushing defeat. Sakai, along with his co-authors Martin Caidin and Fred Saito, presents exciting accounts of air battles and Saito's harrowing experience piloting his aircraft back to base after sustaining injuries that should have killed him. As good as this stuff is, I was glad that the home front wasn't neglected in his narrative. In addition to being a great air warrior, he also lived a wonderful love story with his future wife.

Samurai is Saburo Sakai's own story of his times as a naval aviator for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Mr. Sakai tells us about his past (yes, his ancestors were samurai's), his time spent learning to be a naval aviator, the pre-war (meaning hostilities prior to those with the US), and yes, his time fighting US pilots.

Things that I personally found very interesting in his telling:

What Japanese Naval personnel (aviators and non-aviators) went thru in basic training. Very brutal treatment. Mr. Sakai tells about Petty Officers beating trainees, ordering them to do physical things that bordered on the impossible. Aviation training was better, but only from the perspective of beating not occuring due to minor infractions. However, the standards they were held to... Obviously, the training was not run by kinder, passionette people.

Mistakes in combat. Mr. Sakai remembered his mistakes so well. The simple fact of failing to arm the guns, over shooting a target, or worse yet, failing to properly identify the target (Mr. Sakai mistook a unit of TBM/TBF Avengers for F6F Hellcats).

His respect for his opponent. Most of Mr. Sakai's combat time was spent in New Guinea flying against US units that were flying P-39's and P-40's. Both of these planes were outclassed by the A6M Zero in almost every category except diving (note, since neither the P-39 or P-40 were supercharged at this timeperiod of the war, their performance went from bad below 15,000 feet, to terrible if they went above 15,000, thereby denying them altitude to dive for an extended period). When this is merged with the fact that the Japanese pilots were combat seasoned veterans, while the Americans were green, it makes for a bad time for those flying the P-39's and P-40's. In remembering these engagements, Mr. Sakai spoke very well of how the US pilots tried to engage the Japanese pilots.

Mr. Sakai's writing style if very readable. It's direct, to the point, without great flurishes or breast beating. This does not mean that it's unemotional, but rather that when he uses emotion, it's very memorable. For rating purposes, I have to give this 4 out of 5 stars (Amazon rating system). I don't know how he could have made it better (writing style?) but I can definatly say that it's a very good read!

Samurai! documents the wartime exploits of Saburo Sakai, the greatest Japanese fighter pilot to survive World War 11, in which he was credited with downing 64 enemy aircraft. Sakai, who died in September 2000 of a heart attack became a legend in his own lifetime. This book explains why.
Samurai! takes us from early victories over the Chinese airforce to the later dogfights with the Dutch, the Australians and, finally, the unstoppable Americans. Sakai, in describing his journey from a rookie pilot to the final surrender, also chronicles the rise and fall of the Japanese Imperial Naval Air Force as seen from one of the most spectacular cogs in its vast apparatus.
Saka, who was never decorated for his actions, was a truly amazing fighter who was held in adulation by his mechanics and wingmen. Indeed, of all Japan's aces, Saburo Sakai was the only one who never lost a wingman in combat. This is an astounding record for a man who engaged in over two hundred aerial melees. But then again, Saburo Sakai's story is an astounding one.
His retreat from Guadalcanal is evidence enough of that. Having suffered paralyzing wounds in his left leg and left arm and having being permanently blinded in his left eye and temporarily blinded in his right eye, with jagged pieces of metal in his back and chest and with the heavy fragments of two 5-caliber machinegun bullets imbedded in his skull, he managed to fly his crippled Zero all the way back to New Guinea. That is the stuff of Hollywood legends.
So too is his dogfight against 15 Hellcats over Iwo Jima. Although he only had sight in one eye, Sakai managed to out manouver the Hellcat fighters and land safely back on the besieged island. His escape from Iwo Jima is also the stuff of Hollywood legends.
Hollywood bases its stories on legendary warriors. And Sakai and his comrades quickly became legends as their honed skills and Mitsubishi Zeros allowed them to cut a swathe through their Chinese, Dutch and Australian enemies. Sakai's accounts of those earlier battles are like reading th accounts of Cochise, Crazy Horse or Geronimo. Sakai and the other Japanese warriors of the air went out and did what they felt they had to do. Their Zeros were as precious to them as the finest steeds were to the warriors of old. They were the cream of the crop.
Unfortunately for them, their numbers were whittled down as the war dragged on. Midway accounted for over 300 of Japan's best pilots.The Americans, meanwhile, came relentlessly at them with their Wildcat and Hellcat fighters, which were purposely designed to outpace the Zero. Time and again, Sakai stresses that it was only the Americans' lack of combat experience that saved him.
They didn't save the others. As the war dragged on, the standard of the average Japanese pilot plummeted.
This book is not a glorification If this book glorifies anything, it is the futility and blaspehemy of war. Sakai describes how business went on as usuall in China even in the middle of combat zones. He describes watching Australian pilots being eaten by sharks. His account of how his superior skills saved him at Iwo Jima reflect the skills he noted in the Dutch and Chinese pilots of the earlier chapters. The Japanese, who had been the confident hunters I nthe earlier chapters, were now the prey. Usually, they were sitting ducks, powerless to do anything but volunteer for a kamikaze mission or to train the young novices who made the bult of the kamikazes.
Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, another top air ace who was later shot out of the air in an unarmed transport plane, was one of these. Sakai describes him as bing "unpredictable in the air, a genius, a poet who seemed to make his fighter respond obediently to his gentle, sure touch at the controls." Sakai constantly uses similar imagery to decribe his love for the Zero. This book has been reissued on countless occasions. Read it and find out why.

Sakai gives us insight into the progression of the war from the Japanese perspective, revealing the mindsets of those on the other side, without meandering into the chronological army list minutiae that many others succumb to. Action and emotion, quandaries of conscience and honour are always the subjects discussed.

Very good book. Highly recommended - very pleasureable read.

Also of increased value to those of us who play WWII combat flight simulators (grin).

This book shows that combat warriors on both sides have the same thoughts and concerns. They worry about their families and complain about their leadership.

I bought the Classics of Naval Literature volume after reading a library copy. That's how much the book impressed me. The top-surviving Zero naval ace of WWII, Sakai had realistic and controversial opinions of Japan's role in the war. He did much to build postwar friendships with the United States, even at risk to his own life.

Little did I realize when I bought the book that I would someday meet him. I visited him in his Tokyo home and hosted his visit to Naval Air Facility Atsugi. My book is now autographed.

This book was SO good. It is one of the best queer spiritual journeys I've ever read. Sara Miles is unpretentious and honest, and I think she captures the spiritual dilemmas that so many of us face right now.
If you are struggling with your spiritual journey and chafe against old names and categories, this book will change your life. I think it's going to be a very influential text.
Oh, and it's a fabulous read! I couldn't put it down.

Take This Bread: A Radical ConversionThis book is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the community of food! Sara Miles is a writer and was an athiest who came to understand the role of sharing a meal in building community. After a varied career of cooking in restaurant kitchens and serving as an activist in poverty stricken and war torn countries, she comes home to a radical conversion resulting from the simple words: "Take this bread" said to her at a service of Holy Communion. Her conversion leads to growth in understaning the community that God intends for all humankind. Along the way, she is drawn into the community with afforded by a food pantry program she starts at her newly found church community.

Its all about the human hunger for belonging and for the meaning that comes from sharing food!

A wonderful book and a quick read!

Sara Miles' book "Take This Bread" is a perfect read for our times. Her realization that feeding others is an ultimate act of goodness came during a worship service. But the real story is what she did next. She went out from that church and created a feeding program when others said it couldn't be done. Then she helped others create feeding programs. I have recommended the book to people of different faiths and political views. They all love it. And even more, they have been inspired to get involved in helping the hungry. The new paperback version contains a Readers' Guide - perfect for book groups.

take this bread is one of the best left-of-center spiritual memoirs i've read, ever.

sara miles is a self-described liberal, an intellectual journalist who spent much of her life covering wars from the side of the oppressed (often in stark contrast to u.s. policy). she grew up in a staunchly athiest home (though both of her parents were children of missionaries, which ends up playing into her story in surprising and deeply satisfying ways), and was, as she says, the last person her friends would have expected to start talking about jesus.

sara walked into a san francisco church one day -- called, one might way; compelled, she wasn't sure why -- and took the eucharist. and something clicked, in that moment. she had an encounter with jesus that she was never able to dismiss or shake off. eventually, her connection with jesus became a compelling call to feed others, as she was fed. sara started a food pantry, literally ON the alter of her extremely nervous church. the book walks through her multiple conversions, and those of the people around her, many of them already professed christians.

the comparisons to anne lamott are easy (especially to anne's first spiritual memoir, traveling mercies). both are brilliant with words; both are liberals from san francisco, who grew up in book-loving, athiest, intellectual homes; both are liberal in every sense of the word; and both are deeply in love with jesus and passionate about following his lead. this -- i think -- is what seperates both anne and sara from classical liberals, who spent a good deal of their time distancing themselves from jesus.

but sara miles and anne lammott are not the same. sara doesn't have annie's wit, which, while i absolutely adore annie's wit, makes this book somewhat more compelling, and a bit less like a collection of witty, liberal, jesus-y essays. if annie's "theme" is her self-loathing and insecurity, sara's strong-willed theme is: food. food weaves its way through every chapter of the book: from her childhood, to her experiences as a chef in new york, to her connections with people in the third world, to her intitial and ongoing experience with jesus, to her establishment of one, then many, food pantries. it's hard not to read this book and not simultaneously hanker for a chunk of some cheese you can't pronounce, and want to give that cheese to someone who wouldn't otherwise experience their next meal.

wonderful, wonderful reading. challenging at points. highly edible. deeply nourishing.

I love reading about converts to the Episcopal Church, I am one myself. The more unusual the story, the more it interests me and Miles' story fits that bill. Although I found some things about her puzzling- for instance: she calls herself "lesbian" but has an affair with a man (Huh?!) and then she seems to think that getting pregnant in the middle of a war was a good idea (What?!), I thought her life was fascinating. She is also admirable for starting the food pantry, and for linking food to ministry and to communion- the Body of Christ. The analogy is excellent. It also shows how a church can be so open and welcoming to all people from all walks of life, and although not intended as an ad for the Episcopal Church, it sure serves as great publicity!

The episode about flying a Huey with food and ammo into the midst of my surrounded battalion, 2/12th Cav, just outside Hue brought back a lot of memories. We wouldn't have survived the day without that support. I describe what it was like on the ground, but it was just as bad in the air.[[ASIN:1591144345 Lost Battalion of Tet: The Breakout of 2/12th Cavalry at Hue Still, thanks to some brave and daring pilots and crews, we survived. I never could determine how many helicopters and crews were lost trying to help us. Whatever the case, they will never be forgotten by those who were there and survived.

I have read several good books by VietNam era helicopter pilots and this is the best so far. Mr. Johnson has a knack of putting the reader in the seat next to him and makes us realize just how dangerous his job was. I particularly enjoyed his use of flashbacks to his flight training days and how he worked them into the moment. It is a wonder that any of the Army helicopter crews survived a full tour. Heroes all. Highly recommended

It was 5 years ago since I was first introduced to the legendary helicopter named "Huey". She is a lovely aircraft which teachs you the helicopter flight and also forgiving one.

I like to thank Mr.Johnson because he had let me know why this helicopter which I am lucky enough to fly with is called legendary. As a military helicopter pilot I am thrilled to read every page, every line. Tom A. Johnson did a great job, he conveyed the past, he conveyed the priceless experience about emergencies. Furthermore, I felt as if I dated back to Vietnam Era and I was one of the pilot on his formation.

I sincerely hope to meet Vietnam Huey Pilots and I am so eager to listen their stories. Land safely Guys,whenever&wherever.

Cem KURKCU
FW&RW Army Pilot

An engrossing, fast moving story of a 1st CAV warrant officers experiences mid 1967-1968. Tom does a great job of explaining the elements of helicopter flight and flying tactics. The year he experienced had a high degree of combat, frequently against NVA, rather than VC. He writes well, has a story to tell, and tells it well.

I've read some other helicopter pilot's stories who served in the same III Corps AO I did in 1967 (with an assault helicopter unit, but not as an air crewman). The intensity level written about here is yet another level above what we were experiencing pre-Tet.

Like all the warrants I remember, he saw himself as a pilot rather than an officer, and measured others by their piloting skills rather than their rank. We enlisted men loved them for that. Officers with real skills (not surprisingly, the minimum AFTQ score - equivalent to an IQ score - for a WOC was higher than for an officer candidate).

I think you'll find this book a real page turner.

For me as a Combat vet, Vietnam 1966-68 101st Airborne grunt. I thought the book was great. I don't often read books about Nam, but this looked like a must. It brought back a lot good memories and not so good as well.Only Vietnam vets will have a true understand of this fine book.The UH-1H (AKA) HUEY was the best Helicpter ever built and I we all loved to see Charlie model UH-1C and the AH-1G Gun Ships too. Frank Allen

THE WAY TO WITNESS EFFECTIVELY THE WAY CHRIST DID ON EARTH!!!!!!

With good examples on how Ray uses the law to share the Gospel. I also ordered the traning materials and sample tracts for my fellowship to study together.

I think there's a moment in everyone's life when they realize that the things they want and the things they need are two different things. Except, when I read this triumph of a book I finally found something that I both wanted to read and needed to read. So, I sat down with a large glass of root beer schnapps and a carton of Luckys and forced my way through it. Now, after completing this creative tour de force, I'm not ashamed of walking up to people on the street and praising the way of the Master. I'm also not averse to ringing a few doorbells to testify to the greatness of the Master. Also, I try to flag down cars on the parkway, but have not had much luck ... and I actually hurt my foot when a 93 Duster ran over it, but it's all worth in service of the Master. Of course, when I say Master I'm not referring to God. I mean Ray. This book has thoroughly cleansed my soul of independent thought. I now look to the sunrise each morning as a sign of Ray's benevolence and purity. If only he could help me with the horrific back pain that plagues my every waking minute. Oh Ray, why do bad things happen to good people? Why did Kirk Cameron's Hollywood career go careening and tumbling, never to be resuscitated? Why did the so-gorgeous and inspiring Chelsea marry him? Is there any hope for me there?

Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron are professional missionaries and also develop training materials for Christians who want to purposefully share Christ with others (even though Cameron is best known for playing Mike Seaver on "Growing Pains"). The book was written to present and advance a new paradigm for witnessing: using the Law when sharing the Christian faith.

Comfort and Cameron recognize that most modern evangelistic programs (indeed, the sermons of popular preachers) can be summed up as follows: "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life, all you have to do is let him work his will with you. Give your heart to Jesus and things will go well for you." This, however, distorts the Biblical message; it is a half-truth (and is thus not faithful) and it does not bring people from unbelief to a saving faith in Jesus. Comfort and Cameron argue that this misleading message be discarded and replaced by a more Biblically-based message of Law and Gospel. They argue that a more effective and Biblically faithful method is to 1) show the hearer that there exists a Law (the Ten Commandments) which the hearer has broken, 2) show them that when they are judged by God, they will be judged guilty, 3) the punishment for their guilt is eternal punishment in hell, 4) Jesus loves you so much that he has taken the punishment of hell for you, 5) it is necessary to respond to this great love by repenting and amending your life so it is characterized by prayer, Bible reading, and showing love to your neighbors.

The book has many positive aspects. The authors are correct in their argument that the overarching Biblical message is both Law and Gospel. They are correct in their observation that the degree to which they experience the joy of the Gospel is directly related to the degree to which they experience the terror of the Law (if they take the Law lightly, the Gospel won't mean that much; if they are utterly crushed by their guilt, the Gospel will joyous life-long foundation). They also present several helpful analogies, anecdotes, and illustrations throughout the book to make their points.

The book does, however, contain weaknesses. These weaknesses stem from a still-underdeveloped understanding of Law and Gospel. I was shocked as I read through this book and found Cameron's multiple exclamations of disbelief and awe as he discovered the Law. Equally shocking was the appendix: testimonies of Christians who have never heard the Law or realized that they are guilty of sin! While this is a new discovery to Cameron, Comfort, and many other Christian denominations, the Law-Gospel paradigm is a hallmark, a foundational building-block, a centerpiece of my denomination: the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. We have multiple volumes on this paradigm and all of our denominational materials flow from it, so I can recognize that Comfort and Cameron still have a little wrestling to do with this subject.

Specifically, while they present the Law accurately, the Gospel is underdeveloped in "The Way of the Master." Comfort and Cameron routinely say two things about the Gospel: 1) it is not a "health, wealth, and prosperity" Gospel, intended to make your earthly life happy, complete and comfortable 2) it is presented only using the analogy of the courtroom, where Jesus pays the fine the judge lays on you. Throughout the book, the Law predominates and the Gospel is not presented in a way that even comes close to giving the reader comfort. Even in example witnessing dialogues, Comfort and Cameron go into great detail showing how the Law convicts, then end saying something like, "and then you share the Gospel with them." The one anecdote given where the authors bother to explain the Gospel is one given by Cameron in which he witnesses to a man on a golf course. He tells the man that in order to receive forgiveness for his sins, he needs to pray a "sinners prayer," read his Bible daily, and make Jesus the centerpiece of his life. This really bothered me because Cameron (in his sincerity) shows the man the freedom Christ has won for him, only to heap more burdens on him. Throughout the book, Comfort and Cameron show contempt for Christians who live up to their lifestyle standards by questioning whether they were ever Christians to begin with. This mocking and jeering not intended to be judgmental (in my estimation), but again shows that the authors have not come to a full understanding of the difference between Law and Gospel, Faith and Works, Justification and Sanctification.

While I do recommend this book and find it helpful for its easy-to-read analysis of popular theology and a good introduction to Law and Gospel (especially as it relates to evangelism), it is incomplete. To supplement it, I would recommend "Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel" by C.F.W. Walther (it's a tough read, but worth plowing through), "God's No and God's Yes" (a simplified version of Walther's book by Walther Pieper), "The Hammer of God" (a novel by Bo Giertz), and "By Faith Alone" by Martin Luther. One can also visit an LCMS church or listen to some programming on[...]. I look forward to seeing how Comfort's and Cameron's theology develops in the future.

I was very skeptical at first when reading the book but it made more sense as I read. Then I actually tried to witness like this and I was AMAZED! People are not offended but are struck silent by what comes out of their mouths. Most of the Evangelical American church does not realize they are preaching a modern gospel. I am doing what I can to preach the truth in love.

As an adoptee, I could relate to Kasey Hamner's book in very many ways. I almost felt like I had written it in some parts. Knowing that she went through the same events/issues that I did was comforting, especially the fact that she conquered them and is a healthy, productive citizen. Too many people only view adoption as a wonderful thing, something that every infertile couple (or fertile) should do. But have they ever asked an adoptee or read any of the books? I'm not saying that adoption is a bad thing, but for those of us whose birth mothers were forced by societal influences,or by family to give us up, there can be terrible results.

I wish that everyone who knows an adoptee could read this book, especially adoptees who have reunited with birth family members, as I have. No one really understands unless they have been through it. It is a frightening and wonderful experience. Read this book and find out what it was like for her.

This is the best book I've read so far on adoption. It's the closest book to reality I've read. A lot of books have sugar-coated adoption issues. I tried to e-mail the author to no avail. I've read about 20 books so far this year on the issue, so this is a good testament to the writer.

Once I started reading Whose Child?, I could not put the book down. I am an adoptee who has searched, found and reunited, like Kasey, only to find more obstacles to overcome. It helped me to know that I wasn't alone. From her childhood abuse and through her search for her birthparents, and a rocky reunion, she is a shining example of a true survivor. I commend Kasey for sharing her personal story as it gives much insight into the world of the closed adoption system and the damage that secrets and lies can do. To all members of the triad, and anyone who has been touched by adoption, this is a must read. Thanks Kasey!! P.S. I also recommend "Adoption Forum" by Kasey. Very insightful information on all positions of the triad members.

As an adoptee I felt so much for the author, her strength is unbelievable. It is so well written and brutally honest. Its an amazing journey, you won't put this book down.

This book is not just about adoption. It is about overcoming incredible abuses, making a success of your life, and learning to love and let go. I am not adopted and I could not put the book down. I heard they are thinking of making a movie of this story. I can't wait. I am also an incest survivor and I hope I can meet Kasey some day and tell her how her book changed my life.

I also recommend Kasey's second book: "Adoption Forum" and Lori Paris's book: "Follow Your Heart"

Seller had a great price for the product and she was very honest about the condition of the book.

This is a must read for anyone who wants to know how God can change their life forever. What divine wisdom is spoken by this saint of the Church!! Her "Little Way" to serving and loving Jesus is persuasive to anyone struggling with the "how" of living a Christlike life.

"Story of a Soul" is a collection of three manuscripts written by Therese of Lisieux near the end of her very brief life. Therese lived in France at the end of the 19th century and spent nine of her twenty-four years in a Carmelite cloister, yet this simple woman and her "little way" have touched millions of lives in the years since her death.

Therese lived and preached a spirituality based on the scripture passages that urge becoming like a little child, living a life of trust in God. While she never did anything the world might consider "great", she made the most of the opportunities presented to her. She took advantage of offering to God little sacrifices such as sitting straight in a chair without resting her back and going out of her way to be kind to a fellow sister she did not particularly care for.

From her earliest years, she had an intimate relationship with Jesus. Although she was very close to her family, She writes, "I knew how to speak only to [Jesus]; conversations with creatures, even pious conversations, fatigued my soul." In her final year, as she was dying from tuberculosis, she welcomed her suffering even as she experienced a crisis of faith which plunged her into a dark night of the soul.

The three manuscripts that comprise "Story of a Soul" each have a different tone due to the fact that they were addressed to three different people in response to three distinct requests. Manuscript "A" is addressed to Therese's sister Pauline, also known as Mother Agnes. She was a Carmelite nun as well and at the time was the Prioress of the convent. Mother Agnes had asked her to put down on paper her recollections from her childhood. It was intended as a "family souvenir" and as a result has a very familiar, sentimental tone. In it, Therese tells the story of her life from her earliest remembrances through her profession as a Carmelite.

Manuscript "B" was directed to another of Therese's elder sisters, Marie, who also resided at the Carmel cloister. Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart later recalled that "I asked her myself during her last retreat (September, 1896) to put in writing her little doctrine as I called it." The shortest of the three manuscripts, it contains the heart of Therese's insights. It consists of a letter to her sister in which she explains that "Jesus does not demand great actions from us but simply surrender and gratitude," and a love letter to Jesus in which she confides her desire to be "the warrior, the priest, the apostle, the doctor, the martyr." Using the metaphor that St. Paul established in 1 Corinthians 12 of the body of Christ with its many parts, Therese comes to the conclusion that in order to fulfill her desire to be all things she must be love. "I shall be love. Thus I shall be everything, and thus my dream will be realized."

In Manuscript "C", Therese returns to the story of her life, this time at the request of Mother Marie de Gonzague who had taken over as Prioress. It tells of her remaining years at Carmel up to three months before her death in 1897 when she no longer had the energy to write. In her final words she exclaims "I go to Him with confidence and love . . ."

Therese never intended any of these words for publication, yet in the last months of her life she seemed to have had a premonition that her words would eventually do much good in the world. "Story of a Soul" provides a blueprint for a life lived in relationship with Christ. Therese comes across as extremely human, struggling with life as all of us do, yet she had such trust and faith. We are wise to learn from her example.
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Really enjoyed reading this book. Excellent akutobiography of St. Therese. What a beautiful life she lead. Everyone should read this if for nothing else than inspiration from an extradorinary woman. You don't have to be a religious person to get something out of this autobiography.

Therese of Lisieux lived a very sheltered life. As we begin the book she actually seems to be spoiled by her family. Her parents were financially secure and devoutly religious. Therese knew she wanted to be a nun from the age of three. She had bouts of poor health and she suffered the loss of her mother early in her life. And then the sisters she relied on left one by one to join the convent. But she also had security and love from her family. She also had an incredible sense of self-direction.

In her book Saint Therese describes souls as similar to different types of flowers. Some are roses, others lilies, and some like orchids, for example. And all can be equally pleasing to God in their own way, when seeking his role for them. People have different talents and different struggles, but these characteristics do not mean that any type is more valued than the other.

Saint Therese describes the Christian Church as one body, and how she wants to be the heart that loves. She writes frequently of the many ways that God is love. She believed that heaven for her would be to be able to help people on earth after she died. She writes that any sacrifice in daily life can be offered to God, for the conversion of souls, or help of others, whether it is the suffering of an illness or loss, or the performance of a mundane daily chore. Therese also writes much she preferred to speak directly to God as a child when she prayed instead of using formal liturgy.

This is a great read. It brings another perspective on the war in Iraq.

First off, full disclosure. I have met Kimberly, and we have exchanged emails. I respect her as a journalist, and now as an author.

Her book is a quick read, but not always a pleasant one. In her brisk style honed as a broadcast writer conveys a candid and authoritative narrative. I found three themes of particular interest.

Her description of military medical practices is fascinating. She gives a detailed yet comprehensible explanation of the life-saving methods practiced by corpsmen and medics on the battlefield. Procedures immediately after the explosion are clearly spelled out, and I think that has to be a comfort to anyone who has a friend or relative in harm's way.

She also tells us about the long and agonizing rehabilitation process from start to finish. Too often we only hear about the tragic incident and then the outcome, whether it's happy or bittersweet. The gut-wrenching middle gets left out or short-changed. But Kimberly clarifies the recovery process without being maudlin or grotesque. This book is highly recommended for anyone facing long recovery from serious injury (and for their family and friends).

Kimberly's decision regarding the choice of psychotropic drugs versus counseling is instructive and can be a guide to others in similar situations. She recognized, or perhaps just sensed, that she did not need drugs. Of the three states of mental health problems -- stress, distress and disorder - she was battling the first two, but not the third.

Her counseling references also are in stark contrast to the situation for many active military personnel. DOD recognizes other mental health professions for independent insurance reimbursement, but not certified counselors. This is a disturbing disincentive, particularly at a time when the shortage of mental health care services for military personnel and their families is well documented. Maybe her book will prod (or shame) the military establishment into making counselors more readily available to service personnel and their families.

Her editors let her down in a few places (dropped words, redundant passages), but otherwise "Breathing the Fire" is a good story told well, with interesting information and revelations for just about any reader.

This is an excellent book, contemplative and moving in its detailed descriptions of a U.S. news reporter's first hand experience of war. Dozier's discussion of her near death and recovery from severe injury and loss is as captivating as it is frightening. Written in the prose style of a scrupulous reporter but with the rhythm of fiction, the book brings the reader into places of desire, anticipation, shock, betrayal, anger and triumph.
Breathing the Fire is recommended for anyone concerned about the Iraq war -- a real war that permanently affects the lives of journalists and photographers, soldiers, translators, health care workers and their families.

Remarkably unflinching - Kimberly Dozier's narrative voice in "Breathing the Fire" describes her road to recovery after being seriously injured on Memorial Day 2006 by a horrific car bombing in Iraq which killed four others, including the CBS cameraman and soundman she worked alongside. In meticulous detail, Dozier dissects the details of the bombing and day-to-day decisions around her medical care and rehabilitation, and punctuates them with her observations and feelings, allowing a rare peek into the mind of someone who has survived an extremely traumatic experience. Even after she learns how to walk again and returns to the newsroom - the author learns that there is no textbook for adjusting to a "new normal" and how to respond to people as they react to seeing a walking miracle. The book sheds light on the experiences of many struggling to recover from the wounds of war. You also learn what drew her to journalism and led her to be a foreign correspondent in a war zone. Readers are introduced to a wealth of supportive people who played pivotal roles in her recovery - from Iowa National Guardsman Staff Sgt. Jeremy Coke who tied the tourniquet on her leg after the bombing that saved her life, to her friends at CBS, innumberable medical and rehab personnel, her parents, and her boyfriend, Pete. Destined to become one of the critical memoirs chronicling the Iraq War.

I read this book thinking, "I am not sure if I can relate to this". War stories are not my reading genre of choice. But, I had met Kim over the phone one day and so received an e-mail from her letting me and all her address book addressees that her book had been published. So, I ordered one from Amazon not quite knowing what to expect. This book is so NOT a war story. It is the courageous story of a woman with a goal who achieved that goal, a goal which led her into combat where a life-changing event changed her life forever, as well as so many other lives. I was drawn in the moment I started reading. Kim's writing is clear, concise, factual, with just the right amount of emotion and personality. She lets people in to her very personal yet very public experience without a hint of self pity or any reference to a "poor me" attitude. The book is an inspiring one about a woman of intelligence, bravery, dedication, and love who dared to follow her dream, went through a nightmare, and is today a source of strength to people chasing a dream or living with their own struggle.