News Books

I first read these books when they were originally published in 1983, I believe. I remember the frustration of waiting for each new installment to come out. Then I would devour the book in about a day, and begin the equally frustrating wait for the next issue. Imagine my delight to finally find copies of the entire series again! These books are a treasure! Of course, everything Michael McDowell wrote was special, and it is our great loss that he is no longer with us. I plan to buy several copies of ALL of his books, to make sure I always have a replacement when one wears out from being read over and over and over again. These are quite a find!!!

I had to reiterate what the others who reviewed this series have stated. This is one of the best, if not the best, serial novels I've ever read. It's well written, scary, and fascinating. Well worth the time and you'll read it quickly. In regards to the person who asked about the 6 books being published as one, it was already done. I found the book in hard cover (2 volumes) at a yard sale and of course bought it immediately. I've never seen it in hardcover since, but am glad that I have it. My whole family passes around this story every year for a re-reading. If you want a good read, then pick up the Blackwater series. You won't be disappointed. If anyone finds it on audiobook, let me know. Michael McDowell has definitely left behind a story that will live on through those of us who love it and will recommend it to anyone who will listen. Thanks.

Is this series flawed? Sure. You can't crank 'em out like MM did and not miss some problems. Still, there is much here to enjoy. McDowell's creation is very evocative of the part of Alabama he writes about (I used to live there), and his characters avoid for the most part becoming the one-dimensional "types" so typical of popular fiction.

The characters are all engagingly drawn, quite distinctly individual without clunky self-conscious quirks nailed to them and dragged around the room like you will often find in precious contemporary literary fiction. The characters sometime come off as movie characters, but no more than, say, a John Updike character does, or a Bellow character. They are graceful, cruel, funny, ambiguous, dramatic. We finish the series not know quite how to regard Elinor Caskey, the amphibious Lovecraftian creature that crawls out of the floodwaters and insinuates herself into the Caskey clan. At best, she amoral.

McDowell's prose is a treat to read. He is precise and elegant, a far better craftsman than most if not all of his better-known contemporaries.

In short, this series is a real treat. I read it when it first came out in the early 80's, 25 years ago. I remembered very little, except for a single image, really--the image that occurs near the beginning of the first volume when the preacher woman stumbles upon Elinor soaking in a pool of water--in her froglike state. I loved rediscovering this series.

'The Flood', the first installment of Michael McDowell's Blackwater series, introduces us to 1919 Perdido, Alabama. Yes, a flood wipes out the town. But in its aftermath a mysterious woman appears who befriends the town's most prosperous family. As the narrative unfolds it becomes clear 'The Flood' is actually a southern gothic novel, along the lines of Anne Rice novels.

The best thing about 'The Flood' is how it captures the feel of early twentieth century Alabama. Not sentimental but rather balanced. I also think the author does an excellent job with the characterizations. However in truth the story itself is, well, slow. Never boring, just a slow yet deliberate meandering.


Bottom line: a short novel which begs the reader to buy the next installment in the series, which I did. Recommended.

Reading all these reviews of Michael McDowell's "Blackwater" series on Amazon really was a revelation. I thought I was the only one who loved these books! Now I hear that the Sci-Fi Channel is going to produce a four-hour mini-series based on it and I have to say...it's about time! I don't think four hours can do it justice, though when you consider that "Gone With The Wind" runs under four hours, maybe it'll be great. More importantly, this masterpiece of horror will reach a much wider audience... maybe even to the point of Avon re-releasing the whole series as one large paperback, like Stephen King's "The Green Mile."
One aspect of the story that I love is the duality of the main character, Elinor. Is she good or evil? Monster or angel? The reader feels conficting (and changing) emotions regarding her throughout the story, right to the very end, thanks to the brilliance of Mr. McDowell's writing. That schizophrenia is evident also in the style of the prose; Most often it is languid and lazy, in slow motion, reflective of life as perceived in the Old South. But whenever the horror starts, the paragraphs get longer, the prose gets more acute, and the images evoked are burned into your mind...often unpleasantly so. Then it slows down again, to disarm you until the next time.
I read in one review that the late Michael McDowell referred to himself as a 'hack' writer of pulp horror. Mr. McDowell, where ever you are, please regard these reviews at Amazon, note the five-star average rating (higher than many 'classic' novels), and know that "Blackwater" is etched in our memories, even after twenty years.

Well, I can't say anything less than great about the book because every page was useful. I read and reread the book several times to appreciate all of it since you get so much information without any thats garbage which is what most books contain when they are as thick as this one. The recipes I already had a chance to try to make were a success. This is only my 8th book in the culinary field so I am no expert but if my word means anything- i say get this book and learn A LOT!

I have been trying to buy a copy of this book on Amazon ever since hearing the authors speak at the Cascadia Culinary Arts conference here in Washington on May 22 (they were incredible) but it's been "out of stock" for weeks. VERY frustrating. I wish that I had bought a copy at the conference, but I didn't want to carry it around at the time. If I knew how hard it would be to find a copy, I would have! I spent two hours reading a friend's copy of "The New American Chef" and found it fascinating. The authors joked that it's the "Cliff Notes" of 10 different cuisines, but it's so much more. I love the idea of their "culinary compass" that they wrote about in the beginning of the book that maps out the way chefs cook today, and whether their focus is on experimentation or authenticity. It was obvious from their talk and from what I saw of this book that they think about food differently from other writers. I want my own copy!

As a fan of the Dornenburg and Page duo, I love their new book The New American Chef. I am also happy they expanded beyond restaurant chefs to include some of my favorite culinary writers in their roundtable of experts (Paula Wolfert, Corinne Trang and Julie Sahni are three of my favorites).

With summer here I am looking forward to making Jose Andres's "Gaspacho Andaluz" and Daniel Bouloud's "Cherry Gratin".

I only have one problem with this book. I am dying to order copies to take as house gifts this summer but it's been listed as "out of stock" on Amazon for the last three weeks.

A great book for year-round cooking or summer hammock reading.

THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF has a simple premise: Interview some of America's pre-eminent experts on 10 different cuisines (Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, Moroccan), and share their knowledge and insights with readers through honing them down into 35 fascinating pages per cuisine. The result? Readers are able to take an educational and delicious tour around the world through the histories, cultures and cuisines of 10 nations. This is a great book to read, and an even better book from which to cook, as it features dozens of recipes perfected by some of the country's best chefs and cookbook authors including Mario Batali, Rick Bayless, Daniel Boulud, Penelope Casas, Susan Feniger, Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Zarela Martinez, Mary Sue Milliken, Julie Sahni, Piero Selvaggio, Nina Simonds, Masa Takayama, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Paula Wolfert, Su-Mei Yu, and many more. This single volume can take the place of 10 tomes on your cookbook shelf. However, if you're looking for even more great reading about each of these cuisines, Nach Waxman (legendary owner of New York's infamous Kitchen Arts & Letters bookshop) provides his recommendations for further exploration at the end of each chapter. THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF is the perfect gift for the food lovers in your life (even yourself!).

Andrew and Karen are at it again! After writing excellent, provocative works such as two of my favorites: Becoming a Chef and Culinary Artistry, combine again to research and bring together this impressive volume sketching out the emerging New American Chef. Words like fusion and New World and other concepts seemed to fall short of what they were trying to get at, so this concept: New American Chef showcases ten world cuisines which bring there own philosophies and emphases and ingredients and techniques to these United States to combine with our burgeoning wealth of culinary talent to produce this wonderful new cuisine which this book showcases.

I can remember becoming first interested in high school when taking a date out on that impressive prom meal when gourmet was specific dishes, e.g. Steak Diane, etc. But now, there is such a wide variety of everything, with so many more choices of not only dishes, but cuisine specialty houses and more. This book gets to that. The mixture of cultures and global reach has brought us to this melting pot concept of gourmet. Here there are ten major world cuisines: Chineese, French, Mexican, Indian, Spanish, Moroccan, Italian, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese. Each of these is represented by its approach, similarities and specialties, then a representative recipe sampling.

While there is ample opportunity here to learn more about cuisines I'm already into: French, Moroccan, Italian, Mexican, Chineese, Japanese; there is certainly opportunity here to explore some new cuisine such as Thai, Indian, etc. although I'm not all that enthralled with them in my experience so far.

And just that is the beauty here, one doesn't have to be excited about all ten, or the majority of them. There is so much here to be learned and experimented with. The standards of each are explemfied in all: balance, aroma, harmony, seasonality, etc.

Recipes that caught my attention to make include: Deep-Fried Fillet of Trout(Masu no Agemono); Shrimp in "Crazy Water" (Gamberoni al'Acqua Pazza); Barcelona-Style Flounder with Raisins, Nuts, Lemon Butter and Anise; Cherry Gratin (Gratin aux Cerises); Maine Lobster Tail on Salsify with Pinot Noir Sauce, Vanilla Oil, and Crispy Leeks; Rock Candy-Ginger Short Ribs; Chile-Orange Cold Noodles; Braised Lamb Shanks with Masala Raan;Guajillo-Spiked Pork-and-Potato Tacos (Tacos de Puerco y Papas al Guajillo; Salmon Panang (Grilled Salmon in a Creamy Red Curry Sauce); Quail Bisteeya;Chicken Tajine with Prunes; Couscous Mango Mousse.

Many of the contributors are already great culinary friends and inspirations to millions: Batali, Bayless, Boulud, Feniger, Vongerichten, Wolfert to name a few. I'm sure many of the others will go on to such fame and become regular fixtures in this growing, wonderful world of cuisine.

With each cuisine there is ample background text as well as cookbook and other reference suggestions. No color photos, just the author's usual nice contrasty B&W but with unbelievably good text for chefs both pro and amateur.

This is definitely one to grow and have fun with. It proposes one choose a cuisine direction and then gives advice on that pursuit. An unusual and welcome addition and approach.

This book got me to a point where I was well prepared and confident walking into the exam. Its an excellent choice.

It was not for me, I've been working for the postal service for seven years, It was a gift for my brother and he raised the score from 78 to 91 by just followig this book tips... The best one in the market as of today.

This book/software package is an ideal purchase for individuals preparing to take the United States Postal Exam 473 & 473-C. The material is not only accurate and up-to-date, it's affordable, easy to follow, and comes with wonderful live customer service! This package takes you from the beginning to the end of this exam. It provides detailed information about each segment, strategies to overcome common obstacles, and finally simulates the actual exam with six practice tests. If you are serious about preparing for this exam, you want this book/software combo! Watch out for fraudulent companies! They are out there, and they will take your money. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way. The first company (which shall remain nameless in this review to avoid slander) stole my money by twisting the truth and providing me with irrelevant out-of-date material. If it had not been for the discovery of this book/package and Mr. T. W. Parnell's wonderful support team, I would have failed the exam. If you buy this package and follow the steps, you won't regret it! This book contains, "The Right Stuff!"

This book was really easy to follow and I felt really confident before and after my test. I think I had about a week and a half before my test to do this program and it seems just about right.I was so confident as I took the test, I finished with time to spare and went back and double checked myself. I took the test in 2005 and scored very well thanks to the book and computer program. I have had several interviews because I scored so well. I have had some questions along the way and they have been very helpful. The pathfinder people are very nice people to work with and very up up date on all their information. They communicate well and are quick to respond. I think they have many insiders that give them accurate information that the other books seem to not even have a clue on. You cannot go wrong with this. He gives you clues and tips to make it so easy to do. I have been to the library and read through many of the other books out there before I purchase this one. None of them compare to it in information and ease of use. Just buy it you won't be disappointed!

I bought the CD version of New Postal Exam 473 & 473-C Computer-Based Course (Paperback)by T. W. Parnell (Author), Susie Varner (Illustrator), from Amazon.com merchant wadsjk (http://www.amazon.com/shops/wadsjk). This study guide is great. It gives very helpful advice - even though I modified some Mr. Parnell's suggested strategies to suit my way of memorizing.

I bought the version of this book that came with a CD. The CD has a series of lessons (no substitute for reading the book as Mr. Parnell points out). The CD also allows you to simulate a test taking session. It includes instructions for taking the Exam (which are very similar to the real thing) and realistically times you on each part. The tests and answer sheets are in the book.

This Postal Exam is a TIMED TEST. It will be difficult to get through some of the sections of the Exam unless you practice. On one part of the Exam you are to make 60 responses in 6 minutes - 6 seconds per item! I have taken this Exam twice recently - six days apart. Even though I recieved Mr. Parnell's book two days prior to the first time I took the Exam, I completed 58 of the 60 items. Six days later I was able to complete all 60 on a different version of the Exam.

I'm confident the this book helped me score well on this Exam. I hope to update this review after the USPS sends me my scores.

Being a fan of Walter Lord's impeccably researched book "A Night to Remember," I was instantly intrigued upon learning of "The Night Lives On." I had had several lingering questions for years: why was an order given to turn the ship starboard when the iceberg eventually hit starboard? How, specifically, was the matter of the Californian's involvement dealt with? Which theories about "the gash" don't pan out? All of my questions and more were painstakingly answered as if I had asked Mr. Lord for an explanation myself. His ingenius weaving of history, statistics, personal testimonies, and logic, blended into an easily understandable format, made my love of the Titanic's story grow even more. Anyone can buy one book and know the generalities of the ship. But this book goes above and beyond to educate those already acquainted with the story and wanting a much more in-depth look.

WALTER LORD DOES IT AGAIN. HE BRINGS IT ALL TO LIFE. A MUST HAVE FOR ALL "TITANIC" FANS!

I picked up this audiocasette due to curiosity. The information packed tape was interesting, and even made me angry because this tragedy did not have to happen. Like people say, most tragedies are a string of unfortunate events coming together at the same time. I don't think the sinking of this liner is anything different. It gives a glimpse into the technological limitations of the day, the caste system of the gilded age, and the prevailing seaman's attitude of the time. After listening to this (and reading The Perfect Storm), my interest was certainly piqued. I ordered some books on the Titanic and the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, and can't wait until they get here.

Walter Lord follows up his best seller of the fifties-A Night to Remember--with this eighties version on some mysteries about the sunken liner. One learns about the musicians (two groups actually) and what they played that night while the life boats were being loaded. Another story details the negligence of the freighter Californian for not answering the eight rockets of distress from the Titanic. Another story details the shootings and suicide near the end of the launch of the last life boats. Still another story details why there were not enough life boats on the Titanic and most other ocean liners of the day. Walter Lord clears the air about these mysteries with his well informed writing.
If you want to know more about the Titanic, read both Lord's books on the subject (A Night to Remember, The Night Lives On). They will help the reader understand this tragedy. I have seen the movie and I know the producers consulted these books when they made the movie.

Calling this 'the sequel to _A Night to Remember_' is slightly misleading. Rather than the storytelling style employed to relate the story of the sinking of the Titanic, this is almost a collection of 17 1-chapter essays about various points of the disaster. Excellent stuff, but if you were expecting, say, the story of the Congressional and Parliamentary investigations of the disaster, you need to look elsewhere, e.g. Wyn Craig Wade's _The Titanic: End of a Dream_.

"Unsinkable Subject" - Overview of the popular fascination with Titanic.

"What's in a Name?" - The actual launching of Titanic from Harland & Wolff's shipyards.

"Legendary from the Start" - Titanic was indeed popularly supposed to be unsinkable, but the trend of sacrificing safety features for competitiveness had actually taken hold during her design.

"Had Ships Gotten Too Big for Captain Smith?" - Explores Smith's record, including a near-collision in harbor with Titanic's sister ship, the Olympic.

"Our Coterie" - The group of first class passengers, including Col. Gracie, mentioned in _A Night to Remember_.

"Everything Was Against Us" - Contrasts the ice warnings, lack of coordination between radio room & bridge, and lookouts, with the notion that the accident was a one-in-a-million chance.

"The Gash" - The collision itself.

"I Was Very Soft the Day I Signed That" - How and why ships the size of Titanic could legally sail while carrying so few lifeboats.

"What Happened to the Goodwins?" - Facts and figures about 1st class vs. 3rd, contrasting White Star's implication that those people down there couldn't understand English, with the Goodwin family (an electrical engineer and his family, emigrating from London to New York, all of whom were lost, including the 6-year-old).

"Shots in the Dark" - Explores the stories about Murdoch, one of the officers loading the lifeboats, and whether shots were fired.

"The Sound of Music" - An in-depth look at the "Nearer My God to Thee" myth, and the 2 bands on the Titanic. (I was aggravated to learn that that entire, touching sequence with the cornet in _Raise the Titanic!_, which I loved as a kid, was made up from whole cloth - the musicians were just as courageous as the movie made them out to be, but no cornet players.) And if you're a professional musician who thinks *your* agent is heartless, wait till you read this.

"She's Gone" - Compares the eyewitness accounts of Titanic's last moments with what we now know.

"The Electric Spark" Captain Rostron of the Carpathia, who picked up the survivors at great personal risk.

"A Certain Amount of Slackness" Discussion of Captain Lord (no relation to the author) of the Californian, in sharp contrast to the preceding chapter.

"Second-guessing" - The inquiries and subsequent litigation (Lord's treatment of Senator Smith should be contrasted with Wade's more detailed treatment, but then Wade has a whole book to play with).

"Why Was Craganour Disqualified?" What happened to some of the survivors. (Craganour, owned by a member of the Ismay family, was disqualified from winning a major British horse race.)

"Unlocking the Ocean's Secret" - The search for the Titanic, leading up to Robert Ballard's successful attempt in 1985 (written before others began plundering the ship for relics).

I thought this was a good book, and I do think John Walsh does great things for the missing. I prefer him in person, than reading his book. It was a little too intense for me.

John Walsh got across his feelings and made the reader feel them as well. The book was almost impossible to put down. It never lost my attention once. I wished there was more when I reached the last summary. I thought this book was even better than his first. I cannot wait for the third.

Apart from the traditional American emotional hype that John Walsh brings to this book, it is a good read.
it is good to see he used his anger in a positive way and he definately serves the community in a special way. We need more like him.

I grew up in Westfield, New Jersey where John List murdered his family. I remember clearly how these murders created fear in our town. He hid from authorities for nearly 20-years before America's Most Wanted aired a profile that led to his capture. This is just one of the stories in this book that would get 10-stars if ...(this website) gave out that many. John Walsh deserves a lot of credit for his great work, and this is a book everyone should read.

Be advised that the first story will haunt you for days. It is very disturbing. John Walsh is a modern day hero who sets out to put lowlifes where they belong....behind bars!! God Bless Mr. Walsh, and long may he reign!

I have read many of John McPhee's works. They are all excellent and captivating. He writes on so many subjects, it is amazing that they are all great. No wonder he teaches at Princeton, or did as I remember.

This time John McPhee turns his hand to one of those
anomalous natural treasures that has survived in
spite of intense urbanization. The Pine Barrens are
two-thirds of a million acres-an area the size of
Yosemite that sit beside a major artery of the most
developed region in the country. With the New Jersey
Turnpike to the west and bustling, chintzy Atlantic
City to the East, it's hard to imagine that this great,
weird wilderness could be so little known.

McPhee is the perfect guide to the Pines. He is as
sensitive to the natural history as he is to the
culture. He has a sympathetic ear for both the natives
and the outsiders who wander in from time to time. He's
a writer who can focus on a detail-a threatened fern or
the quality of water and then pull back to the big picture.

A thoroughly entertaining book.


--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and
the novel bang BANG. ISBN 9781601640005

Those of us from the Northeast know that wilderness can be found if you're willing to hit the road and search for it, and also that it's precious and worth protecting from the onslaught of industry and sprawl. But even those familiar with the region's wilderness offerings will be surprised by the natural bounty and remoteness of New Jersey's Pine Barrens area. The masterful essayist John McPhee published this travelogue and study of the area back in 1967, when the depths of the Pine Barrens still offered genuine seclusion form the outside world, with hardy folks still living off the land by picking berries or making charcoal. And this beautiful area was surrounded on all sides by the most urbanized and industrialized blight on Earth. Things aren't quite so rustic there anymore, but reading McPhee's engaging treatise on the area should make modern folks wish to both visit the Pine Barrens area as a valuable slice of nature, and to protect it as a precious and dwindling resource. That's what makes this short but lovable book from the great McPhee a timeless classic for nature lovers. [~doomsdayer520~]

My wife gave me this book in 1978, and I devoured it in one evening. I have since been all over the world, and no matter where I go, the pines are always the reference point for me. My teen years were spent in the pines, with my good friend Tom, where we would travel its dirt roads, canoe its streams and fish its lakes, and hike its trails and roads. Mr. McPhee weaves a story that is so true, so historically rich, and for me, so reminiscent of the years of my youth. Please read this book, and then go and make your own memories.

I'll keep this short and sweet: McPhee's The Pine Barrens is an entirely outstanding, fascinating look at the unique area that is the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. McPhee covers Piney culture, the unique ecological nature of the region, its history, and its hidden treasures. The writing is poetic and rich, the people interesting, and the information detailed, thorough and never dull. A really great read that anyone living in NJ should get.

One of the most essential reference books that every Christian should have in their library. Whether you consider yourself as "gifted" in the prophetic or not, you need this book.

If you've ever had a dream or vision that you didn't understand OR you clearly knew that your dream/vision was from God and you had more questions than answers. This book will help you discover the meaning of the images you've been given.

This wasn't quite what I thought it would be. I had assumed that it would be a dictionary of every possible mental image and dream I had, and it is sorely lacking in that, but what it does give is a lot of well-researched things that are part of church life and Biblical life. Interesting book.

This book is indeed a must-have item as a study tool. I've found it to be very detailed and clearly written. I highly recommend this book to others.

From what I've read and for the purposes that I've had to use it for this book is relevant and very necessary to the spiritually inclined!!!

I think that this book is excellent for people that are called to be prophets and prophetess. This has really helped me to understand my call and why I face some of the things that I have. It also explains the anatomy of it and its origin which makes it excellent.

A book loaded with great & useful information. A lot of research has been undertaken on the history of Reiki & presented in this book. It is very interesting to see the difference in traditional Japanese Reiki & what is in the West today. I find this book to be an excellent reference. Thanks go out to the authors.

Even though I was already a Reiki Master when I read this book, I learned some wonderful things! A well thought out book of history and details (I especially love the early section with illustrations covering the order of strokes for writing in Japanese characters) that will help Reiki students of all levels. I never want to stop developing with Reiki and this book certainly furthered my education! Well done and many thanks!!!!

Since beginning my journey into Reiki, I have come to realize that although the actual act of doing Reiki is easy (anyone can do it), that if you really want to delve into the practice you have to go searching for answers. Along the way, I have come across a number of very good resources and have developed some favorite authors, persons who I expect quality research that informs me about various Reiki subjects while also presenting their information in a way that will actually help me grow as a person, as a practitioner, and as a Reiki Master. Quite a tall order, indeed.

Bronwen and Frans Stiene are at the top of this list. Their work is consistently well-informed. I also find their topics quite interesting. More importantly, I find it easy to translate what I read in their books directly to my own growth and purposes.

The Reiki Sourcebook is a great general resource that should be on every Reiki practitioner's bookshelf. Topics explored range from basic information and the history of Reiki through courses and an explanation of the complexity of lineages to specific Japanese and Western Reiki techniques.

Very impressed with The Reiki Source Book. This book discusses the original Reiki. It is a well balanced presentation that brought forth many of Usui's original intentions of being a spiritual path as well as a method of healing. It did an excellent job of presenting the paths of Reiki that had developed over time. Quite an eye opener. All paths are presented with respect and balance. This book had wonderful explanations that help the reader gain a new perspective.

Bronwen and Frans Stiene wrote an intriguing work entitled "The Reiki Sourcebook," which consist roughly 350 pages and four parts and appendices. The authors did a wonderful research into the history of Reiki as well the Western and Japanese Reiki techniques. Not only that, they also discerned and discussed the difference between traditional (Usui Method) and non-traditional knowledge of Reiki, and touched upon the origins of each.

I found this book to be strongly resourceful and insightful on the subject of Reiki. Personally, I had never taken a Reiki class and only heard of the term in passing. I came upon this book as both curiosity and of possible interest in pursuing this teaching. Of this book, I found it to be strongly helpful for a beginner of Reiki or just someone (such as myself) who seek to know more about the Reiki system.

This book is well worth the effort and worth the read as it is literally packed with information on the subject, and I found it to be quite informative.

I've read a few books about reincarnation, but this one has to be one of the best. It's well written and it tells it from all sorts of angles. Even the statistics are there, while it also managed to speak to my heart in a way none of the others did.

I received the book just a few days after ordering it. I immediately got an email responding to my order explaining everything clearly. The service was the best. Very responsible and reliable person!!

the book is a very fast read. It contains data from many researchers on the subject, especially how other cultures view reincarnation, which is very informative but it begs for more. The stories described are fun to read.

I ordered 5 books from Amazon on this topic. This one was by far the best. Some of the others got really boring really fast, but this book had me captivated from start to finish. It certainly was a very comforting book to read. Since I got it over a year ago, it has not been in my house because everyone I know wants to borrow it! I hope to get it back soon to re-read!

If reincarnation is real, and if we develop deep bonds as soul families, then it makes sense that at least some of the time we would reincarnate right back into the same family to work out unfinished business. This is the premise of Carol Bowman's book, Return From Heaven, and she offers numerous true accounts of children whose parents observed behaving and speaking and thinking like good ol' granddad, or auntie so-and-so. Many people, even those who don't normally believe in reincarnation or past lives, have wondered whether the infant in their arms wasn't the returned soul of an aged or not-so-aged relative recently deceased--anyone who has entertained such a thought will enjoy Return From Heaven. I found this book simply fascinating, and I'm sure that many who read it will begin to run over in their minds the behavior of their children and realize that they have been parenting and nurturing someone deeply familiar to them--their own nearest and dearest.

Richard Salva--author of Soul Journey from Lincoln to Lindbergh [UNABRIDGED]

This book is awesome and very readable. Being so clearly written and straight to the point, it makes for a quick read and serves as a great reference.

While geared towards a business environment, the survival guide is written from a unique perspective which gives deep insight into the psychology of managers and coworkers.

I truly wish I had "Sink or Swim" for my first job. That would have helped me to avoid so many small mistakes which I was totaly oblivious to. It's just jam packed full of useful tips which coworkers usually won't tell you.

Even after two years in my current position, I found that reading this book gave ideas to naturally improve my professional image without any major effort or changes!

Definitely recommended for any professional employee - regardless of rank.

Within the first week of starting my new job at a startup internet company, I came across this book and it made all the difference. Working at a startup can often be disjointed, especially since we didn't have an office to call our own. By incorporating some of the advice in my weekly routines, I created a structure for myself that I continue to follow. The advice was clear, concise and right on.

This is definitely a must-read for anyone starting a new job.

Pay no attention to Jeffnc, the bitter reviewer from SC! I live in SF and have no idea who the Sidells are, but this book is fascinating! Follow everything they say week by week,a nd you'll get that "This is going very well" at your 90-day review just like me! What's more, you look not only super organized with this book on your desk, but also super-conscientious....I brought this book into a one on one with the boss, and I cracked the book and said "I'd like to talk about my career goals.." she asked me what the book was...she was impressed!

"Sink or Swim" is the book that I wish I had when I started in the working world over 18 years ago! It is a simple, step-by-step tool that shows new hires how to "get it right in 12 weeks". The week-by-week approach gives individuals the opportunity to set good habits and strategies that can be applied throughout one's career. This book has been very helpful to me as an HR professional in getting my recent college graduate new hires to better engage with the company and job they accepted within it! I would highly recommend this book.

This book is perfect for new college graduates or inexperienced employees starting new jobs. Milo and Thuy Sindell provide a wealth of information about proper business conduct and etiquette, including a checklist for recommended activities during your first 12 weeks on the job. Although the material is basic and somewhat repetitive (just like a start-up job), we think the book would make a great gift for anyone who is just beginning to learn the workplace ropes.