The Tick Books

We're thrilled to join Tick & Tock on their adventures! With the amazing illustrations it's almost as if we're right next to them. So there's another book in the works? We're so there!!!

GREAT STORY! This was a fun read and a great length for a bedtime story. The pictures are very colorful and are quick to grab you and your child's attention. The story line is fun and whimsical and is an easy read outloud. I enjoyed interjecting my own voices for Tick, Tock, Tommy, and the narrator. My 4 year old daughter already wants book two read to her tonight (I had to tell her it's not out yet....so she's settled for book one again...and again....and again....and.....). We all can't wait to see what happens next. NICE JOB!

This is a great kids' book. It is perfect for reading aloud to little ones, and also perfect for older kids to read for themselves. The illustrations are incredible with unbelievable detail and color. I think elementary teachers and librarians should have copies of this book to share. COOL BOOK!

If you're looking for a book your kids will love and that you will love reading with them, look no further. Here it is!!! Tick and Tock are delightful imps; their friend Tommy is a precious little boy; and their adventures will delight you and your kids (or grandkids) while teaching them a valuable lesson about getting along with others. And the colorful drawings are more than half the fun. Brent Evans truly has a gift for taking you inside the secret world of clock pixies with his beautifully drawn pictures. Tick and Tock are sure to be on everyone's list of favorites.

I loved the story. I loved reading it, knowing the children in my life were going to love it and get a kick out of the pictures and the adventures of Tick & Tock. My 3-year-old niece wants to know what happens next...I can't wait for the next book.

This book was wonderful! It had lots of information but it was also a story of someone's life. I would recommend this book to anyone!!

Dr. Schapiro's dry wit make this tough subject a great read. Her trials make a person feel fortunate to have kids. Her story make a person trying to have kids realize there are others out there- and some worse off than you! She is hilarious with an emotional subject and an inspirational woman. Buy this book for yourself, your sister, your girlfriend!

Tick Tock is good story about infertility from a doctors point of view.
It isn't scientific or will help you with your infertility, but it makes you feel better that other people have issues too.

If you have had or are having fertility problems, this book lets you know that you are not alone. For me being able to relate to something is key and I could definetly relate to the characters struggles. Sounds corny, but this book made me laugh and cry. Good read!

This book is a "great read". Though I am sure it is very helpful and comforting to people going through fertility problems, anyone would enjoy it. It is very well written, (rare enough these days); as well as poignant, touching and just plain funny! I hope Dr. Schapiro writes more books!

After reading this book several times, my enthusiasm for it just continues to grow. This book is one of the most monumental assets to mountaineering since "The White Spider, The Story of the North Face of the Eiger." It raises the bar on climbing levels and performance to such heights that even experienced mountain climbers will get shivers reading some of the stories. It exposes a cross section of the best climbers in Amercia while telling stories of their favorite ascents. Anyone who enjoys mountaineering books or adventure books will consider this a asset to their library, and it is so readable that anyone who picks it up will have trouble putting it down. What a book! 5 Stars..

One more book for armchair climbers. It's a good book, but it's basically useless to the real weekend warriors. With the noted exception of Lynn Hill and 2 or 3 others, all the climbers in this book are offering routes that are way beyonb the ability of the average climber. Yes, they are professional climbers, and yes, they want to show off their greatest achievements; so if this book will make you dream, it won't make you want to get up and follow in their footsteps !

I just got my copy of Fifty Favorite Climbs in the mail. What a book! Much to the dislike of my family, I read it cover to cover over the weekend. After reading it, I am so inspired to climb and explore. The book profiles 50 elite climbers and describes their all time favorite mountain and rock climbs. The author does an exceptional job at capturing the personality of each climber, and then tells a wonderful story that explains why the climb is such a favorite.

The book is also BEAUTIFUL. It includes over 150 color photos, and not just shots taken by the author. Most are from renowned outdoor photographers. This is a unique book and a great gift idea for anyone with an interest in rock climbing and mountaineering.

Fifty Favorite Climbs is simply outstanding! Imagine the mountaineering marvel, "50 Classic Climbs" combined with intriguing biographies on 50 notable climbers of today, all tied together with compelling writing and outstanding photography. As one who has and dragged his camera all over Yosemite, the Cascades, Smith Rock, etc. since the 70's, I can tell you that the photography alone makes this book a must have.

Clear my calendar! I'm fired up and going climbing!

50FC is a terrific book about climbing, but it really plays to a much broader audience. Its about climbing and specific ascents, but then climbing and ascents are really about a whole lot more. The book has absolutely killer photos, clear maps laying out the technical aspects of each ascent, portraits and profiles of the individual climbers, and very readable discussion about each particular climb and climber being profiled. The various chapters are each a separate world, laying out the geography of climbing and the broad differences between one face and another, as unique as the characters and personalities involved. The author is a climber who took a number of the photos himself, so this is told from the POV of someone who knows what climbing is about, but not in a condescending way (no pun). Kroese writes clearly, so that anyone can get excited about what's happening up above. I have never climbed, which is what makes 50FC even more intriguing. Its about 50 distinct challenges, and the different ways people plan and conquer those challenges. The methods and process draw a good parallel to any sport, or even business. An inspiring view of high-altitude acheivement. A great book to give someone as a gift. But keep a copy for yourself.

Tick's work is leading edge on turning healing back to the heart/mind/body connection. He not only gives the historical background to substantiate using this method, he has practical approaches to understanding the messages from the soul.
It should be a mandatory read for all allopathic doctors to help break us out of the mechanistic/drug treatment system. It is time for individuals to seek out and restore our healing dreams. Excellent book - best on the subject that I have found.

For two thousand years, temples dedicated to Asklepios were active in all the Mediterranean world. Dreamwork was at the center of these places of healing. Flocks of people would come to the sacred premises, the most famous one being at Epidauros, in the Peloponnese, to sleep in their rooms and receive guidance from the God of Healing. His messages would then be interpreted by priests. Like Jesus, Asklepios was half-man, half-divine, he strolled around in sandals, delivering a message of healing and performing miracles. In spite of his resemblance to the Christian Savior, asklepian temples were to be destroyed after the Nicean Creed edicted by the roman emperor Constantine in 325 of our era.

The Practice of Dream Healing is an accessible account of the dreaming tradition of the Mediterranean world at a time in history that was rich with mysteries. Edward Tick makes us visit one after the other the asklepian temples and describes their histories and their practices through the two thousand years the dreaming tradition was alive.

The last part of the book is a modern pilgrimage through the asklepian temples and the description of a personal spiritual awakening to their power. The author is a transpersonal psychotherapist and his anecdotes of healing sheds light on how the ancient dreaming tradition of Asklepios can be incorporated in our times.

This is a very well-written book even if scholarly and of particular interest to people involved in dreamwork or passionate with ancient history.

What I found most interesting about this book was its fascinating combination of material associated with travel writing, in this case on Greece, and its integration with a discussion of the relationship between ancient Greek mythology and contemporary healing practices. The effort to combine those two different genres is quite unusual and made the book an especially interesting "read."

I've read a lot of books in the area of archetypal psychology. This is a great one. Asklepios is a fascinating figure (note: his emblem is usually one snake around a stick. Mercury--god of commerce among other things-- has two snakes. This difference is potentially tellng in and of itself, but another story) What struck me is how prevelant a god and healer Asklepios was at one time. In this current culture, dreamwork still has a tinge of being somewhat marginal to health and even slightly indulgent. Tick successfully describes how this was not always the case. Previously, dream visions were primary, with the medical applications an important secondary process. Speaking of the medical aspect of Asklepios's worship, I found it interesting how modern objective medicine originally found its support in Asklepian temples.
Tick combines his knowledge of Greek history with his psychological practice. The descriptions of his travels in Greece and the pilgrimmages he leads really show the logistics and the ups and downs of being a modern seeker. While reading the book, I started to get a little bored with the drawn out historical chapters, but I must say, in retrospect, that they are essential groundwork to the personal stories and experiences that follow. In general, this is a very rewarding book.

I give this book five stars, and not because I am quoted in it. In _The Practice of Dream Healing: Bringing Ancient Greek Mysteries into Modern Medicine_, Dr. Edward Tick takes us on a journey-literally and figuratively. Mixing travelogue, psychotherapy, and mythology, Tick's book brings us to ancient Greek, where Asklepios, the ancient Greek god of healing, was believed to have worked through dreams. _The Practice of Dream Healing_ is in fact a "spiritual" critique of the entire medical profession as it has evolved in a society dominated by scientific and technological thinking.

This book is the culmination of years of psychologically counseling patients, and years of traveling to Greece with patients and with friends to explore and seek solace in the hot dust of Athens, the cool caves of Elysium, the cutting mountains of Crete. A highly skilled travel writer who has written several pieces for _The New York Times_, Dr. Tick has authored a book that is learned yet wholly accessible. The reader is a valued member of the group, and will find many unexpected turns and interesting "sites"-psychological, mythological, historical, geographical, religious-along the way.

Having read every issue of "Searching Together" magazine (edited by Jon Zens) since I first discovered it 15 years ago, I have come to appreciate the clarity, the graciousness and the wisdom and practical insights that Jon brings to the discussion around church life. While there have been a plethora of recent books on the subject of church, in this brief little gem consisting of 4 "essays", Jon distills his many years of study, observations and experience with helping many assemblies throughout the world.

In just over 100 pages, Jon brilliantly exposes the heart of what passes for "church life" in today's North American landscape. The titles of the 4 essays are:
* A Church Building Every 1/2 Mile
* A Letter to a Politician About Real Church
* Four Tragic Shifts on the Visible Church
* A "Churchless Faith"

In the first essay, Jon explores the question: "Why are there so many church buildings?" I'm amazed at how so few Christians pause to consider the billions of dollars that are tied up in church buildings. As Zens notes, an "enormous and inordinate amount of revenue is required to build, maintain and expand ecclesiastical structures." (29) and rightly asks, "Are expensive buildings in line with the Kingdom of the One who had no place to lay his head? Shouldn't our financial resources be poured into *helping people in need*, rather than into *erecting and maintaining institutions* ... ?" (30).

After questioning and challenging this central tenet ("the intense identification of Christianity with multitudes of buildings"), Jon goes on to examine the "one man" clerical system: "A great deal of Christianity in America is *personality-based*. People will drive for miles to hear what certain preachers have to say." (39). The problems inherent in such an unbiblical approach to leadership and ministry is firmly but lovingly challenged by Jon's incisive analysis. In the course of this analysis, Jon critiques other fixtures of modern Christianity: denominationalism, the pulpit and preaching, seminaries, and tithing (to finance the whole religious machinery).

But this is no cold and detached analysis, for interspersed in his logical arguments are his burden for the pain and hurt that the system inflicts on "clergy" and "laity" alike.

His closing thoughts on how the average person chooses a church to attend rings all too true and sadly reflects the muddled thinking that is so pervasive. I love the extended quotation from Frederick Buechner that nicely captures the essence of what Jon has to say, particularly this line: "... the best thing that could happen to many a church might ... to have its building burn down and to lose all its money. Then all that the people would have left would be God and each other."

In the second essay, Jon responds to Jesse Ventura, former governor of Minnesota, who asserted that "organized religion is a sham". Unlike the shrill and predictable knee-jerk reaction of many evangelical leaders, Jon's response is calm, reasoned and gracious. He begins by agreeing with Ventura: "You are absolutely right on this point. What passes as the visible institution belonging to Jesus Christ is, in fact, far removed in key matters from anything the Head of the church revealed to be his will. Organized religion is a sham for the simple reason that it has - for various historical and cultural reasons - abandoned the clear teaching of Christ in the New Testament regarding the very nature of the body of Christ." (79) Jon then goes on to succinctly explicate what went wrong. Hopefully Mr. Ventura took the time to read Jon's letter and came away with a more accurate picture of what Christianity is, rather than the caricature that he condemns.

The third essay provides a historical perspective on "Four Tragic Shifts" in church life, namely:
* from a "dynamic organism" to "an increasingly hardened institution with a "fixed and complex hierarchy"
* from "polyform ministry" to a "uniform" structure of clergy-led ministry
* from a "suffering" body to a state religion, an "institution at ease"
* from a "vulnerable" body dependent on the Holy Spirit to a powerful institution that "trusted in itself"

Despite clear evidence and biblical support for these claims, I fear many Christians will simply carry on with their in-grained habits. As Jon notes, "We claim to take Christ's revelation about the church in the New Testament seriously, yet the reality is that too often we are more attached to *the inherited way of doing things* - which is based on human traditions.

The book closes with a final essay critiquing a book review of Alan Jamieson's "A Churchless Faith: Faith Journeys Beyond the Churches".

This is NOT an angry missive, but a loving call to the Church to fulfill her true calling and to live out that calling in a commensurate manner worthy of the Lord, and to grow into full maturity as the Bride of Christ. It is concise, irenic and motivated by Jon's deep desire for the Church to free itself from the legacy of man-made traditions to express itself as the Body of Christ in all its simplicity and glory.

Highly recommended!

I have been given the enormous privilege of knowing Jon Zens & would like to contribute to this work in some small way -- a task which I do not take lightly.

"A Church Building Every ½ Mile" is sadly the reality not just in the US, but here in Australia too. I believe it has been written from a place of great pain prophetically, combined with a reckless and brutal honesty as Jon sees & addresses with eagle-eyes the massive flaws that define the institutional church in the western world in our day.

We are such a far cry from what is revealed in God's Word, & we are so damaged collectively & individually as a result of this that I have at times bordered on despair.

In this relatively small but poignant volume, Jon stresses the importance of capturing the Essence & Spirit of church life -- that being Christ Himself, and seeks to re-direct our gaze back to our Saviour, as opposed to any other who would usurp that role either knowingly or otherwise. He asserts quite rightly that until we do this we will not be fleshing out God's plan for us of being His own holy & blood-bought Ekklesia, in the truest sense of that word.

Writings such as these are a fresh breeze, and a reminder that our Lord & King IS very much alive & active among us, and he is working out His will in spite of us. The pruning has begun. Dead branches & leaves are being swept away, and Jesus is preparing for Himself His Bride. Only that which pulsates with the very life & soul of Almighty God will remain attached to His Vine, and that which has sought to sit in His seat will be swept away and burned like chaff.

So long as the role of the modern day pastor goes unchecked in our midst we will continue to cut a tragic figure, & be the limp, lame & muted mockery that we are now, and this dying world & it's twisted ruler will continue to ridicule us and rightly so! We are a joke in our current state and need to deal honestly and sternly with the core issues such as are presented in this book BEFORE we can even begin to recover, and rise up to become a fit Bride for God's holy & beloved Son.

I see this book as part warning / part call to repentance. I believe that God is saying through Jon something along the lines of "I see you. I have located you. You are not in a right place. Come back." I would strongly suggest that those who have been `playing church,' enjoying their elevated positions among God's people while basking in their status & power in their man-made temples begin to hear, because grace is being extended now but God will not strive with us forever.

I would like to thank you, Jon, for your willingness in hearing God's voice & heart, and for your faithfulness in consistently articulating His Word to us in spite of the fact that quite often in doing so you would likely be alienating the majority.

As I reread "A Church Building Every ½ Mile", I was again moved by Mr. Zens's heart on the matter of what we call church. His vision is to recapture the oneness of fellowship that early believers enjoyed amongst one another, and to stop focusing so much on the complex trappings that sin has generated in the church over the years. Some specific examples of where he wants to see change are the following:
He longs for the unity of first century believers, rather than the divisive spirit of congregationalism.
He would rather see finances to go toward helping those in need than constructing buildings.
He wants the focus of the church be on the loving relationships among its members, rather than on the attributes of the pastor.

For me, the most powerful part of the book is his observation that pastors are usually considered qualified for ministry by their credentials rather than their character. Such men are often inexperienced, and all the knowledge they have from their studies doesn't necessarily indicate the depth of their walk with God.
All through, he critiques the trappings of church that have built up over the ages, and calls us to return to the body that Jesus founded. What he wants is for Christians from all churches to apply the "desert island challenge" to church; to ask themselves "If I were on a desert island with no knowledge or tradition but God's instructions in the Bible, what would my church look like?"

To those who, like me, are reexamining the role of institutional structures in their spiritual lives, as well as those simply curious about recent upheavals in church demographics, Jon Zens offers a dose of hard, yet compassionately-delivered reality in his new book "A Church Building Every 1/2 Mile".

This engaging work delivers insight and information beyond what you'd expect from its short length, and I anticipate it will be of great value; both in terms of understanding how the we got from the simplicity of first-century church to the complex structures we have today, and how those structures affect the spiritual life of those living within them. I found myself nodding enthusiastically as I read Jon's examination of clergy in isolation, depression and burnout, recalling the countless hours my wife and I have spent ministering to pastors with no place to turn.

If you sense there's something wrong with continuing "church as usual", if you're tired of self-help and "church growth" books that promise help for the church but fail to challenge its root problems, if you desire truth and are willing to have your presuppositions challenged, I recommend this book.

Kyle Knapp, Recording Artist, Former denominational clergy, House church leader
(also check out our podcast interview with author Jon Zens on "Tuesday Conversations" at [...]

Book #2, To Face Danger and Mystery, was a hillarious read and my three daughters LOVED IT! Book one was a blast with a neat story line and introduction BUT...book 2 really brings more life to the characters and keeps children of all ages (i.e., adults) entertained. A highly recommended read as a nighttime routine.

My son loves this book along with the first one. Since he is learning to tell time this book has helped with his interest in learning. The unique stories of Tick and Tock are a nice change from the typical books in our bookcase! We are looking forward to #3!

Our son loved the first Tick & Tock and continued to ask us about number two. How excited he was, when we recieved To Face Danger and Mystery! The graphics fill the pages and are fantastic! The story is so much fun and of course, we have to read it again & again!! Our son wants to know about number three?

The first book "One Night Dark and Stormy" opens your kids eyes to the new world of Tick & Tock. This second in the series really draws your kids into a unique mystery of adventure and fun. My daughter continuously requests Tick & Tock as part of her nightly reading. The illustrations are amazing bringing the characters to life. If you like to read to your kids at night, start buying Tick & Tock tales, my daughter loves them.

Dr. Czerner brings us up to date about the discoveries and theories laymen need to understand about the brain. The fascinating result is just what he promises, that we can never think the same way again about how the brain thinks. Indeed, there is much more mechanical stuff there than is to be believed. He interweaves a lot of difficult science with a light touch and friendly air. All scientists and science writers need to learn to write like this, taking the jargon out while preserving the mysteries, miracles, and majesty of the brain and the neuro-scientists who have learned so much about it during the past fifty years.

Contrary to conventional wisdown, thousands of new neurons arrive at your frontal lobes every day. Our daily experiences can literally change our mind, rerouting paths which were once believed to be hard-wired. As the author puts it (pg 3), "Sadly, reports of this research are relished almost exclusively by a small community of neuroscientists." And as he quotes (pg 173) Daniel Dennett , "vision requires expectations". A professor of Ophtalmology in San Francisco, his writing is not only clear and vivid, but also his breadth of knowledge and his insights are among the things that makes this book a delight to read. There will be so many fascinating things you will learn from this book that I could hardly recommend it more. Your neuronal paths will not remain the same.

For quite some time I have been searching for a book that explains 'how' the brain works in simple although not simplistic terms. Too many books spend too much time on tangents of debatable psychology or hotly contentious theories currently in vogue. This book hits the nail on the head. It provides enough historical information to put the subject matter in context. It describes enough of the current theories to give the reader an idea of the current state of research. It uses wit and humour in such a way as to make the subject matter easy to relate to. It answers the questions such as 'what exactly happens when we see things' by following the chain of events from the point at which a photon reaches our eye and then provides an understandable, yet scientific / biological / mechanical explanation of the series of events that follow. Significant detail (down to the molecular level) is provided without boring the reader and is also presented in the context of 'the big picture'. Other science writers should read this book and learn from Czerner's writing style. A tasteful blend of biology, chemistry, psychology, philosophy and wit. This book will make you want to read more on the subject. My only disappointment is that Czerner hasn't published more!

For quite some time I have been searching for a book that explains 'how' the brain works in simple although not simplistic terms. Too many books spend too much time on tangents of debatable psychology or hotly contentious theories currently in vogue. This book hits the nail on the head. It provides enough historical information to put the subject matter in context. It describes enough of the current theories to give the reader an idea of the current state of research. It uses wit and humour in such a way as to make the subject matter easy to relate to. It answers the questions such as 'what exactly happens when we see things' by following the chain of events from the point at which a photon reaches our eye and then provides an understandable, yet scientific / biological / mechanical explanation of the series of events that follow. Significant detail (down to the molecular level) is provided without boring the reader and is also presented in the context of 'the big picture'. Other science writers should read this book and learn from Czerner's writing style. A tasteful blend of biology, chemistry, psychology, philosophy and wit. This book will make you want to read more on the subject. My only disappointment is that Czerner hasn't published more!

Wow! This book had me laughing and then I relaized how true it is to Chicago's broker world. Check this book out because it has a couple memorable characters that you will not soon forget.

A great quick read. An entertaing book, especially for those of us in the Chicago area. It is an inside look at the high stakes game of being a "broker". And it's a bet that it is closer to reality than fiction!

Truly this book qualifies as an undiscovered gem! It is a superbly written quick witted tale of high finance set on Chicago's own version of Wall St. I'm definitely keeping an eye on this up and coming young writer.

It's true: many of us only write in a journal when we're unhappy, mad, ticked off. Journals are so good for that kind of catharsis. Joan Mazza's guided journal, Things That Tick Me Off, may be where you turn when you need a safe place to ventilate, but because Mazza is so skilled at what she does, you'll likely end up feeling much more relaxed. You might even tap into some creativity while you're emoting according to the many prompts she provides.

Divided into chapters that cover such hot button stress areas as work, personal life, and world affairs, this book also has a lot to say about how to transform your anger into something that can do you -- and maybe others -- some good. A great starting point if journaling is new to you, and a good new beginning if you've become bored with your same old diary.

In my own life, I've found that focused, "one subject" journals like this can be enormously helpful and satisfying. As if anger didn't swoosh over into ALL areas at times! It's even possible that by tapping into all that fury and frustration, you might be able to convert what you come up with into something creative. A story, a poem, a letter?

This journal is unusual in that it helps its reader to identify and examine anger triggers. It is a great source of information on anger and provides a path to anger management. I can see how it would help anyone to become a master of their emotions.
...

I am a psychotherapist in private practice who has utilized "Things that tick me off" as a therapeutic tool with several clients. It has been a remarkable asset in their quest to get in touch with internalized and externalized anger. Many of the exercises assist in appropriately re-directing anger, allowing clients to reconfigure their lives and move toward a healthier and happier life.

I had the opportunity to hear Trapper speak at the Boise Power series in SLC a few months ago. He is a tremendous speaker!! Tick Tock is an excellent book in solving the challenge of creating balance. The exercises are great and the stories are truly engaging. I would recommend this to anyone.

I had the opportunity to hear Trapper speak at the Boise Power Series in SLC. He was superb! By far the most engaging speaker in the group - and I received a copy of this wonderful book. After having worked through it....I am online to buy some for gifts! Don't miss out on this!

I've had the good fortune of attending a seminar by Trapper Woods in the late 90's and have waited for several years for him to write a book. He was by far the most gifted speaker I'd ever heard and his message was one that helped me immeasurably in my professional and personal life.

The message in this book is profound. Regardless of how much "stuff" we've accumulated in our lives, regardless of how much money we earn, the real key to happiness and productivity is to live in accordance with our values. What is most beneficial about "Tick Tock, Who Broke the Clock", are the exercises that force us to look deep inside and (sometimes painfully) grade ourselves on how we're measuring up. Based upon our deepest core values, we then establish activities that help us bridge the gap between where we are and where we need to be in order to live a life of congruency.

Thank you Trapper and Bill for this gem of a book. Your message is powerful and deep. Very very well done!