Stations Books

We hadread the first book of Ms. Cunningham's new trilogy, The "Daugther of the Isles" and read it aloud & loved it!! So, wewent & found this earlier work ..which is also about spirituality & nature & the Goddess & is peopled by amazing characters. We can not reccomend it enough!!!

THE RETURN OF THE GODDESS is my all-time favorite book. Author Robert Kelly called it a "celebration of how four remarkable people grow into godhood, the journal all love tries to make". I grew to love these four unforgetable characters. The story is also called "a divine comedy", and I laughed my way through it. I celebrated Esther's journey to self discovery and personal growth--and related to it--and most women can. THE RETURN OF THE GODDESS begins on Halloween night, and so I re-read it every October. The imagery--sights, sounds, smells--bring this book to life. Every time I read it, I envision this story made into a movie--it would be wonderful! Thank-you, Elizabeth Cunningham, for bringing these characters and this town to life.

I love this book. I've read it so much that the pages are almost all dog eared. I've given copies of it to 6 of my friends and have loaned mine to at least five others. Elizabeth Cunningham is a fantastic storyteller and she leads us on a journey through a woman's spirit, awakening to the power of her self. It is a hard journey, but a worthwhile one, and you'll laugh all the way through until you cry at the end. Beautiful, poetic writing and outrageously funny realism combine to make this a "can't put it down 'til I'm done" kind of book. The Goddess dances across the pages and into your heart as you read it, and the book leaves you with a sense of hope and a feeling that somehow, someway, justice will always be done. Thanks, Elizabeth Cunningham, for the book that always picks me up when I'm in a low place.

A wonderful novel for both people who want an introduction to the Goddess as well as those who already are faithful believers. I agree with the other reviewers who say this book is meant to be reread and reread. As a true believer, I would send this to my circle friends,but I would also feel comfortable and sharing it with friends who don't know about female centered religions.

I just passed the exam! I prepared the CompTIA RFID+ exam based on two books: this one and the one by Patrick Sweeney. I began by reading this book, and after reading it thoroughly, I moved on and read Patrick Sweeney's book. I think Paul Sanghera has done a good job by organizing the book well and introducing the concepts in a clear manner. Except for some apparent typos, this book is better for beginners than Patrick Sweeney's one. But Patrick Sweeney's book is a good compliment to this one. If you really want to pass the exam, reading two books will be more helpful. The practice exam CD from Patrick Sweeney's book is also better than Paul Sanghera's. The actual exam questions are quite distinctive from the practice questions you can find in either books. The questions in the real test are apparently longer, and require more comprehension of the RFID basics. After reading these two books, you should be able to pass the exam like I did. Of course, if you have, like, 10 years of working experiences on RFID, it's possible to pass the exam by reading this book alone.

I am preparing to take the RFID+ certification exam in Mid-April '07. I found this to be a very good higher level book to read first with the intention of reading a second more low level book afterwards. The book did contain quite a few grammatical errors and a couple of the end of chapter review tests answers were off (I think Chapter 3 supplies all incorrect answers for the review questions), but other than that it's not a bad book and it does a good job of targeting the exam objectives. I would recommend following it up with Patrick Sweeney's CompTIA RFID+ book which is a more intermediate level book and will fill in some of the holes such as specific standards overviews, that this one leaves (if you can handle the constant Odin Technologies plugs that Sweeney puts into his books). 4 out of 5 stars seems fair for this one.

I found this Study Guide best among all the available RFID+ study guides. The exam objectives are fairly covered and the questions in the sample exam are very close to the questions in the real exam. The book explains everything from scratch, and is very self-contained. You must read this book first before you read any other study guide or any other RFID book.
I also learned RFID while preparing for the exam. Very useful book indeed.

I've just passed the RFID+ exam after preparing mostly from this book. The author seems to have a knack of making difficult concepts easier to understand without compromising accuracy. The whole book flows like a story and there is no hopping from topic to topic as is usually found in most exam study guides. No fluff---just nuggets of information---yet all concepts explained in a crisp, concise, and easy to understand way. I know that it takes tons of experience and skills to write a book in this way.

First chapter refreshed my Math and basic Physics concepts necessary to understand the material in the book. Each chapter begins with listing the exam objectives that will be covered in the chapter; so I knew where I was in my exam preparation. It was also re-assuring to see that all the exam objectives were covered. Each chapter ends with a list of definitions of important terms introduced in the chapter. Each concept is defined and explained where it appears the first time...this makes this book self-contained and easy to understand.

The way material is presented, you do not need any other reference or any prior knowledge of RFID to understand this book. Actually, if you read this book first, all other books will make much more sense.
The coverage of the exam topics is comprehensive enough and the questions in the practice exam are quite realistic. I liked the exercises (and solutions) throughout the chapters, which helped me to comprehend the difficult concepts. Notes, Tips, and Alerts re-enforced the important points. Although I have passed the exam, this book is going to stay on my shelf, as I find it an excellent reference book too; a nice introduction to the field.

If you want to enter the magnificent field of RFID, this book is your gateway.

Funny and educational! I borrowed this book from the library and after reading it will definitely purchase a copy for our home! My children were captivated by this story and it was much better than I anticipated. A family of three bears lives in a house with ramps instead of stairs. Baby bear uses a wheelchair to get around, a transfer board to get from his wheelchair into his regular chair, a bed that goes up and down and he goes to physical therapy. The author and illustrator have done a marvelous job on this story. It's impressive to see a transfer board mentioned in a children's book and it's great to see Baby Bear using a regular chair. I couldn't help but laugh reading this book! For other fun children's books featuring a wheelchair user try Zoom! by Robert Munsch or Best Friend on Wheels: A Concept Book by Debra Shirley.

My daughter with cerebral palsy, (as well as her siblings) loved this book. Every piece of adaptive equipment she has had is represented somewhere. The therapy scenes depict cute animals with all degrees of ability. She will just sit and look through it sometimes. It may not get specific about the nature of the disability, but it is great for kids with physical limitations to see their challenges represented in a fun story!

As an RN I feel this book is useful in using an established storyline to introduce children to others who have a disability. Children who read this already know and can relate to the story, and therefore can use this information to better understand a friend or family member who may be confined to a wheelchair.

This a familiar story for children with a special twist. Baby bear is in a wheelchair. The story talks about his special equipment and his therapy but still tells the basic story familiar to the children. The pictures are delightful and the words are 'just right'. It is an excellent addition to our Head Start library.

Beautifully illustrated containing a wealth of deep spirituality.

Noted spiritual writer Margaret Silf takes her readers on a Celtic journey in her book SACRED SPACES. Combining Ignatian spirituality with traditional Celtic spirituality and the beauty that is Ireland and Scotland, Silf looks at the natural beauty and some ancient human made artifacts to help readers take a good look at their own lives. Silf looks at moments in our own lives: times we may be facing challenges, times we need to grow, and times we need to simply appreciate God's creation, and the like, and pairs them with ancient landmarks and the natural beauty of Celtic places. She does this to enable the reader to see how these places revealed God's role in human life to the Celts and can do the same for us today.

The different artifacts and natural places focus on one area of a person's life and a chapter is devoted to the individual places or things. The chapters include:
The Infinite Knot which Silf sees as God's weaving in our lives.
The High Cross which were used to mark Churches and libraries can be seen as signs that point toward eternity
Hilltops which help us see the whole picture
Wells which challenge us to live our possibilities
Groves and springs which are signs of hospitality and generosity
Crossing places which challenge us to grow
Boundaries

One chapter flows into the other and the book can almost be used as a mini retreat, but more than likely readers will find themselves returning to this book to reread Silf's insighst as we face the different situations talked about in the book in our own lives. The book also contains lush photographs which will delight people who have visited either Scotland or Ireland and entice others to make a trip to either of these beautiful places.
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Seven is a magic number in many ways. In this book, 'Sacred Spaces: Stations on a Celtic Way', the author Margaret Silf walks the reader through seven traditional sacred spaces:

- the infinite knot
- the Celtic cross
- hilltops
- wells
- groves and springs
- thresholds and crossing places
- boundaries

Each of these spaces has a unique spiritual dimension in various Celtic ways of thinking and being. Silf devotes a chapter to each, reflecting on ways that this Celtic understanding can shed deeper meaning on our own lives. Drawing from scripture, Celtic legend and lore, and simple storytelling, Silf helps us chart our own journey through these sacred spaces.

This book is visually stunning as well as interesting to read, which helps the reader draw upon other senses as well as the imagination in pursuing this kind of sacredness. 'With our minds we know our lives are a mass of complication. If you think back to yesterday, or forward to tomorrow, you will surely become aware of a whole catalogue of problems, dilemmas, choices and compromises, beaten into some kind of shape on the anvil of your circumstances. A far cry from the perfect balance of the infinite knot. Yet in your deeper reaches there are whispers of simplicity, harmony, a joining of opposites, a reconciliation of irreconcilables.'

Silf uses personal reflections from her own life (a person who works at home, a person who has been trained by Jesuits in prayer and spiritual direction, a married person, etc.) to illustrate how these connections can be made for those of us in 'real life' situations. So often spirituality seems so disconnected from ordinary daily practice, and so difficult to incorporate into day-to-day activity, as if it is only possible to have 'spirituality' when the rest of life is done, or put on hold. Celtic practices strive to recognise the spiritual dimension in all that we do, and Silf's incorporation of sacred spaces can turn everyday activities as simple as walking through a doorway into a connection with the sacred.

Silf explains that Celtic spirituality holds thresholds and crossings in high regard. Thresholds are doorways -- this can be symbolic of any transition, major or minor, in our lives. A new job, a new child, a new relationship, a departing by moving or death -- all of these are thresholds we cross. We can remember each time we open the door to home of the sacredness of where we are, where we've come from, and who we've journeyed with. A lot in a small symbol, if we would but pay attention.

Other images -- hilltops (how often did prophets in scripture of various religions go to mountaintops or hilltops for a stronger connection with the divine?), the cross (strong symbolism for Christians, surely, but who else uses the cross, and in what ways?), wells and springs (pools of possibility, Silf calls them) -- all these images and more yield treasure to they who seek it. 'In every moment that we live and breathe, we are growing into it, dreaming and real-ising our own part in the Dream of all creation, reaching out to each new horizon along the Way that leads us Home.'

Margaret Silf is gifted with the ability to create a comtempletive attitude in Sacred Spaces. She invites the reader to appreciate with her the integration of the outer landscape and the inner dynamics we experience on our life journeys. I return to this book often, allowing myself to choose which chapter I will read according to where I am in my own journey. I have also used this book in a similar manner with others during guided retreats.

Past, present, and future intelligence aficionados all can enjoy this fictionalized account about the what, where, when, how, and why of typical intelligence operations carried out by dozens of officers and linguists who rotated in and out of the biggest CIA station in the "60's and "70's, that of Saigon. As two of a small group of American language experts who supported the good, the bad, and the ugly of many intelligence case officers, the author, Charlie Gillen, and I interpreted for, and baby sat a host of agents, fabricators, prisoners, and other un nameable characters who fed intelligence info, good, and bad, to the book's primary luminaries, "Fred" and "Jake".
The real life "Fred" and "Jake's" tried their very best with the utmost integrity to screen and recruit intelligence assets out of the vast pool of characters who could range from a Communist sympathizing member of South Vietnam's House of Representatives, a Viet Cong prisoner brought in by US Special Forces, or even an alleged "agent" "introduced"
to us by South Vietnam's Police Special Branch.
As the author describes, enumerates, analyzes, and explains in vivid detail the Asian cultural context in which these case officers had to work, the reader will be able to empathize with "Fred", "Jake", and others who struggled with an environment quite different from their former Western European and Slavic cultural backgrounds.
In Vietnam, not only was there a shortage of case officers who could speak the language, Vietnamese traditional social interactions tended to be very long and drawn out, indirect, subtle, non-confrontational, and loaded with unspoken body language and social cues so that either party could "save face" if either felt slighted or embarrassed.
The author's character "Joe Milano", and I as his sidekick, "Larry Brown" served many hours and days as the voice, spokespersons, points of contact, and sometimes even as the conscience of hundreds of case officers from the classical Ivy League grads, ex-military officers, experienced "cold war" specialists, as well as fresh, brand new graduates of the CIA's human intelligence course.
The character "Pat" reminded me of the many resourceful female document translators,
analysts, secretaries, and report writers who devoted many hours to convert all the raw intelligence info into finished reports and analyses. I distinctly remember the evening that an Air Force C5 crashed on take off with orphan children who were being flown to
The U.S., every "Pat" in the Operations Branch volunteered to go out to the Saigon Airport and help the Emergency Response crews in any way they could.
What could the author have added to this story? More intense accounts and detail of many instances when officers and especially agents "let it all hang out"! For example, the non stop crying jags and unexpected argumentation that some so called agents would go into trying to show how valid their information and access to specific organizations of the Viet Cong made incredibly spectacular "human theatre".
This book is too short and brief. We need MORE MORE MORE. Another item of note that the author points out was and is our incredible "addiction" to gadgetry; i.e. miniature recorders, radios, "bugging" devices, "phone in the shoes", that often did not work properly, and sometimes completely compromised operations when exposed. Those who are even remotely interested in how military and civilian intelligence is managed in places like Afghanistan and Iraq should read "Saigon Station". The "Green zone" in Baghdad and our embassy in Kabul are managed by the kids and grandchildren of the "Vietnam hands" who learned the hard way that non conventional guerrilla conflict and anti terrorism actions require an intense commitment to cultural and language knowledge.

"Saigon Station" revived a lot of long-dormant memories and I enjoyed them all. I agree with the two earlier reviewers that Charles (Charlie) Gillen used his fictional characters to portray an accurate view of the way things were in Saigon, the city and the Station, in the days of which he writes. There is one other aspect of the story that Charlie got exactly right -- the working life of his female Case Officer Patricia. Male chauvinism was nowhere more evident or accepted, at least among the male of the species -- and, after all, they were in charge. It's a detail I am pleased to note that Charlie remembered and thought worthy of note. I'm fairly sure today's young career women have no real idea of what their grandmothers had to cope with!

None of the books I have read to date has so closely approximated my own experiences in Vietnam. "Saigon Station" is not only a wonderful trip down memory lane, filled with nostalgia, but also a poignant reminder of the realities of that period.
As was the case with Merle Pribbenow, another reviewer, I, too, recognized and identified with many of those whom the author, Charles "Charlie" Gillen, characterized. His characterizations of case officers Fred and Jake are right on the money. Fred was a good friend, a great colleague, and so very deserving of the accolades accorded to him by Charlie.
Falzer was all too real. On one occasion, he deliberately sandbagged me on a polygraph examination, and I had absolutely no respect for him. What he lacked in ability, he made up for in lack of character.
Charlie's description of the "Condor Operation" aptly describes how a good operation is run, without drama or embellishment. Charlie was the best interpreter with whom I had the pleasure of working in Vietnam, and "Saigon Station" lives up to what I would expect from him.
Nelson DeMille's "Up County" brought back some great memories, but "Saigon Station" actually put me there. Charlie truly captured the essense of wartime Saigon.
For the reader who wants to know "how it as" in Saigon during the war, "Saigon Station" is the book.

"Saigon Station" should be on the required reading list for any academic course on the Vietnam War, especially those dealing with the intelligence and security side of the war. Although it is a novel, it provides a better understanding of what the intelligence war in Saigon was really like for those who were engaged in it "down in the trenches" than any non-fiction account I have ever read. Much of the novel is based on real people and real events, and the author has captured the "feel" of the city of Saigon and of Saigon Station, the frustration of working against an almost impenetrable intelligence target (similar to frustrations doubtlessly felt by today's case officers pursuing Al Qaeda's elusive terrorist network), the bureaucratic infighting, even the "inside" language spoken by the Agency's "spooks." The descriptions of the two lead case officer heroes of this book, "Fred" and "Jake," (both of whom I knew and worked with) are uncanny. The author has brought these two unsung and now-deceased heroes back to life, with all their strengths, weaknesses, and idiosyncrasies, to demonstrate how real intelligence officers think, talk, and carry out their duties. The book is filled with wonderful local color, insights into the Vietnamese psyche, and provides a vivid account of the difficulties that the small handful of Americans who truly knew the language faced in trying to bridge the gap between two totally disparate cultures. I first met Charlie Gillen in Saigon in 1970, when I was a neophyte translator working for "Giselda" (another real-life character). He has been a friend ever since, but I never suspected his literary talent. I hope that this is the first of series of novels on the adventures of "Joe" and "Pat."

This book looks like it will be very helpful. Can't wait to try it in the up coming year.

I have been using this book this year in first grade. The children are not only seeing, hearing and writing the words, they are also getting a mini handwriting lesson. We use the poems for shared reading and they can take them home that day and read them to their family.

I always search for poems that reinforce the sight words we introduce and this does just that. I type and put it in their homework notebooks to work with for the week. Although I have quite a collection of poems I have used, this has been a nice addition and saves time when looking for support of specific words. I have not used the pages as they are written, to have children write the word in the spaces, but I'm sure others would find it useful. I have purchased way too many teaching resource books that go unused but this one is well worth the price! Great for kindergarten and grade 1!

your kid fills the same word several times in the same page, in several different short and simple sentences. It does not feel repetitive to kids. A good product, among the best in these scholastics "poetry ...sight words" books. The others, I did not get the point, and neither did my son's teacher. This book is a safe purchase.

This book was exactly what I was looking for as a substitute teacher. I am often in a class that has a special needs child in it and it is so nice to be able to communicate directly with the child rather than working through their aide. It gives me exactly the phrases I need, not too many. It is a great tool for me.

This was purchased for a 7 yr old who was learning sign in school because there were a couple of hearing impaired children in her class and she wanted to be able to talk with them. She has learned much from this book in a short time. She now teaches her grandmother and "tests" her on what she has learned.

I purchased this book to use as a text for my daughter to learn sign as her foreign language. The illustrations are very easily understood, and as the title suggests, pertains to the average school day. The chapters include: Finger Alphabet, Asking Questions and Getting Answers, Courtesies and Greetings, Giving Direction, and Words Around School. This book would make an excellent resource for teachers and students alike to learn how to communicate with a hearing-impaired classmate. We look forward to more titles being added to this series.

I bought this book for my 8 year old niece, and I'm happy to say that she loves it and it's probably going to change her life in a very positive way.

While reading South Station last week, I was repeatedly jarred into
the realization that this novel captured the forgotten essence of war and its cascading effects on those involved, as well as the generations that follow.

It was an enchanting read with magnetic characterizations. The palpable triumphs and losses of these WWII families are presented in a gripping and honest manner. It was extremely difficult to leave the story .

I am looking forward to sharing this great read withmy book club.

South Station is a wonderful book. Barton paints a beautiful picture of the virtue and simplicity of the 1940's. We are introduced to the captivating Honey Lee Murphy. Then we are allowed in to her private world and see her unique perspective of family, the church, WWII, coming of age and falling in love. Barton also includes a huge twist that leads Honey Lee to make a decision that may jeopardize everything she's come to know and love.

Once you enter Honey Lee's world you can't put the book down.

Not only does Alice Barton capture with great accuray and insight a special time and place (Lowell, Mass., after WWII) but at the same time tells a story you can't put down. A beautifully written, fascinating tale.

What I liked about this book was the insight into the heart of a faithful Catholic girl and her extended family and friends. Her thoughts and her prayers are delicately imagined. I'm not a Catholic so that view of the daily influence of religion and faith in a Massachusetts milltown after WWII was interesting. It was gripping to see the effect of large institutions of church, family, and war on average people in the mid-1940's. The effect of war on veterans and their families was especially poignant. It's a coming of age story of a courageous, beautiful girl. Read this book if you'd like to understand spirit apart from religious dogma and if you want an insight into small city life, postWWII.

Space Station Mars
By Daniel San Souci

Danny tells the story about the 'Clubhouse' boys. A scary movie ignites the imagination of the six boys. Suddenly, they see signs of space invaders, and aliens all around them. They see a UFO, a meteor and hear strange messages in secret alien codes.

Doning their homemade, protective gear, they head to the clubhouse to test for radiation.

Will the boys be safe from invading forces? Will they unravel the codes in time to save the planet?

Kids and adults, alike will enjoy "Space Station Mars," and having fun with the clubhouse boys.

Jill Vanderwood, Author
Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
These are great read-together books for this age!

Wonderful children's book with great stories that children of all ages will enjoy!! We have purchased the whole series for our daughters.

After Danny and his friends see a Martian movie, they spend the night in their clubhouse where their imaginations run wild. Before long they are seeing flying saucers and radioactive meteors. Upon further examination, and with the help of whiz-kid Neil, they determine that the meteor is safe. But when an odd shape appears on the horizon, the boys determine the aliens want their meteor back. Thankfully, they have Neil around to act as their ambassador so the aliens can leave in peace.

Space Station Mars is full of wonderful, whimsical childhood imagination, and plenty of humor. The beautiful illustrations reflect not only what they boys are seeing, but what they hope to see and what really is. This mom sees what life used to be and the children only see fun. Our gang can't wait to get our hands on the rest of the Clubhouse Books.

An all-around great read for any child's library.

Armchair Interviews says: This series is sure to be a winner.

This book is breath of fresh air for the younger reader. It gives the reader permission to use their imagination to the fullest. The books of this series also work well as read alouds.

I am using the Spectrum books to homeschool my 1st and 4th graders. They seem to be working very well for us.

The things I really like about the Spectrum series is
1. It is fairly inexpensive
2. Each page either reviews or teaches only one new concept.
3. The answers are in the back of the book so you can correct and check easily.
4. They are complete and well thought out in their ordering.

I'm homeschooling and I could go on the road with the Spectrum books. After trying several different curriculums, I stumbled across these books in the bookstore. They were an answer to prayer. There is an answer key in the back, so I haven't had to haul around a huge teachers edition. These books, all of them (we homeschool a 1st grader and 3rd grader and we use Spectrum Spelling, Writing, Reading, Language Arts, Vocabulary, Phonics, and Math) are exactly what we needed. My first grader LOVES the reading books. We ordered both, the regular Spectrum, and the one written by Mercer Meyer with the Little Critter characters. Childrens books (especially the ones written at her level) are SO expensive, and these reading books come with so many stories, and they have exercises for reading comprehension. I REALLY can't say enough. One thing I'd like to see them do? Add science and social studies/ history and geography to their mix... art and music while we are at it!!

You should first ensure you either coach your first grader with basic addition, subtraction and arithmetic skills. Other books, flash cards, Math Big Workbooks, Speak N Math (remember Texas Instruments) will help here.

In this test prep there are examples and timed exercises. There are developmental exercises but needs parental instructions. Builds problem-solving skills they already have, so it hones or sharpens their existing skills and an answer key is included.

Spectrum is the standard for standardized test preps.