Resources Books

"Glue" is one of those books that will make you laugh, think, ponder, cry, and pray with your spouse. As newly weds, my husband and I have used this book numerous times to help strengthen our marriage and help grow our relationship with each other and more importantly, with our heavenly Father. It is evident as one reads this book that Paul and Patti candidly share their real-life experiences and practical knowledge with their readers. I would encourage all married couples to give "Glue" a chance...it will truly change your marriage for the better!

This book really puts the perspectives in clear, easy-to-understand language like no other I've found. It's straight-talk about the real issues that face couples today, not just sugar-coated "psychobabble". If you really want to know how to have a long-lasting, enjoyable relationship, I would highly recommend this book. And it does it from BOTH perspectives, men and women. Very unique, very good, very needed!!

This is a wonderful book! It takes a look at real life issues that real people have and not what if's. As a newly engaged couple and both on our second trys we do not want to make the same mistakes. Paul and Patti have shown us the steps and that it can be done. We have both seen a few areas that we need to work on and we are both on it. It is humours, fun and an over all wonderful book! I recommend it wholeheartedly!!! You wont be able to put it down it is truly inspirational.

Paul and Patti Endrei hit a homerun with "Glue". There is nothing pretentious or candy-coated in this book. Their transparency, humor and timeless principles will help thousands of couples identify root problems and remedy brokenness in marriage. This book is a must read for all couples; even for singles contemplating marriage. My wife and I read "Glue" while on vacation and couldn't put the book down. I strongly recommend "Glue".

Steve Hutchinson, Lead Pastor
Dwelling Place Family Church
Hudson, OH

I'm a single, twenty-year-old college student and I absolutely loved this book! I sat down after I bought it, thinking I would read a few chapters and put it down but I couldn't! I was so engaged that I read almost all of it in one, long sitting! Paul and Patti's hilarious anecdotes mixed in with solid Biblical truth captivated me and raised my standards of what I will eventually pursue in a marriage. Their godly example epitomizes what it looks like to be madly in love with Jesus and one's spouse at the same time. I also gave "Glue" to my cousin who is engaged and she and her fiance devoured it in only a few days while on vacation together! Paul and Patti's advice and example have definitely strengthened their relationship as well! You have to get it!

This is a great workbook that is a companion to the study book of the same title by Mr. Parks. I had begun reading the book when I did get a copy of the workbook. I couldn't believe how much the workbook helped!

The book offers many reflective questions for a person or a bible study group to consider. It's great for offering a structure for a lesson, as well as for an individual to really examine what they've learned and reflect on the uses in their own lives for this wonderful study. The spaces to write MAKE you think about the questions and that was a big plus in my own personal study. I think as a study leader, it would also be a great resource to get class participation and to empower your students to do their own study before the class! As for me, I'm going to go back over the beginning and see what I missed the first time!

I believe the workbook could be used as a stand alone study, but I would recommend using the book companion. It offers so much in the lessons, and gives the reader lots to think about.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to find a closer walk with their Savior through prayer.

UPDATE: I still give a high rating to this exhaustive workbook (maybe I should say thorough??). However, upon reading closer, I have noticed that the emails to/from God do not read exactly the same in the workbook as in the book. Don't know if that is intentional, but it could be a tad confusing for side-by-side study. Oh, the message doesn't change, but it reads somewhat different. Not a big deal, but deserves a mention. Not sure why this was done. (Donna)

When you see how thorough this workbook is, you will understand why books and workbooks aren't written as one. This workbook is packed, and I do mean packed, with interesting, and sometimes very deep personal questions about God and praying. I cannot imagine the mind that would think up some of these inquiries!

I have only browsed the work book, but it is formated just like the book. There are emails to and from God with questions about prayer. I found that I might ask some of these questions, except that I couldn't think of most of them. Whew!

Here are what I like so far:

1. I dare you to think of a prayer question you'd ask God that's not in here.
2. There are many supplementary questions that weren't in the original book. (Really helpful.)
3. Workbook is PERFECT for group bible study. You will know prayer when you're done!
4. Author seems very bible-based, and delves into deeper theological truths.
5. Will provide very diverse discussion among those who take it seriously.

Here are some things I like less:

1. How come it's much more costly than the book it supplements?
2. NOT light material. This is directed toward serious prayer study.
3. Like the book, Pentecostals will disagree with chapter on tongues.
4. Might be a bit too exhaustive for personal study, unless you have the time. Much more so than Beth Moore, Knowing God, etc.

Hopefully there will be a combined discount with the original book. Good? You bet. But somewhat expensive.

Wow! I didn't know how much was 'missing' from the book "God, Help Me Pray" until I saw a copy of the workbook in a store! There is every possible question one could have on prayer contained in this nicely-formatted 8X11 workbook. The one thing I DON'T like is the price. This is an expensive workbook. (My church paid for it.)

This might be too much for individual study (at least for me), but would be wonderful for group study. This is workshop stuff! Now the question: is this workbook really necessary to get the best from the original book?

No. The book itself is the meat and potatoes. This workbook--though really thorough--is the dessert. One thing for sure, once you've read these two book, there won't be any questions you've ever had that remain unanswered.

Prayer is one of those personal things that is either done correctly, by biblical instruction, or incorrectly, by emotion, partial knowledge of Scripture, or by what we reason to be right and proper.

Having read the book on which this workbook is founded, I must say that this author stands 110% behind the Bible teaching on prayer, to the degree that (as others have mentioned) some charismatics might get their feathers a bit ruffled.

This workbook is more inductive than explanatory. The book explained. The workbook applies. Knowledge of the Bible is helpful as there are some deep concepts included. But any serious interest in prayer will be met with reflection, insight, and spiritual truths which every child of God is responsible to learn.

Recommended especially for group study.

I spent nearly a month answering all the questions in this workbook. My, my--talk about thorough--this caused me to examine the subject of praying from every angle.

What I liked:
1. (See above.) I wouldn't have EVER thought of some of these concepts.
2. Follows the book which came out earlier. You can sort of examine prayer without the first book, but it's better if you have it. Amazon usually gives you a deal on both.
3. The theology is very solid. Traditional Baptist, I would say.
4. Doesn't delve into all that Pentecostal 'name it and claim it' stuff. The is strictly solid Bible material. (Thank God for meat and potatos!)
5. The Prayer Journal after each chapter. My workbook is marked up!
6. What it really means to pray in Jesus's name! This is very insightful.

What I didn't like:
1. As someone has said the email messages are worded a little differently (some of them) in the workbook. Same thought though. I really liked 'getting' and 'sending' emails from/to God.
2. That I didn't have (wasn't available) the workbook when I first read the book! Sure would have been helpful.

Good stuff. Deeper insight into prayer than 95% of the stuff available. This is not Kay Arthur stuff. Works great for group Bible study!

I also liked "Dragons, Grasshoppers & Frogs!" too. Best easy reading commentary on Revelation.

Good Company is an easy to read primer on discovering the basics of a successful modern business. Rosenbluth & Peters begin by dogmatically proclaiming that "companies not only can positively influence lives, they have an obligation to do so." Both Rosenbluth and Peters have been closely associated with Rosenbluth International. This organization has been a world leader in travel management. Anyone familiar with the digital economy knows that travel management has recently undergone a revolution in how it conducts business and generates revenue.

The authors define the type of company we would all like to work for! A company built on friendship and where everyone genuinely cares about each other. Does this sound too good to be true? Apparently not, as this book demonstrates how fifteen of the worlds best companies have confronted the most severe management challenges and prevailed. In contrast to the prevalent management technique of operating "lean and mean", Good Company demonstrates the opposite approach. Rosenbluth and Peters offer solutions on how an organization can discard outdated practices and create an environment of innovation, teamwork, continuous learning and joy at work. Chapter six of the book is entitled, "We're Not Born into Leadership: We Convert". It is here the authors define a valuable principle by stating that "Companies can't bestow leadership upon people; true leadership is earned with right attitude, skills, and behavior."

The cultural foundation of the books corporate examples is most refreshing. It is that the pathway to competitive success is paved by investing first and foremost in your people. The authors show how any size organization can gain a competitive edge by accepting greater responsibility for society at large and the welfare of their employees. Organizations specifically mentioned include Land's End, Hallmark Cards, Mary Kay Inc., Southwest Airlines and over a dozen others.

This was a great read. Simple to understand and apply to any business. A very valuable read especially for your boss. Goes into great detail on how to create a winning environment where people can excel and even be happy working.

As an associate and leader of Rosenbluth International for the last 5 years, when I sat down to read this book I did so thinking 'I have lived through all that Hal is going to speak about, so there may not be alot in here for me to still learn'. I have to admit I was very wrong! Not only is this book entertaining and fun to read, it is full of great ideas, creative solutions, common sense thinking and suggestions that transcend any industry type, size or personality. Whether you are an associate of one of the companies profiled in the book, a seasoned or brand new manager, a personal assistant or CEO, I highly recommend reading this book!

This book provides a common sense approach to good management and has the answers on how to retain good employees, the key to building a winning business of any size in todays ultra competitive marketplace. This book is not another one of those management books written on theroy alone. The author reveals many of his companies practiced and proven techniques along with those from other well known companies. If you want to create a great place to work(and you better acording to this book) so you can attract and retain great people this is a valuable and interesting read.

This is a terrific book. Insightful, practical, wtitten with a crisp prose style. Beginning with Chapter 2 through Chapter 8, the authors provide a detailed summary of key points at the end of each chapter. These summaries offer excellent checklists which could, perhaps, be discussed individually during a staff or department meeting called to focus on a specific topic such as "speed.". All by themselves, the summaries are well worth the price of the book...and then some.

It is no mere coincidence that the same companies which the editors of Fortune annually rate as the "most admired" also have the greatest cap value. For the co-authors of Good Company, the term "good" refers to character as well as to competence, to decency as well as to dedication. In their book, they examine their "peers from the top 100" (Rosenbluth International is one of them), explaining why the best companies to work for are the best companies to work with.

One of the most valuable points in Good Company is that almost any company (regardless of size or nature) can learn a great deal from the family farm model. Obviously, there will be significant differences between and among companies in terms of how they define terms such as "farm land", "seeds", "crops", "harvest, "going to market", "town", etc. Fair enough. However, each farm is an organization which requires teamwork as well as hard work, careful planning and constant attention, and a healthy respect for natural forces.

Good Company examines two models: the Rosenbluth "farm" as well as the generic "family farm." In process, Rosenbluth and Peters take a close look at fifteen other companies which vary widely in terms of size and nature. "What do all of these companies share in common?" Good Company answers that question. "Why are these same companies rated the most highly respected?" Same answer. An abundant harvest awaits those who care as fiercely as they compete.

Lucy, Susan, Edmond, and Peter while exploring there uncle's house discover a wardrobe that takes them to the magical enchanted land of Narnia. Lucy becomes the first one to go into Narnia from the four and later they all follow her. In this book you'll see how Edmond helped the terrible witch catch his brother and sisters, and the strange creatures they all met like Aslan, the centaurs, and the talking trees. You'll love this book like me and all my friends did! I recommend this book to anyway who love fiction stories of enchanted worlds. If you liked "the phantom tollbooth" all "Narnia" books "A wrinkle in time" and other stories similar to these, this is one book you'll always treasure!-------------age 12

I am an elementary teacher, and find this book very useful when we read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as a class. Many of the worksheets that this guide provides are introspective and help the reader focus on the internal motivations of the characters. My class also enjoys trying "Turkish Delight" from the recipe that this guide provides. It helps me answer the professor's question about logic, "What are they teaching in schools?" (paraphrased).

A must read. It's not boring at all. You will simply enjoy this book

I used this for homeschool co-op class.There is pre-reading ideas and the book is broke into 5 sections. So you can do projects in reading of every 3-4 chapters. There is quiz and journal topics. And Post reading ideas.

I'm a 4th grade teacher and have been teaching this book for more than a decade. All of my students loved this book and go on to read the sequels.

I purchased this book when first released and utilized the techniques to assist in solving some performance issues at the office. I've seen some amazing results. So amazing, I purchased copies for my management team and we're working our way through the book now. Tremendous results. Kudos to Douglas Walker!!

I loved reading "A-ha Performance" and can definitely use all the wisdom in it to motivate not only my employees, but myself. I learned so much about management and my workplace environment and can see the positive results already.
Choose to Be Happy: A Guide to Total Happiness

Using this as a textbook in Managerial Motivation Class at local college. Interesting format with logical real life scenerios. Great discussion forum.

A-HA! Performance provides a very clear method for understanding what makes your employees tick and how to manage the process so that you end up with a win-win situation. This book is great for new managers and a wake-up call for those of us managing for many years who thought we already knew how to manage. I will keep this book behind me at work to refer to regularly and to help remind me what type of manager I want to be. Good stuff!

Before reading A-HA! Performance, we focused on motivating the workforce based on what the company thought employees should be motivated by. Now that we understand how to find their Intrinsic Motivation Points, it gives us tremendous insight about what Really motivates each individual. We have magnetized employees to the company's goals.

Gien Karssen is timeless in her presentation of the women of the Bible. You will love how she brings to light ideas and images you seldom hear. I have taught from her two books, three times and each time, new insights are revealed through her commentary.

Theis book includes relevant Scripture passages and questions about famous-and not so famous-women of the Bible. Among the women covered: Eve, Sarah, Rebekah, Potiphar's wife, Miriam, Rahab, Peninnah, Hannah, the Queen of Shebah, the widow of Zarephath, the Shunammite, the Jewish maid of Naaman, Esther, Job's wife, Mary the mother of Jesus, Elizabeth, Anna, Mary and Martha of Bethany, the woman at the well, Dorcas, Lydia, Priscilla. Foreword is by Corrie Ten Boom

I picked this book up in conjunction with a Bible study on women of the Bible I was evaluating, but ended up just reading the book on its own. Overall, it was a good read. Mrs. Karssen's book serves well as one part of a two-part encyclopedia of some women of the Bible, and can either be read devotionally (there are Scripture readings at the beginning of each chapter), in conjunction with a Bible study, or just as one would read an average book.

In this day of confusion about the biblical view of women, with lots of people misreading and feeling pity for those of us who joyfully and gratefully accept the role God has given us in our homes, society, and His Church, Mrs. Karssen takes care to explain Jesus' view and treatment of women in one of the chapters about Mary, Martha's sister:

"He started by giving His friendship...Up until that time a wide gulf had existed between men and women. After all, didn't the Jewish men thank God every morning in their prayers that He had created them 'not as a slave, nor a heathen, nor a woman?'... 'It would be better that the Articles of the Law be burned than that their contents be revealed to a woman publicly,' said their rabbis.

"He had introduced a new respect for women. He had offered her possibilities that had been unknown until then. He had lifted her to His plan.... The purpose of her existence had become clear in listening to this Man. A conviction grew within her, 'I am created for God. I exist because of Him.' (pp. 168, 175)

As I read through HER NAME IS WOMAN, as often happens with Bible lessons, there were some characters that resonated more strongly with me right now than others. Some were reminders to me of what I ought to be doing; some were cautionary, showing me the end result if I continue in some sinful path or other. Some chapters contain my highlights throughout, some chapters aren't marked up at all.

While I'm not sure I enjoyed the book as "a good read" like many other books in my library, it is an invaluable resource to keep on hand, and I look forward to using it for many years to come.

This has to be the most practical Bible study ever written. When I first became a Christian I felt that there weren't many women to identify with in the Bible. There are, in reality, so many! Their lessons are as timely now as they were in Biblical days. I feel as if I understand more how God wants me to live my life, and how I can glorify Him as only a woman can!

This book, is of superb literary reading. Wonderful for the theology student, the woman's group leader (a study is contained at the end of each chapter), and also for personal reading. You realise how important women were, and still are to God. Women are becoming more recognised... and through this book, you understand how, whether you work, are a Mum at home, a female church leader, a young or older woman YOUR personal importance to God... Gien Karssen is wonderful in the range of women she chooses. The only conclusions she draws are with the use of Biblical evidence, and not hear say or traditional beliefs. The only downfall? That there is no book 3.

Sherrie Gong Taguchi's Hiring The Best And The Brightest provides instructions on MBA recruiting methods. Managers are advised not to just look for top new MBA talent, but to run a dynamic MBA recruiting program. This tells how the most successful companies find and develop MBA talents.

Ms. Taguchi has clearly done her homework and come up with a practical and thought provoking gem. What comes through clearly is that she knows her stuff, having experienced MBA recruiting from multiple angles including corporate HR and MBA career management director at Stanford.

I approached this book with modest expectations. As an MBA with years of experience in the career development and HR fields, and having hired MBAs as CEO of my own software company, I didn't expect to learn much that was new from this book. I was more interested in the book as something to refer others to. Ms. Taguchi's intelligence and pragmatic expertise jumps off the page from the very beginning and fills the book with many practical ideas that even the most experienced in the field would find thought provoking.

The book is nicely organized and does not assume anything about it reader. It is brilliant in covering all the basics in recruiting with precision and insight to appeal to both long time recruiters and new team managers. It first covers the four major phases of MBA recruiting, from preparation, to pre-recruiting, interviews, second rounds, and offers. An extremely useful section is best practices and worst mistakes. As I was reading them I couldn't help but catch many of the mistakes I had made myself and wonder how much time and money I would have saved if I had read this book at the time I was running my company. I could see how the powerful lessons of this section could become a classic foundation for training recruiting and hiring managers.

Ms. Taguchi then proceeds to cover profiles of top 20 schools. I checked my own school for curiosity and discovered she had nailed it on the head. The information is quite specific on each school, including top 3 Dos and Don'ts for that school.

A particularly brilliant section of this book is the chapters covering the specific perspective of established as opposed to smaller companies. The strengths and weaknesses of each are analyzed from the perspective of the cultural upheaval that recruiting has undergone in the post-dot-com period. This analysis should help the reader in coming up with an effective positioning, pitch, and strategy that would appeal to the psychology of today's skittish MBA.

An entire chapter is dedicated to helping you leverage your own website and other commercial sites for recruiting. It is a very comprehensive and thorough section. The final chapter reminds us all of how important it is to spend some effort in retaining the great talent which we have gone through such length to hire. This is a critical lesson which is too often ignored, relegating retention to others in the company. Ms. Taguchi wisely implies that as recruiting and hiring managers we would be in the best position to ensure that our efforts result in a more lasting impact in our companies. Her advice, once again, is quite practical.

In short, my hat is off to Ms. Taguchi for a job well done. This is without a doubt the best book written on the subject and bound to become a classic.

Having been a senior manager in a strategy consulting firm and later a CEO myself, I applaud this book for its strategic yet accessible insights. The best I have seen on the market. Nothing like it.

The author knows has lots of firsthand experice to offer and a unique integrated perspective having been a Stanford MBA, recruiter, and head of a MBA career center.

I am also recommending it to friends facing the on going tough job market. It will help them understand the recruiting process and prepare for interviews.

This book is full of great ideas on recruiting. However, it is much more than that. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of valuable HR info and the people issues; so important for managers. I will use it as I recruit employees and associates for my Practice. Enduring stuff for those who want to manage and mentor others.
I will also recommend this book to friends and family as a tool for them to help understand the hiring process as they seek to advance their career.

As this review is written, America is still in a recession. Layoffs abound. Hiring is down or frozen at most companies. Employers who recruited on college campuses have cancelled the offers made to graduating students. Employers have hunkered down for a tight period that may last a few months or, as some pessimists forecast, for years.

While campus recruiting is down dramatically, wise employers will still visit top colleges and universities looking for the best and the brightest. If they're just going to hire a few people, it makes sense to go for the cream of the crop. The question becomes just how to do this kind of specialized recruiting in an employment market that was highly competitive, then became quiet, but that will pick up again. Hiring top MBAs-and other highly desirable candidates-is now a strategic issue. To maintain a competitive advantage now and later when the pace picks up again, it's essential to gain the knowledge and insight that fosters high performance and stunning results. There hasn't been much written about this specialized field. Now there's a book that will teach you how. Whether you're a neophyte at this kind of recruiting or an old hand, you will learn from Taguchi.

Some things change; some remain the same. Taguchi presents a wide range of accepted protocols that have not-and will not-change. All of these elements are important for recruiters to fully understand if they are to gain the needed cooperation and support of the career professionals at their targeted schools. One thing that is changing is that "compensation may have won out in the past, but nowadays it takes a whole lot more to attract and keep top talent." This is a job that must be done well, since so much is riding on your success.

Reading this book, I learned that there are four phases to MBA recruiting: up-front preparation, pre-recruitment, interviews, and second rounds and offers. Cutting corners won't work; each of these phases must be handled carefully. Each of these phases is explained for the reader in chapters 3, 4, 5, and 7. Chapter 6? Page after page of lessons learned by 15 experienced recruiters, a treasure in itself. This author has done her homework. The chapter on Best Practices and Worst Mistakes brings out more lessons to learn from.

Chapter 10 is by far the largest: School Profiles of the Top Twenty Picks. For each school, the book presents an overview of the MBA program and what degrees are granted. On campus recruiting at that institution is explained, with advice, followed by a school-specific list of dos and don'ts. Other recruiting options and key go-to people are included. While this is incredibly valuable information that will save recruiters a considerable amount of time, the personal resources could become outdated quickly. Hint: use this information now!

Other helpful chapters cover advice for established companies and for start-ups. The chapter on recruiting on the fly may be particularly valuable if you simply don't have time to plan and design an elaborate recruiting program. If the economy heats up quickly or you have a fast-growing company with immediate needs, this chapter will be a vital resource. Web recruiting is explored in chapter 14, followed by a couple of chapters on retention. There is no question that developing and keeping the MBAs you hire is critical, but the title of the book is specifically hiring. It's nice to have the obligatory retention chapters, but the book is strong without them. The three appendices provide some metrics and additional resources.

Bonus insight: Sherrie Taguchi's experience glows in this book. She gained experience as Vice President of University Relations for Bank of America and Director of Corporate Human Resources for Dole Packaged Foods. Now she's on the other side of the desk as Director of MBA Career Management and Management Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Her conversational writing style gives the reader the feeling of sitting in a big, comfy chair in front of a warming fire, chatting away about how specialized college recruiting really works . . . the inside story.

College leaders would do well to ensure that a copy of young Professor Trinkle's "The History Highway" is on the desktop of each faculty member, and then interview him or her a month later on what they discovered when navigating around the "new literacy". In pointed contrast, I remember too well a much older and "very retiring" professor at a highly ranked college recently insisting that "this Pen is My computer".
A journey through knowledge begins with but a single, small step --as ancient seers would remind us. "The History Highway" offers anyone (older or young) a "roadmap" to their own choice of any of 2000 or so stepping off points. For example, "images taken from the Bayeaux Tapestry [embroidery 230 feet long; the original story document presented to an illiterate population] make this a visually appealing and useful site (Norman Invasion of England, 1066)". But wait, there's more: "Periodic updates to the text are available online."
Our new digital lifestyle can (will?) transform Academia "before you can say Great Scott!" Or at least, for certain, a lot more quickly than the Gutenberg effect transformed schooling and culture.

As a history student I am constantly looking for sources and articles for research purposes. This book puts the most important internet history sites at my finger tip. When I teach my history classes in a few years I will require all of my students to purchase this book.

If you are at all interested in history, this book is indispensable. It offers an exhaustive guide to the reliable and worthwhile historical materials available on the Internet. The entries have been sifted by an international team of subject experts, and there is a resource mentioned for every lover or student of history.

Everyone who has ever stared in awe at a search engine result listing 1 million hits on some subject owes Drs. Trinkle and Merriman a debt of gratitude. This book will take you to the materials you really want to use or explore. It is not only worth the time and money you will invest--it will save you time and pay handsome dividends.

What else can one say--it is this history student's new best friend.

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, The History Highway 2000: A Guide To Internet Resources continues to provide the most extensive and reliable coverage available. Reflecting the swift growth of the Internet, featured are more than twice as many entries (2,500) and many new sections (Australian, New Zealand, Greek, Western History, Agricultural History, Rural Studies, Psychohistory, Historiography, Historical Population Databases, and Historical Book Dealers. The History Highway 2000 is further enhanced with a detailed cross-index offering instant access to every subject and every entry; an expanded glossary of multimedia and web-format terms; as well as periodic updates to the text which are available online. The History Highway 2000 is an invaluable, highly recommended resource for history students, teachers, researchers, librarians, authors, and the general public.

At 600 pages this behemoth is more than twice the length of the first edition. And every page of this guide to history related internet resources is worthwhile. The detailed Table of Contents lists a diverse range of site categories, such as General History, Early American History - 1783-1860, Jewish Holocaust Studies, Geneaology, and Archives and Manuscript collections.

The introductory chapter gives internet startup information, so the book is useful to newbies and experienced web users alike. Later chapters list specific websites along with a paragraph or so of information about the site written by a historian or specialist.

Of particular interest to family history researchers will be the genealogy section, which lists a variety of sites. Instructors and researchers of American History will find useful the 101 pages (expanded and updated from the 33 pages in the first edition) devoted to a chronological list of sites on specific segments of United States History. Also expanded in the new edition is the Women's History segment, which is now 17 pages long and contains a more diverse range of websites than the first edition.

Finally, entries are cross referenced in the index, with internet sites listed in italics. This work is both a useful and enjoyable reference title, and well worth its price.

So I'm at work, waiting for my scanner to do its thing, and I picked up "Hold Your Water" and started to read the introduction. As soon as I got to the sentence about Ralph filling his water balloons and taking retribution on his sister, I knew that eventually, I would read every word. Wasn't really planning on doing that. This book is not preachy at all. The writing is fun and fresh, and of course, the ideas are things we all should be doing.

(From the Lakeland Ledger newspaper, Lakeland, FL)

Book Tells of Everyday Impacts on the World's Water Supplies
By Tom Palmer
Oct. 24, 2006

If you're concerned about water, but don't want to do a lot of heavy reading, there's a recently published book that could fit your needs.

It is "Hold Your Water! 68 Things You Need to Know to Keep Our Planet Blue" by Environmental Artist Wyland and Steve Creech (Andrews McMeel Publishing, Kansas City, Mo., $9.95 185 pages ISBN 040756826).

This book is a collection of short narratives.

The topics of the narratives include simple explanations of the world's water supply (hint: most of it isn't fresh and drinkable), the impacts of everyday activities -- getting your oil changed, fertilizing your lawn, taking a shower -- on the water cycle (one of the new terms you'll learn) and other useful bits of water trivia.

Let me share a few that come right out of recent headlines.

* In an area with a 100,000 population such as Lakeland, the canine population produces 2.5 tons of animal waste every day. An estimated 40 percent of the pet owners don't clean up after their pets, which means the waste has a good chance of ending up in a local lake.

* If you want to stay cool and hydrated during the hot weather, use a reusable water bottle rather than the throwaway plastic bottle. Even after a plastic bottle breaks down enough to seem invisible, the petrochemicals (you did know plastic was made from oil, didn't you?) that make up the plastic remain in the environment and pollute it.

* With the high cost of prescription and nonprescription drugs these days, throwing them away seems like a waste of money. However, it you must get rid of your meds, don't flush them down the toilet. Pharmaceuticals are showing up in increasingly high concentrations in water bodies and appear to be affecting fish and other aquatic life in unhealthy ways.

The last item emphasizes the fact that this book not only speaks about water in terms of its usefulness to people, but also recognizes that water is the main habitat for many of the earth's plants and animals.

That's a point that sometimes would otherwise be overlooked in water planning and is certainly one of the limiting factors in the plans to siphon water from rivers and lakes to feed the demands of new development.

For an element so basic, water's looming on the horizon as the big issue of our times. Strangely, it hasn't been addressed much or weighed much on the public consciousness. I've been a fan of Wyland for a long time, so I have to applaud the artist's growing concern for raising awareness about the future of this precious resource. Hold Your Water covers a large amount of information territory in one of the most accessible, and dare I say, funny, ways I've seen in a book of this type. the graphics were clever, and some of the sources suprised me (George Bush, Sr?), but it appears that addressing environmental issues is going to require big efforts on both sides of the aisle. It still seems weird to hear from the Bushes and Mahatma Ghandi side by side. But the point is well taken. The water issue isn't going away. The question now is: will we prepared to handle it before it becomes too large to address.

If you have ever felt like you are in over your head when it comes to environmental issues, "Hold Your Water" is a book you must read. It gives you the information you need to know about clean water (and the environment in general) - and is actually fun and entertaining. Plus it provides easy tips for you to make a difference, for your local water resources and those across the world.

What can you do about the environment and clean water? Lots of things!

Did you know that helping improve the environment can be as easy as...

* Changing your dinner order at a restaurant.
* Fixing a leaky faucet.
* Putting off your laundry for one more day.

This book is serious, but surprisingly upbeat. The storytelling helps to simplify complicated environmental issues. The facts, checklists and simple math make it easy to see how each of us can make a difference.

By changing little everday habits, I will save 360,125 gallons of water this year! Wow...I feel better already.

This tremendous book was providentially placed on my path several years ago as I struggled to come to a biblical/reformed view of sanctification after floundering through a men's Bible study in Rick Warren's "purpose-driven" dreck. What a breath of fresh air this work is--grounding our sanctification in the finished work of Christ. Thank you, Dr. Chapell, for a work which glorifies our Lord and Savior.

What a fantastic read. I couldn't breeze through it like I can most other books. There was just too much meat. I could only handle a half dozen pages at a time just because I had to sit back and ponder what I had just read.

This book excels where other books on Sanctification fails. Some authors focus so much on our doing that they neglect the Cross and the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Chappell puts the Cross back into focus and grace as the only means of Sanctification, but at the same time does not neglect our obedience in walking it out.

This book destroys any concept, realized or unrealized, that you might hold concerning a Law of Merit or Attainment. Instead, Chappell goes into detail on the unmerited favor of our Lord toward us and the Law of Love that compels us.

You ever just want to throw up your arms and give up when other believers tell you that in order to conquer sin in your life you just need to do the right things....read your Bible more, pray more, etc? This book totally dispells that notion. Instead, Chappell shows how we have been delivered of these things already through the Cross of Christ and that the doings we do now are merely the outward reaction to that. It is freeing to come to the realization that we don't have to live defeated lives...that Christ took care of it all and created in me a brand New Creation who is thoroughly empowered through His ressurrection life to live out this life....pursuing that Holiness that is had by Grace.

This book has a similar theme to books by Jerry Bridges and Steve Brown on the grace of God, but is much bigger and more thorough than the others. If you want a quick and to the point rundown on grace try "Transforming Grace," by Bridges, or "Born Free" by Steve Brown.

But, if you have the time and desire to soak in the depths of the Bible's teachings on God's grace, I heartily recommend this book. It is best taken slowly. I think I read it too fast and will need to go back and re-read some portions of it.

Chapell has a great writing style. He mixes teaching with illustration very effectively. His illustrations range from the mundane things of everyday life to quotes from famous theologians in the Reformed and Puritan tradition.

The title of the book shows the theme clearly - holiness comes by the grace of God. Too often Christians treat grace as the thing that gets them into the Christian life, and holiness as the thing that gets them through the Christian life. The fact is that grace gets us into the Christian life and grace produces the holiness that characterizes us throughout the Christian life.

The author does a wonderful job of displaying the grace and mercy of God without making it a license to sin. One of my favorite chapters was the one on mercy. We Christians often forget God's mercy after awhile, and our daily need of it.

He shows that, rather than being an excuse for sin, grace helps us live above sin. The grace that saves us from the penalty of sin saves us from the power of sin.

Thanks to the Sonship ministry of World Harvest Mission and the writings of Bridges, Brown, Max Lucado and others grace is now high on the radar of many Christians. But Chapell reminds us that grace is not just a new fad for the church, nor is it a mere reaction to more oppressive types of fundamentalism. Grace is the path we walk throughout the Christian life.

If only everyone could read and understand the full message of the gospel. A great read for non-Christians who want to know what living as a Christian is about and Christians who want to be reminded that Holiness is attainable only through the acknowledgement of God's grace, not on our own merits. This is a beautifully written discussion of God's amazing grace and what effects it should have on us.

If you ever read a Christian books, and you actually have a conscience that is displeased with your sin, this book will mean the most comfort to you, apart from reading the Bible yourself. Chapell takes us away from our delusions that we'll never be able to be holy, to the hope that we can be holy--a hope that only comes from the love of Jesus and the power of grace given by the Holy Spirit within. This book will transform not only your erroneous theological assumptions, but also the dread you feel in your heart towards God's standard of holiness. Read it! It is worth every penny...