People Books

Pennsylvania Wilds is a thick, hardcover coffee-table-sized book filled to the brim with beautiful photography of the Allegheny National Forest region in Pennsylvania. From bear prints, to snow scenes, to serene waterscapes, and colorful characters, this book is a pictorial vacation getaway.

But Pennsylvania Wilds is more than a vacation--it also contains script telling you about the region and its history, even delving into some scientific facts. For those who live in Pennsylvania, the book is a great state study book for homeschoolers. For those who live elsewhere, but are interested in other states or are just looking for a great place to travel to, then this is a book sure to whet your appetite for experiencing the panoramic landscape views in person.

I thoroughly enjoyed thumbing through Pennsylvania Wilds and in fact looked through it several days before writing the review. My only complaint is that some of the scientific fact included in the book is evolution-based and not creationism.

Included at the back of the book is a CD with more information about Pennsylvania and even more pictures, though some are the same as in the book. Although the price is a bit high, I recommend this book for those interested in Pennsylvania and photography.

Armchair Interviews says: If you are just an armchair traveler, this book is sure to fill some travel needs.

I loved this book because it shows some beautiful areas of the country that alot of people may never get to see. Me, I just have to go outside my cabin and I'm there!! The photography is great, showing me areas that I haven't even seen.
Time was taken in putting this book together and it shows!!!

A Southern California transpant, every time I pick up "Pennsylvania Wilds: Images from the Allegheny National Forest," I feel like I'm home again. What a wonderful tribute to the beauty of northwestern Pennsylvania. The photographs capture the heart and soul of the forest region, and the story gives the rich detail of area's history. This one is definitely a getter--and a keeper!

"Beauty," says the poet, "is a joy forever." That being said, beauty alone might be incentive for buying this book.

The photographs in "Pennsylvania Wilds" are, indeed, beautiful. And the accompanying text is equally attractive. You might purchase this book and return to it time and again and find much enjoyment in its contents--more than might be found in your ordinary coffee table book.

But there's much more to this book than just something nice to peruse.

It's a tribute to the Allegheny National Forest, the only one in the commonwealth and a genuine treasure. Established in 1923, the 513,000 acre forest is a monument to conservation and a source of pride for all Pennsylvanians. It's a boon to recreation, tourism and the economy.

For those who haven't visited, or are unable to, this book offers a wonderful introduction to the area's history and attractions. And, after viewing the images and text, there are undoubtedly going to be more people including it in their travel plans.

There are gems of history in this book--about the Seneca, the lumbering and oil booms; Thomas Kane, reputed to be the first Pennsylvanian to enlist and who organized the famous Bucktails regiment in the Civil War; the legacy of the nation's first tree plantation and environmental pioneers like Joseph Rothrock and Gifford Pinchot.

Ed Bernik, a veteran commercial photographer, has captured an outstanding collection of images of the forest and its inhabitants. Lisa Gensheimer, a documentary producer and writer whose work has appeared nationwide on public television stations, lucidly outlines the history and color of the region.

As an added bonus, purchasers of the book also receive a Forest Companion CD complete with map, travel guide and additional reasons to visit the region.

Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (6/06)

This beautiful coffee table book, with narrative by Lisa Gensheimer and photographs by Ed Bernik, takes the reader/viewer on a spectacular journey through the Allegheny National Forest from its creation to the present. Both the author and the photographer capture the mystifying world of nature and people, not only the wonders of the landscape but the personalities of the inhabitants.

"Pennsylvania Wilds" gives a historical overview of the Allegheny National Forest beginning 375 million years ago when the area was a warm inland sea. Grensheimer explains the evolution from water to land that occurred over time as well as provides a map of glacial deposits. She also writes about the archaeological findings of pre-historic cultures as well as Native American inhabitants, the settling by Europeans, and the shift to modern times. Today's residents are "people who live in the shadows of the trees [and] are as strong and resilient as the forest itself. They are independent thinkers - creative entrepreneurs who find in the forest a source of sustenance, inspiration, and at the end of the day, quiet solitude." (p.37)

Greshneimer puts together the history and the present lives of people in a short, concise narrative interspersed with historical and recent photographs. However, this is just a prelude for what is to come in the rest of the book. The "Images from the Allegheny National Forest" are spectacular! Pages from 45 to 135 are filled with incredible photographs that the reader can get lost in for hours. From the weathered faces of the residents to the flora of the forest, from the debris left in the field to the places of worship, from paved roads to a heritage mural...it's all there. As a bonus, inside the back cover is a CD with a travel guide, map, screensaver, and more than 50 reasons to visit the area.

It's hard for me to put into words what I got out of this "Pennsylvania Wilds" because every aspect of it touched a different cord in me. First of all, I love the cover - I could almost smell the moss on the forest floor. Secondly, the feel of the pages were very inviting. The short history and transition into the present gave me a very broad overview of the area. And, then there were the photographs! Incredible!

I first heard of this book when I was in 5th grade (about 10-11 yrs. old)...I'm 28 now. My African-American teacher would read us stories from it. I remember enjoying the stories so much that I bought this book for my son about 2 yrs. ago. My son is almost 3 now & while he can't read yet, I know he will enjoy the stories as much as I have. This book comes with a CD & is narrated by the author & James Earl Jones...the narration was well done. I listened to the CD & I felt as if I had gone back in time. The narrators are so vivid & they really get your attention. The CD is definitely a plus & the book was well written. I really like that the stories have morals & life lessons that we can learn from. I recommend buying this version of the book because it comes with the CD. I also recommend this book for children 9 & up. This book would be a great addition to anyone's book collection. I hope my review is helpful.

I read this book when I was in elementary school and fell in love with it. Virginia Hamilton really captures the essence of West African story telling and transfers that essence into American form. As an educator and historian, the lessons in this book has stayed with me for well over 18 yrs and I suspect the lessons will remain with me forever. I recommend that this book is on the shelves of every African American family.

As a storyteller and folklorist/historian, it saddens me that so few children today know anything about the joys of hearing a good tale from a wise elder. In Black America in particular, generations of children (including my father, thank God) had the wonderful tales of Brer Rabbit, Little 8 John, Raw head & Bloody Bones, Wiley & The Hairy Man, and the People Who Could Fly (title story) told to them as today's children are familiar with Kim Possible and the Proud Family.

I bought this for my beloved niece when she was eight and pretty soon, she began entertaining the children of the neighborhood with these tales just as I did after listening to my dad and I still do during storytelling gigs today.

Virginia Hamilton (RIP) did a masterful work in leaving this beautiful legacy to a generation where it is fast disappearing. She does a good job in interpreting the likes of Wiley the Hairy man, Raw Head and Bloody Bones (the PC crowd occasionally complains about this being too scary for kids as well as Brer Rabbit-let these crybaby fools go ahead with that sickening Barney the Dinosaur and the care bears). The edition that I bought for my neice was before the CD with Miss Hamilton and voicemaster James Earl Jones came out, but I have younger neices and nephews (and hopefully my own children in the future) that I will certainly look out for this for.

Another reason why this collection is in such need is that often, African-American parents (rightfully) complain about the lack of wholesome entertainment for their children in particular. Unfortunately, most parents of today were not exposed to these stories as I was and this often leads to well-intentioned but foolish recent activities such as the NAACP here in Charleston (SC) complaining about the lack of Black Santa Clauses in the local malls. As Miss Hamilton and those of us raised in the folklore tradition know, we have enough good things of our own culture to pass down to children than to worry of the color of Santa Claus.

Buy this, reconnect with your children, and enjoy.

This book is a trifecta:

1. You get to hear the author read her own writing. If you want to hear Virginia Hamilton and James Earl Jones adding their own special lyrical beauty to the reading of these stories, then purchase this version. Considering that Ms. Hamilton died in 2002, this CD is a must have.

I think it is important for children to hear the author reading their own work. So if you can't get to a book reading by the author, this is the next best thing. And you get to hear it over and over again.

2. The illustrations are magical, delicate, and powerful. Every child (but especially black and white) in this nation should hear the stories in this book. Before they know color issues, they should get to know the beauty and dignity of brown skin. To hear the dignity, power, and humanity of their own heritage or that of someone elses, before a world of anger taints them.

3. At the end of each story is a brief history of the story: it's origin, and variations, and other facts that help the story to become more real and personal, especially for a child who wants to know more about their heritage. This will inspire them to ask questions and (if they're older) do research as it cause me to do.

I read this to my daughter, Rachel, and she really enjoyed it. She smiled throughout the entire book. She loved the animal folktales about Bruh Rabbit, and Bruh Fox. She trembled with delight at the reading of the scary tales. As for her mother, my favorite was the title tale, The People Could Fly. It was magical!

This one, 10 (Morgorth's Ring), 9 (End of the Third Age), and 5 (The Lost Road and Other Writings) are the most worthwile entries of the 12 volume series. Don't buy it for "The New Shadow", however, as it is only 20ish pages and Eldarion or Aragorn don't even come into the story...closest tie to LOTR is the brother of Bergil, son of Beregond. However, there's lots here for you Numenorian fans...full account of the Heirs of Elendil, additional background on the tale of Aragorn and Arwen, how the humans under the oppression of Sauron viewed the Numenorian ships in the 2nd age. Then you get the history of Lembas bread, some more info on the feud between the houses of Feanor and Fingolfin and why, and even some dwarf and Rohan info. The lone entry for Hobbits deals with their family trees in full, excrutiating detail, even more than the Appendicies in the LOTR. This is probably my second favorite entry overall (next to Morgorth's Ring), as it has the largest amount of interesting material in the whole series.

`The Peoples of Middle Earth', the twelfth and last volume of unpublished notes by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by son Christopher Tolkien, is, for me at least, a high point in this series. I have read `Lord of the Rings' at least 10 times, but I have read the appendices at the end of `The Return of The King' at least 20 times. Until the publication of `The Silmarillion', these appendices were the only tonics to cool the great interest in the history of Middle Earth and its larger context. And, it is this depth of history twinkling through crevices in the main text which makes Tolkien's two principal novels, `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings' so engaging. And, in so many of the earlier volumes, the primary subject was the history of the elves in Middle Earth and their battles with Morgoth. I confess these tales did practically nothing for me. I was much more interested in the histories of the Dwarves, Tom Bombadil, Numenor, their colonies Gondor and Arnor, the Istari (the wizards), and the Hobbits. For the Hobbits, this volume covers just about everything you would ever want to know, usually three times over, in different versions of the same texts. It also has some goodies on Numenor and as good a chronology of the first three ages as you can ask for. But still, it has scant new information on the wizards and nothing on that great deux ex machina, Tom Bombadil, who remains totally unique in the great world of Middle earth.
The best single value of this volume is for those who own only the Second Edition or later of `Lord of the Rings'. Apparently, the First Edition `Prologue' or `Preface' was removed from the `Lord of the Rings' printing, and this is a significant loss. Otherwise, those who delight in genealogies, chronologies, and linguistics, will get a new and better dose of these confections in this last and (one of the best) of this series.
As an aside, I was interested to discover that Christopher Tolkien had a deadline for this volume which, either by coincidence or by design, coincided exactly with the release of the first of Peter Jackson's three movie interpretation of `Lord of the Rings'.

But is this the end -- or only the beginning? This book, the 12th in "The History of Middle-Earth" series, wraps up the final loose ends of Christopher Tolkien's 25 year labor. Unlike many of the other titles in this series, "The Peoples of Middle-Earth" does not concentrate on a single "Age" or storyline. Instead, it attempts to answer remaining questions, correct errors and misimpressions, and provide extra bits of information about the lives and histories of the many peoples populating Middle-Earth. Of special interest are the two fragments of unfinished stories: one, dealing with the coming of the Numenorean ships to the shores of Middle-Earth (told from the perspective of the men living in desperation under the tyranny of the Dark Lord), two, dealing with the return of evil in Gondor, some 100+ years after the downfall of the Lord of the Rings. This hobbit wishes that these two stories had been finished. This book is a delight for all lovers of Middle-Earth -- Elves, Dwarves, Men and Hobbits will all find something of interest. Highly Recommended.

This book should have probably been placed as book number 9, but I don't freaking care what order these are in.

This book goes back and shows you the evolution of the appendices, warning----------this is almost as boring as books 6-8, but still very enjoyable for tolkien fans. i really liked the tale of years but didn't really care about the FULL, and I mean FULL hobbit family trees. So even though ALL of the info in this book si good, some of it much better than the rest.

This book will be bought by a lot of tolkien fans, maybe even some who didn't read the silmarillion or any of the history books. The reason they will buy this is for the "New Shadow", and while it's very good, it is not the reason you should buy this. The reasons you should buy this is that the whole book is filled with interesting stuff, like the last pages of this book which shows you the unfinished story of tar-elmar. A very intrigueing tale that i certainly don't want to give away for all you tolkien diehard.

Overall, a very nice finish to the series.

Also there needs to be at least A movie made about the silmarillion, or at least a tale from it. COME ON PETER JACKSON, I KNOW KING KONG WAS COOL, BUT GO BACK TO WHAT MADE YOU FAMOUS, PEOPLE SAY YOU WERE NOT THE BEST CHOICE AS DIRECTOR, WELL THEY ARE RETARDED AND I THINK THAT YOU COULD SURPASS EVEN YOURSELF IF YOU MADE TOOK ON THE PROJECT OF THE SILMARILLION.


THANK YOU CHRISTOPHER SO MUCH FOR PUBLISHING ALL OF TYOUR FATHERS works, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christopher Tolkien takes the reader back to the years 1950-1952 when his father was preparing the appendices and prologue for The Lord of the Rings. So much that had been written for publication was lost because the book was so big it simply couldn't all be used. So the appendices we have today were created by condensing the material originally intended for publication.

What we learn from the lengthy source material is that Tolkien really did anticipate many fannish questions and tried to answer them. A great deal of information concerning Hobbits, Elves, and the Edain (and Dunedain) was to be included. The essay "Of Dwarves and Men" also provides a fantastic study of early Second Age culture in the lands beyond the Misty Mountains. Unfinished Tales had led us to believe there was nothing more to be learned about the Second Age, but at the end of the History of Middle-earth series Christopher Tolkien unloaded a bombshell.

Peoples of Middle-earth also includes the previously unpublished opening pages for The New Shadow, the sequel J.R.R. Tolkien almost wrote to The Lord of the Rings. It begins after Aragorn has died and hints at a dark plot to overthrow King Eldarion. Sadly, Tolkien felt no passion for the story, which he deemed would be no better than a thriller. So he abandoned it just as the first taint of evil arose.

Tolkien researchers will also find that "The Shibboleth of Feanor" sets out the final and complete genealogy for Finwe's descendants, and several accompanying essays explain minor details alluded to throughout the History of Middle-earth books.

My five-year-old daughter was fascinated with this book even though it didn't include fairies, animals, or dinosaurs. I was very happy with the information they presented which gives some basic information about Dr. King while not treating his death in such a way that might overly upset sensitive children like mine. The illustrations are wonderfully done and my daughter looked them over carefully for a long time. It is a wonderful opportunity to launch more discussions about racism and the way we treat other people because of their gender, race, or religion.

I LIKE THE STORY BECAUSE HE TOLD THE LIFE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE BOY HIS FREINDS SAID THEY COULD NOT PLAY WITH HIM BECAUSE HE WAS BLACK.

Martin Luther King , Jr was born in Atlalta , Goagia. He was born on January 15 , 1929. He led the March of Washington on August 28, 1964 and gave his speech.
THe book was really great.

DR.king was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929. He played football when he was a child. He couldn't play with his friends because he was black and they were white. He wanted to change this and changed the world.
I really like the book. He inspired me to keep the Golden Rule.

DR.King was born in Alanta Gorgia. He like to play football &baseball. He played football in his backyeard. One day his friends couldn't play with him because he was black. He wanted to change this and changed the world.

The 2nd grade teacher that I volunteer for has a great collection of "books that teach a value" and she had me read this book to her class. I knew immediately that I had have it. The story teaches children not to say unkind words to another even though someone has said unkind words to them.

Ms. Cannon will probably always be remembered for her first book, Stellaluna, but she has had a series of wonderful children's books that all deserve attention. Pinduli is the latest and one of the best and I have purchased it for multiple kids as gifts and they all have loved it. I highly recommend this book!

What a cute puppy! Just look at those soft brown eyes, that little tongue, its smile. How adorable! Let's get this book for our grand. What's that you say? A hyena! No way! No animal this cute could be a hyena! Why, those critters are known for scavaging and tearing chunks of meat from an animal. A hyena! Why, I declare, at least, let's look through the book.

And another Janell Cannon illustrated children's book hits the bestseller list. Hyena or not, this is a cute puppy. But I mis-speak. From the back of the book I learn that there are four kinds of hyenas, which do resemble dogs but belong to their own Hyaenidae family. Our Pinduli belongs to the striped species which has the fartherest habitat range and eats anything from bugs to fruit to small animals. All the facts about striped hyenas, as well as the other animals, can be found disguised in the story. Clever.

The story of Pinduli takes her adrift from Mother. When the wild dogs laugh at her ears, she plip-plops them and finds her hearing diminished. The lion laughs at her bristly fur and shames her into the water to hide it. Then her weak stripes are made fun of. Finally, Pinduli rolls in dust, making her a ghastly white. When she begins her return trip home, she passes the water hole where the animals are gathered. They scream and run from "the ghost." Pinduli also runs. Once she realizes the mistaken identity, she assumes the character of the Great Spirit and demands each bad deed must be erased and the Great Spirit appeased.

There is food aplenty for Penduli and her mother from then on. The mother exclaims that Pinduli is not only beautiful but smart. As a children's librarian, I try not to emphasize the lessons of the stories but let children make their own conclusions which they do. Through experience, I have learned that this is a beautiful book for children. And there are no cute puppies in it!

A great book to read that sends a much needed message to our youth. Janell Cannon has written another wonderful book to add to her long list. I felt that this book had a great message and displayed it in a colorful and imaginative way. Little Pinduli was getting picked on by all the animals and come to find out, the animals that were picking on Pinduli were also picking on one another. In the end, all the animals realized that they were different and that they shouldn't make fun of someone for being different. This message was apparent when Dog said "Who am I to be talking about ears?" Overall it was a great book with vivid and bright illustrations that really captivated the eyes. I will definitely be reading Ms. Cannon's next book.

I bought Stellaluna even before I had a child! I absolutely fell in love not only with the story and message the book conveyed, but also the wonderful and endearing artwork. I have since had a child and purchased all of her books, the latest one being Pinduli. It is the perfect follow-up to her other books.

My son absolutly loves these books as well! As I read these to him, he is just captivated!

Do yourself and your child(ren) a favor and buy these books...you will not be disappointed!!

Get ready to laugh and cry. This book is very relatable. If you apply the information in this book, the way the author has, it will change your life and bring joy. The author recommends using a pink highlighter in your Bible. I suggest doing the same in her book, because there are countless nuggets of wisdom that you will want to highlight and read again and again.

This book was a real encouragement to me! I love how honest and real the author is about her struggles and how she found joy in middle of it all!

I had never read a self-help book before i ordered this one, I didn't know what to expect. I had read a few pages before I realized that it was a "Jesus" book. I was dissappointed and about to put it down but I continued to read it. I am only half-way through but enjoy the reading.It is a very easy read, uplifting and thought provoking. I would recommend it to any young or mature person that is feeling a little let down about life.

This book is more like a chat with an old friend. No matter what mistakes you have made in your life, you will find peace and joy as you read this book. There is no condemnation, only love and happiness in these pages. Save yourself the trouble and order two at once, because you are going to want to give one to a friend. It is easy to read, but hard to put down!

In today's society it is feast or famine for the soul. We have stopped smelling the flowers. This author has reached deep into her soul to share with the world what we have all been missing... fealing Ultimate Joy. I am ordering extra copies of this book for my friends and family to share the Ultimate Joy I have been missing. To have someone who completely understands why God opens and closes doors throughout our lives and to be able to take scriptures and translate them to her own real life issues is truly a gift. Then to write about them, share them, and relive them over again is purely selfless. Definately a good book for those seeking peace in their soul. Go ahead... get the book (maybe a few for friends and family) and start smelling the flowers.

Yes, this book is very witty and very easy to read. I am en route to France for a year next year as an American exchange student, and I found this book to be very helpful for every aspect of the process--except I wish she added more information like "Why did she switch host families?" and about school. She barely mentioned anything about homework, the lycée, or anything like that. But I loved everything else about the book. It was intriguing and exciting. And also, it's a very nice quick read. If you are, going to be, or was an exchange student, this book is a must-have. Anther book I recommend is The Exchange Student Survival Kit. Au revoir!

I am planning on studying abroad to France in 2003 and this book has helped me out in many ways. It told me exactly what I need to know before I go, how the French people are, the school system, and it gave me encouragement. Just reading about how she doesn't regret going makes me want to go even more. I just wished she would have added more about how to handle so much school! Anyway, this book is great to read, even if you aren't planning on going to France. It has a lot of interesting facts that I could never imagine possible. Great book.

The moment I saw this book in the bookstore, I knew I had to get it because Megan did what I have always wanted to do: be an exchange student in another country. This book is just so charming, delightful, and cute. I finally was able to be an exchange student this summer in a Spanish speaking country, and while I was not gone a whole academic year but only for a couple of weeks, I always had this book by my side because so many things were the same. So if you have ever been an exchange student before/hosted one in America, or are going too I recomend this book right away, and if you are just looking for a good book to read you'll have a ball.

On the cover of this book, the publisher exudes, "A delightfully irresistible, charming account of a young American girl's year abroad." For once, this kind of description is actually an understatement. Yes, the book is in fact "delightfully irresistible" and truly charming. But the writing is also exceptionally limpid and evocative and betrays an exceptional maturity and talent. Megan McNeill Libby gives us beautifully impressionistic portraits of France, the French, and her very personal struggles, disasters, and triumphs. Her depiction of the French is extraordinarily perceptive and from my own experience living in France totally accurate. At times, I laughed until I cried; more frequently, I caught myself involuntarily smiling and nodding in agreement. But the deeper reward of reading this book is simply seeing the way that Ms. Libby writes and thinks. She is one of those rare authors with whom one falls in love after (no, during) a single reading. I am normally sparing with my praise, but I readily admit to being a gourmand for this book. Merci bien, Megan, and please give us more!

The author of Postcards from France, Megan Libby, was just 16 when she went to France in 1994 as your typical AFS student. But she wasn't typical: she had her eyes wide open and was able to record, in a series of letters and postcards sent back home, what a humbling experience it is to be a newcomer in another culture. By turns comedic, touching, insightful, and revealing, Postcards from France is always refreshing - and it's highly likely this talented young author will go on to write more books that will be a pleasure to read.

A very helpful set of articles on the practices of faith from a variety of different authors. There is a wonderful discussion guide that is available with the book for discussion starters, It triggers the mind to consider other practices that persons do as a result of the faith they possess.

When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment, his response was, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and your soul...And love your neighbor as yourself."

This is a book for anyone who is seeking to live out his/her Christian life. This is a book for anyone who seeks to strengthen this vertical and horizontal relationship with God. Dorothy C. Bass and her colleagues have given the readers practical ways to practice their Christian faith. If you have ever wonder what can you do for others as a Christian, read thhis book. We all hear people said, you talk the talk, but can you walk the walk? This is the book that incorported basic things we can live out our Christian life.

Reading this book feels like a taking a series of deep breaths. It's something that is hard to articulate, but the spiritual practices presented help me to feel less lonely in my faith journey. I had many "Yes. Of course!" moments in the chapters on hospitality, household economics and dying well. The practices are attainable ways of integrating faith into every aspect of daily life.

Interesting sidenote for Indigo Girls fans: Emily Saliers dad (Don E. Saliers) writes the chapter on singing!

Any teenagers in your life? Way to Live is the youth edition of Practicing Our Faith. The best book for teenagers I have ever used!

Dorothy Bass has compiled a wonderful collection of writings to help the Believer filter and process various struggles and milestones in one's life. The book, edited by Bass, is written in a very easy-to-read, easy to understand way so as to be applicable to all age ranges, from the teenager to the older adult.

This book is wonderful to read through and can be used for both personal reading and for use with a small group or class. Whether taken in pieces or as the whole, the reading is a wonderful devotion that can be used over and again while still gaining new insights. The book was fantastic to read and absorb and discuss with friends who were facing similar challenges in life, including how to forgive and how to say yes and no.

This book was great for me, someone who works in a church and attends services weekly. However, it is a wonderful read for those who are at all stages of their faith and lives to help grow and understand what wonderful gifts God can give. It will sit on my shelf and be used again and again.

Three cheers for Dorothy C. Bass and her marvelous book, Practicing Our Faith. I selected this book as a reading assignment for a class at seminary because I was captured and intrigued by a question the author posed, "Instead of just being a Christian, how can one bring the meaningfulness of Christianity into one's life?" I'm pleased to say this book is like a personal owner's manual or guide for anyone longing to practice their faith in everyday life.

As the author states, this book is intended for "seekers on journeys of the spirit, committed Christians searching for ways to practice their faith more fully, people of every faith who are concerned about human flourishing and educators concerned about bridging the gap between theory and practice." In other words, it's an individual guide for living a life of integrity. Bass invites eleven theologians to share practices in their lives, families and institutions. The chapters and practices are rich and bold - focusing on many of the basic human activities and needs of our lives - hospitality, saying yes and no, forgiveness and dying well.

If you yearn to live your faith throughout your life and not just in church on Sundays, this book will be an inspiration and guide for doing just that. As the author states, this book will "encourage you to reflect on how you spent your weekends, how you pray, how you offer care to others, and much else." This book is like being held in the warm and loving embrace of a grandparent as they share their wisdom and knowledge. It's warm, encouraging, inspiring and touches the heart.

One of my favorite saying is that each of us are only one decision away from changing our lives. Make reading this book one of those decisions - change your life by practicing your faith each and every day.

What Northrup has to say is as interesting as the way he says it. I really loved his style of writing: chatty, wry, ironic, funny, serious--often at the same time.

I am so happy that he won the 1999 native american journalism award for his editorials, which appear in indian country today , news from inidan country and the circle. this book is wonderful and very funny! the poem he writes about John Wayne visitng Vietnam is a masterpiece and shows " the Duke" for what he really is a wimp and a wuz! get this book it's truly a gem!

This book is brutal without being harsh, funny without being lightweight. In a society where everyone (and I do mean everyone) is made to feel guilty for everone else's suffering, this is a breath of fresh air. The problems Northrup faces every day are aired alongside with the joys. For every pain, he offers a happiness.

And he never says you can't understand. He just offers another way to see his life.

Don't buy Ian Frazier's book if you want any kind of accurate picture of today's Indians. Buy this one instead - this is the book to get if you want to begin to understand the complexities of being an Indian. The author speaks to both the initiated and the ignorant. It's both a moving and a fun read.

I picked this book up at random while browsing the "Native American studies" shelf at my local book megastore, and I was quickly drawn in, reading it cover-to-cover in a day. Jim Northrop is an Anishinaabe who lives on the Fond du Lac Reservation in Northern Minnesota, and in this book he writes about reservation life, about Native American political issues, and about his own travels and experiences. One of the great strengths of this book is his honesty as a memoirist. While sticking largely to a humorous matter-of-fact tone, he does not shy away from his grief at his son's suicide attempt or his difficulties returning from war in Vietnam. Another strength is the conversational quality of the writing itself. At first it bugged me, short sentences put together into these meandering run-on paragraphs, but after some reading I began to think more of Italian vocal technique, where the tone continues, rising and falling, with words just dotted on the surface. Eventually it felt like I was just hanging out with the guy, listening to his interesting stories. There are times when the writing falls down, for example during an extended series of sports metaphors during a dicussion of racism, or in the rather forced series of kangaroo references when describing a tribal "kangaroo court". But despite these problems I found the writing compelling and accessible. I'm not qualified to analyze the political arguments he sometimes makes, but his perspective on treaty rights, sports mascots, and gambling will certainly stay with me, informing and broadening my thinking when I next encounter these issues in daily life.

Superb! As someone of Scottish ancestry who went to graduate school there back in the 1970s, I was naturally drawn to this book. Taken at face value, writing a book on three tiny, uninhabited islands is quite challenging, given the nearly four hundred pages this book encompasses. Mr. Nicolson writes stirring prose as he disects every aspect of the Shiants--history, geology, plant life, animal life, etc. From this, the reader can acquire knowledge on a wide variety of subjects that extend well-beyond these little isles--for example, I learned that the abundant defecation of geese is brought about their need to constantly reduce body weight or else lose the ability to fly, as these are indeed heavy birds.

As one interested in the history of the Western Isles, what these islands experienced has application for this entire area, in that many of the smaller isles have experienced the same trend towards depopulation that have beset the Shiants, with the last permanent residents leaving the Shiants in the early 1900s. The author contends that all of this a byproduct of modern, urbanized society which results in individuals in remote places feeling isolated, a psychology that didn't exist 500 years ago when what one could find on one island or the nearby mainland didn't differ substantially from the small islands you inhabited.

Humor abounds, especially funny to read about his father's experinces in the 1930s, the story of him walking around in the nude as he was the only one there, only to be surprised by unknown visitors having a pic nic. Also in the 1930s, his father invited two beautiful young ladies who were to serve as bridesmaids for the future Queen Elizabeth II for a visit. The author muses on why Dad ever invited them as the rat-infested house had no electricity and conditions were very primitive. The trip ends horribly for the young women, with a rat disrupting their sleep and their having to leave the isle the next day by wading out to the boat taking them back to the mainland. Conditions today are still just as primitive-no electricity, running water, etc.

Best part--the end--beautiful description of sitting on a high hill--with the Isle of Skye to the east, the Outer Hebrides to the west. What a place! What a book!

I bought this book to indulge my interest in Scotland's islands, and found that, and much more. Essentially, this is a memoor with history, geology, flora and fauna tucked into it. The three small Shiant islands in the Hebrides come alive in Nicolson's hands. He's an excellent writer, drawing the reader in without "effect". You can sense his total awe and regard for this legacy. And, except for the rats, you find yourself wanting to live there, for a few summertime weeks, simply exploring coves and beaches and the semi-desolate interiors of these islands. Along the way, you learn a lot, in pleasurable fashion. Nicolson truly touches on the islands' soul. Recommended!

A compelling book about the realities of life in the Scottish Islands. Adam has done an excellent job of blending historical details with his descriptions of this area. Well worth a read!

Not the other way around. This was the greatest theme I took away from Adam Nicolson's "Sea Room," the story of the three tiny, uninhabited Shiant (say "Shant") Islands in the Hebrides of Scotland, which Nicholson inherited from his father (the famed author Nigel Nicolson, the son of Vita Sackville-West).

Nicolson's approach to describing the islands for his readers resembles John McPhee's: it's an engaging blend of natural history (how were the islands formed?), human history (who lived here and why?), archaeology, and ecology (how do the animals and plants of the Shiants form a whole world?). The difference is that Nicolson's passion for place is quite specific: he loves the Shiants like one loves one's parents, infinitely and irreplaceably. You can't imagine him running off and writing a second book about another place.

Nicolson's prose is lyric and detailed at the same time; despite the length (350 pages and more), the story never flags. At the end of the book, Nicholson defends his continued private ownership of the islands (many feel they should be a public trust); I wasn't convinced, but I respected his strong urge to transmit his love of the place to his son and future generations of his family.

By the way, Nicholson publicly offers the keys to his cottage to anyone desiring to stay there (his e-mail address is in the book); but consider first that rats seem now to be part of the natural ecology of the place. But perhaps that won't phase you (it doesn't phase Nicholson a bit!).

Ah, what a fine book this is. Reading it is like spending time with a new friend. Nicholson has a sharp and curious mind and a generous spirit. You may not think you can be much interested in a group of three little islands in the Outer Hebrides - the Shiants - their climate, wildlife, prehistory, geology, archeology, socio-economics, agriculture, shepherding, folk literature, the sea currents around them, and the host of other topics covered in this book, but Nicholson draws you in. Soon you are immersed in whatever there is to be known about what amounts to less than a square mile of rock, cliffs, beach, and meadow.

The book is organized around the turn of the year, beginning with Nicholson's first journey to the islands in his own boat in the spring, and ending with the first gusty wet weather of autumn, as he sits at the window in a two-room cottage writing. Into this annual cycle he interweaves story upon story, often speculative, of how the islands came to be, how they came to be what they are, and the people over thousands of years who have lived here.

As the year passes, Nicholson sketches in the broad sweep of recorded history from St. Columba to the present, noting the several hands through which the islands have passed, including his father's and his own. A team of archeologists identifies the remains of Iron and Bronze Age settlements and spends a summer uncovering a long abandoned farmstead. The discovery of a buried cobblestone with an ancient inscription sends him on one of many attempts to unravel mysteries that he uncovers.

The book is based on considerable research, and Nicholson pieces together a previously unwritten history of the islands with references drawn from many old documents and interviews with historians and other experts. He helpfully illustrates his text with many photographs, drawings, and maps.

This book is for anyone who feels the magical pull of islands. You will not regard them quite the same way again.