Journals Books

This is a WONDERFUL album. I really loved the idea of putting the photos in by means of actual photo corners. It seems so sweet and delicate. And Keep-sakey :)
I was thrilled with the page illustration and excited that I had both the photo album and journal.
It's so sweet and vintage inspired that it automatically makes you feel like you really have something special. I think it is a GREAT gift and it's gender-friendly style is perfect for ANY baby!!

I received this photo album and the accompanying memory album at one of my baby showers, and it was one of the best gifts I received. It's sweetly and beautifully designed. The drawings are original and creative and the book comes with photo corners attached in the back to ensure you actually remember to put the photos in the album.

A beautiful book and album, if you like things that look as if they are from a bye-gone era.

I love this postcards as this is one of the best postcards-related stuffs
that is available. The postcards of Hello Kitty in many disguises with their own "haikus" certainly a very charming way to capture your heart, especially those who love this traditional Japanese poetry and with an extra cuteness that is Hello Kitty!:-))

Highly recommended for those who loves this cat with no mouth!

I was very pleased with this purchase. These Postcards are the Bomb. Great quality. I love thrm

This is too cute and too "purrfect" to use. I'll have to order another box to send cause I want to keep mine in mint condition! This is a superior product at a reasonable price. Hello Kitty is shown in varied settings: Paris, the tropics, swimming pool, pumpkin patch, flying an airplane, etc. Harry Abrams is the publisher and they make a lot of quality products. I am very critical and do not recommend things lightly. Highly recommended!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir of a fascinating but so troubled human being. As a Catholic myself, I am especially impressed by how wonderful the people who surrounded Herculine were. Here these simple people were faced with a most complex and mystifying problem and they treated Herculine with so much kindness. As all were Catholics, I enjoy this memoir as a fine Catholic book.

The question of Herculine Barbin is one of profound impact within the realm of M. Foucault's work. Placed within the central problematic of "The Body" the question is not explored anywhere else within the book but in M. Foucault's introduction. The book plays out the vital issues. The subtitle tells it all: "Being the Recently Discovered Memoirs of a Nineteenth Century French Hermaphrodite." - The problem is executed and explored in this book within the framework of the "Archive" - of 4 parts. The book is divided into M. Foucault's introduction, Barbin's Memoirs, The Dossier, and Oscar Panizza's "A Scandal at the Convent." M. Foucault begins his introduction with:

"Do we truly need a true sex? With a persistence that borders on stubbornness, modern Western societies have answered in the affirmative. They have obstinately brought into play this question of a "true sex" in an order of things where one might have imagined that all that counted was the reality of the body and the intensity of its pleasures."

Here he sets up the problematic that sexuality revolves around institutions of power - the law, the church, the medical establishment, and society in general. Within this framework, sexuality then ceases to be a continuum and falls subject to our ever changing moods. Where exactly does a Hermaphrodite fit in, in all this? Is the Hermaphrodite male with female qualities? Is the reverse true? Who decides? What is the impact of what is decided? This is what the book tries to explore. The Dossier is a collection of the socially constructed perspectives - similar to "I Pierre Riviere..." (Also available on Amazon.com) before it; the editors take aim at the various perspectives and conclusions drawn by people within the framework of Power/Knowledge. We see how Barbin is constructed - outside of his/her voice (his/her voice we get from part 2 - "My Memoirs"). The memoirs paint a painful story of one's struggle to fit in within a very unforgiving structure that would allow Barbin to be neither a "girl" nor a "boy". It paints a tragic figure of a person torn within this framework to conform, to "be". Lastly, Oscar Panizza's "A Scandal at the Convent" is a fabrication, a poor rendition that stretches the Barbin story from the medico-legal issue that it is to one of sheer erotica. The movie that follows is an abomination to the archive the M. Foucault and his ilk uncover. Or is it simply a portrayal of the "edge" that discourse has in terms of Power/Knowledge. M. Foucault writes:

"The result is indeed remarkable. Panizza kept a few important elements of the case: the very name of Alexina, the scene of the medical examination. For a reason I have trouble grasping-perhaps because, relying on his memories of his reading without having Tardieu's book at hand, he availed himself of another study of a similar case that he had at his disposal-he altered the medical reports. But the most radical changes were those he made in the whole narrative. He transposed it in time; he altered many material elements and the entire atmosphere; and, above all, he took it out of the subjective mode and put it into objective narration. He gave everything a certain "eighteenth-century" manner: Diderot and his Religieuse do not seem far off. There is a rich convent for girls of the aristocracy, a sensual mother superior who shows an equivocal affection for her niece, intrigues and rivalries among the nuns, an erudite and skeptical abbe, a credulous country priest, and peasants who go - after the devil with their pitchforks. Throughout, there is a skin - deep licentiousness and a semi-naive play of not entirely innocent beliefs, which are just as far removed from the provincial seriousness of Alexina as they are from the baroque violence of The Council of Love.
But in inventing this whole landscape of perverse gallantry, Panizza deliberately leaves in the center of his narrative a vast area of shadow and that is precisely where he places Alexina. Sister, mistress, disturbing schoolgirl, strayed cherub, male and female lover, faun running in the forest, incubus stealing into the warm dormitories, hairy-legged satyr, exorcized demon-Panizza presents her only in the fleeting profiles which the others see. This boy-girl, this never eternal masculine-feminine, is nothing more than what passes at night in the dreams, the desires, and the fears of everyone. Panizza chose to make her only a shadowy figure, without an identity and without a name, who vanishes at the end of the narrative leaving no trace. He did not even choose to fix her with a suicide, whereby she would become a corpse, like Abel Barbin, to which curious doctors in the end assigned the reality of an inadequate sex.
I have brought these two texts together, thinking they deserved to be published side by side, first of all because both belong to the end of the nineteenth century, that century which was so powerfully haunted by the theme of the hermaphrodite-somewhat as the eighteenth century had been haunted by the theme of the transvestite."

In the end, the tragedy of Barbin allows one to take a step away from the theoretical to see the real impact all this power relations have. I revisit M. Foucault when he concludes his introduction:

"Most of the time, those who relate their change of sex belong to a world that is strongly bisexual; and their uneasiness about their identity finds expression in the desire to pass over to the other side-to the side of the sex they desire to have and in whose world they would like to belong. In this case, the intense monosexuality of religious and school life fosters the tender pleasures that sexual non-identity discovers and provokes when it goes astray in the midst of all those bodies that are similar to one another."

Pause. Think. Consider.

Miguel Llora

I had the pleasure of reading this novel for a college class, and I must admit that it was psychologically stimulating in one sense, and poignant in another sense. The fact that the story is actually based on true events makes the novel all the more appealing.

I bought my copy when it came out in the 70's. I love it and use it every christmas. I have just bought 3 more copies so all three of my sons families have this book. It is one of the best Candy Cookbooks I ever found. Had helpers this year and now need to find another couple of books for them. This is a must have candy book for my family. I just wish they could or would reprint this book.

Recipes for every type of candy in the world is in this cookbook. The book gives a list of equipment needed for candy making, most of which are already in everyone's kitchen. The ingredients are easy to find. The color pictures in the book illustrate how the candy should look, and almost every recipe has a brief description (i.e., for Chocolate Fudge Velvet--"Creamy, luscious, smooth-as-velvet, classic fudge--sweet perfection"). Even the novice cook can find recipes to make that are easy and delicious.

This older cookbook (been around since at least 1970..) is the best for making really good candies. Recipes are not difficult and are classics, for the most part, the kind of candy that friends and family members will remember once they've been fortunate enough to have someone make it for them, the kind grandma and great grandma used to make. I've been using this cookbook since the mid-'70s, mainly for holiday candy-making, and if I didn't show up with certain recipes from this cookbook at family gatherings, (such as the Napoleon Cremes, Swiss Nougat Bars, and Cotlets), I doubt I'd be let in the door. If you want to create real candy with old fashioned flavor, get this book. If you're looking for California Cuisine, or if you're looking for something pretentious and trendy, go elsewhere, because all you'll find here are simply delicious candies that will disappear as soon as they're offered.

Dr. Kellon is the world-famous equine nutritionist. She is also the vet editor of John Lyons Perfect Horse and Horse Journal. Famous for her no-nonsense style and attention to detail, this book is a wonderful resource. She covers everything from antioxidants to joint support to feeding the senior horse. It is a must-have for horse owners.
For those who want even more detail than this book provides, Dr. Kellon also has on-line courses covering a range of subjects from nutrition to cushings to understanding bloodwork.

I heartily second Claire Cox-Wilson's review. I would add that Dr. Kellon's First Aid For Horses should also be in every horseman's stable. It is as detailed, informative and clear an emergency book on horsekeeping as I've ever read. Both will become well-thumbed references for horses and the people who love and care for them. Solid, current, medically sound advice can be difficult to find. It's here in both books.

Carolyn Larson
Lamoine, Maine

I highly recommend this book... a wonderful compilation of all of Dr. Kellon's work with the Horse Journal.
It is a great resource for all horseowners who truly care about their horses' well-being. A no nonsense straightforward guide to providing your horse with optimal nutrition & care. Dr. Kellon's recommendations are solidly based on scientific fact, personal experience & in many cases trials conducted by the Horse Journal. Don't be misled by hype and buzz words that feed & supplement manufacturers throw at you. Dr. Kellon cuts through all of it and gives you the bottom line.
And for those horseowners, trainers, breeders who want to go one step further into the world of equine nutrition, Dr. Kellon offers online nutrition courses. For more information visit her website: http://www.drkellon.com/
With heartfelt thanks to Dr. Kellon for all she does for these magnificent creatures.
A most grateful student,
Claire C. Cox

WOW! I picked up this book at a writer's conference. I have kept a journal for years (well, 30 years to be exact), and found much inspiration in Klugs book.

The chapter "Caring for Your Soul" outlines the step-by-step process of meditating on scripture and journaling about the verses the Holy Spirit illuminates within you. "Begin reading slowly and stop when a word or phrase seems highlighted for you, when it 'shimmers' with meaning, when the Holy Spirit is addressing you through these words." I think this would be especially helpful for new Christians or for more mature Christians who feel stuck for some reason.

There is also a chapter, "Harvesting Your Journal," which contains suggestions for reviewing, summarizing, and indexing your journal(s). The Resource list suggests Harveting Your Journals by Rosalie Deer heart and Alison Strickland. I'm definitely going to get that book.

This book should be in every Christian's library.

I've been journaling on and off for years, more on than off for the last few years! Ronald Klug does an outstanding job of explaining the importance of keeping a journal, ideas to get you going, suggestions of things to write about, etc.

Keeping a journal has been one of the most satisfying and helpful things I've done in my Christian walk. When you go back to read it later, you can really see God's working in your life!

One of the things that Klug addresses that I've never seen anywhere else is the "problem" of what do to with notes you might be taking on books you're currently reading. Do you incorporate them into your daily journal, or keep a separate notebook? I'm journaling every day and reading my Bible and other books every day, and this is something that I've done different ways and I haven't found any one solution to be entirely satisfactory. I thought it was wonderful that the author even addressed the "problem"! I want to be able to find notes on a particular book I'm reading easily, and if they're scattered throughout the dailyness of your writing, that is harder to do.

He suggests keeping notes from other books you are reading in a separate notebook from your daily journal. And he suggests indexing them so you know what's in that notebook! An excellent suggestion and one I hadn't tried before. Just leave the first page blank and you could write which books' notes are contained in the book, and you could even add page numbers. I think this is a great idea!

As for brief quotes that you might be struck by, or particular scripture passages that you're learning about, you could include those in your daily journal.

The author says that he writes in spiral notebooks of lined paper. When he's finished, he puts them in a binder so that he has them all in order. While I prefer the small hardcover spiral-bound books that you find in Christian bookstores for journaling purposes, having them all together and in order is an attractive option! I also prefer using colorful Gelly Roll pens that are archival safe and permanent.

However you do it, Ronald Klug emphasizes that however you keep your journal is right for you. Whether you write it or dictate it or type it, whether you write in it twice a day, twice a week, or twice a year - it's a valuable tool for spiritual growth.

Please check out my other reviews of Christian books!

Happy journaling!

How To Keep a Spiritual Journal by Ronald Klug is a great source of inspiration for journal writing. It is the most comprehensive book on the subject o f journal writing that I've ever read. Mr. Klug gives many examples from his own journal writing, and he gives many approaches as well as ways to "get going" when you feel stuck. I read, and re-read the book and have loaned it and recommended it to friends who then bought their own copies. I find it a great resource. The most important thing Mr. Klug says about journal writing is that your journal is your journal, and you write it for your own reasons, so there's no one approach you MUST use. That's what I like about journal writing. I think you will find this book very encouraging and supportive for ANY reason that you want to write a journal.

I've been trying to write my memoirs for years, have read all the books. But there was something about HEARING this good guidance, and listening to the examples of everything she said to do, that made it real for me. This was the best aide I've found - and I found a lot of them.

I'd always wanted to write my family's history but couldn't get started....didn't know how. This took me step-by-step and showed me how to make it interesting. A terrific guide.

Patrika: I read your book this morning, and it summed-up in 200 short pages what I had to garnish from probably 50 - 60 previously read books on writing and publishing. I enjoyed every page of it. What's more important, is that it answered several questions that I had about current trends in the publishing industry.

Thanks again for being the pioneer "Author's Advocate", it's good to know that someone understands and is willing to help.

Mike White

________________

Valdez V. Fisher, Jr.
The Young Baltimore Author who Just Won't Quit

Perhaps by now you've heard of Valdez V. Fisher, Jr. He's the 31 year old author of the self-help/motivational book I Ain't Bitin' My Tongue. Fisher, determined to get the word out, has launched a staggering 12,000+ emails since the inception of his book in 2005. The emails have been directed to anyone and everyone he felt could be of assistance in his endeavor, from the media to politicians. His youth targeted book addresses such critical issues as self-esteem, parenting, wealth management, education, selective role models, choices, and post traumatic recovery. When asked "What makes you the expert on these issues?" he responded "I never claimed to be an expert. I am merely a young man who has made many mistakes, and would like to prevent my peers from falling prey to the same pitfalls."

Fisher has loved writing since he knew what a pencil was. From age five, he began writing poetry, and letters to celebrities. Donald Trump, who Fisher deeply admires and looks up to, was not only favorably mentioned in his book, but written dozens of letters over the years. Although he has never personally responded, he recently sent Fisher a polite "cease and desist" through his secretary, acknowledging Fisher's many contact attempts, and wishing him the best of luck with his book. Fisher framed the letter.

Fisher is a ball of energetic fire that rejection cannot extinguish. The only exonerees from his regular help-seeking and informative emails are individuals who take the time to respond. Fisher stated in a recent interview on Maryland's WJZ TV 13 that "he can accept no for an answer; however, no response at all is viewed by him as a potential possibility." Without a public relations firm behind him, or so much as a literary agent, he was able to persuade actor Lance Warlock of the movie Halloween II, to write the foreword to his book. Halloween is a classic horror film, written and directed by the legendary John Carpenter, and Debra Hill. In addition, he has regular contact via phone, email, and Internet instant message with New York Times best-selling author Omar Tyree, who has told Fisher he would grant consideration to writing the foreword to his next book.

I Ain't Bitin' My Tongue is one of the most unconventional books of its genre. Although pregnant with truth and delivering vital points, it manages to remain absolutely hilarious all throughout. Fisher delves deep into his personal life, and begins his prescriptions for greater levels of personal fulfillment with an open invitation through the time capsule of his existence. He truly did not "bite his tongue." The award winning poetry of Fisher can also be found in his book. Through it, he takes readers further along a journey of learning experiences and triumph.

Fisher's book is available worldwide at your local bookstore, or by visiting amazon.com, [...]. He loves reader feedback, [...] For public appearances including book signings, please contact:

[...]

This book is all you expect and more. The poetry is beautiful, and Valdez speaks with wisdom far beyond his years. I found the book enlightening, and well written.

This was one of the best books I have ever read. Very, very humerous, but true.

I like the idea of keeping a "gratitude journal." You can note in it the little and big things that you appreciate. It sounds like a wonderful way to shift focus away from the negative things that drag down your spirits. Instead of thinking about all the problems that threaten to overwhelm you, take a few minutes each day to think of good things.
Filling in the pages of the gratitude journal forcesus to start thinking beyond the big things in our lives. We would get beyond the obvious such as being grateful for a comfortable home or a caring spouse.
Finding some things to note down every day would expand our view. It would force us to really look around at the smaller things that make up our lives.

This is a journal that helps you log and apprciate the good things in life. Stay on top of it and refer to it often!

I like this journal a lot. It is big, easy to write in, handy writing prompts, and just the right amount of free writing space.

This is one of the most informitive books, great nutritional guide, allot of information qa must read for everyone

The Integrative Nutrition Journal
I am so pleased to write a review about the Integrative Nutrition Journal by Joshua Rosenthal, a guide to a happier, healthier life. I am a Holistic Health Nurse in private practice and I also am currently a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (a coursework I would highly recommend for all people who want to be well and feel more joy in their life).
The journal is an excellent vehicle to express your inner feelings as they relate to nourishing yourSelf, body, mind, and spirit. It is a wonderful template to access those things that are paramount to health and healing. I highly recommend you buy one for yourself and one for your best friend, now! Shine On, Donna Cetroni

For me, this journal took the concepts of a food diary and a personal journal and brought them together to really create a whole health and personal growth tool. I love the Circle of Life exercise and the Wish List. I also really like the approach of beginning each day with gratitude and intention and ending each day with a loving thought. Overall, this journal has inspired me to keep in closer touch with my choices and my goals without the boredom I typically encounter when I attempt to keep a "food diary".