Tools Books

Astrology and Compassion - The Convenient Truth
By Roy Gillett


This is a book only an Aquarian could write. It is much, much more than an astrology book; it is a book of thoughts about what astrology can do and how astrology can be used to create a better 21st century. Astrology and Compassion is a book that synthesizes Roy's original theories in a volume full of exciting ideas and excellent astrology.

Astrology and Compassion: The Convenient Truth is a mix of the esoteric and the scientific, of astrology and Buddhism, of old philosophies and new ideas. Roy presents new proposals that demand to be tested. And, he knows of what he speaks. Roy Gillett is a man of the 21st century. He is Utopian, idealistic, an Aquarius' Aquarian. He thinks so far outside the box that you are in a new country. Roy's innate understanding and years of practice allow him to intertwine his Buddhist studies with his explanations and proposals. His experience as an educator in the British school system gives him the background for his innovative ideas on using astrology in education.

The book is organized into four sections. Roy gives thorough answers to the main criticisms of astrology, and then explains how it works using analogies for lay people plus deeper technical examples for all. After showing how this knowledge could enhance many areas of contemporary academia, the book climaxes with ways of implementing astrology in our 21st century society. Each chapter contains a reading list for further study. There is an appendix with a brief but thorough explanation of astrology and astrological terms for the non-astrologer. Roy stops you at the beginning of chapter four and sends you to the appendix if you are new to or unsure of your astrology, and then welcomes you back once you have learned the astrological terms and set your groundwork for understanding the rest of the book. He then erects his thesis, building towards a place where the new and daring ideas start to get hotter and hotter.

Roy is able to permeate the book with his Buddhist knowledge and deliver teachings without being obvious. Buddhism is so much of his thought process that its values saturate the book in a most subtle way. He writes, "it can be argued..." and then presents the concept. His explanations of Buddhism are clear and he explains its ties to astrology.


"...The chaotic condition of our contemporary society is
the calcified product of the absence of a coherent spiritual heart
in our culture. Until that heart is restored, healed and pumping
the spiritual nourishment of kindness and understanding through
the fabric of society, any number of piecemeal mechanical solutions
will lead us out of one set of horrific outcomes into another...With
compassion and the illuminating language of astrology, we understand
so much more and see clearly what needs to be done. This is the
restorative essence we seek-the convenient truth."


The book reads as if you are listening to Roy speak. Roy uses wonderful British phrases, which please an anglophile like me. I had to write and ask him what a "lolly scramble" is (a party game where candy is thrown in the air, like a piñata). Some words translate easily, like "candy floss=cotton candy, while some phrases are fun to read and learn, e.g., "horses for courses". Although written with the British, political, legal, and school systems in mind, the concepts translate easily. It is of benefit to Americans to learn the differences and the similarities between how the two countries hand these social necessities.

Roy states in his conclusion:
"The aim of this book is to encourage consideration of a more appropriate 21st century paradigm with new priorities. Its core is to see the conscious wholeness of the universe and to understand each creature's role within it. By this study we will realize that essential message and meaning of our universe is excellence through co-operation, not efficiency forced by the threat of competition...the central aim of this book has been to transform today's dominant emotions of greed and fear into their higher antidotes-compassion and astrological insight."

Buy this book and read it. It will open your mind. The book gives astrologers pride in our craft and introduces non-astrologers to a new way of thinking. It is a valuable addition to any library.

It is a perfect book on airway management. It is comprehensive, systematic and detailed. The photos are excellent. The perfect first book to have on airway management.

As an apprentice machinist, I have been looking for a book that was up-to-date and something that would show me die-cut, grinders, jigs for my metal work. This is not only the only book I've found, it is full of great illustrations, which helped me on the first job right after I bought the book. Even if you just fiddle around w/metals in your garage, you're going to get a lot out of this book. People told me to look for the name Audel and now I know why.

Randy Thom is an Academy Award-winning sound engineer who got his start in non-commercial radio. This book covers all the important basics to making good-sounding audio productions. Although it is geared towards radio production, the information, presented in clear, easy-to-understand language, is relevant for audio production for film, video, web-based production, as well as radio.

These are wonderful tapes. Whenever I need a little boost in life so that I feel refreshed and myself again I will put one of these tapes in. They are very grounding and encouraging. I highly recommend these tapes if you are looking for something to help you recharge and relax.

I got this book a couple of months ago and must say, I am impressed. There are a lot of "Mental Aspects of Baseball" books, but none are as clear and insightful about ways for players to instantly push their game to a new level. Little cues to look for, what to do when you're picked off, how to size up the defense, and much more, covering all aspects of the game.
Baseball is very difficult and requires a lot of practice to master the mechanics of pitching, hitting, and fielding, so much of the literature in the sport focuses on these things. And because even with a lot of practice, the failure rates are so high, much is written about maintaining proper perspectives and postitive attitudes.
This book is a slap at over-coaching and the loss of sandlot play in recent years. It says kids have been playing organized baseball from such young ages that they don't think for themselves anymore. If a coach puts up the 'stop sign' they stop, even when they know they can make it to the next base. They don't bunt or steal without getting the sign to do that first, even when they know it will work. They are afraid of the coaches wrath, and they are not taking advantage of opportunities presented to pressure the defense, to steal on a lazy catcher or a predictable pitcher. They play safe, to avoid making mistakes and their coaches' anger, rather than playing aggressively and using every angle they can to win a game. How do you learn to get a maximum lead if you are not willing to go too far and get picked off once in a while? Coaches need to let the kids play sometimes, not just to win today, but to learn today what they can use tomorrow.

Want your player to be the best he can and make a quantuum leap in his baseball IQ in a short time? Get this book and let the kid have fun abusing all the perfect little robots out there. I have seen this work now, and it is amazing what an average kid with a good baseball head and an aggressive attitude can do even at Varsity High School levels.

Retired and wanting something to pass the time with I started on fly fishing and tying. This book has the handy pictures to give first some basic instructions and then seven patterns that will get you to tying others like them. Now I do up my own patterns using the lessons lerned from this book. I haven't used any other books on starting off, but I am satisfied that this one does the job and a good job at that.
jd

MWM lays out the basics in a way anyone can understand. He uses photos to show how he stripes a hot rod light housing and also shows many basic designs that you can immediately start practicing with. This book doesn't overwhelm you with a bunch of fancy lines and lettering, rather, it lists the materials you'll need to start striping and shows some basic technique. A quick read of about 20 minutes but you'll find yourself referring back to it over and over. I've read all of the pinstriper instructional book/pamphlets out there and i think i got the most out of this one.

Compiled, edited and arranged by quilting expert Sherrye Landrum, "Basic Quilting: All The Skills And Tools You Need To Get Started" is a fundamental introduction and instruction manual on quilting specifically designed for the novice beginner. Aspiring quilters are provided with expert and seasoned advice on choosing fabrics, batting, backing, thread, and quilt designs. Complete, illustrated, and methodical instructions are given for specific 'novice friendly' projects such as creating a pot holder, making a tote bag, quilting a table runner, and more. With expert contributions by Charlene Atkinson and photographs by Alan Wycheck, "Basic Quilting" is an ideal, spiral bound, instructional manual for anyone aspiring to acquire the basics of quilting that launch them into the creative and valued needlecraft hobby of quilting.

This book is a "must have" for longaberger collectors. All second hand baskets are based on "the bentley". You won't be sorry you made this purchase.