Groups Books

In the modern world, I teach in the following manner: I give a reasoned presentation of facts, concepts, and conclusions; if you are too dense to "get it," I provide illustrative stories.

In the ancient world, I teach in the following manner: I provide an illustrative story; if you're too dense to "get it," I provide a reasoned presentation of facts, concepts, and conclusions. But I will avoid giving the point; I will let you wrestle with the story for quite some time...or for the rest of your life. In the struggle, wisdom is attained.

Friedman returns to this ancient (rabbinic?) form of teaching--teaching the reader through parables. To spur thinking, cause mental anguish, and provide fodder for discussion on leadership, self, triangles, purpose, and the other elements of Bowen Family Systems theory, Friedman has created 24 fables, an interlude, and an epilogue--all intended to challenge, educate, and stick with the reader.

As with any anthology of stories, some works are better than others, but all come very close to hitting the mark and making profound points. The characters are only as developed as they need to be to make the point; in fact, the brevity and stilted nature of the fables are what give them their aesthetic charm.

Provided with "Friedman's Fables" is a discussion guide, helpful for pondering the fables solitarily or in groups. Beware, though. Also provided are the various fables' morals (or points)...for those who are too dense to "get it."

These stories are excellent tools in illustrating therapeutic points to patients. Ironically, Friedman addresses the drawbacks of the psychological profession, but is helping the therapeutic process. Great addition to any clinician's library.

This book of parables takes the reader into the world of family systems theory in such a way that family systems becomes not just a theory but a part of one's life. With the supplemental discussion guide, it is an excellent resource for introducing the concepts and ideas of family systems to groups who have not studied or read on the subject before. All in all, an excellent book.

Ed Friedman provided his readers and students with more than information about the human condition. He has given them a way to think, not just what to think. This book of fables, as the study booklet that accompanies it makes clear, is about life questions. A great deal of what one can know about life and self depends upon (a) where one stands when asking questions, and (b) the clarity and orientation of one's questions. The greatness of Ed Friedman is the clarity with which he has engaged the world. His "Generation to Generation" is a powerfully clear treatise on self and systems that has had a profound effect on thousands. I am given to understand that his daughter is arranging for editing and publishing "A Failure of Nerve" (available since 1999 only as a bound manuscript, loosely edited). Ed Friedman learned systems theory from Msurray Bowen (1913-1990), and his variant of Bowen Theory remains one of the clearest and most compelling expositions of the power of Bowen's work. "Friedman's Fables" is a testament to what can be done with Bowen when one thinks about the human condition with freedom and creativity, informed by the discipline of the most mature theory of human functioning today.

Friedman's Fables are a resonant statement by a very quiet man. Ed Friedman was that quiet man. He constructed a modern use for the ancient form of allegory, first used in King Solomon's written works, to drive home difficult-to-accept truths and ethical principles, in a group setting. His "fables" are the outcome of his many years of psychoanalytic work in very large congregational groups, and in my view, are a work of genius. Each fable deals with a different aspect of the group unconscious, and facilitates a ready demonstration of the inevitable group acting out that results from the return of the repressed.

this book is well orgnized and clear stated. It contains many concepts about evo-devo field. Also this version includes many updated information about development and evolution.
Start from very basic phenomena and go further to the molecular level. Easy to read for anyone who is interested in this field.

Excellent book. Had to get it for my Evo-Devo class, and ended up loving it. It's plastered with genetic lingo, so if you've never taken a genetics or developmental biology class, you might struggle a bit, but what do you expect with a book called DNA to Diversity? For all you debaters out there, Sean Carroll heavily sides with the cis-regulatory argument of genetic modification, so beware to all you trans people. Not only was this book a joy to read, but it's handy as well. It's about half the size of a normal textbook, so it's easy to move.

We have about 25,000 genes. Some of these are "tool kit" genes that we share with all other animals. They evolved well before the Cambrian explosion over 540 million years ago from a bilaterally symmetrical common ancestor. Almost exact counterparts are found in apes and mice, and close counterparts in arthropods and worms. Next to most genes is a stretch of so-called "junk DNA" that does not code for genes. These DNA segments contain from three to twenty (or more) switches that collectively turn that gene on or off. The switches are activated or repressed by the differing concentration gradients of the protein products of other genes produced by neighboring cells. By virtue of the servo-feedback loops creating unique combinations of the protein products of tool kit genes, cells of the early embryo create a geographical map of their future body.

An escalating orchestra of domino effects builds complexity, each new development affecting the others. The tool kit genes and the other core genes that control biochemical function from bacteria to man are resistant to mutation. Novelty and speciation comes from the infinite variety of changes that come from the readily mutable genetic switches - allowing for changes in a segment without mortally wounding the rest of the animal. Not a single biologist 40 years ago would have predicted these discoveries.

The exciting developments of evo-devo have sent jolts of electricity through the evolutionary community. Nothing basic has been overturned; much has been enhanced. For example: It used to be thought that eyes had evolved independently many, many times - after all, the lumps of light sensitivity in primitive wormlike creatures, the compound eyes of insects, and the eyes of mammals have more differences than commonalities. As it turns out, the making of each eye-like organ is directed by a PAX6 tool kit gene. Not only that, if the PAX6 gene from the mouse is artificially introduced into the genetic material destined for the leg of the fly, an eye will form on the fly leg...and it's not a mouse eye - it's a fly eye. The mouse PAX6 gene switches - influenced by chemical gradients from adjacent tissue in the fly embryo - cause the gene to produce a fly eye! Astounding!

Tool kit genes (and other genes) are frequently named after the anomaly that doesn't develop when that gene is absent. The TINMAN gene controls development of the heart and circulatory system from butterflies to badgers - named after the Wizard of Oz character who had no heart. The wealth of information presented in this book will surprise, educate, and entertain the reader - and evo-devo researchers have just scratched the surface. New graduates in biology are surging into this explosive and previously neglected science.

There are three other books that I know of that cover these captivating discoveries of the last 30 years:

"Coming to Life," by Christiane Nusslein-Volhard. This fine book, written by a Nobel Prize winner for her meticulous ground-breaking work on fruit flies emphasizes the concentration gradients, which are indeed central to the story.

"The Plausibility of Life," by Kirschner and Gerhart. These authors are so excited about the new findings, they think it deserves a name - facilitated variation - and of course, they thought of the name. It is an excellent book with more basic sciences than the book under review, emphasizing how evo-devo facilitates novelty through an enhanced Baldwin Effect.

"Endless Forms Most Beautiful," also by Sean B. Carroll, written more for the college graduate who has taken a little biology.

I have studied them all. For the general public, "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" is the best. For those more familiar with molecular biochemistry and genetics, "DNA to Diversity" contains much more specific information - although anyone who would like one book would like the other.

"From DNA to Diversity" is a superbly written book -essential reading for the advanced reader who wishes to keep up with the stunning advances that have occurred in evolutionary knowledge during the past thirty years.

High School, College, Grad School? This book is at the grad school level. Carroll has also written Endless Forms Most Beautiful at the college level and The Making of the Fittest at the high school level. (You can check on "Read all my reviews" to read more about these.)

My own background is this: My formal education in biology consisted of an introductory course in college 40-odd years ago. Since then I've read a lot and in the last two years I've had a very strong interest in molecular and evolutionary biology. (For more info, click on my name, above. My Profile also has a link to my Listmania list of evolution books. Note that you don't have to be a grad student to read this book.)

I read From DNA to Diversity first and it was too much for me. I then read Endless Forms. That was pretty understandable, so I went back to Diversity and found it reasonable clear. I have since read it a third time and I am very fond of it.

Of the thousands of genes involved in the early development of animals, this book concentrates on a few, along with the proteins with which they interact and the various body parts they affect. Special attention is paid to the Hox genes and their insect homologues. Because these have large-scale effects in development, changes in them and in their regulation have profound effects on evolution. I especially enjoyed the section where Carroll combined many bits of information to show us the basic features that must have been present in the first bilaterally symmetric animal, that tiny but promising ancestor of us all. This is one of the bonuses we get for making the extra effort to read the grad-level book.

I find the text very clear and the overall organization - starting with the workings of the major toolkit genes, proceeding through descriptions of how those genes direct the overall shaping of the animal, and on to general considerations of evolution -- proceeds nicely.

[2 June 2007: This was one of the first reviews I wrote and I have added bits as my skills have improved. It got to be a bit patchy, so I have just finished a mafor revision.]

In a sense, Carroll has written the same book three times. "The making of the Fittest" is a work for the general reader explaining how our knowledge of genetics and embryonic development impacts and expands our knowledge of evolutionary biology (and vice-versa). His most famous book, "Endless Forms Most Beautiful," is aimed at college upperclassmen, and deal in more detail with the science of "Evo-Devo," evolutionary development. "From DNA to Diversity" covers much the same ground, but does so in a more technical and sophisticated manner. It appears aimed at graduate students and upper-division zoology majors. Presumably Carroll's next step it to write a graduate-level textbook. Toward the ent, "From DNA" reads like one.

It is a marvellous book, and like a text, it requires and rewards re-reading. Unlike a text, however, it virtually demands to be read in order; not only do the latter chapters build on the earlier ones, but the degree of difficulty in the presentation increases dramatically as the pages turn. As befits a book which assumes a sophisticated readership, there are fewer "detours" into polemics supporting green politics or mocking creationist theory. The photograpsh and the charts are terrific -- full color, clear, and as easy to read and interpret as the difficult subject matter will allow.

Because of the nature of the book, the discussion is less "thesis-bound" than Carrroll's other writings. Rather, he begins with a history of animal life, brings in detail about how embryonic development and genetic control of that process produces the diversity upon which natural selection can act, and weaves the two themes together to demonstrate how the process of forming animal bodies interacts with the changing environment to produce the multiplicity of animal forms we see today. And, Carroll goes on to show, the process is endless and at once aleatory and highly constrained.

I recall an episode of the old "Twilight Zone" series where a British World War One fighter pilot flies through a time warp and lands on an American Air Force base, circa 1960. He talks to one of the airman, and says, "We had no idea how advanced you are." The reader of Carroll's book is likely to have the same thoughts about the field of evo-devo. In Thirty years, these people have gone from the discovery of the nature of the DNA molecule to the brink of an ability to create life a test-tube. I had no idea they had advanced so far so fast.

This book is for men who want to get serious and change their lifestyle. The chapters alternate between discussing an area and developing an action plan to implement what was talked about. Written from the standpoint of someone who has been there and successfully dealt with these issues.

Joe Dallas lays it on the line. If you are looking to buy this book, you need it. If you are looking at it for your husband, buy it. This is a no nonsense look at sexual sin, the destruction it causes, and the pathway to sobriety. As Joe states in the book, if you follow this day to day guide, at the end you will have 30 days of sobriety. If your a guy who hasn't seen thirty days in years, pick it up. What have you got to lose?

This book is legit. It is a must for any man who wants to be set free from the chains of porn/sexual addiction. For a woman who wants to be part of the solution to restore a relationship effected by this, it will give understanding and hope.

This is an excellent tool for any guy who is struggling with sexual issues. The author has some great advice, taken from his years of struggle. On odd days, there is just reading, and even days are "action days", where the reader is required to do some writing, accountability, etc. I highly recommend this book.

First, let me tell you that I'm an ex-addict myself. Because I work with other men, I've read most of what's out there. This is the most concise, complete, step-by-step treatment I've seen. This is what I did to get free (porn-free for two years!). The trick is to stick to it. Joe has been there and he knows. He speaks clearly and with authority. If you do this stuff you will get free of your addiction to porn (it does take time). If you don't, you won't. Somewhere I wrote that I never give five stars. This has to be an exception.

AIDS memoirs became a rather popular genre in the 1990s. Geography of the Heart fits well into this genre, yet transcends the majority of these books, largely because of Fenton Johnson's deep, faith based observations and beautiful prose. The book is, of course, sad, yet the prose moves us to an understanding of the meaning of love and the factors which discourage us from entering into this most vulnerable state. It also talks about the deep transformation that occurs when we let down our guard and allows us to love, in spite of risks involved in all relationships. This is challenging as well as encouraging. I found Geography of the Heart to be well worth reading.

Two very dissimilar men meet in San Francisco, fall in love, and one cares for the other as he dies of AIDS in Paris in 1990. That's it, on the surface. But Fenton Johnson's exquisite memoir goes much deeper to explore the depths of a relationship that didn't stand much chance when it began. Rose, HIV+ but aware of his status, was asymptomatic when he met Fenton. Rose was the only child of Holocaust survivors whose father escaped the Nazis and hid for three years with broken vertebrae. Fenton, OTOH, grew up the youngest of nine in a Catholic family in isolated Appalachia.
Johnson writes with crystal clarity of his working through fear, toward grief and into eventual emotional renewal.
Beautiful.

I read a review of this when it first came out and felt that I had to read it. The emotion is so true and heartfelt. I felt the sadness as Fenton and Larry realized they would eventually lose each other because of AIDS. The story of their relationship is a testimony to the strength found in relationships of all kinds. This book helped me appreciate love and my sexuality. It's a must read for all who love life and want to feel how true homosexual love can be.

Rarely does a book come along which changes the way you see things. Johnson writes with such command and passion that you are immediatly drawn into his world. I started this book when I was in low spirits and the book quickly made me see the brighter sides of life. Although, its about the death of the loved one the way Johnson writes it doesnt make it fall into the catergory of a b-rate tear jerker. Its more about coming to terms with love, death and life. The reasons to live are the central plot rather then the reasons to die.

I weeped at times but at times inwardily smiled because Johnsons perceptions and fears are so human, just like the rest of us!

I suggest this book strongly for all those who want to get a little closer to reality.

If you want to know the true meaning of "Love", read this book! Mr. Johnson has written a highly moving and emotional account of his life's journey with his (now deceased) partner-Larry Rose. Two men who came together from two extremely different upbringings shared a life a love together that few of us ever have a chance to have, yet we all yearn for. Their individual families histories alone are worth reading! The writing is strong and effective, although I did have a few problems with it in spots. I cannot deny feeling nothing but joy at having the opportunity to read this excellent book! In an age where the AIDS crisis seems to be forgotten this is an all to important account of how all lives have changed and is a great testament and history lesson to remind us all. Highly recommended!

Caroline Lawrence writes incredibly detailed, fascinating stories. This one is no different. The well-paced plot keeps you turning the pages to find out what is going to happen next.

However, this is a very bloodthirsty book mainly because the Roman games were bloodthirsty games. The children explore their feelings about the violence and find that the bloody nature of the sport can be both frightening and addicting.

I really felt that some of the descriptions bordered on too graphic. One of my main problems with this book was the part with the little girls being eaten by hippos and crocodiles. The main character, Flavia, just barely manages to escape death through the intervention of her former slave, Nubia. I found the entire scene with the girls in the water to be disturbing. It was fairly graphic and heartbreaking. I have a fairly vivid imagination and I actually ended up dreaming about this scene the night after I read the book.

The bottom line is, if you have a child who is prone to nightmares or who has an over-active imagination, then this would be one I would have them skip. However, since the plot line is important to the rest of the series, it would be good to read it and summarize the events for your child. This is what I did for my son.

These books are just great for kids who love adventure, excitment and like to learn about history in entertaining way. My kids can't put these books down and now have a real image in their minds of what it was realy like to be a child growing up in this time in history. Kind of scary!!!!!

Flavie, Nubia and Lupus are all mourning the death of their dear friend- Johnthan. But when rumours start spreading of him being alive in Rome, Flavia and Nubia, with Lupus, decided to investigate.

This was once again another great book from Caroline Larence- an amazing author who depicts ancient rome in a truly outstanding way. I enjoyed this book immensely and it is a must-read for any historical fans.

The Roman mystery series is as good as it gets. Three of the children--Flavia, Nubia, and Lupus, go in search of their friend Benjamin who was last seen during the burning of Rome. Rumor through the city says that a dark, curly haired boy set the fire and Emporer Titus is searching for him. Emporer Titus is also opening the Flavian Amphitheater, now known as the Colesseum, with 100 days of celebration that will include gladiator fights and executions. The three friends find mystery and danger as they search for their best friend. Nubia holds the means to save either Benjamin or her brother, a gladiator, which will she choose? This series is exciting and in the process describes the life in Rome of 80 A.D.

If your pre-teen reads this book, she/he may want to run to the nearest bookstore to buy an armful of books on ancient Rome. Not because there's too much in it that's incomprehensible, but because Lawrence makes it a very realistic and compelling world--both the "good" and the "bad." The protagonists--all children--adroitly negotiate a morally difficult world where men, womnen and even children are victims of spectacular (and bloodthirsty) games in the Flavian amphitheater. However, the narration is also quite sensitive to the young reader's possible reactions, and sympathetic views are always heard from at least one character. The subject of personal loss and family tragedy is well explored here. I'm not a a mental health professional, but this books feels like the type that might help a child who has had to cope with the loss of a loved one. I've read every book in the series and as an educator in literature, I highly recommend it, and also the other books in the series.

Wow! where to begin. This is a book that everyone must read. Get it today and start the beginning of a new life.

Ed has a very down-home, yet practical style of writing. You feel like you are in the room with the author and hanging on every word. In Go the Distance, he offers great advice for looking at life from a different perspective. By changing our paradigm and the way we approach life can make all the difference. The way this book is written, you can really get into it or if you're like me, I'll read a couple of chapters and then set a book down and come back to it later. With Go the Distance, I found my self not wanting to put the book down. I can't wait for Ed's next book!!

How many books on success and leadership have you read where the author borrows from so many other sources that it's tough to tell what's new and different about the book? Well, you'll have no such quibbles with Ed Rowell's Go the Distance. Ed looks unflinchingly at aspects of life that can easily bring us to our knees. He's so honest about life struggles, in fact, that you'll be weeping before you finish reading. But he doesn't leave us there. He takes the next, rare step of actually supplying us with helpful direction. He doesn't promise that success comes quickly or easily, or that success will always be what you expect. But you know that he's in there slugging away, just like you are. And after you've read his book, maybe you'll be able to avoid a few of life's bigger blows because you're equipped with Ed's wise and practical advice.

So often in the world of self-help this and self-help that, major points get lost in the writer going on and on about how HE or SHE overcame negative circumstances and eventually found happiness, rather than on practical steps that can be implemented in the life of the reader. While Ed Rowell does draw upon his own life and the lives of his family and friends to make his points, he does so only to illustrate how YOU can benefit from the very practical, very thoughtful principles contained within the pages of Go The Distance. For me, I realized that life is more about my relationship with God than it is my relationship to failure and adversity. Ed Rowell points out that our response to life is more important than what life throws at us - which sometimes can be a substantial mess of stuff.

In the end, it's not about where you start, it's where you finish. Sound advise from a sound writer who has a lot to say. Listening will help you win the race and enjoy the journey.

"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us," Hebrews 12:1. For years this race has teased me. My feet have pounded the road with this cheering challenge dancing around in my head. The problem is that this challenge was almost crowded out by all the theories floating around with it. No matter how badly I wanted to win I couldn't ever seem to come up with a clear plan, just a resolve to try harder, run faster, be better. But none of these were means to the end I was seeking. They were only goals themselves.

Then I found the book Go the Distance. Though I was immediately drawn to the theme, I felt skeptical that a book could redirect my path when few others had. I was wrong.

As I sampled the first pages of the book, I was practicing my usual disciplined, "give it a chance mode." I expected to have to dig into the plot of this new book a bit before I gained the desire to finish it. I was so surprised to feel my pulse quicken and my eyes mist over when I was only finishing the dedication. Rowell proved two important points to me while his page numbers were still Roman. He had something to say to one of those deep fears and mysteries in my heart: "How can I be really successful?" Not, "How can I be more productive, efficient, wealthy, intelligent, muscular?" (I've already read all those.) How can I find the purpose for which I was created and live in it? More importantly, Rowell's style proved that he knew how to tell me.

Rowell chose to dedicate a book about success to two of his former teachers. "I would tell Mom over the phone," he writes, "Be sure and tell Mr. Trotter about me." How many times have I wanted the real winners in my life to be proud of me? And I as I go further down the road, how I long to know that I will be the kind of cheerleaders that these men were! Because Rowell could show how these two men made him believe that he had worth, I knew that he was speaking to the kind of success I sought. And, I was hungry for more.

After hooking me, Go the Distance changed my own race strategy dramatically. It offered the experience of many who have run much further than I've gone. This author spares me a published personal agenda. He offers instead a compilation of many interviews with winners and what they can share about their own successes. Having already practiced many of their strategies along the way, Rowell is able to weave these together with his own insights into a game plan that reads like a great story.

Perhaps the most powerful personal application I found in Go the Distance was in the time management arena. When I read about Ken Hatch in chapter one, I winced painfully and felt the need to look over my shoulder to see if someone was watching. For years I've resolved again and again to simplify and not live in such a hurried frenzy. Reading Go the Distance provoked me to stop asking, "How can I fit more in?" "What would make me more productive?" and to ask instead, "Why do I feel such a need to produce?" "How can I stay focused on my purpose?"

Making these kinds of changes in the questions I ask myself has been the catalyst to finally getting me on the right path towards finding my own purpose. I am so hopeful after reading Go the Distance that I will finish well. Finally in all the books I've read, I have one that has helped me focus on the finish line rather than chase my own tail.

The Golden Road and its prequel, The Story Girl, are two of the best books I have ever read. I never seem to get tired of them, either...I have read them countless times! If you enjoy L. M. Montgomery's novels, such as the Anne of Green Gables series, these books are a must. The Golden Road tells the story of cousins, Beverley (who narrates the story), Felix, Cecily, Felicity, Dan, and Sara Stanley, also known as the Story Girl, plus their friends Peter, the hired boy, and Sara Ray. The adventures these eight have are sometimes exiting, sometimes sad...but mostly really funny! For instance, one time, they have the governors wife to tea...but they think she's their deaf Aunt Eliza and comment on the governors big nose and such things! And Felicity accidentally bakes tooth-powder rusks...oh, I can't tell you the whole book! Read it for yourself!

The Golden Road and its prequel, The Story Girl, are two of the best books I have ever read. I never seem to get tired of them, either...I have read them countless times! If you enjoy L. M. Montgomery's novels, such as the Anne of Green Gables series, these books are a must. The Golden Road tells the story of cousins, Beverley (who narrates the story), Felix, Cecily, Felicity, Dan, and Sara Stanley, also known as the Story Girl, plus their friends Peter, the hired boy, and Sara Ray. The adventures these eight have are sometimes exiting, sometimes sad...but mostly really funny! For instance, one time, they have the governors wife to tea...but they think she's their deaf Aunt Eliza and comment on the governors big nose and such things! And Felicity accidentally bakes tooth-powder rusks...oh, I can't tell you the whole book! Read it for yourself!

I enjoyed The Golden Road, but not as much as I enjoyed The Story Girl. I recommend you read the two novels together, one right after the other. If you enjoy reading books set in a long-ago era, the books have a charm to them. If you like action, these books will not appeal to you as much.

In my opinion, it is not possible to enjoy The Golden Road unless you have just recently read The Story Girl. Not all of the characters and actions in TGR will be understoon unless you have read TSG. The characters are a lot of fun and are well-written. The adventures this group of friends have together will stay in your memory forever.

I loved this book. I read the Story Girl years ago, but the 'Road to Avonlea' books ruined the concept for me, and I forgot that there was an original sequel. And then, my sister borrowed it from the library; I was bored, and so picked it up. I read the entire book that afternoon - forget about the fact that exams were six weeks off, that I should be vaccuuming - I couldn't put it down. I admit, I had cherished hopes of the Story Girl and Bev, but they were dashed. Felicity and Peter, I am sure, were happy for the rest of their lives....and I was crying so hard when I read about Cecily. I loved it.

The Golden Road and its prequel, The Story Girl, are two of the best books I have ever read. I never seem to get tired of them, either...I have read them countless times! If you enjoy L. M. Montgomery's novels, such as the Anne of Green Gables series, these books are a must. The Golden Road tells the story of cousins, Beverley (who narrates the story), Felix, Cecily, Felicity, Dan, and Sara Stanley, also known as the Story Girl, plus their friends Peter, the hired boy, and Sara Ray. The adventures these eight have are sometimes exiting, sometimes sad...but mostly really funny! For instance, one time, they have the governors wife to tea...but they think she's their deaf Aunt Eliza and comment on the governors big nose and such things! And Felicity accidentally bakes tooth-powder rusks...oh, I can't tell you the whole book! Read it for yourself!

I've never read another book like "Good Books Lately: The One-Stop Resource for Book Groups and Other Greedy Readers." It's clever and smart without being condescending. Completely accessible! The book is a blend of history, anecdote and How-To. Whether you're in a book club, or just an avid reader on your own, this book is helpful. It gives great tips on being a more active reader and participant in discussion of books.
I had the good fortune of attending a reading of this book by the authors, Kira Stevens and Ellen Moore, and they are even more charming and clever in person! I was in tears with laughter listening to their encounter with Oprah - very funny stuff! Don't worry, the Oprah story is in the book, so you can get a good laugh too!

At last there is a lively resource book for book group discussions! With easy to follow chapters, this book gives the reader the tools to deepen any book group discussion. Whatever book type your group prefers, Kira Stevens and Ellen Moore have created a one-stop easy reference guide. I find that I often return to the book before book dicussions, making Good Books Lately an invaluable investment. The authors have made the analytical art of book discussions accessible, and fun. For all of us "greedy readers" - this is the ultimate reference for book lovers everywhere.

Everything one could want to know about starting a book group in a helpful, informative, and entertaining format. A great read from authors who are not just PhDs in English but clearly women who love reading and writing. In addition to detailed descriptions of just about everything one would need to know to get started and keep going, the authors provide lists of books that have proved to be most popular with reading groups. Loved the part about their meeting with Oprah. This is the sort of book just to keep handy to refer back to when you need inspiration or validation in what you're doing whether it's preparing for a group meeting or analyzing a book on your own.

What a great book! Most how-to books can be dull or hokey, but the advice in this book is interesting, creative, fun and often hilariously funny. The authors take an important topic and make it very accessible. I was pretty nervous about starting a book group before I encountered "Good Books Lately," but now I'm encouraged and excited! After just starting this book, I felt like Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens were good friends of mine! This book's a great reference that I'll use and recommend often.

I absolutely loved this book on book groups. A friend of mine recommended it because I was complaining that our book group had gotten a little dull after 7 years. Now, we have reinvigorated our group with the help of this book. Every book group needs to read this book. Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens are absolutely brilliant and incredibly funny.

This is such a wonderful and diverse description of the grace that has been given to every person who claims the name of Christ. It opens up new ways of thinking which even long time Christians are astounded by.

Jerry Bridges has repeatedly said throughout the ages that as Christians we need to be continually preaching the gospel to ourselves, every day. The Gospel for Real Life pivots on this fundamental need. It is intended to answer three questions:

-1- What is the gospel we should preach to ourselves?

-2- Why do we, who are already believers, need to preach it to ourselves?

-3- How do we do it?

Bridges does a terrific job addressing each of these questions throughout the book. In the sixteen chapters Bridges moves at a nice clip through the intricacies of the gospel. A book like this is so helpful in its consistent reiteration of critical elements of the gospel, such as substitution, mercy, grace, faith, repentance, and so on.

Some may say that they already know all of this stuff and another book on the gospel is probably not going to do much for them. To this person I would say, this is exactly the book you need to read next. I think it was Tim Keller who said before that if you think you fully understand the gospel then you don't, and if you think you don't fully understand then you probably are beginning to get it. The fact is our hearts are so inclined towards our own self-righteousness and the preservation of our autonomy that we forget the realities of the gospel. Therefore we must regularly revisit, and truly, as Bridges contends, preach the gospel to ourselves on a daily basis.

I appreciate Bridges emphasis upon Christ' righteous life (chapter 3 & 4) as the basis for our righteousness. In addition, his clarity with respect to the substitution of Christ in the atonement is refreshing (ch. 5, 6, 9, 10).

As a pastor I am always searching for good books to recommend for both small group and personal settings. The Gospel for Real Life is such a book. If you are familiar with C.J. Maheney's book Living the Cross Centered Life, this is similar, only it is more detailed and intricate theologically. But this theological depth does not diminish its readability and practicality, and this is really what makes this book such a gem.

This is a great time here in the early days of the new year to resolve to be more gospel centered every day, by preaching the sermon of Christ's sacrifice to your own heart each day. This book is a great tool to equip, refresh and sustain you to this end.

this is the most thorough and understandable explanation of the Gospel I've ever heard. jerry bridges is a great man of God who obviously has lived his life and studied the Scriptures in such a way as to know these truths deeply! this book is insightful to mature believers, thorough to young believers, and explicit and clear to the seekers...great for anyone!

This is a volume that I commend to any believer who is serious about "boasting only in the cross." I keep several spare copies of this book to give away to those the Spirit leads me to.

Jerry Bridges is one of my favorite authors. His writing is always clear, concise, saturated in Scripture and very edifying. The Gospel for Real Life is certainly no exception. Bridges gives his straight forward and simple thesis in the preface: "This book is not meant to be a theological treatise. To borrow an expression from the collegiate world, it is intended to be `Gospel 101.'"

Bridges' burden in the book is to help the Christian reader fully understand the gospel so that they can preach the gospel to themselves, everyday. Why? Because he is convinced that there are many sincere Christians in the church today who have a deep, troubling, yet private anxiety about their relationship with God.

He tells of a ministry colleague of his who "recently confessed that he felt overwhelmed and anxious even in the midst of fruitful ministry." He quotes Richard Lovelace to articulate the problem: "below the surface of their lives [they] are guilt ridden and insecure...[and] draw the assurance of their acceptance from God from their sincerity, their past experience of conversion, their recent religious performance or the relative infrequency of their conscious, willful disobedience." Where does this come from? Bridges contends that it flows from an inadequate view of the gospel.

Therefore, Bridges seeks to unfold the riches of the gospel of Christ in 15 chapters, discussing gospel essentials such as the depth of our sin, justification, atonement, Christ's sacrifice, reconciliation and the imputation of Christ's righteousness, just to name a few. He finishes the book with a final chapter (chapter 16) focusing on our responsibility to take this glorious gospel to the world. This responsibility, however, is not a duty to be done out of slavish fear or mere obligation, but an act of loving obedience in response to the glorious grace revealed in the gospel-the gospel that he labored to help the reader understand in the previous 15 chapters.

Personally, I have already read this book twice and I plan to read it again. It is very refreshing and strengthening. It keeps me away from the tyranny of trying to earn my righteousness and from the soul killing power of legalism. It is a simple book, and, as Bridges explains, not a theological treatise. But God help us if we think we are "beyond" such things. This is a book for baby Christians and seasoned theologians alike because it brings us back to where we are to constantly remain: relying fully on Christ and His gospel.

I've been around program long enough to recognize what this really is. If you are in a 12 step group you should give this to your sponsor. It will touch his heart.

It's rare for me to find a book I can't put down. I'm very good at skimming to get the gist of a book but I was only a few pages into Great Wings when I realized I didn't want to miss one word. By the time I was less than half way through I ordered 5 more copies for gifts. Great wings is deeply touching and insightful...a book you will want to share with someone you love. Don't miss this one. It will lift your spirits and touch your heart.

I was enthralled, transformed and left crying. I don't like to write reviews, but this book deserves a lot of attention. Buy two copies and pass them on to friends. It is particulary suited for prayer groups.

I heard the author speak at a convention and then read the book. He was wonderful and the book is delightful. If you are a team player this is a must read.

Insightful life lessons conveyed in an entertaining parable format