References Books

This book is a must for anyone interested in architecture and pop up books. What a wonderful learning tool. So sorry it is out of print. Actually having bought it through Amazon as a used book, it was in GREAT condition.

Contrary to other architecture books that are muddled with academicians' essays, which in turn are filled with architecture terms that amateurs like myself wouldn't possibly understand, this book or pack is informative, playful, and easy to understand. Just say that it's a crash course into architecture rather having you going thru 5 years training in a varsity with working experience. The pack guides you to the fundamentals of architecture like the origin of architecture, when is architecture becoming a distinctive profession as in miedevel time, architect is a stonemason, sculptor all blended into one; the influence of Classicim, unavoidabability of learning about Palladio and Vitruvius; structure and form; new materials & shapes; art & architecture blended as one; the changing city, influenced mostly by our usage of cars; the process, with Richard Meier's Getty Centre as a case study. To top this pack off, there a booklet informing readers of prominent &/or infleuntial architects & architecure terms commonly heard & used respectively(quite concise); timeline stipulating the architecture breakthrough since the beginning of time & where does those famous architects stand in the passage of time; a model of Schroeder house for us to build. The journey through this pack is simply a revelation, surprises everywhere & never failed to bewilder me. I'm adamant that the pop-up buildings is an art in its own rite & what about the enclosed "Mission Impossible" glasses that enable us to see the inner structure and exterior structure of buildings so that we would appreciate architecture more? Before I forget, there's also a cassette narrated by the author. Believe me, you will spend hours and hours immersing yourself in this pack forgetting how time flies when you are enjoying yourself the most. Highly recommended for architecture enthusiasts. A note of caution though, due to the fiddly but fine detailing in this book, readers are urged to handle the pack with utmost care, & it would be wonderful to have a second edition, continuing on where the author has left off in 1997.

This is one of the most awesome books I've ever seen. Lots of cool things to do. Well worth the money!

I had just discovered this out of print popup book by chance just recently and I regret it had not been in existence when I was deciding on a career direction when I had waffled between career disciplines my tender years. This adult geared book successfully demystifies some intimidating structural concepts and introduces the reader to the important historical references and people in architecture. Architecture/structural engineering concepts are best learned in 3 dimensions as with the astounding popups, not with a flat one dimensional media. I agree with another reviewer who hopes for a second edition with added CDRom/DVD media to match up with today's technology.

If this book had met only 1/2 of my expectations, I would have been pleased. It exceeded them. Every page is a series of surprises and delights. Whether you're interested in Architecture, or just love classy gadgets, this is your book. I cannot imagine anyone who, getting this book as a gift, would not be delighted. Read the product description, and add 50%. The only down sides are the long delivery time, and the book's delicacy. One is torn between wanting to look at its contents repeatedly, and the fear that the book might be damaged by too much handling. Order two!!

This book gives a detailed overview on what to expect once you get the butter bars pinned on you. It delves into a considerable amount of detail into topics such as army customs to obey, UCMJ laws that you should already know (but can't hurt to refresh upon) and other topics. If you are currently in OCS or are thinking about becoming an officer there is also a guide to the different branch opportunities that are available to Army officers such as aviation, infantry, intel, ect. Overall a great book that is definitely written and geared for current or aspiring officers.

Every Army officer whould have a copy of this book, both as a reference and as a guide to many aspects of Army life. Its never been superceded except by new editions because it is the definitive guide.

I'm currently serving as a Captain in the Air Force with Space Command. There's a possibility I might transfer to the Army through Blue to Green. Since I wouldn't be attending any type of OCS, I have to learn as much as I can on my own. This book has described all the branches, career paths, promotions, etc. It's been an invaluable tool and helped me make my decision an where to go in the Army - Military Police Corps.

This reference will tell you everything you need to know and more about being an Army officer.

I read this before Basic, and it made my life a lot easier. It's full of "somebody should have told me" information. I bought an older version than is currently available, which doesn't have the ACUs or beret, but much of the information is a hundred years old and still relevant.

This is a great book for all people trying to pray without ceasing. I could not read this though cover to cover, I had to take it a little at a time. For me, it answered questions I had about the Jesus Prayer. If you do buy this book and are not familiar with the Jesus Prayer I highly reccomend first reading "The Way of the Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues His Way."

Beautiful, simple, instructive, and wise, this is one of the books you want to open daily... and should! An invaluable and sure guide for the life of prayer.

in as few words as possible i would like to say that this is like a bible for me - i have just started reading it and already i can feel the sheer power in its utter humility - the way in which the use of prayer is explained to be the essence of any method or practice is unique in it's directness - i have not read a book on Christian Prayer or any Christian book for that matter which covers simply and unswervingly, what i call, the Heart of All Religion - i have always been scared by the word 'orthodox'...until now - now i understand what the word means to me - i recommend this book over any other like it - i guarantee you will not be displeased - now for the practice...

"Pray without ceasing" (5:17)

A beautiful book full of amazing treasures of spiritual insight.Reading this book and books of today on prayer do not seem to be even about the same subject. This authur is communing with God not looking for "a personal relationship with Jesus"

This is a classic book on how to pray with mind and heart. It is used by our church for a weekly class discussion and review. The popularity of this class is highly rated by those attending.

For getting prayer from the heart in your life, this is a great beginning.

Very well researched and written book! If you are interested in Native American past and cultures, this is a great resource.

I am using this as part of my research to aid me with the series of paintings I am doing of North American Indians from the period 1850 through 1910. I found it interesting that of the paintings I have completed thus far, I often get asked by Native Americans if I have yet done any paintings of members of their tribes. This book helps with the geographical aspects of where my subjects may have been located at the time they lived.

Great maps explained by easy to understand text passages are the hallmarks of this user friendly and highly informative, not to mention interesting, book. I'm very impressed by Carl Waldman's work, which is characterised not by fawning apologias but by respectful insightful investigatory analysis.

A good resource for any student entering the field of North American Indian studies, this book is carefully organised and rendered. Waldman traces the many facets that have been used to explain who the North American Indians were, how they lived and where. The text is clear and direct, well-suited to the novice in this area of study. The wealth of maps and other illustrative material well supports the narrative, although space restrictions force a certain level of clutter at times.

Waldman opens the book with a description of how humans arrived in the Western Hemisphere. The "Ancient Civilizations" of Mesoamerica, such as the Olmec and Maya are well summarised, before the author turns to the Southwest peoples - the Anasazi, Hohokan and Salado communities. He explains the often overlooked or poorly considered Moundbuilders of the Lower Midwest. The section on "Indian Lifeways" turns to areas like California, the Pacific Coast, and Subarcic regions. While these peoples didn't achieve the strongly hierarchical civilisations of Mesoamerica, their various social structures were complex and dynamic. Their economic systems allowed them to endure and they adapted well to change, something too often lacking in Mesoamerica. To a limited extent, the geography and environment hosting these people granted them the flexibility to maintain a dynamic society, even in precarious conditions.

One aspect of life they were poorly prepared for was the European intrusion. Waldman sets aside a section to introduce the problems introduced by European colonisation. The litany of wars and rebellions take up a hundred pages of the text. The accompanying maps showing battle sites sparkle with stars indicating clash sites. Some of these wars have almost disappeared from historical accounts of North American settlement. It's a good reminder of how the whites took over the hemisphere and what cost that hegemony extracted from the native population.

In time, war was replaced by "Land Cessions" and resettlement. The reservation system, never a fixed idea, is carefully explained by Waldman. The modern result of reservation communities and the ambivalent policies surrounding both the settlements and their populations gave rise to a new awareness among Indian people. The poor acknowledgement of Indian contributions in two world wars was but one of many irritants leading to "uprisings" at Wounded Knee and elsewhere. The author goes on to list major Indian government agencies and Indian organisations and facilities. Indian place names, often overlooked, are listed, with the modern "nation" structures for the US and Canada provided. In all, this book will be a firm base from which to expand a study of Indian circumstances for the future. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

While I enjoy this book and its wealth of info and maps, it is a shame that the only map in color is on the cover. 4.5 stars.

This is a book to reveal your true being. By using a system of pointing the author questions the questioner's question. The idea is to reach a point where its impossible to find the 'I', or 'me' we refer to every day. Most of what we assume to be I can be skilfully pointed out to not be a strong case for identification. For instance, thoughts just pop into the mind. The phrase 'I had a thought' is not technically correct. A 'thought' popped in. But the 'I' had no control of that thought popping in. Perhaps the vibration at the time attracted the thought. Humans and more specifically, minds, identify itself with these thoughts. If a finger is lost off the body, the mind might say 'I lost my finger'. In six months time that same expression might be used. Yet where is the finger in six months? Its no longer attached to the body. Its probably been incinerated. So the finger now exists in another form. There is now no finger yet still inside the consciousness remains untouched. Now extend that to the whole body. This can include the brain as well. Half the brain could be lost yet consciousness still remains(that's probably not scientifically true but it illustrates the point). So where is this 'I' Person? The identification should be with consciousness, with pure awareness.
So if you look out at an 'apple' the consciousness and awareness sees the apple. Mind identifies the apple. Oh 'this is an apple' or 'there's an apple in my hand. When we just look at the apple, especially if one of those rare moments occurs where you just look, almost a frozen staring with complete awareness, instead of daydream energy, that's who you are. A popping of recognition occurs and you're left with 'oh so that's it'.

Several things might occur after this moment. Questioning might begin again and the circle begins. Perhaps one moves a bit closer. What might also happen is this popping is permanent. There is now a shift. All identification is lost with the mind.

Here's a beautiful quote from the book(P.43):

'Peace does not lie in a peaceful mind, but in establishing your identity in that which is deeper than the mind'

Although something like Zen Zazen is most useful in reaching a state of tranquil peace within stillness in breath, this will not bring about a permanent peace of mind. Stop practice for 4-5 days and the old irritability starts creeping back. What it is most useful in pointing out is this ability to be still, this awareness in stillness. Although there is still a lack of connecting with the awareness as the true being.

After a settling in period of Zazen meditation, one can really accept that this is really helpful to inducing a state of peacefulness and stillness. Its about no bell and whistles, no chasing after psychic powers or amazing mind blowing connections with the universe. Just plain sitting in awareness within breathing. Then along comes a turn of phrase, or a particular moment when you just #get# that you are that pure infinite awareness. Being timeless with no further levels above it.

Zazen, Tai Chi, Non-duality pointing are all techniques to lead to a moment of clarity. A permanent connection is made. The mind should not attach any of these techniques to being what the #moment# is all about. I've seen in a few books that the #mind# of some of the writers of enlightenment, start to go back to the pointers and talk about the techniques or writings as if they are where one goes next. What happens is there is a 10-20 year apprenticeship of following non-duality, Buddhism or something else. Then whenever the clear consciousness dips a connection into the mind all this history comes out. I can say clearly that there really is no #absolute# path. What I also see is that although there is a connection made to the infinite awareness, there remains attachment to the history that got the mind to the point of 'popping clarity'. So we have a re-enforcement of the path.

When that path has taken many others 20 years this whole process of 'the natural recognition of awareness recognising its natural condition' seems to have an unattainability it. This non-duality line of enquiry is most powerful. It doesn't have to have a long history of usage though. Within the right conditions instant recognition can take place. Certain conditions are known to be useful. A 'dark night of the soul' seems to make acceptance very easy. By this I mean a complete letting go of one's life and all the goals, attachments, reaching and even seeking. This state is most useful to have gone through. So when presented with the right conditions one can just walk right in, embrace and connect.

John Wheeler has produced this book in a question and answer format. I found the opening 27 pages most useful and was all that was needed to #connect#. To be more accurate the first 16 pages. All in all 94 questions with John answering back. A good primer before I read this was 'Finding Reality: Awakening to Spiritual Freedom'. Perhaps there are other books better than 'finding reality' but it was really useful in pointing out that there's a world of difference to 'seeking reality' and chasing about alien life, psychic powers, auras, Qi. The latter can be side-tracking.

John Wheeler has a wonderful way of presenting reality in a very simple and unclouded manner. Many writers on this subject tend to resort to a host of intellectual concepts in an attempt to share this wonderful truth, even though it cannot adequately be expressed in words. John seems to have found a way to express the beautiful essence of enlightment in a very succinct style, without unnecessary distractions. Even though there is nothing one can 'do' to attain this state, the author's gentle but unwavering reminders can help us to sense the simplicity that is our true nature.

This book is the third one of John Wheeler's that I've read and IMHO,it's the best.He has a true gift with words in that he is able to describe with almost shocking clarity,the true nature of who we really are and as one reads, there is a quiet drawing in to that deep, silent empty space of being-awareness. I can honestly say that if there was only
one book on this subject on my bookshelf, it would be this one, because after you read it, you won't need any more! A great book by a great teacher.

This book is a spiritual masterpiece.

It may be overlooked by some as there is nothing in it for the conceptual/spiritual mind to identify with or feed on. John doesn't give an inch to the thinking mind or its spiritual belief systems. Instead, he always points the reader to what is true and verifiable right now. The mind can take any idea, including the ideas of "spirituality", "awakening", "enlightenment", and "liberation" and create problems where none exist. John's clear and simple teaching cuts through all of this. He doesn't get hooked by the seeker's conceptual questions of "Yeah, but...", "What if..."," Isn't it true that...", "Aren't there seven levels of..." "The traditional teachings say...". John always points to the clear and simple truth that is always available right now.

If you want the truth, this teaching is all that is needed!

After being in the spiritual path for 8 years, John Wheeler showed me I was doing it all wrong. Well, not that I was doing it wrong. The thing is that there is no "I" doing anything, so what was "I" hoping to achieve in that quest?

Some people may say his books are not for beginners. That they may require some background on Advaita or Non-duality. Personally, I do believe these books are perfect for beginners. No information or knowledge is needed at all. They will save a lot of time and digging to any seeker. I went to several retreats, courses and workshops, I spent one year in Zen monasteries. Now I just wish I started with John's books. I would've spared a lot of money and frustration.

I read many books on New Age, Buddhism, Zen, Taoism and many others. I read from Ramana Maharshi to J. Krishnamurti, from Shunryu Suzuki to Lama Yeshe, from Deepak Chopra to Eckhart Tolle, but John Wheeler is more solid and straight to the point than any other - in my opinion.

Till now I read "Awakening to the Natural State", I'm halfway through "Shining in Plain View" and I read bits and pieces of "You Were Never Born". They are all as clear as pristine water and direct as a lightning thunder.

He is utterly humble and simple, no self there at all looking for credit or recognition. At the same time, he is direct and ruthless when it comes to dismantling your illusions. I've sent him a couple of e-mails and he answers with the same clarity and straightforwardness used in the books. He is deeply "interested" in your direct understanding of your true nature, although deeply detached too.

Book 1, 2 and 3 are questions and answers, from beginning to end. Book 4 (You Were Never Born) adds an introduction to the basic points of John's approach, a collection of "pointers" and an interview with a Dzogchen practitioner.

All books are highly recommended. My understanding about spiritual issues is clearer than ever before. The beginning of the end of my spiritual quest has begun. It will conclusively end when I meet John in person. I will travel all the way from Europe to California just to meet him. I have absolutely no doubt that all will be clear and finished by then. That's how clear and sharp John Wheeler is to me.

Take a look to John's website and judge for yourself: http://thenaturalstate.org

My purchase of Bay Tables through Amazon was 'painless'! It is very easy to order through Amazon and the ship time is always very quick. I continue to order through Amzon because of the reliability.

If you are from the Mobile, Alabama area you probably have one of these on your kitchen shelf but just incase you are not you need this, your Momma needs it, your grand mama needs it, and most of all your sister-in-law that cant cook needs it!

It has all of the "Old South" recipes in it plus a treasure trove of new and fun recipes. Women in the south take great pride in their cooking and this is a perfect example of a fine cook!

Thank you Junior League ladies for putting out another great book for us to enjoy for generations to come!

I love the cover and beautiful pictures. The recipes are lovely!

This is a very pretty book. I especially like reading the sidebars that tell about local history and food history and the area, and League projects. Many of the recepies are easy to fix for someone that doesn't usually use fancy cookbooks. They seem to have put a lot of effort into making the book a really fun one to just look at and read. I enjoy that.You will enjoy having this book around the house.

Bay Tables showcases some three hundred kitchen tested culinary compositions donated by members of the Junior League of Mobile, Alabama. From Peach Julips; Blue Cheese Souffles; Grilled Corn with Shallot Thyme Butter; Roasted Vegetable Pizza; and Grilled Marinated Portobello Mushrooms and Fresh Vegetables; to Pork Tenderloins with Caramelized Pears and Brandy Cream Sauce; Oysters Johnny Reb; and Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream, Bay Tables offers a wealth of highly recommended, consistently delicious, appetite satisfying fare that would please even the most discriminating gourmet -- and yet are completely "kitchen cook friendly" to prepare and serve.

I am a guitar player. I wanted to get a Les Paul Historic model. They make them now identical to the originals made in 57-60. I bought the book so I could pick out a guitar as close to an original as I could find. The book gave me the knowledge of what the originals looked like and I picked out a guitar that I wouldn't have picked out unless I had the book to work with.

Greg Hough

Beauty of the 'Burst is an overall good book. The photography is excellent, the layout is clear and the printing (critical, since color plays an important part in the discussion of these guitars) is really well done.

The book is definitely for aficionados of the sunburst Les Paul only. What you have are several hundred pages dedicated to one model of guitar, all with the same paint job and hardware. Obviously it's a very special guitar, and those people hooked on LP 'bursts will love seeing all the subtleties between instruments.

There are a couple of areas where I feel the book falls slightly short, but they're minor. In the section following the photographs ("Science Of The 'Burst", where they analyze every aspect of the guitar from the finish to the wood) there are some small factual errors such as the thickness of the maple top-plate. Not a huge deal, but in a book that gets into such minutia and makes such a big deal about the smallest of features, I feel they were obligated to get things like this correct. A person using some of these specifications to evaluate an instrument might be thrown off the mark.

The other thing that slightly annoyed me was the hyperbole used to describe every single instrument. One of the features people love about these guitars is the figured maple top. Some are nicer than others (just a fact of production, not to mention that this was a non-priority for Gibson at that time), yet every guitar is given the "this is the most unbelievable example" treatment. The plainest maple top will be gushed over, sighting something like the "wonderful fading of the color" or the "amazingly straight grain-lines that run the length of the top." Hey, it's some faded paint and wood with grain lines! I was waiting for them to rave about "the incredible way Les Paul's have mass, are affected by gravity and take up THREE dimensions (height, width AND depth)."

Nit-picking aside, it's a very well done book which I enjoy looking at. It also is a terrific collectors tool as well as a nice paean to one of the great, iconic instruments of the 20th century. Recommended.

I couldn't put it down until I read it all.

The delivery was beforehand. The condition is reasonably good. I was so happy that I could surprise my boyfriend on his birthday.

Amazing book! Lots of the vintage burst Les Paul, with photos and specifications. A must have for any Les Paul fan.

Anybody who is interested in knowing more about the rapture, get this book. There is important knowledge in this book for everyone, but more so for those of you who do not read your bible in search for the truth.

Before God's Wrath by H.L. Nigro is one of the better books I've come across regarding the timing of the Rapture of the Church. Well-researched and documented, this study is not an emotional defense of a predisposed position; it is a thought-provoking overview supported solely and completely by Scripture. Wherever you fall in your theological stance regarding the Last Days, you would be hard pressed to debunk the author's strong position.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about the endtimes, prophecy, and the rapture.

There are several things that help make this an outstanding book:

1. There book includes several charts and tables that make it much easier to compare Scripture passages from different parts of the Bible.
2. The book discusses many issues that I had questions on but that other books on the endtimes just didn't cover (easy to read but indepth treatment of the issues, theology, and Biblical texts!)
3.The author is fair and accurate when discussing other views of the endtimes with which she disagrees in her book. Some books written by Christians seem "unchristian" in how they treat others or develop "strawman" arguments. This book is fair in its treament of others!
4.It is easy to tell that the author spent ALOT of time researching and writing this book.

There are several other good books that deal with the endtimes (such as Marvin Rosenthal's book "The prewrath rapture of the church"), but this is the most up to date, thorough, and comprehensive on the rapture available.

I am new to the idea that the church will not be raptured out prior to the tribulation. I had my suspicions that we would, indeed, have to endure the Great Tribulation but not come under God's wrath (Read Matt 24). I began to do some online research and came across and purchased several books on the topic. Before God's Wrath is one of them. H.L Nigro contributes greatly to the topic, clearing up many areas of confusion. I can recommend this book highly to anyone who has questions about when the *Bible* says the Chruch will be raptured.

This book is one of the most helpful Bible study books on my shelf. I've read Rosenthal's and Van Kampen's also. I found each book to be unique and helpful. Although all three (and several other pre-wrath rapture books) are on the same topic, Nigro's book stands on its own for research and information. It is well thought out and helped me tremendously in my journey from pre-tribulation rapture to pre-wrath. Ultimately, it must always be God's word that grounds us, but He has certainly used Nigro to lead us to His word.

I bought this book for my husband as a birthday gift. He is a music lover and he completely adored the book! I would recommend it to any music trivia whiz or anyone who loves to keep up with hits! It's a fabulous reference and a great source of information.

An absolute necessity for anyone who collects music or is interested in the history of Rock/Pop music in the United States. A must have book that will Never be on the shelf but always close by for reference.

Just overflowing with fabulous info. I only wish there was a paperback version available from Amazon. I'm sure there's one somewhere, since this book was published in '03 and there were always paperback versions of older Whitburn books. It would've been less expensive (and lighter!).

It's a great book for any music fan of the last fifty or more years. It lists all the artists, song titles and chart information for every year. Even a small bio of each artist. It is the bible of popular music. All of Joel Whitburn's books are excellent.

This book is a great help in searching for old records, who sang on these singles, what date they came out, etc etc. I discovered some minor errors though, but hopefully they will be corrected for the revised edition!! Kind of thought it is a waste of space to list who has the most popular songs, this and that; but otherwise I highly recommend this book.

The book is very comprehensive. Unfortunately, even though it claims to be a field guide, it is too heavy to carry around. It is not a book to take with you on a bird walk.

I simply had to acquire this one when I saw it in a bookshop in Nairobi. I had another field guide, but wasn't happy with it. Great illustrations. It is now my faviourite souvenir from Kenya. Its only fault is its weight, but I carry it in a shoulder bag. The book also has usefulness outside the target zone: Several birds seen in Cameron are illustrated in it. I always like to compare illustrations and was glad to have it with me when in Yaounde. A book to make others jealous by. You can set it on the coffe table as a conversation piece or to get the children interested without coaxing them.

An outstanding and essential book to help you identify the many magnificent birds inhabiting the savannah when on safari in Kenya. In fact, this is the book our certified guide and driver, a Masai, used daily and kept next to him at all times! LLC

I used it many times in Tanzania and it is also fantastic book for Israel and the Middle East!

Ofir

This book is one of the best field guides I have ever had on African birds. It is extremely detailed and has pictures of so many birds, it is just AMAZING.