Publications Books

In a world benighted by multi-tasking and information overload, Kierkegaard shows us the importance of single-mindedness. Christ was single-minded; his unswerving desire to do only the will of God the Father defined his life completely. If we wish to follow Jesus faithfully - if we wish to be holy - we must understand the necessity of willing only one thing. To will only one thing, which one thing is the good, is to be pure of heart. Kierkegaard shows that to will anything other than the good ( i.e., the very will of God ) is actually to will more than one thing, and to be double-minded. One of Kierkegaard's most convincing and accessible arguments in the philosophy of religion.

In an age of popular books on self improvement that concentrate on listing habits and prescribing do's and dont's, here is a work that brings matters upstream into the inner landscape of human motivation and will. The existentialist Soren Kierkegaard has left us a challenging, provoking and truthful examination of the heart and mind, from which ensue all of the popular habits and prescriptions. What is double mindedness? How is it formed, and what does it look like? What is the ultimate goal and purpose of the countless habits and traits we read about? How are our deepest motivations and ambitions conflicted, and what duplicitous damage is caused by those inner conflicts? Thousands of books are transactional; this one is transformational. Though not an easy read, Purity of Heart draws the complexity of modern behavioral science into its single common denominator. This book can help to renew one's mind and change one's outlook on life.

Kiekegaard offers the "one thing" (see City Slickers).

Coming from a reformed Christian perspective with very little exposure to Kierkegaard, I was sometimes puzzled by this book but mostly challenged in my spiritual life, relentlessly so. This book made Puritan introspection seem comparatively shallow. If you are looking for extreme depth, you've got it here. He is exploring the idea of double-mindedness found in book of James to prepare the Christian for confession. This work asks questions you may have never thought to ask. Of course he is trying to get the individual to spiritually be laid bare before God in his double-mindedness. Is the work without hope since it should drive the honest person to despair in his own heart's purity? I don't believe the book is without hope. Christ is in there a few times in direct reference, but mostly assumed or implied..in the gaping hole created by our ties to the temporal and lack of eternal-mindedness and inability to truly will one thing. As spiritual shock-therapy, it works for me. It is my second read, the first being in college nearly 20 years ago. Had a similar effect then, but it is still the only Kierkegaard book I've ever read.

I'm dumbfounded that "rob" compared Kierkegaard with Woody Allen. Purity of Heart is all about the purpose and MEANING of existence. It's about reconciliation to the eternal. Woody Allen has no knowledge of the eternal. He's a silly little pundit using philosophy as a means to distract him from utter boredom and complacency. In his films he may drop references and allude to Sartre, Heidegger, Camu and the rest of the existentialists--but that's all he does. He's a geek for philosophy. He doesn't expound upon what they have said. He doesn't challenge them. He just collects their ideas and spreads them out on a table to gaze at. Kierkegaard is much different.

This book is full of wonderful information and advice for all ages. I have read many health books, but this is one of the best. Read what Barbara says about vitmains, drinking water and attitude.

I couldn't put down Barbara Morris's new book Put Old On Hold. Save her ability to grab me by the funny-bone with personal satire, her book is a self-contained anti-aging capsule in itself. As a practicing pharmacist, she gives us many (laugh-out-loud) accounts of the degeneration of human consumption - sorry Emeril - and likens common American cuisine to, well, something like turtle turds.

From a micro sense, however, Put Old On Hold, touts and challenges readers to create their own assault on the aging process. It left this reader to put the book down - after first reading cover to cover - and take an inventory of my current herbal, vitamin and mineral supplementation (among other things like revisit my yoga exercise video library).

Moreover, setting my own personal healthcare biases aside, the most exciting message of Put Old On Hold is its ability to give hope. In this writers opinion, hope is a most important commodity in a world of faster, better, more. Instead, Barbara gives it to us straight from the hip in a practical, been there done that format.

Here's just a sample of lessons learned:

-The power of positive self- talk
-Secrets for "thinking" yourself young
-The honest truth about the illusion of retirement
-Key secrets to vitality, anti-aging and better living in a second lifetime

I believe anyone, regardless of age, will be excited about a future which may once have seemed uncertain after reading Barbara's book. Put Old on Hold will be reference I'll continue to use today tomorrow and 50 years from now. Thanks to Barbara, I'm not afraid anymore - If at age 74 the goddess of goddesses tells me I can be just like her, Bam! I'm all over it.

I'm going to pester you like a two-year-old and insist that you MUST read this book! But wait... assumming two year olds act a certain way is exactly the start of what can keep us from reaching our ageless potential! "Put Old on Hold" provides practical advice for keeping yourself healthy and attractive. More importantly, "Put Old on Hold" is an attitude: one that celebrates life and our potential for greatness! It wasn't until I read this book that I really stopped to consider: how much of my life is influenced by others' perceptions of what I should be doing at "my age"? This book has been truly liberating for me and I know it will be for you, too. I encourage you to read it and consider how you'll make today and the next more fabulous for yourself and others.

Reading Put On Hold is like sitting down with your mother, doctors, nutritionist and minister all rolled into one and having a loving, spirited conversation that will spur you to action. Barbara Morris' retirement reality check is particularly sobering. I'm glad she helped me get a new attitude. I'm replacing aging with seamless living and you can too. The tone of her book is so warm and enlightening that your only regret will be that you that you didn't read it sooner. Barbara will remind you it's never too late to take control of your health, get a job that pays (or whatever you want to do that you may have thought you were too old for) and maintain an attitude that promotes wellness, wholeness and self-esteem. This is not only good for you, but for those you are around and even society at large. Plus, her book shows you how to accomplish all that. You'll have to be vigilant, but it's easier than you think. Putting old age on hold is actually a lot of fun because the physical, mental, social and spiritual rewards are so phenomenal. Barbara's work as a pharmacist makes her book the perfect gift for anyone (of any age) you want to help adopt a holistic lifestyle, but they will only listen to someone in the medical field. Her insights into over-the-counter and prescription medicine benefits and side effects are invaluable. Join her and me in banishing an entitlement outlook that many adopt as they get older. It is truly more blessed to give than receive. You'll count your blessings, put poor choices to bed and answer the question, "What's age got to do with it?" with a resounding NOTHING!!

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (9/06)

One look at the cover and picture of author Barbara Morris tells you that she practices what she preaches and it works! From beginning to end, Morris not only gives great explanations and advice on keeping youth on your side at any age, but you will walk away feeling as if you had spent a few hours in the living room with your friend talking about how NOT to grow old. You walk away knowing that what she says makes sense and she believes what she says.

The author gives some down-to-earth reasons about why some people seem to age quicker than others. After reading her ideas, theories and hints on how not to grow old, you will surely walk away feeling assured that you too can "put old on hold." Morris discusses everything from diet to medicines and takes each idea apart bit by bit explaining why it does or doesn't work. She's not only spent plenty of time researching the ideas and techniques but also using them, showing her very young-looking self on the front smiling. There's no reason why you can't have the same results as she's had and walk away from her wonderfully thought-out and presented book ready to try it.

The best part of the book is that it's not for any one target group. You can read it and benefit if you are 25 or 75. Morris literally pulls up a seat in your living room and speaks to you as a friend and long-time acquaintance. You truly will close the book after page 201 and say "I really feel like this makes sense and I think I can do this." Whether you take on a couple of techniques and advice or all of it, there's no way that you won't feel a difference in yourself and your life after making some changes. Perhaps all you've needed to keep from growing old is someone to sit down with you and talk it out -- someone to point out the facts, thoughts and ideas that you may or may not already know but need to be reminded. Barbara Morris is the person to do it. She befriends you and makes you realize the realities of life, giving you the pep talk of your life. If you don't walk away more knowledgeable and willing than ever in making some changes to "Put Old on Hold" after reading this book, you never will.

A well thought-out, informative book that I'm certain will never be endorsed by the nursing homes of America! I for one prefer not to have to utilize their system if I can help it and after reading Morris' book, I think there's a real possibility of never having to!

This book is probably the single reason modular origami continues to gain new fans. Pick up this book, and fold the beginning boxes... In no time, you'll be hooked and want to fold every box, shortly after that you'll want to experiment with different papers/colors/patterns/etc. This book, (while fundamentally simple..the charm of modular...) has a wealth of great boxes. The best part is, when you are done, the boxes can be used as gifts, or gift boxes, and look great for any celebration. I highly recommend this book to all origami fans, but not too people who are only interested in finding difficult models.

Looking at this book again to see what others thought of it, I am surprise I had not written a review of it, especially since I used this book or rather booklet rather often.

Tomoko Fuse is famous for its boxes. Boxes are also well liked by the masses but unfortunately most are unable to differentiate between one square box from another despite the differences in outward appearances in patterns or designs. Hence, if I need to quickly make simple boxes, this booklet is ideal and easy to carry with me.

Three kinds of boxes are taught with their variations, square boxes (with partitions), triangular boxes and hexagonal boxes. I missed the octagonal boxes which is a favourite of mine too. All boxes have lids included.

Tomoko has many designs but this booklet teaches the simpler ones but the effect is the same when compared with the more intricate ones.

I would strongly recommend this book even if you purchase every book on boxes churned out by Tomoko Fuse. I try to collect all of them and I still find this booklet worth it.

Why buy this book instead of one of Tomoko Fuse's full size books?
-- makes a great gift to a new folder,
-- slips into your purse or pocket for folding on the go,
-- these simple boxes are remarkably satisfying.

I already owned a bunch of other Fuse books, and loved them, when I found this little kit. I felt a little silly buying something so simple, but it was so cute. I have not regretted the impulse. I love these boxes. Sometimes I don't want a challenge that will take half an hour, I want immediate gratification -- and this is the book.

The folds are simple enough to work well with 3 inch (75 mm) paper. And if you have fancy paper, these relatively simple boxes will show it to good advantage.

Being new to origami boxes, the title caught my attention, and didn't disappoint. The book is only 62 pages, however it teaches as much as most other bigger books do. It is spiral bound, so it lays flat during the folding steps (if you already do origami, you know how important this is). The boxes are very easy, some requiring only 10-12 steps to fully construct. The designs of the boxes are beautiful for being so simple. The folding illustrations are very, very clear and easy to understand. It is also a plus that the book comes with enough paper (60 sheets in 6 bright colors) to make each box.

Of the 15 or so books I have on origami, I would put this in the top 5, as one that I will use over and over again.

What else should I say .. it's the best ! really

This book is powerful because of its simplicity. I can not give this book enough praise! Since our family discovered this gem a few years ago, P.K. Hallinan (who does his own illustrations) has become one of our favorites. The subtitle on earlier editions was "A Book to Celebrate Diversity". Hallinan subtly covers many aspects of diversity through his rhyming words and colorful illustrations. This book is not preachy nor is it cheesy. I like that the book does not just focus on ethnicity, disability and differences. A Rainbow of Friends touches on views, interests, dress, strengths and weaknesses; it emphasizes acceptance, understanding, friendship and working together! A great book for all ages! Our family has donated copies of this book to the school library, given copies to each student in my son's class at school and distributed the book at community events. Heartprints (board book edition)Heartprints is Hallinan's best known book; I think A Rainbow of Friends is one of his best. I would also recommend How Do I Love You.

I am a preschool teacher and wanted books to help the children feel better about being at school that first week. It worked!! It was child friendly and the childen enjoyed the story.

I love this book, but the first time I saw it the book was hardcovered. As a child I always liked my hardcovered books. I was disappointed to find that this book is no longer available in hardcover. I think kids and adults handle a hardcover with more care. The message of this book is excellent. I wonder if the publisher would consider making a hardcover version again.

This is a wonderful book about how we can be friends with all types of people--no matter what! :) It is a book I use every year in my kindergarten class!

This book by PK Hallinan is a wonderful teaching tool for all children. Although it is not a literary masterpiece, that doesn't matter. The adorable pictures and text portray the true meaning of acceptance and friendship. This is a great book for a child to own!

This book explains a lot of chemistry in a fun, simple, way. Excellent to read, especially if you are a beginner and want to know a lot. This book is one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read!

I am using this book to teach a study club with girls ages 8-12. I am very pleased with the format, it is easy for all of us to use. Teacher prep. time is minimal. The other instructor has a strong background in chemistry so at first we relied on her but that background is not necessary to sucessfully use this material. I appreciate that although the text is simplified for the age group it still uses proper terminology and is not "dumbed down". The page layout is attractive and easy to sort out. (Not too much crammed into the pages.) Because we have the time and flexibility we do add related experiments from other sources but the provided lab work stands on its own very well.

As a home school mom, I was looking for something that would be easy to use, understandable for my upper elementary-jr. high kids, and have experiments that used simple items found around the house. This text was perfect. The teacher's manual explained how to give the information and how to conduct the experiments. The lower level Chemistry is great for my 2nd grader too, and follows the same information chapter by chapter that the 2 older children are doing.

I bought this for my 3rd grade son, who is homeschooled. He loves science and I was a chemistry major in college. I do believe that you do NOT need a science background to teach well from this series. We are loving every minute. The curriculum does a wonderful job of bring complex topics down to a level that upper elementary children can understand. Use the lab book- it really cements the understanding of the topics and it is FUN! We had 2 other kids over when we did the marsh mellow experiment and they loved it! (neither one had read the lesson so we had to explain it to them- but it went over well!) This is a secular curricula, so for those who feel they want a religious based science curricula this may not be the one.

Ive really enjoyed this book. Currently I am using it to teach 17 3rd-6th graders in a homeschool co-op.

This is one of my favorite books on this subject. It is filled with humor & stories about the author & his wife & interesting things they encounter along their search for wisdom. It is well written & easy to follow.

'Reality Is Just an Illusion : The World of Shamans, Ghosts and Spirit Guides' is a significant contribution to the body of work on spiritualism. Chuck Coburn is a guru; a man gifted with insights fashioned from profound mystical experiences. Above all is his clarity of thought and vision, superbly epitomised by his compelling definition of 'illusion' on page 66: 'Illusion is something seen but unreal; an unreality clearly seen but not visible; an unreal invisibility. It is beyond the reality of knowing yet known because of its real unknowability. It exists transcendentally yet it doesn't. No two people see it the same although it is known universally because of its unseen, visible unreality.'

I now see and know.

Spiritual power has long been something attainable only to the few, often through years of study and deprivation. For most, connection to the divine was sought only through intermediaries. It is a time of great change, and rememberance. Rememberence of each of our divine core, of our individual connection, of our individual truth. At the dawn of the new millennium, Chuck Coburn's book, Reality Is Just An Illusion, comes at the perfect time, a primer full of practical ways to remember and empower ourselves. Written in an unassuming and nonthreatening way, his humorous passages allow us to truly examine and attain our truth, leading to self empowerment. A must for everyone, for each and every one of us is essential in this shapeshift to a new dream, a world of harmony and responsibility. - Dr. Eve Bruce

This book details Mr. Coburn's experiences with Shamanss, and his life as a psychic.

Chapers 1-5 deals with his encounters with various Ecuadorian shamans.

On page 13 Mr. Coburn relates his experiences to drinking a concoction made from the ayahuasca vine (a halucinogen) At the bottom of page 13 Mr. Coburn explains that halucinogens are not necessary to practise shamanism. and I concur.

On page 36-37 Mr. Coburn relates the story of a shaman and a bee. Mr. Coburn is alergic to bee stings and was more than 100 miles away from the nearst medical assistance. You WILL enjoy this!

On page 115 Mr. Coburn cautions people about the Ouija board and the dangers of channeling whatever comes though. I DEFFINATELY concur!

If you have questions or comments E-Mail me. Two Bears

Wah doh Ogedoda

This book is a great read for the open minded, the neophyte psychic, or the dyed in the wool believer. Reinforces the the importance for us to believe in ourselves, our abilities, and to recognize and know that we are so much more than our physical bodies. Well written, very easy to follow and packed with interesting experiences and information. Chuck definitely shows his wit and sense of humor, not to mention that some of the experiences he shares, proves to the open minded that he has guts, and proves to the believers that he practices what he preaches. This book really helps the reader to expand on the understanding of our real spiritual nature. It helped me to remember who the quarterback is in the game of life. It's a real "upper". Yes, "Reality is just and Illusion".....it just ain't what it seems. I look forward to reading Chuck's next book.

It can be difficult to find a fairy tale collection that manages to hit on a wider spectrum of stories, rather than the hish-hash collections of everything that everyone has memorized or the collections that go out of the way to find the most unknown and unusual. This has both, from the familiar to the distinctly different, and told in a classic Victorian voice. There is a story for everyone here, romantic, macabre, and even funny, and from a variety of countries and cultures. It's a good, basic show of different types of stories, and each one is memorable! Defintely a must-have for the fairy tale collector!

I originally heard about the Red Fairy Book in the Annotated Hobbit, it was listed as one of J.R.R. Tolkiens influance's.
Anyways I found it and started to read it, and I must say it is the best fairy tale book I own. It's much more lush and interesting than Grimms, though Grimm is great, this book is so far my favorite.
Quite possibly the best fairy tale book ever written.

I bought Lang's Red Fairy book on a lark, expecting it to be just another re-collection of Grimms' tales and various English and French fairy tales that I had already been exposed to. I expected it would be nice, light bedtime reading and little else. When I saw that the first tale was the Twelve Dancing Princesses, I settled in for a rehash of a tale I've know since childhood.

Was I ever surprised! The Twelve Dancing Princesses was related in a manner I had never read before, the end result being a much more engaging storyline. The hero and his bride were given names, personalities, and a depth that is missing from practically every other fairy tale collection I own. The result is a story that is short enough to be read to a child at bedtime, but lush, engaging, and interesting enough to grip even the most jaded folktale enthusiast. Just a small list of the differences in the Twelve Dancing Princesses story from the "traditional" versions I already owned:

1. The hero seeking the elusive answer is not an old, jaded soldier, but a young, thoughtful peasant boy.

2. The princes who fail to find the answer do not have their heads cut off by the murderous king (a plot device which made no sense, because it discouraged questors who might gain the answer, not to mention that the kingly fathers would likely object to this treatment of their sons), but rather "disappear" completely - a development that is carefully explained in the story.

3. The princesses come to accept the loss of their nightly amusements and relish a chance to grow up, put away childish things, and become queens.

4. The princess who marries the questor marries him out of love and acceptance, and the marriage is a joyous one, not a form of humiliation and punishment of the 'proud' princess.

Each of the stories is this way - old, familiar, completely recognizable, and yet totally new and compelling. I cannot recommend this collection highly enough, and once I finish the Red book, I will happily move to the next colors in the rainbow.

As Tolkien's enthusiastic, I read The Red Fairy Book because I wanted to know about Tolkien's early influences.
Andrew Lang's books were the first books that Tolkien ever read, he owned The Red Fairy Book and even after long time he remembered it fondly.
If you are searching for Tolkien in this book you will not be disappointed. You will find there the source for the name of Pippin for instance, you will find in the stories grains of ideas and themes that later found themselves in LOTR.

But you will find there more than just LOTR references. You will find great stories, some of them a little naive for the cynical reader, but all of them interesting. Even if you are adult, this book will conquer you completely. This is a book for all the members of the family. You will love it and your children will love it. Some of the stories are suitable for very small children to read to them before bedtime.

If you are searching for so called "sophisticated" books, this book is not for you. It contained simple stories, some of them with moral and it is lacking complex motives and emotions, after all, it is fairy tales.

When I was in third grade, my school had the Red, Blue, and Yellow Faerie books, and as I was an avid reader I read all 3 of them. The one I continued to check-out and reread over and over again however was The Red Fairy Book. I have fond memories of many hours spent turning the pages of this book, and admittedly, it could be that I am looking back thru rose colored spectacles, it made such an impression on me that I am now collecting the whole fairy book series.

All books written by Stephen Arroyo are an excellent books and this one is a very good book. I recommend it

I have read two of Arroyo's books now and I believe him to not only be a great modern astrologer but also a great and very entertaining writer. His books are written as though he is lecturing to you so it is very engaging and does not bore the reader.

This book in particular is great in terms of analyzing your relationship with your significant other and also measuring you interpersonal relationship.

I highly recommend this book for the intermediate to advanced astrologer.

Another masterful volume of contemporary astrology by Stephen Arroyo. All his books stand out as being amongst some of the very best astrological literature published in the last 25 years. Early on in the prologue, Arroyo explains his approach with this one: "Sometimes one must concentrate on tuning in on the LIVING nature of ideas by having fun with them, and this can often be more significant for students of astrology than systematic and dry attempts to be deep and meaningful".

The majority of "Relationships And Life Cycles" is comprised of workshop transcriptions, much of these being naturally presented in a question and answer format. There are five sections: The Individual's Capacity For Relationship, Techniques Of Chart Comparison, The Use Of The Houses In Chart Comparison, Understanding Transits, Some Thoughts On Astrological Counselling.

Numerous astrological perspectives on common everyday relationship experiences are scattered throughout the text. At the same time, all the theoretical basics are covered e.g. the Sun and the Moon, Venus and Mars in the different signs of the zodiac, aspects between the charts of two people (particularly involving the planet of commitment, Saturn). The "Understanding Transits" section could almost be a separate book in itself, there is an excellent few pages here on the journey of Jupiter and Saturn through the different houses of the birth chart. A truly great book.

I saw this in the Astrology Shop in London, after perusing about a half dozen other synastry titles and indeed, the shop owners highly recommended this over any other one. This one clearly stood out. It is an awesome read. Pick this one up. It's so in depth and accurate. Stephen is an excellent writer.

This is from my point of view on of the best Synasrty books ever published. It is of course the work of Stephen Arroyo, from my point of view, the best living humanistic astrologer.

Suitable for beginners , it is also a book that more advanced astrololger will enjoy. A part from the usual descriptions of mars and venus placements and general astrological compatibility comments, Arroyo makes a vast number of deep and interesting observations that are much more subtle in nature and that make this book a real gem. For example, he looks in depth at the ability for a person to engage in a relationship at all, from the individual chart. He sees this as the first port of call of the astrologer. Can this individual, with this chart, have the ability for intimacy, committment, sexuality, etc that will allow for a successful relationship to occur?

Arroyo looks at the aspects between charts, the elemental compatibility, at the Sun/Moon aspetcts and aspects with the outer planets as well as the nature of transits in synastry. Much of the book is taken from live lectures and there is such a rich exchange of questions and answers that deepen the material as well as bringing it to life with examples from his practice and from the lives of the participants. Excellent fun...

One of the things that I really enjoyed was the case study example he examines towards the end of the book. He explains step by step how he approached this case and i learnt so much from this example. I adopted his way of working as part of my relationship astrology and I have been enriched so much by the observation this great living master makes in this book. I just wish i could have been one of those lucky students in the audience!

Fauré's Requiem is one of the most beautiful pieces of music that has ever been written. I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to sing in performance of the piece. Ever since, I have been in love with it. Sadly, I was not allowed to keep the score. Finding the full score online was an answer to prayer (figuratively speaking). I now can follow along as I listen to recordings and even sing my part.

The score itself is in wonderful condition. The printing is clear and easy to read. I was, at first, concerned that I would end up with a huge conductor's style score, but it's of normal size without compromising on readability.

Highly recommended.

This is a great deal for a well-printed score. Beware that there are a couple of different orchestrations for this piece. This is the small orchestra version and there is also a chamber group version. People tend to use the John Rutter edition of the chamber version and that has different rehearsal letters than this one.

Other than that, this is a bargain.

Gabriel Faure's REQUIEM still remains the only piece of music that has ever given me goosebumps. The music can go from bone-chilling to heart warming in the matter of a few bars. My choir that I perform with sang the piece in the spring of this year. To date, I have never sung a piece of music that was more masterfully crafted for the voices of a boy choir than I have this one. Faure's music is as inspireing as it is beautiful. I would highly suggest it to anyone eager to create beautiful music.

This is a beautifully presented score. The type-setting of the music leaves nothing to be desired. The paper it is printed on even has a sensual quality, which matches the music portrayed.
I have already used the score to arrange parts for my wind quintet, and have found the job much easier because of the clear manuscript of the score.

Este Requiem es magnifico, siento como que si estuviera en el Cielo

Eric Sloane has written several books, filled with his wonderful drawings, looking back at times in our early American past. This is the first of his I've read, and I want to read them all. I can't say if he is accurate in his depictions, nor whether his viewpoint has full historical merit, but he shows us the value of what we've lost.

I was drawn to this book by it's illustrations. I do not look at this book as a field guide. It is not a book to take into the wilds and identify the surronding wood, but a book that celebrates the Tree and all it's beauty. The pen drawlings give an image of strength and beauty that spark the imagination. A flavor for the majestiy that the trees posses. This book is for pleasure and celebration of trees.

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I read it in a sitting. I'm not even all that interested in wood or building anything else that may have made me a likely fan. The writing was fantastically engaging, and the tidbits and anecdotes just kept coming. I say it's Cliff Claven writes a book because that's how I've been describing it for 10 years now - Sloane's enthusiasm and honest passion are to writing what the charm of a pure young laugh is to happiness. I've given this book away I don't know how many times, and have never heard of somebody not loving it too.

This is Sloane's best book in my opinion, but then I've been a woodworker for many years and already have "a reverence for wood". There is much to learn here, a lot of information compressed into easily understood drawings and text and a joy to study. Highly recommended for both the woodworker and anyone interested in wood and its properties and uses.

This is an easy read that yet conveys quite a bit of information. An important part are the drawings, which say more than a thousand words. It is an atmosphere book, which lets the reader understand something of the relationship between the early Americans and their material (wood). It also shows that wood allows more uses than what passes for woodworking these days.

I am a little dubious about the inclusions of trees in the back. The author appears somewhat out of his depth here (he is no Peattie, not by a long way).