Maxim Books

It's a thoughtful collection that goes from Socrates to Vince Lombardi to Charles Barkley. My first copy was gift and I went out and bought two more. One for a friend who coaches JV football and one for my son's x-country coach. Who said this? "Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parent, gobble their food..." Surprise! Socrates 400B.C. Need a quick quote for a dinner... you are sure to find one. My high rating is because I wouldn't loan this book for fear of not getting it back and I want it around for my grandchildren.

Dr. Chickie-Wolfe has concisely pulled together the most important concepts teachers should keep in mind. As teachers read and re-read this book they will be inspired. It is a perfect gift to give any teacher.

Gorky is quite unlike the other Russian writers that I've read. His works do exude the common pessimism, but that's clearly a by-product of the dreadful living conditions they all underwent. Beginning with detailed descriptions of place (even down to the nicks on a wooden lath or the odd drop of paint) that would do justice to Henry James, Gorky always delineates his characters so very painstakingly that we have not the least difficulty picturing them and vicariously living through their adventures.

Gorky is a master of the gamut of human emotion. As glorious as I find his understressed paean to nature in "Birth of a Man," equally profoundly disturbing do I find his narration of the kitten's fate in "Notch." Not even the most barely supraliminal aberration of human behavior escapes his notice and caustic commentary. Yet, the sarcasm that perpetually lies beneath the surface--so often indicative of the jaded writer--does not come across as such in Gorky: indeed, he is arguably one of the most human writers I've ever countenanced.

this book has many quotes to live by Robert E Lee was a geniouse and should be potrayed as a role model to the masses. This book shows the true side of Lee that the history books don't teach you. The kind loving man who had time for everyone yet lived his life with dignity and honor

After years of fighting the consulting battle alone, this book came along and I realized that all of my experiences were held in common by that group known as "Consultants." I realized that even my "failures" were tremendous learning experiences that made me a better consultant. What a relief to know I'm not alone and part of a grand tradition. What I learned: Always, always look for the customers pain. Sell to that and you create real value, satisfaction and repeat business.

The book `Conversation: Meeting our Forebears in Faith' compiled by Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild is a perfect companion for spiritual reading or lectio divina. It consists of 100 excerpts from writers, mystics, spiritual masters, poets and prophetic voices from the history of Christendom, from the early Church Fathers and Mothers down to the present day. Each has a one-page entry, perfect for short reading and reflection; however, the brevity of the selections does not minimise the power of the words - each selection is a powerful representative section not only of the author's words and spirit, but also of the general condition of humanity in search of enlightenment.

Among the early church voices are Gregory of Nyssa, Jerome, Clare of Assisi, Hildegard and Benedict. Some later voices include Martin Luther King, Jr., Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Rahner, Oscar Romero and Paul Tillich. Poetic and literary voices include excerpts from William Blake, C.S. Lewis, Dorothy Sayers G.M. Hopkins. There are prophetic voices such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Florence Nightingale, voices from outside of Christendom such as Martin Buber, and academic voices such as John A.T. Robinson.

Each entry follows a standard format - a brief biographical introduction (the biography of a person essentially while standing on one foot), the excerpt from their writing, a scripture passage that relates to the subject of the reflection piece, and a brief prayer composed by the editors.

Ward and Wild were ecumenical in their inclusion, not only in terms of religious background, but also in terms of fame and `vogue'; there are swings in the intellectual and faith life of the churches that put people from the past variously in and out of favour - in the current situation, Augustine, Tertullian and the traditional `church fathers' seem to be less favoured, as other voices from the periphery of the past such as Aelred, Hildegard and Meister Eckhart seem to be enjoying a resurgence. Ward and Wild included people from all sides of the `popularity contest', including many people who are little known, and even some positively disliked by church hierarchies, to let the fullness of the voices of the Christian past and present come together in this text.

As the editors say, it is not easy to genuinely listen to voices of the past generation, much less voices from the past centuries or millennia. These require an intentionality about the listening, the kind of reflective reading that lectio divina gives. While each of these passages could be easily read in the span of a few minutes, that would be to deny the true power of the words; to make the words incarnate as the Incarnate Word who inspired most of these offerings requires patience, diligence, and an open and honest listening ability not easily come by without cultivation.

This is an excellent resource for private devotion, or as the starting point for group reflection and meditation.

For pure fun, it's hard to beat a great book of quotations. Maria Polushkin Robbins doesn't disappoint with this high-class compendium of culinary quotations on everything from strawberries to beer to garlic to roast beef and everything in between. Some of the gems included herein:

"I'm a Christian, but that doesn't mean I'm a long-faced square. I like a little bourbon."
- LILLIAN CARTER

"Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everyone."
- SAMUEL PEPYS

"The cook was a good cook, as cooks go; and as cooks go, she went."
- SAKI (H. H. MUNRO)

In addition to these concise bits, there are longer descriptive passages from novels. What a fun stocking stuffer or Easter basket gift for your favorite cook!

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (11/06)

Irene McCrystal has compiled excerpts from speeches, correspondence, journals and diaries from representative enlisted men, military officers, and political leaders that were affected by their participation in the war between the Union and the Confederacy.

She has included memoirs, diaries, and letters from women who were directly involved in the armed forces, in supporting roles, doctors, nurses, wives and mothers whose lives were impacted by the outcome of this destructive, yet uniting, American conflict. Slaves freed before and after the war are also represented in this well researched and documented work.

Sometimes paraphrased but without secondary sources, these dramatic monologues reflect the tenor of days surrounding the Civil War. I was deeply moved as I read story after story of personal bravery, sacrifice, and dedication to their cause.

These writings give insight into the inner struggles of the participants. Some were fighting for states rights, some to maintain status quo and to protect their plantations and their slaves. Some were fighting at all costs to save the Union, others to free the slaves. All recognized or experienced the suffering and the anguish of losing loved ones to the war.

On a lighter side, Sarah Morgan, a young girl in Baton Rouge, recorded her reactions during the occupation by Union soldiers. "We were Episcopalians. During the occupation, I was shocked and dreadfully distracted upon seeing, directly in front of me, Yankee soldiers, also Episcopalians, in church praying with us." She went on to observe, "Meantime, I could not help pondering the vitriolic, obsessive hatred borne all Yankees by some of the most devout ladies in our church."

I was especially touched by the letters of General Robert E. Lee to his family. His expressions of concern for their welfare and his deep trust in God gave me a deep respect for Lee as a man.

References to President Lincoln reflected the high regard the Union soldiers held for him. Letters written by Mary Todd Lincoln spoke of her love and of her grief after his death.

These first person accounts have had a profound impact on me and given me new insight into the bravery, fervor, and determination of those fighting for their cause in this crucial period of American history. "A Country Riven" should be required reading in every high school and college social studies curriculum, and recommended reading for every American family.

This was a good book written about a time when a handshake was all it took to close a deal--when there was a basic sense of honesty which permeated all people living in the country at that time. It made me wish people still had that code of ethics.

Inspiration galore, the more you read the more creative you become. It certainly makes you think. I received the book attempting to get another by the author but was completely satisfied with what I received. I would recommend it to anyone trying to make their minds work harder.