Hearts Books

Easy-to-read text on brightly colored pages alternate with photographs of nursing babies. Its simple yet engaging prose written from a baby's point-of-view keeps a wee one listening as mommy or daddy read along. And best of all, its depictions span a wide range of breastfeeding mothers, their babies, children and in a way that normalizes breastfeeding and reinforces the concept that breast really is best for all.

Our friend's baby's older sibling loves this book and so do we!
Finally a book about breastfeeding for children.
Beautifully illustrated. I am going to to buy 2 more for my friends.

This book will warm the hearts of breastfeeding families everywhere, and perhaps win over some undecided parents-to-be (or some not-so-supportive relatives). The photos are beautiful and natural, and depict breastfeeding in various settings and situations. The text has a great message. Together, the text and photos will have nursing families nodding and smiling at the familiar scenes. The families in the photos are ethnically diverse, and the little nurslings range from very young to toddlerhood or older. There are a couple of tandem nursing scenes. All in all, this is a welcome addition to the limited number of books available that portray breastfeeding as a normal and positive part of life. It's suitable for children of any age (my 7-year-old son enjoyed it), and adults will find it appealing and affirming.

Mothers and fathers of breastfeeding babies and toddlers, rejoice! Near Mama's Heart offers photo after photo of sweet nursing moments, with a gentle, affirming, breastfeeding-friendly narrative.

Children's librarians, rejoice! Finally, here is a book that breastfeeding families will be excited to find on your shelves. In this simple, loving photo-essay, there are no bottles, no pacifiers, no highchairs, no playpens... Just families bonding in the most intimate way possible. This is a must-have for every neighborhood library.

Pediatricians, obstetricians, midwives, dentists and the myriad other healthcare professionals with waiting rooms for mothers and children -- rejoice! Now you can offer a book that breastfeeding families will look forward to reading in your waiting room.

And last but not least, children -- rejoice! This book is especially for you! Whether it reminds you of your own family or teaches you something about other children and their families, every page is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (8/06)

Colleen Newman has presented us with a tasteful look at breast-feeding. This book was written to educate young children but has much to offer older children also. Mother's need this type of support.

"Near Mama's Heart" is a delightful book filled with verse and beautiful photography of children nursing at their mother's breast. Colleen Newman presents breast-feeding in a child friendly manner that educates us on the importance of breast-feeding. "Near Momma's Heart" demonstrates the beauty and importance of the most natural and precious gift a child can ever receive."

Breast-feeding is a natural part of motherhood but at one time became taboo. It was a subject that was not discussed in public. What had been a natural part of life for our grandmothers was suddenly something to be hidden. A mother would go off into a room alone and would never think of breast-feeding in public. Over the last few decades, mothers have been taught that breast-feeding was unhealthy and dirty.

The convenience of bottles and formula made bottle-feeding easier. We live in a world that looks for the fast easy way of doing things. Fast and easy is not always the healthiest way.

Breast-feeding, thankfully is back in vogue. Mother's now realize how important it is to their babies' health and well-being. The bonding that takes place when a child nestles at your breast is indescribable. A child needs the nutrients that are available in the breast milk. "Near Mama's heart, I'm safe and secure. Nursing is peaceful, so loving and pure." Colleen says it best, "Near Mama's heart, right where I want to be. Breastfeeding is best for every body!"

"Near Mama's Heart" has brought back fond memories of my daughter nuzzling at my breast, the wonder feel of her tiny hand resting lovingly on my breast. I was pleased when my daughter chose to breast-feed. The benefits to my grandchildren are obvious.

I wish I'd had a book like this for support when I was a young mother breast-feeding my children. "This book is full of nourishing beauty." I like this book and recommend it to all mothers' planning to breast-feed or considering breast-feeding.

I purchased this book on the recommendation of a friend after the loss of my son, which was the culmination of a series of increasingly cruel and difficult miscarriages. More than any other book, this one helped me sort through all of my losses and deal with the grief and make some sort of sense of it. I especially liked how the book, although it has a religious tone, isn't overly preachy and the chapter for husbands was also something my husband thought was good. I have passed my copy on to a friend who lost her son, but since then have encountered a number of friends and colleagues who, sadly, also have had similar experiences. I have taken to having an extra copy at all times so that when a friend does open up to me about a loss (I'm very open about my son) I have one to pass on.

After our fourth daughter was stillborn January 2008, I thought that no one or nothing could relate to how I felt. I was wrong after I read this book. This book accurately describes
my feelings of guilt, helplessness, fears, etc. It is very comforting to know that I am not crazy for thinking the way I do.I have read a lot of books on this subject (which is so sad for it happens way too often to so many people) but this one is the best so far. I am going
to recommend it to a local hospital for anyone who (god forbid), has this tragic event in their lives as well. Deb Davis writes knowing my thoughts
and my questions, realizing at the same time that we will never know the answer why after 36 healthy weeks, her spirit was chosen to leave this earth. I love you so much...... and miss you...... we will meet again someday.

Thorough, but needed something more to help me thru the death of my infant daughter.

After our son was stillborn in April of 2006, we were looking for any support we could find. We went to the beach and I read this book out loud to my husband cover to cover in 1 day. Everything we were feeling was covered in this book. It was to the point and very validating. We referred to this book daily. I have purchased several of these for our support group and the hospital where our son was born. We felt like this was something parents should leave with and for that matter a book the nursing and hospital staff should have as required reading. During our darkest days this book helped us work through the many emotions that come with the death of a child. If you have suffered the same fate or know someone who has I highly recommend this book.

Our first child, our son Wyatt, was stillborn and it has been the most devastating event of our entire lives. I bought this book after a fellow angel parent recommended it and absolutely loved it. It is so "nice" to see all the thoughts and feelings you have after losing a child right there in print. It makes you realize you're not going crazy, that those thoughts and feelings are legitimate, and that you are not alone. I carried this book everywhere with me and would highlight phrases that were personal to me. It really helped me understand the loss of our son and give me strength and courage to go on with our lives while still keeping his memory alive. I'm so sorry to those of you having to look at this book, but I hope it can help you as much as it has helped me.

I love the way the yoga philosophy is presented and interpreted. It's a wonderful resource for understanding Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. I highly recommend it.

A beautiful book for anyone who wants to dive into the essence of yoga. Great practical tips and wonderful/powerful chapters helping one to understand the origin and meaning of a personal practise.

I don't have a strong background in Iyengar yoga to tell you that this is an excellent book for anyone on a yogic journey!TAMARA'S YOGA FUSION

We assign this book for our Advanced Yoga class. It is a great way to bridge physical activity with mental activity in the practices of yoga. I enjoyed this book, but it is not for beginners. I think some basic understanding of the practice is needed before reading this which is in more detail.

Being a yoga teacher, I am often asked if there were only 1 book on yoga that I could recommend, which would it be? The answer is The Heart of Yoga. There is no hidden agenda here. The essence of yoga from the heart of a yogi. My second choice would be Srivatsa Ramaswami's-- Yoga for the Three Stages of Life: Developing Your Practice As an Art Form, a Physical Therapy, and a Guiding Philosophy. Second only because it did not have a translation of the Yoga Sutras included, as does The Heart of Yoga.

But you didn't address the issue housecleaning. It was sort of a mute point.

Married couples are happier when the woman does most the domestic work, I'm not telling you to quit your job, but it's a proven fact. I mean, that summarizes the very small section you dedicate in this book to domestic work.

Yet in your other book you encourage men to be more helpful. That really made me irate. I really quit reading this book at this point. The largest fault of our marriage, was dividing domestic work.

BUT~ Don't let this stop you from reading the book. He doesn't bring that issue up until near the end of the book! I actually give this book to my girlfriends with marital problems also.

It really taught me how to confront my husband, and be PROACTIVE. Understand how he ticks, and how some "positive reinforcement" when your hubby is good will encourage him to do more. Not to criticize, but encourage :)

Using the tools the author offered up to communicate with my husband (Touching him when communicating) really helped. My husband served me divorce papers. I refused to sign for financial reasons, but sat down and thought about it for 24 hours. When my husband arrived the next day. I sat him down, grabbed his hand, looked him deep in the eyes and said "I love you. I wouldn't of married you if I didn't love you. I have made a lot of mistakes - WE have made a lot of mistakes. We both have a lot of growing up to do, and we can change together. I want to change with you, and be with you the rest of my life. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I will forgive you, and we can try to forge our love again." It worked. He dropped a little tear, and we have been PERFECT ever since.

He does things without being told, and is much more focussed on his family when he is here. This book will give you examples, and the tools to communicate on a level with your husband in which he WILL understand for once.

In all reality, this book really saved my marriage. It filled my empty tool box.

(I just really wish you would do something about the domestic duties chapter. My husband actually just showed up one day and started cleaning. No guidance from your book... AH! Make another edition!)

I bought this book for my live-in boyfriend who is dragging his feet about getting married. Needless to say, we haven't always gone about things the right way and our relationship hasn't exactly been perfect. So, I've read a LOT of relationship books lately. I decided I had better check it out before I handed over something that would overwhelm him if it was going to be THE book I gave him. And this is, by far, the best and most practical book I've read yet. It was just as beneficial a read for me as I think it would be for him.

Let me also just say that I am not a good reader- 20 pages at a time at BEST. This book was written in lay terms and the pages flew by. I read 270 pages in 3 days. It was really clear and really engaging. It was an easy read that I looked forward to. Don't get discouraged by one of the first chapters with all the brain and chemical stuff. It's only one chapter and the rest of the book is NOT like that. I plan to get it for many of the men I know for these reasons:

It is reaffirming for men. It says that most therapists don't have proper couple's training and licensing and that they insist that men act more like women. That is why men feel so frustrated. So, it gives real and practical suggestions and suggests that men approach a marriage from the same perspective that a man would approach his job- an area he generally feels pretty competent in. I think most men will like and can relate to this.

I found the author to be very pro-woman in his approach without demeaning men. He placed a high and equal value on both partners in the relationship. He just suggested that both need to reevaluate the way they look at things and that a change in attitude can go a long way.

Also guys, I found that he touched on every subject that I can think women take issue with or are confused by. As I was reading his suggestions, I think I would be truly happy with the outcome if they were applied; not expecting perfection, but recongnizing the effort. Don't ignore ANY sections because they are all things that are important to women- even the ones he spends only a paragraph on. Basically, that was what I interpreted his approach to be- to help you understand the way we view things and why we make your life miserable because of it. ;)

If you are going to try any relationship help book, I would suggest this one for men (but also valuable for women). You won't feel overwhelmed, it's practical, and it is written in a way you will enjoy reading it.

Its a great book for him to read and if he does it works wonders for us!

I think this is a great book that has some practical principles in it for all men to learn from and apply them to their everyday lives.

At the conclusion of the introduction to his book, The Secrets of Happily Married Men, Dr.Scott Hazelton writes that it is not his aim to merely assist in making marriages okay, he wants to help make them great! At the outset of the book, he creates a "job description" for husbands. He calls it; The First Way: Make Your Marriage Your Job
The following seven chapters enourage the reader to work toward that goal. From the Secrets of MarriedMen.com, Dr. Scott shares the following observation by a man named Frank, age 48, married for 25 years;

You both must give 100 percent of yourself in your marriage if you
want it to work. Love her the same as you did when you dated and
make her feel like the most important thing on earth. You had
better find the time or you will find yourself divorced. If you
can't find the time to do this, why did you ever get married?

Hazelman reiterates a conclusion that was made by Gottman which says after tempers flare and hurtful things are said, the future of a relationship depends on how the couple makes up-or at least engages in some sort of damage control.

He goes on to say that a husband's greatest challenge is to foster, within his wife's heart, a real and lasting faith that she can trust him.

Where do I begin? I admit, when i started the book, i really had a hard time and almost put it down. It took about 10 pages in and I was hooked. This book is a very moving and tender story of a woman made bitter by tragedies in her life and who is shown love later in life by a very unlikely source who transforms her spiritually and helps her find God. It is a Christian novel but not your typical soft and sugary kind. It really touched my heart. Another great thing about it is that the main character is an avid reader and references many books throughout, some i have read and others i bought after checking them out on line.

Get this book - it will strengthen your faith

"Some Wildflower in my Heart" is a wonderful book. It was recommended to me by one of my daughters, so I bought the book and began reading it. It grabbed my attention from the very first sentence, but I found it very hard to identify with the main character at first. She speaks in a very stilted, formal tone and words. But as I got into the story, I realized that this was not the author's writing style. Instead, it was the voice she had given her character, Margaret -- the voice of a woman who had educated herself via public libraries.

Margaret's painful life begins to change when she meets Birdie Freeman. This book was a revelation to me of how a committed Christian, just living her ordinary life to the glory of God, can impact those around her. It challenged me -- am I living my life in a way that impacts others for good?

Highly recommended!

Margaret Tuttle lives a life filled with secrets. She guards her secrets well, even from the man she married. And then her life changes drastically when an elfin woman appears alongside her, to ease her burdens and show her the way to a much fuller life.

Birdie Freeman is open and kind. She seems to not have a care in the world as she extends the hand of friendship to those around her. Margaret discovers that Birdie has secrets so deep, they could have torn the fabric of Birdie's life apart.

Birdie's offering is that of unconditional love. As Margaret's heart begins to trust and hope once again, suffering descends. Will Margaret be strong enough to withstand the latest attack? Will love heal even in the midst of suffering?

Armchair Interviews says: Author Jane Langston Turner's writing style is unique. Take the challenge; delve into lessons of faith and friendship.

This book is my all time favorite contemporary Christian fiction! Real life, real situation, real solutions! A convincing lesson of Christian love bringing someone to Christ and His healing graces. I've read "Wildflower" three times, and each time I vow to be just a bit like Birdie. If we all tried to be like Birdie, the world would be a much better place!

a friend recommended this book to me and i loved it from the beginning. i then recommended it to my book club. many loved it and a few really didn't, however we still talk about birdie and margaret 2 years later. so even if you don't like the book, you will never forget it! i love reading all jamie turner's books since she keeps them all generally in the same location and you get to "see" friends from other books that you have already read! if you have read this one once, read it again! it gets better every time!

HEART OF THE BEAST by Joyce Weatherford

HEART OF THE BEAST is the debut novel by Joyce Weatherford, which tells the tale of a family that has farmed and ranched for many generations in eastern Oregon. Their history ties them to the Nez Perce Indians, who now claim that the land, known as Heart of the Beast, belongs to them, and they plan on fighting for it until they get their land back.

Iris Steele, 28 years old, is the youngest survivor of this ill-fated family. She returns home to see to her dying mother, the beautiful Elise, and to help settle the estate. Iris's father Ike and older brother Jake have long ago passed on, and she is the only one remaining that will inherit the land that her parents farmed. Upon the death, Iris locates her crazy aunt, Hanna, Elise's sister, and she arrives promptly straight from the psychiatric hospital with her "heads", sculptures of several generations of Steeles and Winters. Hanna is obsessed with these heads, and now she needs to complete the very last one, that of Iris. Hanna cannot rest until this is done.

Iris is informed about a law suit against her family, in which the Nez Perce Indians claim the land she's inherited, The Heart of the Beast, is theirs, and she now braces to deal with yet another problem. And as she readies herself for this trial, she remembers her past, her life growing up in Oregon, and the tumultuous story that was her family.

This novel can only be described as tragic. Iris's family history is filled with men and women that farmed for a living, raising horses and cattle and growing crops, from the first generation that traveled the Lewis and Clarke trail as they made their way from the East Coast to Oregon, down to her own parents. But it was not out of love that they lived on the land. It was with a hatred and a violence that is graphically described quite succinctly and with much detail by Weatherford. Iris's father was a man filled with hate, showing only disdain for his children, anger towards his wife, and ruled the land and their home with a military arm. But as Iris relives her family's history, it is obvious why her father Ike Steele was as cruel and sadistic as she knew him to be. A family history of larger than life men and women fill the family tree, and it is this history that Iris remembers in detail, as well as her own childhood and memories of what living on the land meant to her.

HEART OF THE BEAST will be one of my favorite books read in 2004. It's told on an epic scale, taken out of American history books, yet most of it takes place in contemporary times, which is hard to believe as the images one gets from reading this book reminds one of days of yesteryear, when the West was still being tamed. It is mention of songs by Prince and Ever Clear that brings the reader back to the present. However, the story of the Indians and the white men that helped build this part of the country makes one think HEART OF THE BEAST is a story that takes place in the past. This reviewer feels that anyone that loves to read a good novel is going to enjoy HEART OF THE BEAST. Highly recommended!

I loved HEART OF THE BEAST so much, I had to own a first edition. If Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres could win the Pulitzer, BEAST certainly should have. While they're both rural family dramas, Weatherford's debut novel is considerably better in every category: first-class writing (almost every paragraph is startling somehow and cliché-free), gripping plot (with truly original turning points, rare depth), and convincing, intense characters like no one I've ever known (with dialogue to match). If Weatherford keeps writing like this, they'll have to create a new genre just for her: Triple Threat.

I've never read a more compelling or vivid exploration of the emotional heritage of hatred and the suffering (and ongoing hatred) it begets. There are paragraphs so divine I keep re-reading them to my friends and myself to try to figure out how Weatherford did it (and in her first novel!).

This novel is single-handedly responsible for raising my standards for literary fiction: Now that I know it's possible to produce a story as full as this, I want it this good all the time.

What captured my interest most in this novel was the psychological journey of the main character, Iris. At the beginning of the story, most of Iris' family is dead. However, all of her dead family members linger on in her internal world, continuing to cause varying degrees of harm.
Throughout the novel, the reader follows Iris as she struggles to continue to operate her family farm, but we also witness a process much more subtle, which is the rebuilding of the main character's mind. In my opinion, this is creatively expressed in the process of recasting the family sculptures, specifically those of herself, her mother and her father. A very interesting book, full of many levels of meaning.

I could not put this novel down! When I finished, I sincerely missed Iris, Henry and the rest of the Steele clan. The author's love for her characters is not only evident, it is passed on to the reader. Weatherford breathes life into her characters by addressing their faults and allowing the reader to accept them. Each word is written honestly, intelligently, beautifully, and with tremendous passion. Never have words been more perfectly chosen and never has a story been more deserving to be told. The entire spectrum of emotions can be found on a single page, and the reader feels involved, rather than like an on-looker or outsider. "Heart of the Beast" is an amazing experiance, unique from any novel out there.

This book was absolutely wonderful- a beautifully written gripping story. It has marvelous descriptions of that harsh and brutal land and the people who have to sometimes be harsh and brutal to survive it. Having been there, she described Eastern Oregon to a tee, although I have no first-hand knowledge of the ranch life (thank heavens!). I chose this for my book club, and everyone loved it. I knew the author when she was in college, got in touch with her after 20 years, and she agreed to participate in our club's meeting via phone. She was as interesting as her writing. I can't wait for her next book!

Kansas and Texas, 1868-1872. Courtney Harte is young and bodacious. She sees herself as an ugly duckling. Her father, once a successful doctor, has let his practice and personal life go since the Civil War. He remarries and moves to Kansas for a fresh start, but will it be too late? No sooner do they land as guests in a ranch then there is a major Indian raid, killing all of the local people. Courtney almost meets that same fate. An Indian, a very fascinating one with dark skin and magnetic blue eyes, almost kills her, but then decides not to. Her father disappears, assumed dead after the Indian attack. Four years later, Courtney has blossomed into a lovely honey-blonde, golden-eyed swan, and every man in the county wants to make her his wife. Her stepmother remarries and washes her hands off her stepdaughter. When Courtney sees a man who looks like her father in a local newspaper, she decides to travel to Waco, Texas, to reunite with her estranged father. But who will escort her through such rough roads? The journey to Texas would involve possible run-ins with Indians, after all. Chandos is the perfect escort. A brooding, taciturn and gorgeous gunslinger, he is the only one who can give her a safe journey to Waco. But who is Chandos? Who is the man with the bronzed skin, dark hair and magnetic blue eyes? Has she met him before? And why does he want to meet with certain people with such urgency? Chandos has some scores to settle, and nothing will stop him until he's found peace for himself and for his family. Falling in love with the beautiful young woman with cat eyes isn't part of his plan, but some things can't be helped.

I read a medieval romance by Lindsey not so long ago and hated it. Before that, I had read a novel set during the Western/frontier of the 1870s. Perhaps Lindsey is better at writing Americanas because I enjoyed this book as well. Chandos is dark and passionate, and I enjoyed his scenes very much. Courtney has some spunk in her, but she is not quite as annoying as Lindsey's other heroines. There is a lot of chemistry between the protagonists, and their turn from attraction to lust to love is quite believable. There are some word repetitions and I didn't quite get the little twist regarding Calida, the Mexican harlot-slash-troublemaker, almost toward the end, but everything else, including a deep look into Chandos's past, entertained me from beginning to end. I read some romances over the weekend. I had looked forward to some good beach reading, and was disappointed with the way authors seem to write their novels these days. A Heart so Wild reminded me of times when romance authors wrote with passion. Lindsey fell in love with her hero and storyline and it shows. Why can't we get that from the latest batch of romances? I guess I will have to stick with the oldies but goodies. And this one is definitely a goody.

Loved it, loved it, loved it!
Chandos was the perfect hero. This is my all time favorite Johanna Linsey romance. The story had everything you could ask for in a romance - adventure, tension, suspense, danger and above all love and passion!
I read it in one sitting, (till 5am) I couldn't put it down. I wish I could read it again and again as if I hadn't read it before. I try, I read it every year or so. This is the kind of story that you hold in your heart for a long time after you have finshed reading.
A pure gem!

A Heart So Wild................


A gunslinger with one name and one purpose .. To avenge the tragic deaths of his loved ones
A innocent timid young woman trying to forget the tragedy that took her father from her leaving her in a cocoon of insecurities
Unknown to them, the two tragedies have them linked , forever bound to each other

Four years later... Chandos the gunslinger loaner enters the little town of Rockley, Kansas. Where the beautiful Courtney Harte is living with her stepmother. Immediately Courtney sees the stranger and feels a warmth of safety in his eyes..... Chandos's need to protect the innocent beauty leads them on a path to Waco, Texas. To find her once thought, dead father.

I loved this book .. It had all the qualities of a romance novel, A hero of Strength, Integrity, and the Unspoken words of intense passion . A heroine of Inner beauty, to match the beauty on the outside ,the hidden Courage and Strength that busts out with her maturing

The timeline was nice JL takes the reader on a ride through the old west with its vast assortment of open land and she grabs you with the feel of traveling the tough terrain with nothing but trees and rivers and the occasional threat that stirs the feelings of Unbridled passion when you see, I mean really see that the person your traveling with is yours ....

Read the book!!
It will leave you Breathless and wanting more!!!

I enjoyed this book, but I hestitated to give it 5 stars since the characters could have been written with a little more depth. Chandos is the dark, strong, and brooding hero that romance fans continue to slobber over. Of course his heart is melted by the too beautiful herione before the story ends.

I have been meaning to review this for ages, and I'm finally getting around to it! If I could I'd give this book like 20 stars! I think I have read this one 8 times. I've read almost all JL's (Love her!) and this is the best. If you like romance, this story is a must. I came across this book in a hotel when I was twelve years old. I was a bit shocked by it at first, but I ended up loving it. This is the book that got me hooked on romance. I loved it then and it is still my favorite book. The characters are extremely memorable and there is loads of chemistry between them. The way their relationship evolved and they fell in love was very believable and convincing. I love westerns, but sometimes the plots are confusing/ repetitive. Not this one!

Chandos is the hottest fictional character ever written, in my opinion. I REALLY WISH HE WERE REAL! What's so engaging and memorable about him is that he's extremely manly, strong-willed, and even sometimes brutal, but he is very protective of Courntney, and "gentle when it matters". It's so cute the way he calls her "Cateyes"!

Courtney, the woman he falls in love with, is adorable. She starts out quite shy and timid around him, which is understandable, considering he's a studly, macho gunfighter-type guy. It's a wonder she even manages to ask the intimidating Chandos to guide her across Indian territory in the first place. However, as their journey progresses, I was glad to see courtney show a side that wasn't originally apparent-very passionate and brave.

It's very romantic how these people meet after a chance encounter four years prior, and fall in love. The plot was deep, complex, and greatly enriched by the story of chandos's past and his struggle for revenge and justice. Some might say the ending is sappy, but I loved it! this book is terrific from the first sentense (even though it's kind of graphic!) to the last, including all the components of a great and memorable romance: passion, true love, adventure, heartbreak, an engrossing plot, interesting secondary characters, a happy not sappy ending, an engaging leading lady, and an extremely hot, on-fire, out-of-this-worldly attractive hero. READ IT! YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED! YOU WILL END UP READING IT OVER AND OVER!

I am a patient that has had heart problems for awhile now. I just had surgery in 2006, so reading this book really helped me to understand where heart surgery all started. It brought it all home for me at the end. There is something about this surgeon that I now have a close connection to, and I didn't even realize it until the end! Those of you who have read "King of Hearts" would understand! This book has taught me a lot, but it also has a lot of great stories intertwined within. Totally worth the read!!

The medical history related in this book is one of the boldest and most amazing one. If it wasn't for these highly risk taking individuals, open heart surgery would not be possible today.

When a friend gave me this book to read, I thought I'd skim a few chapters and either get bored with the technical details or be bothered by them since I have had heart surgery for congenital heart defects myself.

I thumbed though the first chapter and I was hooked! The writing demonstrates the intensity found in intense pediatric cases very well and uses that and the determination of Dr. Lillehei to move the story along at a fast clip. I finished it in about 36 hours!

I had gotten to the point there I was trying to take care of myself well as an adult with congenital heart disease (treated defects), but I hadn't quite grasped the details of my own surgeries nor did I want to. After I read this book I ordered my surgical records immediately and was excited to read them! The book filled the descriptions of the surgeries with such excitement that it carried over into my own personal education about my health.

I like how they told the story of Dr. Lillehei as a person who did great things, but was also human being as much as his patients - with faults of his own - but also clearly, great gifts.

For more information about the long-term outcome of patients with congenital heart defects/disease and how we continue to lead the longest and healthiest lives possible for us, please visit the Adult Congenital Heart Association's website at www.achaheart.org

Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. What a fascinating subject and such wonderful storyteller. From the mom of a "heart baby" it just amazes me how far we've come in such a short amount of time.

It's a good story, and Dr. Lillehei blazed an amazing trail, but this man appeared to be a sociopath who destroyed everything and everybody he touched - except, of course, his patients. I can't believe nobody addressed this yet, or maybe they were so fascinated by the story that they missed - or dismissed - it completely. This was more than a massive ego; this guy could have been a Dr. Swango had things been just a wee bit different.

I realize the book was about Dr. C. Walton Lillehei, but his brother Richard was also a transplant surgeon, as are his sons Craig and Kevin.

I was really rooting for Ruby. I did appreciate how the author connected all the dots through the many layers of Ruby story. I think this is an excellent example of domestic abuse & mental illness and how it effects everyone in the family. I really felt bad for the characters which to me shows what an excellent job Leyung Ryan did.

This is truly one of my favorite novels! This magnificent work hit home for me, I grew up with a Chinese mother in the Midwest, and felt deeply connected to the same issues of absorbing Chinese and American cultures - and finding my own identity in the middle of it. I remember so many of the traditional values of being a Chinese woman, having to be a dutiful daughter, and always putting myself last, and "Love Made of Heart" goes deep into the heart of these ideas. Ruby's growth often reminds me of my own realizations and obstacles of overcoming the past.

I highly recommend this book, it truly appeals to anyone, whether you're Chinese, a woman, or just anyone facing those past histories we often try to leave behind. We all have a journey of life, which often leads to reconciling with the things that have made us who we truly are.

LeYung's Book is excellent. I read it in two sittings. Dinner could wait. I had to find out what would happen to Ruby Lin. LeYung Ryan uses her novel to advocate compassion for mental illness and to help survivors of family violence find their own voices. I could relate on many levels to her book. I am Caucasian, way older than Ruby Lin, my family was not violent nor experienced mental illnesses and yet, LeYung's writing is so evocative, so much from the heart. . . she reaches deep and succeeds with her genuine and authentic voice. As I think about this book I read a year ago, I realize I want to read it again. Yes, it's that good.

Ruby Lin's dilemma, though specific to the individual mother-daughter issues she faces of how to support and love her mother who is plagued with mental illness, is universal to all mothers and daughters. How does one break away without breaking the love between them?

I recommend this book to everyone and especially to women who could use a good role model in finding their own personal power to stand up to men who exploit them, abuse them, cast blame or guilt or withhold their love.

Ruby Lin, in her quest to become an American Girl, learns powerful advice and strategies from the black and white American movies she watches as a child. When she steps into her own power goosebumps race.

The moments of love and surrender, and pain and abuse cause laughter and tears.

Above all this book has great heart.

Love Made From Heart made me laugh, made me think, made me cry. Author Teresa Leyung Ryan takes the reader to a vulnerable place, where she uncovers the tear in a young girl's heart. From there, she shows how to grow from a tragic experience, how to become strong, how to heal. The reader not only comes away with a better understanding of the Chinese culture, the reader comes away with a better understanding of self, and of love. I highly recommend this book to anyone who comes from a dysfunctional family.

This book was an awsome book.I might be a guy but all these stories just fills your heart with good things. This book has fantastic real life stories that mean alot of things. It was so good that i read this book in 4 days. This book is great for any chicken soup lovers or people who likes touching stories.

I read this book in 2 days flat!! I love it. Brought back some memories of times in my life... made me cry mostly. Who doesn't love a good cry? I'm on track to improving my personal development and have since changed my reading material to awe-inspiring stuff. I encourage all women ages 21-100+ to read this book.

I have grown up with Chicken Soup For The Soul Collections. I can remember buying my first book at a book sale while I was in elementary school. I than moved on to Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul. I recently took a box of books to a book exchange shop and that's where I saw Chicken Soup For The Woman's Soul. I than remembered how much I had loved these heart warming short stories and since I had just turned 20 years old, it was about time I exchange my teenage collection in for the woman's collection. I am 20 years old, married and in college so sometimes I find myself stressed out and emotional so I like to sit down and enjoy a few of these stories. These are great books to own and there is a large variety so that anyone can find one that fits them. My husband and I like to read Chicken Soup For The Couples Soul together and I am looking forward to the day when I can read Chicken Soup For The Mothers Soul.

There are so many Inspiring and touching tales that fills our hearts with emotion. One wonders 'why' things happen as they shouldn't or 'How' do miracles change the course of our lives. There are moments in everybody's life where at a point you encounter obstacles, where your self esteem gets low, attitude differences opine or whatever be, awe-inspiring stories of this book glues you to stir your heart to be more wiser. It rekindles the spirits undoubtedly when we read the emotional narrations of others and wonder - We too come across lot of experiences in life. Should we not pen it down? Easy it may seem, needs inspirations like these stories to share alike tales. This book sure is a great 'light up spirits' book for woman, self inspirations you can say. Topics on Love, Attitude & self esteem, Special moments, Dreams, Truth & wisdom n more are widely covered which makes it a special read. I cherish this book and read n re-read at times. Good pick

I read this book in 2 days flat!! I love it. Brought back some memories of times in my life... made me cry mostly. Who doesn't love a good cry? I'm on track to improving my personal development and have since changed my reading material to awe-inspiring stuff. I encourage all women ages 21-100+ to read this book.