Journals Books

Without a doubt, the finest synthesis of Christian theology I have ever read. I have a library of tomes on theology, but this volume is in a class by itself. I have read it several times and continue to refer to it very frequently. It would be difficult to overemphasize how positively MacDonald's hopeful and joyous sermons have impacted my faith. If you want to enrich your faith, MacDonald's "Unspoken Sermons" would be at the top of my list of recommendations.

This book quite possibly saved my faith. I have never found a more beautiful, yet simultaneously intellectual and thought-provoking book. After reading this, I have been devouring any George MacDonald text I can lay my hands on, and in all of them, I find a picture of God that is beyond any other I have enountered. MacDonald seems to understand (or at least articulate) better than any other author I have discovered God's character, how God relates to us, and vice versa.

I find myself wanting to give examples of what I mean, but I don't believe any summary I could provide would do his thoughts justice. You'll just have to read the book! You will be amazed, enlightened, and filled with joy, faith, and perhaps relief that there is a deeper way to look at Christianity than we often find in Christian writing.

One specific note: The sermon titled "The Eloi," on Jesus' cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" is perhaps the best single piece of writing I have ever read. No, not perhaps. It IS the best single piece of writing I have ever read. If you find yourself in the midst of the proverbial "dark night of the soul," and are not able to find God or feel his presence, I would make this first on your reading list.

Be blessed by this book. I have been.

I came to learn of this work through another author on the subject of God's inescapable love, and the author (a professor of philosophy) mentioned that this book had an immeasurable impact on his life. I saved my money and purchased the book over 5 years ago, and I have to admit that it is by far the most influential and treasured book I own. I have been a Christian for over 20 years, and I have gone through many highs and lows. This book (I'm sure through God's providence) came at a particularly dark time of my life when I began to doubt the underpinnings of what I had been taught as a conservative Bible Belt Protestant.

What I found through reading this book was a God who was better than I had ever thought, a God who was worthy to be worshipped and loved. For the first time, I realized that it was alright not to accept certain notions of God or theology(like that there is a list sins that are unpardonable) and that these ideas truly made no sense and were contradictory to God's nature.

Of all of the sermons, my absolute favorite is Justice. If there is a more profound explanation of God's justice and love, I have yet to see it. This should be a must-read for all Christians and has profoundly influenced my worldview.

Be blessed and encouraged by reading this book. I find myself reading it over and over with fresh insight each time.

George MacDonald's collection of sermons has profoundly influenced my spiritual life.

Buy this book. At first you might be intimidated by the paragraph-long run-on sentances and slightly antiquated language, but after reading a couple of sermons you'll grow accustomed (read: learn love) to his verbose yet eloquent style of writing. This collection of Christian writings will edify, challenge, and inspire you regardless of your doctrinal background or spiritual maturity.

Having worked my way through much of MacDonald's fiction and by recommendation of my son, I just recently purchased a copy of "Unspoken Sermons." Needless to say, this book will have a permanent place on my nightstand.
I wonder, has there ever been another man in history who thought as deeply about spiritual things as MacDonald did? I marvel at his ability to see into things. For example, in discussing the third recorded temptation of Christ (in the book of Matthew) in which the adversary offers rulership of the world if Christ will only bow down and worship him (satan), he notes:
"Could it be other than a temptation to think that he might, if he would, lay a righteous grasp upon the reins of government, leap into the chariot of power, and ride forth conquering and to conquer? Glad visions arose before him of the prisoner breaking jubilant from the cell of injustice; of the widow lifting up the bowed head before the devouring Pharisee; of weeping children bursting into shouts at the sound of the wheels of the chariot before which oppression and wrong shrunk and withered, behind which sprung the fir-tree instead of the thorn, and the myrtle instead of the brier. What glowing visions of holy vengeance, what rosy dreams of human blessedness--and all from his hand--would crowd such a brain as his!--not like the castles-in-the-air of the aspiring youth, for he builds at random, because he knows that he cannot realize; but consistent and harmonious as well as grand, because he knew them within his reach. Could he not, transfigured in his snowy garments, call aloud in the streets of Jerusalem, "Behold your King?" And the fierce warriors of his nation would start at the sound; the ploughshare would be beaten into the sword, and the pruning-hook into the spear; and the nation, rushing to his call ... Ah! but when were his garments white as snow? When, through them, glorifying them as it passed, did the light stream from his glorified body? Not when he looked to such a conquest; but when, on a mount like this, he 'spake of the decease that he should accomplish at Jerusalem'! ... 'Thou shalt worship the Lord they God, and Him only shalt thou serve.' Not even thine own visions of love and truth, O Saviour of the world, shall be thy guides to thy goal, but the will of thy Father in heaven."
Although I have read of the temptations of Christ numerous times and heard sermons preached on the subject, NEVER had I thought or heard about what those temptations might have encompassed as MacDonald writes. True, we cannot know for certain just what thoughts Christ had in those temptations, but we do know that they were not insignificant. They were TESTS and as such MacDonald brings meat and bone to them and allows us to experience the depth of them. Yet, in these temptations, Christ chose the will of the Father; that is, he resisted his own desire and chose to be totally obedient to God's plan, step by step as it unfolded, perhaps not understanding the whys but always knowing obedience was his duty first and last.
This is the model and inspiration every Christian needs, and MacDonald brings these things to our understanding so that we can fully relate them to our own lives.
There is no author who has so positively impacted my life the way MacDonald has, and I am forever grateful for the person who first introduced me to his works. Get this book! Read it slowly and carefully and think about what you read as it relates to your own life. You will be forever changed.

Walking though California is great! What a way to spend the Civil War!
This book is loaded with virginal observations of the state and some of the effects that the gold rush had on the environment.

This book came in great shape. It is a very good book of very early california history. It's well put together for the fourth edition. I have thoroughly enjoyed the bookd

nice to read the words of a man long dead who lived in a young America.
great read, lots of details on california's transformation period

I loved this book, and have started giving copies as gifts. The synopsis explains well what it is, so I won't go into that. But the style is both easy and intelligent, an easy yet rewarding read. Brewer's writing sounds like you're sitting down to a cup of coffee with this guy as he tells you these great stories (not 'tall tales' though.)

I also loved the format, since it is a collection of letters. It allowed me to pick up the book and read 1 page or 20 pages depending on how much time I had, where I was etc. It's Ok to put it down for a week or more, but then you can jump right back in.

It is a 'long' book, but there's no compulsion to read it straight through, you can meander through this book over days, weeks or months, or 'real-time' in years even, that's how his family and friends experienced it.

If you live anywhere in California where Brewer went, or if you've visited there, it is fascinating to hear his descriptions of the places from 150 years before.

I can't rave enough about this book!

I bought this book last summer in Lee Vining CA while on a trip through the Eastern Sierra and after reading it found myself looking at California with new eyes.
One reviewer said that even those who are not Californians will enjoy this book. True enough, but I think that the reader who has a detailed knowledge of the geography of the state will come away from Up And Down California In 1860-1864 with a much greater appreciation for Brewer's accomplishments. I know California very well, and as I read along, I could picture nearly every place Brewer described in my mind's eye because I had been at those places myself.
This book is a riveting and thoroughly absorbing glimpse of the California that was. Brewer's style is informative, entertaining, and not bogged down by political correctness. He calls things as he sees them and gives the reader not only a physical description of his journeys with all their pleasures and hardships, but also a good look at the way people lived and rubbed along with one another in what was then a brave new world. His journeys covered most of the state save the Mojave/Colorado deserts, the San Diego area, the extreme Northeast, and the area between what is now Healdsburg and Eureka. Some of the places he does go are remote still today, such as the area of the New Idria mines in present San Benito County and the still wild Southern Sierra along the upper reaches of the Kern River.
I recommend Brewer's journal to all who have an abiding love for the diverse state that is California. After reading it, you will see the state with new eyes every time you take a road trip along its byways.

Runoko Rashida, Wayne Chandler and Co. put together a fine work illustrating the Asiatic hereditary connections with so called "black" people, especially the Shang Dynasty. They also touch on the influence of the mysterious order of the Hashimiyyah & the Knights Templar. As always the text is accompanied by top rated images supporting the text itself. This book continues a standard of excellence, in the field of knowledge of Self.

There's a wealth of knowledge in this book. What illustrates the effectiveness of the book are the pictures, as well as the words. It's one thing to say that there are black people in India, who were the founders of civilization, there. It's another thing to actually show the descendents of those people, clearly black people, living in India. The book is impressive.

Dr. Rashidi and Dr. Van Sertima are esteemed scholars who have changed my life for the better. They have given me a wealth of knowledge about my Afrikan heritage, which spans worldwide.

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING IT PROVIDES INFORMATION THAT IS BOTH TRUE AND OF EXTREME VALUE. THE AFRICAN PRESENCE IN EARLY ASIA COVERS MIGRATION FROM AFRICA TO ASIA DATING BACK FROM OVER 100,000 YEARS AGO. IT ALSO COVERS THE REVOLT OF THE ZANJ, WERE EAST AFRICAN SLAVES REVOLTED IN IRAQ AND IRAN. CAUSING NUMEROUS DEFEATS UPON THEIR OPPRESSORS AND SERIOUS ECONOMIC DAMAGE TO THE EMPIRE OF THEIR OPPESSORS. IT ALSO COVERS NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF AFRICAN PERSONALITIES AND PEOPLE IN ASIA. SUCH AS UTHMAN IBN BAHR AL-JAHIZ, MALIK AMBAR, LOKMAN, BILAL, ANTARA: THE LION AND MANY OTHERS. THE AFRICAN DIASPORA IN ASIA WAS MAINLY BY MIGRATION, BUT SLAVERY WAS ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF THESE MASSIVE AFRICAN POPULATIONS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN ARABIA, YEMEN, SOUTHERN IRAQ, KUWATI, SOUTHERN IRAN, AND SOME PARTS OF INDIA. HISTORICAL MIGRATIONS INCLUDED SAUDI ARABIA AND YEMEN ALSO. AS WELL AS INDIA HAS AN EXTREMLY LARGE AFRICOID POPULATION KNOWN AS THE "THE BLACK UNTOUCHABLES OF INDIA" WHO ARE THE INDIGENOUS INHABITERS OF INDIA AND THE CREATORS OF THE INDUS RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION. THERE ARE ALSO AFRICAN POPULATIONS IN MALAYSIA, SOUTHERN CHINA, ANDAMEN ISLANDS, SRI LANKA AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS. THIS BOOK IS OF GREAT SIGNIFIGANCE ON THE UNEXPLORED HISTORY OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN ASIA. OTHER BOOKS RECOMENDED IS AFRICANS AT THE CROSSROAD: NOTES ON AN AFRICAN WORLD REVOLUTION, INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS, THE DESTRUCTION OF A BLACK CIVILIZATION, AND THE AFRICAN ORIGIN OF CIVILIZATION

This book has made it clear that the inhabitant of this earth is GOD in all forms. There is nothing else to be said on this subject. This book and others like it, has opened the door for many to become what they truly are...GOD.

Rashidi and Van Sertima are shaping the world of future scholarship with this book. To realize that the Sumerians, Elamites, Dravidians, Harrapans, and the Sabaeans were all black, adds more honor to the "misplaced" History of the African people. This affects those rascist who try and make the beggining dates of Egypt, closer to those of the Tigres, and the Euphrates. Still even by doing so, the beggining of each were "Christmas Coal Black". This book provides much evidence of this fact! Also interesting, and something most unknown, is the images of Buddah, and Krishna, at first had African features. For those who haven't read Kersey Graves "16 Crucified Saviors" the myths of Buddah, Krishna, Christ, as well many others is almost exactly the same. What is even more interesting is Buddah , Krishna, and Christ, all have a 600 year split between their virgin births, and all there first graven images had African features, before they were tampered with. In the end this is a book that should be read by all, scholars, and common people a like, because it helps you to understand, and appreciate the role of the African people throughout history. This book has intense evidence, regardless if you choose to accept it or not.

This is a charming and wonderful book. I too am surprised that it did not get more "buzz" at the time it was published.

How fascinating it is to eavesdrop, as it were, on authors' musings about their life and art. The diary entries help me fill in a multi-dimensional picture of what Virginia Woolf, Kafka, Dawn Powell, and others were like.

But not all the diarists are famous. Ordinary people's journals tell us a great deal about what it was like to be a Londoner evacuated during the Nazi bombing, or a wealthy slaveowner in the American South just before the Civil War.

There are, to this American's taste, too many British diarists here and too few Americans. I would have loved to have read a U.S. senator or cabinet member's personal observations of some political dust-up, but alas, that is not here. So I read the book at least partly as a window into British civilization.

For a compulsive reader or diary-phile, I can't imagine a better day book to accompany you through a year. To take 10 minutes out of the day and read the wonderful (really--I wondered at some of the things that people would write in the diaries) selection of entries for the day will provide you with a refreshing start, bookend, or break for your day (your choice). Even the potted biographies of the diarists (found at the back of the book) are delightful.

The authors have provided some lovely groupings of entries. January starts off with three entries from Mahler's lover, stretched over three successive days, that made me laugh. More complex emotionally is the chain at the end of January: two different diarists record the death and funeral services of George V of England in 1936, along with the assencsion of Edward III. A few days later is a recollection of meetings between Charlie Chaplin and Edward III (now the Duke of Windsor after renouncing his crown for Wallis Simpson) in the middle of World War II. Towards the end of January, in the 1930's, Count Ciano records the advice he gives Mussolini--on the same day, but in 1943, a nurse records the arrival of refugee children evacuated from Italy.

Some small errors in the bios at the back that I noticed: Goebbels kept his diary right until 1945 (not just until 1941); Delacroix did start his diary at 24 but dropped it after 2 years and did not resume it until he was 50 (the bio suggests that he kept his diary continuously); Pepy's diary wasn't kept in code but written in shorthand (a contemporaneous book describing the system Pepys used has been discovered)--but these are hardly the point with this delightful book. On the other hand, I didn't think that Woodeforde's diary revealed author to be a glutton (as the editors suggest) but I may not have read between the lines sufficiently.

I found this book on the remaindered shelf of my local bookstore (a crime!) but it even made the price right for me: $7.00 Canadian.

Wonderful book.

January 1, 2003: Bought this collection of diary and journal entries based on a review that said it would be a great book to leave in the guest bedroom for visitors. Have resolved to read a day's worth of entries each morning, and finish the book in one year.

February 16, 2003: Have discovered that this book is much more conveniently placed in the bathroom, where I am sure to spend five minutes each morning, rather than the guest bedroom.

April 13, 2003: What a remarkable collection of fascinating historical figures! The featured diarists are carefully chosen, as are the selected entries. Together they span four centuries and at least as many continents.

June 1, 2003: Have started to develop personal favorites among the many diarists. Pepys, for his unrepentant lasciviousness. Chips Channon, for his loveable pretentiousness. Kafka, for being Kafka. Warhol, for being Warhol. Coppola, for her intriguing insights into the life of her film-making husband. Woolf, for her introspective moodiness. Gide, for his sarcasm and arrogance.

July 5, 2003: Have become utterly addicted to my morning routine with this book, and have now started reading ahead.

July 29, 2003: Have only two minor complaints so far. One is that the diarists are predominantly British - perhaps a more diverse selection would have been better. The second is that there is a disproportionate number of entries during the WWII time period. Without doubt a fascinating and important time, historically, so I guess this is understandable.

August 7, 2003: Finished the collection, almost five months early. Will now return this book to my guest room, where friends and family will be sure to enjoy it for years to come.

Fascinating stuff. The book progresses through each day of the 366 (leap year, too) calendar days. Excerpts from all the diaries are organized in chronological order (from earliest year to most current year) within each day.

The earliest you get is from the 1600s (usually Samuel Pepys) on up through Alec Guiness and others in the mid 1990s. The excerpts vary from only one phrase to about a page. The stuff from the 1660s is rendered with its own peculiar spelling and grammar. You really get an amazing sense of our shared humanity across the ages.

I deemed its only overall flaw to be a preponderance of British entries and World War II entries. Plus, two entries I wished I hadn't read: the artist Delacroix blandly witnessing the mistreatment of a horse, and some English guy shooting a heron.

The excerpts from Jewish diarists right before the Holocaust were chilling.

There were diarists who became my favorites:
Eleanor Coppola (a shy woman in a high-profile world);
Virginia Woolf (wonderfully perceptive about herself and her social class);
Noel Coward (often hilarious);
Alan Bennett (gentle irony);
Evelyn Waugh and H.L. Mencken (both funny like Coward but even more acerbic);
Andy Warhol (so banal); and
Katherine Mansfield (haunting).

There were other diarists I grew to dislike:
Goebbels (fanatically anti-Semetic);
Brothers Goncourt (misogynistic);
Alan Clark (also misogynistic);
Marie Bashkirtseff and Liane de Pougy (twits);
and Leo Tolstoy and Franz Kafka (both morbid and difficult).

Overall, a varied and fascinating window on the world of journal-keeping.

What a surprisingly marvellous anthology. I was initially put off by the arrangement - with wildly disparate entries for each day of the month, at first this seemed more like a novelty book than a serious exploration of diarists and their work. Yet I've found this eclectic approach to be absolutely perfect, not least because the entries for each day have been so thoughtfully selected: some amplify the themes of the others, while some offer instead a comic or tragic counterpoint. Indeed, comedy is one of the hallmarks of this edition: diaries are always "bitchy", to some extent - as the title suggests, the diary is like an assassin's cloak we wear while stabbing comrades in the back with a pen - and the dark, neurotic humour so typical of the diarist is here in spades. The Taylors have also been kind enough to package their selections with an insightful introductory essay, thumbnail biographies of all their sources, along with full bibliographical references and a comprehensive index by diarist. The only thing missing is an index by subject - but that would probably be bigger than the volume itself. This is a brilliant, must-have anthology for anyone interested in literature, social history, and the art of the diary.

It's beautiful and teaches kids (and parents) how to appreciate art in a simple way. Lifelong lesson that demystifies art. Love it. It engaged my son since he was 3 and he's 4 and still loves it.

The story and illustrations are top-notch. This book is an excellent tool for children learning to appreciate art and artists. Every child should own a copy of this book!

Buyer beware -- these note cards fold to 3"x5".

My 4 year old granddaughter loves the book. I enjoyed seeing many famous works of art converted to elephant-views of the world -- a refreshing reframing of the familiar. All ages can benefit from this.

This is a review for the note cards. They are beautiful. The whimsical images lifted from the book are printed on decent/usable cardstock, and are definitely fine but the envelopes are much, much higher quality than you normally see in a product like this. The box itself is wonderful and will be something you keep long after the cards are all gone.

I've read Mark De Castrique's previous "Buryin' Barry" series and enjoyed it a lot. This new series introduces a likable yet flawed new hero in Sam Blackman. It opens in a VA hospital where Blackman is recovering from losing his leg in Iraq. The story weaves together a nearly hundred year old mystery with a series of murders in the present. The descriptions of Asheville, NC and the Biltmore Estate outside the city are outstanding and make me want to visit the area. I learned a lot about Thomas Wolfe (who I didn't know was an Asheville native) and enjoyed how he was worked into the story. Blackman's relationship with the sister of the first (or maybe not first...) murder victim is one I hope carries through in the next installment. It was a good read with a great setting. I'm looking forward to the next one.

The Churchillian phrase, "A mystery wrapped in an enigma," certainly applies to this novel, which promises to be the first in a new series featuring Sam Blackman. Sam was a career soldier in the army, most recently a Chief Warrant Officer in the Criminal Investigation Detachment in Iraq where he lost a leg. Sent to Walter Reed Hospital in the nation's Capitol, he raised his voice against poor treatment of veterans in the press and before a Congressional Committee, gaining a certain notoriety.

Apparently as a result, or in an attempt to hide him from the public eye, Sam was relocated to a Veteran's Hospital in Asheville, NC, boyhood home of the novelist Thomas Wolfe, who plays a role in the story. Shortly before his discharge, Sam is visited by another amputee, Tikima Robertson, who suggests she could use his services. Before either could follow up, she is murdered. Her sister brings Sam a journal written in 1919 by a 12-year-old boy. The tale leads Sam and the sister into looking into not only Tikima's murder, but several others, including that of a couple that took place almost nine decades before.

Written with style and verve, the novel provides broad and interesting glimpses into North Carolina history, excellent descriptions of the Vanderbilt's legacy at the Biltmore estate and some interesting insights into Tom Wolfe's writings. Recommended.

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this book! It's engaging, intriguing, and unique (in a good way!). I started it later in the evening than I should have, resulting in a late night. LOL Definitely highly recommended!

BLACKMAN'S COFFIN (Unl. Inv.-Sam Blackman-North Carolina/Georgia-1907/Cont) - Ex
De Castrique, Mark - 1st Sam Blackman book
Poisoned Pen Press, 2008, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9781590585177

First Sentence: I felt a hand on my shoulder , shaking me awake.

Sam Blackman was a Chief Warrant Officer in the Criminal Investigation Detachment. He is now in a VA Hospital in Ashville, NC after having lost part of his leg in Iraq. Tikima Robertson, an ex-Marine who lost part of her arm in Iraq, visits his room. She comes with sass and an offer for Sam to put his past experience to use.

After Tikima is murdered, her sister Nakayla asks for his help and presents him with a journal written in 1919 on which Tikima has placed a note saying "for Sam."

I have become such a big fan of De Castrique's writing. He knows how to construct a good mystery with dimensional characters, a great sense of place and a touch of humor. He manages to include ideas and observations that are important and make me think.

The story is informative without, in any way, being boring or slow. This book is particularly timely in that the protagonist is an Iraq veteran and amputee. Some of his supporting characters are residents of a senior-care facility. References to other characters include the Vanderbilts and Thomas Wolfe.

The structure of the story is fascinating; a supposed journal from 1907--a device that could have slowed the story to a crawl but, instead, gave it extra dimension--and the present day. The story's plot was interesting and the manner in which the two time periods were linked and tied together at the end was so well done. I couldn't identify the bad guys and enjoyed the twists that took the story to a suspenseful climax and a touching end.

I was very sorry to see his Barry Clayton series end but am much better now that we have Sam Blackman. Thank you, Mr. De Castrique, for another great book!

Very well-written debut of a new series introducing war-wounded veteren, Sam Blackman. Book has so much fascinating detail and history of the Asheville, NC / Bilmore house that the book would be worth reading it for that alone. The story line, however, is also excellent and readers will not be disappointed.

This baby book is very cute. The pictures through out the book are adorable. And the contents are thorough with pages for just about everything. I would recommend it.

This is my favorite baby book and I buy it for gifts now. It has the most beautiful illustrations inside.

I looked everywhere online to try to see pages of this baby book before I ordered it, but couldn't find a site anywhere to search inside. I had looked at so many baby books in book stores, at Babies R Us, WalMart, Target, etc... and hadn't found one that really seemed special. I ordered this one due to the great reviews (I was very nervous since I couldn't look inside first)and to my surprise, it is my favorite! While most baby books now have pastel pictures and words that you can barely see, this one is very brightly colored, easy to read with words in black, and the pictures and layout are darling. It has pages to record moments through the first five years, including pages for special artwork and class photos. I highly recommend this precious book.

I love this baby book. My other daughter has the Thomas Kinkade baby record book and I was looking for something simular for my second daughter. This book has beautiful pictures with poems, quotes, and some biblical quotations. It is a beautiful blend of nostalgic illustrations and thoughtful prose and scripture.

I was completely happy with this book. The description and other reviews were right on target. Highly recommended

A bottom-up social history of some of the most important radical struggles in the last two decades; a critical, first-person account of revolutionary movements, their successes as well as failures, their potential as well as their flaws. Ryan's radical anthropology of a dozen different movements reads like an ethnography of activism, from Ireland to Kurdistan to Guatemala and Chiapas.

Never one to blithely proceed as a militant tourist, Ryan consistently critiques his own role in the narratives he recounts, exploring tensions of race, class and nationality in the brave new world of global neoliberalism. Nor is he simply a lifestyle radical, playing mount-the-barricades in a dozen different cities. "Unconditional solidarity for any political party or movement is a foolish stance," he writes after discovering the new neoliberalized version of Sandinistas in Nicaragua, "especially when one has no participation in the process of decision-making or ideological direction. But one's loyalty remains to the idea and the revolutionary actions of a movement in a particular time." (264)

Who are the "clandestines"? As Ryan describes it, "clandestinity is about protecting ourselves, our rebel spaces and allowing the seed to germinate underground." (273) His description of developing, maintaining and deploying these spaces will be interesting to anyone pursuing radical social change.

Written by diehard anti-capitalist Ramor Ryan, Clandestines: The Pirate Journals Of An Irish Exile gathers memories of an anarchist's travels and exploits across the world during the 1980's and 1990's. From the hovels of Berlin during the fall of the wall, to a mystery in the Zapatista Autonomous Zone, to a Croatian Rainbow Gathering following G8 protests in Genoa, to a Kurdish guerilla camp, Clandestines tracks the struggles of a world in flux, on the cusp of transforming into a post-Cold War society. A sharp-eyed perspective from an author who despises all forms of imperialism and is utterly unafraid to declare it.

I can honestly say that I learned a great deal from reading this book, and enjoyed every minute of it. Ryan's stories are full of grit, hope, morality and rebelliousness. Highly recommended.

I never thought I would enjoy a travel journal, but Ramor Ryan changed my mind. At first I thought it was going to be an over-romantic story of this guy traveling around the world in order to avoid himself, in the way that a lot of Crimethinc type of stuff reads. I'm really not into that kind of stuff. However, he really surprised me, and I'm ashamed I thought that of him in the first place in association with Crimethinc, because this guy is a real character, a great writer, and no one can call him fake for leaving out the messy details. In fact, read about his review of the two different "Days of War and Nights of Love" (one by Crimethinc, and one by Eduardo Galeano) online.

In the great tradition of Irish story-tellers, Ryan recalls experiences from the squats of West Berlin, the war zone of Kurdistan, the revolution and post-revolution repression in Nicauragua, his youth in Ireland watching the British army attack a Republican demonstration, and much more. He is an exile from his native land, moving from situations of struggle across the planet with a keen analysis of each. Ryan left Ireland in the 1980s for Nicaragua to help defend the Revolution there, and ended up seeing the Sandinistas crumble under the might of the US-funded Contras, alienating Indigenous peoples struggling for autonomy in the process. He remarks that a generation of international solidarity activists in the 1980s got their start in Nicaragua; much like many saw the same in Chiapas in the 1990s.

If you've never heard of Ramor Ryan, look him up. I would love to meet him, because this guy has such a wealth of information and has seen so much without thinking he is better than anyone else for having done so. He brings a personal touch to bloody places stormed by revolution, repression, and fights for a better world. By the end of it, I thought to myself that he had really lived his life thus far to the fullest, and brought a whole new meaning to what I thought of as an "international solidarity" activist. Much of what he writes is exciting in that revolutionary situations are very much within reach, but at the same time depressing when he discusses the aftermath in the case of defeat (like in Kurdistan or in Nicaragua).

If you want to find an inspirational person, you have to meet Ramor Ryan by reading his Clandestines.

I have read numerous engrossing and exciting novels this year, but this book tops all of those, and these stories are true! If you like adventure, or want to simply know more about the world, read this book. He puts a very human face on the trials and tribulations of so many varied people, you ultimately feel like you were there. This book is your chance at a small piece of Ramor's varied experiences. Don't miss-out on the adventures.

This is a book that grabs the heart, encourages the soul, and strengthens the spirit! The title says it all!

My wife's dear, saintly Mother Gladys Wolf, first inscribed her signature in our well-worn hard-back copy, barely held together from early 1950's. Everyday sometimes, I look into this older copy because both daughters also have copies from 20+ printings!

Ruth Graham has introduced the later editions for new printings!

If we could find devotional books with writings by Jeanne Guyon, St Augustine, Charles Wesley & George MacDonald & Anna Laetitia Waring, Hannah Whitehall Smith, Longfellow, Whittier and unknown writers for today's readers, we may have more deeply commited christians who find daily strength! From one who is an indebted admirer of this collection by Mary Tileston! Retired Chaplain, Fred W Hood, "Barbara377" (Fayetteville GA United States)

Thank you for the fast shipping of The Daily Strength books,they will make great gifts- Thanks, Robert

Early AAs used several different "devotionals" for their morning meditations. Generally, the materials followed the same path as this fine devotional. That is, they cited a Bible verse, then come commentary, and often a prayer and other verses for study. Those who want to get the same results from "meditation" on the Bible that early AAs received would do well to obtain and use a copy of this book. It was studied and circulated by Dr. Bob among AAs and their families. It was in common usage along with The Upper Room, My Utmost for His Highest, Victorious Living, and The Runner's Bible. A well-stocked 12 Step meditation library should include Daily Strength and the others. It will enrich familiarity with the Bible and enhance the day ahead. I discuss all these in my title Dr. Bob and His Library (www.dickb.com/drbob.shtml).

The difference between this book and the devotionals written today is like the difference between a prime rib steak and a bologny sandwhich. A lousy analogy, but point made. "Daily Strength for Daily Needs" is full of reflections that must be read over and over in order to fully grasp the sentiment. Part of this is due to the excellent writing and terminology used from years ago, however it is not a difficult or frustrating book to read. There is a rich and reflective depth brought forth in a verse,a piece of poetry and then a reflection by a Christian from the 16th century to 18th century.This is the main devotional I have used for about 8 years now and it is full of underlined thoughts that have been compelling.Each year when I cycle back through it, I am always challenged afresh.I hope mine will last for 40 more years--it is rich beyond comparison.

Okay, I'm not always ready to jump straight into the Bible at 6:30 a.m. But Michelle Medlock Adams eases me into my day. She starts each daily reading with one Bible verse, then tells a story about her own life. She doesn't make herself out to be a supermom or superChristian. She's real. I like that.

Lots of her devotionals offer great ideas that have improved my relationship with Jesus. She suggests keeping a prayer notebook, where you write down your prayer requests and then jot down the answers God gives. It's so cool to see how and when God answers our prayers.

Another thing I like about this book is its size -- you can easily slip it into your purse or laptop case and take it with you.

I have long been looking for a daily devotional for mothers. This book has a daily devotion that is applicable to every mother. The devotions are quick, easy to read, and contain a short prayer at the end. I highly recommend this book. I'll be buying it for every baby shower and for birthdays to come.

At my baby shower, I received this as a gift. It was perfect. And so I bought this for my sister-in-law, mother of three. Whom I know will enjoy this book very much.

I have this book in both Spanish and English and find it to be a great devotional for a busy mom. There is a bible reading and reflection everyday with a focus on mothering. Each month focuses on a different topic. Highly recommended!

As a busy mom with little free time, this devotional provides the perfect way to squeeze in some quiet time every day! The scriptures are applicable to every day life and there is a space to reflect your own thoughts on each page. It only takes a few minutes and if you miss a day it's so easy to catch up. Great gift for a new mom!