Alternative Books

As a recent college graduate looking to start my career, I found this book to be an absolutely hilarious guide on how NOT to write my first resume. My favorite section was "Politics, Religion, and Other Inappropriate Subjects." The statements some of these people wrote in their resumes were so crazy I almost couldn't believe that they were real! I especially liked the one where the applicant signed their cover letter as "lovely human being."
This is definitely a must read for anyone who's ever written a resume or, like me, needs to write one in the very near future!! Although many of the excerpts are absurd, each chapter starts out with a helpful hint, making the book just as useful as it is entertaining. I would recommend this title to absolutely anyone.

This is not your typical resume book, and these are definitely not your typical resumes! Working in a Career Development office, I see my fair share of resume books, and this one really stands apart from the rest. While the more serious-minded job-seeker might opt for something a little more formal, those with a relaxed attitude and sense of humor are sure to appreciate the book's fun but functional "How Not To" approach to resume-writing.

Without all the rigid instruction of most resume books, Resumes From Hell gives readers something fun and new - a chance to learn from the mistakes of others. Whether it's sending important email messages with an online identity like [...] or telling employers you created "today's fanny pack industry," the mistakes and mishaps in this book boldly remind job-seekers to pay attention to details and to think more like hiring managers.

This book is almost as educational as it is funny. I read it cover to cover on a Boston - San Francisco flight and probably upset my fellow passengers by bursting into laughter on several occasions. As a bonus, I sure know what NOT to do next time I'm looking for a new job! Highly recommended!

Resumes from Hell is one of those rare examples of a book that is both entertaining and useful. Every single page contains a laugh-out-loud example of what NOT to do if you are a job-seeker. From the candidate who left a voice-mail describing his delicious sandwhich, to the one who listed his mother as a reference, the examples in this book are almost too comical to be believed--and yet each and every one is true.

All of the excerpts have been sorted into clearly defined sections, where off-the-wall examples are used to illustrate genuinely helpful resume pointers. Readers can flip through and entertain themselves by reading pages at random, or take a more utilitarian approach going chapter by chapter to get guidance on questions like whether or not to list hobbies on a resume.

I recommend readers turn immediately to the index and start from there. In it, the editors have brilliantly culled some of the most unlikely single words and phrases from their resume files--like "completely useless," and "orgasm," (not used in the same sentence, it's worth noting)--and compiled them into one hysterical list.

I received Resumes from Hell as a gift, and it is one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. I highly recommend it.

Frustrated about today's shrinking job market? Having trouble finding a job that even requires submitting a resume (and doesn't require sporting a colorful uniform)? Finding a good job requires education, experience, and a really good resume that stands out above the competition... That is, unless you're up against those who wrote the "Resumes from Hell" featured in this book of the same name, in which the authors expose hundreds of the most awkward, over-the-top, and downright hilarious resumes ever written. Reading them will help you improve your own resume, and it will give you hope. Just don't do what these people did! Whether they listed too many hobbies, made frightening political or religious statements, or simply gave "too much information," these writers bare their souls in hopes of landing a job. With previous experience such as "perishable manager" and "fanny pack designer," or qualifications like "specializing in the impossible," "Have Passport & Don't Use Tobacco or Firearms," and "Enjoy Dim Sum, Chai and other good things in life," you really wish you could sit in on their job interviews. My favorite chapter is "Graphics from Hell," featuring undecipherable charts, cheesy icons and clip art that some misguided souls used to spruce up their resumes. As professional job recruiters, the authors have seen it all, and their comments and examples prove unequivocally that poetry, spirituality, ranting, bragging, and sloganeering have no place in your resume. This book proves that what you DON'T say is often as important as what you do say.

This is a very funny yet extremely informative book with great illustrations about solar power using cats as examples. Very enjoyable!

This whimsical look at a usually dead-serious subject (solar energy, not cats) allows the information to sneak in under the "I can't learn that" radar. Cat lovers will especially enjoy the book, but non-cat lovers can also appreciate its charming approach to the subject. My four cats give it sixteen paws up. I give it two thumbs!

Jim Augustyne takes the Suessian approach to showing the reader our myopia when it comes to the nature of renewable energy, politics, and economics. Solar Energy is nature's way and cats are fundamentally in tune with nature. Even though Augustyne does not use rhyme to make his point, the reason is shown through the fun-house mirror of technologically advanced felines, and their 'natural' instincts and behaviour, optimized for solar utilization. Augustyne has developed an alternate universe of whimsy and pointy satire where kitties rule and our human foibles and blindness to the advantages of solar renewables are entertainingly exposed. The text and drawings unerringly capture feline personality and 'technical' accumen. A real entertainment bargain with a sideways squint at education. For real kids and kids at heart, like engineers, teachers, businessmen, homeowners, and politicians, of all ages.

One of the cleverest, funniest and most informative pieces of science writing to come along in years. Augustyn is equal parts Woody Allen and Stephen Hawking. But make no mistake: "The Return of the Solar Cat Book" is not only a rollicking good read and a visual delight, but an important contribution to the current debate over the nation's energy future. "It's the sun, stupid!" Augustyn is saying. "And here's why -- and how." Should be required reading for Presidents Bush and Putin, Energy Secy. Abraham and Ken Lay. Augustyn is way over the top. I wish I'd thought of "meowium" first.

I teach Middle School students all about the world in our tiny self-contained rural school. The topic of solar energy comes up in our physics curriculum; political aberrations are often discussed in our current events class; and, needless to say,we often share pet stories, especially reports on kitty capers.
I loved The Return of the Solar Cat Book immediately, and I realized my students were ready to appreciate it too. I took a chance and shared it with my students.It was a great decision. They adore the drawings, the author's wry wit, and the way the
book makes difficult science concepts very accessible.Now we learn and giggle together. I love it. Thank you, Jim Augustyn

This book has a rousing cast of semi-street people, who range from Steven, who is having a spectacular mid-life crisis to his somewhat more grounded live-in lover Molly to Maxie the homeless schizophrenic with impeccable manners (when he's taking his meds), to Igor, son of an affluent Queens businessman and connoisseur of marijuana, hashish, and even more exotic organic products. There is also Igor's sometime business associate Abo the Russian immigrant- and of course Steven's father Ed from rural Louisiana who wants to come for a visit, hoping to take Steven, his anti-war son, to visit the Vietnam Memorial in Washington to honor his other son, who died in Vietnam. These people all spill over the top with emotions and quirks and talk, but they are witty and amusing- and, in the end, deeply lovable. The novel follows several days of Steven's disintegration, trying to keep his love relationship alive, trying to avoid his father, to reach his father, to avoid the responsibilities of life- and to take them on. It is a thoroughly good-humored and entertaining novel.

What a page-turner! A barn-burner of a book! It's 'The Big Lebowski' for recovered redneck urbanites. Oh yeah, there's comedy; then there's the comedic aspect of making peace with an alcoholic parent- laugh so hard you burst into tears. This Ogelsby is a find, a monster writer who tells it all. I recommend this book to anyone who can read Tennessee Williams beyond page two; to anyone who ever lived in the south and the north; in the country and the big city; who ever used drugs, sold drugs or had a druggy parent, which ought to cover most Americans from 18 to 70. My mom loved it and she's Old! (I test all new material on her.) Hell, buy it for the cover alone. It's so 'Haight meets SoHo'. Helene Dolney, wherever you are, thank you for the package. Mr Ogelsby, you need a good agent. If this isn't screen play material, nothing is. What time is it in New York???

This book was a delightful surprise. Filled with wit and wisdom, I felt like I knew these some of these characters from my hippie days and would have liked to know the others. The protagonist's struggle to come to terms with the Vietnam war, his father's shortcomings and his own commitment issues all rang true, yet the author managed to make me laugh through the angst. I was sorry to have the book end.

I loved this book. I was first attracted to the book by its great cover art, but the story line quickly took over and kept me turning pages. Oglesby's characters were quirky yet real. And the writing was so unexpectedly wonderful that I had to stop and read over some of the beautiful passages. It had me laughing and then weeping and then laughing again. This book is a winner.

This is a terrific book. The author has a terrific ear for dialogue and is a master of the art of description. The plot is engaging and full of humor and pathos.It's hard to fathom why tis book was not picked up by a major publisher.

I am a clinical massage therapist in Seattle, WA. I was trained in a method of manual therapy called Neuromuscular therapy by its founder, Paul St. John I came to understand the importance of balance in the structure of the body. When a friend gave me an original copy of this book: 'Rolfing: Reestabling...' by Dr. Rolf I fell right into it. Dr. Rolf was the progenitor of a point of view that stresses a.}close examination of the alignment and physical (or structural) balance of the body, b.} a direct relationship between structure and function in this regard, and c.} the notion that a manual approach can re-organize the body in a deep and meaninful way. I kept discovering very quotable passages, and thinking 'That's what I always say'. I came to see that without Ida Rolf as my grandmother in the field of hands on therapy, I could never have been trained in a way that I could have had those insights. A very validating experience to find that you had got the message, even when you really derived it from things that you heard second hand.

As a text, this book goes a long ways to filling in some of the mysterious blanks in our understanding of the body and it's function in gravity. It has enjoyable prose, flowing description and explanation, countless photos of case studies, and even more valuably it has a great number of hand-drawn illustrations, I beleive by Ida Rolf herself. The book covers specific subjects that are not undertaken by any other texts I have read in this field, where balance and structural orientation are concerned (look for the biomechanical description of the function of the pelvic floor, for example).
For people who work with the body in a hands-on clinical fashion, this book is a classic. It would fill a great gap on the shelf on anyone concerned with physical examination as well.

I can heartilly reccommend the book at this price,too.

This book is invaluable in understanding the inter-relationships within the human body--and nothing is more important for proper assessment and treatment of myofascia. This is not a technique book, rather a book which details the fundamental principles of stuctural bodywork. It will aid any therapist in gaining a deeper understanding of the human body and avoiding the all-too-common problem of symptom chasing. Read this book to understand how structure effects function, and function effects health.

I found this book to be very helpful in deepening my understanding of the way the different parts of the body are interconnected and interdependent. It has influenced my yoga practice and my teaching. I better understand how the physical practice of yoga helps with spiritual transformation. I highly recommend this to anyone who wishes to be actively involved in your own transformation and evolution. This book will help yoga teachers identify the bony landmarks on the body to help brighten a student's alignment and free up energy in the body. It starts from the feet and moves up, just as you would create any pose. The language is easy to understand and there are many valuable drawings and photographs which illustrate each point.

I was very gladly surprised when I saw how well Rolf writes, as I was expecting the originator of Structural Integration therapy to use a "heavy" language, like F.M. Alexander did in his books on the Alexander Technique. The only thing keeping me from breezing through this book are my own ponderings on the insights Rolf constantly gives me. If you are interested in the human body in any way, get this (you should get it anyway, you will become interested!).

Rolfing can make profound changes in posture and movement. This book tries to get beyond the medical dissection model of anatomy and really get at the way the core postural muscles are supposed to coordinate movement. The chapter on the psoas is worth the price of the book.

This IS NOT a how-to on Rolfing nor does it get into the transformative powers of Rolfing from the perspective of someone who is undergoing processing. It is more a book of anatomy and kinesiology.

It is easy today to get depressed about mankind. Bronowski demonstrates that there is hope for us yet. He also demonstrates that we, perhaps know more and are capable of more than we thought.

Bronowski's "Science & Human Values" should be purchased with A.J. Ayer's "Language, Truth & Logic" --the quintessential explanation of the "verifibility criterion of meaning". Just as the Russell/Whitehead "Principia Mathematica" sought to ground mathematics upon a foundation of pure logic, the "verifibility criterion of meaning" sought to provide an empirical basis for all scientific enquiry. However, the inescapable conclusion is that ethical imperatives (sentences containing the word "ought" or its equivalent) are non-sensical. However logical, this position may be untenable from a practical standpoint. Jacob Bronowski's crtique of the "logical positivist" position in his "Science and Human Values" pointed out an underlying social injunction implied in the positivist and analyst methods. That implied imperative is: "we OUGHT to act in such a way that what IS true can be verified to be so". Ironically, Bronowski's critique may have saved logical positivism from its own inflexible consistency, placing its edifice not upon an unassailable axiom but rather upon an "ought statement" which will not admit of proof by the very method which is its logical offspring.

While Bronowski's book, Science and Human Values is often lauded as a critique of logical positivism, I found it to be much more than just that. Bronowski launches a critique on a more pervasive foundation of western philosophy, that of dualism. Bronowski seeks to reduce the dualistic view that somehow science and technology are antithetical to the human spirit. The book is constructed as an extended essay consisting of three distinct, though closely related arguments:

a) The Creative Mind - an argument that the human mind operates creatively whether engaged in logical constructivist activities or in more subjective expressions of thought. In short, Bronowski argues here that the Poet and the Physicist have much more in common than we allow ourselves to believe.

b) The Habit of Truth - an argument that both the right (creative) and left (analytic) sides of the brain are doing the same thing, seeking truth, in the generative process.

c) The Sense of Human Dignity - an argument that the objective exploration of science and technology are just as "human" as the quest for introspective or subjective understanding of the human condition.

Epilogue) The volume also contains an interesting fictional dialogue titled The Abacus and the Rose, held between a public servant, a scientist and a literary figure regarding the nature of their thought processes.

Bronowski emphasizes the notion that the outcomes of science and technology are mere tools and artifacts, it is the spirit and creative energy behind them form the basis for human values and ideals. For Bronowski human values are what drive scientific discovery just as they drive public policy or artistic creativity. We get into trouble when we try and separate these ventures from human values, and thus confuse means and ends. In this way Bronowski offers a compelling argument that is less a critique of positivism than a call for a more holistic vision of human development and the creative spirit.

The essay is well written and easy to follow and provides some solid insight on the ever more difficult task of linking scientific and technological progress with human value systems.

"Whether our work is art or science or the daily work of society, it is only the form in which we explore our experience which is different; the need to explore remains the same." (Bronowski, 1965, p. 72)

This is a small but profound work. The three chapters" 'The Creative Mind'
'The Habit of Truth' ' The Sense of Human Dignity' taken together constitute an argument against modern positivistic philosophy and logical analysis regarding the absolute separation of 'is' from 'ought'. As Bronowski understands it the sense of values pervades and in a sense brings together the major realms of creative life. The special values of Science itself are for Bronowski 'independence and originality, dissent and freedom and tolerance; such are the first needs of science; and these are the values, which , of itself, it demands and forms."
Yet Bronowski also strongly emphasizes the evidence- based nature of Science in its search for Truth. And he speaks of the process of its development ," the view that our concepts are built up from experience, and have constantly to be tested and corrected in experience." Here is the great distinguishing feature of Science not only its quest for truth but in its power to transform the world.
What Bronowski does in another sense is cut across the 'Two Cultures' divide posited by C.P. Snow. A person of both literary and scientific background himself he finds that ' the exploration of likenesses' through symbolic concepts define creativity both in literary and in scientific realms.
Bronowski is in a very deep sense a humanist who defines and dignity of mankind in its search to understand and transform the world.
There is much to be thought and said about this very important book.

This was required reading for me in a required Social Sciences survey course required for my B.Sc. in chemistry over forty years ago (I hold an earned Ph.D. in chemistry in additon to a later acquired law degree). I still regard it as one of the most influential books in my life. I understand the essays in this small book to be a critical examination of various scientific philosophies. However what I found to be most illuminating was Bronowski's study of values in a scientist's search for truth; how the values necessary to enable the search for scientific truth in the cooperative enterprise of science are human values ratified by the great religions of the world. What this meant to me as a callow (at that time) intellectual who was more of an agnostic than an atheist at that point in my life was that many of the value systems espoused and shared by the great religions were independently derivable by the values necessary to succeed in the quest for "truth." This resonanted with me personally more than any thundering proselytizer in a church pulpit and my faith began to grow. This is a small book to have such a large effect and it is worth reading for many reasons - some well elaborated by other reviewers. I think Dr. Bronowski would be pleased with its effect on me.

I happened upon "Cretaceous Sea" when browsing Amazon for time travel books. I enjoyed the book so much that I jumped at the chance to read the sequel, "Sea of Time." I agree with all of the previous reviews, but I will keep this brief because I don't want to repeat what's been said already. Suffice it to say that this is a marvelous book that took me to places I could never have imagined. I was so sad to leave Con at the end that I rationed the final pages of the book so we could spend more time together. ONE FINAL BONUS--Will Hubbell is writing books under the pseudonym, Morgan Howell. I just finished the first book in his "Queen of the Orcs" trilogy. It's just as good as this series and its main protagonist is a woman named Dar who is cut from the same cloth as Con.

_Sea of Time _ by Will Hubbell is the riveting sequel to his earlier book, _Cretaceous Sea_. The book opens again with Con, now Con Clements, married to Rick and living the life - incredibly - of her ancestor in 1880s Montana. A happy and successful mine owner, she is enjoying life raising her son Joey and living with her ammonite-collecting husband. Though she would have liked to go back to the 21st century, she had convinced her rescuers that being where she was and doing what she was doing was the best thing possible for the integrity of the timestream.

Unfortunately for the happy family, others disagreed. A man from the far future came to visit Con one day, a person who looked very human but was clearly, well, not from around there. He was a _Homo perfectus_ or Kynden, same species that rescued Rick and Con at the end of the first novel (one of three human species existing in the future by the way, the others being our race which in the future are called the Sapenes and one called the Gaians). This man goes by the name of Sam (full name Samazatarmaka) and he was the man who initially possessed the time travel technology that Peter Green stole. Con thought that Sam had been killed (that was what she had been told) but no, he is very much alive and offers to help Con and Rick if they will help him. Con declined his offer and Sam took his leave.

Not long afterwards Rick is murdered and Joey dies of starvation in the brutal Montana winter, with Con not far behind. A nearly dying Con is rescued by Sam and his daughter Kat (Katulumamana) and brought back to life. Given kind reassurances by Sam, she is assured that she will be reunited with Joey and Rick one day - if she merely helps Sam on a few tasks to fix history, which will, according to Sam, have the happy side effects of undoing Rick's murder and the resulting starvation of Joey.

Con is informed by Sam she has to journey to the 27th century and impersonate a recently deceased genetics worker working for a major corporation. Apparently assassinated before she made some historic breakthrough, Con is to carry through with those important scientific advancements.

How on Earth is she to do that? Well the how is covered by Sam and Kat, as Kat installs a mental implant in Con's skull and downloads directly into her mind the skills (and language, as they don't speak English in 27Th century North America) to do what she needs to do.

However, other particulars bother her. Who assassinated this woman, this Ramona Eberlade, and why? Will they try to kill Con? Even knowing Ramona's thoughts and skills, Con still doesn't understand exactly why this breakthrough is so very important, why someone would kill to make sure it doesn't happen.

Con also realizes she is at the mercy of Sam. Though Sam has been very nice to her, she starts to have suspicions about his motives. Why is he doing what he is doing? Does he really want to help Con? Can he really undo Rick's and Joey's deaths? Con also understands though she has little really choice. When Rick and Joey died and Con was removed from the 19th century, she ceased to exist in the 21st century; as she was her own ancestor; in effect her grandparents, parents, and her own childhood ceased to exist. She was a refugee from an alternate timeline that no longer existed, "a bit of wreckage washed up on the shores of the sea of time" (curiously, in these novels if one changes the past, everything "upwhen" in the future changes, but one cannot retroactively change the past, which is "downwhen;" if your past was changed so you didn't exist but you happened to be at a point in time well before that change was made, you stick around and don't vanish, even though technically you were never born). Con in essence has no home to go back to, though also she has a strength that she doesn't know for a while that she possessed, a strength uniquely hers, as a result.

What follows are some incredible adventures in the 27th century, later on in the 31st century as Sam sends Con to follow up on events she had instigated, and then it is back to the Jurassic for a final showdown.

Very enjoyable book, for the most part it was quite different from the preceding novel, up until that is when they get to the Jurassic Period and the story had some similarities. Cardboard characters aren't any kind of problem here and many of the people in the novel were quite distinct. Each of the two future centuries Con visited were also quite distinctive and original (and chilling I might add). My only complaint - and it is a slight one - is that the author twice in the book had a fair amount of build up for a confrontation between some adversary of Con's and then when the encounter finally happens, it is over in a paragraph or three. While still producing important events in the plot, I felt there could been a bit more pay off. Still, a very good novel and one of the best time travel stories I have ever read. It had many surprises and tied in nicely with events in the first book without being in any way a kind of rehash.

When I read Will Hubbell's "Cretaceous Sea" just over a year ago, I found myself completely enthralled by the main characters, especially Constance ("Con") Greighton, the rich girl, and paleontologist Rick Clements. Indeed, the final few chapters of the book, dealing with the cold-hearted "Homo Superior" people from the distant future, have haunted my dreams. It was after the most recent dream that I checked Amazon for any news on a sequel. And lo and behold, "Sea of Time" was due out the very next day!

Needless to say, I pounced on the book and scarfed it down in just under 24 hours. I couldn't put it down, except when I had to go to work. There I thought about the book all day long, and could hardly wait to get home to finish it. All of the elements which fascinated me in the first book are present in the second: an imaginative take on future timelines and time travel in general, dinosaurs, and the way Hubbell portrays and develops his characters.

One all-too common trap that any author or film maker can easily fall into with sequels is to just serve up more of the same, only bigger and more exciting, so that readers or viewers leave feeling that they've wasted their time and money on regurgitated entertainment. The better sequels, in contrast, make sure that their characters continue to grow as they meet new and different challenges or adversaries. At the same time, they answer a host of questions from the first installment. Such as: "Who are these people, and where did they come from?" or "How does the author imagine the future will look like?" or "How did things turn out the way they did?"

I am pleased to say that "Sea of Time" falls into the latter category. True, as with the first book, none of the ideas about time travel and causality are particularly new. Any fan of Star Trek knows the dangers of tampering with history. Indeed, "Sea of Time" reminds me of two books in particular, also among my all-time favorites.

The first is "Thrice Upon a Time", by James P. Hogan, where the two main protagonists fall in love, then are separated by a change in the timestream. The protagonists meet up again, but this time events prevent them from getting to know each other. The reader, who has a "God's eye" view of the plot, keeps rooting for the sparks to fly again, and is frustrated when they fail to. And yet, what if the timeline changes again?

In "Sea of Time" there is a slight twist on the above: Constance knows that she and Rick were supposed to live happily ever after in 19th century Montana, at the end of the first book, but the villain has killed Rick off for his own nefarious purposes (naturally, to change history). When other time travelers, trying to undo the damage, get Rick and Con back together, by ineptly kidnapping him from an earlier point in his life, he has no idea who she is, and, even worse, thinks she's a madwoman. The scene where they first meet up (again) is sad and comical at the same time. It becomes a major source of tension as Rick, who has not been shaped by the same experiences as in his previous existence, continues to disappoint Con, who can't help but let him know about it.

The second similar book is Isaac Azimov's classic "The End of Eternity", where a group of lunatic time travelers, called the Eternals, endlessly move "upwhen" and "downwhen", tinkering with history, trying to steer humanity in the "proper" direction. Living, breathing people are created and destroyed at a whim, with only the Eternals remembering them at all. So it is with the villain in "Sea of Time". He will stop at nothing to sculpt the future of his twisted tastes, even if it means misery and death for untold billions.

This is another source of conflict for Constance. Initially an unwitting pawn, sent first to the 27th century to carry out a major crime against humanity, then on to the 31st century to finish the work, she figures out what is happening, and begins to fight back. There are no certainties for her. She knows that at any moment the ones she knows and loves can vanish without a trace, as she's jerked about by a ruthless puppet master. Whom can she trust? What is even worse is what might happen if the timeline is ever set straight again, as she, Rick and their new time traveler allies race to stay one step ahead of the enemy. (Or maybe not.) Can she do it, knowing what sacrifices it could lead to? Will Con and Rick end up forever separated by a sea of time, with only the reader remembering their happiness together?

I can say that Constance is one of my all-time favorite fictional characters. I would love to meet someone like her in real life. But of course, reality is seldom like that.

It can give the reader a headache trying to keep close tabs on all the twists and turns of alternate realities. Better to just go with the flow. As one of the characters remarks, he never tries to understand it all without a computer and a temporal data probe.

As with "Cretaceous Sea", the ending of "Sea of Time" was hard to predict in advance, yet in retrospect pretty obvious when it arrived. While there is the potential for a third book, it would be a major coup for Hubbell to pull it off without sounding hopelessly trite. I do find myself hoping he tries.

As I wait for anything else Hubbell might choose to write, I plan on rereading both of his novels again, back to back. And I will dream.

Rick and Con Clements are back on another zigzag and bizarre adventure through time to save the present from the twisted mind of Sam, a whacked-out scientist from the far future. On the way, the author presents us with plenty of characters and stops in time to stretch our imagination. Like Creataceous Sea, the ending is totally unpredictable. Hubbell's writing puts you right in the middle of every plot turn and character encounter. I can't wait for the next book in the series--what happens to that embryo?

In Cretaceous Sea, Will Hubbell took us on a wild ride 65 million years back in time, to an era when dinosaurs ruled the world - until the K-T Event, of course, which we experienced in the company of Hubbell's characters. That steep temporal plunge back into the Cretaceous Period looks like a small ripple in the Sea of Time compared to the experiences chronicled in this follow-up novel. Cretaceous Sea was ostensibly about time travel, but Sea of Time really mines the depths of questions, possibilities, and repercussions the subject of time travel engenders. We're with familiar characters as well, as the wonderful heroes from Cretaceous Sea are back - in one temporal form or another, anyway. The heart and soul of the story is still to be found in Constance (Con) Greighton, who is also Con Clements. At the end of the first novel, Con and Rick Clements, the paleontologist she fell in love with on Montana Island in 65,000,000 BC, settled down in 19th century Montana to live the life of Con's legendary ancestor - yes, Con became her own ancestor.

Con was ready to forget all about time travel and live happily ever after - but this was not to be. The mysterious futuristic man Sam, whose stolen time machine had transported Con back to the Cretaceous Period, shows up unexpectedly and tells Con she has been tricked into changing the course of history. Suddenly, Con's husband is murdered and her son has died, and she is more than willing to do anything Sam wants - if he can bring Rick and Joey back to her. Thus begins a series of time-skipping adventures that take Con centuries into the future to do Sam's bidding. She assumes the person of a scientist whose work changes human history in some unknown major way, and she later travels farther into the future to see just what she has done. Thirty-first century Earth as she finds it is a terrible place, where Sapes (Homo Sapiens) live lives of misery, hopelessness, and genetically engineered addiction, surviving only as the servants of a new and better breed of humans. Blaming herself for the troubles of numerous future generations, Con is increasingly distraught. Then she is visited by three future time travelers of the Home Perfectus species, and they explain to her that Sam has been using her not to "fix" history but to pervert and change it according to his own designs. They want Con's help - but Con refuses to do anything until she is reunited with Rick.

She gets her wish, but unfortunately this Rick comes from a time before he ever met Con or traveled back in time. Suddenly transported to a poor and filthy thirty-first century world and forced to deal with a "crazy" woman who insists she is his wife, Rick is not the happiest of men. To succeed in her new mission, Con must once again win the trust and, she hopes, the heart of the man she fell in love with 65 million years ago. As strong a character as she is, she alone cannot possibly survive some of the challenges she faces here.

The race to beat Sam at his own history-altering game is a strategic one that takes our heroes over diverse areas of the timestream, including the Jurassic Period of Earth's early history. Like time travel, the novel can become a bit confusing at times. First off, the fact that Con is her own ancestor supposedly gives her a special ability to alter time. Then there are a few sudden shifts in temporal causality in which we suddenly see the Con of a different reality in front of our eyes. In terms of the future, you have three species of humans competing for dominance, and in some of those future histories, at least one of the species has become extinct. Con is even confronted with the fact that, thanks to the altering of the time flow, she was no longer ever born- her future past has been completely expunged from the space-time continuum. There are some fascinating ideas espoused in this tale. For instance, time - like a river - tends to be only momentarily diverted by outside changes - it takes a significant stimulus to truly alter the future. I also liked the argument that time travel in and of itself tends to weaken the stability of the timestream.

While the entire book is filled with excitement, the ultimate scheme for foiling Sam's plans seems rather clumsy to me, and the ultimate turn of events can be seen from miles away by the reader. Still, I loved this book. With its heavy emphasis on the theoretical underpinnings and logic-defying nature of time travel, its multiple journeys across a number of millennia, its account of the heroes' struggles to survive in the most inhospitable of times and places (both past and future), and its rich and wonderfully complex main characters, Sea of Time makes for a gripping, entertaining read.

This book touches on so many levels, especially with the dark aspect of spirituality that so many of us run try to away from only to find out that it is really God's face with a mask on. The mask being our own lack of awareness and fear. Highly recommended to any student of the spiritual arts.

This spectular adventure unfolds in seventeenth century Tibet. It surpasses " Celestine Prophecy" in its mysterious, passionate luminous characters and plot. Evoking nuances of "Indiana Jones searching for the Holy Grail," author Phil Morimitsu's character, "Lobnear Wa" weaves his way through the ancient mysterious lush Hindu Kush mountains, its cities and its inhabitants. His quest is filled with conflict, treachery, and love. This is an action packed thrilling story which commands attention, and leaves the reader wanting more. The book begs for a sequel, and certainly a film version. Russell Crowe, or Harrison Ford -after "Gladiator" and "Indiana Jones", are you looking for yet another a unique part? After reading this book, I have been inspired to pursue my dreams and past life memories more fully. Perhaps "A "Seeker" exists in all of us. Read the book, and "venture in!"

Phil's 1992 book "The Seeker" is still a landmark in Eckankar's teachings simply because he takes one back to those days in Tibet when being walled up in a cave as a monk was a useful method of gaining enlightenment and solitude. Lobsang Rampa's books covered this terrain of Tibetean harshness for those seekers of truth as well as the recent movie and book, "Seven Years In Tibet," starring Brad Pitt. For me, since I was involved in the early days of helping Eckankar getting the right to build the Temple of Eck in Chanhassen, Minnesota along with Phil and many others, his portrayal of Temple politics which he gleans from his "inner" travels to Katsupari Monastery is not to be missed by any serious student of outer or inner body phenomenon who desires ultimately the light and sound of God! huuuu leland roth Quetzalcoatly2k@webtv.net

Phil's 1992 book "The Seeker" is still a landmark in Eckankar's teachings simply because he takes one back to those days in Tibet when being walled up in a cave as a monk was a useful method of gaining enlightenment and solitude. Lobsang Rampa's books covered this terrain of Tibetean harshness for those seekers of truth as well as the recent movie and book, "Seven Years In Tibet", starring Brad Pitt. For me, since I was involved in the early days of helping Eckankar getting the right to build the Temple of Eck in Chanhassen, Minnesota along with Phil and many others, his portrayal of Temple politics which he gleans from his "inner" travels to Katsupari Monastery is not to be missed by any serious student of outer or inner body phenomenon who desires ultimately the light and sound of God! huuuu leland roth Quetzalcoatly2k@webtv.net

Phil's 1992 book "The Seeker" is still a landmark in Eckankar's teachings simply because he takes one back to those days in Tibet when being walled up in a cave as a monk was a useful method of gaining enlightenment and solitude. Lobsang Rampa's books covered this terrain of Tibetean harshness for those seekers of truth as well as the recent movie and book, "Seven Years In Tibet", starring Brad Pitt. For me, since I was involved in the early days of helping Eckankar getting the right to build the Temple of Eck in Chanhassen, Minnesota along with Phil and many others, his portrayal of Temple politics which he gleans from his "inner" travels to Katsupari Monastery is not to be missed by any serious student of outer or inner body phenomenon who desires ultimately the light and sound of God! huuuu leland roth

It is very difficult to say more than I highly recommend "Shadows Of Wolf Fire". I eagerly awaited this book for months after reading the others in the series three times each. So much so, I purchased a Limited Edition Leather Bound book. That should tell you something. This is not a book to be read without first reading the other three. My recomendation to any-one, would be to read Volume 1, "Return Of The Warriors". Personally, I don't see how anyone can read the first volume without eagerly consuming the other three. Anything else I could say seems to place me in a "catch 22" situation, which you can only understand after reading and begining to live the wonderful, mysterious teachings that flow through them. I have never met Theun Mares personally or participated in any of his workshops, but I am truly honored to be a recipient of his purpose. To recomend the book in some way seems futile for I know that all that will read it have all been already determined by fate. In that regard, all I have to say is "thank you so much Thuen Mares."

Shadows of Wolf Fire
by
Theun Mares
Reviewed by Anthony Gagliano

In his latest book, Shadows of Wolf Fire, Theun Mares adds another chapter to the unveiling of the Toltec Legacy, a task he first began seven years ago with the publication of Return of The Warriors and continued in Cry of The Eagle and The Mists of Dragon Lore. Readers of these works, as well as serious students of Carlos Castaneda, will find in Shadows of Wolf Fire a most important addition to their understanding of what it means to walk the warrior's path, and more importantly, The Path With A Heart. This fourth volume in the series examines many topics which will be of great interest, including the training of the three and four pronged nagal; the socerer's explanation; the relationship between the dreamer and the dreamed; and the role of gender in the evolution of awareness, as well as many others. Fans of Tales of Power will find themselves on the edge of their seats.
I recommend this book without reservation, as I have the first three volumes. I do so not only out respect for Mr. Mare's works, but as a long time student of the teachings of Don Juan as first introduced to the modern world by his most famous student. I believe that Mr. Mares represents the truest segue from the teachings of Don Juan as imparted to Dr. Castaneda, both of whom the author acknowledges in the preface of the book. Long ago, a reviewer of one of Castaneda's works wrote that the significance of what the writer had achieved could not be overestimated. I can, with all my heart, and with all the powers of discrimination available to me, say the same of Theun Mares and The Shadows of Wolf Fire.

Anthony Dale Gagliano

It is so refreshing to see the Totlec tradition embraced by some many and to hear another voice showing people the way toward freedom.

This book reminds me of the story of the Zen master pointing at the moon. The student is reminded to look at the moon and not focus on the master's finger that merely shows the way.

However you connect with your spirit, with the greatness of who and what you are - enjoy the process.

A very interesting read!

In the journey towards self-realization, SOWF serves as a springboard that catapults the reader to move beyond the "intellectual masturbation" and romanticism that many so-called spiritual books have regurgitated and repackaged. Within these pages are the tried and tested tools that are most practical and applicable to our daily lives.

How do we affect change to promote growth and evolution within ourselves so that, in turn, we may assist humanity in moving towards its own collective maturity? How does our own state of mind, when lost in chaos and confusion, affect the very interrelationship of life on a grander scale? How do we utilise our folly to gain a better understanding of the concept that life doesn't just happen, but instead should be lived and cherished as the most exhilarating adventure of all.

This book will make you remember.

Unlike many, my discovery of Theun Mares and the Toltec Teachings did not come through the Castaneda camp. In fact, to this day I still have not read straight through any one of Dr. Castaneda's books.

In any case, after I read "Return of the Warriors" by Theun I quickly ordered all of his books which up until that point did not include "Shadows of Wolf Fire."

It was with great anticipation that I began Theun's latest work on the Toltec Teachings: "Shadows of Wolf Fire." And I was never disappointed. In fact, moved to tears in many parts, puzzled and somewhat overwhelmed in others, I found in this work
answers to many of the questions raised within me from reading his earlier volumes of the Toltec Teachings.

In a world so riddled with strife, so fragmented by separative behavior and thinking and so very far from the potential magic inherent within each of us, Theun's newest book is a joy. It makes me glad to be alive and thankful for each day as I work to unfold the mystery which is me.

Long ago science and medicine inadvertedly divorced themselves from spirituality in order to make room for discoveries that medieval religion would not allow. Now Shealy and Dawson have given us a beautiful gift in Soul Medicine. This book contains a lot of exciting information and returns the soul to its rightful place in medicine and the whole of science.

Fred P. Gallo, PhD -- Author of "Energy Psychology" and "Energy Tapping"

Co-authored by Norman Shealy (a neurosurgeon and founding president of the American Holistic Medical Association) and Dawson Church (author and/or editor of more than tho books in the last twenty years), Soul Medicine: Awakening The Inner Blueprint Of Abundant Health And Energy provides the non-specialist general reader with an invaluable introduction to the concepts of energy healing.

Reviewed by Terry South for Reader Views (3/07)

"Soul Medicine" conveys that a vibrant spiritual connection is essential to wellness. The author's contend that there is a spiritual connection which is established in the consciousness and through intention which they state can alter the bodies' energy field. You will find these principles described in the book as well as many scientific studies that demonstrate the power of consciousness to heal.

Norman Shealy, MD, PhD is a neurosurgeon and is the founding president of the American Holistic Medical Association. And Dawson Church, PhD, is currently researching Quantum Medicine, which is the exploration of the newest studies on the effects of the consciousness on DNA.

The entire book is so intriguing and engaging, but I will have to say that my favorite chapter is Chapter 10 entitled "Your Personal Soul Connection Inventory." The authors state that "a healthy relationship with your soul, and using soul medicine as primary care, is the best thing you can do for your body." In this chapter they list characteristics which they have found to be common to people with a vibrant soul connection. The characteristics include all the following: forgiveness, tolerance, serenity, faith, reason, hope, motivation, consistency, community, joy, gratitude, and love, all of which are explained in detail. You will also find within this chapter that they include a soul connection inventory of 50 items in which you add up your own personalized score and interpret your own results.

Being a nurse, I know that stress affects the body, the more stress a person endures and has in their life, they eventually begin to adapt, thereby reducing our threshold for new stress is lowered which eventually causes a cascading effect on us. Stress plays a major role in disease, all of which is explained within "Soul Medicine." The holistic approach to medicine is on the rise in our nation and "Soul Medicine" brings to our attention the issues of consciousness and intention.

The authors explain that your consciousness holds the key to your own well being, and even small shifts in energy and awareness can produce major shifts in our health. They continue on and include a look at the history of faith healers, and trace the factors that were and are common to healings they term as "miraculous healings."

"Soul Medicine" is intelligent and engaging, and I found it difficult to put down. This is a very highly recommended read for anyone who is interested in their health and well-being.

I just finished reading Soul Medicine: Awakening Your Inner Blueprint for Abundant Health and Energy by Norman Sheali,
MD, Ph.D. and Dawson Church, Ph.D..

The book is broken down into five sections, the first two dealing with the history of health, medicine, healing and healers and the last three explains Quantum Healing, Energy, Electricity and Therapy, and Soul Medicine of the Future.

The authors explain, "The premise of soul medicine is this: We allow the perfect consciousness of health contained in the soul to express freely in the patient's energy system. Through this intention, healing is triggered in heart, mind, and body."

They go on to explain "The Three Pillars of Soul Medicine":
1)'The concept of the human being as an energy system; every atom in the body vibrates at a certain energy level and we are electromagnetic entities.' (31), 2)'Consciousness is the second pillar as our energy systems are affected by consciousness.' (32), 3)'Intention - provides the power, the motive force, to set in motion the complex chain of events that result in healing.' (35)

In chapter nine the authors list 14 soul healing practices:
meridian-based therapies, color and light, homeopathy, sound, touch and healing, aromatherapy, biofeedback, manipulation, meditation, electromagnetic stimulation, traditional medical practices, prayer and faith healing, conscious lifestyle, and subconscious reprogramming. MMMM - no mention of environmental healing and/or Feng Shui healing - although it could be argued that color/light, sound, and aromatherapy could be a part of environmental healing that isn't what I'm talking about.

Some people are in buildings, whether at work, home, or store's, a big percentage of their life and most of those buildings are harming your health and your soul! Our buildings are sick!

I do want to give the authors credit where on page 203 they do start discussing the influence of electromagnetic fields on people and the world. And somewhat about water; however I guess I would like to see more about pollutants in our buildings that effect us as well; perhaps in their second edition they'll consider adding more with regards to this topic as I feel it would make a nice addition to an already good and informative read.

Chinese and East Indian medical practitioners have long known that there are underlying issues and cures available for dis-ease, and western medicine simply does not successfully address these issues. But the holistic approach is on the rise, and Soul Medicine brings to the forefront of our attention the critical issues of consciousness and intention. We can treat symptoms all day long, but until we start looking at how we think and what we believe about our bodies and illness, about health and how our bodies were designed to function perfectly we are not going to excape the patterns of fear and group belief that keep us stuck and sick. Keep a close eye on Church and Shealy. I think we will be seeing more of Soul Medicine.

I loved this book so much as have the precious people I've lent it to.It has opened my eyes so much about how powerful we are, and how careful we have to be with everything we say and think.If everyone read this book, and heeded the message it has to give, the world, and everything that resides on it, would be heeled.

I personally know Lawerence and have had the pleasure of working and processing through a break through in Hawaii during Dr. Emoto's workshop. The book is in line with Lawerence's own personal vision, belief and as a seeker of what high vibration or truth is...his mission and the book will create a serene and positive outlook on everything life has brought and will bring.

I highly recommend this beautiful book for all ages and for anyone and hope that many will come across this book when the timing is right and feel compelled to not only own but to pass on the great message that can only bring more light and peace...

The Spirit of Water by Lawrence Ellyard is a valuable extension of the pioneering work of Masaru Emoto. This exceptional book will reveals the subtleties of water and consciously-directed energy in a way that can bring you better health and a deeper, spiritual happiness. Well done, Lawrence!

The Spirit of Water highlights the importance of how we think and why we should take the message in this book seriously. I really enjoied reading it and couldn't put it down. One of the best books on the subject which shows you how to use the principles of Hado in daily life. Highly recommended!

Review in Nexus Magazine by Ruth Parnell

Western Australian author Lawrence Ellyard is a student of pioneering Japanese water crystal researcher Masaru Emoto, whose books Message from Water and The Hidden Message in Water with their amazing photos of water crystals have inspired millions to appreciate water in a new light. Dr Emoto has written the foreword to Ellyard's book The Spirit of Water, which continues the exploration of hado - a word Emoto uses to describe the universe's subtle, vibrational energy. It was Dr Emoto who suggested that Ellyard write the first definitive hado book from a Westerner's perspective.

The fundamental meaage is that water is a medium that receives, stores and transmits information, manifesting consciousness in physical form. Imbuing water with positive or negative thoughts and then freezing it results in a picture of captured beauty or chaos. Water from polluted sources looks ugly and distorted in crystallised form, whereas water from clean and positive sources has elegant symmetries. Knowing this, and the fact that the body contains around 70% water, means that what we think, say and do affects the water content in the body and hence our health.

Ellyard, who qualified as a hado practitioner two years ago, takes the reader on a magical and sometimes confronting tour that shows what these extraordinary water crystal images can teach us about ourselves and the world around us. He covers the science of crystal formation, the hexagonal structure of water molecules (akin to that of snowfakes), sacred geometry and symbolism, sympathetic resonance, and the hado of health and happiness, among many aspects. There's also a powerful environmental message in this life-affirming book.

Review in LILIPOH Magazine by K Williams

Spirit of Water by Lawrence Ellyard, is a blessing and a worthwhile book. Written both reverently and with careful attention to scientific orientation, the whole impact of the book is the raise the vibration of the reader.

The author is a student of Dr. Masuru Emoto. He gives a friendly and informative narrative to bring you the benefits of the research being conducted on the subtle properties of water.

Underneath the material manifestation of everything, is "hado," or the energy field. Dr Emoto discovered a way to photographically capture the ways that hado is impacted by intention and then expressed in the material world. Lawrence Ellyard does a wonderful job of extending the teachings of Dr Emoto into a more complete understanding for the western reader, including practical and personal applications for you in your life.

There are many pictures of ice crystals not previously published. The contrast between "mother's cooking" and "fast food" as informed water crystals are intriguing. Also in the book are references to sacred geometry that bring clarity to a subject that often is too cryptic to be absorbed--but not in this book. Using references to various faith traditions, myth and scientific experimentation, a whole picture of the magical properties of water is revealed -- specifically, hexagonal water.

Water forms groupings on a molecular level, and it so happens that the 60 degree angle, shown in snowflakes and other hexagons, is by far the most advantageous for living cells to assimilate. Dehydration can still be present in cells, even if plenty of water is taken in, if the water is not arranged on a molecular level in the form produced by the best sources in nature. Snow melt water is especially good, but most people have no access to this. Being swirled in riverflow is also good for impacting water, which is why flowforms work to enhance water's properties. It turns out that human intention is profoundly powerful in impacting the structure of water. If your faith is weak, use this book to inform your rational mind.

You have the power to enhance your own well-being by raising the hado vibration in water you use and consume. This book is a lovely guide for making that happen.