Publications Books

Any time you deal with interpersonal violence, there is a high likelihood of someone attempting to apply something beyond their own hands and feet to make the other person have a bad day. Lawrence Kane addresses that problem in this exhaustive volume.

Kane cites research showing that 70% of the male population carries a knife. In seven years there were over 1.7 million attacks in the U.S. utilizing blunt, bladed, and projectile weapons. 25% of violent crime is committed by someone bearing a weapon. You have a one-in-four chance of getting shot, beaten, or cut and stabbed every time you cross paths with a violent criminal.

Even with this in mind, most martial arts programs do not adequately take weapon defense into consideration. Obviously, this book and others like it are needed.

Kane addresses awareness, avoidance, de-escalation, legal matters, and the aftermath of violence. The meat of the matter is covered in over a hundred pages dealing with improvised weapons, firearms, knives, clubs, and all manner of weapons you are unlikely to come up against on the street; but as the author shows, stranger things have happened. It is always best to be prepared.

The book is wrapped up in the end by an incident that actually happened, as Kane analyzes what each person did right, and what they did wrong.

In 32 years I haven't read anything this comprehensive. Skip the others. Read Surviving Armed Assaults.

Surviving Armed Assaults is complete from start to finish. I can't think of anything that Mr. Kane has left out of this insightful book. This book covers the variety of weapons that one can expect to encounter on the street, how to avoid physical confrontations, the importance of awareness, and how to be prepared to meet a violent predator if one finds himself in that situation.

The technical information provided on the multitude of available weapons is very helpful and enlightening, as is the numerous photographs found throughout the book which demonstrate Mr. Kane's points and helps visual learners grasp the points which he is trying to get across. This book is well written and would be a great addition to any martial arts library.

I highly recommend this book to any martial artist, law enforcement officer, or just the average man on the street who wants to keep himself or his family safe. Predators do not think like the ordinary, every day man. This book gives the reader a good idea of what to expect should you ever be unfortunate enough to cross paths with one of these criminals. I can't recommend this book enough. Buy it and be safe!

Surviving Armed Assaults is so well written that it is excellent reading for anyone who is concerned about personal safety in today's turbulent world. Frank, no-nonsense information with much emphasis on preventing assaults in the first place makes this book exceptional. Although this book assumes the reader is already practicing one of the martial arts, it also offers an incentive to anyone who might be considering this option.

WOW! That is how I would describe the well organized, well thought out, cornucopia of information that is presented in Lawrence A. Kane's, "Surviving Armed Assault: A Martial Artist's Guide to Weapons, Street Violence, & Countervailing Force." I've had this book for awhile now and have, on several different occasions, sat down and skimmed through different sections when time permitted. Just recently however, I was able to sit down and read this book from cover to cover, and boy let me tell you that I was thoroughly impressed with what I read.

Lawrence does a terrific job of organizing the information presented in this book in a very easy to read and follow format that takes you through each step in the survival process. This is not a book on techniques; rather it is a book on the more important aspect of the principles behind surviving against an armed assault. Which, in my opinion, is far more important than the techniques themselves. That's not to imply that self-defense techniques are not important or valid, it simply means that the technique that may work for one person, may not work so well for another. However, the principle behind the use of the technique will generally work for everyone.

This book is so full of useful information that it should be required reading for not only the self-defense minded individual, but also those whose profession places them in situations where they are more apt to be confronted by an armed individual. This includes, but is no means limited to, law enforcement officers, security personnel, bouncers, paramedics, military personnel, etc.

Having worked as a law enforcement officer, bouncer, and provided security for various businesses and individuals over the years, I found quite a few things in Lawrence's book that I hadn't taken into consideration and am very glad that I had the opportunity to read it first instead of experiencing it in a bad way. As with any good book on the subject of self-defense, Lawrence promotes the use of awareness and avoidance as your primary and most important forms of defense over actual physical techniques. Smart and the hallmark of someone who knows what they are talking about.

Lawrence then delves into various scenarios throughout the book and ways of safely getting out of the situation you may find yourself in without resorting to a physical confrontation with your potential attacker. Some of which is so simple that I hadn't even considered them as options. Although after being presented with them I could see how effective they would and could be in certain situations.

This is followed with sections on using countervailing force and the ramifications of using such force such as; the physical and mental effects, moral implications and considerations, the possible legal ramifications of using force, etc. One point that Lawrence makes, and it is a very good one, is to always remember that the law enforcement officer that you may have to deal with is not your friend! Let me repeat that, the law enforcement officer that you may have to deal with is not your friend! Now Lawrence and I are both not saying that they are the enemy, it's just that you have to protect yourself at all times and the three best things to do are as follows:

1. Keep your mouth shut.
2. Contact your attorney.
3. Keep your mouth shut.

I was particularly fond of Lawrence's 9 rules to live by. Now I am not going to divulge them here, and since you will undoubtedly be purchasing this book after reading this and the other reviews, it will give you one of numerous things to look forward to when it arrives on your doorstep.

One particular section of note was the section related to the types of weapons you are most likely to encounter and how they function. This section is deserving of an entire volume on its own and perhaps Lawrence is working on that as I type this review and as you read it. Let us hope anyhow.

This book and the information contained within it should be a constant companion in your home library, and in the forefront of your mind whenever you are somewhere outside the confines and safety of your own home. On second thought, the information provided in this book should probably be in the forefront of your mind even when you are at home. As Lawrence so profoundly states in this book, you never know when are going to be attacked, by whom, or what that person or persons will attack you with.

I highly recommend this book, "Surviving Armed Assaults," as well as, "The Way of Kata," and "Martial Arts Instruction" all by Lawrence A. Kane as valuable additions to your personal martial arts library.

Shawn Kovacich, martial artist/author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

I will admit that I started reading this book a bit biased toward it being good. I have read other books by Kane that I enjoyed, I've contributed a chapter, as did Kane, to Loren Christensen's "Fighter's Fact Book 2" and Christensen wrote a Foreword for the book, and to top if off, best selling author Barry Eisler mentioned me in his praise for the book on the inside cover. So yes, I expected it to be a good book and one that I would like.

However, what I did not expect is how good it really is and how much excellent material Kane offers in this one volume. Because of the things mentioned in the first paragraph, one could easily say I am biased, and maybe I am a bit. With that said, I am writing a review and endorsing this book wholeheartedly because it is an exceptional addition to anyone's self-defense library and a book that has potential to save lives if people read it and listen to Kane's advice.

The first chapter is on awareness, a topic I also write and speak about, so I was especially interested in what Kane had to say. So what does he do? He starts the chapter off with a quote from Ani DiFranco, "Any tool is a weapon if you hold it right." This grabbed my attention because I once headed the local security for a concert of hers and had a very good talk about penjak silat with her bodyguard as we waited for her to change so we could walk her to the bus. It means nothing to anyone else, but hooked me. I continued and was fully engrossed with the statistics and examples Kane provided relating to violence. Reading those made me glad that there are those of us out here doing what we can to prevent violence and teach people to avoid or deal with it if necessary. Something Kane's "Surviving Armed Assaults" does very well. Kane did an excellent job with his chapter on awareness, and even though he teaches a modified color code a bit differently than I teach, I believe this chapter should be read by everyone in order to wake up and be more aware so they could avoid many potentially dangerous situations.

Speaking of avoidance, that was the focus of chapter two. Kane not only makes a great argument of why you should avoid violence, but provides strategies to do so. He follows this with a chapter on scenarios that extends the awareness and avoidance topics to situations such as car jackings, cash machine safety, hostage situations, sexual assault, rape, workplace violence and more. Before dealing with physical responses, Kane focuses on de-escalation strategies in chapter four. This is an often overlooked aspect of self-defense books and a welcome and needed addition here. Many self-defense books focus on striking and kicking and forget that if you can talk your way out of a situation you will be much better off than having fought your way out. Kane gives some excellent advice with his de-escalation strategies and I again wish everyone would learn these. One of the reasons a person is much better off by de-escalating a situation is because of the potential legal ramifications that may follow a physical altercation. As an attorney, I am very familiar with such things, and feel that Kane did a good job with his chapter on countervailing force that included legal considerations.

The remaining chapters focus on armed conflict, rules to live by, the aftermath of violence, and weapon features and functions. Some of the information in these chapters is biased toward Kane's karate training. Practitioners from other styles may not benefit from these chapters as much as the first ones, but I would encourage everyone to take even the karate parts and look how the principles behind what Kane teaches applies to their own art or self-defense system. (Kane's nine rules could apply to any art or system)

This is an excellent book filled with practical and realistic information related to weapons and violence. There is researched data and personal anecdotes that support Kane's perspectives on violence and his illustrations of real violence and what to do about it, or most importantly, how to be aware of it and avoid it altogether. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to martial artists and anyone interested in self-defense.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author, speaker
Hard-Won Wisdom From The School of Hard Knocks, Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, and The Lock On Joint Locking series

I bought this book at the same time as Timeless Halloween Collectibles. They're definitely companions.

This book is larger. The colors are less vivid than "Timeless" but there are so many more of them. I couldn't be more delighted with the volume and the clarity of the images.

I like the detail of the old time decorations that I remember but find them unaffordable. This book easily satisfies the joy of reliving times gone bye. There's something for everyone.

This book tells you what to look for (and what to avoid) in the facinating world of vintage Halloween collecting. The photography is great, and the prose is informative and entertaining. Even if you're not an avid Halloween collector, the "haunting" images from these bygone days are truly works of art, full of whimsy & fun. For the serious collector, the price guide is an absolute must have.

So far this is the best book I've found on Vintage Halloween in the sense of information, layout and the broad spectrum of items covered. It is evident that Mark Ledenbach is truly passionate about his collection. The photos are high quality and well laid out. The information is thought provoking and facsinating to any Halloween enthusiast. I do wish there were more item information regarding usage or other interesting tidbits, however this book does give the reader what it promises.
A must have for the Halloween aficionado.

Another Halloween has come and gone but for some people like myself, the Halloween holiday lives on 365 days a year due to my love of the holiday and my passion for Halloween décor. When I was a kid, I used to be rather afraid of the old decorations in my grandmother's house. These were quite a bit scarier than those jointed cardboard skeletons and plastic light-up pumpkins that I was used to...Little did I know then just how valuable those pieces were. When she passed away about ten years ago my wife and I scoured her house for those trinkets but alas, they were nowhere to be found, most likely tossed in the trash years ago.

Vintage Halloween Collectibles from Krause Publications is yet another outstanding edition to their library of collectibles books. When I first received the book I literally sat down for a couple of hours and just browsed through the book from cover-to-cover, looking for the items my Grandmother used to have as well as finding the few items that I've been able to collect. Collecting vintage Halloween decorations is no easy task Halloween wasn't nearly as big and commercialized decades ago as it is today. Vintage Christmas items show up endlessly at flea markets and garage sales but vintage Halloween items are much harder to come by because there just wasn't as much made, not too mention that much of it was made out of paper and simply didn't last as long.

This 256 page trade paperback book covers some 1600 items and features over 1100 full-color photos. The book lists the item with country of origin, manufacturer, date of manufacture, dimensions, current value, and, perhaps most importantly, a scarcity index on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being the rarest and 5 being the most common. Naturally, the items my grandmother had fell into the common arena but still were fairly valuable, all things considered. The items are broken down into eight different category chapters including games, candy containers and figures, noisemakers, and decorations.

I found it interesting that there were so many games that involved fortune telling that were made in the 30's and 40's. This is certainly a sign of that era's infatuation with mysticism. One motif that seemed so common back in the first half of the 20the century that you don't see much today is devil and demon décor. The stereotypical red horned devil was a very common theme that has nearly disappeared from modern décor...I guess that's' a sign of OUR times. The other overwhelming common theme was the black cat. The book contains hundreds of black cat items from figurines to paper lanterns. The lanterns are things I remember distinctly from my youth and I am still amazed at the intricate detail of these rather delicate Halloween decorations. The book has dozens of examples of paper lanterns adorned by witches, black cats, pumpkins, and skeletons. These items are beautiful and Krause has done a great job with clear, beautiful photography of these rarities.

One of the most interesting chapters is simply called "A Nice Variety" because the items didn't fit into any of the other categories. These feature items such as paper aprons, candy boxes, candles and candleholders, books and magazines. The covers to the books published by Dennison's in the 20's and 30's are gorgeous. These books were geared towards the woman of the house with ideas for recipes, decorations, and Halloween games. I also loved the die-cut chapter because those are the decorations I remember my mother having as a young kid and still fondly remember. But again, those red devil die-cuts, circa the 1930's are just wonderful. These items may not be easy to find anymore, but if you do, there is simply no better resource than this book from Krause Publications.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

When I started discovering vintage Halloween items, I came upon Mark Ledenbach's book. It became my leading guide while investigating on eBay. On his web site I could contact him an ask for advice. He was very friendly and helpful. The photos and lay out of his book are fantastic and it is better organized then other books I own. I could not have enjoyed the beautiful graphics and usual, rare items if it were not for this book. You must purchase this whether you are a serious collector or not. Have fun!

A must read for anyone who has/had breast cancer. I thank the author for going the extra mile for all of us Breast Friends for getting the insurance companies to pay for breast reconstruction. She also gives some wonderful life advice on nutrition that doctors fail to give us. Excellent, easy to read. Of the 35 books on cancer that I have read so far this is in the top five. Her recommendations are consistent with others I have read but this is the easiest to understand.

Dr. Horner has done us all a favor by writing this book. Breast cancer has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. (1 out of 7 women), and it is clear from reading Dr. Horner's book that she is determined to do something about it.

Over two years ago I was diagnosed through blood tests and scans as pre-malignant for breast cancer. Within 5 months of following many of Dr. Horner's suggestions, my formerly pre-malignant status returned to normal.

Following Dr. Horner's simple 30-step program will help women make the necessary lifestyle changes to help them prevent breast cancer (and other chronic illnesses) and will greatly improve their chances of survival if they have it. Her explanations are so clear that once you understand why you should partake in or avoid a certain food, supplement, or activity, you are more likely to make these changes. I especially love the summary of the 30-step program and the resource list in the back. These two sections make it easy to review what you learned earlier in the book.

This is the perfect book for women of all ages as well as for healthcare practitioners. I have told many practitioners about this book. They recommend it to their patients because it contains important research-proven information which they may not have the time to explain. Dozens of friends and cancer patients to whom I have recommended this book say they have made major lifestyle changes which have improved their health.

Mary Greenwood, Breast Cancer Survivor and Author of How to Mediate Like a Pro: 42 Rules for Mediating Disputes and How to Negotiate Like a Pro: 41 Rules for Resolving Disputes.

After treatment, chemo and radiation, I needed some more information about what to do to help prevent the return of breast cancer. This book gave me a lot of good ideas. I am trying to incorporate as many as I can into my regular routine.

It is written in a scientific manner and documents studies so there is documentation behind the advice. It is a must-have book for breast cancer survivors.

Waking the Warrior Goddess by Dr. Christine Horner is an extraordinary contribution to anyone wanting to fight and heal cancer. While it was written particularly for those concerned about breast cancer, it is a masterful work for the prevention of cancers of all kinds and a support to vital health in general. I particularly like that it not only makes scientifically proven recommendations for what we put in our mouths (supplements and food) but also that it addresses how we live and how we can support our emotional/relational health. It is clear that Dr. Horner has brought both her passion and her expertise to bear on the subject of breast cancer. We will use this book over and over again in support of our health.

A powerful and well written book that reveals just how easy it is to stay healthy!! I was left encouraged, motivated and curious. I am so grateful to find inspiration instead of a guilt-ridden to do list, coupled with doom and gloom that so many health books offer these days. She spoke to my own authority and wisdom to choose what actually takes care of me!!

I have read many self help books, but this one was the first that was written in a style for all to understand. I laughed, and cried with the personal stories these ladies shared. I have always thought that we all had to ability to grow and be more loving as a human race, and these ladies showed that in glowing colors. I appreciated their candor and honesty, with a flair for "telling it like it is." I am now smiling more, laughing more, and hugging more. Thank you for showing me that contributing to the human race is that simple.

I was deeply moved by these two courageous and funny ladies.
I bought the book for my mother thinking she would enjoy reading it, but got hooked on the first chapter. I read the book, then bought another for my mother, who could relate to many of the stories. I too, was molested at a very young age, and I am happy to see that a book can treat this topic with such sensitivity and candor.

I am an avid reader, especially anything in the self help department. I was drawn to this book by the cover, but the pages between the cover inspired me, invoked rage, admiration, and taught me that not every self help book has to be full of 75 cent words. I enjoyed the journey these two women took and admire the realistic way in which they shared their personal story. This book has changed my life and the way I view others.
Thank you Carol and Michelle, I can imagine it wasn't easy to write with such candor.

This book is awesome! I mean it is really awesome. I'm 23 years
old, engaged, I will get married in June of 2003. My fiancee made me read it. she didn't like hold a gun to my head, but she made me read it. I loved it. It is not a chick book, but it's about two awesome chicks who say it down and like it is.

My mother bought me this book for my birthday, because she said I have always been seeking acceptance, love, and happiness from others and never myself. I could relate to some of the stories in this book about loving everyone else in life but myself. However, I must say I have not been beat by my husband, or had my best friend molest my son, or run off with my husband. This book taught me that I am responsible for my own destiny, and choices that I make. I found the stories inspirational and then at the end of most chapters there were little things you can do to improve the quality of your life, and your image of yourself. I was blown away that a book has finally come out that deals with true life, and not someone preaching like they are above us all and we will never attain their level of consciousness. Kudos for Carol and Michelle to capture your attention and then show you how you can be just as together and happy without changing your life.

This book is an excellent resource to the westie fan. You will get something out of it whether you have had westies for years, or are just deciding on getting one. A lot of detail is covered that is easy to understand. Would recommend to anyone.

Westies:From Head to Tail 2nd Edition is a most readible, comprehensive treatment of all topics of concern to both Westie breeders and neophytes to the breed. No serious Westie enthusiast should be without this attractive volume.

Every dog enthusiast, westie lover or not, should read this book, because even though it talks about westies, one can learn a lot about dogs in general. I have more than 15 years of experience in showing dogs and more than 12 years of professional grooming experience and I still learned a lot from this well written, very detailed and comprehensive book.

MUST HAVE PUBLICATION FOR ALL WESTIE OWNERS,VERY INFORMATIVE AND WELL WRITTEN BY RUTH FAHERTY ENJOYED THE HISTORY OF THE BREED SECTION,IT HAS BEEN A REAL ASSET FOR US IN GETTING OUR TWO ADDITIONS TO OUR FAMILY,NICKY-TAM AND RORY,HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE GUIDANCE THIS BOOK GAVE US.

If you are serious about Westies, you absolutely MUST have this book. Faherty has a writing style that's humorous and informative, and she gives the nitty-gritty on the mysterious art of handstripping. No other resource out there gives this much detail. I've taken the plunge and am stripping my own Westie, and Faherty's comprehensive chapter on grooming has been a tremendous help. This book is really geared for Westie connoisseurs, who have an interest in showing their dogs. In addition to the grooming chapter, several sections are devoted to the art of showing your dog as well as breeding. This may be too dense a book for a general pet owner and the more general Westie books may be more appropriate. However, if you are looking for THE resource on Westies, buy this book!

Simple. Consciouness. Presence. Each time I sit with Leonard's books, no matter how often I have read a passage, it speaks to my soul.

This is a wonderful book, but it is best understood if one first receives his own direct spiritual awakening by connecting with the Power of God. I was able to receive this contact through the association of Subud. Reading Leonard's books helps guide me in putting my spiritual experience into practice. I recommend all three books.

This book is a definite help to understand the play of unconscious mind in life. The smooth flowing poetry like sentences run around the themes of man's reality perceived through conditioned mind, childhood experiences and formation of unconscious mind, passing reference to collective unconscious mind, man's fear of the unknown, relationships Vs relating, looking for unconditional love and acceptance, fear of rejection, fear of failure, unconscious beliefs, emotional pain etc.

Author's definitions on the three levels of consciousness viz. level of mind, level of Being (Christ Consciousness), and level of Eternal (God consciousness), and five keys to awakening provide the beginning lessons for a seeker interested in specific instruction.

References to words and phrases, on pages 5, 72, 161, 229, 249, listed at the end of this review, such as 'God and my Being', soul, past incarnations, future lifetimes, 'moments of transcendence', 'offer yourself to God' etc go against the only ultimate Truth of 'Only God Is'. This contributes its own confusion. This is more so because the author does not make himself clear about 'God Consciousness' in comparison to 'Being Consciousness'.

The author's note on Page 8 recognizes its purpose as:

The words in the book are powerful.
They can inspire you towards your own
awakening or they can act as a guide
for those already on the path.
Some of the words
need to be meditated upon.

Comments on Christianity and its psyche built on the past, on page 93, is a very interesting observation:

Christianity is a major obstacle to the
awakening of human consciousness.
There is a very simple reason for this.
To awaken, it is necessary to let go
of attachments from the past and
move into the present moment.
The present moment is the
doorway to God and the Eternal.
Christians are focused on the past.
On Jesus.
It is time to take Jesus
down from the cross.

Please read a few other helpful sentences from this book, below:

Page 55

I think.
Therefore I am not.
I think not.
Therefore I am.

Page 58

The present moment
is never involved in thinking.
Whenever you think,
you must be thinking of something
from the past
or something in the future.

Page 61

If you give up the dream,
you also give up the nightmare.

Three levels of consciousness:

Level of mind (Page 68)

At the level of mind, the focus is on the past
and the future, which are constantly projected
onto the present moment.
The reality of the present moment is never truly
experienced and the illusions projected
by the mind are mistaken for reality.

Level of Being (Page 69)

You are focused in the here and now,
experiencing the reality
of the present moment.
You are free from the bondage of the past.
You have no anxiety about the future.
Life is lived in freedom and joy.
You have become grounded in silence.

Level of Eternal (Page 69)

Very little can be said about this level.
It cannot be described or even imagined.
It is what Jesus refers to
as the Kingdom of Heaven.
There is no time.
Everything is in perfect harmony.
It is the realm of Gods.
God. Silence. Eternity. Oneness. Union.

Page 92

God consciousness is the final
stage of the journey.
Christ consciousness indicates that
you are almost there.

Meditation:

Page 75

The aim of meditation is to bring
the whole play of mind to consciousness.
If you really understand the nature of the mind
and if you see clearly what it is doing,
you open the way to transcend it.

Enlightenment:

Page 79

Enlightenment is an ongoing process of allowing
everything up from the darkness of the
unconscious mind into the light of consciousness,
until one day, the darkness has disappeared
completely. You are fully enlightened.

Helping:

Page 85

Be very wary of allowing your ego
to become involved in helping others.
The ego always has a hidden agenda.
It is subtly trying to place itself
above the ones being helped.

Page 105

Repentance is not true repentance
if there is any sense of
spiritual reward.

A Bird's Eye view of the Mind:

Page 128

The beliefs which were formed in early childhood
about yourself, others and life are programmed
into your mind, at an unconscious level,
and define you and determine
your experience of life.

. . . .

Page 129

The more you are watchful in a spirit
of unconditional love and acceptance,
the more you will become awakened.

Keys to awakening:

Page 142

The most important key to awakening is to be
unconditionally loving and accepting
of yourself at the level of mind,
which includes all those things
you would like to change about yourself.

Page 143

The second key to awakening
is to allow your emotions full expression.

Page 144

The third key to awakening is confession.
If you confess these qualities to some one
who is absolutely non-judgmental,
and who is fully present,
it helps you to own the quality
to which you are confessing.

Page 145

The fourth key to awakening is to accept
full responsibility for yourself.
This will release you from the world of
expectation, resentment, blame and guilt.
It will lead you into total freedom.

Page 145

The fifth key to awakening is to let go.
Dance.
Lose control.

Looking back:

Page 232

If you must look back into the past,
then look back with understanding
and compassion.

. . .

Your parents didn't know anything about
unconditional love and acceptance
because they had never
received it from their parents.
And their parents had never received it.
So you can see that
no one is to blame.

Page 233

It just happened, because of the degree of
unconsciousness at a collective level.
All that can be done now is that you take
responsibility for your own awakening
and the chain of unconsciousness
will be broken, at least for you.

Page 234

Whenever you are lost in the mind,
don't try to sort it out.
Don't try to fix yourself up.
Just ask yourself,
"How do I return to Being?"

Page 235

When you are caught up in
something at the level of mind,
the way back to Being is simple.
First clearly identify what it is
that you are caught in.
Is it jealousy, fear, unworthiness
or something else?
Identify it. Feel it. Own it.
Express it. Confess it.

Confusing statements that confirm reality of Individuality:

Page 5

God was an allowing God who filled my whole Being with an overwhelming sense of unconditional love and acceptance.

Page 72

And it is not just the child
who is walking behind you.
All the identities from past incarnations
are still with you.
The seeker. The pirate.
The highwayman. The sage.

Page 161

Repentance must be true repentance.
It must be felt in your heart.
It must occur at the level of soul.

. . .

The rest of your life will have to be a living
demonstration of the truth of your repentance.
It must continue into future lifetimes.

Page 229

In moments of transcendence,
I disappear and only God remains.
In those sacred moments,
I know that God is and that I am
and that God and I are One.

Page 249

The highest form of prayer
is to offer yourself to God.

* * * * *

This author is very poetic and the many of the passages in this book are extremely inspiring. Just reading his writing in incredibly soothing. The author believes that there is a simple way to reach an awakened and enlightened state of mind. Though this sounds appealing to people in our modern fast food/fast everything/instant gratification culture, I feel that this may be a little too optimistic. I think that although we can all experience temporary states of mind like this, this is not the same as the state of mind reached by a person who has reached this state through many years of experiences in life. Toru Sato in his book "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" explains this long and emotional process in a very clear way. I'd highly recommend this book if you are interested in personal growth and happiness.

I purchased this book because of the high ratings given by Amazon reviewers. What I found when the book arrived was 256 pages that could easily have been put into 50 pages or less. There are many pages with a sentence or two in the middle of the page. The author states that the words are so powerful that they need that whole page. I think it was to extend a short manuscript to an appealing length. There doesn't really seem to be a theme, other than the author says he has had religious experiences and what he has learned is in the book. I would have liked to have known what the religious experiences were. I perceived the book as a collection of awakened-sounding phrases and attempted parables that didn't seem to go anywhere. The other Amazon reader reviews on this book are much clearer and more interesting than the book itself.

This is a great resource for anyone who teaches math to elementary or middle school students. It is full of useful information and ideas for lessons.

I received the text book in a reasonable amount of time. The information in this book is extrememly helpful for those who are in the teaching field, or even for those who have children and want to help with math homework.

This is a timeless treasure of mathematical understandings generated by Marilyn Burns and her associates. These activities, coupled with hands-on training for teachers, can make a tremendous difference in the mathematical understanding of elementary and early middle school teachers. Most important in this edition are the addition of Burns' revised thinking on Teaching Arithmetic (part 3), and her compilation of discussions for 40 activities (part 4). These two additions have rounded this meaningful math resource into a powerful tool for on-going staff development.

I haven't finished reading this entire valuable resource, but it has a great conceptual framework followed by creative ideas. I teach 7th Grade Mathematics overseas where my students have not had a great basis in analytical thinking and I look forward to using these ideas with my classes this year.

I love this book! It is a great resource with ideas for getting kids interested in math and what questions teachers should ask themselves as they teach. It also points out common mistakes students make and their thought processes for getting there. It is divided into sections by mathematical topics and also has dozens of lesson plan ideas, both for full lessons and those quick time-fillers. This is the most reader-friendly textbook I've ever had to read for a class--it's so easy to read!

This tarot deck would appeal to the more shamanic readers. The individual cards are totem animals with shamanic symbols. Like most speciality decks, it is a bit more difficult to read than the standard deck, but more than worth the effort. If you love animals, this is the deck for you

Is a great Tarot set. Very in depth, with beautiful artwork on the cards. I sent it to my sister who is a great animal lover as a gift.

I bought this Deck because of how beautiful it is,it has now become my favorite.When I do my readings they have such a serene feel to them,which makes them so much easier to read.It's as this Deck wants to be read.

Animals symbols are symbols that we can encounter through dreams. If you adore them. Or are just a spiritual person or just want a nice deck of tarot cards to add to your collection I would highly recommend these.Also if you are looking for you first tarot deck I think these are nice for that purpose also. And It does come with a book.But if you need more information on spreads you should search the internet.

I bought this deck for myself and I adore the illustrations. They are amazingly detailed and display a wide array of animals, gods, and goddesses. The major arcana feature representations from every continent and many cultures. The animals in the minor arcana are gorgeous and I appreciated the color. Great gift for a first deck, yourself, or any animal lover.

Ken Hultgren's animal drawing book is by far the best I've ever seen. The drawings are not only beautiful and full of life but rich in anatomical information as well. Studying and copying these drawings, combined with a few trips to the zoo and a horse ranch, enhanced my awareness of animal anatomy and movement enormously.
I used this book as my primary resource for modeling, rigging, animating a horse in Maya. It's a great asset for animators, modelers, sculptors -- artists of any sort-- or anyone who loves animals and good drawings.

Excellent art reference for the developing artist who wants to understand animal anatomy and motion.

The book has lots of great drawing. I wish it had more explanations. But I still love it.

if you are studying animal drawing, this is one of the best books ever. this concentrates on the motion and line of action, as well as the construction!

This book is somewhere right between a "How to Draw Animals" book and a detailed anatomy book. It gives you the basics of the muscles for each animal in beautiful, dynamic sketches that take you from drawing static (but proportional) animals to leaping, rolling, fighting animals. If you're really serious, you'll still need a more detailed anatomy book, but for movement (especially of horses and deer and their running patterns) this one is awesome. Just a warning though, the section on dogs is awesome but smaller than the horses, the section on cats is extensive but focuses mostly on big cats, and the section on wolves/foxes/wild dogs is pretty brief - much more of the book is spent on the larger herbivores and some less commonly studied animals like kangaroos, camels, rabbits, and a big section on bears.

To be called a lady--a woman at her best-- is a compliment, but the meaning quickly transforms to an unwanted stigma when the word `bag' is added. Bag lady--a woman at her worst. Songstress Erykah Badu popularized the phrase "bag lady" in a song by the same title. Her song wasn't about homeless women pushing shopping carts containing everything they own. Yet, the women she sang about were just as lost and overburdened. Badu's bag ladies carried all of their fears, disappointments, anger, lack of self-worth--all their "issues"--like massive bags of garbage. Why would a woman continue to carry such a load, blocking her blessings that would surely come if she'd just dump the garbage? Badu doesn't tell us why in her song, but author Alethea Pascascio picks up where Badu's song ends. Pascascio's debut novel, Bag Lady, is the twisted journey of how one woman came to be a bag lady and why she can't seem to put down her bags filled with lies, rejection, low self-esteem and deception.

Is it possible to find love in another if you've yet to discover love within yourself? Pascascio's main character, Faith, sure seems to think so. Ever since she was a little girl Faith has been searching for love, only to have it elude or betray her. To understand Faith's history one just needs to know her full name--Faith Taylor Donnovan Felderman Payton Herrera. All of Faith's issues can be traced back to the men that have put a claim and name on her life.

Faith's biological father (Taylor) was killed by a stray bullet when she was a baby. Maybe this man could have been the positive male figure she needed, but life robbed her of the opportunity to ever find out. Instead she and her two sisters ended up with her stepfather, Mitchell Donnovan, for a role model of manhood. The Donnavan household is dysfunctional and Faith stores all of her memories of physical, emotional and sexual abuse deep within her only to have them resurface in her future relationships.

Faith falls "crazy in love" with a string of dysfunctional men--whose vices include drugs, other women and in one weird case, the occult. After two disastrous marriages (Felderman and Payton), Faith meets Justin Herrera. Justin offers the hope of real love, but can she cast her past aside and truly love him? Will he hurt her like the others? Justin's presence also puts a riff between Faith and her older sister, Nicole. Nicole believes Faith's love life has been picture perfect, but doesn't understand that quantity isn't a measure of quality.

Bag Lady is drama-filled, at times making you feel frustrated with Faith because she keeps putting herself in the same bad situations. But, that's what makes the story so real. The reality is bad habits are hard to break, especially when it comes to love. Beyond the frustration you'll root for Faith to find peace and healing as you travel with her on her journey of ultimately dumping her bags.

The debut novel of poet and storyteller Alethea Pascascio, Bag Lady is a story of misfortune, hardship, and the search for redemption. Faith Donovan is lady weighed down by emotional baggage - an unhappy childhood, host of poor choices in men leading to dead-end relationships, and two-failed marriages haunt her. At thirty years of age, her life seems to turn around as she meets Justin, a Central American who helps her face her past and learn how to love herself. But even as she tries to extricate herself from her past, her sister's jealousy and rage threaten to pull her back in. A selection of fourteen discussion questions such as "How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?" enhance this cathartic tale of the painful process of self-transformation, highly recommended.

Author Alethea Pascascio picked the perfect name for her main character: Faith. As a woman who keeps choosing the wrong man, faith is what she eventually calls on to break the cycle. This story is about the desire for love at any cost, and Faith finds herself repeating the same mistakes as her mother.

The story starts off a little slow. It begins at the funeral of Faith's beloved grandmother, G-ma. The reader is introduced to Faith's dysfunctional family and her new husband, Justin, who G-ma predicted as "the one." Soon, we learn about Faith's past, and how she ended up in one toxic relationship after another filled with drama, drugs, and despair. We also learn how she found trust in love again.

BAG LADY is a tale about emotional baggage, and a woman who is determined to hold onto it. Only until she faces the pain she has kept bottled up since childhood, does she learn how to love herself. With a bevy of interesting characters, including Mitchell, Faith's abusive, alcoholic stepfather; and her mother Linda, who chooses Mitchell over her own daughters, this book will make you laugh, cry, and testify.

Reviewed by Angela Watkins
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Faith takes you down memory lane to show her sister that life hasn't always been easy as it was looking at G-Ma funeral.

Faith and her siblings went through pure hell. The only person was there for them was G-Ma. Because her mother was to busy trying to keep her no good husband. Faith lived with the lies, deception, rejection, unforgiveness,abuse,secrets,lust and low self-esteem. Until she turned it over to God.

Over all I like the book and it was a great read, but Faith was really getting on my nervous. The author did a great job with getting her point over.

Reviewer-Big Time Publishing Magazine
Claudia Mosley

"The word amazing fails to adequately depict this emotional story that will literally touch the souls of readers. The novel Bag Lady will take readers down memory lane recalling instances in their lives that caused them to develop their on baggage."

"Faith Donovan has a difficult childhood that is a direct result of her self-esteem issues that lead her into challenging relationships."

"It takes the demise of several relationships and the entrance of a true gentleman into her life for her to break free from the load of baggage that's been holding her hostage. She ultimately learns that forgiveness is the key to releasing her unhappiness."

"Alethea Pascascio has orchestrated a wonderful encouraging story that readers can learn from."