Publications Books

An excellect book for anyone. It was a great Christmas stocking stuffer and will make a great birthday gift when you want to give more than a card.

This is quintessential O. Henry. If you want a gift for a friend or a way to introduce someone to the joys of the short story, this is a great pick.

This book begins with the one of the lesser-known Christmas stories that illustrates how we should give to the utmost during this season of giving. O. Henry is able to use wit to show wisdom, and the ridiculous to show the sublime.

The poor married couple is forced to scrounge for Christmas. The husband hocks his watch to buy hair combs for his wife, and his wife sell her hair to a wig-maker to buy a fob-chain. Bit this story isn't about a couple's holiday folly, but the desire to love and serve other people to the utmost.

One of the classics is "The Last Leaf," about a boy who in inspired by a last leaf, which is really a painting. Another story is "The Cop And the Anthem," about the bum who tries to get arrested, then has a turn of heart second before he is booked for vagrancy. It also has the immortal "The Ransom Of Red Chief," the story about the kidnappers who get the redheaded brat, and try their darndest to get rid of the kid.

O. Henry has the a gift of the twist, like Rod Serling of "Twilight Zone" fame, or M. Night Shyamalan, the director of "The Sixth Sense," and "Signs." As you read, it keeps your eyes on their toes, since at any minute the whole story will twist upside-down. This roller-coaster writing is like a well-told joke.

When I was a teenager, I listened to the Gift of the Magi, the Last Leaf, After Twenty Years etc on public radio stations (Guess where?). I was so moved then. I think these among other great works had played a role in my decision to pursue an English Literature major.
Now life had challenged me into a somewhat different world where often times we forget about the literature, the philosophy and the simpliest pleasures of life.
I bought this book again so that I could read it to my children someday. My first born is only 3. But I think he is starting to show some appreciation.

"The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories" brings together 16 pieces by O. Henry. The stories in this collection are taken from 8 of O. Henry's books; the original volumes have publication dates ranging from 1906 to 1911. This book includes a short introductory note on the colorful life and career of the author, who lived from 1862 to 1910.

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. O. Henry writes about criminals, dreamers, artists, lovers, and lost souls. Many of these stories have a New York City setting--he really captures the energy and color of the city. There are also a Western story ("The Pimienta Pancakes"), a Southern Gothic tale ("A Municipal Report"), a story set primarily in a small town in Arkansas ("A Retrieved Reformation"), and a story set in rural Alabama ("The Ransom of Red Chief").

If you like stories with "twist" endings, you will probably like this collection. The book as a whole is a lot of fun--full of life and charm. Some of the stories may strike contemporary readers as corny, but I found each tale to be an enjoyable gem of storytelling. The book is rich in irony, with some really funny scenes.

O. Henry tells stories of love, justice, deception, sacrifice, and heroism. He makes some intriguing creative choices; this is clearly the work of a master in total command of the short story genre. His prose style is very readable and engaging, with touches of baroque elegance.

This is an excellent book for young girls with dreams about horses. They are true stories of young girls who have worked hard and made their dreams come true. Very inspiring.

I loved this book! It had cool stories about girls and their horses. I love horses and this book told me about what other girls do to take care of their horses. I also loved the horse trading cards, hey had many differnt kinds of horses on them. I also learned many things you can do on a horse. I think that if you love horses than this is for sure the perfect book for you!! I also loved all the full colored pictures. I would recommend this book fo everybody! -kristen

My 9 year old daughter (and I,her mother) really enjoyed this book. Although intended for young girls, I also learned from it. The book does a great job of explaining different kinds of riding and of some of the work involved in taking care of horses. I would highly recommend it for someone interested in taking riding lessons.

I really enjoyed reading this book with all of the true stories like a girl who babysits minature horses, a girl who show jumps, a rodeo rider and much more storyies. But if you If you want to learn about how to take care of horses thhis is not the right book. I love the information in the back of the book and the trading cards though. It tells you a typical day at a horse farm and tells you about some grooming tools and the parts of tack. Over all I think this book rocks. and should get two hooves up!

American Girl book series were always very popular to younger girls, It is a good thing they made a book about horses and the Rodeo to give younger children a good idea about horses! I recomend this book to any youngester who wants to learn about horses!

I read this book for the first time over a year ago .... I pick it up every few weeks because I just can't get enough .... It has helped me with my kids especially my daughter .....last year in her Senior year (very challenging) of high school ...and to help prepare her for college...quoting to her and leaving messages all over the house ....
that sin never satisfies and it's never enough and sin always finds you out !!

Many people who have been burnt out from a message of legalism should read this book. This book will restore the message of true holiness without the spirit of legalism. In one of his chapters he addresses a whole chapter on legalism. He defines what legalism is because there are many who have a misunderstanding what legalism is all about. He also addresses in another chapter on grace.

Dr. Michael L. Brown has written a very easy to understand and Biblically based book on a subject that is underemphasized (if not totally ignored) and misuderstood by the majority (in my opinion) in the Christian community. His logic is clear and his Biblical support is without question or argument. I doubt any capable theologian would be able to challenge Dr. Brown on this subject.

By far, chapter 4, "The Fateful End," is the most convicting and heart-searching.

I would also recommend reading Charles G. Finney's views of sanctification in his "Systematic Theology" and J.C. Ryle's, "Holiness."

I have read this book several times, mainly when I feel I need a wake-up call. Michael Brown has written a powerful book here against sin and for holiness, something that is woefully lacking in the contemporary church. I like the way he challenges our choices in entertainment also, it's strange what professing christians choose for their entertainment.

He really paints an ugly picture of sin and gives some good practical advice on how to avoid it.

He quotes extensively from the puritan writers such as John Owen, and from Charles Spurgeon the great preacher of the 1800's. I highly recommend that you get your hands on as many books on holiness as you can and search your heart as society today is headed for hell and wanting to take you with it!

Thanks Michael Brown for writing this, it spurred me on to better things and encouraged me to study this oft-neglected subject. I also recommend the writings of Jerry Bridges on this subject, and check out the puritan sermons as well.

Dr. Michael Brown is a skilled writer. He does his homework on a subject and always fills his books with Scripture. This book is no different. Dr. Brown tackles the issue of holiness. This subject once could be heard in every English speaking pulpit but today we shy away from its teaching because of our pragmatic approach to ministry.

Dr. Brown challenges the Body of Christ to hate sin, love God, and preach the truth in love. Matthew 1:21 tells us that the Son of God was to be called Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. Many people want to be "His people" without being free from their sins. Jesus came to die for our sins (Galatians 1:4) and to set us free completely from a life of sin (1 John 3:6-9). How can we continue in sin (Romans 6:1-4)? We must pursue holiness (Matthew 5:48; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16).

Reviewed by Conner (age 4) and Mom for Reader Views (04/08)

A boy remembers his visits to his Grandma with his other cousins when he was a "little bitty boy just off the floor." The best thing about the trip was her great big feather bed that he would have traded his whole family for.

"I love it all."
"Conner, do you think it was a fun bed?"
"It's a silly bed. I see piggies right there jumping up with the other dogs.
"Do you think you'd be able to sleep with 8 kids, pigs and 4 dogs in the same bed?"
"No."
"Would you like a feather bed?"
"No."
"Would you trade your family for a feather bed?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't like feather beds and I don't have geese to build a feather bed."

Parent's Comment:

"Grandma's Feather Bed" is a fun tale with silly illustrations for every line of the lyrics. But I don't think that song lyrics make the best storybooks because of the repetition of the refrain makes story telling disjointed. I did appreciate the background annotation at the end with the sheet music for the song to give it more of a history, though my son didn't think that part was as interesting.

This is the 4th time I have purchased this same book for family members & myself. It is such an amazingly illustrated book. The song was written by an inspirational man who has captured the hearts of numerous generations of families. My husband & I, our daughter (who as a child got to sit on the stage with John & sing Grandma's Feather Bed with a few other children at one of his concerts),& now our grandchildren all truly enjoy John's heartwarming songs. His ability to reach feelings that remind us of how truly blessed we were to have his multitude of amazing songs & his one of a kind voice. Keep these books coming to us we need them to remind us of what we are missing with his passing. He would be so proud of the job that Christopher Canyon & Dawn Publishing did to bring his song to life.

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

I bought this because I've enjoyed John Denver since before I could read. This book was one of my nephew's favorites (the boy just turned 2 YO in early 2008). He would sit on my lap and look at the pictures for quite some time.
There is a lot to see in the pictures, there is a lot of fun in being able to read-sing the words to little ones. It's fun to play "i-spy" type games with the pictures.
Children love the rhyme, the repetition, the singing (should you choose to use the CD or sing it yourself), and the active pictures.

I bought this book thinking it was a read along book. It is just the song on the CD which is hard to follow for a 5 year old reading along. He does love the song and the book is beautiful and fun to look at. He had a fit of the giggles when we tried to turn the pages to keep up with the song, there is just too much to look at on each page to go so fast. We appreciate them seperately.

If you never listened to IZ then you should. He was the best Hawawii had. This book contains alot of good songs. The problem is alot of them are written in Hawaian so dont expect to play and sing them if you dont listen to the music. It is a shame that the best Blues,Rock,PoP and yes Hawaian music always come after the passing of the singer. Give this a shot. Music is music for all and in Hawaii IZ was the best.

Transcriptions of Iz's most popular tunes from several of his albums. I'll never sound like him, but it's good to see what he was doing and try to imitate it. Beautifully illustrated.

I just happen to love the music of Izzy. When you buy this sheet music book to go with your Izzy cd's, that's the perfect combination to start practicing your ukulele or guitar. Don't forget to buy your cd's. They don't come with the book. This is the book only.

I like the different pieces that call for acoustic guitar 1 or 2 and also for 1 or 2 ukuleles.

Any IZ fan (especially those Ukulele players) should own this book. With the 10th anniversary of his passing his popularity is growing and having this songbook with continue to keep him near you (I just I had my ukulele strung with a low 'g').

INSPIRED BY BROTHER IZ'S MUSIC, A FELLOW MUSICIAN IS QUITE HAMPERED WHEN THE SONGS ARE IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE DOMINATED BY THE LETTER "K"!

THE MUSIC BOOK IS A TREASURE FOR THOSE OF US WHO ATTEMPT TO HONOR BRO. IZ BY IMITATION. THE ONLY COMPLAINT IS THAT ONLY 12 SONGS ARE INCLUDED.

WITH THE RESURGENCE OF POPULARITY, PUBLISHING MORE (OR ALL) OF HIS SONGS MAY BE A VIABLE OPTION.

If you are a stay-at-home mom, and you want to fully live your Christian values, there is no better book than "Home Is Where the Mom Is". This comprehensive guide covers every aspect of motherhood, parenting, child raising and family relationships and offers tons of valuable insight, wisdom and advice from a woman who knows her stuff.

Shelly Burke is a stay-at-home mom, but don't ever entertain the thought that she isn't active and busy and involved, for she cares for a family as well as a plethora of animals (horses, too!) and she is a Registered Nurse and widely published writer of articles and the book "How To Find Your Perfect Job In Nursing". Burke shares her vast knowledge of navigating the parallel worlds of taking care of yourself while taking care of a family, a home, and sometimes even a home-based career, all based upon Christian values and principles.

This is a big book, 367 pages of tips, ideas, suggestions, techniques, and processes that cover the entire gamut of being a mom, from dealing with postpartum depression to PMS to how to talk to your child about sex. The book is broken down into sections, including "Taking Care of Yourself" - caring for your body, mind and spirit; eating and exercising for optimal health; learning how to say no; being good to yourself. Section Two focuses on "Taking Care of Others" - caring for your spouse, children, family and friends. Section Three is all about "Organizing Your Life" - managing your time, your home, and your finances.

I was astonished by the sheer volume of information Burke brings to her readers, doing so with warmth, humor, and a real understanding of the challenges moms face. There is a definite Christian angle to the book, with plenty of Biblical examples and quotes and references, but this is truly a book chock full of wisdom for moms from all backgrounds. The philosophies Burke presents can truly help any woman make better sense of being a mother, whether it be finding the right balance or keeping priorities or simply managing time and money. What it all comes down to is creating a day-to-day life that mirrors inner values, supports growth, and focuses on what is most important. Family.

"Home Is Where the Mom Is" is an excellent resource, and a warm and compassionate field guide to motherhood for the Christian mom.
MARIE D. JONES

I gave this book to my wife who stays at home, and it is a great resource and read. Chock full of information and as stay-at-home Mom's know, a much needed uplift in dealing with the daily needs of supporting the family.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Kelli Glesige for Reader Views (9/06)

If you are a stay-at-home mom, this book is for you! Shelly Burke is a registered nurse and a stay-at-home mom herself, and her goal in writing "Home Is Where the Mom Is" has been to help another stay-at-home mom improve all areas of her life while remaining committed to God, her family and her home.

Shelly Burke appears to be a very knowledgeable writer and has completed a wide array of research in putting together "Home Is Where the Mom Is." The "Appendix of Resources and References" used to compile the book is quite sizeable and allows the reader who wants to delve further into a certain subject to do just that. The book is very well-organized, has an extensive index, and covers a great deal of information.

This comprehensive resource is broken into three sections: "Taking Care of Yourself," "Taking Care of Others," and "Organizing Your Life." Each section offers complete and in-depth information relevant to the section. Shelly Burke will show you how to make decisions based upon Christian principles and what you know about your unique family.

So many aspects of being a stay-at-home mom are covered, including:
Caring for your own spirit, mind, and body first so you can meet your family's needs.
Maintaining your relationship with your husband.
Developing a philosophy of parenting.
Dealing with extended families.
Keeping finances in proper perspective.
Setting, keeping and working toward attainable and realistic goals.

At the end of each chapter, goals are offered and additional Bible verses are listed to further accommodate the intended purpose of the chapter. And, Shelly Burke writes with a pleasing sense of humor too!

I highly recommend this book to all new mothers and stay-at-home moms, but if you have been a mother for some time, you can find helpful information also. This is the type of book you read and then refer back to when a certain area of life needs a refresher. The book is so well-organized; one should have no trouble finding a particular subject. To add to the benefits this work will bring, Shelly Burke is a Christian and refreshingly writes her book from a Christian perspective. "Home Is Where the Mom Is" is a resource I recommend all moms have in the home to refer to often.

Shelly Burke has created a comprehensive, beautifully written guide for At-Home Moms. As a Registered Nurse, she knows the importance of caring for yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually before you'll have the energy to care for others. And, as a mom herself, Shelly understands the demands of a family and a part time career. I wish I'd had her book to read when our children were still at home, but find that many of her helpful suggestions are still beneficial when our children and grandchildren visit.

She'll help you set your goals and priorities, and she offers a wealth of helpful suggestions for dealing with all that At-Home Mom's encounter - fussy or ill kids, tired and hungry husbands, extended family challenges, demands from friends, the difficulty of running a house-hold, and good advice for handling your finances. Shelly covers it all and ends each chapter with an uplifting Bible verse to nourish your soul.

If you are an At-Home Mom, a Mom working out of the home, or a Grandma, you'll gain a wealth of information from reading Home is Where the Mom Is.

This is a comprehensive resource that is worthwhile for any mom, new or old. Written from a Christian perspective by a registered nurse, the book offers helpful down-to-earth tips, healthful advice, and spiritual insights that make it valuable on many levels. Shelly Burke's style is very comforting--like sitting down with a friend over a cup of coffee and discussing everyday home life issues. She doesn't preach or overwhelm with unrealistic advice, but speaks from experience and her own faith. This book would make the ideal gift for an expectant mother!

This simple explanation of not only meditation technique, but its purpose
and benefits is a wonderful reading experience and a perfect introduction to Buddhist philosophy which, when grasped, helps anyone open to it actually enjoy their life experience in a new and accepting manner.

Maya, the world of of illusion, in which we live is a wonder despite its calamities and meditation helps that perspective take wings.

I have been using this gem of a book for almost 25 years, every since its first edition in 1984. As a dharma teacher, meditation instructor, spiritual director and Buddhist chaplain, I have found Ven. Sangye Kkadro's (Kathleen McDonald) book to be an invaluable tool in guiding students of meditation, whether they be beginners or with many years on the cushion.
Ven. Claude d'Estree (Lopon Konchog Trinly Dorje / KhaYa, Sunim)
Professor and Buddhist Chaplain, University of Denver
How to Meditate: A Practical Guide
Mindfulness in Plain English, Updated and Expanded Edition

After purchasing 5 books on meditation this is the first book that actually teaches you how to meditate step by step. Most books on meditation tell you "what" to meditate on and seem to forget to tell you how to do it, this book tells you how to do it. It's very easy to read and it gives even the first time meditators the instructions needed to start meditating.
It starts with the very basic (but very effective) way of meditation and then progresses through the book to more in depth meditations covering many different ideas to meditate on.
I highly recommend this book to the beginners in meditation and also to the more experienced.

What a practical book! Not only has it opened a whole new perspective in me in regards towards meditation, but as a beginner, it has also answered those nagging questions that kept me from doing it successfully.

With the rave of Hatha Yoga nowodays, you've problaby heard about meditating but you've been to scared to try it or you've put off as something silly. I can relate. I always wanted to bring meditation into my practice but I always felt it was such a waste of time and effort. If you are anything like me, you tried to meditate for at least 5 minutes, doubting yourself, and coming up frustrated and strained and asking yourself if you really did meditate that whole time. Boy, did that change.

The meditation sessions that Kathleen encourages are very engaging. She writes in such an inspiring and down-to-earth manner that you'll be meditating in minutes after reading this book.

I should add that this book and the meditations are inspired by the teachings of Buddhism. Dont let that discourage you. You dont have to be a Buddhist to do these meditations! The goal of any type of meditation is to take control of the mind. And you will. After performing the Clarity of Mind Meditation, an immidiate sense of peace and serenity will engulf you. You will take a calm approach to your everyday affairs and your ability to concentrate will improve vastly. These are but only a few benefits that I experienced.

Do yourself a favor and pick up this gem, now!

You may think 'an excellent book for non-spiritual meditation' is a strange recommendation, but as a mostly non-spiritual (agnostic) person who nevertheless recognizes the benefits of meditation this is one of the few books out there that is suitable as a practical guide; the subtitle is spot on.

I apologize to those of you who are spiritual, but I just can't sit through a book that starts from the sutras and then uses meditation as a means to that end. It means nothing to me. 'How to Meditate,' while coming from the Mahayana and Theravada traditions, starts with solid practical advice on how to meditate - best positions, what a session should be like, how to breathe, common problems, and visualization.

The second part of the book consists of different subjects for meditation such as 'Meditation on Compassion and Tonglen (Giving and Taking),' 'Meditation on Love,' and 'Dealing with Negative Energy.' These also include subjects such as 'Prostrations to the Thirty-Five Buddhas' which are of little interest to me except culturally, but even an atheist should recognize the usefulness of considering and dealing with your negative energy: 'The methods explained in this chapter are practical ways of dealing with attachment, anger, depression, and fear.'

The is the only book on the shelf besides Meditation for Dummies which I would wholeheartedly recommend for aspiritual people like myself. It's considered a classic in the field for good reason.

I was given this book by a friend while having trouble with my husband. Neither of us has really had much of an example of a healthy marriage - we're sort of making it up as we go.

I expected this to be a surface-level "christian book," with little practical advice and a lot of good-sounding fluff. Not even close!

In this book, Walter Trobisch narrates the conversations he has and lectures/sermons he gives over the course of a week in Africa. The many different troubles couples experience in the book cover many of the possible problems seen in a typical marriage. The explanations he gives of how God designs marriage - what it means to leave, cleave and become one flesh - really make it clear what my role is as a spouse.

Until reading this book, I had no clear understanding of what it looks like to be a wife (or husband). What is my goal? What balance do we take in terms of being ourselves / being a couple? What do we do when it seems impossible? Why should I put in the effort to resolve conflict?

Now I know. I now feel confident that I am able to continually become a better wife for my husband, that when I have no strength I know what I want God to help me with, and that it is possible for a broken person like me to be a good wife for my lover.

Especially in a world where many marriages fail, where people give up too quickly, where we receive very little support from our families and friends, and where we have few examples of healthy marriage, this book is necessary.

A requirement for engaged couples everywhere. A necessary example for married couples everywhere. This book is so universal and honest, I cannot fault it in any way.

my husband and i were instructed to read this book, as were many of our peers, during our engagement (1980!). more than just a moving story, it offers practical issues to think about as you're considering spending your life with someone. it weaves the personal stories of several couples with a series of sermons given by a traveling pastor on the subject of marriage. though until i saw it recently on amazon, it was a little tough to find, we have given it as a gift to several engaged couples. definitely worth it!

The reason why I value this book as a precious treasure is because it holds such truths and such valuable lessons. It gives real answers, even sincere "I don't know"-s, to all questions that young people have.
I have read the book three times, twice when I was single and once as a married woman. It truly is touching and deep. The Lord has spoken through this man, and may he be blessed for making His word audible.
Wheather in a relationship or not, married, single, with a boy/girl-friend, fiance, ... friend, please read this book.

This is an amazing book I recommend anyone from any culture. It's not a book that tells you Dos and Dons, rather a journey of an American pastor who was preaching about marriage, sex, love and God in Africa. I am especially impressed towards the end of the book when the good Christian African man, Maurice, asked weather if he was wrong as a 30 year old virgin to dumb his ex girl-friend because she was not a virgin. Good for Maurice to stand firm before God against temptation. But there are too many Maurice, justifying women who have a different path of life, which might be so wrong, but in needed for forgiveness and acceptance. The books raises a lot of tough and true questions, which sometimes is hard for us to even form. For me, it was tough for me to explain to my boy friend why I think it is problematic for him to not think about marriage, and keep saying that he will seek God first. It's contradictory. Do you not love a child because you want to love God first? Both can come as a practice. Practice how to love God and humble ourselves in marriage. To serve one another, the best way to display our love for God.

In the book, another character, Fatma, a beautiful young women, just like the Samaritan woman who met Jesus on the way to the well written in the New Testament. She and her 6 ex bf/husband, and still living with another man, non of them is her husband. This beautiful woman could not see a way out, do not find a place in God even though she was searching. This story of Fatma is also true to many women who became a Christian later in her life or was lost on the way as a Christian. How women like that may think the best way out is to commit suicide, because her body and soul are wounded, so wounded and dirty, that, abandoning it is the only way out. This is the best book so far I have read about sex, forgiveness, marriage, love and God. It's not a self help book, but I would recommend to anyone in any age.

The only book on marriage I have read that I thought worth keeping and periodically re-reading.

It is told as a (true) story of a marriage counseling couple helping people with marriage or marriage-like problems - a man looking for a woman to marry, an unmarried woman feeling trapped in a relationship, a pastor's wife feeling neglected because her husband puts church members' needs ahead of his family's needs.

This is the only book I have read about marriage that considers single people not merely as "not-yet-married" but as complete people in their own right. Singleness, then, is as wholesome a choice as marriage. Marriage, then, is the uniting of two already complete people, who together create something new - regardless of whether or not children result.

His explanation of how the Bible's statement that two people leave their parents, cleave to each other, and become one flesh is a picture of Jesus's relationship to each of us, is awesome, and goes way beyond anything I have heard preached elsewhere on marriage as an image of God.

This book on icons is probably the most useful book to have in a collection of books on icons. It has a good index, something that is frequently missing from books on icons. The information is concise, helpful and useful for expanding a person's knowledge of iconography. The color illustrations of historical icons helps with recognition of icons and is also useful for those who write (the preferred term) icons. Many books on icons are physically very large; this book is relatively small and easy to handle. I recommend this book highly.

The Getty Museum's reputation for quality is upheld in this small format handbook. Chock full of reproductions, it includes obscure images.

The color quality shows egg tempera's true and intense hues on feel good low gloss paper.

Copy is like a short survey course-informative and addictive. This is a good reference book.

I have a lot of books about icons, orthodoxy, saints, and to be honest I never believe at I can find a new book that can teach me more. But miracles
happens and this little book was a revelation. So full of information and images, this book is a gem.I sincerely recommended.

Although I agree with most of the comments made by the others who have offered critiques, I don't believe this book deserves a 5 star rating. This book has a lot of beautiful icons, and I enjoyed learning about the meaning of the imagery. There is high value in the diverse collection of beautiful icons. The book had three flaws that disturbed my enjoyment of the book:

1) Icons are tied together by some general imagery. I am fairly ignorant with regards to icon imagery, but I know a little. For example, the use of the mandorla. A mandorla (round or almond shaped device behind an image) is used to mark something that can only be seen through the eyes of faith. The general meaning of colors like blue and red on the icons of Mary and Jesus, as well. A short guide explaining some of these general rules of imagery would have been a spectacular aid to those, like myself, who are woefully ignorant on the topic.

2) The author expresses some theology in language that is inaccurate and likely confusing for the non-Orthodox Christian reader. For example, he uses the word "worship" to describe the Orthodox veneration of icons. Icons are never worshipped. Worship is for God alone. For the reader seeking to understand the Mystery of Orthodox icons, this would be a devastating and confusing statement. Icons are venerated (greatly honored), never worshiped. The teaching is that this veneration passes to the person represented in the image.

3) The book was so small it was difficult to see some of the details in the imagery that the author was trying to illustrate.

Overall, a very interesting and educational book with a wealth of knowledge about iconography, however, it could have been much better.

When it comes to the Eastern Church's wealth of Icons, so many are near impossible for westerners to discover. Many were either hidden (and often lost) during the Communist rule of eastern europe, or many were destroyed by the powers that be during that era. Other Icons in the book come from Lebanon, Egypt (St. Catherine's monestary), and Greece, some dating back to the 6th century. So, for a complete overview of the Orthodox love of Icons, this book has a plethoria of icons not seen until now, and never in such a complete overview in one book. The only orthodox Icons not covered, are those from India, and Ethiopia, which are apparently outside the scope of the book. Some of these icons are beautiful beyond imagination. With each icon, all in FULL COLOR, and covering a single page, comes simple little remarks as to what the imagery represents in each Icon. Also, the book is divided into sections, with Icons of Christ, Mary, Saints that lived in towers, Saints who were martyrs, and so forth. This makes it easy to study the iconology of TYPES, and not a simple alphabetical approach, as in the western art book in this series does. (St. Ambrose, St. Boniface, etc.) I sadly have this warning to give however. I had a FIRST EDITION of this book. However, it was "Borrowed" from me against my will, and they refused to return it to me, and I had to replace it. I ended up with a SECOND EDITION of the book,and the color isnt right on the prints. THe red plates are supersaturated, and the black plates seem too saturated as well, on many of the pages. I so much enjoyed this book, that I bought the COMPANION BOOK in this GUIDE TO IMAGERY series. If you are interested in the artistic representation of religious figures, the book SAINTS IN ART does for the western religious art world, what this book does for the eastern religious art world. Both books are from Italy initially, and are printed by the PAUL GETTY MUSEUM in the USA. The big difference, is that the western art, is obviously well known to anyone with college level art history study, and access to big city museums. These icons are art not seen in other books until now, for the most part. My other beefs with this book, are as follows. Besides the problems with the color in the second edition, most of these pictures are just TOO SMALL to really examine properly. This book is about 6 inches by 8 inches, so the pictures are reduced too far, to see the smaller details, where many of the symbolic features of the Icon can be found. Also, when they show what the icon is about, they draw black lines thru the pictures. But the pluses outweigh the minuses, and its well worth the cost. I only hope, that if they go into a third printing, they will fix the color balance to the book. I can highly recommend this book without reservation.

My friend Ben, thank you so much for this wonderful tool to take on my journey. It has been a blessing to read with my six year old grandaughter, she is reading some and she noticed tonight that Melissa was not gray toward the end of the book, she understands what she was going thru. All three of the books have been a wonder addition to our
home.
I just purchased a set as a gift for someone who is going into private practice and I think this would be a wonder addition to his library.

This is the third book we've bought in the Express Yourself series and we continue to be blown away by how fantastic these books are in helping people work through all of the feelings that come upon us during times of loss and death. We have shared all of them with friends who have experienced the grieving process and I would agree with other reviews that they are helpful for children and adults alike. The artistry and imagery really bring the stories to life. What a well done series!!

School Administrators: As a retired school administrator I highly recommend this book as being an appropriate selection for your school's resource center. The manifestation of grief often comes unexpectedly. This would be a wonderful resource book to have on hand to share with a student who needs reassurance that the feelings they are experiencing are 'normal'. The book is also an appropriate selection for adults.

If you are wishing to express your appreciation to a teacher, administrator, or school, this would be an appropriate end-of-the-school-year gift.

My nine year old daughter has had to learn first hand how it feels to lose a sister. She has read "Incredibly Lonley, That's Me" and has shared the book with her friends, probably in hopes that they will understand how she feels about the loss of her loved one. We have had open and honest discussions about her feelings and how she understands some of the feelings that the girl in the story talks about. I would recommend this book to be read and shared with children who have experienced a significant loss.

A wonderful book that really helped me come to terms with a death in my family. Thank you Ben!