Publications Books

I bought this book 4 weeks ago after trying out quite a few books about universe. This is by far the best book about the unimaginable universe. The things that I liked about this book are:

The book is divided into 4 sections. First one is overview of the universe. Second section goes into details of the solar system. Third talks about rest of the universe. Last section has guides to watch sky in the night.

It starts off with a few pages about technical understanding of forces that build universe. Excellent information about atoms, bonds, Bohr's orbits, photos, gravity etc. These basic concepts of physics are tied in to how the universe functions. If you are not a technical person, don't get scared by this since it is explained in a very neat and simple manner. I wish this kind of explanations were available in my high school.

It has few of the best ever pictures of celestial objects. Its not only a picture book though. It has lot of textual information about the object. There are lot of great illustrations to describe each planet in detail. I have not yet reached the part where it talks about rest of the universe but so far, I am loving this book.

Things I did not like? Not much really. I would have liked to see information about how these pictures are taken or from where the pictures are obtained but understand that it would make the book less appealing in terms of asthetics.

Great book overall, not just an eyecandy but a definitive resource about universe.

Thanks
Abhay Joshi

The information and illustrations inside the book are wonderful. Every page you turn to has something that sparks your interest. Only downfall was that I purchased this for my husband for Christmas and the second time he opened the book to read out of it the binding broke.

This is quite simply a magnificent book. It contains an incredible wealth of information, ranging from leptons, bosons and variously flavoured quarks right through to galaxy superclusters. The planets of the solar system are covered in-depth, and every other known type of structure in the universe besides. Apart from this description of the universe on every scale, this book contains pages covering the history and methods of astronomy, space travel, the question of life in the universe, and likely scenarios for the beginning and the end of the cosmos. Even string theory is touched upon. The final quarter of the book is taken up by an extensive collection of star charts, inviting the reader to actively involve him- or herself in some stargazing.
But it's not just the breadth and depth of the information covered that makes this book such a gem, it is also the way it is presented. Every single page is visually pleasing, through a clever merging of text and illustrations. With text often broken up into numerous, succinct, thematic lemmas, many pages almost feel like a book in themselves. The layout and design is stylish as well as colourful. Many of the images are absolutely dazzling. Once you open this visual guide, anywhere, chances are you'll be glued to it for the next hour. A must-have for anyone who likes to be immersed in the endless wonders of our universe.

This book is amazing. Its pictures are beautiful and explanations clear.
I leave it on my coffee table as the pictures are so beautiful and on every page. I would suggest this book for especially persons that have not had previous knowledge of the universe as this explains it all in understandable detail. Good for all ages except the very young.

Visually intoxicating! You can learn the secrets of the universe in this one volume. I have numerous DK published books all of which are excellent. However, this is the paragon that all the other books are judged by. Simply, it is the best book that they have ever published. It should be the standard text book for astronomy classes!

I pretty much loved this book. Very heartwarming. I was glued to this book. The difficulties that these people went through really touched my heart. I can't tell you how many times I cried in this book. It was so hard to put down. If you're a LaVyrle Spencer fan I think you'll love this book & if you are new to this author I think this would be a great start. Highly recommended.

Lavryle Spencer is my all time favorite romance writer. When she retired in 1997, I seriously mourned. Pick up any of her books and it will leave you with tears, joy, laughter, and a full heart. It's hard for me to choose which is my favorite book from her, but Years has to be right there at the top (along with Bitter Sweet, Vows, Bygones, Family Blessings, Separate Beds, Forgiving). The movies in my opinion doesn't do her books justice at all. I read her book over and over again and they will never leave my library. I have yet to find a writer that matches her skill in spinning an emotionally-driven romantic story.

I purchased this book because of the high number of very good reviews here and was in need of something new and engaging to read. This was my first Lavyrle Spencer book and I didn't really care for it all that much. I thought the development of love between the characters was bumpy and their constant fights (which, I know are supposed to masquerade as their resistance to their irresistible love) were just annoying and I found Teddy's unwavering focus on the difference of 16 years incredibly senseless - I just didn't get that.

The characters were all rather weakly developed and I had trouble following and understanding their motivations for their actions: Why was Linnea suddenly throwing herself at Teddy? Why did Kristian want to join the army? Why was Linnea so angry and worked up about the older boys not attending school immediately? Why was Teddy so angry about the baby? Also, I thought Linnea's character underwent an abrupt change once she married Teddy - she became very subdued, very different from the chipper person at the beginning. It was almost as though she disappeared from the book. Very strange.

There were parts of the book that I liked - the sudden snowstorm was a surprise - the detailed descriptions of horse tack and saddling were interesting and the heated, enclosed wagon was something new. It was set in an interesting time and place - with some "modern" conveniences (cars and airplanes), but much still so primitive (wagons and chamber pots). But overall, not a draw for me to want to read it again.

Read this book right before I read Morning Glory, which I found to be a horrible read. Years is the complete opposite--wonderful story, interesting characters, sparkling dialogue, an absolute joy to read. I can't believe the same author wrote both books! I'm buying this for a Christmas gift for my mother, I loved it so much! My only two complaints about it are that the heroine is almost too pure and loving to be believable, and too many characters were killed off at the end of the book--but that's like saying that you loved the movie but the popcorn was a pinch too salty. READ THIS BOOK!! You will love it!

I absolutley loved this book, from start to finish. Lavyrle Spencer has a way of writing two people falling in love, that you feel as if you're falling in love too. My heartstrings were tugged, pulled and squeezed countless times over while reading this book. It was paced perfectly and remained interesting throughout. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

This book is about Linnea and Teddy. Linnea, 18 and fresh from her parents home, has traveled a long way for her first job. She is the new school teacher in Alamo North Dakota who is to room and board with Theodore Westgaard and his family. She has high hopes about her future and is constantly daydreaming about what her new life will be like. Parties, operas, romance.... Then she meets Teddy, a 34 year old, bitter and cynical wheat farmer, who's been badly wounded in the past and cannot bear to even be around women, much less this young and hopeful girl.

Teddy picks her up at the train station expecting not a woman, but a man and refuses to allow a woman, or this "girl" as he calls her, into his home. But because of no other alternatives, she's forced to stay there, against his wishes. Linnea's hopes and "daydreams" are shattered when she discovers she isn't very welcome in his home as she'd expected to be and also becomes bitter towards Teddy for his reactions to her. Bickering and small battles ensue as they spend more time around eachother, but at the same time, neither can understand why they both think of eachother all the time.

Teddy's 17 year old son, Kristian takes an instant liking to Linnea against his father's wishes, because she's his teacher and more importantly because his father recognizes he has feelings for her as well. This makes him uncomfortable, to say the least, but understands his son's heart and tries to stay away from Linnea as much as possible. Linnea notices Kristian's attraction and does her best to keep him at bay and remind him, that even though she's only one year older, she is his teacher and those boundries musn't be crossed.

Over time, Linnea and Teddy get to learn small things about eachother and begin to see eachother in a different light. But there is one thing that is keeping Teddy from giving in to his attraction to Linnea...the years between them. He is 16 years older, and sometimes feels like a pervert for even looking at Linnea in a romantic way. He is constantly battling with himself and refuses to give in to his feelings. Linnea on the other hand, does want to give into these new feelings she's having, she doesn't care about the years separating them, only about her heart and her heart keeps coming back to Teddy.

Overcoming their hurdles is the best part of the book and you'll have to read it to find out what happens. I'll just say....it's perfection. You will NOT regret reading this book! A true romance indeed!

The are many "Bibles" on market but ArtScroll has the best! They have the best covers and commentaries. None compare. A close second is Gutnick but ArtScroll has been around much longer.

This book is beautiful and a blessing to have! This is my favorite Chumash by far (and I have many). The format of the book is easy to follow, and the Hebrew includes cantillation! I personally think that the commentary was great, especially considering the limited space the author had to work with.

Great book for Shabbat :)

As a traditional Catholic, I was searching for authentic Jewish commentary on the Old Testament and found this title through the Art Scroll publishing company. Boy, was I impressed!

Let me start by stating that the Chumash only contains the first five (5) books of the Bible - Genesis, Exodus, etc. It does not contain the remainder books of the Old Testament beyond the first five (5) books. This is commonly referred to as the "Torah" in Judaism. Also, there is no New Testament in this volume.

Also, for the lay Catholic, don't confuse the word Torah with the word Tanach. The Torah is the first five (5) books only, whereas the Tanach is the entire Old Testament, including the Torah.

On to the review:

First, the text is very easy to read and understand. The translated text is in basic English, with Hebrew on the corresponding page opposite the English translation. This Chumash truly brings the Old Testament alive with its superb English translation. No more confusing terms, odd language, or outdated words to confuse the reader. Any unusual words are clearly defined and explained in the commentary. Some parts of the book contain illustrations and diagrams that are immensely helpful as well.

By the same token, the text is very reverent and professionally written. You don't get the sense that the authors "dumbed down" the translation. I am comfortable using this Chumash as a study Bible, and a prayer book to meditate on the text.

Secondly, the commentary is superb. It expands upon the historical context of the text, and gives the reader the background necessary to gain a deeper comprehension of the text. The commentary expands on the text at great length, giving great detail and explanation.

This Chumash takes commentary from a wide variety of Jewish scholars, most notably Rashi and Rambam. Rashi is considered one of the leading commentator in Judaism. If you want to delve further into Rashi, you can purchase Rashi's entire commentary in five (5) volumes - It's called the Sapirstein edition of Rashi. Rashi is excellent to read by himself as well.

For most Catholics, reading the Old Testament can be very difficult without the historical context, commentary, and background in Jewish traditions. This Chumash lays the whole text out in an easy to understand format, rich in commentary and historical context.

I would encourage any reader to purchase this Chumash. In addition, you might consider purchasing Rubin's Commentary on the Prophets, which is the complementary volume to the Stone Edition of the Chumash. Rubin's volumes comment on the book of Joshua, Kings, etc.

You also might want to purchase the Stone Edition of the Tanach as well which covers the entire Old Testament. All of the above are excellent resources for the lay Catholic that wants a better understanding of the Old Testament.

Reading the Old Testament from these texts will give you a richer appreciation for the New Testament. The Old Testament is the foundation for the New Testament, and these resources are invaluable to give you some insight into what many Catholics might consider to be a difficult text. Please note, however, that the commentary is strictly from Jewish sources, and no Christian or Catholic commentary is prescribed in these volumes. As a lay Catholic, you might consider purchasing an original Douay Rheims translation (pre-Challoner) of the Bible to compare and contrast the text and commentary.

I have found the insight and information contained in this book tremendously valuable in learning and gaining a little understanding into the Torah. Each year as I go through it I glean a little more knowledge. So much stuff, I will be learning from it as long as I read it.

The Chumash is a wonderful book to have for those learning the Hebrew language or the biblical culture, the rabitic commentaries are very intriguing but all in all i would recommend this to any one and everyone

I haven't actually read this myself yet but it was recommended by a good friend who has never steered me wrong and in fact and always pointed me to really, really good religious and philosophical books. Hahn is also a writter who is very familiar to me and I have liked all his other books I have read although I find them not to always be and easy read.

Dr. Hahn has a genius for making complicated concepts easy to understand. He leads us through the Old Testament and shows us how the old covenant leads up to and culminates in the Last Supper and crucifixion; and the new covenant begins with the resurrection and is perpetuated through the Eucharist. I have a much better understanding of the crucifixion and the Eucharist now that Hahn has put it into the context of Jewish history. My only complaint is Hahn's casual -- sometimes chatty -- writing style and occasional paraphrasing of biblical exchanges into modern American vernacular. While I understand that this book was written for a broad audience, I was still mildly irritated; that said, Hahn's brilliant insight makes this quip hardly worth mentioning.

Very well written. Made it easy for me to understand the Old Testament of the Bible. Very person friendly.

I have found this book to be a superb talk on theology from the Catholic point of view. I use this book as a guide to look over Mr. Hahn's course at his web site. I plan to follow up his other books in the future. To be honest, this is a biased view since I like the cut of Mr Hahn's jib on spiritual matters. He uses his opinion, the religious view, and quotes others to get a balanced view.

Ordered this book to conduct a Bible Study class along with the VCR tape and online classes. I will be reading ALL his books and recommending that our study group conduct classes on each of them.
This book is for anyone serious about really understanding the Old Testament and God's plan for us.

In clear and concise terms, Frangipane explains the basics of spiritual warfare. Not as entertaining as The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, but as cognizant of the human vulnerabilities that make us want to blame the Enemy for what our own thoughts and attitudes prevoke. Pithy, not wordy. Will make you think, and possibly make some changes.

This was an excellent book which answered a lot of questions. Very concise and to the point. Would recommend it as a "must read: for all Christians. Excellent.

This book is absolutely wonderful! I was referred to this book by my co-pastor and am glad I followed through to purchase it. Anyone with a desire to increase their relationship with God should purchase, read & study this book for the increase. To God be the Glory!

This book is wonderful and will guide you in spiritual warfare. He's basically telling you to follow Jesus in everything and never battle the enemy alone. You will always need your Commander in Chief...Jesus at your side.

The author gives a thoughtful analysis of the kinds of daily struggles we face as Christians in the church and internally. He gives a helpful, Christlike guide to how we proceed and how we should act. I found the book inspiring.

My son and I love all of Janell Cannon's books. They're beautifully illustrated and generally have some wonderful lessons in them as well.

Beautifully written and illustrated book for children of all ages with a wonderful message.

I bought this book for my four year old daughter. She loves it and wants me to read it to her over and over. She loves the story and the colors in the book. I love the educational and fun value that the book provides. I would highly recommend the book to other parents.

My 7 1/2 yr old 2nd grade daughter & I read Stellaluna off her summer reading list. I had heard of/seen this book around, but it had never grabbed me. I was quite surprized at the fabulous illustrations, the story that draws you in, & the author's ability to make a bat lovable. I was eager to read Verdi, expecting the same experience. I thought the story was OK & the illustrations beautiful, but the story itself lacked depth to me. The young whippersnapper & wise old sage qualities hit me as being more relevant to an adult reader. Children can not adequately appreciate the age contrast, & how quickly time passes, & how we all become more boring & old than our young minds thought we would. Curiously, my daughter liked Verdi as well, if not better than Stellaluna. To each his own - read & see what you think.

This is a wonderfully written story of a young python, a young yellow python, who does not want to grow old a boring like the adult green pythons he see around him. The art work in this slender book is absolutely breath taking. The artist has blended his colors perfectly and created life like studies of these wonderful snakes but not life like situations as far as the snake world goes. This is the charm of the story. Few, if any, want to actually grow older and kids in particular do not want to do and act as "boring" adults. This tale lets the child know that we all can keep our child like wonder and love of fun into our adult years. I read this one to the second and third graders and they catch the meaning of the story quite well with a bit of prompting. They love the pictures, in particular the ones where the author has made the snakes rather hard to spot. I also not that this is one of the more popular books chosen by the children when they have their "read alone time." An endorsement of a children by children is as about as good as it gets. I must say though, adults will enjoy reading this with the children also which I feel is important as kids can sort of sense when your heart is not really in the reading. Recommend this one highly. Very much recommend you add this one to your child's collection or to your school library.

After 6 weeks of being unbelievably depressed and being unable to figure out why I couldn't get over the loss of my little kitty, I purchased this book through amazon.com. Reading it brought me relief almost overnight and helped me know that I was not alone.

This book was a beautiful source of comfort when Jim and I lost our beloved cat, Dori, to cancer. I had lost pets in the past, but it had been 15 years since my last pet passed away and I had forgotton how devasting the loss of a much loved pet like Dori could be. I received the book while I was trying to cope with the decision to let her go and it helped so much. I want to thank Moira for such an wonderful book! Debbie

I purchased this book a few weeks after the loss of my beloved black lab Java at 13 yrs of age. The pain I felt the morning I had to make the dreaded decision was visceral and made breathing difficult. It was beyond anything I had experienced and simply numbing. The book offered amazing insight into the grieving process and assured me the emotions were expected, natural and eventually the pain would lessen. It also addresses the guilt we feel and our questioning of "could I have done more" or "maybe I made a mistake" which are quite powerful.

This book is a must have guide for any pet owner. My prayers and thoughts are with all of us sharing the pain and loss of a beloved animal, both now and forever.

-bob

This is a hard book to read, especially when you have lost a pet or know you are going to lose a beloved pet soon, but it is very useful. Everything about it is kind and understanding, from the abstract cover that does not feature a happy dog or cat to the chapters loaded with advice about all those tough topics we'd rather not think about, including saying goodbye, euthanasia, what to do with the pet's remains, deciding whether to get another pet, providing for pet care in case you die or become disabled, and what to do if you're forced to give your pet away. We don't want to think about these things, but sometimes we need to know. Allen, a writer and pet lover with a master's degree in counseling, has produced a reference every pet owner should keep around, just in case.

My best friend died 1.5 years ago and I still miss her terribly - she was my 15 year old cat. This book was very useful to me during my time of intense mourning. While I know that her loss was a significant and horrible event in my life, recognition of the death of animal companions is not common in our society. This book helped me to see that I was not alone in my grief and that it was okay and normal to feel such grief. I actually purchased several books on this topic and found this one to be the best.

Why bother with Tarot? In the words of Anthony Louis, "The Tarot awakens our intuitive abilities." You will find nothing could be truer. Mr. Louis then explains that after a certain amount of experience with the cards, using intuition, the cards and their positions in a spread will suggest meanings outside the textbooks. This is what any good Tarot teacher wants his students to work toward. This book is a good place to begin that journey.

Mr. Louis uses the Robin Wood Tarot for illustrations, which is absolutely my favorite deck and number one reading deck. The Robin Wood is intuitively drawn, colorful, lively, and encourages unique interpretation for each individual. Mr. Louis has a fresh, new approach to presenting the cards, which I like very much. Rather than grouping all of a suit together, which most books do, he gathers all Aces, all twos, all threes, etc. It's a different way of looking at the cards, and is very insightful. He includes a short introduction to each group of numbers. If you get a disproportionate group of one number in your spread, this will give you a feel for what that particular number is telling you. Also, I like that he includes the "Fool's Journey," which will help you get acquainted with each of the major arcana.

Mr. Louis includes advice on how to spread the cards. I absolutely love his "theme and variations" spread, which I use to tell a story that will play out over time. This spread is a great place to start. It is simple enough for a beginner, but still detailed enough to receive helpful insight. Also, his suggestion to master the Celtic Cross, which I have found to be my most helpful spread, is good advice. This, I feel, is a natural progression from the "theme and variations." If you practice it, it will become second nature.

I would highly recommend you take his advice to keep a Tarot journal. I have devised a system of shorthand for each card so I can easily record the spreads. Looking back over past spreads, you may come to see how spreads played out over time, enabling you to gain an even deeper understanding of what each card means to you.

After you have been working with your deck for some time, go back and reread the beginning chapters and the fool's journey. You will find they have both deeper meaning and different advice for you. You will notice things that slipped by the first time. With this book, you will be well on your way into the world of Tarot!

This book is very easy to follow and informative for the beginner to advanced reader. This is my personal favorite book on the tarot cards. This book is divided in suits, as all 3's are placed together, etc. This makes it so easy to find the card info that you are looking for quick! When I do a reading and refer to it in this book, something in the reading of a particular card that I am searching the meaning to just jumps out and BINGO, this is what I need to hear at the time. Overall, this is a SUPERB BOOK that will get you started in this. I sometimes refer to the cards when I have a question. The cards just give me more advice and insight than anything else. The readings and answers given show me what MAY happen if I do nothing to change the situation. I do not look at this as a fortune telling but more of advice and getting my questions answered. This is why the cards help. Only I can work on my future!

I must say this is one of the best books on interpreting the Robin Wood deck that I have found. I have been reading with the Robin Wood deck for going on 12 years and the explanations that the author gives are great. His meaning of the cards has enhanced what I have learned from the book written by the author. So the only thing you really need besides this book is the one written by Robin Wood.

When I was gifted my first deck of cards 6 (almost 7) years ago, I purchased this book, as it was highly recommended. I haven't purchased another book about tarot in all this time. And even though I've been reading cards for awhile, I still check this book out on occasion. I think it's an excellent book if you're just starting out. Although I've never purchased any other books on tarot to compare it to, I've never had the need to. Personally, I think that says a lot for this book's perspective and content.

The only additional information I've really ever looked up was spreads. Although this book has a few, it doesn't have very many. (But google can take care of that matter with ease.)

As much as reading cards may be intuitive, I'd still recommend any beginner to have this book on hand. The books that come with tarot decks generally don't have information comparable to this one. And considering how inexpensive it is to buy this book used, you'll more than get your money's worth!

My beginning students were showing up to class with this book and I found that their instincts about it were right - it is clear and comprehensive. The author has some wonderfully keen insights, easy to understand card meanings, including reversals, and thought provoking exercises. He used the Robin Wood deck for illustrations, a deck that could be termed a Waite-based deck, and this is refreshing as it is a personal favorite of mine and is one of the most popular decks available -- even after all these years.

I was thumbing through some books at my local library, when I came across the book Ceremony Of The Innocent by Taylor Caldwell, and I could remember reading that this was Stevie Nicks favorite book, so I decided to give it a try, and I am glad I did, because it turned me on to a wonderful author named Taylor Caldwell. Captain and The Kings is my second book of Taylors to read, and I also enjoyed it as well. I am now on the look out for other Taylor Caldwell books.

I have not received this book at this time. I hope someone will contact me about this. I have e-mailed back I have not received it. Thank you.
Bobby Thompson

Enjoyed this book and bought a copy to send to my mother an avid reader.

One of many wonderful books Taylor Caldwell wrote. This one makes you wonder who's really in charge of things.

If I could recommend only one book, it would be Taylor Caldwell's "Captains and the Kings." Here are three reasons.

Caldwell's fascinating tale is filled with ironic, powerful, and unique insight into human nature and behavior. She will entice you into turning page after page without rest, until you reach the end of her story. Then you'll sit wondering if you really read all that, tempted to go back to read it again. Craftsmanship and story-weaving earns "Captains and the Kings" a place among the world's ten best books.

Caldwell writes historical fiction with intimate knowledge and perception. Her readers often wonder if she actually lived through the times she depicts with her pen. It's been said that she believed that herself; many of her other books tend to encourage this idea. "Captains and the Kings" offers a vivid and unsettling view of an earlier and much different America, in a time that was more free and open than our modern age, but also more dangerous and a great deal more heartless. If you've always wondered what the term "nitty gritty" means, read this novel! So saying, I boost the book into my top-five list!

Finally, this book has defined my experience with personal computers, the Internet, and Reality (tm) itself! After purchasing an Amiga 1000 almost twenty years ago, I found my way onto a BBS that feaured FidoNet forums. I began reading and posting on the "Issues" board. One poster commented cryptically that "Taylor Caldwell's 'Captains and the Kings' exposes how the Council on Foreign Relations rules the world." I was driven (as if by an invisible hand) to the public library, seeking out Taylor Caldwell's book. I found a captivating, often dark story that gripped my interest in sinuous coils as its weaving, bobbing head rose up to mess with my memes. With her right hand, Caldwell uses her suburb writer's skill to dazzle and entertain, but the whole time, her Left hand is busy imparting knowledge and understanding of how things really work in this world. She administers her synergistic potion in just the right strength, proportion, and rhythm to assure that most of us who might never otherwise read about a "Conspiracy" lap this up like mother's milk. During the ensuing decades, I used the 'Net to verify what I'd read; and I learned a whole lot more.

In retrospect, speaking as someone who has "earned a Ph.D. in Conspiracy Theory," it's necessary to add a small disclaimer: Caldwell does not tell all. There are things she could not or would not divulge. But don't fret! If you've had your eyes on the news the past few years - and especially the last few weeks - you'll certainly discern the missing part. The late Sufi, Idries Shah, claimed there are times when long-hidden knowledge suddenly becomes available to one and all. We are living through such a time!

Summarizing, Captains and the Kings is a remarkably well-written and captivating piece of historical fiction that will carry you back to an earlier and intriguing America at the same time it fuels you with subtle insight and knowledge and kick starts your thinking machine, proving once and for all that willful ignorance is the only real sin.

I visited Amazon this evening to buy a used copy of this book for a workplace friend. So I dedicate this review of Taylor Caldwell's "Captains and the Kings" to Ernestine.

I alternated between not being able to put it down and easily forgetting about the book for a few days. Maybe it was the length of the book (it's LONG) or the countless different characters in the book, I think I may have just been "lost". I wish the glossary of terms that is in the back of the book had been in the front of the book (I didn't know it was there). It may have helped to have read it first (so I recommend doing that). It really is a good story and Rumer Godden is a great story teller, but it wasn't until around the middle of the book that I was committed to reading the book and then by the time I made it through about 75% of the book I was hooked. I am tempted to put it on the re-read list because I do think I would get much more out of it the second time through.

Rumer Godden is one of those female writers who from the very early age was exposed to life overseas (India). From then on, she sets on a path of being one of the writers like Isak Dinesen and Doris Lessing. Woman highly sensitive to people and cultures around her, who really has no land of her own but is curious about anything and eevrything around her. Her personal life was equally difficult, so it is interesting to read the book about the Catholic nuns living in monastery in England, traditionally protestant country. In this book we come across main character, Phillipa Talbot, 42 year old professional woman who decides to leave her worldly life and high position in order to pursue contemplative life a monastery. This is a big step for her as she decides to leave her job, relinquish all of her personal possesions and submit all her property to the church, not to mention her conversion to catholicism. Surely, most of the nuns are skeptical about her actions as she is considered "too old" for vow of poverty and obedience and this huge personal transformation. But Philippa has her mind set and she is sure that this is due to her personal convictions not due to her sorrow, guilt, regrets or any other emotions that may be distractions from a true vocation of leading meditative life for the rest of her natural life. Over a course of a decade we observe Phillipa's transformation. It is an interesting novel. For non-catholics, like myself, I recommend reading notes first that explains monastery life, monastic orders, greetings, vows, dowries, etc. before reading the actual book.

I'd heard about this book from various sources, and finally found it on Amazon. I am completely thrilled with it's ability to tell a great story, it's attraction as a spiritual journey, and it's honesty about living with others in cloister is no different that with our famiies. A wonderful read! But, be forwarned...you may be 'encouraged' to vocation!

First off, there is no question of Rumer Godden being a master story teller, a woman skilled at the crafting of words, of putting pen to paper and creating a world so detailed you would step into. A world, in this case, centered on the religious life of a Benedictine community and all who live in it. The abbey, the House of Brede, is a place where cloistered nuns turn out to be very, very human. With a history of pain and sin these women have to find themselves, to find love, joy, and balance in serving God. It is not easy and a few will fail. To try to review this book, this work of art, is beyond me. It really touched me in many ways yet also made me ponder about what kind of lives the women would have had outside the walls of the Brede. Would they have had families? Would they have run simple shops or would they have gained great wealth? Would they have made the world a better place? Or would they have just added to the pain and waste?
Philippa Talbot, a woman who was successful, intelligent and respected, enters the abbey at an age much later than most. She journey from one stage of development to another is amazing but also slightly sad. Change can be both and sometimes is. Birthdays, weddings, and graduations are happy and sad, full of laughter and crying. So by the time we reach the end of the book we find ourselves wondering about life, ourselves and the What Ifs of our own choices in life.

This book does a good job of showing the struggles and triumphs of cloistered life. The day to day life of these women, although seemingly boring from an outsider's view, is anything but. I really began to care for the characters and the recognized the importance of the lives they led. I love reading books on cloistered nuns because you feel like you've been let into this secret, magical existence and this book did just that.