Publications Books

This is an excellent book. It is journey for the different ways of spiritual healing.

if you're just getting into learning about different energy healing techniques that are simple and easy, this is a book to add your collection!!!!

The author made it very easy to use all the exercises and make it so it is an everyday resource for all practitioners from beginner to advanced. It gives you the back to basics of what so many lightworkers seem to forget once they get into the realm of having clients.

Good stuff, basic to intermediate level healing techniques. The author does a great job of explaining (and proving) somewhat complex ideas related to hands-on vibrational healing. I've been involved with this field of study for a few years and I still learned a few things.

I found the book very interesting and informative. I had very little
exposure to this type of practice before this book and now have a much
better understanding of the intricacies involved in Energy Therapy. I
rate this book a 5 and recommend it be acquired by any student of the
occult. If you are a student of alternate therapies and holistic healing
you will benefit by what this work has to offer. It will make an excellent addition to the occult library.

I consider selective mutism as an extreme form of anxiety disorder, much like the authors of this book and several of the reviewers.
However, there are reasons why children with selective mutism are sometimes "misdiagnosed" with autism spectrum disorder. Frequently, in my experience, the two overlap, especially in children with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome. I also say this from experience: I am diagnosed Asperger's as an adult, but could not speak fluently until I was 8 due to word-finding difficulties associated with autism. There was no diagnosis of high-functioning autism when I was a child, so they called me "elective mutism with autistic features". (Selective mutism used to be called elective mutism.) I had a great deal of anxiety in situations where I was expected to speak to others for years afterward, and frequently would not speak with anyone other than my parents and teachers.
I must say, though, that the authors did not include the techniques I have found that work best with children with either or both selective mutism and high-functioning autism disorders, including asperger's, who have anxiety about speaking.
Some respond very well to the use of masks. I try to have it be a mask that the child has made, with my assistance, and gradually modify the mask to look more like the child, or modify the base material from paper to nylon around a base.
Another good therapy tool is a sock puppet. Gradually make it look more like the child, such as by adding hair, eyes the same color as the childs', etc. Gradually try to fade the use of these as the child's anxiety decreases.
Best of luck.

What a find!! Helping Your Child with Selective Mutism is a well-researched and organized resource that is a must read for educators and parents alike.

This is the first book I would buy after receiving a Selective Mutism diagnosis. It's well written and organized in a logical step-by-step fashion. Well worth the money.

I also highly recommend Maggie Johnson's "The Selective Mutism Resource Manual". It's pricey by comparison, but worth the cost.

As a mother of a child with selective mutism, I can tell how helpful this book can be. Practical and comprehensive, it helps you rate your child's level of selective mutism and gives hints on how to work your way up the ladder of a child's social relationships. Feels good to see the progress. If your child is well described by the first chapter, then get a copy of this book for the teachers.

We have a 4 year old who did not speak at all in preschool for the first several months. We were very worried about her. Her teacher initially misunderstood her behavior, thinking she was just being uncooperative. I initially consulted the website, [...], and shared the information from it with her teacher. Together we implemented several strategies recommended on the website, including a teacher home visit, and realized some positive, albeit limited, results. I then found this book, and again shared it with her teacher. We had a very clear understanding of SM as a result, and implemented some additional strategies suggested in the book (like another teacher home visit, building on the friendships she had outside of school, being cognizant of classroom seating, etc.). To all of our amazement she is a little chatterbox at school now (same school year)!!! I am incredulous that implementing the simple suggestions on the website and in the book had such dramatic results, and highly recommend the book for parents and teachers of children with this problem. THANK YOU to the authors!!!

We moved in our present home 10 years ago. We begin searching for our home some knowledge reguarding if it was a Sears House. We began with The Houses that Sears Built by Rosemary Thornton. However we couldn't find it there but, we found a wealth of information on Sears homes. If you think you have a Sears Kit Home both of the books are must have for you to read, learn, and enjoy. I just learned that Rosemary Thornton was in Beckley WV this week, I'm so sorry that We missed her.

A nice overview of the Sears kit homes. A nice companion to the various catalogs that have been reprinted by Dover.

This is the book to spark your interest in Sears Homes. I am now motivatied to find the homes in my town. Great read.

This book should be in every American home... When reading this book you feel as if you are sitting and talking to Rosemary Thornton. I just love it!!

This book is fun!

It's an excellent resource for those interested in learning about and identifying Sears' kit homes. Ms. Thornton has traveled the country in search of these remaining houses and she shares her wealth of knowledge regarding these wonderful kit homes. Her energy and passion shine through the pages as she brings us along on her travels.

What also makes this book such a joy to read is it provides fascinating glimpses into real life, down to earth America during the first part of the 20th century. A high school or college history teacher could easily use this book as a springboard and practical resource for discussing and bringing to life the sociological, cultural, and economic trends and mores during this period of American history. Learning about Richard Sears' foresight and marketing strategy by seeing examples of kit home advertisements for and testimonials from kit homeowners is fascinating. It's an interesting way to learn about American culture through a discussion of our homes throughout the heartland. This book, however, does not read like a textbook or technical manual. Ms. Thornton's casual writing style matches the real life of her subject. It reads more like a fun adventure sprinkled with historical facts rather than a not-so-exciting technical document. Thank you, Ms. Rose, for an excellent contribution!

This little book imparts a whole lot of wisdom. I began reading this feeling completely overwhelmed by issues in my life. As I continued to read it, I actually felt myself really relaxing and my spirits lifting. I just felt better and like weights were being lifted off my shoulders. I don't practice Buddhism and so there were a few parts I read and thought "Whoa! That is really out there." But I love to read thought provoking pieces that challenge me to look at things in a different way. This book does that and is a great read with a lot of wisdom for leading a peaceful life.

This is a really great book. First, it's a quick read at only about 90 pages. It's not too technical or dry like some of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's books can be. Whether following the path or not, it's full of practical advice on how to deal with anger, frustration and the desire to retaliate against those that do you harm.

This is a book that you can read many times and reap benefits each time through. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to increase the amount of happiness in their life!

I am reading this book along with a class I am taking at a Dipamkara Meditation Center on Long Island. Both the book and the meditation exercises I am engaging in, have, in a short period of time, changed the way I live and view others. I accept anger and "delusions" as an opportunity to perfect my mind and make it peaceful and happy. I highly recommend this title as well as meditation to perfect your mind, body and soul.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso opens with a few brief chapters on Buddha's first teaching -- the often misunderstood Four Noble Truths. Within this context, he proposes that the only source of our problems is an unpeaceful mind, and that, with a peaceful mind, we can stay content no matter what circumstances life brings our way. The main part of this book loosely follows the chapter on the perfection of patience in the poem "Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life" by the great Indian Buddhist master Shantideva.

The essence of this book's advice is encapsulated for me in the following excerpt:

"Just as there is room in the sky for a thunderstorm, so there is room in the vast space of our mind for a few painful feelings. And just as a storm has no power to destroy the sky, unpleasant feelings have no power to destroy our mind. When painful feelings arise in our mind, there is no need to panic -- we can patiently accept them, experience them, and investigate their nature and where they come from. When we do this, we will discover that painful feelings do not come from outside but arise from within our own mind."

In my mind's eye, I return to this passage whenever I notice my mind starting to "panic" and feel like my unpleasant feelings are going to overwhelm me. This book never fails to help quell the storm.

I liked this book. I found it informative and educational. I was a little sceptical at first. Not being what I call a religious person I was concerned that this might be an attempt to get me to subscribe to a particular religious cult. Howevever, the book goes beyond religion and tries to help you understand what your mind is doing (and doing to you).

I have "allowed" other peoples actions to cause great internal stress to me, which has played havoc with my mental and physical health and had a detrimental affect on my family. This book has allowed me to take a truly different perspective on what MY MIND is doing to me, and allows me to recognize a truth that other peoples actions only hurt me when I let them. As stupid as that sounds, I never looked at it that way before as I was too caught up in the hateful internal thoughts that would arise in my mind because of how I saw other peoples actions.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to those people who are angry and stressed-out about "other people", be it a lousy boss, partner, co-worker, friend or family member etc. If you sit and stew, and seeth and make yourself (and others) miserable because of what others say/do then this book can help you make much much better choices.

Make no mistake, it's not an aspirin: it does not fix "other people". But what it does is allow you to look at your response to ALL stressful events and shows you why it happens and what you can do to stop it.

It's helped me. And that was not an easy thing to do. I still have a long way to go, but for the first time in my life I can now see when my own mind is trying to make me suffer. I personally am struggling with this, but that in itself is a real breakthrough. Before, I just used to go down the path of misery without hesitation; becoming angry, hurtful, hateful and full of terrible emotions and thoughts at sometimes tricial things (casual comments from others - sometimes not even directed at me). Now I can see that start and I put the brakes on. Believe me, that alone helps. I hope that with practice I can stop the negative process even starting (it still does as of now), but I'll gladly settle for my new perspective over what I used to do.

Easily the best book I have read, quite possible EVER. Buy it. Read it. Give it to someone you care deeply about.

WiZ

Great book. Most of Hallinan's books are. How Do I Love You is his best.

This book is good. More for 5 year olds and up, I would think. I do have to explain a lot to my 4 and 2 1/2 year old what the words mean. But still, this is a nice book. Loving and fun! Pictures are bright and cheery!

This book is a perfect way to teach children how to be thankful for all the wonderful things God has given us. It shows that we should be thankful for non-material things. It is a precious book for parent and child to read together. It reminded me of a few things I needed to be thankful for!

This book is wonderful. My daughter and I read it every night at bedtime, and I never get tired of it. Now, I am on a mission to collect ALL of PK Hallinan's books. I think they all have a great message, they are well written, have beautiful pictures and are just all around the best kids' books I have encountered. Definitely a must have for all toddler moms-- and moms with young kids!

This is one of my favorite books to read to my son (almost 3 yrs. old). I love how the author reminds us to be thankful for the things that are easy to overlook, like the power of the mind or the look of an autumn day. It's helped everyone in our house to stop and be thankful for even the little things in our lives.

I grew up learning to sightread classical music; a pretty standard set of piano lessons. Unfortunately, those lessons were weak on the theory of how music is created. This is a great book for someone like me who now wants to understand how to start in a key and figure out how to combine chords and rhythm and the right notes to make music. The book has things like how the blues scale works, how to pound out a barrelhouse left hand while improvising with the right hand, turnarounds and endings, and much more. There are some tunes in here to learn (Blueberry Hill, Pine Top's Boogie Woogie, etc.), but that's not really the point--Tim Richards goes on to explain how those tunes were created, and how to change and improvise over them. The CD lets you hear the exercises, and is quite helpful. I looked around a lot, and bought some definitely inferior books, before finding this one. The author also wrote Exploring Jazz Piano, volumes 1 and 2, which basically build on this book. I recommend buying all three. No book is going to substitute for practice, but if you practice what's in these books you're going to love what you learn to do.

Why is this book so good? Unlike most books, Richards takes the time to explain why each of the example pieces are important, and what you should pay extra attention to. He also really holds your hand in the improvisation practices by suggesting notes (and explaining why the suggested notes were suggested). Also very good is the use of different keys in the pieces. Some blues books tend to stick to C or G, but in this book the keys are varied (and Richards suggests going back through the pieces in other keys, which is a very good idea).

My only wish is that Richards makes a sequel to this book. This does not mean that this book isn't completely jammed with material, or is too easy: no on both accounts. I found myself wanting to learn more of the advanced "cliche's" which make Blues sound like the Blues. Nonetheless, this book is the best there is on the market for blues or improvisation instruction.

I'm an aspiring jazz pianist in Canada (I'm 32). I'm another one of the victims of the classical music education system that was taught to read the page and nothing else. I always thought that people who were good at jazz and could play by ear were born that way.

When I was in high school I wanted to play jazz piano. Someone recommended the Mark Levine book to me. I tried going through it but gave up because I couldn't even figure out what a II-V was from his explanation. I figured jazz was this impenetrable language. I was sick of classical lessons by that time and gave up the piano.

Fast forward ten years when I decided I didn't want all those hours of practicing (before school, even) to go to waste. I headed to a local music store and literally went through every piano book before I found IBP. It's pretty much been a revelation, from discussions of notations to chord types to ideas. I still suck at improvising, but before this book I wouldn't have even tried.

I've got Tim's other two books on my shelf, patiently waiting for me to get to them. Seriously, his books are phenomenal. If I had found IBP back in high school instead of Mark Levine's brick wall of jazz accessibility, I might be ten years ahead. I can't recommend it highly enough. Rumour has it he's working on a fourth book about Latin piano, too.

There realy are not many great methods for the blues out there, but Tim Richards is thorough and goes into the required detail to show you how each blues style works.

The examples are very playable, suiting more or less an intermediate level pianist. Richards is one of the few take-away instruction teachers to be concerned about fingerings, and takes the trouble to suggest good ones. His playing instructions work very well and add a dimension that you don't often get in these method books - he has a great insight into the chords, and the notes and the way they fit the music. The breakdown of theory is very well explained, if sometimes overdone. But he never floods you with scales without showing you how to apply them - that in itself is a good thing!

Richards' choice of music is impeccable, and calssic blues standards of af all styles are presented from boogie, to funk, slow blues, and some jazzy numbers. And he shows you music in a number of keys so you aren't stuck to one or two and get a work out in the other keys. I found the music very playable, and well sounding, although I didn't always find the improvising instructions that intuitive.

The historical background he gives is accurate and informative and the pictures of blues and jazz legends really make this book interesting.

My criticism of the book is that it should have stretched up to the more advanced techniques of the blues - where the top players are, like Oscar Peterson, for example. That is its dissapointment - a teacher as good as this who dedicated the time to work a out a progressive and different course in blues shouldn't have stopped at the middle level. He surely should have stretched us, his interested audience up to the highest level.

But this should not stop you from using this very useful and inspiring book - I Thank you sincerely Tim.

Now and then you run across a method book that makes you a better player and is great fun to work through. "Improvising Blues Piano" is one such book. It starts out very simply and steadily progresses to a pretty sophisticated level. The accompanying disk is well recorded and the author's playing, particularly his timing, is quite musical. On most examples, if you can make your playing sound like Tim Richards, you'll really swing.

Starting in "C" and moving on to other familiar blues keys, the author mixes theory and practice in a logical progression of "bite sized" lessons that are very complete and doesn't assume anything about the student. At first, the experienced player may find the pace a bit slow but each section builds smoothly upon the foundation of the preceding material and I think it's worth while to patiently work on your weaknesses. When you can make those first simple exercises sound really musical, you've learned something valuable.

The volume is accessible to beginners (this will take you a long way) while remaining useful for the more advanced because there is so much good content. I particularly like that he weaves in biographical information of known blues players along with examples of their style. The history of blues unfolds along with the student's expanding ability to play.

If you are interested in the blues, I can't think of a better learning tool.

"J.G. Ballard scans the suicide-code of a chemical=anthropoid into the abolition world, as if the drug fetus's modem=heart of the corpse mechanism is aspirated acid." - Kenji Siratori, author of Blood Electric

J.G. Ballard's "Quotes" is one of my favorite books. How does Ballard do it? He offers the starkest insights about Western culture and the psychopathology of the human race, and yet the book is fun, exciting, and totally addictive. The editors have combed all of Ballards books for interesting excerpts, and they have arranged them conveniently into chapters. There is a chapter on Writers and Writing, a chapter on 9/11, a chapter on Beaches, a chapter on William S. Burroughs--it goes on and on. Yes, sometimes there are redundancies, but that did not bother me. In fact, it is interesting to see how Ballard takes an insight or prediction and retools it slightly over time. One of my favorite of his predictions is that in the future, science and pornography will intersect. That may seem obvious to some people now, but Ballard made this prediction in the early 1970's. Another thing this book is good for: getting titles to other interesting books. Ballard reads widely, and he recommends books throughout this volume; some are books I had never heard of. "The Black Box", for instance, contains the transcripts of dialogue between pilots and air-traffic controllers for flights that eventually crashed. Ballard cites one of his favoite books: "The Los Angeles Yellow Pages". He considers this directory a surrealist work. Likewise, the chapter on film is good for some titles: after reading Ballard I returned to "The Road Warrior" and "The Hitcher" (two of my childhood favorites) and saw them in a new, Ballardian light. If you like this one, I would also recommend the book of Conversations with Ballard and "A User's Guide to the Millenium". Of course, "Crash" is not to be missed...

"jg ballards: quotes" is a book of maxims, aphorisms, statements, and glibly profound comments from the mouth and pen of the perspicacious jg ballard.
if you are at all interested in the theories of a modern thinker without all the impenetrablenous of postmodern theorists from academia, then check this tome out.
the chapters on 'PSYCOPATHY' and 'THE SUBURBS' alone are very salient indeed, soaring through the time and mind barriers of our age looking with hindsight at the strange possibilities that time and mind present to us now.
ballard transposes the psychical landscape onto the physical one using freudian theories of the libido and the unconscious to evoke a surreal landscape at once familiar and yet alienating.
these are the themes ballard tackles and talks about in his own inimitable and exciting manner. always fascinating.
i recommend this book to anyone interested in a worthwhile compass to the imaginative world around us right now.

RE/Search has compiled the best blips and ramblings from Ballard's extensive body of work, illuminating the uninitiated and re-affirming to the already converted that Ballard is one of the sharpest commentators on the modern world. The book itself is compact and formated for easy digestion during commuting hours or periods in limbo, and each quote is a gem. This book will definitely keep you intrigued and sane on your otherwise dismal journey through the day to day.

In J.G. Ballard Quotes, author Ballard and Quotes editor V. Vale continue a relationship which stretches back twenty years. Along with being the finest writer of our time, Ballard is a keen social observer, as well as a thinker of unique and visionary perspective:

"Does the future still have a future?"

"The open coffins lay empty, ready to catch the American pilots who would soon fall from the air."

"Everyone says there is too much violence on television but secretly they want more."

"Will NASA one day evolve into a religious organization?"

"A perverse sexual act can liberate the visionary in even the dullest soul."

As one can see, Ballard is interested in the tropes of our time. Reading Quotes, one can't help but marvel at his wonderful ability to seamlessly extemporize on virtually any subject. And along with thousands of great JGB quotes, the book is illuminated by surreal techniscapes from photographers Ana Barrado and Mike Ryan.

If you're a JGB fan, or just need an interesting book for your coffee table, Quotes will be a good choice for you.

This book can get you started just in the way you would like to. Mike understands what PB developers need to get started with Web development and Jaguar. Although EAS versions have changed, but the basic concepts suc as "stateless/stateful, instance pooling, transaction support, connection, etc" remain the same. This book is not for Java with EAServer - this is PowerBuilder with EAServer - as the name suggests.

This book was written for PowerBuilder 7 (now 7.03) and Jaguar CTS 3.0 (now Sybase Enterprise Application Server 3.6.1.08). While PowerBuilder hasn't changed much EAS most *certainly* has. When Jaguar 3.0 came out there was no database persistence standard for the Java platform, EJB was barely a spec (v 0.4), and a lot of things that we take very much for granted in the J2EE Specification simply didn't exist. Also, Jaguar 3.0 was a much 'clunkier' system to administer than that newer 3.6.1 release that Sybase has done. While many of the concepts discussed in this book from the PowerBuilder side are still applicable, some of the screen shots and processes are dated on the Jaguar side. Still, the book represents a good history lesson if nothing else. Being that this is the *only* book on the subject of using PowerBuilder as a front end to your Jaguar/EAS server-side code I'd say get it. But it's quickly become in *dire* need of a revamp. Are you listening, Mr. Barlotta??

The site was going to use PB7 and Jaguar - exciting! I ordered the book, read it, used the many fantastic code bits to get an n-tier PB7 app up and running. Fantastic book.

4 months later, the client decided to use Java, scrap PB development and sacked me without even a day's notice. Oh well. I still think Jaguar and the book and PB7 are tops! But the lesson learned is that Powerbuilder is on the way down and out!

I've been developing applications for over ten years. This book stands out as one of the best I've ever owned. It's very honest about how familiar you'd better be with PowerBuilder if you expect to use this book. The author takes into consideration the probability that you're new to Jaguar and yet doesn't 'dumb down' his guidance. It takes you through an explanation of CORBA, distributed processing, and gets you using Jaguar immediately. Excellent coverage of the administration of and development using Jaguar. If you plan on using EAS to build distributed apps, I highly recommend you read this book.

Excellant guide to getting started with Jaguar. Written for those users who know PowerBuilder and need to move to Jaguar. No distributed PB knowledge is required - Barlotta explains everything you need to know in plain english.

The time it will save you in figuring out what you are doing is well worth the cost of the book and more.

The examples in the book are good and source is available on line. The only complaint I would have is the code on the web is not organized in the zip file as well as it could be, but the author mentioned he was going to work on that. A little searching will find the code you need.

If you are thinking of doing distributed or web based applications using Jaguar, buy this book today.

Boot Means, photojournalist and man about Trenton, New Jersey was not having a very good life. Until now his assignments for the Trenton Record have been limited and said limited assignments are consigned to page 6...somewhere after the cat-up-a-tree-rescues. And now even his crumby job is in jeopardy because the economy is causing a rift between labor and management, as his co-workers fear more layoffs. To top it off, he's about to get evicted from his apartment and finds himself being railroaded into naming the wedding day when his control-freak girlfriend, Stacy decides it's time for them to get married.
But fear not, as we have all heard, Jesus Saves! Into Boot Means' puny life comes news that Jesus has been spotted in Trenton. And despite the negative attitude of expressed by one co-worker who spat, "There ain't no Jesus in Trenton." Mrs. Emily Phibbs has seen Him, clear as day, on a billboard advertising Smythe's Diner and she wants someone from the newspaper to let everyone know about it. When the editor offers the story to his quickly dwindling staff, no one wants it...no one except Boot Means. He sees it as a way to increase his visibility and perhaps even his earn a permanent position as a reporter who gets to write more than captions for his photos.
And sure enough, the billboard Jesus becomes an icon, drawing all sorts of people to Trenton who set up a Jesus Camp and begin promoting their own agendas.
There is the lovely tele van gelista, Melanie Dove with her adoring crew, and the rival OFJ, Open Faith for Jesus freaks in with their tattoos and purple buses. Then there is the mysterious mole, Travis LeBlay who seems to be trying to set everyone up against one another. But Boot Means sticks with the story, and sure enough his star begins to rise because "Quirky religious groups provided amusing copy." And books about people trying to exploit religion can be very amusing as well.
Christopher Klim has given us a slice of life complete with funny characters, amusing situations, yet with an underlying theme of melancholy that makes us want to hug this poor little orphan kid who just can't seem to grow up and get it together. The book can be enjoyed on many levels, metaphors and allegories abound and the irony revealed at the end allows the true believer a little smile and nod.

JESUS LIVES IN TRENTON is well-written and entertaining, a fast moving novel about what happens in the city of Trenton , New -Jersey, when citizens begin seeing Jesus on a billboard advertising biscuits and gravy.. The interesting characters, hilarious plot and believable but humorous dialogue keep the reader turning pages.
The main character, Boot Means, is a struggling photo-journalist working for a tabloid who uses this Jesus sighting to improve his career. He finds himself caught in the middle of two fanatical religious cults For a while it looks like he might even lose his life.
From the opening scene where Boot Means is attacked by two semi- naked women in a hotel lobby, through his discovery of the purple OPEN FAITH FOR JESUS school bus, to the final scene when he presses the doorbell of the man who claims to be his father author Klim has our complete attention. JESUS LIVES IN TRENTON is delightful.

(The Australian Coastal Book Council selects books for libraries, schools, and reading circles.) This quirky title had surfaced in discussion groups and on the Internet a number of times, and therefore we decided to give it a go at the main city branch. JESUS LIVES IN TRENTON was a pleasant surprise. I've never been to New Jersey, but the city of Trenton, although never portrayed as particularly lovely, has taken on mythical proportions in recent literature. No one seems better to deliver the goods than Christopher Klim. His portrayal of orphan-turned-photographer was particularly gratifying, and even though the storyline builds a maddening flow of consequences and happenings, the author manages to hold it all together for the stunning climax. We found the discussions that spun from this book ranged from the topics of religion and integrity to the morally bankrupt and the disposed members of the community. JESUS LIVES IN TRENTON gets our hearty approval.

The novel operates on two levels: first, it's a flat-out funny and enjoyable, and second, it's a dark comedy about self-importance and the fight for a higher state of being. This duality is difficult to grasp for some who become bogged down in the details, but even so, the book is sift-paced lending more than just a little insight into this new author's mind. Having thoroughly enjoyed his latest comic novel, The Winners Circle, it was interesting to see how Klim got his start, and as the American public is driven further and further into formulaic plots and repetitive gruel, it's refreshing to take on this read. Recommended.

I'm glad to see this title reissued. I'd first discovered this book and author in Europe during the summer 2002. I was homesick, and this satire of American culture--religion, politics, ambition, etc.--was just what the doctored order. I was caught laughing out loud on a bus in Paris, but Jesus Lives in Trenton is more than a guilty pleasure. It's the story of not-so-regular guy and photojournalist Boot Means (interesting name) and his drive to be noticed as a journalist. It all gets wrapped up in more plot and whacky but not so unrealistic characters than you can stand. It all boils down to a whole lot humanity that will make you cry as wkk as laugh.

Upon returning from European isolation, I've learned that Klim has become a cult favorite in the states, as his growing army of fans eagerly await his next novel, but if you want to see a 21st century novelist in the making, begin with Jesus Lives in Trenton or check out ChristopherKlim.com for loads of goodies and a terrific short story.

This another well done story full of good characters. I want a sequel to this one. Josie and Rebecca are just great strong women and there were a couple of times I thought I hurt myself laughing. Great read I am gonna keep this one.

From the back cover:
When out-law-on-the-run Josie Hunter rescues a young woman from the clutches of three desperados, she unwitting sets in motion a chain of events that will change their lives. Soon Josie and Rebecca are reluctant companions on a journey that leads beyond secrets and past pain to a place neither ever expected to go. As they learn to rely on one another for survival in the harsh world, they eventually forge a bond far deeper than friendship.

What I liked about this novel was that the Old West setting was authentic. I really felt what a dangerous life they were living. The characters were all very interesting, likable (or hate-able) and realistic for the period. And most importantly the authors took their time developing and changing the characters, in particular the relationship between Josie and Rebecca so you had time to get to know them and care whether they became lovers or not. (Oh, and the sex is great!!)Another great thing was that this book is a good length. Despite being fast paced the authors still have lots to say to keep the book a satisfying length.
This is the best lesbian romance book I have read in the historical/western genre to date. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good read in that area.

Josie Hunter is supposedly a wild desperado...robbing trains and killing folks. Unfortunately, one of her gang turns against them and their final job has her gang running for the hills in different directions.

While Josie is riding thru the frontier with no place to go, she hears a scream. When she arrives at the scene, three cowboys are preparing to rape and kill a pretty, young woman. Josie tries to get the girl released without any problems, but the guys go for their guns and they die because they were stupid.

Josie takes the victim, Rebecca Cameron, back to the outskirts of her town looking disheavaled. Rebecca father, Caleb, is a drunken abuser and beat the [...] out of Rebecca because he doesn't believe her story.

So Rebecca runs away and begins following Josie's tracks. Josie almost kills her when she creeps on the outskirts of her campsite. After Josie gives into the fact that Rebecca is going to follow her, she relents and allows Rebecca to travel with her.

Rebecca attracts alot of attention, but it is always the wrong kind of attention, either from men or snakes. Josie is there to take care of the situation, with her gun.

The characters you meet along the trail boost the characterization of Josie. The events which occur during their travels make them both stronger and bond them together.

This is a great read.

Phenomenal... There isn't a better word to describe this book. Miller and Foster have teamed up on several occasions, but this is one of their best.

From the Back Cover... "Josie and Rebecca: The Western Chronicles is an epic western saga with all the elements familiar to that genre; rousing adventure, heinous villans, heart-stopping action, outlaws-turned-heroes, and of course a romance that will warm the heart. At the center of this story are two women - one, a deadly gunslinger, bitter from the injustices in her past, the other a gentle dreamer trying to escape the horors of the present. Their destinies come together one fateful afternoon when the feared outlaw makes the choice to rescue a young woman in trouble. For her part, Josie Hunter considers the brief encounter at an end once the girl is safe, but Rebecca Cameron has other ideas. Enthralled by the enigmatic figure of the legendary bandit and desperate to escape a life that is quickly crushing her spirit, Rebecca decides to follow her rescuer - much to the older woman's chagrin. It is at first a difficult relationship but one which slowly begins to grow and change and deepen as the two unlikely friends share adventures, joys, pains, hopes and dreams, only to discover they also desperately want to share their hearts. It is a beautiful passionate love story that develops slowly, pulling the reader into this drama even as Josie and Rebecca themselves discover a growing intensity between them."

If you're a fan of Xena, you'll love this book. Period.

Much of the plot and experiences of the main characters seems to be a mirror image of Season 1. Rebecca is attacked and saved by Josie. Josie takes her home. Rebecca follows. Josie begrudgingly lets her come along. Josie helps people along the way and depends on Rebecca's way with words to help in many situations. Josie begins to change her reputation from "outlaw" to "saviour" as their adventures continue.

The only differences are the setting and the ability of the characters in this story to actually consummate their love after they slowly fall for each other.

I waited a long time for this one to hit my bookshelf. It is a fantastic read that I hope to enjoy again many times in the future.

Women are often marginalized in history especially in stories about the Old West. BL Miller and Vada Foster have changed that by rewriting history, if only in fiction, with Josie and Rebecca: The Western Chronicles. Women are front and center throughout the pages in this stimulating and inspiring tale of two women finding each other as well as themselves while they forge new trails.

Josie Hunter becomes an outlaw after she is accused of killing her best friend Genie. While on the run, she dispenses her own kind of justice, skirting the "law" quite often. It is during one of these times that she rescues Rebecca Cameron from a gang of men trying to rape the young woman. After this encounter, Rebecca becomes Josie's traveling partner. While unwilling to totally accept this spirited woman, Josie reluctantly lets her tag along.

The authors have invented a truly heroic character with Josie. While it may seem that Josie recklessly breaks the law every chance she gets, in actuality, on the frontier, the law was localized and very arbitrary. Being half Cherokee makes Josie's situation much more complicated. Although deeply flawed and displaying a brusque exterior, she risks her life more than once to save those who can't help themselves. Her compassion for others shows in all of her actions. Rebecca's character complements Josie, offering us innocence as well as a quiet strength. It is her belief in Josie's goodness that draws out the tough outlaw's deep feelings.

As a reader I have found that well written historical fiction is hard to find. Either the authors give too little detail, or they get bogged down in facts that do not move the story along. There is no balance thus the real events detract from the plot. This is not the case with Josie and Rebecca: The Western Chronicles. It is interspersed with actual events that give the readers a flavor for the times. The setting is detailed and accurate. Josie and Rebecca's travels are full of action and variety which keep the book interesting throughout. Foster and Miller realistically portray the women in the story, the choices they must make and the way they are generally treated. The authors also deal with Josie being part Cherokee and the prejudice that Native Americans endured during those times. The authors never preach but let these crucial bits of overlooked history reach us through superb storytelling.

Josie and Rebecca: The Western Chronicles is enjoyable and thorough without dragging. It will surely become as legendary as the great Westerns that have preceded it. I highly recommend this extraordinary account of our forgotten history as told through the fictional characters of Josie and Rebecca.