Beauty Books

Robert Reilly's "Surprised by Beauty - A Listener's Guide to the Recovery of Modern Music" has been with me since it's publication. It is one of the most heavily book-marked, annotated books I have - and much cherished.

This book is perhaps not perfect and it is probably not first-order-brilliant either, but it is beautiful! I treasure it as much as I treasure much of the music that I have since enjoyed because of this book.

Surprised by Beauty is highly spiritual. Stephen Hough, the wonderful pianist who records for hyperion (interviewed in the book), says on the jacket cover:

"Robert Reilly has the unusual and delightful ability to infect the reader with insatiable curiosity about the composers he champions. Names that often were unknown, and sometimes unpronounceable, suddenly seem totally fascinating and worthy of discovery at the earliest opportunity. Yet beyond this level of exploration is his personal vision of music as something profoundly spiritual, expressive of what is best and most enriching in human life and having the possibility of leading us to encounter God Himself."

That is a good introduction to Surprised by Beauty. The opening quote of the book is from Max Picard: "[In] sound intself, there is a readiness to be ordered by the spirit, and this is seen at its most sublime in music."

The love for music never ceases to impress - and as knowledgeable a man as Mr. Reilly is always a pleasure to have along for instruction.

Before I delve at some length into examples I (dis)agree with in this book, let me summarize:
If you want loving introductions to the music of

John Adams, ("The Search for a Larger Harmony")
George Antheil ("Bad Boy Made Good"),
Malcolm Arnold, ("English Enigma")
Gerald Finzi, ("Inmitations of Immortality")
Stephen Gerber, ("Keeping America Real")
Morton Gould ("Maestro of Americana"),
Roy Harris, ("Singing to America")
Vagn Holmboe, ("The Music of Metaphysics")
László Lajtha, ("Music from a Secret Room")
Gian Francesco Malipiero, ("Beyond Italian Opera")
Frank Martin, ("Guide to the Liturgical Year")
William Mathias, ("Musical Incantations")
Carl Nielsen ("Music is Life"),
Einojuhani Rautavaara, ("New Northern Light")
Albert Roussel, ("The Freedom of Personal Vision")
Edmund Rubbra, ("On the Road to Emmaus")
Harald Saeverud, ("A Norwegian Original")
Aulis Sallinen ("Scandinavian Consolation"),
Peter Schickele, ("Schickele Unmixed")
Franz Schmidt, ("Setting the Apocalypse")
Alexander Tcherepnin ("From Russia With Love"),
Eduard Tubin, ("In From the Cold")
Geirr Tveitt, ("The Music in the Waterfall")
Mieczyslaw Vainberg, ("Light in the Dark")
Peteris Vasks ("Another New Northern Light")

as well as Duruflé, Elgar, Janáèek, Martinù, Poulenc, Shostakovich, Sibelius, Vaughn-Williams and Villa-Lobos - you have picked up the right book.

These are the composers dealt with in little chapters, ordered alphabetically and cobbled together from reviews and pieces written in different magazines. Nonetheless, there is a coherent line through the work - cumulating in a few interviews with composers such as Robert Craft, David Diamond, Gian Carlo Menotti, Einojuhani Rautavaara, George Rochberg and Carl Rütti.

Just for John Cage, Mr. Reilly has no kind words ("Apostle of Noise"). And the specter haunting some chapters, not to be rescued until Robert Craft takes up his cause, is Arnold Schoenberg. In fact, Schoenberg so rubs Mr. Reilly the wrong way that he elicits the books strongest (and perhaps most contentious) statement from Robert Reilly: Ugliness is the aesthetic analogue to evil.

To say it right away: A lover of modern music - and with a much higher tolerance for the unnecessarily absurd (Concerto for two cheese-graders, jet engine, electric toothbrush and chromatic garbage disposal? Bring it on!) - I have grid (grinded) my teeth many a time. A more conservative reader than me would find himself nodding along throughout the book. Either way, it is a veritable treasure-trove.

After every chapter, there is a little section discussing the merit of important works of that composer in different editions. This is immensely helpful in choosing where to start the musical discovery-tour.

Telling of the nonchalance with which he treats the breadth of his appreciation of modern music is the following quote: "Anyone who enjoys Britten's music of this kind should likewise appreciate Mathias's". I imagine the greater part of his initial readership to wince even at the very idea of Britten, assuming that they know him or his work.

His passion for Janáèek's String Quartets is so palpable that not having them (I had them when I read it) must seem half a crime. His championing of Saeverrud (my initial reaction, too, was: Who???) is passionate and sophisticated.

A book, in short, that will get much and repeated bedside reading and the occasional study - a charming companion through 20th century classical music with amiably strong - if not always agreeable - opinions. Highly recommended.

Being a neophyte in modern classical music I'm very much in need of a guiding hand and Reilly's book has been the most helpful yet to boost up my appreciation of music and Beauty for that matter. His writings not only assure the validity of my fears or `sense of barbarian for not understanding the meaning of the sounds' I have been listening to, but endow a refreshing and profound understanding of how modern music can be free from its praise of entanglement. It has been a delightful and moving experience to read Reilly's so unique and exquisite way of illustrating modern composer's journeys into their pledge for Beauty. He brings you close enough and candidly to their emotions and struggles in a timely historic ambiance as to appreciate even more their daring willingness to come up with beautiful music! No doubt his has been `a labor of love for music'- one can actually hear the resonance of the Spirit of Music without having started on his recommendations!"Surprised by Beauty" was definitely a wonderful Christmas present and I highly recommend his reading!

Being a neophyte in modern classical music I'm very much in need of a guiding hand and Reilly's book has been the most helpful yet in boosting my appreciation of music and Beauty, for that matter. His writings not only assure the validity of my fears or 'sense of barbarian for not understanding the meaning of the sounds' I have been listening to, but endow a refreshing and profound understanding of how modern music can be free from its praise of entanglement. It has been a delightful and moving experience to read Reilly's unique and exquisite way of illustrating modern composer's journeys into their pledge for Beauty. He brings you close to their emotions and struggles in a timely historic ambiance so as to appreciate even more their daring willingness to come up with beautiful music! No doubt his has been 'a labor of love for music'- one can actually hear the resonance of the Spirit of Music without having started on his recommendations!"Surprised by Beauty" was definitely a wonderful Christmas present and I highly recommend his reading!

Those of us who have the fortune of living in our current musical climate have the benefit of hindsight concerning a great many things. If we look at the last 75-80 years we see the advent and reign of the reactionary (rather than evolutionary) dodecaphonic school in all its pedantic and intolerant glory- traits often ostentatiously shunned by self-styled progressives. Then we see the collapse of its dominance, followed by reactions to the reaction: the adoption of simplistic methods such as aleatoric processes and minimalism. Robert Reilly treats this course in history not as a glorious long line of musical evolution, but as an interruption to true musical progress. I don't know that I would completely adopt his line of thinking here, but there is truth in what he says. We seem to be right back where we started at the beginning of the 20th century. Composers write Romantic music now even as they did then...and the 12 tone system never seemed to have caught on with more than a devout minority of enthusiasts, some of whom will even readily admit the system's appeal as largely cerebral.
More valuable in Reilly's book than the larger argument is his advocation of a group of composers who have at some point or another fallen on hard times in terms of legitimacy and recognition in the eyes of the musical scene at large. Reilly's succinct and informative snapshots of these composers, as well as his down-to-earth style, is crucial for the rehabilitation of these men, many of whose music I personally respect, love, and find vastly underrated. (For example, I recently discovered the music of Geirr Tveitt...WONDERFUL stuff, but who knows it?) It is true that Reilly's list is limited- there could be scores more names added....but his treatment of the names he does include should promote some interest in these men and help to generate the respect they deserve.

Now if about 20 more Reilly's would write books like these perhaps we may recover a good deal of great music that has fallen victim to circumstance and neglect due in large part to the tonality wars that have distracted musical activity for almost a century.

I should say right off that I am deliberately taking my time to read this book & haven't read every chapter yet. I know of nothing quite like it, though. A feature I want, at this point, particularly to commend is the way the author has (1) of conveying his delight in, and the meaningfulness of, the music as he has experienced it, while (2) somehow saying enough that this reader, at least, can distinguish between the sure bets and the iffy ones from the reader's own point of view. Thus I credit Reilly (and the wonderful Samuel Palmer cover art) for putting me on to the Chandos recordings of the symphonies of Edmund Rubbra -- once I bought and listened to a CD of his symphonies 4, 10, & 11, I knew I would want more. One of Reilly's fine columns in Crisis Magazine put me on to Joly Braga Santos -- sure enough, I enjoyed the work (Symphony #4) praised there, as well. The Naxos CD of Douglas Lilburn's symphonies is another example. On the other hand, while Reilly likes Martinu and Nielsen, what he says about these composers conveys important things about their work such that someone like me who is not enchanted would have sufficient warning that this is someone to hear first before buying. I hope that in a few years there can be a sequel to this book. In the meantime, I'm glad to have a copy of Surprised by Beauty and to be able to read Mr. Reilly's columns in Crisis.

This book is well worth the money! The techniques and vocalises Ms. Alba supplies on her CD and actual lesson excerpts on the DVD are invaluable for singers and teachers alike. Truly a must have for the singer's library.

I am so excited about this book that I have been recommending it to my students to read. Finally, an intelligent, coherent book has been written that describes what the great teachers have been handing down verbally to their students for generations. It doesn't get any better than this!

I believe all singers should read it. This book contains everything a singer should know about good, healthy singing and polished artistry. It is the most intelligent book I have ever read about the art of singing. It not only offers guidance in vocal study from Signora Alba, but also includes words of wisdom and vocal exercises used by some of the greatest singers in the world. I found this book the best guide in my vocal studies and I strongly recommend it to every singer.

I think that "Vocal Rescue" is a "must have" for every singer's library. It is a minefield of practical knowledge of the the voice and of the business, and I refer to it often, even after reading already.

Lois Alba's book has been a godsend to me and my singing career and is responsible for taking my voice to "the next level." I will be forever grateful to Ms. Alba for distilling into this easy to read and entertaining volume the knowledge and technique she gained through her illustrious international opera career and decades of study with the world's most eminent vocal teachers and coaches. It is truly a goldmine of practical wisdom for singers of any level.

A skilled writer, Franklin, who has had years of experience with youth, addresses the topic of female's perception of her own beauty. This book is aimed at single or married ladies, in hopes that they will learn to define beauty the Lord's way and pass it on to the younger ladies around them. I was watching out for "self-esteem" (as opposed to Christ-esteem!) talk, since I imagine that would commonly be discussed in this arena. But for the most part I was quite pleased with Franklin's treatment of the topic. She teaches women to find their beauty in Christ and to listen to the truth of God's Word rather than the lies of the world or even just people who speak carelessly. The following are a few quotes from the text:

"Scripture is the mirror of beauty through which we view ourselves."

"In worship, false pretenses and artificial longings--our own or those of others-- fall away before a holy, awesome God. When I stand and consider the majesty of His name and the works of His hands, my weight, my height, my cup size, and my hairstyle cease to matter."

"The world is all too ready to plant its philosophies regarding women and beauty in the hearts of young girls.. .the message is...a girl's sexuality is her beauty. However, it is a message of death. Satan desires to destroy the hearts of young girls through the destruction of their bodies."

I do not know a woman who hasn't, at some point, fiercely desired to be beautiful but felt she didn't measure up. Our culture shouts this message from the rooftops: "You are ugly and worthless. You are inadequate. You are nothing compared to the girl on the cover of that magazine."

But Regina Franklin says that this must end now. We, the women of today, must put an end to this inaccurate and caustic view of beauty. We must find our identities in Christ and allow Him to give us the beauty that makes us shine, inside and out.

Regina Franklin approaches this topic with infinitely more depth and insight that is apparent in the other "beauty books" I've read. Every assertion is backed by Scripture. Literary allusions pepper the book, illustrating the application of these truths. Mrs. Franklin's style is engaging, and her personal experiences are shared often, making the book more relatable to the reader.

Who Calls Me Beautiful: Finding Our True Image in the Mirror of God exceeded my expectations astoundingly. Please, ladies, if you struggle with a desire to be beautiful, do not pass this book up.

I recommend this book to any girl or women. It helped me identify the underlying issues in my life and actually do something about them. It was inspiring and ultimately showed me how to free myself from estreme self conciousness.

A refreshing look at how to discern a woman's beauty in today's world looking through the lens of God's word and His eternal truths rather than through the lens of outward appearance.

This book was a source of encouragement to me to stop looking at what the world (and all types of media) claims that beautiful is and start to see God's defintion of beauty. I only wish I was able to read this as a teen or while in my 20's. It not only encouraged me but the study questions at the end of each chapter helped to propel me to do something about it. I now have a better self-image than before I read the book and I can now look at media as more fairy-tale than reality.

Very funny fashion overview of the 70s fashion fiascos.

The 70s were a decade of flamboyant styles and fashion statements influenced by the hippie era, and 70S FASHION FIASCOS captures them all, with full-page color photos capturing styles accompanied by notes on designers, objectives, and culture. Any collection interested in contemporary fashion trends will love the attention to flashy detail of the 70s, offering plenty of whimsical, fun moments.

This is a fantastic, high quality book in full color (wouldn't get the effect if it was in black & white, that's for sure!). It brings back memories of when I was a kid in the 70's. It's like looking through the old photo albums and making fun of what mom and dad were wearing. The color pictures, the ads, the history, the little tidbits of info.. what fun! Sure to bring back memories for anyone who was around in the 70's, and some of the fashions will.. well.. make you cringe. :) The book even gives some shopping resources on where to find some of these vintage 70's fashions if you'd want to dress like that. Overall, a very fun book! I love it! I hope Maureen Valdes Marsh comes up with an 80's fashion book.

When first 70s Fashion Fiascos: Studio 54 to Saturday Night Fever by Maureen Valdes Marsh crossed my desk, I admit, I screamed in horror. The caftan on the book cover alone was enough to put me in a swoon. But a pleading letter came with it, begging me to give this book my imprimatur.

Look it up.

Little did I know that I would be swept up by its contents: a blend of American social history, wit, and truly hideous clothes! Ms. Marsh is a marvelous writer, with a knack for the mot juste. Of leisure suits, she writes, "Color became the key to individuality, and no shade was too effeminate for the 1970s man to wear."

Since the youth of today has taken a great interest in the clothing of the decade, Ms. Marsh has even provided an up-to-date Shopping Resource Guide in the back.

- excerpt from my review in my blog, "Diary of a Mad Fashionista" at blogspot dot com.
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This book is much smaller than I expected it to be looking at it on the computer screen when I ordered it. However, it does have lots of great photos and resources and I'd say its worth getting for your collection or it would make a great gift. I wish it would have gone by year, rather than style. Also I hoped that by the name "fashion fiascos" we would see more extreme styles of platform boots and shoes and other stereotypically 70's styles. Don't get me wrong, there are some, but not nearly as many as I'd thought and most of the book focuses on the "Marsha Brady" era of clothes, more so than the later 70's when you had a totally different style that was more 80's than 60's. The style of hair worn by somebody like Pam Dawber on Mork and Mindy in 1979 was radically different than the hard, sculpted styles of the earlier 70's. Clothes changed as radically as music did in the 70's. Even the sound of disco between the early stuff like "That's the Way I like it" was radically different from the later Disco sounds, such as Donna Summer and that change took place within only 5 years. Perhaps the author would do a Fashion Fiascos Vol 2 to include the onset of Disco to the end of the 1970s. This book doesn't even feature a John Travolta white suit. Still, aside from everything, it is a nice book for my collection and reference for those who sew period clothing.

This item was exactly what i ordered in the exact condition that i ordered it in. Would definitly do business with seller again! Thank you

Agents of change is an interesting insight into the world of DC shoes and its athletes! it really shows how ahead of the game the brand has been over the last ten years or so, from ad's to product to team riders DC has been at the forefront and this book details it all. Buy it!!! you wont regret it!

This is (even for a cynical Brit!)a great book/review - if you are into any kind of action sports, then read this. Great stuff!

I was able to pick up Agents of Change and I was blown away by what I saw. Not only are the pictures up-to-date and unbelievable, but the spectrum of sports presented, from skateboarding, to snowboarding, surfing, and motocross, presents a compelling argument as to why this book is relevent at all.

The story of DC shoes, from it's start in a garage with kids with a dream, is as much a part of the world of extreme sports as the athletes who drop from helicopters onto halfpipes or launch themselves off of snow-covered cliffs.

Told in a compelling narrative with interviews, bios, and a history of the company's inception. This book reads like the story of the American dream. Three guys, no money just an idea, and how they turn that idea into a hundred million dollar-a-year company.

This book is not just for people who love extreme sports. It's also for those of us who have dreams of one day changing the world--and making a killing at it.

Finally someone takes the initiative to tell the story of a company that's corporate, but not really corporate. Not Microsoft or Enron or Nike or any of the Big Money companies but instead a down to earth story about a tiny little 100 million dollar company that has a story that's actually interesting. And if the story itself got boring (it never did) I could still just look at all the great photos. This is an important book for a number of reasons. It documents an era when sports in America are changing. It documents a company that stayed true to those sports. It is inspiring in a way that will show kids to follow their heart, and success will follow. Finally, it isn't a big marketing scam hidden under false pretenses. What you see with AGENTS OF CHANGE is what you get, and what you get is a great book for a book shelf or coffee table; skate park or corporate meeting room of any company who targets the youth demographic.

This is the perfect book if your local fabric store doesn't carry any (or enough) silk to learn on your own. Words just can't replace running the fabric through your fingers to see if it will work for your project, and this book lets you do that and more. The information collected here is worth twice the asking price. Now you can order what you need off the internet sites and have a better idea what to expect.

I got this book through the Crafter's Choice bookclub, but I had to come here to recommend it. It is ideal literally for anyone. Someone who wants to know more about the fabrics they wear, or as a book for someone like myself who knows a good deal about fabrics to refer to, which I often do. I'm a student at Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, so I've taken textile classes before and know my fair share. I even have a swatchbook with many fabrics but this books is just exceptional. I will definitely buy the wool and cotton versions of this book eventually. Silk is my favorite fabric to sew in so it was a priority. The book has a really great layout also, making it not too much reading and easy to find the information you are looking for. You can find in the book what to expect from each fabric when you're sewing it, how to take care of it, all its variations, suggestions on fitting, really anything important that you'd need to know about a fabric.... and then more, making you knowledgable on the subject.

This book was love-at-first-sight. It doesn't blab unnecessarily about the fabric, just lets you touch and see it for yourself. While being very visual and tactile, it also devotes a page with all the relevant information about each particular kind of silk (and who would have thought there would be so many?!): how to care for it, how difficult it is to sew, the ideal projects for each fabric, its characteristics, its approximate price per yard, hints/tips for working with the fabric, etc. I wish there was a reference book like this for everything! It has really inspired me and given me the confidence and knowledge that I need to both shop for silk and start some projects.

When identifying fabric, texture is more important than appearance. Even though I don't sew, I do purchase vintage items for my prop company and I have to label the outfit in the description. If you want to learn about fabric, this is the way to go.

I cannot say enough good things about this book (or for that matter the entire series!).
The author has an entertaining, easy to read writing style. She presents a great deal of information, and rather than feeling overwhelmed, the reader is able to learn a great deal.
The very best thing about this book is the fabric samples. If you have ever wondered about what a specific type of silk feels like, then you will have your answer. You just cannot get this information from a written description. This book is indespensible for fashionistas, designers, sewers and anyone else interested in clothing or fabric.

This book is a beauitful learning tool and is so well done with illustrations. A definite buy.

This book has great information and lots of it. The author provides a lot of easy ways to attract life into a garden. Also, many plants are listed that thrive in midwest states (where the soil is like clay) were listed that I have never heard of before. It is explained why hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to certain plants, which helps you to think for yourself when you are out plant shopping. There are some tips and techniques that cost practically nothing which are fun projects for couples or parents and their children. I really enjoy this book and it is one that I can look at over and again and still learn something new to use in the garden. It will be a great tool this summer to me.

This book is wonderful for anyone who wants to garden in nature's best interest.

I found the book extremely informative. There are numerous recommendations of different plant species to attract and nourish North American butterflies and their caterpillars. The book would make a wonderful project for young people and their parents to do together to explore the natural world, beautify their yard, support dwindling numbers of species and just have fun together. Information about hummingbirds is just as delightful.

This book was just what I needed to learn about attracting humming birds and
butterflies. This has been very useful for figuring out how to start my garden.
I am very visual, so the beautiful pictures in the book and the general text design layout
makes it easy to read.

I've gotten a lot of use out of this book. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Would make a great gift for a teen or pre-teen.

I bought this book shortly after receiving a ton of beads for Christmas and I had a great time making these! They are easy to make and the instructions are simple and clear. The best part is that it comes with all that you make them. The bobby pins turn out beautiful and I love wearing them in my hair!

I love this book. It is easy to use and turns out beautiful beads. The one thing it lacks is a ruler. I used a permanent marker to make a ruler on the inside back cover. Then all you need is wire cutters and you're ready to start crafting!

I bought this book hoping to learn a new skill--and I did. The instructions are simple to follow, and quite varied, enabling the reader to make a wide assorment of designs. Most importantly, all materials needed come with the book. Although I purchased additional beads, wire, and pins so as to not yet take the supplementary package apart, I was still able to make some beautiful hair assortments. What's great is that these bobby pins take so little time to make, and they can be customized to an infinate extent.

This book is not only easy to use, providing all supplies along with crystal-clear insructions, but the results are also spectacular. Whenever I wear a pin in my hair, people ask about it, and always respond, "You MADE that?" The only complaint I have is with the dragonfly instructions. It looks much better to use two E beads with a faceted bead in the middle for the body and tiny seed beads for the eyes. Look at the pictures to get ideas for your favorite construction. The pictures in this book are a true inspiration. I love making these pins and have become an addict.

I was shocked, as the rest of the world about the horrible terror attack on September 11. To read this biography about this family who lost a husband and a father and by the strenght of God they moved on, that is so amazing. It was easily written, and I think I could have read it from page 1 until the in in one go, I did not want to stop reading it. I recommened it with all my heart!

Elizabeth Anderson

My faith in God has increased by reading this book. This book is well-written, honest, and one that many readers can relate their own lives to. The religious parts of this book are not "pushed" onto the reader. I recommend this book for people of all Christian faiths. This book reminds us all that many valuable things can come from horrible tragedies... even 9/11.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends BEAUTY BEYOND THE ASHES as a profoundly moving personal journey of this woman's American Dream which curdled on 9/11 into a nightmare when her beloved husband, Former Lt. Commander Tom McGuinness, Co-pilot of American Airlines Flight 11, never came home.

Always a searching Christian, gladdened when Tom was called to Christ, Cheryl's spiritual life is transformed when she dedicates herself, now alone, to God's ministry knowing that that is exactly what Tom would have wanted. In that dedication, fraught with despair & succour, she experiences the trauma of sacrifice & the healing of forgiveness.

In addition to revealing her touching personal story, Cheryl McGuinness also shares twelve powerful Biblical principles that guide her through her loss & her life's journey. & as every life will contain sadness & loss, her suffering, devotion & surrender to God's love & purpose through Jesus Christ, is both inspirational & healing.

Beauty Beyond the Ashes is a great book with a powerful message..."with God there is always a way through even the most difficult circumstances." There are so many wonderful principles in this book that will challenge you to depend more on God and less on yourself. I admire Cheryl for the way she has allowed God to use this tragedy to help others who have also been victims of violence.

This is a wonderful book to read. I was both inspired and encouraged, knowing that God's love is evident even in the most difficult of circumstances.

I was truly honored when asked to give my humble review on this work. My heart ached as I picked up the book and gazed upon the cover picture of a family that continues on after being touched by hell itself.

Cheryl McGuinness is the widow of Lt Commander Tom McGuinness, Co-pilot of American Airlines Flight 11. The pain of the memory of that day seared through my mind as I prepared myself for what words I may find written from this woman's heart. I have to tell you from the onset that after reading her book, I have a deep love and respect for her.

Mrs. McGuinness shares with the reader the events that happened on September 11th and all that followed, but she doesn't stop there. Instead of dwelling on the deep grief and pain that she and her family suffered; she shares the sweet story of her life with her husband before the tragedy hit and the victory she is determined to have now.

In reading her words you find deep commitment to a loving God, deep commitment to a grieving family, deep commitment to a supportive nation and unfaltering faith in her God for a bright future, not only for her and her family, but for the country she loves. That is a lot to come out of such a traumatic event.

She unashamedly shares her faith in God and tells how she clung to Him in each and every circumstance that she has had to deal with. The author shares insights for the reader that may be hurting, to help them overcome their crisis and bring encouragement.
I could never put into words in a short review what is inside this book. I believe what impressed me more than anything was the fact that the author does not just dwell on her loss, although you are well aware of the pain she has suffered, but understands everyday that someone, somewhere is experiencing pain and heartache; and because of that, she opens her heart to them, reaching out to help heal their sorrows.
It is said, you cannot truly understand pain unless you have felt it. Mrs. McGuinness understands the pain and through her words sooths the soul.

This book is more than a story of September 11th, it is a hand reaching out to those who hurt and saying, there is hope for tomorrow and we must never lose sight of that.
A must read! Thank you Mrs. McGuinness for your faith in God and in the future.
Shirley Johnson/Senior Reviewer
Denise's Pieces
MidWest Book Review

this book goes through the stuff every girl needs to know to take care of their bodies.

The beauty book teach's girls about god stuff and it gives you great beauty tips about nials breast and other stufflike hair, faces, zits, and how to get rid of them.

This is the best book...Ever. Period. End of Discussion. This book includes the REAL secrets to beauty. It's an awesome book because it gives you cool information on beauty but at the same time it encourages you to share your inner beauty through your outer features.

Concider this Idea- If you've read "Here's Lily!" maybe you remember she was a model? Well, you can start your own modeling class with your friends! Try it!

While the Body Book talks about some of the physical changes girls will go through during adolescence, this one discusses beauty, inside and out. Ms. Rue and the girls from the Lily series ask questions and talk about what real beauty is (having God!) and how to bring out your beauty on the outside, too. But it's not makeup stuff: more along the lines of hair care, face care, manicures and pedicures, etc. It also includes spaces to write prayers to God. I recommend it for girls ages 8-14.

This book is awesome. I love the Lily books and the companion books. I think it would be cool to use this information and start my own "junior models" club with my friends. I especially like the "gum in hair, peanut butter trick". This book is the best book in the Lily Library advice section other than The Body Book, The Best Bash Book, The It's MY Life Book and The Year 'Round Holidays book! I really like this book a lot. Buy it today and make your bible study time a lot of fun.