Education Books

Apologetics Concerning the Nature of Religion

Apologetics or is it antiapologetics, I have read Hodges arguments about cause and effect, primary and secondary causes in his work on systematic theology which was written a hundred years after this work. RC Sproulamong others discuss similar issues today with a contrary conclusion. David Hume's dialogue about the existence of God and the attributes of God does form some of the frame work for further philosophic and theological discussion. Some seems quite aimless like his discussion whether God is wholly other. Some theologians may make this statement and argument, but this certainly is not fundamentalist or scriptural perspective of God. What I found most interesting in this work is his discussion of causality. Mr. Hume's focus was on Natural theology or the idea that God could be perceived or not perceived through nature. But also included was knowing God through rationalization. To this he compared three notions:

{1} That there is a self existent Being who always existed, never created, and is the ultimate Cause of the whole universe. Something that never was caused, but is the cause of all else.

{2}That there is no ultimate cause. History is an infinite amount of causes and effects that has no starts or ends. Matter in some form has always existed and matter has always been in motion. Universe or galaxy may have a point of beginning, but not what it is composed of.

{3}At a point in time there was no matter, then at another point of time there was matter. The matter move in motion to develop things as we know it.

David Hume does not discuss the concept that simply nothing really exists. I would guess in an earlier work he had dismissed it in some form. It is my conclusion Mr. Hume found point one as absurd as point 2 or 3.

The other major focus of discussion in this work how an all knowing creator, who has all power, and has the capacity to perceive every thing that is going on can create a world that has the highest being of creation suffer pain and evil among each other. The argument is made in this work that the universe does not function in a rational manner, therefore such all knowing, all powerful and all powerful God does not seem to exist. Some reviewers consider it a complete debunk of intelligent design and it certainly a source of comfort for those who do desire.

With the possible exception of his incalculably influential A Treatise of Human Nature, this, I think, is Hume's finest work. The Dialogues is a paradigm of sustained philosophical argumentation on a single subject, and I can't think of a more inspiring work of philosophy. Another reason to read this book is that Hume is one of the few philosophical figures whose work is worth reading as literature. His prose is, of course, lovely and clear as can be; and the Dialogues is packed with the sort of evocative passages that readers of Hume except to find in his work. Furthermore, he's clearly mastered the dialogue format as a way of writing philosophy. He never turns his interlocutors into ciphers spouting the details of their respective positions. Each character has a forceful and distinct personality, and each of them comes to the debate with a well-defined position and adequate means of defending it. In short, I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Most of the Dialogues is devoted to discussion of a posteriori arguments for the existence of God. The main argument considered here is the classical argument from design, which Hume seems to understand as an analogical argument of the following sort: the complexity and order of the universe show that it is similar to artifacts created by human intelligences; similar causes have similar effects; therefore, the universe must have been created by a being with something like a human intelligence; therefore, the universe must have been created by God.

Hume's objections to this argument are legion, and many of the individual objections are both ingenious and forceful. He provides reasons for thinking that the universe isn't all that similar to artifacts created by human beings. He argues, for instance, that at least in some respects, the universe resembles animal or vegetable life more than it resembles artifacts created by human beings. Hume also provides for thinking that, even if we think the universe is similar to a human artifact, we ought to think the universe was created by a being quite unlike God. The relevant empirical evidence, he argues, provides us with no good reason to think that the universe wasn't created by multiple beings (large human artifacts are usually created by multiple beings), or that the being(s) who created it are still alive (human creators die), or that the being(s) who created it were infinite (it's not clear that creating the finite universe would have required infinite power), or that the being(s) who created it were morally perfect (the universe, with all its misery and despair, certainly isn't what one would expect from a perfect being). Furthermore, he proposes certain alternative naturalistic explanations of the existence and nature of the universe; and he claims that it's unclear why an appeal to divine creation is to be preferred to these speculative naturalistic stories of the universe's creation.

As I hope this all-too-brief synopsis suggests, Hume's cumulative case against the argument from design is quite impressive. It is, of course, possible to avoid some of these criticisms in various ways, and his speculative naturalistic explanations leave quite a bit to be desired. But the total case is a philosophical demolition par excellence. Indeed, I'm pretty sure that Hume has shown that the argument from design is more or less worthless as support for anything resembling traditional theism. So, if you're enamored of that argument, I suggest you pick up book and wrestle with the criticisms found here.

Now, this isn't all Hume discusses in the Dialogues. There's a section discussing a priori arguments for the existence of God; it focuses on arguments against a version of the cosmological (i.e. first cause) argument. And Hume's arguments concerning the cosmological argument also rule out any sort of ontological argument, as he claims that no sense can be made of the idea of a necessarily existing being. The book also includes a few some brief discussion of particular issues concerning religion.

Where, in the end, does Hume come down on the issue of theism? It's hard to tell, as it's not clear that any of the particular characters speaks for him. Philo, the character who often appears to be speaking for him, never denies the existence of a deity; he simply denies the ability of human reason to discover anything substantial about what such a being is like. That Hume agrees with this is, I think, the most we can glean from this text about Hume's own religious views. It seems clear that he has no sympathy for organized religion, or for any religious views that purport to describe the nature of God, His intentions, or how and why He created the universe as He did. And the only positive religious claim that is given respectful treatment here is the bare claim that we have reason to think that the cause of the universe as a whole is somewhat similar to a human intelligence.

But does acceptance of this minimal thesis amount to his being a theist? Again, it's very hard to tell. First, of course, one might wonder whether this fairly vague positive view is enough to amount to some form of theism. But let's put that issue to one side. Even if it is enough to support some form of theism, it's often difficult to tell whether Hume means to be advocating such a position here. The problem is that it often seems Hume's explicit advocation of this position amounts to little more than a description of what he thinks is an inevitable human tendency to think this way. Given how our minds actually work, he seems to think, we're bound to think something like this about the origin of the universe. Yet it's somewhat unclear that he thinks forming beliefs in this way is reliable. It may simply be that we have a brute instinct to think in a way that insures we'll see the world as resulting from some human-like intelligence, and it's at least not clear that that isn't a debunking account of the plausibility of theism. (For more support that this is a debunking explanation, see his The Natural History of Religion, where the explanations of various religious beliefs certainly seem to be one's that suggest those beliefs simply aren't plausible.)

David Hume made a reputation by writing on reason and its limits. The main thrust of the Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion is to question whether theological arguments for God that assign Him positive attributes (omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent, etc.) go beyond reason's limits in assigning these attributes. We watch Cleanthes (believer in theological arguments), Demea (believer more on faith) and Philo (disbeliever in theology's efficacy) hash out whether reason and experience alone give us reason to say anything whatever about God.

Hume explores all of the major arguments for God's existence. First, the a posteriori argument is explored; the argument that just as seeing a house gives us reason to assume an architect and builder, seeing the world should give us reason to infer a designer. Hume (through the skeptical voice of Philo) sees much wrong with this argument. Why? Because the reason we infer a builder for a house is because experience has shown us that houses have builders, thus when we see a house, we assume that, like other houses we've seen, this one too has a builder. But experience does not tell us that where there is a world, there is a designer. The leap is extra-experiential. Further, even if we DID infer a designer, why infer just one? Houses have construction crews of multiple people; if we analogize between the house and the world, then why not infer that the world, too, might have infinite creators? (And why infer that the world's creator is omnipotent, if all that is needed to create something is to be more powerful than the thing created - no more, no less?)

Next, we go through the a priori argument - the argument from first cause. Hume (Philo) is quick to point out the obvious flaw with this. If everything needs a cause, then what caused God? If God is said to be eternally existing, then why couldn't the natural world - rather than God - be thought eternal instead? And further, why is a infinite chain of causes and effects so unimaginable, anyhow? (Isn't it just as sensical as an eternal God itself not caused?)

Lastly, Philo brings up the argument from evil. In a nutshell, Philo suggests that while theology sees all the perfections of the world, proclaiming them clear evidence of remarkable design, theologians dismiss or downplay the imperfections. If God is said to all-good Himself, then why did he create humans with such flaws? (one assumes that an all-powerful, all-good God could have avoided those errors).

Still, the main thrust of this book is that Philo, far from challenging whether God exists, challenges theologies capacity to assign ANY characteristics to God by reason and experience alone. Hume does a good job not only in outlaying arguments as to why reason is not capable of knowing a thing about God, but also in making believable dialogues (compared to Plato, whose characters are all made to be one-dimensional foils for "Socrates.") As in so many other areas, Hume was a pioneer in the realm of the philosophy of God. This book furnishes strong proof of that!

David Hume, a philosopher of the period often classified as British Empiricism, is the intellectual associate of philosophers John Locke and George Berkeley. Born in Edinburgh in 1711, he attended the University of Edinburgh but did not graduate. He went to France during his 20s, and spent time there working on what would become his most famous work, 'An Enquiry into Human Understanding', first published under the title 'Treatise of Human Nature'. However, Hume was a prolific writer, and dealt with many areas of philosophy, including politics and ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. He wrote in the area of history as well, and had a politic career as British ambassador to France and a post as a minister in the government for a few years. His final work, 'Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion', was published posthumously in 1779, although work had begun on it as early as the 1750s.

Hume was very concerned about rationality. Hume was never publicly and explicitly an atheist, but his rational mind, concerned about sensory and intelligible evidence, led him to question and doubt most major systems of religion, including the more general philosophical sense of religion and proofs of the existence of God. The primary arguments in his 'Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion' deal with the Argument from Design, and the Cosmological Argument. There is an assumed distinction here between natural religion and revealed religion, an especially important distinction in the Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment philosophical structure.

- Natural Religion and Revealed Religion -
Natural religion is the idea that we come to know and understand God (and, consequently, what God wants or expects of us, if anything) simply from nature and our sensory perceptions, as well as our interpretations (emotion and rational) of this kind of understanding. From very early in his writing career, Hume attacked the idea of natural religion and most of its conclusions, drawing a sharp line between what we can actually know and what ends up being fanciful extrapolations based on other-than-rational ideas and evidence. Revealed religion is primary what most religions base themselves upon - the burning bush to Moses, the resurrection and post-resurrection appearances to the Apostles, the Buddha's enlightenment under the tree - these are examples of revelation. While Hume does take on the idea of revealed religion in his other works, this particular text does not concern itself with that topic, and stays in the domain of addressing natural religion.

- The Argument from Design -
Arguments from Design have always had a strong appeal to believers within religious frameworks; they have often been used as tools of evangelism, as attempts to show that beyond the revealed doctrines, the very nature of things points to a creator. In very short order, the Argument from Design in Hume's newly-industrial time might have read like this:

- Machines are designed by beings with intelligence.
- The world and the universe it is in resembles a machine.
- Therefore, the world must have been created by means of intelligent design.

This is an argument by analogy, and is convincing to some, but often more convincing to those already inclined to believe in the existence of God.

- The Cosmological Argument -
The Cosmological Argument is at once both more subtle and more simple. The most simple way of stating it would be that God is the 'first cause' of everything. If everything has to have a cause (even the whole universe), then that first cause must be God. In the twentieth century era of thinking of a universe that began with a Big Bang, it seemed to some that the Cosmological Argument was confirmed.

Hume would have been familiar with Leibniz's more subtle form of the Cosmological Argument, which argues for a world of infinite contingent causes. However, there has to be something outside of this system of infinite causes that produced the series - thus, even in a universe with no set beginning or ending, there would still need to be an overarching cause.

- Hume's Arguments -
Hume argues on many levels. His first criticism of the Argument from Design is that this analogy (as are most arguments from analogy) is faulty and not exact; we have no idea if the universe is like a machine. Even if it was, machines are often designed and built by several designers - why argue for one God rather than several? How do we know that matter and the universe don't have their own, internal self-organising principles?

With regard to the Cosmological Argument, the argument is a little more strained. Hume argues that, in any series of causality, once one knows about each cause, it makes no sense to inquire beyond the sequence of causes to some other effect. This is a very Empirical argument, to be sure, and while perhaps not entirely satisfying, it still has merit in philosophy to this day.

- Hume's Structure -
This is a dialogue, set up in the classical way of people talking with each other about the subjects. Hume draws primarily from Cicero, whose work 'On the Nature of the Gods' uses characters of the same names. However, whereas Cicero was concerned about the nature of the Gods (their attributes, powers, etc.) and not their existence, it is the very existence of God that occupies Hume's thoughts.

Hume, despite many years of work on this text, probably never quite thought it was finished. He left the work to Adam Smith (the noted economist, and friend of Hume in Edinburgh), who also thought the arguments against the existence of God were too strong, and likely too damaging to Hume's overall reputation. The tug-of-war over the publication makes for interesting reading in and of itself.

These are important arguments, worthy of discussion and dialogue in philosophy classes, theology classes, and among others who ponder the existence of God.

This short and artfully written book was published after Hume's death. Hume did not wish to experience the controversy engendered by the arguments advanced in the book. It is likely as well that Hume was concerned also with offending some of the moderate Presbyterian clergy who were his personal friends and had been his partisans in other controversies. This book is primarily an attack on the idea that the exercise of reason and logic provides support for religion, and particularly that application of reason leads to strong evidence for the existence of a beneficient God. This line of thought had become particularly popular among liberal theologians in the first half of the 18th century and was a widely held notion among Enlightenment intellectuals across Europe and North America. This idea is still widely held today and can be seen in the writings of the so-called 'intelligent design' advocates of creationism. Hume's criticisms, then, are not only of historic interest but continue to have relevance to our contemporary lives.

The Dialogues are constructed as a 3 cornered argument between three friends. Demea, a man upholding revealed religion against the idea that reason provides support for the existence of God. Cleanthes, an advocate of natural religion. Philo, a skeptical reasoner who attacks the positions held by Demea and Cleanthes. For those who like Hume's sprightly 18th century style, this is a fun book to read. Hume artfully divides some of his strongest arguments between Cleanthes and Philo, and gives the Dialogues the real sense of a dispute among 3 intelligent friends. Philo is generally taken to represent Hume's positions but Cleanthes articulates some strong arguments and provides some of the best criticisms of Demea's fideism. Much of the book is devoted to attacking the argument from design, which Cleanthes attempts to defend against assaults from Philo and Demea. In many ways, the argument from design is the major idea of those supporting the natural religion approach to existence of God. Hume's critique is thorough and powerful. It even includes an anticipation of Darwin's idea's of selection, though the basis for Hume's critique is primarily epistemological. In the later parts of the book, Hume attacks also the comsological argument for the existence of God, though this discussion is relatively brief and a bit confusing. Hume's analysis is consistent broadly with much of his philosophical work. In many ways, his great theme was the limitations of reason, and this book is an example of his preoccupation with the relatively limited role of reason in establishing certain facts about the universe. He finishes with short criticisms of the idea that religion is needed for a stable and well ordered society and defends the usefullness of skeptical reasoning.

It is important to view the Dialogues as part of a critique of religion that Hume sustained in several works. His Natural History of Religion, the On Miracles section of the Enquiry Concerning Human Understacing, and other essays comprise a broad criticism of religion. Other pillars of religion, such as the existence of miracles and revelation, are criticized in his other work. While Hume denied being an atheist and was apparently disturbed by the dogmatic atheism of French philosophes he met in Paris, he was certainly not religous in any conventional sense.

This is a short and very readable book but the power of its arguments are totally out of proportion to its length.

This book states the reality of madical practice. It's a good book.

Everone should read this book!

My 85-year-old mother recently fell and severely fractured her hip. Unfortunately, she belongs to a Medicare HMO based in Southern California. Because of the nature of her fracture, she required pinning of her femur, a more extensive procedure than the usual treatment for hip fractures. The HMO which was contractually responsible for her care denied payment to the Skilled Nursisng Facility after l8 days, in spite of written reports from her physical therapists and her doctor detailing the remarkable progress she was making. Thanks to this book, we were able to appeal the HMO's denial, which was immediately again denied by the HMO. The appeal then went on to HCFA for review and the denial was reversed. This has saved my mom thousands of dollars. It should be required reading for anyone involved with HMO's!

Don't Let Your HMO Kill You is an invaluable resource which every family should have. It empowers the consumer to take charge of their and their family's health care. Drs Theodosakis and Feinberg bring both insight and useful advice to help the patient make the most of managed care. From better organizing your doctor's visit to learning how to successfully appeal a denial from your HMO, there is something for everyone in this powerful book.

Read this before you go to the doctor! It explains how to work with your doctors, rather than against them, to get the care you need. It points out why the red tape exists, why the doctors are bound by it, and how the two of you can get around it. This book should be issued to every patient. It will benefit doctors and patients alike.

As a physician who has dealt with many HMOs, I believe this will become the premier guide for people to get the best care out of whatever system they're using. It is about time someone put all of the secrets and resources in one place. Medicine has changed significantly in the last few years - right under the noses of most patients and doctors. It's caused frustration as quality care has diminished. This book will help you get back in charge. I think it should be given out by insurance plans as a guide to how patients should use the system. Congrats to the authors!

Reading this book gave me a great peace of mind. I'm an environmental scientist, but I wanted to inspire people to reconnect with the world around them before focusing on objective science (which Orr claims, and I agree, is not really objective, but an objective method to verify and support subjective perspectives and passions).

He lists everything that is wrong and what needs to be corrected. A good follow-up book or study would be if someone took his advice to a school or set of schools and set up a curriculuum after his suggestions and measured how students responded.

David Orr exquisitely puts into words a need for an environmental ethos in the classroom. As a high school teacher, I have long-intuited his insights about how to bring daily connections to students about the natural world that we inhabit. He is deeply passionate, articulate and practical. I'd love to see school boards, administrations, faculty and students alike be exposed to his clear thinking and real suggestions. He brings urgency without bringing despair.

David W. Orr is chair of the environmental studies program at Oberlin College in Ohio and is most often credited with coining the word "ecoliteracy" (similar to the renown biologist Garrett Hardin's "ecolacy") to describe the very important study and understanding of ecology and natural resource processes. He is also credited with the simple, but profound statement, "When we heal the Earth, we heal ourselves."

No wonder then that Prof. Orr is well suited to write on the importance of ecoliteracy being incorporated into all educational systems for a more balanced perspective of reality.
Contemporary education, Orr says "...emphasizes theories, not values; abstraction rather than consciousness; neat answers instead of questions; and technical efficiency over conscience." (p 8) and, "As a result, after 12 or 16 or 20 years of education, most students graduate without any broad, integrated sense of the unity of things." (p 11)

"This is not an argument against education but rather an argument for the type of education that prepares people for lives and livelihoods suited to a planet with a biosphere that operates by the laws of ecology and thermodynamics." (p 27)

"Intelligence would lead us...to protect biological diversity, but for reasons that go beyond the calculation of self-interest. The surest sign of maturity of intelligence is the evolution of biocentric wisdom, by which I mean the capacity to nurture and shelter life-a fitting standard for a species calling itself homo sapiens." (p52)

"...I propose a different ranking system for colleges based on whether or not the institution and it's graduates move the world in more sustainable directions. Does four years at a particular institution instill knowledge, love, and competence toward the natural world or indifference and ignorance? Are the graduates of this or that college suited for a responsible life on a planet with a biosphere? This is an admittedly difficult, but not impossible, task."

A sense of "biophilia", as the renown sociobiologist, E.O. Wilson has described as that innate feeling of connectedness to a biological world where our roots and sustenance lie, is critical for developing a deep sense of respect and care of our world. Biophilia and it's antithesis, biophobia are well covered in chapter 20.

"We need an ecological concept of citizenship roots in the understanding that activities that erode soils, waste resources, pollute, destroy biological diversity, and degrade the beauty of landscapes are forms of theft from the commonwealth as surely as bank robbery. Ecological vandalism undermines future prosperity and democracy alike." (p 168)
"The first bit of conventional wisdom denies the importance of place and environment in favor of global vandalism masquerading as progress." (p 160)

Indeed, and a deep understanding of natural life-support systems would help mend that twisted perception of reality. David Orr has very well delineated the educational path here to creating graduates with a sense of awe and respect for the fragile, but life-supporting planet they live on.

This is a very important book that should be read by all politicians, educators, and citizens of Earth. David Orr gives clear examples and ideas for making the radical changes we need to undo some of the damage that we have done to the planet. You will be inspired and moved if you read this book.

first off, as promised by the reseller, the book was in great condition.

as for the contents of the book, it's a fantastic read if you are interested in the root of the sustainability movement. that is to say the foundations and meaning of our educational system which as critical public good, is in dire need of a re-examination.

The author understands the intricacies of modern, father-daughter relationships and helps a daughter to understand, and emotionally embrace, this person people call "father". The author takes a woman, who is desiring to have a relationship with her father, through an enlightening journey of discovery of her own feelings and thoughts, and those of her father. It is obvious that the author understands her subject matter and basic human nature. The insights that the author leads us to are nothing short of amazing! If you read this book and are unchanged, demand your money back and check with the morgue to see if you're still breathing.

The book is addressed to daughters who miss their fathers, physically, emotionally etc. But I gained a lot of insights on what daughters really expect and miss from fathers. Dr.Nielson takes the reader through a human development cycle on how much daughters can give their fathers in terms of love and opportunities to learn, grow and become better human beings, and contribute to family solidarity through empathy. Dr.Nielson advocates a "voluntarist" conception of love. A great departure from screaming "what's in it for me?" That is not to say that she discounts reciprocity in relationships.

The context addressed is set in the US culture of the post 1960 decades. However, the basic motivations are applicable universally. I have lived in the US among young people for over 12 years as a student and as a Univ Faculty. Now, in India I perceive the same problems and the message that parents have even more to learn through interaction with their children. The emphasis on daughters adds more emotional content and nuances to the discourse. I would observe that most of the problems and solutions discussed in the book apply equally well to sons.

There is an elemental message that runs through the book. It urges parents to come out of their pre-conceived roles, inhibitions and relate directly one to one with their children. It echoes TSElliot's view that a cultural role is only a formal outcome of fundamental motivations and rationale`. We will be better off looking for those fundamental rationale` instead of assuming roles and be mere consumers.

Taking time out to read this book has been a blessing to my life and so many of my sisters. We are single mothers who have been divorced and raising girls on our own. The importance of relationships with our daughters and their fathers is essential and Dr. Nielsen did a wonderful job making the interactions realistic and meaningful. I would recommend this book to all of my african american sisters who often times need alittle help from the fathers of their daughters. Thank you Dr. Neilsen for your caring enough to give us sisters a hand at mending and reintiating father-daughter relationships. I can't wait to read more!

This book is the most insightful, rewarding book I have read in years. Dr. Nielsen unfolds and unlocks real information in a format that you can grasp and apply. It should be a required read for every female, even if she has a good relationship with her father or her father has passed. Pure unlightenment and understanding ~ that is what you walk away with after reading this book. It was very, very helpful to understand more completely the demeaning and demoralizing of divorced fathers. I believe this is a real issue in today's world and she addresses it head on. I would love to see a book by this title from Dr. Nielsen. What a gift to the world that book would be! I hope to see Dr. Nielsen on Oprah and Dr. Phil promoting her book very soon.

A wonderful relationship with your father is truly one of life's greatest joys. But how can we find this if we don't already have it? Dr. Nielsen's book provides many practical and creative suggestions for doing just this. We did not choose our father or the life we had as a child. However, we can choose to change the way we interact with our dad once we are adults. Dr. Nielsen uses a variety of interesting techniques: short questionnairss to focus on specific problems; "Eye Opener" research summaries to provide perspective; and sample dialogues to help us get started talking with our dad. Dr. Nielsen's academic credentials give her the credibility to write this ground-breaking book. And her warm, encouraging voice and helpful ideas give us the courage to actually try to reconnect with our dad. I am recommending this book to all of my friends who are puzzled, angry, or disappointed with their father. It's never too early, or too late, to start.

This is the workbook to the text, Ordinary Parent's guide to teaching your child to read. It is incremental, and covers everything that the texts does in the order that the text book covers it. It really is a shame that the OPGTTYCR did not tell me that these were the workbooks for that guide. I found out on a homeschooling yahoo group and we have been happily progressing along.

This series is amazing!!!!! My four year old has completed explode the code 1 and is sounding words out, reading and SPELLING!!!!! These books are engaging and she loves them. Where were these books when I was a child? The author has broken down phonics, reading and spelling into a very easy, very user friendly system. I use it and my best friend who also homeschools in using these books with the same results.

I have used these products with small reading groups and with my own children. I also like the before the code and beyond the code books.

This product is topnotch for teaching phonics and spelling.
Explode the Code Book 1 focuses on the short vowels. For each short vowel there are eight pages of exercises consisting of matching, spelling, writing, and copying. The prerequiste to using this curriculum is to know the consonants which are taught in the primers "Get Ready for the Code, Get Set for the Code, Go for the Code."
The graphics for Explode the Code are all in black and white with the illustrations having been drawn by children. This would be a good curriculum for those children who are sensitive to color stimuli.
Theoretically this is a sound curriculum, however it is not for every child. This was the situation in our homeschool, so we switched to utilizing School Speciality Publishing (formerly McGraw Hill) products which we are very happy with.

I purchased and have used Explode the Code books 1-4 to date. I also bought and am using the Teachers Guides as well. I enjoy the Guides as they take me through the process of introducing a skill, by offering short and effective interactive presentations or exercises. These usually take only minutes each, and with only a small amount of creativity can be extended when needed. Such activities include a short review of previous skill(s), a phonemic awareness activity, fluency, comprehension, writing, and a challenge, as well as the introduction of that unit's skill. The feedback from these is just what I need to know if its time to progress or not. The exercises also allow me to teach objectives from several angles despite my limited experience. Additional exercises are also presented to appeal to various learning styles.

My student enjoys the Student pages in the Explode the Code books. Once a student learns to do each type of exercise they can be completed with a great degree of independence. Some times we spend more time on student pages one day and more time with other activities the other just to mix it up a bit.

The ETC 1/2 numbered series offers more practice on the same skills taught in the whole numbered books.

For those on a budget, or who are not ready to commit to purchasing an entire phonics system, as well as others who only need to remediate certain objectives, the fact that these books are sold separately is nice.

While I use these as part of our home schooling day, I feel these books would be well suited for parents who wish to challenge a reader who is not being challenged in early grades at school, or who wishes to help remediate a slow or struggling reader. Explode the code is actually written for use in a class setting but well designed and lends to any student to teacher ratio.

Find a copy of this book if you are seperated or divorced. It is a powerful book with a wonderful message.

Find a Fresh Start retreat you can attend also. You will not be disapointed.

I bought this book so I could get some emotional help as I go through my current divorce..... I have had it for a couple weeks now and a near 6 year marriage ended 2 months ago..... If anyone is in any type of situation like this,, I recommend this book.. Questions such as: How did you know when the relationship was 'really' over? Who all are you angry at right now? What did your spouse do? What have you done to contribute to the current situation? How have you tried to keep the relationship together even when you knew it was over....... basically, questions that make you admit the truth to yourself so you can heal and grow from this and go on to enjoy your life... During the lonely days and nights, and times I don't want to answer the phone, this book is a Godsend!

My own divorce hit me like an earthquake: my whole world shook apart and then collapsed. I was left to raise two sons on my own.

I found this book soon after the divorce and was immediately comforted by the well-organized approach to the problems I was facing. This book helped me structure my life and gradually, get back on track.

Well-written, very practical, this book takes you step-by-step through the major things you are already dealing with --- or soon will be.

Barbara Sheldon, M.S.W.
Single Mom with two sons
I also highly recommend: Moving Forward After Divorce: Practical Steps to * Healing Your Hurts * Finding Fresh Perspective * Managing Your New Life

Let's face it: divorce often catches us by surprise, and it always changes many things about our daily life. More than just the loss of a partner, we find ourselves confronting brand-new challenges and dealing with things we never expected. For some of us, it's just too much: we can't handle it.

This author (not the radio host Jim Burns) is a minister who himself went through the experience of divorce. Out of that experience he gathered some of the most useful ideas and successful strategies that helped him and have helped others also. The result is a highly readable book.

You'll find good help here, especially if you're struggling to keep things together and trying to figure out what your priorities should be. Well-written and helpful.

Dr. David Frisbie
The Center for Marriage & Family Studies
Author of Moving Forward After Divorce: Practical Steps to * Healing Your Hurts * Finding Fresh Perspective * Managing Your New Life

This book has helped me through one of the most difficult times in my life. Things that made me feel like I was going crazy, I realized are just part of the proccess. I realize now that I will get through this and I am not going crazy.

I love this book especially for the younger age groups. It really helped me to see how you should set up games and what is important to include in all lessons. Great job Mr. Weiss!!!!

Excellent book for ANY grade level. The games can be adapted to suit the needs of your children. Howie Weiss has put this book together nicely. All of the games are easy to follow and can be adapted to suit the needs of your children, space and equipment.

It is great when you are creating a lesson plan because all of the games and activities are based on the NASPE's National Standards. I teach High School and my kids at that age STILL love all of the activities that I have done so far.

This book is definitely a must have!

If you are in need of the physical educator's Bible ,then this book is a must not only for younger teachers , but also for (us) veterans who need to be re-tooled.Howie's book hits the mark of excellence. It is apparent from the very beginning that his book has the ability to change the way physical education is preceived.
Howie's wealth of experience is noticeable on each page. He leaves so many variations and alternatives that can be used in all areas of education. This is not only a " How to Book ", it is a why, and a I wish I had this twenty years ago.I call this book a page turner because I couldn't wait to see what Howie would come up with next . He didn't dissapoint , in fact , this book gave me the energy to continue my quest to become even more active beyond retirement . Howie, thanks again for giving us a different view of the way to teach and to reach out to make a difference. Great job ! and will there be a sequel?
Gerry Cernicky

Mr. Weiss' book is a must have for every Physical Educator who is looking for new games to utilize in their physical education classes. The games and activities in the book can be easily implemented, and most require little or no equipment. In addition, these activities all can lead to meeting NASPE and state standards for Physical Education. If you are committed to providing a quality phyiscal education program for your students, this book is a must have for your library of resources!

Score one for day camps! This is an indispensable guide of exciting age based games sure to be a source of fun, as well as, build self esteem. A true find for both novice and experienced athletic directors.
This will be a great addition to my summer program
Susan Wortman
summer camp director

Very similar to the Alice books by Phyllis Naylor. Gert doesn't get into quite as much "I Love Lucy" trouble as Alice.

Those of you prudes who dislike the Alice series because of the explicitness, won't like Butt Cheek. (I suppose the title would give you a clue to that.)

As in one of the Alice books, Gert's health ed teacher gives the class homework of using a mirror to get acquainted with their bodies. Gert slow-dances with a boy and realizes that he is really up about dancing with her. She dresses as a mermaid on the homecoming float in October and wishes her bikini top was thicker. All sweet, innocent stuff but not for religiously uptight parents.

I think I actually got into the world of a real teenager! Gert is clever with words, witty, smart, and has honest convictions and opinions. I even laughed out loud! And I'm not a teenager; I'm a grandmother who read this book in preparation for a teen granddaughter. I can't recommend this book enough.

It would have been nice to know I wasn't the only one struggling with issues as a teen. Gert tells it like only she can, and I had a lot of LOL moments and even a few ROFL. Great read. Highly recommend to any age.

Reviewed by Tabytha Joy (age 15) For Reader Views (11/07)

"One Butt Cheek at a Time" is a book referring to the phrase "Take it one step at a time." The philosophy is that not everyone has feet, and even those that do, some cannot use them. But everyone has a butt. Therefore, saying "Take it one butt cheek at a time" would apply to everyone.

"One Butt Cheek at a Time" is about a girl who goes through life learning new things. Gert hates her name, but learns to live with it. Her best friend, Adam, is gay. They have been friends for many years. Well, Adam ends up with a boyfriend, and soon starts to neglect his friendship with Gert. Gert soon has to find a way to win her best friend back. She tries talking to Adam, but he doesn't seem to understand. Gert ends up meeting new friends when she gets assigned to a group project with her worst enemy, Jenny.

Throughout the story, Gert learns new things about her body. As a class homework assignment, Gert has to look at her private parts, using a mirror. This is so that the female can recognize if something has changed. Well, Gert decides to name hers...

Overall, I would say that this book was very interesting--in a good way, of course. I say this because I've learned some new things by reading "Gert Garibaldi's Rants and Raves: One Butt Cheek at a Time." I really liked how the author chose to use phrases like "Holy-Mother-Of-Fake-Butter" instead of curse words. This book would be best for females fourteen and older.

Gert Garibaldi's Rants and Raves: One Butt Cheek at a Time should be on every parent of a teenager as well as every teenager's reading list. Amber Kizer takes us into the head of a teenager -- for real! Today's American teenagers have more in front of them than ever before in our country's young history. Kizer delightfully tours us through a few critical months in Gert Garibaldi's 15-soon-to-be-16 life, keeping a steady stream of humor without losing that corner of reality. If you're a parent and want to know why your kids act the way they do; or are a teen and need to feel like someone else has been where you are sitting: you need to read this book. Oh and if you're reading it on the bus, be prepared for folks to stare when you laugh out loud. Be advised it deals with mature subject matter. That said, every teenager is already dealing with mature subjects. Can't wait for the next installment!

Clark Howard's goal is to show you how to "save more, spend less, and avoid getting ripped off." This book is very effective in helping readers to achieve that. He offers a wide range of advice on insurance, investing, real estate, car repair/purchasing, travel planning, and common scams. If you have any decisions pending in any of these areas it is well worth consulting his advice in this book.

Clark Howard should be regarded as a scholar and classified as "required reading" for everyone after the 10th grade. I don't always agree with everything he says and he does come off as a little goofy sometimes as well as unnecessarily cheap (at a salary of over $2M a year, Clark, you can "Super Size" your lunch- it's okay!) but the man knows how to make money and- most importantly- keep money.

Unlike most other wealthy business-savvy professionals, Clark's not pretentious and does not mind sharing his beliefs, experiences, and advice for the rest of us. The man has experiences in just about all areas of consumerism- he knows his stuff and these books are more like reference books than "nighttime reading". I always refer to Clark when beginning a financial transaction and have been very thankful I have more than once!

This book is awesome. It should be required reading for consumers prior to considering autos, homes, investing, insurance, warranties, long distance, cell phones, travel and many other topics. This is the kind of information a parent would want their child to be armed with before leaving home and learning the hard way. I feel like I owe the author more money because the price of the book was so low compared to the thousands of dollars I will save in the upcoming years. Would make a great gift for any friend and especially someone who struggles with finances.

Without a doubt this is the best consumer information book on the bookshelf today. Clark Howard presents a no nonsense, straight to the point look at what everybody should already know before you go out into the marketplace. I sincerely wish that I had this book before I left my parents house to start out on my own. If universities were really interested in informing the average student, this book would be a required class at schools across America. PLEASE GIVE THIS BOOK TO ANY RELATIVE WHO IS GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL. IT WOULD BE THE BEST PRESENT THEY COULD GET

I've been listening to this guy for a couple weeks on his talk radio show. I have to say that the common principles of personal finance and consumer rights presented in this book are invaluable lessons that we were never taught in high school or college (at least I wasn't). So, if you 're interested at all, check it out--you won't be dissapointed.

I looked for this book for many years. I originally ordered GET TOUGH :The U S Special Forces Physical Conditioning Program from a book club. I never received my order because it went out of print. GET TOUGH is a 1985 publication written by Tom Fitzgerald. The program is 3 parts: stretching, total body strength building using your own body weight, and running. The format is actually based on the U S Navy SEALS workout and is not necessarily U S Army Special Forces based. Regardless, this program is a 12 week (5 days a week) workout that requires nothing more of the use of a pull-up/chin-up bar. It is a very challenging workout that involves working muscle groups on a daily basis. A guide chart is included, as well as targeted performance levels from beginning to end. The dietary guide in the introduction is dated and better information is now available. This book is an older version of the newer U S Navy SEALS workout books by Mark De Lisle, but not as intense as the latter. Overall a very solid workout program and well worth the wait. 163 pp hardback

I know why they call this a program you will love, because it is not hard. I enjoy the exercises and will continue to perform them, but I am not making this my primary workout. Instead I will adapt it for use three days a week on my easy days, as this is a perfect complimentary workout. I consider myself in good shape, but not great, and I was easily able to jump in and do the 12th week workouts precisely how Fitzgerald specified, boots and all. There were only several out of the 46 total exercises that I could not perform easily. The only way someone could say that it is deceptively hard is that a few exercises are nearly impossible. I found those are strictly for the abs though however and not any other part of my body feels a workout. I am not sore or exhausted, and the cals are the only valuable part to me as the running in week 12 was not that advanced- anyone can tell you to run for two 20 odd minute intervals with 5 minute walking breaks. The ab work is good, but other than that it is not challenging for someone who has some flexibility and performs cals regularly as I had. I have no doubt that these are valuable exercises, but this is far from the billing that I was reading on everyone else's review about what a workout you'll get from it. If you want a challenging workout buy something from Stew Smith and adapt this workout to include all the exercises for the off, or easy, days. It deserves four stars because this is probably good for most people who don't stretch enough and/or want to ease into a workout. All the supporters of this book must forgive me for making it sound so bad, it is a quality purchase, this just doesn't seem like the ultimate workout.

The workout programme described in this book is deceptively difficult! Having read many of the recent titles which detail Navy SEAL workout regimens, I have found this one to be the most practical and time efficient. Some of the exercises would be considered obsolete by many, but once you get down to the nitty gritty this is a hardcore training programme (As one would expect from a former Navy frogman!). The instructions are very clear and presented with wry humour. The weekly and daily schedules are particularly effective as you can monitor your progress daily which is very motivating. It is also interesting to note that this book was first published in 1985! If you can find a copy, Buy it!

This is the most amazing exercise book I've EVER read. It's literally a crime they don't publish it anymore. Fitzgerald's exercise regimen is guaranteed to give you unbelievably "cut" muscles in a short time. His regimen will also force you to dig deep inside yourself for stamina, willpower, and endurance. Sound familiar? It should: Fitzgerald is ex-UDT.

For lower body conditioning, nothing I've seen compares to Fitzgerald's book. However, readers should add the upper-body and cross-training exercises found in the recent publications by Caracci, Helvenston, DeLisle, Smith, and other Navy SEALs.

This book is designed to put the reader through two workout programmes simultaneously. There is a Calisthenics programme, and a Running programme. This is a 12-week cycle; as Fitzgerald says, special forces are always changing and adapting, so there is no 'official' cycle that remains constant forever. Thus, this is flexible here, too. This book is all the reader needs except his own muscles and desire to succeed. No special equipment to buy or anything else. The back cover says this is not for the timid or the lazy. This is like being in the military. No excuses - just do it!

The author is a former Navy frogman named Tom Fitzgerald. He continues his fitness goals by running in the Boston Marathon and other such events. Fitzgerald promises better self-esteem, better motivation, and better accomplishment for those who will complete this programme.

The conditioning programme targets five different body parts with 46 different exercises. The running involves running and rapid walking with some intervals of sprinting. There is also a good deal of stretching involved. If you cannot give this one or two hours a day every day for 12 weeks then maybe this is not the book for you. But one could still get it and look at the exercises that have good descriptions and are useful, even if not following the programme.

Stretching
There is stretching prior to each session. This helps prevent muscle injury and makes one limber. Stretching after also helps healing faster, too.

Diet
This book does not go too much into diet since there are other books ready for that, but it gives some general rules. Vitamins and supplements are discussed and basic common sense like not drinking alcohol or too much sugar or caffeine before a workout. Their advice is humourous: 'If you're looking around for a mate, consider marrying a nutritionist.'

Other general instructions
This section deals with sore muscles, shoe and foot care (very important for the heavy running schedule). Keeping count and keeping at it is important too! At the end of the book is a record for keeping track of progress.

The Stretching Programme
There are 14 stretches in this, and each of them are done both before and after the calisthenics and running programmes. An important note is that this stretching routine was developed at a university training programme and not by the Navy. The chart at the end of the section shows what you should do, including how much time this should take. The opening stretches should take 5 minutes, and the final stretches should take 2 minutes.

The Calisthenics Programme
There are 46 exercises that are done over the course of the week that will exercise ever muscle in your body. There are five main categories.

General Warm-up
There are 10 exercises in the general warm up, and these exercises work to prepare the whole body for work.

Abdominal Exercises
There are 11 exercises in the abdominal section, and they work to strengthen and stretch the abs and your lower back.

The Side and Obliques
There aren't too many exercises in this part -- only 5, but they are important. These are really tough exercises beyond the usual stuff for sides and obliques.

Leg and Groin Exercises
There are 12 exercises in this section and legs are one of the major muscle groups in the body and often get overlooked. People think of abs and arms for fitness, but the legs carry the body weight all day long.

Arm Chest and Shoulder Exercises
There are 8 exercises in this final section for the upper body. The book said no special equipment is needed, but once will need a place to do pull-ups.

At the end of this section is the 12-week chart for how many exercises need to be done. Out of the 46 exercises you will do about half of them each day. Some things like leg stretchers are done almost every day. Some things like the one-legged push-up are done less often.

SEAL training calls running programmes 'conditioning hikes'. These involve running, walking double-time, and sprints in a programme on varying terrain, mostly on sand, which goes from being soft to hard-packed to ridged to in the water, often done in boots. The book makes recommendations for running in boots, and running with ankle weights or other kinds of terrain variations.

The first week involves running two miles in 15 minutes and makes progress up to eight miles at a maximum for the rest of the programme.

The exercises are described in good form each with pictures of each step. All exercises can be done by males or females. The pictures are basic black-and-white and sometimes a little grainy.

One drawback is that this is a tough workout programme from the very beginnin, and some people not be able to tolerate the stress and muscle effort from the outset. A Week Zero or prep conditioning programme would probably be a good idea to add if the book is ever reprinted.

The last part of this book involves setting out the schedule in a good format. There are also pages are for recording a personal record of progress and that can be motivating.