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I recommend this book to anyone who is curious about life. I already had a life purpose I felt confident and satisfied with before reading this book. I have a strong curiosity for life, and Steve Pavlina recommended it, so I gave it a read. I couldn't put it down ( except to do the exercises ).
I feel much more alive and on purpose after reading Swift's book. I feel much more confident sharing my purpose with others, and encouraging others to consciously pursue their own purpose, or the discovery of their purpose with this book.
I though th analogy with the cup and how water shape to the cup, is sensible and understandable way to explain your life's purpose. I don't want to give it all away. This book is phenomenal, and it would be silly not to read it.

Thanks Brad.

Walk into any bookstore and you'll find a dozen books that claim to have the keys to finding your life purpose. I've reviewed a good quantity of these types of books and the majority of them seem to have a ready made solution for you: the most common being service to God. Although inspirational, I find it really hard to believe that I could have the exact same life purpose as every other reader.

I believe that the biggest flaw in these resources is that the author's focus on doing rather than being. What will you do with your life to make your time here valuable? What have you achieved today, this year, or in your lifetime? The process is all a little external and designed to be sporadic.

Life on Purpose comes from a completely different angle. A life on purpose is more about who you want to be first and foremost. How do you want to feel each day? Who are you and how do you want to express these attributes? The doing comes later and is inherently shaped by your unique definition of being.

Before I read LIFE ON PURPOSE I participated in several of Brad Swift's Teleconferences where he outlined the process in his book. What and how he shared touched me and I wanted to experience going through the passages he spoke of and discover what it might reveal for my life. I found the book filled with questions, big, small, simple, easy and quite a few challenging - by far almost all worthwhile answering. The text is peppered with wonderful quotes that range from profound to hilarious. It is easy reading and light of heart for a 'serious' book about a big topic.
For myself, I found Brad's 3rd passage, UNCOVERING WHAT'S BEEN SHAPING YOUR LIFE, the simplest and most direct approach to 'examining the past' I have ever come across. Brad takes the seemingly complicated issues that often unconsciously shape our lives -survival patterns, role models, socio-economics, religion, nationality, etc - and renders them understandable in a 'non-psychological' manner - without bypassing powerful emotions such as fear and vulnerability. His path of questions reveal the pattern of the "wall paper" that you have been staring at in your everyday life and perhaps never noticed. Then, this pattern is distilled into a concise description he terms your "Inherited Purpose" which is from then on contrasted with the evolving discovery of your "Life Purpose" throughout the rest of the book. This distillation proved extremely useful to me, as I explored the rest of the passages and as I continue on in my Life Purpose. Every time the "Inherited Purpose" infiltrates my thinking I can easily identify and dispel its deadening presence. Now, my Life Purpose is an evolving endeavor that has the very best of me at the forefront of my life. LIFE ON PURPOSE is not a silver bullet with fast answers but an excavation that frees one's intuition and liberates consciousness for the purpose your heart cries out for.

After retiring from the Federal Government in order to move from DC and pursue a teaching career I had all but given up. No one was interested in hiring this late 50's veteran who just wanted to teach. I heard Brad at church and bought his book Life on Purpose. I did all the exercises which reinvigorated my belief the I was to BE a teacher. Within another month I was offered a job as a co teacher of Exceptional Children, teaching two Language Arts and two Science classes in a middle school. Brad's book was a significant part of my commitment to being a teacher. Read the book, do the exercises it may just work for you too.

I interviewed Brad on my radio show and found both Brad and his book to be sincere and enthusiastic. This book provides easy-to-use steps to a life more filled with awareness and contentment. Lee Channing.

I received the book well before the date promised. Am happy to add another Doreen Virtue book to my book collection.

The Lightworker's Way: Awakening Your Spiritual Power to Know and Heal

I really appreciate the author writing this book. She truly details all of the little life defining moments and the events in her life that led up to where she is now and how she slowly accepted her healing and intuitive gifts. I appreciate her honesty; this book has been extremely inspiring to me. I will suggest this book to any open minded person who wants to write their own book or for anyone who is very intuitive but do not have anyone they feel safe enough to share it with. Thank you, Doreen Virtue, for doing your life's work of healing and encouraging others to love and heal as well.

A powerful book that I just would not put down. I had many "aha" moments.
Higly recommend for those "living in the light". Worth a read. :-)

As the author of The Second Virgin Birth, I enjoyed The Lightworkers Way. I found it different and interesting.

I ordered this book again, after I read it years ago and gave it away. It was great the first and second time. Doreen is a profound spiritual teacher, clairvoyant and life educator. If the word Lightworker rings true to you, you MUST read this book. Doreen is a PHD psychologist AND a healer, intutive, so you get an overall way to heal that is loving light and soulful and practical knowledge. She talks about her history of having gifts and struggling against them and then embracing them. I have seen her numerous times and met her in Los angeles and she is the REAL DEAL. She beams an angelic quality and knowledge. I can't say enough how much her books have helped me on my path. I am a spirtual healer and psychotherapist, so I resonate with her being bold enough to speak her truth.

Just add me to the pack of people who loved this book as a child, and who are now reading it to their own children.

One of the things I want to add to the accolades is that this makes a good book for children to read. It is particularly satisfying because it has a good story -- something that is sometimes lacking in beginning readers.

As far as level I would say that it is at a first grade level which is to say that the print is still fairly large, but that there are more sentences per page than the very beginning readers are used to.

Big Red got back up on the
bank.
I tried and tried to get there too.
But I could not.
My feet were cold.
My hands were cold.
I was cold all over.
"Help! Help!" I called.
But Big red could not help me.

Five Stars. Classic story with wonderful artwork.

10 Star First Reader for children just learning the value of friendship and the feelings of others. Ideal for learning compassion, how deeply felt are hurt feelings, and how to fix them. Weighs the importance of ego vs humility, easily discernable and also appeals to a child's sense of ineptitude which arises naturally from his or her vulnerability as a child. Always a "first choice" if it hasn't been read in a while, and always a great pick for instilling confidence on difficult days, reminding both parents and adults that everyone is special, and that everyone has value, and can be productive and useful. A wonderful story of intimacy and rescue to which children instantly relate and appreciate, setting a foundation for lifelong compassion in the dignity of others, and respect for their emotions.

This book was one of my first reads in the elementary school library. Little Black, should be in everyone's library. Very good illustrations. Easily read to little children. One of my better memories of childhood books and now hard to find.

I found this book while going through a collection of books that belonged to my Grandmother - a former elementary school teacher. I immediately showed it to my 3 year old son who LOVES horses. We read this book several times a week. It is hands down, his favorite. The book is written in such a way that it holds a child's attention endlessly. My son gets a wide array of expressions on his face as I read it to him and he looks at the neat pictures. It is too bad that this book is no longer in print. Books written like this nowadays are few and far between. A favorite, a classic, a keepsake!

I am angry that the reviews that are shown for this book are the ones for the original version, which appears to be out of print. This is *not* the original story with the wonderful pictures that I loved as a child, the ones that are mentioned in several of the reviews; this seems to be one "translated into Navajo" and with different illustrations. Judging from the cover, I don't like them. Be warned: This is *not* the book you remember.

What I as a man like most about this book is that Gary is humble enough to admit that he himself had to overcome the same typical male responses and insensitivity to women that nearly all men do. That makes me relieved that it's not just me, and gives me a lot of encouragement.


Lee Liebner, author/singer of As You Go, an inspirational gift book/song-on-CD/scrapbook-journal for young people leaving home to enter the world.

This book should be required reading for every married person - male and female. It's a quick read - written well - enjoyable and greatly informative. There's a ton of wisdom packed in its pages. My husband and I just read it and we've been together 11 years - it's truly helping us get back to where we used to be - the love of each others lives!! It will bless your life - it will also help you with your children. This book teaches you how to love unconditionally through commitment and kindness. It is a MUST READ!!

My husband and I read this book while we were engaged. It truly helped to prepare us for the love life in marriage that comes after the lovey-dovey stage is over. I have given this book to many engaged couples as well as seasoned couples who are having rocky times because marriage can be hard in the first, second, fifth, seventh years...

This is a classic book. If you are looking for some good information to build a life upon, this is a great book to start with.

If you are facing problems in your marriage, order this book and then look at The Man of Her Dreams The Woman of His! and The Man of Her Dreams The Woman of His 2 - Livin' It and Lovin' It! (Volume 2)

Blessings to you!

Joel and Kathy

Gary Smalley has written several outstanding books on building and maintaining a strong marriage. He has certainly earned the reputation of being someone at the forefront of marriage advice. Unfortunately, I do not find this book, LOVE IS A DECISION, to be anywhere near his best work. Here, Smalley teams with co-author John Trent. The work is good, and there is certainly some great advice here for both newlyweds and long term spouses alike, but I find this book to be difficult at times. What I mean is, I've read this book 3 times now. It is only just over 200 pages. Usually, a book of that size I would tear through in one or two days, but it always a week or more to read this one.

I must say, I certainly agree with the premise and foundational message of the book. So much so that I teach it as an integral part of my marriage coaching. Love is a decision. Oh, I know, it doesn't start out that way so much, but that is why our divorce rate is so high today. When we first meet someone, our attraction is emotional. We see qualities about a person that attract us causing an emotional bond to develop. However, usually somewhere between 1 and 3 years into living under the same roof as husband and wife, those characteristics that we once found attractive now are often like fingernails on a chalkboard.

We must keep in mind that we humans are static creatures, not dynamic. We are ever changing and when we build our relationships on characteristics, we don't realize the strain we are putting on our relationships, because, in time, our characteristics will change. Our interests will change. Our physical qualities will change. Even our opinions will change. Like the old saying, "a man in his twenties who is not liberal has no heart, but a man in his thirties who is not conservative has no brain". The point is, we all change. When we base our relationship on characteristics, we are basing it on something that will be much different down the road.

You see, at some point during the first few years of marriage, we lose our emotional attraction and we must find a new path to marital bliss. This is found through our decision to love that person, despite the fact that they are no longer the same person we fell in love with. That is the premise of the book here and Smalley and Trent do site some viable guidelines to that end, but for me, the book falls short.

I'm not one who normally puts down one book to tout another, but in this case, many people reading this review might find their marriage in a dire situation. Therefore, if you do find yourself in a marriage that seems to have lost its love, I would recommend first reading "Marriage Fitness" by Mort Fertel. It covers the same principles, and does it a more usable fashion.

Pastor Monty Rainey

I bought this book in 2001 after hearing Crystal's story on Oprah. Oh how she inspired me. I too struggle with weight loss issues. My personal life has also had its challenges. Crystal is someone everyone can relate to. She is witty and funny and smart. She wrote about experiences that all overweight people can experience (shopping and being told we don't carry your size). She made me believe that I could do this. It's second only to my bible that i refer to for inspiration.

Thanks

Good for you Crystal for losing 167 pounds. I don't blame you for writing about it either, something this dramatic needs to be shared. What I really liked about this book was that it did not pressure the reader into losing weight. Diets these days are very stick: don't eat this, you must eat this, that and nothing else. Crystal shows us that you can lose weight your own way and it's up to you to set the pace.

I would like to give this book 3 1/2 stars but there aren't any 1/2's so I have written it. I really enjoyed her story and how she worked thru her struggles. It was a little unorganized but still enjoyable.

This book allows one to understand that the challenges of temptation for those struggling with weight loss is normal.

Some people kick themselves for backsliding on the diet trail. But this is verifivation that you still can continue and get over those mental humps.

This is chrystals everyday challenges that gets her through the storm. She begins to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I admire her because she experimented and found a method that was good for her. She teaches that there is no "blueprint" available for everyone.

If this book taught me anything it was the power of jeeping a journal. It will help you see where the problem lies and how to get through; and it will enable you to identify what is causing you to stifle your plans. It may be mental, physical or spiritual.

I use this book strictly for motivation. It's nice to read the words of someone who has been there.

I'd like to see her now! I hope she has kept up the good work.

"The Me I Knew I Could Be" is Crystal Phillips' journey from 292 lb (size 26) to 138 lb (size 6). I believe Crystal's obesity and binge eating would probably fall into the worst case category so I couldn't identify with Crystal's struggles, but I was inspired by her committed plan to lose weight. Apparently, the 292 lb was a result of her continuous binge eating (4 steaks, entire peach cobbler, and much more in one setting) causes my emotional issues (anxiety induced by grandfather, death of her brother, volatile marriage, and insecurity) she refused to deal with. Instead of just waking up one morning stating "I'm going to lose weight", Crystal learns the real reason she binged and began to deal with it. She uses typical weight loss techniques that can be found in any book, but what sets this story apart is her true story (complete with journal entries) that describes how she worked through the emotional problems to stop the emotional eating. At times, Crystal discusses how she came to a crossroad had to make the decision on whether or not to emotionally eat - sometimes she did, most times she didn't. When she did emotionally eat, she didn't give up but got refocused. Never does she say she's cured of binge-eating but offers ways to prevent to urge, i.e., after a big family gathering give leftovers away or only buy the smallest portion of a snack item. Her story is very honest.

Included in this book: recipes, before-after photos from her workshop participants, several exercises, and much more. The one unique item I found is the contents for a Survival Kit - a bag packed with healthy food and water that prevented Crystal from stopping at fast food restaurants.

I first read these books when they were originally published in 1983, I believe. I remember the frustration of waiting for each new installment to come out. Then I would devour the book in about a day, and begin the equally frustrating wait for the next issue. Imagine my delight to finally find copies of the entire series again! These books are a treasure! Of course, everything Michael McDowell wrote was special, and it is our great loss that he is no longer with us. I plan to buy several copies of ALL of his books, to make sure I always have a replacement when one wears out from being read over and over and over again. These are quite a find!!!

I had to reiterate what the others who reviewed this series have stated. This is one of the best, if not the best, serial novels I've ever read. It's well written, scary, and fascinating. Well worth the time and you'll read it quickly. In regards to the person who asked about the 6 books being published as one, it was already done. I found the book in hard cover (2 volumes) at a yard sale and of course bought it immediately. I've never seen it in hardcover since, but am glad that I have it. My whole family passes around this story every year for a re-reading. If you want a good read, then pick up the Blackwater series. You won't be disappointed. If anyone finds it on audiobook, let me know. Michael McDowell has definitely left behind a story that will live on through those of us who love it and will recommend it to anyone who will listen. Thanks.

Is this series flawed? Sure. You can't crank 'em out like MM did and not miss some problems. Still, there is much here to enjoy. McDowell's creation is very evocative of the part of Alabama he writes about (I used to live there), and his characters avoid for the most part becoming the one-dimensional "types" so typical of popular fiction.

The characters are all engagingly drawn, quite distinctly individual without clunky self-conscious quirks nailed to them and dragged around the room like you will often find in precious contemporary literary fiction. The characters sometime come off as movie characters, but no more than, say, a John Updike character does, or a Bellow character. They are graceful, cruel, funny, ambiguous, dramatic. We finish the series not know quite how to regard Elinor Caskey, the amphibious Lovecraftian creature that crawls out of the floodwaters and insinuates herself into the Caskey clan. At best, she amoral.

McDowell's prose is a treat to read. He is precise and elegant, a far better craftsman than most if not all of his better-known contemporaries.

In short, this series is a real treat. I read it when it first came out in the early 80's, 25 years ago. I remembered very little, except for a single image, really--the image that occurs near the beginning of the first volume when the preacher woman stumbles upon Elinor soaking in a pool of water--in her froglike state. I loved rediscovering this series.

'The Flood', the first installment of Michael McDowell's Blackwater series, introduces us to 1919 Perdido, Alabama. Yes, a flood wipes out the town. But in its aftermath a mysterious woman appears who befriends the town's most prosperous family. As the narrative unfolds it becomes clear 'The Flood' is actually a southern gothic novel, along the lines of Anne Rice novels.

The best thing about 'The Flood' is how it captures the feel of early twentieth century Alabama. Not sentimental but rather balanced. I also think the author does an excellent job with the characterizations. However in truth the story itself is, well, slow. Never boring, just a slow yet deliberate meandering.


Bottom line: a short novel which begs the reader to buy the next installment in the series, which I did. Recommended.

Reading all these reviews of Michael McDowell's "Blackwater" series on Amazon really was a revelation. I thought I was the only one who loved these books! Now I hear that the Sci-Fi Channel is going to produce a four-hour mini-series based on it and I have to say...it's about time! I don't think four hours can do it justice, though when you consider that "Gone With The Wind" runs under four hours, maybe it'll be great. More importantly, this masterpiece of horror will reach a much wider audience... maybe even to the point of Avon re-releasing the whole series as one large paperback, like Stephen King's "The Green Mile."
One aspect of the story that I love is the duality of the main character, Elinor. Is she good or evil? Monster or angel? The reader feels conficting (and changing) emotions regarding her throughout the story, right to the very end, thanks to the brilliance of Mr. McDowell's writing. That schizophrenia is evident also in the style of the prose; Most often it is languid and lazy, in slow motion, reflective of life as perceived in the Old South. But whenever the horror starts, the paragraphs get longer, the prose gets more acute, and the images evoked are burned into your mind...often unpleasantly so. Then it slows down again, to disarm you until the next time.
I read in one review that the late Michael McDowell referred to himself as a 'hack' writer of pulp horror. Mr. McDowell, where ever you are, please regard these reviews at Amazon, note the five-star average rating (higher than many 'classic' novels), and know that "Blackwater" is etched in our memories, even after twenty years.

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma-sambuddhassa
Homage to the blessed one the worthy one the fully enlightened Buddha

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma-sambuddhassa
Homage to the blessed one the worthy one the fully enlightened Buddha

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma-sambuddhassa
Homage to the blessed one the worthy one the fully enlightened Buddha

I wanted to read this book for a number of years. For whatever reason, I was unable to purchase it. I read parts of it on line. It is meditation in words. There are few scriptures that have effected me so deeply.

This is an outstanding piece of academic work. The translator has done an excellent job helping the reader through the tremendous repetition of the Pali canon and has provided valuable indices, tables, pronunciation guides and introduction. It probably is not a work for beginners, but once you have some foundation and understanding of the Pali canon, this volume is one of three you must have.

the realistic theravadan buddhism . this is a very big book and you cannot finish it in a month ...-to enjoy this book you must intuitivly understand the spirit of buddhism .mahayana buddhism has supermen complex
they run before learning to walk .before you begin trying save the world save yourself .

-Here's another five-star vote for an excellent translation showing care and faithfulness. The Introduction is itself a wonderful introduction to Buddhist thought and concepts, and the footnotes and index are commendable. The author often advises the reader when some controversy exists in translation and how this was resolved. Reading such a fine translation can add tremendous depth to your practice, help refine your compassion and wisdom, and give you an irreplaceable understanding of Buddhism.
-Although many good modern authors have published books with their own interpretations of Buddhist teachings, nothing can speak to you like the originals (this is also a good way to think for yourself).
-The individual suttas are just about right for reading one per day (even one sutta per week would be a good goal). You can easily finish the book in less than a year, and have enough time left over to read the Introduction as well.
-This is an excellent work of scholarship and IMHO would be a useful addition to the library of anyone interested in Buddhism.

excellent book texe marrs has done a great job my research in this subject has been helped by this book by 1000%

Texe's powerful book awakens us to the fact that we are immortal Spiritual Beings temporarily entrapped in the realm of Illusion ... these symbols are indicators that we are in the "prison" planet of the "counterfeit god", the god of this world, who uses every means of deception to keep us prisoners in his domain of matter.
This "Negative power" is the prison warden ... our role is to purify ourselves by reconnecting inwardly , through Meditation, to the audible life stream (light and sound) ... thus escaping ... and return to our true home beyond the stars. Help others to Awaken read this book .

I'm a strong believer in many of Texe Marrs' views, he is the foremost Christian voice when it comes to exposing the secrets of Satan's workers in today's world. In this book he informs the reader about the true meaning behind today's 'Mysterious Monuments'. Evil deeds are done in secret and this book shines a bright light for anyone willing to discover the REAL truth.

I bought this book after hearing about it on a radio show. I haven't read it yet because other members of my family pick it up and then can't seem to put it down. I'm on the third family member at the moment who is totally engrossed in this book.

If you want to know more about what monuments really mean, then this book is for you! Texe has loaded this book with lots of pictures from all over the world. He gives you a lot of truth as to why the monuments may be there and what they represent. You'll love it! I now find myself looking at other monuments that look just like the ones in the book and I know more about them and why they are there.How Satan Turned America Against God (Understanding the Times)

Well, I can't say anything less than great about the book because every page was useful. I read and reread the book several times to appreciate all of it since you get so much information without any thats garbage which is what most books contain when they are as thick as this one. The recipes I already had a chance to try to make were a success. This is only my 8th book in the culinary field so I am no expert but if my word means anything- i say get this book and learn A LOT!

I have been trying to buy a copy of this book on Amazon ever since hearing the authors speak at the Cascadia Culinary Arts conference here in Washington on May 22 (they were incredible) but it's been "out of stock" for weeks. VERY frustrating. I wish that I had bought a copy at the conference, but I didn't want to carry it around at the time. If I knew how hard it would be to find a copy, I would have! I spent two hours reading a friend's copy of "The New American Chef" and found it fascinating. The authors joked that it's the "Cliff Notes" of 10 different cuisines, but it's so much more. I love the idea of their "culinary compass" that they wrote about in the beginning of the book that maps out the way chefs cook today, and whether their focus is on experimentation or authenticity. It was obvious from their talk and from what I saw of this book that they think about food differently from other writers. I want my own copy!

As a fan of the Dornenburg and Page duo, I love their new book The New American Chef. I am also happy they expanded beyond restaurant chefs to include some of my favorite culinary writers in their roundtable of experts (Paula Wolfert, Corinne Trang and Julie Sahni are three of my favorites).

With summer here I am looking forward to making Jose Andres's "Gaspacho Andaluz" and Daniel Bouloud's "Cherry Gratin".

I only have one problem with this book. I am dying to order copies to take as house gifts this summer but it's been listed as "out of stock" on Amazon for the last three weeks.

A great book for year-round cooking or summer hammock reading.

THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF has a simple premise: Interview some of America's pre-eminent experts on 10 different cuisines (Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, Moroccan), and share their knowledge and insights with readers through honing them down into 35 fascinating pages per cuisine. The result? Readers are able to take an educational and delicious tour around the world through the histories, cultures and cuisines of 10 nations. This is a great book to read, and an even better book from which to cook, as it features dozens of recipes perfected by some of the country's best chefs and cookbook authors including Mario Batali, Rick Bayless, Daniel Boulud, Penelope Casas, Susan Feniger, Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Zarela Martinez, Mary Sue Milliken, Julie Sahni, Piero Selvaggio, Nina Simonds, Masa Takayama, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Paula Wolfert, Su-Mei Yu, and many more. This single volume can take the place of 10 tomes on your cookbook shelf. However, if you're looking for even more great reading about each of these cuisines, Nach Waxman (legendary owner of New York's infamous Kitchen Arts & Letters bookshop) provides his recommendations for further exploration at the end of each chapter. THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF is the perfect gift for the food lovers in your life (even yourself!).

Andrew and Karen are at it again! After writing excellent, provocative works such as two of my favorites: Becoming a Chef and Culinary Artistry, combine again to research and bring together this impressive volume sketching out the emerging New American Chef. Words like fusion and New World and other concepts seemed to fall short of what they were trying to get at, so this concept: New American Chef showcases ten world cuisines which bring there own philosophies and emphases and ingredients and techniques to these United States to combine with our burgeoning wealth of culinary talent to produce this wonderful new cuisine which this book showcases.

I can remember becoming first interested in high school when taking a date out on that impressive prom meal when gourmet was specific dishes, e.g. Steak Diane, etc. But now, there is such a wide variety of everything, with so many more choices of not only dishes, but cuisine specialty houses and more. This book gets to that. The mixture of cultures and global reach has brought us to this melting pot concept of gourmet. Here there are ten major world cuisines: Chineese, French, Mexican, Indian, Spanish, Moroccan, Italian, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese. Each of these is represented by its approach, similarities and specialties, then a representative recipe sampling.

While there is ample opportunity here to learn more about cuisines I'm already into: French, Moroccan, Italian, Mexican, Chineese, Japanese; there is certainly opportunity here to explore some new cuisine such as Thai, Indian, etc. although I'm not all that enthralled with them in my experience so far.

And just that is the beauty here, one doesn't have to be excited about all ten, or the majority of them. There is so much here to be learned and experimented with. The standards of each are explemfied in all: balance, aroma, harmony, seasonality, etc.

Recipes that caught my attention to make include: Deep-Fried Fillet of Trout(Masu no Agemono); Shrimp in "Crazy Water" (Gamberoni al'Acqua Pazza); Barcelona-Style Flounder with Raisins, Nuts, Lemon Butter and Anise; Cherry Gratin (Gratin aux Cerises); Maine Lobster Tail on Salsify with Pinot Noir Sauce, Vanilla Oil, and Crispy Leeks; Rock Candy-Ginger Short Ribs; Chile-Orange Cold Noodles; Braised Lamb Shanks with Masala Raan;Guajillo-Spiked Pork-and-Potato Tacos (Tacos de Puerco y Papas al Guajillo; Salmon Panang (Grilled Salmon in a Creamy Red Curry Sauce); Quail Bisteeya;Chicken Tajine with Prunes; Couscous Mango Mousse.

Many of the contributors are already great culinary friends and inspirations to millions: Batali, Bayless, Boulud, Feniger, Vongerichten, Wolfert to name a few. I'm sure many of the others will go on to such fame and become regular fixtures in this growing, wonderful world of cuisine.

With each cuisine there is ample background text as well as cookbook and other reference suggestions. No color photos, just the author's usual nice contrasty B&W but with unbelievably good text for chefs both pro and amateur.

This is definitely one to grow and have fun with. It proposes one choose a cuisine direction and then gives advice on that pursuit. An unusual and welcome addition and approach.

This book got me to a point where I was well prepared and confident walking into the exam. Its an excellent choice.

It was not for me, I've been working for the postal service for seven years, It was a gift for my brother and he raised the score from 78 to 91 by just followig this book tips... The best one in the market as of today.

This book/software package is an ideal purchase for individuals preparing to take the United States Postal Exam 473 & 473-C. The material is not only accurate and up-to-date, it's affordable, easy to follow, and comes with wonderful live customer service! This package takes you from the beginning to the end of this exam. It provides detailed information about each segment, strategies to overcome common obstacles, and finally simulates the actual exam with six practice tests. If you are serious about preparing for this exam, you want this book/software combo! Watch out for fraudulent companies! They are out there, and they will take your money. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way. The first company (which shall remain nameless in this review to avoid slander) stole my money by twisting the truth and providing me with irrelevant out-of-date material. If it had not been for the discovery of this book/package and Mr. T. W. Parnell's wonderful support team, I would have failed the exam. If you buy this package and follow the steps, you won't regret it! This book contains, "The Right Stuff!"

This book was really easy to follow and I felt really confident before and after my test. I think I had about a week and a half before my test to do this program and it seems just about right.I was so confident as I took the test, I finished with time to spare and went back and double checked myself. I took the test in 2005 and scored very well thanks to the book and computer program. I have had several interviews because I scored so well. I have had some questions along the way and they have been very helpful. The pathfinder people are very nice people to work with and very up up date on all their information. They communicate well and are quick to respond. I think they have many insiders that give them accurate information that the other books seem to not even have a clue on. You cannot go wrong with this. He gives you clues and tips to make it so easy to do. I have been to the library and read through many of the other books out there before I purchase this one. None of them compare to it in information and ease of use. Just buy it you won't be disappointed!

I bought the CD version of New Postal Exam 473 & 473-C Computer-Based Course (Paperback)by T. W. Parnell (Author), Susie Varner (Illustrator), from Amazon.com merchant wadsjk (http://www.amazon.com/shops/wadsjk). This study guide is great. It gives very helpful advice - even though I modified some Mr. Parnell's suggested strategies to suit my way of memorizing.

I bought the version of this book that came with a CD. The CD has a series of lessons (no substitute for reading the book as Mr. Parnell points out). The CD also allows you to simulate a test taking session. It includes instructions for taking the Exam (which are very similar to the real thing) and realistically times you on each part. The tests and answer sheets are in the book.

This Postal Exam is a TIMED TEST. It will be difficult to get through some of the sections of the Exam unless you practice. On one part of the Exam you are to make 60 responses in 6 minutes - 6 seconds per item! I have taken this Exam twice recently - six days apart. Even though I recieved Mr. Parnell's book two days prior to the first time I took the Exam, I completed 58 of the 60 items. Six days later I was able to complete all 60 on a different version of the Exam.

I'm confident the this book helped me score well on this Exam. I hope to update this review after the USPS sends me my scores.