A Books

I wish my parents had known about this so they could have taught me instead of me having to teach them. Shame on anyone that has discouraged this sort of creative thinking. Let the rigor with which Joseph Jenkins has researched this topic be a lesson to anyone who wants to make a claim about the validity of any of our social norms.

the true revolution is in our poop! its a great read and is a vital piece to the new sustainable culture we are growing. thanks joe!

Fascinating and intelligent book that holds the key to sustainable practices that will help protect our drinking water supply. Why use 1.5 -5 gallons of precious drinking water to wash our poop away? It's a shameful and wasteful practice and this book provides the best solution to managing our excrement in a way that is healthy for us and for the planet.

Everyone should read this book, even if they have no intention or ability to use a humanure composting system. It provides a wealth of information on a subject that has been ignored for too long...human waste - how to dispose of it in a sensible, sustainable, practical, useful manner. We haven't flushed a toilet in this house in eight months, since we got this book and built our own sawdust toilet and composting box out back. We had a serious drought here this summer and our well was REAL low, but we had no problems because we weren't FLUSHING FOUR GALLONS OF CLEAN DRINKING WATER UNDERGROUND each time we went in the bathroom. I always wondered why we eliminate in water, anyway. And it doesn't stink, the compost box doesn't stink, it's simple and straightforward and clean and the humanure toilet's time has come! Everybody who comes in our house gets dragged into the bathroom by my husband to meet our new humanure toilet! Then I drag them outside to meet my wonderful compost box! So far we've had one convert, a couple with a camp who were using a stinking old outhouse, and they are just thrilled with the idea of using a humanure toilet next summer when they move back to camp. As a bonus, our electric bill dropped substantially, just because the water pump doesn't have to kick on every time a toilet is flushed. Buy this book, read it, start using a humanure toilet, tell all your friends, lend the book to your friends, do it now! Then read Joe Jenkins' other book, "Balance Point."

Due to a plumbing fault in the house, my family have been composting in the back garden on a daily basis for over a year. What a bonus to stumble upon this book and find out that our actions have been helping to preserve the future of our planet! A number of residents in our street have complainined that the local environment has been suffering from some kind of unpleasant air pollution of late, so we feel proud to be putting something back.

This book is a great gift, especially to those enterring new exciting chapters in their lives. It could as a result of death, illness, or just starting a new chapter. Life is hard but enjoy gain strengh from that around you.

This book is very inspirational and can be used a a motivator for young people embarking on their life journey. The accompanying cd is excellent as well.

I felt so connected to this and cried , I gave it to my daughter , who had just found out she had cancer . goldenyrs43

Leeann Womack does a fantastic job at describing how the song came about and how to apply it to every day life.

Being a lover of this song and of gift books, I naturally couldn't resist ordering this book the minute I saw it in a store. The lyrics of Leann Womack's classic song is featured throughout the book, along with inspirational messages and beautiful photography from those who put the book together.

I did dock a star because the messages in the book that accompanied the song occasionally came off as a little too..mushy. I'm really not that harsh a critic, not of books like these, but the beautiful words of inspiration were, a couple of times, replaced by words that were definetly too syrupy for my taste. I prefer truly moving messages and stories to speak for themselves, but it occassionally seemed like the authors wanted to hammer the point home, overdo the sentimentality, and even make their message serious and cheerfully bouncy at the exact same time (trust me, that doesn't work.) For ex: throughout the book, the lyrics of the song are printed in large bold letters in order to differentiate them from the authors' separate words of inspiration. Usually, the pages featuring the lyrics had no other words on them, but at one point, right above the words of Womack's moving song, the authors' placed a bulletin that said, "Attention! This is BIG stuff!" Considering the fact that Leann's song more than speaks for itself and doesn't need any extra emotional boosting, I found those additional words annoying and almost jarring to the flow of the song and its message.

Elsewhere in the book, as I mentioned before, the sentimentality goes into overdrive. One page is dedicated entirely to love and begins with the words, "Love, love, love. You have to love." Again, I got that idea the first time. It's nice to compliment the song with additional words of motivation, but we don't need an interpretive page with every selection of the song. In another part of the book, while speaking of youth, the narrator says, "Ah, youth..new skin, wide smiles, clear eyes..the future so bright. If only we could bottle it up, sip it now and again.." This sounded more to me like a bad commercial for a fountain of youth than a motivational speech. I don't mean to sound cynical, I usually love gift books, but the tone in this one was sometimes just too sweet for my taste.

I also didn't particularly care for the version of the song in the bonus CD. There's a mainstream version with soft rock music and female voices in the background (which I prefer) and there's a country version with male voices in the background and the occassional awful twangy instruments; this one's the latter. If you like country music, good for you, but I don't like the country version of this song.

There are plenty of good points of this book to make up for the disappointments, of course. The song is wonderful, whether you hear it or read it, and some of the separate words in the book were lovely to read. My favorite part of the book's text, other than the song, was a beautiful little haiku that the authors wrote called "You", celebrating every individual. The photographs are also gorgeous, from grinning children to nature scenery. A beautiful package, altogether.

Now, if they'd only make a gift book celebrating the beautiful song "Private Malone"..

Ordered this book before our Jan. trip to Kauai. We have been on this island many times, but this book gave us lots of info about trails. It tells you the difficult trails, the easy trails, how to get there, what to know before you start, etc. Really a very good buy for hikers who want to see more of this beautiful island.

Guess where my wife wants to take me on her summer vacation? Hint: she likes lush resorts with hiking opportunities.

I've been to the other islands of Hawaii several times, but never to Kauai. I don't need the usual 50 pages of cajoling to enjoy myself that most guidebooks feature, and in this era of goooogle, I certainly don't need out-of-date hotel listings. This is a book crammed with info that I may find useful when I get there, concerning the rugged activities that make flying all those hours worthwhile, written in a plain and honest prose. I'd venture to say that this is the most convincing guidebook I've ever encountered.

Another reviewer complains about the absence of maps. I'd agree that lack fo maps would be a problem, except that the maps one finds in other guidebooks are almost always next to useless. My advice: get a real full-sized map and correlate!

We returned this year with their new third edition for 2008 and found remarkable changes. Hiking the Kalalau Trail again.....was even better the second time around. When it comes to organization and finding ez access to all the cool trails, this one is the winner. The strategies for getting around this beautiful island were incredibly useful.

Have only made it partially through the book and am very impressed with the outline and the depth of knowledge of the subject. My wife and i are returning to PoiPou on the south shore at the end of April, 2008 and we are making daily plans from this book.

A must to throw into your backpack when heading out to the trails. All of the information you will need to plan a day of hiking, biking, or paddeling is in this one little book.

I purchased this bible for my oldest daughter when she was only three years old. She has enjoyed reading this bible for years. I even went out and purchased this bible for my other three daughters as well since it was a hit with my first one. The pictures make learning the bible so much easier and make it so much more exciting to read for everyone. I would recommend this bible to everyone.

I've bought at least 4-5 different comic/picture Bibles for my kids.
This one stands out as the best in all categories.
The details, the accuracy to scripture, the color, the amount of picture, the price, all in all, this one tops them all.
During one summer, my son read the picture bible 7-8 times cover to cover.
He now excels at all bible trivial questions in Sunday school.

I have one for my son and one for my daughter.
Buy it, it's a great buy!

This is a bound together reprint of the multipaperback set I had as a child and my children are as captivated by the stories as we were. It is a good way to make the bible their book of choice, at least some of the time.

As I pastor I'm amazed at how many young children like to have the Bible read to them. As they grow older, you want them to begin to read it for themselves, and the Picture Bible provides a great transition between being "read to" and "reading it themselves." Parents can read it to them like a picture book until the child begins to read on their own.

And kids like to read this edition! It looks like a comic book (what kid doesn't like that!) but it tells many of the major stories found in the scriptures.

I always keep a couple of copies on hand to give to parents when their children reach age 5 or 6. And for the price, how can you beat it.

Pastor Kirk Brantner

I used to carry this around the house as a child and was recently looking for something like it for my daughter. I looked for it and didn't expect to actually find it. I always remembered the stories of the bible the way they were presented in that book. I think this is a very valuable addition to any home library. Of course not as a replacement for the bible, but it really helps relate those stories to children and helps generate interest in the bible. I recommend this to adults and children.

As I often (probably too often) do, I just checked the ranking of MY young reader's novel, "Hubert Invents the Wheel," against others in its category and was delighted to find "Mad Scientists' Club" one slot of ahead of "Hubert." What great company to be in!

40 years ago, I read this paperback so many times that I wore the cover off and had to re-attach it with duct tape. I didn't realize it at the time, but Brinley gave me a HUGE push in the direction of my current writing career, by combining highly accurate and detailed scientific know-how with crackerjack tales of suspense, action, and humor.

I dusted off my copy of MSC a few years ago and was astonished by how up-to-date it still felt. Much of the scientific equipment mentioned is still used today (gastroscopes, thermocouples) -- one only wonders what Brinley would've had to say about the Internet!

Like several other reviews, I first read this book in a Scholastic Book Club edition as a kid, which I enjoyed and kept. I somehow later found the second book as well.

Now I've replaced them with these new hardback editions, and can now read the 'new' (to me) volumes.

As a scout, I also liked the stories where the club was shown to be Explorers. And, as a long time viewer of the Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights, when they showed an adaptation of one of the stories, I knew where they got the story from (which I was able to verify as an adult).

I loved these books as a boy, and I still enjoy them now. Yes, the science is a bit dated in a few places, and yes a few of the stories don't stand the test of time quite as well as others. However, the fact remains that these books mix fun, curiosity and scientific exploration in a way that is still very appealing. Get these books for your kids and for yourself!

It was so cool to re-read these stories! I first read these in 6th Grade in the 1960s, and the idea of a lake monster stayed with me all these years. Just the kind of stuff I used to love to daydream about when I was a boy. I even bought an extra copy for my nephew.

I first read this book when I was about 11 and loved it. I thought it was so cool these guys had all these great ideas and equipment to pull them off. The book now reminds me of a simpler time when kids knew how to have fun with their imagination instead of a $400 video game.
I was so glad when I found the book available again. I look forward to when I can give it to my nephew and hope to instill in him the same sense of wonder books such as these instilled in me.

This would be a great book for a guy in their teenage years, if however you are older than this I think that you will find this book childish with many chapters that are of no help whatsoever.

Most of the scenarios are school-based and there are chapters on zits, farting, and other teen-issue things.

Many of the techniques that the author puts across will most likely only work on teenage girls, for example the author says that to let a girl know you are interested in her you should make a stupid funny face at her.

In the author's idea for the first date he suggests that you take the girl to a fast food place (which we don't have here in NZ) that I'm guessing is like Burger King. I don't think a 30 year old woman is going to be very impressed if you take her to such a place on a date.

As I said there are chapters on zits, farting, and is your little man normal, etc which again are really of only use to teens.

I found the author's writing style to be rather annoying too, with lots of comments, afterthoughts, and attempts at being funny in brackets throughout the text that really breaks the flow of it.

If I was to rate this book on the amount of usefulness I (in my late twenties) got out of it I would give it 1 star. Realizing that this would be more useful for a teenage guy it gets an even 3 stars. The more accurate title for this book would be "A new Girls' Boy".

This is a great manual for older boys suffering from puberty. I'd say 18 and above. I have 2 young boys and I'm saving my copy for them to read when old enough. I thought it was respectful to women and pretty true from the female perspective! Way to go Colin.

I began reading this book thinking that it was going to be totally sexist and vulgar. My mind wasn't very open to what I was about to read, but once I started, I found myself laughing and agreeing with a lot of the things that Colin writes. He nails the wants and needs of most women right on the head and even proceeds to explain the ways of women to the average clueless male. The book is a quick and worthwhile read. If you don't find yourself laughing at something on every other page, perhaps you should lighten up and get a sex life. Mad props.

my sister and i both read colin's book. it was both funny and educational. since its written in the male perspective i had a real learning experience. i even read some out loud to my boyfriend!! thanks for the help, and the great read!

(Other than the cover posted - mine was much livelier), this book is really pretty good.

Helps guys who lack the confidence to approach and date women on a consistent basis.

Unfortunately this book, like many others in this vein, still hold onto the old saw in providing 'pickup lines' to initiate interest in the opposite sex. Pickup lines, no matter how clever or nuanced, don't work. Why? Because they are usually crude or insulting. Field tested routines are much better to convey the eight components of attraction and showcasing men's best qualities.


- Razr

I would love to detail all of the specifics of what I found interesting and helpful from the books and DVDs in this system, but that would surely take up more time and room than this space allows, lol. Suffice it to say that those Reiki recipients whom I have been working with for some time have commented that they notice an increase in Reiki power -- and they didn't know that I had been doing further study with Steve Murray's Usui Reiki system products; they simply knew something was different. As a newly-signed author myself, I love his writing style; Steve is straight to the point without unnecessary wording --- I like and appreciate that.
Steve Murray's books and DVDs and absolutely priceless and will remain in my personal library as invaluable reference materials in the years to come. I do and will recommend them to anyone that I believe would be interested. I also see that his new book and DVD will be released soon. I plan to purchase and study those also ;)
Namaste,
Raine

While many books, DVDs, etc. SAY that they will reveal the secrets of Reiki, the series written by Steve Murray really delivers.

Here you will learn all the Reiki symbols, the attunements for 1st level, second level, and Reiki master, and much, much, more.

Thoughtfully written, you will find everything you want in this series of books and I highly recommend purchasing them. They are a must for any Reiki healer's library.

I have always known that I had healing energy but in 2004 I began to read Steve Murray's books and receiving his attunements by DVD. It works. Beginning with - Reiki The Ultimate Guide, he teaches his students about the Reiki sacred symbols & attunements and becoming a Reiki Healer. I received my attunement for 1st Level Reiki from Steve's DVD. After that I went on and received attunements for the 2nd Level & read his books - Reiki Ultimate Guides 2 & 3. Steve Murray's method of explaining the sacred symbols and attunements makes it easy to understand and he hides nothing from his students. His book Reiki False Beliefs Exposed For All shows how honest he is with his students. I have bought his DVD and received the attunement to become a Reiki Master, but waited until I felt ready. First I bought the DVD's Reiki 1st Aura and Chakra Attunement and Reiki Healing Attunement - Heal Emotional - Mental - Physical - Spiritual Issues and received these attunements. Afterwards I felt ready, and received the Master Attunement by Steve's DVD program. Steve's program is thorough and easy to understand, and his unique way of teaching is effective. The knowledge and attunements have been very helpful for me while on my own spiritual journey. I would recommend Steve Murray's program for anyone that is interested in becoming a Reiki Healer or in expanding their own knowledge and intensifying their own abilities as an energy healer. Steve Murray leaves no stone unturned, and will leave you feeling enlightened, and stronger as an energy healer.

After being attuned to the 3 Reiki DVD's, I tried it out on 1 of my massage clients. He was more than willing to be my Guniea pig. I asked him not to tell me if anything was wrong, I wanted to see if I could figure it out on my own. While i was performing the session, i felt tingling going all over my hands & going up my arms. I wasn't sure if it was the Reiki or if my hands were falling asleep from holding them up for so long. They tingled all over his body. When our breif session (maybe about 15 minutes) was over, I asked him if he was sore all over. He responded, "Yes! How did you know?" I told him, "I just knew." Still not sure if it was the Reiki, his wife, who is a dear friend, reinforced it for me. She said, "He said he NEVER felt anything like it in his life. He never felt such heat generated from something that wasn't touching his body." I believe this is proof that the Reiki Steve's teachings and attunements work.

His books are so helpful in answering questions that he didn't have time for on the DVD's. So far, my favorite is the "False Beliefs" book. I started out with that book. The others reiterate it & therefore, I believe make the Reiki stronger because you can understand it better. Steve is a wonderful teacher and is so helpful in answering your questions. There is no doubt in my mind that he is an even better teacher in person. If I had the money to visit him in California, I would. He is a very special person. BDB

This is a great way to learn Reiki. I took a lesson for one and two attunments. But I get more out of Steve Murray's information. I have all of his books, DVD's, CD's. I can go back at anytime to study the information. This way I learn it even better and grow with it. I can't go back to a class unless I pay BIG DOLLARS!!! This is well worth it, it teaches you the same thing a class does. When I did the first attunment I truly felt something, more than I did at a class. It give me more consentration being by myself so I get the real feeling. It's amazing. I now have my Master through this wonderful program.

i really loved this book if i was born around his time i would have been his friend i love how he stood up for his beliefs and went back to school in stuff even though he didn't get to gradulate, but he still lived a great in fun life it was short but he did things with it i'm young but my aunt past away with AIDS and after reading this book it really touch me i was crying because i felt so bad what ryan went though but he didn't let it get to him. He was so strong he got people believing again.

In fifth grade we were introduced to an illness called AIDS. We also learned about a boy named Ryan White. I took an interest to this story because I have an illness called diabetes and have to deal with how different people react and treat me because of it. Just like Ryan and AIDS diabetes is not contagious and there are no know ways to prevent or cure it. I have heard many different reactions when they find out that I have Diabetes. The most commom being "Did you eat too much sugar or something?" Most of the time I just laugh at this and explain that you have no control over getting Diabetes. I took an interest in school that year and by doing so I found myself a role model...Ryan White.

When I was young I remeber a copy of People magazine that my mom had lying around with Ryan White on the cover. For some reason I always took an interest to him, and his life, and all the article that I could find on him. In high school I remeber reading part of it to do an exta credit project. Finally 2 year out of high school I decided to reread the story of his life. It is amazing how people really are. It really hit home, not living too far from Kokomo, Indiana where he was from, that people in my community would treat people this way. It is also amazing how much determination he had to be who he was and not let anyone or anything get in the way. This book is great!!!! Everyone should read it and put themselves in this families shoes!!

Today is World AIDS Day and each year I remember my childhood friend, Ryan White. His sister and I were both Rollerskaters and skated in the same skating rinks. Knowing Ryan personally and having his book for years now, it is still a story that resonates with me. It is true, thoughtful, and in his own words.

I'll never forget the hatred the spewed from the city of Kokomo against him. It was such a devastating blow to his well being. Not only did he have this death sentence, but the entire town was treating him worse than what you would treat a pig going to slaughter. I am not joking. I remember seeing him at the skating rink one day, it was a time when he wasn't as sick so he was able to be a kid. I went up to him to give him a hug because I hadn't seen him in so long and he said, "You want to hug ME?" He was shocked that someone would want to touch him. That's how bad it was.

Read his book. He is the reason people with AIDS are accepted now. This friend of mine had more courage than anyone I have ever met.

I read this book upon entering seventh grade. Ryan's story was so empowering and so honest that I often feel the need just to sit down and read a chapter by random. Everytime I read it I cry. This auto- biography has inspired me to help in the relief and research for AIDS. I have done reports on the disease and Ryan and teachers often comment about how passionate I am about the subject. This book changed the way I veiw life; a treasure that should'nt be wasted. Thank you Ryan.

Not one of the worst books I've ever read but pretty close. Sorry I bought it and am not passing it on to friends. Perhaps it was the subject matter that first intrigued and in the end alienated me but I had to force myself to finish because I couldn't believe the plot. I kept hoping for some relevant message. Mary Magdalene, the original feminist and Mary the Mother of God, the worn out, bitter, stay at home Mom? I won't even try to describe her take on Jesus. Not my cup of nectar. I'll certainly make every effort to keep this book a "secret".

It's embarrassing to say this, but I was told to read this book by a friend who gushed about it. Normally, I run away from books that are gushed about. But I had to read it. She stood over me until I did. Now it's my turn to gush. Read this book. If you're looking for everything in a book: a great read, beauty, real characters, adventure, action, secrets, and deep meaning, well, you've found it. Now I'm gushing.

Though the cover states "What the DaVinci Code only hinted at, this brings to life" is only partially true. Yes, it shows Mary Magdalene as Jesus's companion and intellectual peer, but no, it doesn't reveal any more of their relationship. In fact, it shrouds in diffucult prose what their relationship was, how they spent their time together (other than walking everywhere silently), and how they collectively orchestrated Jesus's resurrection to fulfill prophesy and give the people the Messiah they so desperately needed and sought. Through Mary's voice, it turns the miracles, the parables, and the events described in the Bible as basically misunderstood by the disciples, and therefore calls into question their historical and spiritual validity. This viewpoint, though creative and well-composed, made it all too convenient for me. I'm no Biblical scholar, but I do know some of the pivotal points in the Gospels, and what's more miraculous to me is how Mary Magdalene, whether clothed as herself or as John the Less, is at every one of them and has an explanation as to how they each came to be that's at odds with what's recorded in the gospels. I would agree with an earlier reviewer who found the ending a disappointment. I won't go into it, in case there's a reader out there who doesn't want me to give it away, but be prepared - it will let you down. DaVinci code went further than this, without going into all the details of Mary's (Miriamne's) life. Read it for the interesting perspective, but don't read it for salacious and informed details regarding Mary's and Jesus's relationship.

I can't count the times I cried reading this book. Or the times I laughed. Or the times I wondered at how the author made such perfect sense of all the stories, interpretations, arguments, historical events, warring religious factions, as well as getting under the skin of each and every rich and delicious character. My understanding of what might very well be a true "Truth" as I read got clearer and clearer and if I wasn't crying or laughing, I was going aha! yes! could be! why not? never thought of it that way! wow!

The theology is brilliant. The philosophy is brilliant. But it's also a brilliant read. This is a historical novel so it has all that those who read historical novels could want: an Alexandria, Egypt when the Great Library still beckoned, the Holy Land when the temple was the center of Jewish belief, Rome when Tiberius was emperor. It has adventures and quests and love and despair and thrill and danger and derring-do and, best of all, Meaning. The story means something that will stay with you long long after you close the book.

I've read a few reviews that loved the book but said they had a little trouble at first with the style of writing. But that's perfect too. It's like reading Gone With the Wind, the King James version. It's literature on a high level but in no way does this mean "difficult." It means this is a real writer telling a real story that needs to be told.

Although well written, this book takes all the writings of the New Testament regarding Jesus the Christ and his followers as not only ordinary, but, provides a story line that discredits any miraculous happenings, including the resurrection of Jesus. The book provides information on the times and geographical areas mentioned in the New Testament and develops the personalities of various followers of Jesus in ways that are most interesting. However, I would caution anyone planning on reading this book to know that all miraculous events will be given a non-miraculous context.

Joel shares his very personal experiences with you the reader in an unbiased way so that you can think for yourself and come to your own conclusions regarding his extraordinary experiences. He has fulfilled a great purpose in providing a great source of hope for all people in the face of pain, suffering and loss. This is a very uplifting read that will make you think and hopefully, do your own research into life after life. I especially appreciate that Joel was thoughtful enough to include a photo of Albert, his beautiful friend. Thanks Joel for this important work!

I would like to share with the readers my experience with this book "Signals". For quite some time, i have had unexplained psychic experiences (signals) with my loved ones that have passed on. I wasn't quite sure why i was receiving signals until i read Joel's book. It was like a light bulb went on, the BIG AH HA! Everything seemed to make sense. I even wrote to Joel, and we've become great friends for many years now. I've recently had the honor of meeting him and i have to say, he's the read deal! He is the most genuinely spiritual person i've ever met! Please read this book. It is incredible! Jane

Signals is truely a masterpiece. Joels' essence is that of gentle soul who has the courage to write about his tragic loss and spiritual journey. His eloquent story of love will continue to help heal so many others, and at the same time offering them much needed hope. A true gift for all readers.

Jean Larch, author of "Dying to Be Free; A Healing Guide for Families After a Suicde"

This is the first time that I have been moved enough by a book to actually take the time to write a review. I have lost so much because of the devistation of the AIDS epidemic. It is so easy to give up and feel sorry for ones self. Joel made me see the hope and joy even in the most tragic moments of my life. I felt his love on every page.
This book is a gift. If you feel hopeless-this book is for you. If you have lost someone close to you-this book can help you through this time of grief. It helped me to overcome the cold fear and overwhelming sadness that had been my constant companions for too long.
Please read this book-it can change the way you see the world and bring some light into even the darkest and gloomiest corners of your soul

I picked this book up thinking it was about something else and started reading and was hooked. I could not put this book down and kept wanting to know more. This is a wonderful moving story about life and not giving up. I promise, if you are into the paranormal and wanting loved ones to be near us when they die, you will not be sorry with this book, you will also, learn about a man that has withstood so much in his life and continues to push forward. I would recommend this book to anyone with an open mind about love, life and friendship.