Burns Books

Within a few days of starting this diet, my appetite was shrinking! The tea really works well as an appetite suppressant. I'd reccommend this to anyone who likes tea and wants to lose weight. It's great that the book includes a meal plan for people who like structure and food suggestions for people who want to be more flexible.
You don't absolutely have to eat the foods "Dr. Tea" mentions in the book, you can eat other low calorie dishes from the basic suggestions (you can even eat lean steak, it's on the list of protiens!) provided that you drink enough tea. And it's not too terribly hard to get the amount of tea it specifies: just brew a bunch in the evening, cool it down, and put it in water bottles in the fridge for the next day. Or make a thermos of hot tea before you go to work. Take tea with you wherever you go, and you'll have no problem drinking enough.
You're supposed to drink tea when you're hungry between meals instead of snacks. What I've been doing is drinking tea when I'm hungry, then if I'm still hungry after that, I eat something small and heatlhy, like a piece of fruit. That works better for me.
"Dr. Tea" even has suggestions for what tea to drink when a craving hits. Granted, many of the teas he suggests are his own blends which he sells at [...], but then again he's the only one who's come up with teas specifically designed to satisfy cravings.
All in all, this is the best weight loss plan I've ever tried!

BOOK OFFERS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION. PUT THEORY INTO PRACTICE AND OVERALL HEALTH DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES. FLIPPING COIN, IF YOU'RE FIT, YOU OWE IT TO OTHERS TO SHARE BOOK AS IT'S USER FRIENDLY AND AN ENJOYABLE READ.

Great book...learned lots of new and interesting things about tea that I never knew - I highly recommend it!

Neat book and have enjoyed reading and learning and think much of the information is true and good to follow.

This book recommends that you drink at least 8 cups of tea per day. If you're making hot tea, this is really inconvenient, especially if you're a busy person. I bought some of his teas and I was disappointed -they weren't as good as I hoped.

Lamb Chops...What do lamb chops have to do with this story, well everything! Lamb Chops is the vaudeville routine that brought fame to this comedic duo in the late 1920's. I have the link to a You Tube movie short that was filmed in 1929 for this popular routine here. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzFcsdgkg54 ) In this clip and others that I've seen with Burns and Allen, I think Gracie is the reason that they had so much success. She was so natural in her role as the "ditzy dame". She was good if not one of the best funnymen to a straightman role. This book takes the reader back to the waning days of vaudeville and the beginnings of film, radio and television as the new media for bringing entertainment to its audiances. George Burns takes us back down memory lane with a personnal love story that lasted nearly 40 years. His memories include many places and friends that I as a reader enjoyed visiting. I don't read love stories usually, but this love story is one that I enjoyed and won't soon forget.

In our disposable transient society of today, it is a refreshing change to see a love and a marriage that lasted so long. As time goes on, it is becoming an even rarer event.

In this book, Mr. Burns fondly remembers his wife, Gracie Allen. The stories that he tells about her, how they met, and how they managed to stay together so long were interesting to read and entertaining.

I would recommend this book to all ages. It is easy reading and also tells somewhat of the history of vaudeville, radio, television, and movies.

If you love old Hollywood, read this book. If you loved George & Gracie, read this book. If you want to read a true life love story, READ THIS BOOK. I just love the inside scoop on the old Hollywood that George dishes out. I never knew Cary Grant sold neck ties before becoming a screen idol. Harpo Marx (the quiet one) wanted one child in every window to wave goodbye or hello when he pulled up in the drive. George wasn't all that impressed with Marilyn Monroe.

This book is an easy read and so hard to put down.

Growing up, I really only knew Goerge Burns for the occasional television special he would host. Other than that, and his "Oh, God" movie (which came out when I was very young), I was relatively unfamiliar with him.

In the mid 80's, when I was about 10 years old, I found that a local radio station would run old time radio comedies from 8-10pm, and as such, I used to fall asleep nightly listening to the like of Jack Benny, Fibber McGee and Molly, and, of course Burns and Allen.

I finally just purchased this book from and Amazon bookseller about two months ago, and honestly, it's as good a $2.95 as I've spent in a while.

As other reviewers have said, many times bigraqphies can be a bit on the dull side, but George really did well with this. It is an easy read... a page turner. It's very interesting to get more insight on what a great performer she was, and how natural it came to her. One always got the feeling that even though she was delivering her "dizzy" Gracie charater, that underneath that was a very smart, clever person. This book certianly backs that up, and it backs it up with all the warmth and affection George Burns had for his wife.

I thoroughly enjoyed this not only for the story of Gracie, but also as a way to look inside the life of an entertainer at that time. I neverquite understood before what it was to work the vaudeville circuit, but there is a ton of insight in this book.

This is a must read for even the most casual fan of old time radio and the celebrities of that era.

I glanced at the reviews here to see if my opinion of this book was just a fluke, but they pretty much bear me out. I didn't expect this book to be nearly as good as it is. On second thought, though, it's not that surprising. This pair was magic and it was seen in everything they touched, the prime and lasting example being the without parallel Burns and Allen Show.

Burns and Allen successfully weathered many storms, making the transition from Vaudeville and stand-up comedy to radio and later to television. The earliest TV shows are the only ones available on DVD, but in later seasons they really hit their stride. In this hilarious and ground- breaking show, George would turn on the TV in the den to see what Gracie was doing, and regularly chat with viewers about events in progress. Gracie would walk in the wrong side of the set and regale viewers (or listeners) with non-stop comedic patter, malapropisms and surrealistic humour (ala Ernie Kovaks) with George as the straightman and pinnacle of style puffing his ever-present cigar.

Even as an octagenarian he could still act (Oh God, You Devil) but as a nonogenarian (92) he could still write. This marvelous memoir is not only the most delightful reading I've had in a long time, but makes me all the more want the Burns and Allen show on DVD. This book was a bestseller in hardback, but is now unaccountably out of print. Yet many readers would love this book, and would enjoy making the acquaintance of the remarkable Gracie Allen.

This is a very incredible and inspiring story of human generosity and perseverance that transcends cultures - and you have already read about the subject matter in the other reviews so I am not going to repeat that. What I did not like was the fictionalized style of prose. The author seems to go inside the heads of the main characters and describe exactly their feelings, thoughts, perceptions etc. and this gives the prose a fictionalized, exaggerated, and subjective feel which applied to a true story, did not somehow feel right. I would have preferred it if the people in this story could have been interviewed to find out exactly how they felt rather than the getting the author's imaginary versions of their reactions. Even though most readers here seem to like it, I feel that this fictionalized style wasn't the right choice for this true story.

I was first introduced to Zubaida and Dr. Peter Grossman in a Discovery Health Channel program, and after reading this book, have seen other angles to this story, the most telling being the love shown by her father, who might have abandoned her to die but didn't.

This is a young woman whose spirit could not be extinguished no matter what happened to her, and let's hope she stays this way. Great things await her, no matter where she ends up in this world.

From the moment nine and a half year old Zubaida Hasan accidentally fell into a kerosene fire while heating water for her bath,I could not put down TINY DANCER. Yes, this is a story filled with Zubaida's physical and mental pain, but this is also a marvelous, true story of hope and human caring ... from the American Green Beret soldier who by chance saw Zubaida and her father on a street in Afghanistan to Dr. Peter and his wife, Rebecca, Grossman in Los Angeles, CA. This is a story of hope, and the very best of human nature in difficult times. Zubaida's transformation back to normalcy thanks to Dr. Grossman's skill and the many individuals willing to become involved despite the possible repercussions to their own careers reinforced my belief in the inherent goodness of people. Bravo!

From Zubaida's catastrophic accident until her return to Afghanistan, TINY DANCER is a remarkable series of miraculous events that is a pageant of human compassion. TINY DANCER is both a marvel and an ordeal to read. Through Anthony Flacco's erudite and eminently readable narration, I suffered the child's torture that would have made me mad before it murdered me. Set against the tumultuous background of 9/11 and the American invasion of Afghanistan, the beginning of the book belongs to Zubaida's devoted father who, in defiance of all that he knew and in exhaustion of all that he had for the sole purpose of saving his little girl, almost eclipses the story of the child who held fast to life with her bare hands. TINY DANCER revealed a kindness in the American Armed Forces that I never would have dreamed existed as the process unfolded that brought the child to the United States and her salvation at great risk to her benefactors. Flacco's revelation of the "domino" effect that supported Zubaida as she was rebuilt and reinvented in our country was compelling with a flow that kept me reading and missing it when I couldn't. TINY DANCER is graceful and powerful and at times, even funny. It's a glorious story with a large human heart and lean muscles. Anthony Flacco is showing great promise as a writer of creative non-fiction. I anticipate his next effort eagerly. To read TINY DANCER is to renew one's faith and to warm one's heart. She's a 21st Century Anne Frank who reveals that in spite of everything, there's good in all of us.

Bill Jackson

When I started to read TINY DANCER, I was expecting to read about the miraculous transformation of a horribly scarred burn victim to healthy girl. That story is told, of course, but it serves as a backdrop for the real story. The true miracle is the network of the American military, U.S. State Department, Non-Government Organizations and stateside citizens who all do what they can to help a stranger in need, despite all the "perfectly good reasons" not to get involved.

What makes this book a remarkable read, however, is the author's seeming ability to get inside Zubaida's head and tell the story from her perspective. Mr. Flacco writes with compassion and empathy in a style that grabs the reader's attention from the first page.

This book by Thomas Merton is a marvelous exploration of what it is to be human and the fundamental problems of disconnection from the depths of Being. More practically, it addresses the solution to our isolation in a direct, loving and compassionate way. Thomas Merton is clearly one who has traveled the path to his deepest self and has much to share about his journey.

Thomas Merton is a mystic who has spent a lot of time in silence and deep contemplation. He had a grasp of contemporary issues facing the modern person and he has a way of using language that is simple, but touches the heart.

Although Merton was a Catholic Christian mystic, his message is universal. He illuminates the mystic's path and shares the fruit of his explorations through writing in a way that is accessible and powerful. Somehow, between the lines it is obvious that his experience has been profound and he translates this into terms that help the reader to find meaning.

This book will be especially appealing to Catholics and Christians. The tone is understanding and gentle, although it is packaged in a way that is most digestible to fellow Catholics. On the other hand, there are so many gems that are applicable to the human condition that it will be a valuable read by people of any faith.

Thomas Merton wrote a lot of books and this is one of his best for lay people. New Seeds of Contemplation is also very thought provoking and could be considered a companion volume. It also goes a bit deeper into some of the more existential and metaphysical aspects of living, but not in an esoteric way.

If you have an interest in Christian Mysticism in general, I also highly recommend Practical Mysticism by Evelyn Underhill. This is a great short introduction to Western Mysticism delivered in a very poetical style and that is geared to the average person looking for meaning in their lives.

This book was an amazing read for me the first time through. I have since read again and it continues to reveal insights into my life and relationship with God and to others. Thomas Merton is amazingly timeless and contemporary throughout. These are not abstract views of spirituality, but real and meaningful looks at a life of faith in the world, our world, today. Merton looks truthflly at how we relate to God and to each other in a world that is filled with noise and distractions. I highly reccomend this book to anyone who is honestly seeking to deepen their own interior spiritual life. Merton is a man of our times, understanding the depths and treasures of faith as well as the pitfalls of our humanity. This book will help you to believe that goodness is very possible and that being a spiritual person is possible while living in the world. Merton shows that the religious life is not just for priests, monks and nuns, which is very compatible with the John Paul II vision that all lives lived in faith can be a vocation.

This hardcover is very nice as it is linen bound with a gold ribbon marker. Chapters are broken up into numbered segments, making it possible to read a little each day and to find favorite sections.

"No Man is an Island" is a spiritually moving set of essays--or meditations, rather--that address many issues but ultimately center on our relationship with God, with each other, and with ourselves. Having read only a little of Merton, I found this book somewhat more straightforward and prosaic compared to a later work of his, "The New Man", and he gets a tad dogmatic in spots (well, he is ordained, so he has a license to do so, fair enough)--I was reminded of some of the more trenchant passages in "The Seven Storey Mountain" before he'd mellowed out a bit. And yet Merton's characteristic mix of simplicity and profundity, his fine-tuned mystic's sense of paradox, and his ability to take Catholic teachings and breathe new life into them are all here in full; indeed, in many ways this book would serve very well as a Catholic Monastic statement of what life's all about, spoken in Merton's gentle conversational tones at once calm and serious, critical of the shallow aspects of modernity while articulated in a manner that speaks eloquently to modern people. I have no doubt that this book should appeal to readers who profess Christianity as their religion, but I also think that many non-Christians (such as myself) will find much here that is inspiring and spiritually enlightening.

Every adjective title used to describe this book in the reviews so far i have found to be true.

"The truth i must love in my brother is God Himself, living in Him."
excerpt from this book (Thomas Merton "No Man is an Island"

Reading just that line is enough to contemplate for some while.

I found i had to read small sectionsm and re read to gain fuller meaning
because some concepts are difficult to grapple with, but grapple with them.
I will re read this book many times over throughout my life. It strikes richly at the core of Catholic teaching, its value universal for everyone.
Its a celebration of God and his creatures, it affirms the truth of His love as His gift living in us, for us also to share, for it is not ours to keep selfishly.

While this is certainly not one of my favorite Thomas Merton works, I do find that its format and style facilitate a prayerful experience.

With its individual sections of thought, this book is great to read in parts. I found it wonderfully useful in sections read before community prayer in the chapel. It might be good for someone looking for spiritual reading but who does not have a lot of time to spare.

There are a plethora of translations of Chinese classics out there, but please know that many of these "translations" are just "re-imaginings" of the original, i.e. the authors usually do not know Classical Chinese (let alone modern Chinese!).

Merton is one such "translater". This is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as one is aware that this does not strictly reflect the original text (although it may resemble it). What we have here is a picking over of existing translations of the Chuang-tzu and a recombination of them. This is often done with some artistic licence.

Merton is better than most in that he is somewhat sensitive to the original material. Things get vastly worse with translations of the Daodejing (for example, Ursula le Guins monstrous butchering). If you want a more accurate account of the Chuang-tzu then I recommend A.C. Grahams' expert translation which is a relatively successful facsimile of the Chinese original (given the difficulty of rendering Chinese into English anyway).

I am a recently retired teacher who for thirty-five years have begun every class (Theology, Sexuality, Physics, Chemistry, Math and in summers Arts and Crafts to kids 4-12 years old) with a sounding of small brass cymbals (Tibetan), a minute of silent breathing followed by a short reading from the Tao Te Ching, Emily Dickinson, a portion of the Sermon on the Mount, or the Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton.
I meet former students now pushing into their fifties who baldly admit that those moments have stayed with them all these years and they have included meditation as one of the most important activities in their lives.
Thomas Merton's Introductory Notes say it far better than I ever could and should be read .
I can only wholeheartedly recommend that you buy this book and keep it at your desk or bedside for a quick straightening out of your mind concerning what is really important in life.

If you have an interest in learning the deeper meanings of Tao then this is a book you must add to your collection. A seldom translated philosophy of poetic renderings are clearly detailed in the transliterations of Thomas Merton...the spirit of Tao is clearly revealed.

This is a very good translation made by Tomas Merton of Chuang Tzu's works. This also gives a little bit of the view of Tomas Merton due to his Note to the Reader section and his specific selection of some of Chuang Tzu's writings to put in this book. This book has many good proverbs and stories written by Chuang Tzu which can be very enlightening and sometimes humorous. Chuang Tzu is one of the greats of Taoism but of course Lao Tzu takes the top position. If you are interested in the learning about the roots of Taoism you should check out this book and some about Lao Tzu also.

Like a fine wine, this collection is best consumed slowly. As it is clearly stated in the foreward, this is not a faithful reproduction of Chuang Tzu but a collection of personal and spiritual interpretations of his work. Readers that expected otherwise might consider reading the description of the book before purchasing it. It would seem embarassing to write a negative review of a product that goes in complete contradiction of the product's clear description and intentions.

Thomas Merton was a Trappist Monk who took a particular interest in Buddhism and Asian spirituality. Because Merton tragically died at a young age, we will never see a final product of this work. In "The Way of Chuang Tzu", Merton selects writings of Chuang Tzu which reflect a Christian mentality. Obviously, Chuang Tzu was not a Christian. However, this does not disqualify his writings to a Christian audience in any way. If the reader can go into this book with an open mind, he/she is likely to enjoy it. Those who are closed minded to this type of work which may seemingly blur the line between faiths according to their view may be outraged. I would strongly encourage open-mindedness.

I grew up with Eloise Wilkin's Golden Books so when I saw this collection in the store I was very pleased. I ended up not buying it at the time and when I went back a few months later they weren't carrying it anymore. I was so happy to find it on Amazon. I bought it for my 4 year old daughter's birthday and she has quickly made it her favorite story book. The illustrations, as usual are amazingly beautiful! The stories are classic and unlike so many other story books, I don't have to edit any of the content. ( I often see what or shut up, ect in children's books and change it to please be quite or yes mam, ect) I love that the stories are simple enough that my 8 year old enjoys reading them to her little sister at bedtime. This book goes everywhere with us and suprisingly my 4 year olds favorite story is Busy Timmy. Her favorite books as a baby were Good Night Moon and The Big Red Barn which Eloise Wilkin also did so I went on the hunt for more of her books and was very surprised at how many of my favorite child hood stories were attributed to her.

Both my 5-yr old and my 2 1/2yr old girls love this book! So simple, and beautiful pictures!

I gave this book to my daughter on her 2nd birthday and for over 7months now it has been one of her favorite books she has her Nonna read her "Busy Timmy" everyday and when its time for my daughter to do things on her own like use her potty or eat if you remind her that Timmy does them she just can't wait to do them as well! This book is a treasure for any toddlers library!

I love this book. I grew up with "We Help Mommy". It brought back memories and tears!

Eloise Wilkin Stories (Little Golden Book Treasury)
The sub-title says Little Golden Book Treasury and treasury is an appropriate title. This book is a treasure! Each of the 209 pages is a delight! The pages have a sentimental familiarity for me as I can remember relishing them as a child, reading them to my children, and now sharing them with my grandchildren. The reproduction is excellent- much better than some other publishers are offering- each detail still intact altho some of the images are as old as 1948. I heartily recommend this edition to anyone who enjoys the peaceful beauty of Eloise Wilkin's illustrations!

In this story the author does a profound job of talking about relationships. He is very careful from the start to make sure his readers get a vivid picture of his main character Darryl and his relationships with three women; Sherry, Michelle and Tasha.

Darryl's approaches and encounters with his friends, family and relationships are very important in this story because they act as anchors to many learning experiences most readers may identify with. The story centers around Darryl finally learning lessons of life and realizes what becoming a man and dealing with some very heavy social issues is all about.

Being a strong black women myself I enjoyed trying to relate and I strongly recommend this book as a good read to all especially young black men. In my overall opinion if you are objective there are encounters Darryl faces that we all face if we are to be real with ourselves. The last few chapters the story really builds into some riveting moments where all of your emotions come out, and you don't want to stop reading. The writer is true to his objective in presenting this story from a man's prospective and this I found very refreshing since the majority of stories I have read or know about are usually told from a women's point of view. The title is very appropriate to the story.

I applaud the author in challenging his readers to wonder about the twist in his ending. As a writer myself , I was left with several questions regarding a couple of his characters and situations, and wonder if this was done purposely as an opener for a sequel , if so, I can't wait. Again, I strongly recommend this book as a good read to all. And I am looking forward to reading more books from this author.

Reviewed by Tempie D. King of Memphis RAWSISTAZ

I really enjoyed this book. I started reading it and couldn't put it down. I recomended this book to all my friends. This book made me laugh and then it made me cry. I never read a book that actually made me cry. I hope Mr. Burns is able to write more books and accomplish all his dreams. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book... I just wish the ending would have been a little different. i.e. did Tasha have H.I.V? How did Darryl tell his friends? What was their reaction?

The story of Darryl, and the three women he play around on. Darryl finally meets a woman he makes him give up his playing ways. I was kinda of shocked with what happened to Darryl at the end of the book, and I also would have liked to have known Sherry's and Michelle's result. The book gives you a pretty good look at how a man thinks.

The book was recommended by a very good source.

Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. If really "flowed". The author made reading this book seem as if you were watching a movie. You could picture every characters physical make up, their emotions and every detail in your mind. The only thing that was missing were the refreshments.

This book will definitely take you away and draw you in at the same time.

I am looking forward to more books from this up and coming author.

"A Man's State of Mind" is a heart renching eye opener for the man that thinks he is a "player" I thinnk this book was well written. Chris really knows how to bring out the realness of his characters. This book will make you laugh and then out of nowhere it will make you cry. The thing I enjoyed the most was that Chris didn't sterotype the African American women to be the loud, rude women with bad attitudes that people assume they are. Even though this book is fiction it is still the truth as to how it really is in the world, as fr as the way the chacters think and feel. When I started reading this book I couldn't put it down I recomended this book to all my friends male and female. I also recomend this book to you. I look forward to more books by Christoper D. Burnes

This is a great resource for anyone who teaches math to elementary or middle school students. It is full of useful information and ideas for lessons.

This is a timeless treasure of mathematical understandings generated by Marilyn Burns and her associates. These activities, coupled with hands-on training for teachers, can make a tremendous difference in the mathematical understanding of elementary and early middle school teachers. Most important in this edition are the addition of Burns' revised thinking on Teaching Arithmetic (part 3), and her compilation of discussions for 40 activities (part 4). These two additions have rounded this meaningful math resource into a powerful tool for on-going staff development.

I received the text book in a reasonable amount of time. The information in this book is extrememly helpful for those who are in the teaching field, or even for those who have children and want to help with math homework.

I haven't finished reading this entire valuable resource, but it has a great conceptual framework followed by creative ideas. I teach 7th Grade Mathematics overseas where my students have not had a great basis in analytical thinking and I look forward to using these ideas with my classes this year.

I love this book! It is a great resource with ideas for getting kids interested in math and what questions teachers should ask themselves as they teach. It also points out common mistakes students make and their thought processes for getting there. It is divided into sections by mathematical topics and also has dozens of lesson plan ideas, both for full lessons and those quick time-fillers. This is the most reader-friendly textbook I've ever had to read for a class--it's so easy to read!

This book is a treasure trove of information about the battles and the influence of the topography had on the outcome. A must read for any Civil War buff OR anyone who loves to look at old maps.

This book is beautiful and interesting - it's a definitely a great book to have!

My dad is a CIvil War buff and a former surveyor. He loved this book. It had a ton of maps he could take out and look at to go along with what he was reading.

We recently moved to North Carolina and our grandson, who has studied the civil war in school, was so excited to see this book. We are planning on taking him to the many sites this summer and this has given him the opportunity to read up before the trip. For his age this book was awesome.

Thomas Nelson's Rutledge Hill Press publishing division has created a lovely book that tells a simple narrative of the Civil War focusing on the importance of maps in the war and the men who made them.

The cover of the book is designed to look like a leather bound canvas portfolio, much like a mapmaker's sketchbook of the era. The text of the book is beautifully printed on high quality paper. I appreciated the fact that the publishers included lots of pictures of everday soldiers - not just the same old posed shots of the generals and politicians.

There are 32 removable maps included as well. The removable maps are stored in between the pages. The publisher has printed on only one side of the thick paper pages and then glued the blank sides together on the edges to make an envelope of sorts between the pages. The maps are securely stored so there is no chance of accidentally losing a map.

I would not recommend this book as an introduction to the topic of the Civil War since it does precious little to introduce the issues that caused the war or Reconstruction. However, it is an attractive volume that would be welcome in the collection of any Civil War buff.

I wish I would have read this a long time ago. To the point and great read on Social teaching.

This compendium is surprisingly readable, and gives a broad view of the Church's glorious social teaching -- something which is not well understood by many. I am confident that in time, my copy will be dilapidated.
I must take issue, however with a reviewer who also gave five starts to the Compendium. He said it was "essential for deacons". But in the book's introduction, it is plainly stated that the book was primarily for Bishops, but also for priests, for men and women religious, for lay people, for Christians in non-Catholic communities, for those of other religions, and for those with no religion at all. In short, the book is for every human on this planet EXCEPT Catholic Deacons.

I'm one quarter the way through: reading slowly with pencil often in hand. This is a MUST READ for all who have grown tired of the way of the world. It offers so much tangible direction and as a result hope. "Hope" in the sense of what we are to be about.

Another reviewer suggested that a family might read it. Indeed! I've all but decided that it shall be the gift I give to those about whom I care come Christmas. Surely, some eyes might roll. But it is too precious of a "gift" not for some attempts to be made to put it on a lamp stand.

This is essentially a book about good citizenship. It can and should be read by any senior adolescent or adult person of good will. It should be on the bookshelf of any family raising children, just like Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, and parents should discuss it with their young as these are nearing adulthood. Likewise, it should be discussed in the junior and senior classes of any high school, and certainly again in college and university level courses of human sciences (e.g. Sociology).
The book is absolutely non-confessional. In fact you need not even be a Christian to appreciate it, just, as I said before, a person of good will. Of course, the reader will have to tolerate that the words God and Church are mentioned here and there, but there is no religious indoctrination per se. The practical concepts are bound to be convincing to most everyone.

. . . which belongs on the shelf of priests, deacons, pastoral associates, and social justice ministers throughout the Catholic Church.

The "Compendium" does not break any new ground. It does not promulgate any new doctrine. It offers no new teaching. What it DOES do, is gather under a single cover, a concise presentation of ALL the Church teaching on social issues from Rerum Novarum through its publication in 2005. In other words, it is one of the most useful single-volume reference works available for anyone in ministry. No more having to keep shelves of reference material -- everything even remotely related to social justice, human rights, economic and political concerns, environmental issues, etc. can be found -- and easily accessed -- in this document. In addition to 250+ pages of text, there is a lengthy list of Church documents which are used as source material, and an extremely thorough index. I have personally taught from this book, and am proud to recommend it both personally and professionally.

Very, very highly recommended