Clark Books

I was skeptical when I got this book that it probably was a sales pitch for someone else's 'money making system.' I was so pleasantly surprised to find one great suggestion after another with real resources. The brainstorming sessions using my own experience to get ideas, then applying these suggestions was such a powerful combination, I'm sure to be successful as I try these new ways to generate income.

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Well worth the investment of $25 and change...

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I love thinking of the things I want to talk about and write about and all the ways that will serve me financially.

Great concepts!!! Thanks!

Someone needed to produce a treatment of the shepherding movement that really brought it to life for those of us not old enough to have lived through it. What is unique about this treatment is that it tells the story from a positive but not defensive light. For this reason, it could be influential for those leaders who have only seen the shepherding movement as falsely criticized. We get to see how 5 well intentioned and anointed men created a system with problem that hurt people in the end. David Moore repeatedly claims objectivity, and it is clear that was his intention, but in my opinion, this book tells only half of the story--the leaders/teachers half. Moore is honest enough to admit that he was a pastor in one segment of the movement. While it does identify some problems at the end that need to be corrected, it takes the same approach that the shepherds took all throughout the controversy--that the teachings were right, but the applications were wrong. This is clearly an excuse. Jesus said, "every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit." Matthew 7:17 If the doctrines are right, then the system should produce good fruit. The many damaged lives which came out of the shepherding movement, are not addressed in this book, and a complete telling of the story would need to do this. This book should be read in conjunction with Ron and Vicki Burks "Damaged Disciples" for a more complete picture. As Moore says, some of the theology in the Burks book is probably an overreaction, but the stories there will help the reader understand the "other side" of the issue.

Now, I do not want to be understood to say that this movement did not produce any good fruit. I genuinely believe that these men uncovered new dimensions to Scriptural truths which are relevant and needed for our times, and that as they themsevles believed, a core element to creating a form of Christianity with the power to bring down secular humanism. To the degree that they were right, many were helped in the movement. However, something in the doctrines must have been wrong, or else there would not be so many tesimonies of people wounded so deeply by their many years in the movement. One example would be the doctrine of absolute submission to a discipler. Jesuit history should show the error of this idea. Giving *absolute* submission to anyone other than Christ is idolatry, and can lead to severe problems. You cannot serve two masters.

The church needs to discover how to practice church authority in a way the helps and empowers people and has safeguards against ungodly bondage to leadership, and many are currently trying to do just that--hopefully with the lessons of the past in mind. In fact, it has been rightly recognized that certain elements of the New Apostolic (NAR) movement are similar--but hopefully now with the enslaving doctrines removed.

I'm glad that Moore has written this book, and it provides a lot of needed information to place the movement in context, however I hope that those whose lives were ruined in the movement are not forgotten, and remain as a marking stone for the future path of the church.

After I wrote my original review of this book I found this summary and these quotes from some familiar and respected Christian leaders:

Summary:
==========
(from T & T Clark, back cover of book) This is an engaging history of the Shepherding Movement, an influential and controversial expression of the charismatic renewel in the 1970s and 1980s. This neopentecostal movement, led by Bible teachers Ern Baxter, Don Basham, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, and Charles Simpson, became a house/cell church movement in the United States. The Shepherding Movement is an ecclesiological case study of an attempt at renewing church structures. Its emphasis on submission to a personal pastor, or "shepherd" as the movement termed it, brought accusations of authoritarianism. The Shepherding Movement's story provides a unique perspective on the history of the charismatic renewal in the United States and its struggle to handle a controversy that forever changed the Renewal's ecumenical character.

About the author: S. David Moore is Associate Professor at the Life Pacific College in San Dimas, California.

"The Shepherding Movement" Book Reviews

"The major authentic and scholarly study of the Discipleship/Shepherding movememt...Moore has given us a well-written book that is a significant contribution to our understanding of the period."
-Vinson Synan, Dean of the School of Divinity at Regent University

"David Moore offers a scholarly, yet warmly pastoral look at more than a piece of history, for he also gives us an insightful, prophetic resource for study and growth."
-Dr. Jack Hayford, Founding Pastor of the Church on the Way in Van Nuys, CA and Chancellor of the Kings College and Seminary

"This is a cerful, objective account of a highly charged issue...an authentic insight of great importance. S. David Moore has performed a valuable service also for the Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal, where similar issues arose."
-Kilian McDonnell, President, Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research, Collegeville, MN

I am literally a child of the Shepherding Movement, with my family joining while I was quite young. On balance, my experience was very positive, yet I know of others who believe their experiences were different. So when Professor Moore's book came out, I was interested to see how the overall, wider movement was evaluated.

Professor Moore promises a fair and balanced look at this controversial movement. In my opinion, he delivers. He concisely lays out the history of the movement from beginning to end. Writing with a historian's eye, Moore places the rise of the Shepherding Movement in its context. The Charismatic Renewal was sweeping the nation, but many of its leaders and participants were unaccountable, unattached, and simply drifting from one meeting to the next. To foster accountability and maturity, leaders like Bob Mumford and Charles Simpson began teaching about spiritual authority and covenantal relationships. Eventually, five leaders came together to emphasize these and other teachings (the so-called "Ft. Lauderdale Five"). Moore leaves no doubt that the Shepherding Movement arose in response to a real need and with the best of intentions.

Unfortunately, many of the critics also thought they were acting with the best of intentions, though a few - such as Pat Robertson - come across as self-appointed judges who felt little need to actually engage the leaders of the Shepherding movement with their concerns. Others come across concerned about losing their own turf or financial contributions to the Shepherding Movement. Jack Hayford comes across as someone concerned, but believing the best about those with whom he disagreed and attempting to engage them in direct dialogue. Indeed, it is to Moore's credit that both Charles Simpson and Jack Hayford endorse his book.

I was impressed with the openness of leaders like Simpson and Mumford, who not only granted Moore several interviews but also turned over their private correspondence to him - a treasure of primary data that any historian would love to have. Moore puts it to good use, following the movement from its inception to the dissolving of the "Ft. Laurderdale Five," then tracking the individual men in their ministries after the fact. Moore also reminds us of the benefits this movement had on the broader Christian Renewal: Hosanna/Integrity Music; the emphasis on Covenant in understanding God; the idea of spiritual mentoring; and, the emphasis on home groups and cell groups.

I have always considered myself fortunate to have been involved in the Charles Simpson sphere of the Shepherding Movement. After reading this fine book, that belief is reinforced. Professor Moore deserves much credit for this concise and fair history of an influential movement within the Charismatic Renewal.

This book offers a well researched (David Moore personally interviewed all of the living principle players and many of the secondary players) snapshot of how "the doctrine of the Nicolaitans" challenged, leavened, edified, and damaged large segments of the Charismatic Movement of the 1970's and 1980's. Good, bad, ugly, and everything in between - it's all here! In addition to reading this book I have purchased and listened to the audio tape edition (available directly from David Moore or from Charles Simpson Ministries at http://www.csmpublishing.org). I found the content and the author's findings in the audio edition of this book to be the perfect companion to this edition - which is scholarly, objective, balanced, and fair.

On a personal note, I entered the Shepherding/Discipleship movement in as a result of the 1977 San Francisco Men's Seminar. In fact, I discovered in this book that the seminar that I attended was the last of it's kind. (It is amusing to consider that these "gender specific" seminars were controversial at the time since they are now common place. This books helps one gain insight into how the Shepherding Movement broke ground in areas like this)

Was I hurt during the Shepherding/Discipleship movement? Sure, just about everyone involved in the Shepherding Movement was to some degree - especially the leaders. I left the movement angry, bitter, and muttering, "Never again!" However, by doing personal research, reading, prayer, and a few "Matthew 18's" I consider myself healed, sealed and congealed. And, friends, there was a lot to be healed from due to the imbalances and errors of this movement! Candidly, there were personalities back then that are still alive and, in my opinion, that one would be wise to be avoid. Why? Some have learned and moved beyond the lessons from Discipleship and some have not.

That is why this book is SO important. It is primarily a work of scholastic history. As the cliche' goes, "Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." And, yes folks there are churches repeating the errors of this movement even as you are reading this review - I can guarantee it!

I say this from personal experience. You see, after I exited the Shepherding Movement (around 1990 or so) I noticed that several of the churches that we went to were practicing Discipleship - one even taught it from the pulpit - but all were in denial.

One church leadership group, in particular, was brutally traumatized when I brought this fact to their attention. I was rebuked for even suggested that they were "like them!" This told me that the errors of Discipleship weren't exclusive to, "the big four or five" or even a particular movement at a particular moment in time but were simply a formalized, doctrinized form of widespread pastoral, pastoral staff, and cult-like control issues. These errors and imbalances are common to the Church universal past, present and (probably) future. Jesus referred to it as "the doctrine of the Nicolaitans" (Revelation 2:6) the word "Nicolaitan" transliterated, I was told by David Rose (who is not mentioned in the book because he was one of Derek Prince's men - the book focuses mainly on the Mumford and Simpson "branches"), to mean "one who gains victory over the people". I think that you will find this "doctrine of the Nicolaitans" in whole or in part just about everywhere there are churches filled with those sinful creatures called, "the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve" (to borrow from C.S. Lewis). If you are one such creature, you will learn much about yourself (and maybe your church) from this book.

There is also much positive to learn from the Shepherding Movement. Integrity Music was a direct by-product of the Shepherding Movement (our worship back then was legendary). Some base concepts and doctrines of Promise Keepers and the men's movement of the early 1990's were directly or indirectly influenced by the Shepherding Movement as well - whether they will admit it or not is another thing!

Yes, we made a lot of mistakes but we got a lot right as well. To this day I believe that our ecclesiology was dead right but our application of those truths was dead wrong! Hey man, if you can get a bunch ex-hippies interested in Theology and historic, credal, normative Christianity THAT alone must be divine, can you dig it?

At the end of it all I think that we all came to realize what depraved sinners we really are. I know what I am capable of without God and daily reliance on the Holy Spirit - and it's NOT pretty!

So in the end, perhaps the BEST by-product of the Shepherding Movement was humility based on heightened self-awareness of our frailties and flaws. After THAT epiphany there ain't much to be arrogant about! As Bob Mumford said, "I walked in a way that is embarrassing to me now!" In my case I can only say, "Ditto!"

Just to show you that one CAN come home again, I have returned to one of the "remnant churches" (as the author calls them) and I am very, very, very happy and content with where our local church is and where I am at. As they say, "Always learn from experience - preferably someone else's!"

The monolithic learning displayed by Wolfhart Pannenberg is incredibly focused and lucid in this, the first volume of his systematic theology. Dealing heavily with prolegomenal issues (though not necessarily in the traditional sense) Pannenberg delves into the historical understandings of revelation, religion, God, The Trinity, and the attributes of God. Pannenberg is a highly original thinker who has not been conversed with in American theology as heavily as his genius may warrant, but who has nonetheless irrevocably changed the penumbra in which we perform the task of systematic, historical, and philosophical theology.

For anyone familiar with Pannenberg's other works, when he commits to explaning something, he is exhastively thorough (steeped especially in German and Lutheran thought, though the spectrum of his program is highly ecumenical.) The only complaint I may really levy against Pannenberg is the seeming absence of dialogue with Continental and Anglo-American postmoderns (e.g the Deconstructionism of Derrida, or the Post-Metaphysical thought of Marion, or others such as Wittgenstein, Foucoult, Ricouer, Fish, etc...) Nor does there seem to be any interaction with the so called "Yale," school--as tenuous as that marker may be-- with either Frei or Lindbeck, who, it would seem, would indeed present challenges to Pannenbergs eminantly historical/correspondance understanding of the biblical representation of and eschatologically oriented historical process, as opposed to Lindbeck's understanding of doctrine being a linguistic system, or Frei's now famous theory that the Bible is "history like," and should be read on the terms of the text itself rather than as historical/reconstructivist document.

Pannenberg however, does adopt and modify the program set up by Gadamer's "meta-critical" approach to hermeneutics, seeing all of human knowledge as finite and situated in the historical process, so that true understanding will only come with the Eschaton's consummation. This essential relationship between understanding part/whole, and the interplay (what some would call a modified version of the hermeneutical circle used for the process of history) between tradition interpreting current experience, which in turn sheds new light on past events, culminates in what Pannenberg sees a proleptic disclosure of the eschaton in Christ. So that Christ, as the future of the world, is already a power in the world shaping the future that He is. Rather that understanding the Word of God (as is traditional) as God's self-revelation (in the sense that most would take from Barth, of a God who is directly self-revealing or unfolding) the primary content of the Word is never God Himself, but always directly about us and our world, and then secondarily or indirectly about God. In Pannenberg's opinion this allows for the multiplicity of forms that revelation and the Word of God takes, but also for the integration of new experience, which Pannenberg adopts from a synthesis (and evolution) from both Hegel's understanding of History as a whole, and schliermacher's understanding that the contents of any finite experience are always "carved out of the infinite," so that meta-critically, religions see the implicity context of any given moment as it is in relation to the greater whole, the Universum or the Infinite. Here also, Pannenberg gives greater coherence to Descarte's ontologism of retroactive significance of our at first "nonthematic perception of the infinite, from which we understand all finite things through attributing limitation." Here, we do not fully initially perceive God as God, but as a nonthematic infinite that comprehends, unifies, and inter-relates the nexus of experience. Only later do we attribute the significance of God to this Universum, and thereby recognize that God was always present even if we did not know Him as such (e.g. when the Lord gives the divine name in exodus 3, the patriarch to whom he refers himself for his identity to moses knew God as El'Shaddai but not as YHWH) Hence the signifigance of this thought means that the Christian God, as the GOd of the heavens, is either the basic or foundational (perhaps maybe even more rightly transcendental) or a delusion. Here to we see hints of Pannenberg's deep involvment in Field Physics in his second volume, for Pannenberg beleives we cannot rightly understanding anything without reference to God.

In the last sections of the book, Pannenberg deals with the Trinity. He criticizes rightly the traditional Latin models, of attempting to derive the Trinity from God's unity as Spirit (e.g the tradition developed from Augustine's mens, notitia, and amore, as in Peter Lombard, even up to Barth who see's God as Revealer, Revealed, and Revelation) because this seems to collapse into Sabellianism as it assumes a single underlying subject. Nor does Richard of St. Victors adoption of Augustine's understand of a God who Loves Himself fully, where God-as-His-own-object exists aside God as the God who loves Himself, and where also the Love between them is given hypostatic and ontological personhood, because this again assumes the beginning (even if only logically rather than temporally) of a single subject, and the other two being secondary or suboordinate, thus falling into what has been traditionally called "suboordinationism."

Rather, as is well known, Pannenberg has a "ground up" approach that starts with Jesus' relation to the Father, where He submits to the Father and distinguishes Himself, allowing the Father to be God in Distinction to HImself. Just so (and of course I am butchering Pannenbergs brilliant scholarship here, so read the book if you aren't satisfied with my feeble attempt) God the Father is such everywhere only in relation to Jesus, so, borrowing from Athanasius, the Father would not be Father without the SOn. COnversly, of course, the SOn is not SOn without the Father as Father, so precisley in suboordinating himself (economically, of course) he allows the Father to be Fatherly, and so is Himself Son in this instance (which opens up quite a lot of possibilites for explaining how the kenosis operated.) When Christ was crucified, his identification of the sOn was jeopardized in this supposed defeat, and so, since the Father is God only in relation to this SOn, the Father's identity as king on earth was questioned, and so both are referred to the operations of the SPirit, who is precisely the power and person of their "future", who raises Christ and identifies him truly as Son, and so the Father truly as Father. Again, I am leaving out a lot of quality insight...

The final part of this book, I will leave you with, is the attributes of God intepreted through the interactions of the community of the Triune Godhead. These operations are explained through Pannenbergs adoption of the Hegelian "true infinite." In traditional terms the infinite was seen as that which was opposed to the finite (in neo-platonic via negationis and apophatic theology etc...) but in this way the infinite is defined against or seperated from the finite, and so is itself having boundaries and just so not finite. The true infinite transcends its own antithesis to the finite, comprehending the finite in its place and so being truly infinite. Thus, for example, the incarnation is an actualization of the infinity of God, where He is not merely "above" us, but greets us in our own condition (this is an important reaction to traditional theology which basis its attributes on causality rather than action. Just so, Pannenberg reacts to hyper-apophaticism saying that pure transcendence in terms of say, Paul Tillich's "Being itself," cannot exist, because transcendence itself expresses a relation, so a being that we know is totally unknown or beyong predication is a contradition...)

All in all, this is an enormous book that I recommend for anyone seeking to go beyond traditional expositions on theology.

I noticed that no one seemed to supply the table of contents for Vol. 1, and so I thought it would be helpful to provide that here. As an interesting side note, I've heard from some friends that Pannenberg is a wonderful preacher. I'd be curious to hear how he brings works like this to those entrusted to his care.
Not light reading, can be a bit dry, but worth it.
CONTENTS:
Abbreviations
Foreword
Chapter 1 The Truth of Christian Doctrine as the Theme of Systematic Theology
~Theology
~The Truth of Dogma
~Dogmatics as Systematic Theology
~The Development and Problem of So-called Prolegomena to Dogmatics
~The Truth of Christian Doctrine as the Theme of Systematic Theology

Chapter 2 The Concept of God and the Question of Its Truth.
~The Word "God"
~Natural Knowledge of God and Natural Theology
~The Proofs of God and Philosophical Criticism of Natural Theology
~Theological Criticism of Natural Theology
~The "Natural" Knowledge of God

Chapter 3 The Reality of God and the Gods in the Experience of the Religions
~The Concept of Religion and Its Function in Theology
a. Religion and the Knowledge of God
b. The Concept of Religion, the Plurality of Relgions, and the "Absoluteness" of Christianity
~The Anthropological and Theological Nature of Religion
~The Question of the Truth of Religion and the History of Religion
~The Religious Relation

Chapter 4 The Revelation of God
~The Theological Function of the COncept of Revelation
~The Multiplicity of Biblical Ideas of Revelation
~The Function of the Concept of Revelation in the History of Theology
~Revelation as History and as Word of God

Chapter 5 The Trinitarian God
~The God of Jesus and the Beginnings of the Doctrine of the Trinity
~The Place of the Doctrine of the Trinity in the Dogmatic Structure and the Problem of Finding a Basis for Trinitarian Statements
~Distinction and Unity of the Divine Persons
a. The Revelation of God in Jesus Christ as the Starting Point, and the Traditional Terminology of the Doctrine of the Trinity
b. The Reciprocal Self-Distinction of Father, Son, and Spirit as the Concrete Form of Trinitarian Relations
c. Three Persons but only One God

Chapter 6 The Unity and Attributes of the Divine Essence
~The Majesty of God and the Task of Rational Discussion of Talk about God
~The Distinction between God's Essence and Existence
~God's Essence and Attributes and the Link between Them in Action
~God's Spirituality, Knowledge, and Will
~The Concept of Divine Actiona dnt eh Sturcture of the Doctrine of the Divine Attributes
~The Infinity of God: His Holiness, Eternity, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence
a. The Infinity and Holiness of God
b. The Eternity of God
c. The Omnipresence and Omnipotence of God
~The Love of God
a. Love and Trinity
b. Attributes of the Divine Love
c. The Unity of God
Indexes
~~~~~Subjects
~~~~~Names
~~~~~Scripture References
And there is the Table of Contents, for those strange folks, like me, who enjoy seeing these things before we dive in.

In this, the second of a three volume work in systematic theology, Pannenberg picks up where he left of from the first volume. In the last chapters of volume one he explicated the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, making this one of the themes of the whole system. In vol two he hones his skills to discuss the doctrines creation, anthropology, christology and salvation. In typical Pannenberg fashion, the topics are given exhaustive examiniation. In the chapters on creation and anthropology he examines the various subjects in light of modern science and philosophy, carefully decerning what is useful for Christian theology and what is not. The method for his chapters on christology begin with a discussion on the relation of anthropology and christology. This is in keeping with his earlier christological work Jesus-God and Man, which also supports a Christology from below. However, the systematic goes beyond his earlier monograph since it explicates the work of Jesus in light of the Doctrine of God and Salvation. It is an example, then, of from below to above. This second volume sets up for the third volume which will deal with the church and eschatology. But rest assured, the themes of the truth of Christian doctrine and the Trinty will be integrated into the next volume as it was in this one. This is not an easy read, it is very demanding. However, once the mountain is climbed the view is great.

I cannot even begin to hope to interact in detail with this magisterial work. One of the blurbs on the book jacket acclaims this work as significant as the 20th century works by Tillich, Barth and Rahner. It's true. If one wants more detail than I can provide in this review, I recommend the review by Christoph Schwobel in Modern Theologians or the respective secondary works by LeRon Shults or Stanely Grenz. Volume I (ISBN 0802836569) covers prolegomena, God and Trinity. Volume II (ISBN 0802837077) covers creation, christology, anthropology and some soteriology. Volume III (ISBN 0802837085) covers the rest of soteriology, pneumatology, ecclesiology and eschatology. First, very briefly, this work is not light reading. It is a theologian's theology, unmatched in its scientific approach. Although one may beg to differ on the details of his treatment, he has a breathtaking command of scripture, historical theology and the Continental philosophical tradition. The figures that populate these pages are Calvin, Barth, Ebeling, Wilckens, von Rad, Althaus, Krestschmar, Moltmann, Schlink, Origen, Aquinas, Scotus, Rahner, Augustine, Schleiermacher, Kant, Hegel, Dilthey, Melancthon, and of course Luther. Second, more than any other contemporary theologian, P. has taken seriously the categories of history, anticipation, promise and hope without sacrificing a high standard for the pursuit of truth in the academic conversation. His basic reason for this is that the truth of the gospel claims the church so that she can witness to the world. However, truth is only grasped provisionally on this side of the eschaton, because only at the eschatological consummation is the full totality summed up and revealed (Dilthey). This entails an openness to public debate, not a retreat to argument by assertion or authority. In some ways, I would say that P. has recovered the original sense of auctoritas, which is the power to _persuade_. (Of course, it would take me too far afield to discuss why conservative Christians have emphasized authority in response to modernity). The critiques of P. have been the obverse of what his acclaim. First, the difficulty of the work has drawn the criticism that he is pastor-unfriendly, and that he has scholasticized the original excitement of 20th century theology. I can certainly sympathize with this; hence, I would recommend P's former student, Stanley Grenz (_Theology for the Community of God_). Be that as it may, the reception-history of many scholastic theologies have often been unfriendly at first, until people realize they need a rigorous treatment to solve theological problems they can't solve by themselves (e.g. Aquinas). Second, American reception of P. has been guarded, because of his unfriendliness toward liberation theology. Yet, as has been pointed out, this is because of his own experiences with Marxism from his roots in East Germany. However, to find out how he cashes out his theology into ethics, one has to look other parts of the P. corpus. Third, does his theology of history make God subject to his creation and evacuate divine simplicity? More specifically, is his own view of "divine infinity" as the sum of the transcendent attributes adequate to maintain the Creator-creature distinction? Fourth, how sucessful is his ecumenical ecclesiology in attempting to synthesize various positions normally seen as incompatible? E.g. his view of Eucharist as anticipation, anamenesis, epiclesis & trans-signification tries to sublate Anabaptist, Reformed and Catholic positions into a broadly Lutheran position. Fifth, his epistemology emphasizes the "not yet" of truth in tension with the "now." Hence, the noetic path to the ontic reality of Christ is the work of Christ in his death and resurrection (note the mating of historicist concerns with Melancthon's "we know Christ through his benefits"). Hence, his Christology proceeds "from below" by starting with the Christ-event to his person. This is the obverse of Karl Barth's Christology! It would take me too far afield to discuss his Christology, but this "apologetic" move raises the question of whether his dialogue with the world is prior or posterior to his own dogmatic decisions. All in all, I cannot recommend this ST highly enough. It is certainly stimulating reading, and will help theologians give an account for the reason for their hope.

This cookbook is one of the best I have ever used. I am not the greatest cook and every recipe I have made from this book comes out perfect, it is very easy to understand. This book has nice pictures and a great deal of information about all of the ingredients. I use this book at least once a week and recommend it highly to anyone who wants to try Mediterranean cooking.

Great recipes, great food, simple instructions, be creative !
Life is many things - make great food and culinary adventure one of them !
If you like the foods of the Mediterranean, you gotta get this book.

These two authors write stunning books of delightful, easy-to-follow recipes, with lush, evocative photographs, and great attention to detail on the culinary fundamentals of each recipe. The only problem is that they keep recycling and republishing the same recipes/photos over and over again. I got burned three times. I bought the book "A Taste Of The Mediterranean", which I liked so much that, impetuously, I went online and bought three more titles by the same two authors, Jacqueline Clark and Joanna Farrow. I got "The Mediterranean Cookbook" (the one with the close-up photo of some ripe tomatoes on the cover). It turns out that this is the exact book as "A Taste Of The Mediterranean", but with illustrations in place of the photographs. The third book I received was "Mediterranean Country Kitchen", which while it is a lovely book, is nothing more than a condensed version of the same recipes/photos from "A Taste Of The Mediterranean". Lastly I bought the newer hardback book "Mediterranean : A Taste Of The Sun". This is an outstanding, lengthy book (500+ pages), but about half of it is "A Taste Of The Mediterranean" recycled in its entirety. I would certainly recommend the new one "Mediterranean : A Taste Of The Sun" as the finest and most complete of Clark and Farrow's sumptuous books on subject. But I'm feeling angry and a bit duped at buying the same book over and over again. Buy the new one, skip the earlier, cleverly-disguised retreads.

Often cookbooks with pretty pictures are low on substance. This book is not one of them. Yes, there are pretty pictures, more than that. Some of them are gorgeous, but it's the recipes that make one pause and then want to rush to the kitchen after a trip to the super market and stop eating junk when they could eat food like this. A stunning collection.

Stuart Clark explains the thinking that produced the panic about witches in the seventeenth century and why the panic occurred when it did. He argues that witches should be understood as an expression of demonology, that is, thinking about demons. Traditional thinking divided the world between God and the devil, an opposition that explained everything in science, history, religion, and politics. These four categories organize the book. In each of them, Clark discusses how oppositional thinking accounted for how things worked, how things happened, how things really were, and how political relationships functioned. The book is exhaustively researched, citing authorities in all the major early modern European languages and cultures, and at the same time responding to recent scholarship about witches and language. The latter is important because of the binary thinking that Clark identifies at the heart of demonology. Few historians are as familiar both with traditional sources and with postmodern thinking about historical thinking. This is a fascinating and rewarding book. I read it straight through.

When discussing the impact of women in European society, witchcraft inevitably enters the forefront of study. Many authors have discussed the crimes and punishments of witches, but Stuart Clark's Thinking With Demons: The Idea of Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe breaks away from the traditional format. Rather than focus on witchcraft itself, Clark writes about the idea of witchcraft; he concludes that the concept of witchcraft was an integral component in the general intellectual life of early modern Europe, woven into the scholarly debates about the key issues of the era. According to Clark, the emphasis was on demonology, which was a "composite subject consisting of discussions about the workings of nature, the processes of history, the maintenance of religious purity and the nature of political authority" (viii). To encompass this broad nature of demonology, Clark divides the book into five separate yet overlapping sections - Language, Science, History, Religion and Politics - each of which expresses a relatively simple argument. In `Language,' Clark discusses the antithetical nature of rhetoric and discussion in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; this permitted the discussion of witchcraft as the natural malevolent balance to proper behavior. The section titled `Science' argues that demonology was part of the advancement on science, rather than an obstacle or adversary to it. Magic, both good and evil, was assumed to be part of the natural world, and subject to the scientific investigations of the time. `History' details how the people were easily convinced of the activities of the devil and his minions through the increasing emphasis on the apocalyptic vision that the world was in the Last Days. `Religion,' which focused mainly on the writings of the clergy, essentially demonstrated that the religious powers of Europe believed that witchcraft was a sin against the Lord, and involved illicit dealings with the devil. Finally, `Politics' presents that view that the power of the king was based upon his inability to engage in witchcraft. Essentially, since a monarch was conferred power through divine right - meaning the ruler was empowered by the Lord - he was inviolable and therefore immune to the effects of witchcraft.
Thinking with Demons continues with the examination of women and their relationship to criminal behavior, as was introduced in The Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany by Ulinka Rublack. The most fascinating aspects of this book dealt with the importance of duality in early modern Europe, particularly in regards to the masquerade. Such dualism, and the perception that it was natural and important to society, is a fascinating concept to consider. Such a system of duality, in which everything is "distributed between a column of positive (or superior) terms and categories and a column of their negative (or inferior) opposites" (38) would seem to be an important tool in explaining the gender-based hierarchies that evolved in society.

With "Thinking . . . ," Clark has produced one of the most important history books of the 20th century. Clark voices ground breaking views of a vastly misunderstood phenomenon - the evolution and prosecution of witchcraft in the early modern period. This book is meticulously researched and well written.

When discussing the impact of women in European society, witchcraft inevitably enters the forefront of study. Many authors have discussed the crimes and punishments of witches, but Stuart Clark's Thinking With Demons: The Idea of Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe breaks away from the traditional format. Rather than focus on witchcraft itself, Clark writes about the idea of witchcraft; he concludes that the concept of witchcraft was an integral component in the general intellectual life of early modern Europe, woven into the scholarly debates about the key issues of the era. According to Clark, the emphasis was on demonology, which was a "composite subject consisting of discussions about the workings of nature, the processes of history, the maintenance of religious purity and the nature of political authority" (viii). To encompass this broad nature of demonology, Clark divides the book into five separate yet overlapping sections - Language, Science, History, Religion and Politics - each of which expresses a relatively simple argument. In `Language,' Clark discusses the antithetical nature of rhetoric and discussion in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; this permitted the discussion of witchcraft as the natural malevolent balance to proper behavior. The section titled `Science' argues that demonology was part of the advancement on science, rather than an obstacle or adversary to it. Magic, both good and evil, was assumed to be part of the natural world, and subject to the scientific investigations of the time. `History' details how the people were easily convinced of the activities of the devil and his minions through the increasing emphasis on the apocalyptic vision that the world was in the Last Days. `Religion,' which focused mainly on the writings of the clergy, essentially demonstrated that the religious powers of Europe believed that witchcraft was a sin against the Lord, and involved illicit dealings with the devil. Finally, `Politics' presents that view that the power of the king was based upon his inability to engage in witchcraft. Essentially, since a monarch was conferred power through divine right - meaning the ruler was empowered by the Lord - he was inviolable and therefore immune to the effects of witchcraft.
Thinking with Demons continues the examination of women and their relationship to criminal behavior that was introduced in Ulinka Rublack's The Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany. The most fascinating aspects of this book dealt with the importance of duality in early modern Europe, particularly in regards to the masquerade. Such dualism, and the perception that it was natural and important to society, is a fascinating concept to consider. Such a system of duality, in which everything is "distributed between a column of positive (or superior) terms and categories and a column of their negative (or inferior) opposites" (38) would seem to be an important tool in explaining the gender-based hierarchies that evolved in society.

I loved the first volume that Mark and Matt put together, and the second was even better. Being a post-GDW-collapse convert to Space: 1889, I didn't even realize that there had been a "Transactions" fanzine. I think that the new format does more justice to the efforts of Mark and the varied authors to improve upon the basic game materials than the fanzine. I think that the second volume would be more useful to those who are looking for more general information on Victorian Era Gaming and not just for Space: 1889. Loved it! Eagerly awaiting the 3rd Volume.

This volume collects the first four issues of the Transactions of the Royal Martian Geographical Society, a formerly-defunct magazine for GDW's late, lamented Space:1889. I regretted not acquiring these issues when they came out, but now I'm glad I waited. This combined edition is greatly superior to the originals: layout is improved, there are more graphics, and it is nice to have everything combined under one set of covers. The articles themselves are good-to-excellent in quality, and are frequently better than the material released for the original game. Many of the authors are professional historians or graduate students of history, and their depth of knowledge shows. The only thing preventing me from giving this product five stars were the facts that a: my copy (and mine alone, it seems, since I spoke with others who purchased this) was a little defective, and b: this product only covers Space: 1889--which was entirely fine by me, but might limit its appeal to other Victorian-era gamers who aren't great fans of the Space: 1889 universe. Future issues will broaden the coverage, I am told.

I am also told that the editors believe that this product was not 100% perfect, and that there is room for improvement. Personally, I don't see how. I found the product to be excellent, and welcome its release. And if volume 2 is going to be better than this, as the editors promise, it will be _extremely_ impressive indeed.

If you like role playing in the Victorian Era, this is a resource that you won't want to pass on.

There are all sorts of nifty things, adventures, floorplans, characters, cross over ideas, and background flavor.

Space 1889 was not the greatest game ever produced. The marketing of the game seemed weak. And, to be perfectly frank (pun intended), many of the illustrations were terrible! But, inspite of that and the demise of GDW (a tragedy in my not-so-humble opinion), the game lives on in the small enclaves here and there, joined by the internet.

I think that really says the ideas behind the game mechanics were brilliant. And I'm grateful to those who produced the game.

Transactions was a great fanzine. It, too, had an ignominious end. Now, with these compilations, it lives again. And better, far better than before!

This compilation has accounts of two miniatures games, which lend a great deal to the playing of the game.

If you enjoy movies like "Zulu", "Rogues March", "Beau Geste", "Four Feathers" and "the Light That Failed", you'll love this book.

From cover to cover, the powerful images in this book took my breath away. This book depicts the evolution of the human spirit from primal to potential. As each new section presents itself you are immediately thrust into a different environment. Each distinct, each equally captivating. The images show the beauty of Southern Africa and the fire that lives inside of its people. The photographs are impeccable. From the lighting to the subjects, each picture tells the story of those in it. Whether the faces are smiling or stoic, the strength displayed by the people is almost palpable. The elders are the wisdom that from their experience throughout and the children are the hope for the next generation. The book has a general uplifting feeling that speaks to the wonder of all that makes up South Africa. This book is a must-have for anyone wanting to go on an emotionally fulfilling journey. The best part of purchasing this book is knowing that the proceeds go to the people depicted in it. This is a strong reccomendation! Jump at the opportunity to make this a part of your library.

Gordon Clark's riveting collection of photographs bring the mystery, beauty, and infinite power of the South African psyche up to your amazed eyes with the stellar skill of a master. From the first page of this must-have for any lover of photographic art, the South African landscape and it's inhabitants, the people, seem to welcome you with deeply interpretive eyes and impeccable composition. Clark's use of color here is revelatory in that it envelops the viewer like a velvet sunset. In other words, the images early on are inviting and strangely familiar in their human qaulity. Whereas many photographs of Africa are general in their topic, making one feel that it is untouchable and removed, Clark's book beckons one to become as vulnerable and generous as his vibrant Southern Africa. The warmth he uses to portray the rugged danger inherent in the people of this region and the land itself causes one to realize that perhaps their are qaulitites about the subjects that are not far removed from the viewers': Strength being the prominent feature, the strength of the human will to persevere. Ultimately, Clark's genius is that he allows Southern Africa to become a metaphorical mirror, peering into one's one emotional landscape and thus truly connecting to the subjects of his passionate collection.
Transitions is a book that lives up to it's title. Clark and his subjects take you along a journey, beginning at the peremiter, into the center of his subject's joy and struggle. I was shocked to see the unbelievably intimate, almost Rockwellian scenes come to life like a moving painting towards the conclusion of the book. The delicate beauty of Brassai's photographs came to mind. By then, I was so saturated with feeling, my emotions had to be released and they were, as I walked through the homes of these beautiful people. It is truly an experience and will be a great artistic progenitor on the viewers voyage to become connected to this important part of our world, and in the mission to heal South Africa. It is a priveledge to view Gordon Clark's Transitions.

I purchased this brand new book because of Oprah Winfrey's Foreward. What an incredible surprise inside! This is the definitive book on the region's beauty, rich heritage and infinite potential. The words and pictures create an indelible impact. The images are so beautiful -- from the hopeful children in their natural environment to the soulful eyes of the elder natives in their village huts. This fresh, visual look inside the whole of South Africa has to be unpralleled. Oprah's Foreward began a journey that will stay with this reader forever and ever.

This is a remarkable collection of exquisite photographs which capture the dignity and humanity of people in Southern Africa. There is a rare, soul-stirring quality to these images that make this an important book for anyone with an appreciation for great photographic art or an interest in Africa. Gordon Clark's artistry clearly reflects a deep love for his nation of origin, as proceeds from Transitions go to fighting HIV/AIDS in South Africa and caring for children orphaned by the disease.

This book is very well done. The little boy loses his dog to old age and it is explained that dogs go to 'dog heaven' and are very happy there. It beautifully explained death to little kids in a way they can understand. In the end, in a dream, his dog told him it was ok to get another dog to love. Beautiful pictures, heartwarming story, great book.

The illustrations in this book are so beautiful. I got choked up the first time I read it aloud to my three year old twin boys, too. My boys absolutely adore this book, even without understanding it completely. I love it and would rcommend it highly but I do have to warn other parents. The little boy in the story gets a new puppy to help him get over his beloved Daisy. For families that want some more time to grieve and be dog-less (or don't want another dog again) this may start a new dog campaign. Be forewarned!

I got this book for my kids to help them deal with the reality of my terminally ill dog. It is a touching story that I can barely get through most of the time. (Thank goodness for Dad!) Beautifully illustrated. My 5 year old got the most out of the story. Now we are all waiting for a puppy dream! I'm getting one for the preschool in my furbaby's memory. Everyone with a beloved family pet needs to at least have access to this wonderful story. I'm so glad I have this book: for my kids AND for me.

Finally! A lovely, short, picture book for young (to very young) children that deals with death.

Arthur's beloved dog, Daisy, dies in her sleep one night. Of course Arthur and his family are sad. Daisy, watching from heaven, decides to send Arthur some dreams. In this way, she lets him know that she is happy in heaven, with lots of friends and feeling fine, and that she doesn't mind at all if Arthur decides to get another puppy.

Chichester's book certainly doesn't answer all the questions a child may have about death but it does address the loss of a pet very well. Unlike many books that deal with the loss of loved ones that fall very heavily on the reader, Up In Heaven also stands alone as a lovely storybook. Illustrations are bright and beautiful.

Although not religious in nature, the story is skewed to religions that believe in heaven and a possible afterlife. I hope my pups go to Chichester's heaven when they pass on!

'Value' has grown up considerably from the time that merely announcing that the company was analyzing some backwards-facing measurement formula wowed the Value Setters. Such half measures never impressed those who determine your corporation's value, and don't now. Steve Neill and I developed this management guide for those CEOs (like some of our clients) with vision AND the guts to pursue those few key actions that make all the difference-- all the difference between merely taking about theorhetical value and tangible corporate value improvement: Managing for MAXIMUM value.

Clark and Neill got it right. Should be mandatory reading at all Business Schools.

This book really stands head and shoulders above other books on value creation.

The emphasis in The Value Mandate is on ACTIONS to improve shareholder value rather than merely a regurgitation of well known measurement techniques.

The book is a must read for anyone who wants to take practical measures to improve the performance of their company. I now not only understand the maths of value, I know how to do something about it!

Pete Clark and Steve Neill have written an excellent book on value creation, covering the subject from the viewpoint of each of the major sources of corporate value. My special interest is R&D and innovation, and I find their chapter on why internal development is both mandatory and unaffordable to be an extremely perceptive insight into a major value trap. Equally valuable is their fine psychological profile of CEO's who try to manage R&D by "managing the R&D manager". Clark and Neill know that "The corporation with a reasonably predictable innovation stream controls its destiny." This book is eminently readable, lively, and quite well-documented.

this memory wedding book is the absolute best one out there..it has so much more then any I have ever seen..i have gotten several of them for gifts...this is the one place where i have found them and the price is great...cannot not find in the stores for some reason and besides ,the amazon price cannot be beat...

I received this book as an engagement present and have been giving it to others ever since. Difficult to find in book stores. Beautiful pictures. Very well structured and organized to document special moments in your life. Haven't found another memory book which can compare to the quality of this one.

I love this book! It was so much fun for my fiance and I to fill out information about our first kiss, how we met, our engagement announcement, and family histories. The book has high quality pretty pages with pretty illustrations and places for wedding photos, guest list, and wedding details. We even stored some of our engagement cards in the book so we will always have them! Now our book remains on our coffee table for our family and friends to share with us. This book would be an excellent and cherished wedding gift!

This book is intended for a couple who intends to stay together.
There is space for a family tree, How they met, their first date,parties and showers, how their relationship developed, guest
list signature pages, mentioning every event up to the first
anniversary.
I got one for my daughter, and intend to get more for her friends.