Living Things Books

While trying to develop a pattern of 'doing the devotions' and spiritual intimacy, my fiance and I decided to give this book a shot. It was readily available and seemed to cover all of the bases.
I for one was slightly disappointed. Growing up in the church and having a personal relationship with God since a young age, I felt that the daily lessons were lacking in depth. Maybe great for a younger couple who are just starting out on their spiritual journeys, but I found myself saying 'okay, that was it?' and wanting more.
In the book's defense, I must say that as an engaged couple we may not be the target audience. This book did spark some good discussion and definitely helped to instill the need of doing a devotinal every single day. We were both just disappointed with the lack of true depth for a more mature relationship.

My girlfriend and I had been dating about 4 months when we decided to start having devotions together. We knew that we wanted to start a spiritual journey together as a couple and this book really helped us get started. Although some of the content is pretty basic and common sense, especially if you have been a Christian for a while, the book still provides great opportunities for sharing and discussing biblical material regarding Love, Community, Simplicity, Prayer, Forgiveness, and Purity. I think it is an excellent tool to begin a spiritual walk with your partner. After going through this devotional book, we feel so comfortable opening up to talk and pray about God's plan for our future, and that's the first step to a blessed and fulfilling life together!

My girlfriend and I did this one together. It's alright, but not great. if you're in a relationship and are looking for something to connect you spiritually with your s.other, then read this. Don't expect anything life changing though.

My Boyfriend and I are almost through this study, and we have learned a lot about God, and about each other through it. It is great doing something like this together and being able to keep each other accountable. I recommend this to any dating couple who wants to grow closer to God and to each other!

While some complain about the lack of depth in conversation questions, I would call it an opportunity for free discussion. Because the questions are rather general, one feels much more free to allow the conversation to wander from the original topic, providing more insight into the beliefs and backgrounds of your dating partner.

As far as the format, there is simply nothing else out there. We looked hither and yon for an individual bible study with weekly couple components. This is it.

Many of the ideas in this book come from Martha Stewart's early TV shows,shown in the 1990's (ie: but NOT the new TV shows that are now being shown).

For those of you that are not familiar with Martha's early 1990's TV shows, I can add that those shows were fun to watch. There was not an audience, as the current Stewart TV shows have, and thus, Martha was able to pack more ideas in her earlier shows. Also, her earlier shows showed the projects much more carefully, and were ,thus, easier to follow.

Well, this book is filled with many of those "good things" ideas & projects from her early TV shows, and are still inspiring today. Some of the ideas may look out-of-date (at first glance), such as the ribbon plate holders. However, the photos are still very pretty and the color combinations that Martha uses in this book hold up well even today.

This book is now available for bargain prices at most AMAZON stores, so for the lower price, this book might be fun for novice admirers of Martha Stewart to read.

This book is a complilation of the "good things" column from Martha Stewart Living, 1990-1996. A few of the ideas, a customized sewing kit, decanting liquid dish soap from a bottle, slicing onions near a flame to keep from crying, tossing shellfish with corn meal to get rid of excess sand, keeping appliance warranties in an accordian file, preaparing a fruit butter with only a few ingredients, and using tea towels as simple window treatments, are easily accomplished by just about anyone.

Yet, some of these ideas require being rooted in a skill that requires good hand and eye coordination. A nice knick knack shelf needs dedicated carpentry skills. An attractive table mat needs basic sewing skills and a sewing machine. Napkins become lovely unique after several minutes of hand embroidery.

Look at this book at a library before committing to buying it.

If you don't subscribe to Martha's expensive magazine (I don't), then this book is the only thing you need to own. It is the best of all the good ideas without weeding through ads.

...these others books that I think are grand:

The New Decorating Book (Better Homes and Gardens(R))
by Better Homes and Gardens, Elegant and Easy Rooms: 250 Trade Secrets for Decorating Your Home, Elegant and Easy Living Rooms: 100 Trade Secrets for Designing With Style (Elegant and Easy).

I used all three with my designer and the results were delightful. Martha is just so passe anymore.

Rehash of articles in her magazine. Avoid.

This book spreads hate and intolerance- saying that Islam is an evil religion and that it along with Christianity should be eradicated. It also spreads intolerance about homosexuality.Show me the buddhist texts that say that. Lama Ole's centre support a lot of drinking and free loving.......but not much compassion. Steer clear!

I liked this book a lot - mostly because of interesting and unconventional presentation of Buddhism. It's great that the author can combine traditional Buddhism and european view.
If one's interested in Buddhism, I think it's the best choice to read this book.

The Way Things Are has proven to be one of those books that I am always referring to for myself, and my friends, as we make our way on our joyful and meditative paths. Every time I pick it up, I learn a great deal more. It's that kind of book.

In regard to some reviewers stating that Lama Ole Nydahl is not a "real" or "authentic" Lama, they are incorrect. Lama Ole has studied under some of the most formidable Vajrayana teachers of our time and was given the title of Lama well over 30 years ago when the 16th Karmapa asked that he open up the West to Tibetan Buddhist teachings. He is as real and authentic as it gets.

While being a quick read, this book gave me an informative outline over the basics of Buddhism and some of it's practical contexts to everyday life. At times really amusing (this is not a "dry" read), this very dense book will give you an information packed overview of Buddha's teachings and will help you understand this fascinating religion.

I have been studying Buddhism for six years now in quite some depth, from a variety of sources and traditions, and I have been practicing meditation for 4 of those years. I can safely say that the contents of this book, and well as the arrogant tone of the book, differ significantly from what the Buddha taught. It is quite clear that the author does not have a firm grasp on Buddhist teachings and has written this book at a very early stage of his spiritual development and study.

For example, when speaking about the five precepts for lay Buddhists, the author states that the third precept, to refrain from sexual misconduct, "always includes incest [as being forbidden], however, probably to protect the gene pool." The precept of sexual misconduct is to prevent suffering through sexual activity; can any of us imagine a positive result from a father having intercourse with his daughter, or a son with his mother? I will ask the reader: do you think that this vow against incest was to protect the gene pool or to prevent suffering? In other words, if we didn't have to worry about babies with three arms, would incest then be ok?

The author also states that not everyone has to follow the five lay precepts (generally stated as 1. to refrain from killing, 2. to refrain from taking what is not given 3. to refrain from sexual misconduct, 4. refrain from incorrect speech (lying, divisive speech, abusive speech, idle chatter), 5. refrain from intoxicating drinks or drugs). The Buddha never taught that anyone was exempt from these precepts, not even the Buddha himself. And neither are modern day teachers and students following in the Buddha's footsteps. Does the author really think that it is OK for a Buddhist to murder, steal, rape, verbally abuse, and be an alcoholic?

Later on we find that, according to the author, harming others is alright sometimes: "If we are all Buddhas in pure lands, it is only natural to express compassion and wisdom, and any premeditated harm to others is totally out - except to teach them a lesson." I don't wish to contemplate how much damage this statement has done. How many wars have been fought using this same principle of wanting to teach someone a lesson? How many fights, beatings, rapes, and murders? The Buddha taught that harming others is never right, and if we look into the sutras on the Buddha's life and teachings, we can see that he never had to resort to harming others in order to teach them. However, this statement does make things very convenient for the author (since he is the leader of Diamond Way Buddhism) in the event that he hurts anyone - he can simply say that he was teaching them a lesson through his "higher wisdom". However, the qualities of the teacher are usually passed along to the students, and it is clear that this kind of behavior is being passed down in this tradition. I have been to a few centers myself and the students most definitely have a feeling of being superior to others. What the Buddha taught was that feeling superior, feeling inferior, or feeling equal are all wrong views, because they are all based on the idea of a self. When we see that we are not separate from others, we will lose these notions of greater, lesser, and equal.

Another example of the author's divisiveness: "every human equipped with reason should insist on limiting the birth rates in the ghettos and poor countries of the world". The author does not state why we would insist on this, but we can guess that it is either for the environment or to prevent poverty and starvation. If for the environment, it is clear that the developed countries do the most harm. If it to prevent poverty and starvation, then the real causes of high birth rate and poverty almost always lie elsewhere: in political barriers, in social barriers to advancement, lack of education, etc. We can also see the author's arrogant tone here when he says "every human equipped with reason [will think the following...]" - meaning that if you do not agree with him, you are not equipped with reason. This is a typical intimidation tactic used to get others to agree with you. These kinds of tactics arise from insecurity, not from compassion or wisdom.

Religious intolerance also arises in this book: "Probably nobody informed expects anything but hate and suppression from Islam, but also several Rinpoches, organizations, and monks manage to produce hefty embarrassments in Buddha's good name." No one can disagree with the second half of the statement: there are Buddhist individuals and organizations who pervert spiritual teachings to their own end. But note how the entire religion of Islam is listed first. It isnt individuals perverting the teachings of Islam: it is the entire religion of Islam. Note again how he uses intimidation tactics: "Probably nobody informed [will think anything but the following...]". Imagine we substitute a different word for this sentence: "Probably nobody informed expects anything but hate and suppression from Buddhism". What positive good can come from this statement? I think it is safe to say we can add Diamond Way Buddhism to that list of organizations who have brought embarrassments to Buddha's good name.

If we ignore the divisiveness, intolerance, and intimidation in the book, it still does not give a good introduction to Buddhism or how to practice. Most of the book is spent talking about how everything will be wonderful once you are enlightened and no longer attached to things. However, there isnt much detail on how to actually achieve that state or even get started. The instructions tend to amount to "don't be attached" and "see the clear space of mind".

There is also a cult-like tone throughout the book about how Diamond Way should be brought throughout the world, that converting other people is one of the best uses of one's time, and lots of talk about just how fast Diamond Way has spread and how great it is. It is worth noting that in Diamond Way Buddhism, a student is supposed to "identify" with the Buddha-like qualities of the teacher in order to realize those same qualities themselves. This is actually practiced in all Buddhist traditions (it is called "direct transmission") - there is nothing strange about that. But it is clear that "Lama Ole" started to teach before he had a chance to develop spiritually and has now been caught up in the ego-gratification effect of people looking up to him and identifying with him.

If you would like to hear about other instances of spiritual leaders who have lost their way, read "A Path With Heart", Chapter 18: "The Emperor's New Clothes: Problems with Teachers". If you are looking for advice on how to find a good teacher, read Chapter 16 in the same book "You Can't Do It Alone: Finding and Working with a Teacher".

Whenever someone brings up this book in a discussion... it brings back SO many memories. my mom gave me this book as a kid... I read it over and over. I loved it. I can remember hiding from tornados in our basement with a copy of this book, doing over the neighbors houses when my older sister got hurt, and all the times in between. I proudly wrote my name on the inside cover to mark it as mine. I know some people wonder how Andy in Toy Story felt... But this book was my Woody doll. I would recommened this book to anyone who wants to teach their kids the value of learning from their mistakes.

The current "WWJD" (What Would Jesus Do") phenomenon is not the Biblical understanding of how we are to determine right and wrong. While this book did not start that pop phenomenon, some may read this mistakenly. What Jesus would do would be different that you or I because He was fully man AND fully God, second Person of the Trinity. He was sinless, and although tempted in every way as we are, He did not sin. His purpose was to fulfill the Law in order to be the spotless sacrificial lamb of God, the atonement and substitute for our sins. He was the omniscient God incarnate, so He knew what was in each heart and what was the perfectly appropriate thing to say and do in each situation in order to accomplish His mission. In that sense, what He would do in a situation as God is a hypothetical we cannot know as finite creatures. What He might have done is a speculation. We are, however, TOLD in Scripture what we are to do, how as Christians we are to act and live.

I'd recommend reading Charles Sheldon's "In His Steps" before reading this. Then you decide who is the better writer and has a real handle on the concept.

This is a great retelling - in a contemporary setting - of "In His Steps." This book helps you see the blessings and the sacrifices involved in truly following Jesus. This book challenges the reader to strive for a better walk with Christ - something all of us should hope for.

I have read this book in different settings a number of times in the past, but I am now going to have our church youth group read through it. I expect it will challenge each of them to not just be a Christian, but to "do" Christianity.

We are called to not just be hearers of the word, but doers. (James 1) This book helps challenge you to be a doer.

A re-write of his great-Grandfather's timeless classic, "In His Steps" first published In 1896, this story stands solidly beside one of the simplest, yet most life-changing works of fiction ever written.

I dragged my heels for months before reading this, because I had the very intense feeling that nobody should tamper with the original. Yet this has brought the original home to new generations of readers, losing almost nothing in the transition -- a task I would have thought impossible.

The question posed in the original book has launched several generations of reechoing "What Would Jesus Do?" In this re-write by great-grandson, Garrett Sheldon, the story remains true to the original and just as life-changing.

The very simplicity of the story has blinded some to the depth of the message, but after more than 107 years and 50,000,000 copies of the original and now with updated examples and characters it continues to rank among the best books ever written.

This was an enjoyable book. There are 1001 facts relating to the Bible. There is even a chapter about famous people and their attitudes toward the Bible. Some, like Thomas Jefferson and Voltaire, had a less than reverent feeling toward the canon.

There are also chapters about famous men and women from the Bible, and a synopsis of some of the more notable stories.

There are some mistakes. The entry on "The Rapture" uses the Matthew text of "one will be taken and the other left," though a careful study of the context will reveal that this is not a rapture text. It is about someone being taken for judgment and the other being left on earth to enter the kingdom.

Some entries are anemic, barely giving enough data to convey a well rounded view of a person, place or thing.

This book was also poorly edited, as there are typos and misspellings on many pages. I also wonder how helpful the book could be as an encyclopedic resource, since it isn't exhaustive and because not everything is easy to find.

But on the whole, this is a fun book. I learned a lot of facts that I didn't know before, and it is interesting enough where a person could sit and read the book straight through in a week's time.

Maybe I've spent too much time playing video games and surfing the Net, so yeah, I'll admit I just can't read through a long book any more. But I can handle one like this, 1,001 items that are mostly one paragraph each, all connected in some way with the Bible. I expected there would be items dealing with the people and places in the Bible, and there are, but there are chapters dealing with movies about the Bible, songs, art works, even words and phrases that are rooted in the Bible. I guess the author figured most of us aren't even aware that we use 'Bible language' all the time without realizing it, and he was right, at least in my case. Anyway, it's written with a kind of light tone and it isn't boring, and I wish there were more of these bite-size books around.

My family members and friends know I like "browsy" books I can take to the beach or while I'm waiting at the doctor's office. This is the "browsiest" book I've ever had, and a lot of fun--1,001 items all relating to the Bible, talking about its notable people and places, and also all kinds of pop culture things like movies, books, songs, words and phrases, anything related to the Bible. Each of the 1,001 is brief, just one paragraph, sometimes 2 or 3. It is very "bite-size," which I think is great. One thing I liked about it also is that it isn't preachy, just a lot of good information. However, my church's pastor told us he uses tidbits from this book to liven up his sermons at times. I think Sunday school teachers could use it the same way.

Some books are disappointments, but this one actually gave me more than I expected. I figured it would include a lot of interesting factoids about people and places in the Bible. But it also gives some really fascinating info about how the Bible has affected language, art, literature, movies, etc. I was really intrigued by the section about familiar phrases that (to my surprise) are found in the Bible. I also had not realized how many movies had been based on the Bible, not to mention the many world-famous authors whose books were in some way based on the Bible. This was a real education not just about the Bible, but about culture too.

This book is a very easy read. It would be perfect for air or train travel where it would be difficult to concentrate because of noise or other conditions. Unfortunately the book 1) has many substantive errors 2) treats difficult subjects in a cursory manner 3) includes entries which are entirely unrelated to the Bible 4) betrays Lang's personal views at the expense of objectivity.

For those who want a readable but much more scholarly approach to the Bible in a question and answer format, I highly recommend the work of the late Father Raymond Brown.

Stephen Lang's book has many errors of substance, such as one entry where he says consubstantion is a memorial while transubstantiation is the actual physical presence of Christ in the bread and wine. Actually both consubstantion and transubstantiation assert the physical presence of Christ, but consubstantiation asserts the presence of Christ is present simultaneously with the real physical presence of the wine and bread. The theories of Christ's presence in the bread and wine of communion are 1) no presence, it's just a memorial 2) a spiritual presence 3) consubstantiation - the real presence of Christ alongside the real presence of the bread and wine 4) transubstantiation - just the real presence of Christ (the wine and bread are transformed physically into Christ). These are very important differences because they relate to the inability of Christians of different denominations to take part in each others' communion sacraments, and the possibility of the different denominations to become one Church.

Save yourself some disappoint and either get this book from your local library or buy a better book such as Raymond Brown's.

I love throwing parties and was looking for some clever and easy ways to dress up my table. I did get some ideas. It's not the best entertaining book out there but I do think it was worth the money.

This book is so much better than Martha's very first entertaining book (called MARTHA STEWART ENTERTAINING). The ideas are up to date and follow the same format as most of Martha's "GOOD THINGS" series.

The reason I give this book four stars instead of five is because of the price.This book is a soft-cover book and in my opinion should have been priced lower by the publishers. I paid full price for this book and probably should have waited until it went on sale. However, if a reader is interested in a book as soon as it first comes out, then thy will have to pay full-price. But, possibly, now that the book has been out for a while, you may be able to find this book at discount, and if so, then it's worth a SALE price.

The photos are inspiring and amazing. The photos themselves will inspire the reader to organize a party. The ideas are seasonal, from Winter to Summer. The recipes are easy to duplicate(in my opinion), although some are not for the average novice.

The art projects are very clever. There are enough craft ideas shown in this book that a reader could find at the very least a few useful and doable projects.

Gift - recipient was excited and pleased.

Martha Steward is a classic. She is a strong woman that I admire. This book however is lacking substance. I flip through it and so just couple of nice advices.

"Try The $50 Dinner Party" by Sally Sampson. Sally's book is super and we used for a very elegant party at our large beautiful home.

My preference in light fiction is charming southern characters. There weren't any charming or truly quirky people to capture me. I enjoyed the book, but it certainly wasn't a page turner.

I found his portrayal of Southerners to be incredibly insulting. In fact, I found the entire book poorly written and not at all in the league of Fannie Flagg which the cover brags.

If you are a transplanted Yankee now living in the South you have to read this. I've heard this is being used in some southern universities to teach satire, and I can see why. This guy hits southern culture on the head. (No wonder the natives don't like it!) That said, it's also a very sweet story about how three young women and southern culture in general are fighting for their identity.

Ad Hudler's "Southern Living" doesn't require much from the reader. Comfortable characters yearn for contentment; conflicts have tidy, predictable resolution, and Dixie living comes off as far superior to its sterile, contentious competitor, the dreaded Yankee way-of-life. Hudler seems to delight in having at least three food references on every page, as if to proudly show the reader, "See, I'm a man who is unafraid of the kitchen." "Southern Living" is harmless enough and is a pleasant, unchallenging read, but it disappoints because its central themes yearn for better treatment. Hudler needs to learn that gentle comedy and social satire need to fulfill the reader's appetite more than another serving of smothered chicken.

At first glance, "Living" holds promise. Set in contemporary Selby, Georgia, the novel examines the impact of late twentieth-century social change on a community seemingly frozen somewhere in the post-Civil War era. Equally intriguing is the confluence of the novel's three central characters, each a woman with a compelling story and internal conflicts. The author effectively uses dialogue to advance the narrative, and his cross-cutting chapters gracefully bridge time.

Yet, the novel sadly betrays its promise and its premises. Instead of complexity and texture, "Living" relies on stereotype and philosophic bromides. Selby seemingly has every new-fangled social circumstance hit it all at once; from Japanese executives at the recently-opened Toyota plant to a Yankee editor of the local newspaper, Selbyites are yanked unwillingly into a multicultural world. Rather than examine the implications of this new world on the community, the author unwittingly places people of color where they always have been, in the background or on the periphery.

Each protagonist begs to have her story told with more compassion than the author could muster. The most cliched of the three is Suzanne Parley, who has transcended her white-trash childhood and married the town patriarch. Restless, bored and frightened by the clear sterility of her life, Suzanne spends money recklessly ($1500 on a see-through raincoat!) and invents a pregnancy to add spice to her life. It doesn't take a genius to see that she will receive a comeuppance.

Yankee transplant Margaret Pinaldi, the daughter of a firebrand abortion rights activist, inherits a Selby home upon the death of her mother. Quiet, almost diffident, Margaret undergoes a personality transformation once she discovers life south of the Mason-Dixon line. She casts off her prejudicial attitudes towards Southerners, is caught in a romantic triangle and somehow manages to intersect her job as a journalist with both Suzanne and the novel's most compelling character, Donna Kabel.

Facially scarred by an automobile accident, Donna must recreate her life. After losing her job as a cosmetics saleswoman/advisor, she finds employment in the produce section of a local Kroger's supermarket. Rejecting the iron-fisted religiosity of her father, Donna discovers purpose in fruits and vegetables, and, in so doing, sets out to change the dietary habits of her community. Unfortunately, she receives the least amount of space in the novel, and her challenges -- spiritually, physically, emotionally -- are undernourished and scantily discussed. Hudler conveys great sensitivity in places for Donna; in a moving epiphany, she "learned that the most delicious and beautiful of God's creations often hid behind an imperfect epidermis."

Perhaps the greatest strength of "Southern Living" is also its greatest weakness. Ad Hudler doesn't want us to think too much while reading his gentle, kind novel. He would prefer us to salivate at the non-stop references to food and laugh at the foibles of the pretentious Suzanne. He wants us to root for Margaret and feel sympathy for the beleaguered Donna. But he doesn't want us to lose any sleep over any of his characters. He needn't worry. "Southern Living" satisfies the appetite but not the soul.

I began reading this book while stranded in the airport, and it made the time fly by. i thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining commentary on life in the south and highly recommend it.

Great, fun book for young children. Wonderful way to introduce young ones to the ideas of eating right and staying fit so they can be healthy and strong. I will be using it in a preschool age classroom but my own children would have really enjoyed this one.

Some really important messages in this Seuss style beginner book including
the importance of hygiene, exercise, good nutrition, body safety, recognising and talking about own feelings, everyone is special and unique.
Sometimes the rhymes lose a bit of their rhythm, but overall I think it is a fair adaption of Seuss style, but most importantly it is a fun way to begin concepts of taking care and valuing yourself with young children.

The book is great and has wonderful healthy positive messages. My kids love it and ask to read it over and over. The only dissapointment is that it still has one page with the old food guide pyramid.

I like this book because it taught me all different things when i was littler. Like how to brush my teeth, floss, wash my hands, wash my hair, get exercise,how to deal with a cold, the right food to eat, and how its important at the end of the day to get your rest. This book taught me so much and im thankful for that.
Alyssa Seifferly

My kids (boys 8 and 5) still ask to hear this book at bedtime at least once every couple of weeks, so obviously the intended audience enjoys this. My own objections -- having read the thing aloud to said kids at least 100 times -- are largely aesthetic. The rhymes in this book are either strained

It can travel five feet
and blasts out with great power
at speeds over one hundred
miles an hour!

or facile (the Garoo in Fadoo tell me true, they do - just like you!) to a degree that bugs me as a Seuss fan.

To be fair, this problem turns up throughout the Learning Library series, not just in the volumes written by Tish Rabe. When you have to cover every health issue under the sun short of cancer and addiction (or every dinosaur or aspect of plant reproduction), it's probably pretty rough to hold a rhyme scheme and use words that kids can understand. Rabe does a respectable enough job at it that -- well, guess what the little Dinos want to hear again tonight?

This book covers a great many zoological issues connected with scale as succinctly as possible offering a fairly comprehensive treatment. It includes scalar descriptions in terms of physiology, intelligence, lifespan, flight and swimming (among others) and whearas the style may be staid, palaeontologists will find much to refer to in this book which is based on solid foundations rather than guesswork and opinions. A must for students, researchers and communicators on the subject.

The book is about muscles and skeletons, hearts, fluids and brains. Quite a large chunk of the book is about flight. I found the most captivating chapter was "Tiffany wings and kite strings". It is all about tiny fliers: microfilm model airplanes and microscopic flying insects. It reveals that the mechanism that insects use to fly is different to birds. After reading this, you may think twice about squishing the next harmless little insect that flies right by you. The section on drag was surprisingly very interesting.

Although it introduces familiar animals, it goes into enough detail to provide substantially new and rewarding information about these creatures, which you almost certainly won't be aware of. There are loads of great diagrams, which really make this book very enjoyable to read. The book is straightforward and I relished reading it.

A very very similar book is called "Cats' Paws and Catapults". It also contains many examples of design, although it is from an engineering perspective, and the focus is on comparing the design of evolution with that of technological invention. I think Diatoms to Dinosaurs is a much more interesting read - it is predominantly concerned with nature, not with technology. This book is simply more profound, but both books are very good.

An excellent exploration of the mysteries of living things.

We are surrounded by wonders. From the tiny phytoplankton with 7.5 micrometers in size, to the giant brachiosaurus weighing 78 tons, life manages to find its way, showing us facts that are just almost impossible to believe.

This is one of those books you can trust because is written for somebody who knows what he is writing about. Explores quite interesting subjects ranging from the movement of the wings doves and bats, to the heart rate of mice, and the naps of elephants. There are also very good illustrations in it.

Definitely, a very nice and productive reading for everybody, especially for those Lovers of Nature.

We need a wide mind to understand the wide wonders of Life.

McGowan has put together a nice book about basic limitations that physics sets on animal size, e.g. how insect respiratory system limits insect size, or how big a bird can fly, or how body shape, swimming speed and Reynolds numbers compare with plankton and whales. Even though the subtitle claims that the book is about "living things", there is nothing about plants, which is a pity because e.g. trees are extreme in size. McGowan's writing is lucid and the level is good for reading: there are a couple of equations and about hundred simple charts and figures (B&W, nothing fancy) which give good extra information to the text. You might also want to check Knut Schmidt-Nielsen's book "Scaling: Why Is Anaimal Size So Important".

This book almost repays the drudgery of reading it. It should be a case-study in poor editing. Apparently, no one ever quite decided who the audience was, and so it falls between any: though aimed at the general reader it is in essence a summary of technical literature - complete with maths, graphs, equations (more than a couple), and citations of authority in quasi-academic style. The text is at least one or two drafts from being finished; there are inadvertent repetitions, important points blurred or glossed over, paragraphs broken badly, and several discussions (including an entire chapter) that are off-topic and mostly pointless. McGowan's personal stories and asides are not well-integrated, as if an afterthought tacked on simply to soften his rather dry style. The illustrations are small, the photographs few and not directly relevant to the text.

McGowan seems to know what he is writing about; he needs an editor firmer and more adept and a publisher willing to put more money into the production.

I bought this book with a lot of eagerness to learn new and exciting secrets to boost the immune system, however, all I found was the same basic information that has been touted by millions and millions of doctors (and quasi-doctors) for many years; namely: eat right (fruits, veggies, whole wheat, more fish, less bad fats, more good fats, etc.,)exercise, and live a happy, stress-free life. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, I mean, if there had been any new, fascinating advances in this area, I'm sure it would have been all over the news, so why I expected to find anything but recycled advice is beyond me. Quite frankly, I catolog these among my light and fluffly collection. Not much depth to it at all!

"The Immune Advantage" should be required reading for anyone embarking on a diet or lifestyle change. The information is presented in an easily readable, conversational format and stresses commonsense knowledge we often ignore in our fast-paced world: good foods are often the simplest foods; sleep heals; exercise sharpens not only our bodies but our brains.
Ellen Mazo's information is solidly researched and well organized. And the recipes are a major plus!

Great format, great info, very readable. I've been doing my own personal health research for a year or two now, and this book seems to incorporate the best of everything I've come across. It gives equal weight to diet, exercise, complementary/alternative medicine, stress reduction, etc. It even has a section of recipes. This will be a book I refer back to for many years to come.

Part One of this detailed study deals with the structure of the immune system, the immunity-aging connection and the balance of the system.

Part Two provides the keys to a strong immune system. These include techniques for enhancing immunity with mind power. The top 5 of the authors' Top 20 Immune Boosters consist of: 1.Eating 9 to 10 fruit and vegetable servings per day; 2.Taking supplements regularly; 3. Working out; 4. Getting 8 hours' sleep every day; 5. Ensuring psychological health via balanced emotions.

Part Three deals with the prevention and treatment of immune-related diseases like colds and flu, allergies, cancer, HIV & AIDS, infectious diseases and auto-immune diseases.

The MaxImmune Plan is given in Part Four; it consists of diet, supplementation, exercise and stress relief techniques.

Part Five, Immune Resources, includes 50 delicious recipes, discusses super-immunity ingredients and foods to avoid and provides safe use guidelines or supplements, essential oils and herbs.

There are black and white illustrations in the exercise section and the book includes an index and a list of resources with the details of relevant organisations and their websites.

This is an important topic, handled in a very readable easy to follow style. The book provides a blueprint for achieving optimal health. I know the author, and I know that a lot of excellent research has gone into this book.