Clouds Books

This book offers a thoughtful introduction to the tradition and a careful translation that reads very well. Nice book!

Forget the Buddhist angle, this is a book of stories that are quite extraordinary. It would resonate in any culture or time. If you want to go someplace that's up there with the Moby Dicks of Hobbitsville drifting down a big river on a flimsy raft, come visit this place, it's not as much of an illusion as it seems. This is the life we're all trying to master. Ask any Tiger. But try it as I did and be taken away...

I strongly recommend this book. It is engaging, delightful, and full of help for those seeking enlightenment. These biographies will inspire and entertain readers while at the same time providing valuable information. Obstacles can be overcome. Nicole Riggs is clearly highly realized and very knowledgeable about Tibetan Buddhism. She is the only author I have encountered who has explained what Dakinis are (what they are symbolic of) and their purpose in achieving enlightenment. I look forward to getting a copy of her other book "Milarepa, Songs on the Spot". Buy this book.

At last a book to honor the Shangpa tradition! I've known of this lineage for a long time but never until this book (recommended to me by a friend) have I found accessible material on it. Each chapter tells the story of a different Master. I keep re-reading the stories and songs: there's wisdom to be found for all situations. This book is a gift.

Nicole Riggs has presented a very well written book, but comparing her translation to the Tibetan original, I can't help but notice that she often omits sizable chunks of the texts. But what really has me bewildered is the strange gender issue that she seems to have. When I translate a text, I translate what's written there, period. I do not add things, unless I make it very clear that it is an addition by me, and I certainly don't change things around so they suit me better. But changing even the names of male deities into female ones, now that's utterly ridiculous!!! But as I say, otherwise a good and inspiring read...

Thomas Roth, one of Ven. Tenga Rinpoche's interpreters, Kathmandu

On Cloud Nine is written as a fantastical tale of a man who just been appointed as Director of the Weather Customer Satisfaction Bureau. As the newbie, he immediately starts to make changes with the assumption that the old system isn't working and needs to be scrapped. To his surprise, however, he finds out that once in place his ideas create an even bigger mess that not only threatens his job but those of many others as well. In trying to find a solution to his problems, this man learns much about working through the challenges of having several generations in the workplace and using the best of all of these individuals to make a more successful plan.

I think that this little tale is a very effective way of showing both the challenges and benefits of the various generations of workers. Not only is this understanding extremely important in today's business world where Matures, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and now Millennials are now working together but also in the general population where the different morals, attitudes, and work ethics appear to be so very different between these different groups of individuals.

"Wally shuffled over to his laptop and started fiddling with his presentation. He was so preoccupied that he did not notice the huge swarm of clouds beginning to gather around the mountain's snowy peaks." ~ pg. 39

Robert W. Wendover and Terrence L. Gargiulo present their wisdom in a fable format that addresses the current clashes between the way things have always been done and adjusting to the newest technology available.

As old and new clash, the authors invite all the "clouds" to a meeting to talk about their differences rumbling before the storm. Eldon Dedini provides humorous cartoons throughout that enliven the story and keep you smiling from start to finish.

Chapter eleven is an explanation of the story and explains what can be learned from the fable: "Sometimes, listening and quietly facilitating can be the most effective means for developing relationships among different groups."

Questions and Answers and a special section for Frequently Asked Questions gives the story practical applications for all work environments and encourage all employees to reconcile the differences that abound as life moves forward at a rapid pace.

~The Rebecca Review

I love this book. It is so well written, humorous and the book really hit home with me. In my profession, I deal with people that all have different points of view and agendas: buyers, sellers, other agents, lenders, vendors, contractors - and they are of all different ages. I found the story so very pertinent to my business. It inspired me to work harder to move towards teamwork solutions rather than to give in to all the different personalities. And I absolutely love the cartoons by Eldon Dedini - they make me smile.
Inge Kessler, REALTOR
Carmel, California

I enjoyed this book very much; particularly because of it's quick read, hunorous presentation of the subject matter, and because it helped me to do my job better! I train large groups of "twenty somethings", and being a Boomer myself, I find some of their actions and responses confusing. This book encouraged me to adjust a portion of my material, and the way I deliver it, to bring a more effective learning environment to these people. That's a Win-Win for everyone. Thanks.

Robert Wendover & Terrence Gargiulo's ON CLOUD NINE: AN INSPIRING TALE reads like fiction but provides an involving vignette about age-related differences in the workplace which hold great meaning for modern workforces. From young people who think they know it all because they have more energy to elders who are more experienced but resist change, and customers who see their satisfaction with the results eroding, ON CLOUD NINE makes a fable out of the first part and leads into real tips on how to improve communication and foster teamwork in a multigenerational workplace. Whether you're a workforce manager or a worker, ON CLOUD NINE offers many coping tips.

I sat by one of the authors, Alice Brawand, on a plane, and she was such a facinating lady that I looked her up when I got home. She had worked in Guatamala as a linguist with the Rabinal-Achi' people for about 12 years translating the Bible into their language, along with her husband John. She is the daughter and wife of a minister, as well as a veteran of the mission field. She also has a Master's in Social Work and Counseling, I believe. The book was very eye-opening and helpful.

I found this book very helpful, explaining how things went wrong within the family, and
steps to take to heal and move forward.

Everyone will benefit from this book, but especially those involved in helping professions. Not only can you use it in your work, but it will help you see why YOU tick like you do! Written from a Christian perspective with Biblical examples.

Secrets of Your Family Tree was worth every dime and more. A person could not possibly put a price on the invaluable information that this book provides its readers. Some especially good points in the book are: "Time does NOT 'heal all wounds' when it comes to family issues; If we have only experienced a family that keeps everything secret, that is how we will naturally conduct our own family." My favorite chapters are the first three since they go through the roots of dsyfunctional families and provide an in-your-face look at how they operate under different circumstances. Included are "questions for reflection" throughout the book and a helpful appendix of resources on "Where ACDFs Can Find Help." Lastly, one thing to keep in mind is that this book is Christian-based, and every page has a biblical reference. I highly recommend it for anyone who has a strong and serious desire to educate themselves and start or greatly influence the healing process.

There is little doubt that most people will recognize their own families in this book since no family is perfect and most are truly dysfunctional to some degree. This book has a good spiritual approach to looking at family life.

I use it as a part-time minister to give me insights on famlies and their issues. I think everyone can get something of great value out of reading this book. I highly recommend it along with the whole series of books offered as a part of the Minirth-Meier Healing series.

This book was educational as well as an enjoyable book to read. I used this book when studying stories of survival. My students really enjoyed listening and reading it.

This is a testimony to the strength of women and the power of music to soothe the soul. Music is a common ground for all people and this true story illustrates how beautiful sounds calm and restore our spirits and, in this story, that of the oppressors. There must be thousands of heroic folks who lived through this terrible war with strength and dignity. I am always glad to find another inspiring story.

I have not yet read the book, certainly plan on reading it. I have however attended aplay this past Friday evening. A local Community Theatre presented it and I was in great awe of their performance. They did great justice to the story line and I am so pleased to have been present. At the end I so wanted to stand up with/for them as they closed with The Captive's Hymn. The message of strength, courage, and spirit were felt by all in attendance. Such strength these women had, makes me proud of my female sisters!

It wasn't long ago that America watched "Paradise Road" in movie theaters across the country. Audiences were captivated with the story of a young girl and her family's struggle to survive imprisonment by the Japanese. Like many moviegoers today, the audience may not have read the inspirational work behind the motion picture. Helen Colijn's Song of Survival is a real story. The experiences that Coljin documents in her work are real. The author gives her readers a glimpse of her life, and that of the other women imprisoned in Southeast Asia by the Japanese during World War II. Readers follow Colijn through the experiences of a shipwreck, being captured, and being imprisoned for three-and-a-half years.

Based on her original manuscript written just after her imprisonment, Colijn's story is one of hope and perseverance. Many other books written by soldiers and survivors of World War II are laden with hardship and sadness especially those books detailing the accounts of brutality of the Japanese during their quest to expand their empire westward through Asia such as The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang. Colijn's story is unique in that it details true survival of not just the body of the imprisoned, but the soul as well. The women of the camp in which Colijn was imprisoned used music to life their spirits and "free their souls" from detainment.

Reading a book such as Song of Survival can open up a new door to the way in which we learn about prisoners of war. Colijn describes disease and starvation leading to the deaths of more than one-third of the population of the camp (Colijn 159-169). "Before our internment was over, twenty-six Dutch children lost their mothers," she says (Colijn 162). But all the while, the women kept their spirits from breaking entirely through singing classical songs and even performing vocal concerts among themselves (Colijn129-146). Colijn gives her readers an idea of the sisterhood within her camp among the prisoners. This feeling of family is often discussed within the realm of the formation of a brotherhood-such as is seen in Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose--of soldiers, but is rarely seen in accounts of imprisonment. The work is so poignant because Colijn is able to draw from true personal experiences.

The author teaches her readers that even during imprisonment, with just a little faith and a little music, souls will have the ability to wander free. By using an effective autobiographical format, Colijn tells her story from a very personal perspective. She recalls the events so vividly that it is impossible for readers not to feel the same emotions that the prisoners felt. Colijn's work is so well crafted that even her feelings of optimism shine through the seemingly unpromising situation. As trite as it may seem, Colijn notes that several women even made "liberation dresses" to wear for the day that their camp was liberated by the Allied forces (Colijn 129).

A book such as Colijn's is an important element in any study of World War II as it not only brings to light the idea of hope in spite of hardship, but it also shows what seems to be a neglected area of war accounts-the struggle of women as prisoners of war. A personal account of the struggles of being imprisoned by the Japanese that is so seasoned with hope is rarely seen. Colijn serves the women of her camp well with Song of Survival. With the work of one author, hundreds of women's stories will live on to be read by future generations who will bear witness to the events taking place-the immense struggle-during World War II. Song of Survival will live on long after the last survivor passes away. It will carry a message of faith and perseverance for the women in Colijn's camp who kept hope alive through their immense personal strength.

When one reads of the hardships that Colijn and her fellow inmates lived through, one expects that they would have focused on survival, and thrown all other concerns to the wind. There were some who did, but not others. Many strove to keep a modicum of loveliness in their lives. Sometimes, all they could do was escape to memories of their past, either through daydreaming or conversation. There were instances, however, of actual impact on their current situation, including a refusal of some inmates to lick their plates(though food was scarce), struggles to live in peace and harmony with fellow inmates, and, most of all, the musical peformances.

You might imagine that if you were living in a filthy prison camp where people were dropping like flies, you would owe it to yourself to fight for your survival tooth and nail, even against the other inmates, and the furthest thing from your mind would be music. You would need to look out for number one, period. Colijn believes that many more of them might have perished, or, at least, might not have come out as well, had there not been a commitment to community and beauty in that abject misery. In a sense, this book tells about war heroines.

This is a wonderful book by a sensitive contemporary practitioner, a German who became a Buddhist monk in a SE Asia monastery and traveled through Tibet with his wife Li Gotami (who published a book of fascinating photographs). The author is probably best known for his "Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism" which is probably a modern classic. This book is, perhaps, more personal in nature, however. But, as I've heard Lama Govinda (Anangavajra Khamsum Wangchuk) quoted (but I don't know the source), "A religion whose ideal is only a matter of the past or the distant future has no living value for the present day." He has considerable insight into the human condition and its relation to religion and spirituality as demonstrated in some quotes from this book:

"Seriousness and a sense of humor do not exclude each other; on the contrary, they constitute and indicate the fullness and completeness of human experience and the capacity to see the relativity of all things and all `truths' and especially of our own position. The Buddha's sense of humor--which is so evident in many of his discourses--is closely bound up with his sense of compassion: both are born from an understanding of greater connections from an insight into the interrelatedness of all things and all beings and the chain reactions of cause and effect. His smile is the expression of one who can see the wondrous play of ignorance and knowledge against the universal background and its deeper meaning. Only thus is it possible not to be overpowered by the misery of the world or by our own sense of righteousness that judges and condemns what is not in accordance with our own understanding and divides the world into good and bad. A man with a sense of humour cannot but be compassionate in his heart, because his sense of proportion allows him to see things in their proper perspective. pp. 176-7.

"Events and facts become meaningful only if seen against the back¬ground of inner experience." 1970 p. xiv

"Personality consists in the power to influence others, and this power is due to consistency, harmony, and one-pointedness of character. If these qualities are present in an individual, in their highest perfection, then this individual is a fit leader of humanity, either as a ruler, a thinker, or a saint, and we recognize him as a vessel of divine power." p.297

"The Way of the White Clouds" is a truly wonderful piece of art. On my own path this has been the most significant book to open my mind and heart to what is beyond the obvious.

Govinda writes from the heart with an openness and clarity which is rare in this world. Combine this with a description of a journey of Tibet just prior to it's invasion, and you can nearly grasp the Heart of tibetan spiritual culture.

Highly recommended, I truly hope Rider/Random House get enough requests for this literary gem to be printed again.

You'll need your reading glasses, for sure, when you pick up Lama Govinda's The Way of the White Clouds because you won't want to miss one word of this marvelous text. Travel log, personal diary, and spiritual pilgrimage - I have read this book twice and will read it again. I have only loaned it out once - and only to a family member. It is that previous to me. Govinda's images of Tibet of the 40's are vivid - he takes you there. Another - much more modern - book that shares a similar place of importance on my shelf is The Blessings Already Are by John Morton. You may have to ask for it at your favorite book store as it was just recently published this year. Peace, fellow travelers.

Lama Govinda visited Tibet in times pre-chinese. His tale is of a personal character - and wonderfully so. It feels as if the author is present, when reading.
I have the book in German, purchased thru Amazon.de, and can highly recommend this to anyone who is able to read German fluently. It is, as said in the title of my review, a wonderfully poetic tale.

This book will fill you with love, compassion, warmth and dreams.It will take you on an unforgettable journey through Tibet and this in turn will urge you to follow your dreams and not just your ambitions.Its written from the heart and written beauifully.I will be reading it again and again.Having been on a 21 day journey through Ladakh, I could almost relate to the author's experience.Its a truly wonderful and I urge all of you to partake in it.Tholing and Tsaparang, here I come..

I enjoy browsing through bookstores, especially ones with used books. Sometimes I stumble on a tome that may be out of print or otherwise low on the radar scope. "Clearing Away Clouds" is a good example. Lately I've been reading a number of martial arts books to augment my karate training and instruction (I'm a 1st-degree ShoDan black belt). Particularly helpful have been books by experienced martial artists. That's because they provide valuable lessons learned from long-term training. This one is no exception.

Stephen Fabian began his martial arts training back in the early 1980s. Since then, he has accumulated an eclectic budo background by training in Korean Tae Kwan Do and practicing Jujutsu and Iaido in Japan. His long journey through the Martial Way led him to write "Clearing Away Clouds." The subtitle "Nine Lessons For Life From The Martial Arts" sums up the content. Each of the nine lessons gets its own chapter, with titles such as "Control the Breath," "Focus," and "Persevere." Mr. Fabian uses his own life to demonstrate the development of various positive physical abilities and character qualities. There's a circular pattern here, where the martial arts gave him the ability to deal with hardship, and hardship in turn helped with his martial arts mastery.

Mr. Fabian's extensive background in anthropology gives him a unique perspective on the intercultural aspects of martial arts practice. His credentials came in handy during long sojourns in South America and Japan. Fortunately for his readers, the author's education had the effect of making him a good writer vs. an academic one. I enjoyed following his unique story and seeing him grow as a person. Indeed, the most interesting aspect of this book was Mr. Fabian's incorporation of his family life with his art (especially since his early training environment was practically monastic in nature). I've read similar martial arts books where the author either glossed over his or her family life or neglected it totally. However, Mr. Fabian documents how a wife and children affected his martial arts involvement, and how they became part of it as well. Although I'm still single, I'm glad to have a literary example of balancing family with budo.

There are two things that may cause some reader consternation. First, I've noted that some other martial arts authors believe true mastery is impossible, and therefore object to the use of this term. I have to admit I'm ambivalent about it as well. Second, Mr. Fabian's philosophical feet are firmly planted in Zen. It would seem that Buddhism is his faith of choice, since he goes deeply into its practice and virtues. I find my foundational beliefs satisfied in Christianity, so I took what I could from his exposition in this area. Tread carefully if you struggle with one or both of these issues, but keep in mind that one can learn from all.

Overall, I found "Clearing Away Clouds" to be a fine portrait of one man's journey through life via the martial arts. Other similar books you may find helpful are: "Living the Martial Way" by Forrest Morgan, "The Making of a Butterfly" by Phillip Starr, "The Martial Way and Its Virtues" by F. J. Chu, "The Martial Spirit" by Herman Kauz, and just about anything by Dave Lowry.

I have been studying various forms of martial arts for a long time before I found hontai yoshin ryu. Fabian Sensei is an amazing example of how one should walk the path of the true warrior. I read his book after taking a class with him and it's really helped open my eyes to what a traditional martial artist is, and how he sees the world. It's autobiographical, but he uses his own experiences to explain his steps along the path.

The main thing that he stresses throughout the book is that the Nine lessons are FROM Martial Arts, not just FOR martial arts. He expresses the lessons one must learn to master things, and they can range from a study of martial arts, to tea pouring, to flower arranging. The lessons are life lessons.

An amazing book!

I have been studying various forms of martial arts for a long time before I found hontai yoshin ryu. Fabian Sensei is an amazing example of how one should walk the path of the true warrior. I read his book after taking a class with him and it's really helped open my eyes to what a traditional martial artist is, and how he sees the world. It's autobiographical, but he uses his own experiences to explain his steps along the path.

The main thing that he stresses throughout the book is that the Nine lessons are FROM Martial Arts, not just FOR martial arts. He expresses the lessons one must learn to master things, and they can range from a study of martial arts, to tea pouring, to flower arranging. The lessons are life lessons.

An amazing book!

The book "Clearing Away Clouds: Nine Lessons for
Life From the Martial Arts," by Stephen Fabian, is
written as an autobiography of Fabien sensei's
training and development as a martial artist. The
Fabian sensei takes the reader from his initial
exposure and introduction to the martial arts,
through his development to a point when the student
then becomes the teacher. Along the way you Fabian
sensei shares the trails and challenges of a young
college student, on learning to living on your own,
on the hectic, sometimes daunting demands placed on
a graduate student, to learning to function in a
foreign country.

Though the book is not necessarily meant to be
instructional, at least not in a traditional sense,
Fabian sensei provides a set of nine "lessons" or
guidelines to help the aspiring martial artist
through the travels along the Way.

These lessons are presented in a defined order, each
building on the previous lesson. The lessons are
presented in an abstract way, supported by
developmental stories from the author's life, which
force the reader to think about and internalize the
information.

This is not a "become a martial artist in nine easy
steps" type of book; this book provides real life
experiences of someone that have used the martial
arts to help shape their life, and become a better
person for it.

It several subtle ways, the author helps to
differentiate between the fast-food type of martial
art school whose primary objective is the
development of "martial athletes" and the more
traditional dojo's (dojang in Korean) that cultivate
true "martial artists".

As a practitioner of Japanese martial arts, I found
the chapters of the book related to the challenges
of living in Japan particularly interesting.

The book is very well written, and has a good
structure and flow to it. I highly recommend this
book to anyone that is interested in the martial
arts, particularly those that truly embrace their
training as a path along the Way.

Dr. Fabian is my sensei, teaching a class of 15-20 students in Hontai Yoshin Ryu (mainly Jujutsu with some Bojutsu and Iaijutsu), so I have some obvious bias. I read his book mainly because of the class. However, I would recommend it to anyone interested in a westerner's journey in the way of martial arts and what they have learned from that journey. Each of the nine main chapters is similarly structured; a short introduction, then the main autobiographical narrative thread, followed by a reflection on what was learned. As I read the book, I felt both a keen interest in the autobiographical content *and* the philosophical content; each is interesting per se, and they enhance each other strongly. I usually devour books rather rapidly; in this case I found myself putting it down at the end of a chapter and thinking about the concepts and ideas. As a Christian, it afforded me a valuable insight into the connection between Christianity and eastern thought and is influencing my way of following Christ. I recommend this book for anyone concerned with living life more intentionally, and particularly someone interested in finding a 'way', even if the way of martial arts is not where you see yourself going.

I'm reluctant to brand this book as educational, because that might call to mind a stuffy story of shoulds and shouldn'ts, yet THE LAND BEYOND THE CLOUDS is educational indeed. This fun (and sometimes scary) romp through the various lands above Jacob's Ladder shows us that we may face our challenges or hide from them, but only when we face them do we step through our perceived limitations. Ignore all that, though. Read Valerie Bishop's book for the sheer fun of it. If you learn something along the way - well, consider it a side benefit.
I loved Merlin, the sneakered and bespectacled giant sea turtle who served as the Transport Director, who sent Anna (a feisty young girl, indeed) and Tedith (her beloved teddy bear turned alive) off into the various realms of THE LAND BEYOND THE CLOUDS. At each stop Anna learned to confront obstacles, and grew through that learning.
Can't wait to read this to my grandchildren.

What an empowering adventure - I really enjoyed Anna's journey and see this as a universal story that can be shared with many of any age. Positive life skills are so artfully woven into a compelling what-happens-next kind of story for young readers - if only I had read it when I was 10. Bravo!

Once I started reading this book I didn't want to put it down. It was exciting.funny, magical, and profound. I took my own journey as I followed Anna on hers. I laughed with Odin's wisdom. I faced my fears with Donovan. I rooted for Anna and Tedith all the while. I found this book to be sweet, empowering, and delightful, a book not only for children
but for the child in us all.

I was given this book as a gift and my five year old daughter and I read it every night as a bedtime story. She would wake up in the morning asking about Anna and what happened next. This was our first non-picture book. I love the story and the lessons as well as wisdom that is so elegantly and simply written.

After having read THE LAND BEYOND THE CLOUDS a few times now, I will never again be afraid to climb Jacob's Ladder. Each chapter of this book, written skillfully, with sage tidbits tossed in for flavor, became a subtle, unconscious mantra for me as I tagged along for the ride..."One rung at a time. If Anna (the novel's heroic protagonist) can do it, so can I." Every time I neared the last few pages of this book, two, I mean, three things happened:

1. I rooted for Anna to bravely continue on her quest to discover
2. I was reminded and motivated to take more risks in life
3. I wanted Anna to keep going, because I ended up caring for her and I didn't want her story to finish

For young readers, middle-graders, teens and adults; I heartily recommend Valerie Bishop's inspiring expedition with words to anyone who longs to find their way home.

Good book but sometimes it felt like it went on and on and on.

This fun book is a well organized adventure into fully enjoying ourselves and others at any age. It provides a light-hearted look at the language of laughter and the love of life. It would be a generous gift to family and friends including the friend within.

For me, Linda hit the "nail on the head" when she described the work of Dr. Nancy Walker, page 31-32, who suggested in her study of women's literature that women don't particularly like jokes, but are storytellers rather than joke tellers. She adds that women more often prefer the spontaneous humor of everyday life, amusing stories, and ancedotes. I often react to jokes as being dumb or stupid, putting down someone or a group of people, or being incomprehensible, i.e., I don't understand the punchline or why it's considered funny. However, give me a good, funny storyline in a comedy movie, and I'm laughing away. Thanks for assisting me in distinquishing male and female differences in humor.

Linda Hutchinson is a humor educator and consultant who manages to pack lots of warmth and wisdom between belly laughs in this delightful and instructive book. The jokes --and there're lots of them-- are in bold print, so if you're looking for a quick laugh, you can easily access it. But if you're like me, you'll soon be drawn to read the rest of the story. The shaded boxes contain practical suggestions from a veteran humor workshop presenter. I found them to be creative, caring, and clever.

Linda shares ideas gleaned from her years of experience in the field of humor, but she does it with such a fun, light, compassionate touch, that you hardly realize that you're actually learning! I especially appreciated her material on humor in the family and the use of humor to reduce stress.

Linda Hutchinson has integrated an amazing amount of ideas on laughter as it connects with physical and spiritual health. A certified Laughter Club leader, Linda is practical, pithy, and playful (her words and they're true!)
I helped rush her into print because I wanted all her good jokes (in bold); others wanted her stories (shaded); still others wanted to read her insights into social justice, men and women, humility (ordinary print).

She provides hundreds of unique ideas on how to spread the "laughter" around; the bibliography itself is worth the price of the book.

I highly recommend this book to women and men. Women will learn to find their own voice; men will learn that there is more to humor (...)

The world is poised on the brink of nuclear war. Any small incident could set off a disaster.

U.S. President Ryan "Mac" MacDuff consistently states to the public that "there are no nuclear missiles pointed at our people"; that reducing the nuclear threat is one of his highest priorities. Actually, he has been informed by the CIA that China and Russia have tested warheads within the range of the

U.S.General Chet "Bulldog" Fuller, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, admonishes MacDuff to grant more assistance to Taiwan, to stop the security leaks, and to deploy a missile defense system. MacDuff refuses, stating there is no danger and that we must continue our mutual trade policy.

There is a virus in the missile control units supplied to Russia, China and some Middle East nations which could set off the missles at any time. The virus is caused by MacDuff's silent partner, Bill Redding, who hopes to profit from the sale of replacement units.

When China accidentally launches a missile at the U.S., MacDuff swiftly retaliates with an attack on Chinese bases. All out war hangs in the balance.

There is enough excitement and suspense to satisfy even the most demanding reader: political intrigue and scandals, espionage, blackmail, double dealing politicians, assassinations, industrial espionage and sexual misbehavior.The characters are well-developed. The story is well-constructed and moves along at a fast pace, ending with a few surprises.

The U.S. is too complacent, in a false sense of security. But we have more than the terrorists to worry about. The balance of power and world economies can easily spark a nuclear war.

U.S. President Ryan "Mac" MacDuff is more focused on the global economy, and less on a missile defense system. He's involved with Bill Redding, a computer magnate, in the sales of super computer technologies particularly to China. The CIA reports that along with the Middle East crisis, China and Russia present a threat of nuclear attack.

MacDuff ignores the advice of Marine General Chet "Bulldog" Fuller, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to deploy a worldwide defense system. Fuller uses his sources in Beijing to spy on China's nuclear missile programs.

A virus infects missile control units supplied to Russia, China and Middle East nations; it was intentionally implanted in CPU units by MacDuff's partner, Bill Redding, a computer magnate who's plan was sell replacement units for a windfall profit.

The virus accidentally launches missile from China, and the U.S. is the target. A nuclear war hangs in the balance.

The story is an eye-opener, frightening, fast-paced with ample antagonists and richly developed protagonists-a captivating, thrilling read.

The world is poised on the brink of nuclear war. Any small incident could set off a disaster.

U.S. President Ryan "Mac" MacDuff consistently states to the public that "there are no nuclear missiles pointed at our people"; that reducing the nuclear threat is one of his highest priorities. Actually, he has been informed by the CIA that China and Russia have tested warheads within the range of the U.S.
General Chet "Bulldog" Fuller, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, admonishes MacDuff to grant more assistance to Taiwan, to stop the security leaks, and to deploy a missile defense system. MacDuff refuses, stating there is no danger and that we must continue our mutual trade policy.

There is a virus in the missile control units supplied to Russia, China and some Middle East nations which could set off the missles at any time. The virus is caused by MacDuff's silent partner, Bill Redding, who hopes to profit from the sale of replacement units.

When China accidentally launches a missile at the U.S., MacDuff swiftly retaliates with an attack on Chinese bases. All out war hangs in the balance.

There is enough excitement and suspense to satisfy even the most demanding reader: political intrigue and scandals, espionage, blackmail, double dealing politicians, assassinations, industrial espionage and sexual misbehavior.

The characters are well-developed. The story is well-constructed and moves along at a fast pace, ending with a few surprises.

"OMEGA-ALPHA" is a shocking story that goes beyond terrorism. It's a chilling reminder of the nuclear threat to world peace. And the nefarious effects of cyber war and political corruption play a disastrous role. The story is factual, and it takes you from Washington, D.C. to China, to Norway and around the U.S. on a dazzling trip filled with espionage, sexual escapades, assassinations and exciting danger.

The world is poised on the brink of nuclear war. Any small incident could set off a disaster.

U.S. President Ryan "Mac" MacDuff consistently states to the public that "there are no nuclear missiles pointed at our people"; that reducing the nuclear threat is one of his highest priorities. Actually, he has been informed by the CIA that China and Russia have tested warheads within the range of the U.S.

General Chet "Bulldog" Fuller, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, admonishes MacDuff to grant more assistance to Taiwan, to stop the security leaks, and to deploy a missile defense system. MacDuff refuses, stating there is no danger and that we must continue our mutual trade policy.

There is a virus in the missile control units supplied to Russia, China and some Middle East nations which could set off the missles at any time. The virus is caused by MacDuff's silent partner, Bill Redding, who hopes to profit from the sale of replacement units.

When China accidentally launches a missile at the U.S., MacDuff swiftly retaliates with an attack on Chinese bases. All out war hangs in the balance.

There is enough excitement and suspense to satisfy even the most demanding reader: political intrigue and scandals, espionage, blackmail, double dealing politicians, assassinations, industrial espionage and sexual misbehavior.

The characters are well-developed. The story is well-constructed and moves along at a fast pace, ending with a few surprises.

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I love the way the poems in this book tell stories but then take you beyond the stories. The stories are just the first layer--behind them the strange echoes the words cast back on each other create a kind of glittering city-scape of the soul. I'm not sure I feel safe there, any more than I always feel safe in my own mind, but there's no end of places to explore--and I trust Lois Roma-Deeley as a guide. Over and over in this book, just as you encounter a beautiful land of the fantastic, you find your feet on the concrete of a truth you've been waiting much too long to hear. I'm so grateful for this voice in the wilderness--Write more! Write more!

After reading--and then hearing--Lois Roma-Deeley's poems from Rules of Hunger, I was amazed at how much this poet's work spoke about my own experiences. Further, the musicality of her language was pure joy. At a reading for the November 2004 Chicago Humanities Festival, where more than 100 people attended a panel presentation by national poets and artists, Roma-Deeley touched me with the depth and truth of her words, and mesmerized the audience with her dramatic yet honest performance. If you need poetry that you can return to again and again for both pleasure and meaning, buy this book.

Lois Roma-Deeley's first collection will make you hungry--for food (sausage, baked ziti, lobster bisque); for the past (dead relatives, lost friends, childhood memories); for love (both good and bad, won and lost); and for the entire sensuous world. Roma-Deeley serves up her poems with the master chef's attention to detail, as, for example, in these lines from "The Given," a poem about the speaker's father:

Plums should be cold,
in a glass bowl and offered to children.
This is his simple goodness,
the sword to keep on your back, the one
to scrape away the pain of not knowing
what we're to do next or how we're going to act.
And it's just like him to say this in a poem
I never intended to write. Like an amen
after a prayer, he invites you to stop
at the doorway of our past
and step into our home.

The world we step into in this collection gives pleasure because it holds the promise and excitement of the unfamiliar but is, at the same time, always recognizably our world. These accessible and memorable poems are written with an elegant simplicity; again and again, Roma-Deeley gives us not the fancy word but just the right word in poems that satisfy and remind us that to be human is to be hungry.

This collection of poems is a MUST-READ for all poetry lovers. Lois Roma-Deeley's mastery of the craft is beautifully conveyed in her vivid imagery which is powerful, witty, and tantalizing to the senses. I can't wait for her next book to come out!

After reading Lois Roma Deeley's "Rules of Hunger" I felt
transported back to a place in the memory of my childhood growing up in an Irish-Italian family in the suburbs of N.Y.C. At times I could feel the presence of the "ghosts" of my family coming back to life while reading her poems. She has the unique ability of being able to rekindle images of the past in your heart and soul. I would recommend this book to people of all ethnic backgrounds.