History Books

Without any knowledge; yet a curious fascination for a bygone era, I perused many of the illustrators famous for their cheesecake-girl-next-door pin ups of the fifties on the web. Gil Elvgren came up tops! As Rockwell held a mirror up to the American public, Elvgren manage to evoke Rockwellesque subtleties into his work too. Your eyes are attracted to the girls, however, other elements like a dog, a turtle, a prop like a diary, add to the charm of the work and to the total innocence of the girls. Living in the current "Raunch Culture" where female nudity is pervasive, this book transports you back to another time where the girls exude a level of desirability that Elvgren perfectly captured in his work. The luscious and lovingly delivered colour plates (some 500 of them) demonstrate Elvgren's evolution into the auteur of pin up illustrators, as he progressively developed real depth into to his work. With limited knowledge of the subject matter, this book is a perfect introduction to an incredible genius and an incredible artform

This book is absolutely beautiful. Lots and lots of color - designed and bound very well. Worth every penny and then some. Impressed with Amazon's service (my first order) and the whole shopping/purchase experience here.

I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in Elvgren or pin-ups. Beautiful picture quality, comprehensive collection. For the money, you can't get much better than this!

Elvgren is a master of his art. This book truly is a gem at this price. If you love pinup art he is the master. Its a slice of days gone past and pretty girls to write home about. Elvgren will live on forever. Take a piece of history home.

I'm still studying and reading through it, but it has an interesting magic that's missing in many of today's similar subjects - innocence.

Excellent pictures, interesting information. This is a must have for Disney fans of the Haunted Mansion! It even covers Disney's other haunted mansions around the world, and the Haunted Mansion movie. Everything you ever wanted to know!

THis book was great! A ton of information on the ride! I couldnt put it down! It was great.

This book is a must read for ALL ages and ANYONE interested in Disney theme park attractions around the globe. Any Disney fan knows that the Imagineers are very particular about what is revealed to the general public in terms of how they make their Disney 'magic' and I was pleasantly surprised (being an avid Disney fan myself) by the research that went into the making of this book and the amount of knowledge shared with the reader - it DOES in fact reveal some secrets of the mansion and never before seen history of the making of the attraction. (It confirms and dispels some rumors about the attraction once and for all too!) A pattern of discussion is followed throughout the book as you are verbally walked through the mansion's corridors and rooms. Surrell consistently covers the Haunted Mansion in a logical order (Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris) in every chapter. He takes the subject matter full circle by including information about how the attraction was translated to the big screen, and gives the reader insight to how decisions were made pertaining to set design, costume design, and casting for the movie of the same name. If you want an intelligent, thorough and enjoyable read about a classic Disney attraction, and especially an insight to the magic that is Imagineering, this is a MUST READ!

Lots o' great info on both the Ride @ the Disney Theme Parks + the Movie [which I loath - sorry but the Haunted Mansion wasn't meant to be made into a 2 hour episode of the Fresh Prince of Bellaire, mmmkay ?] + the Haunted Mansion Holiday ....

Future editions should drop all reference to the Movie, then spend more time on the Haunted Mansion Holiday [Nightmare Before Christmas Holiday makeover] + recent "changes" that occured in 2006 [I'd make it a 5 star if they did that] ....

If you don't want to read the book, please buy it for the artwork
[best priced Disney Merchandise vs. what you will pay @ the Theme Parks] ....

~(^)~

You buy this book thinking it's a great "behind-the-scenes" resource, but it's not. Yes, there is some background information, but the book skips confusingly from park to park, and offers very little technical information on the special effects. The photos are all standard Disney promotional stuff...this book tells you what Disney wants you to know, and nothing else.

Go to doombuggies.com for a much better treatment of this classic ride.

My older brother gave me this book years ago, and being handed such a book made me angry. I interpretted the gift as him telling me I hadn't forgiven or was still ruled by the pains of my youth. I therefor did not read it until I was older and realized denying pain was not a helpful course for my life. In the meantime my younger brother had borrowed the book. He had returned it to me marked with his terrible habit of making notes and underlining in books that didn't even belong to him! Those underlined parts spoke of his own pains and his need for more indepth healing; they spoke of my own struggles too.

This book has been a reckoning of coming to terms with grief of losses in my youth, and also a quiet recognition that my siblings have carried the same pains -- each reaching for healing at different times of our lives, each with the help of this book.

There are so many "self help" books out there. This is a "let God" reach into your heart and soul and touch the parts of you that feel empty and untouchable.

I am a Pastoral Counselor and for years I have recommended all of my clients to read this book. It is well put together and quite simple for every level of reader to understand. I tell each client not to rush to read the book but to allow the book to "read you". In some cases where David Seamands examples may not be specifically speaking to an element of emotional damage for the reader, I advise the reader to substitute their particular issue. In December 2008 I am releasing my own book, Stop Tripping Over Your Past, and I am hopeful it will be as much of an excellent tool for those who read it as Healing for Damaged Emotions has been for countless readers.
Dr. Ramona Joseph
Charlotte, NC

Great book to help you understand why you are the way you are.
Really helped me a lot.

I have read this book twice and given it to many friends and the responses are always the same. We need to understand the priciples is this book and apply them in our lives. None of us are exempt at some time or other in our lives from the issues discussed.

As a pastor and spiritual director, I've been using this book as a regular give-away to believers when it becomes obvious that they are stuck - some old wound is yet hindering them from normal spiritual growth in Christ. Having ministered among Native People for several years, as well as those dealing with addictions (even as Christians), I found the truths and principles Dr. Seamands expounds on very beneficial in truly helping people heal from their past emotional wounds, and the memories of them, and then be able to progress in spiritual development. I believe our churches have many folks sitting in the pews, Sunday after Sunday, with serious pain from their past adversely affecting their present ability to relate freely to Christ, or to others in relationships. Until we understand this, and how Christ can work through us as "ministers" by his healing grace to nullify the effects of debilitating memories, we will continue to see believers spiritually 'stuck', stagnated in their growth.
Dr. Seamand's book HEALING OF MEMORIES (now titled, REDEEMING THE PAST: RECOVERING FROM MEMORIES THAT CAUSE OUR PAIN), builds on HEALING DAMAGED EMOTIONS by going, in detail, into the process of ministering healing to those with painful, debilitating memories. Every pastor who counsels should understand how to help believers in this way!

This is by far the most amazing book i have ever read. The way that she will risk anything for her loved one really touched my heart. I am still waiting for the other books to arrive. I hope that it will be just as good as this book. This book shows courage and shows that someone doesn't have to be another person to be accepted. There will always be someone that will accept you as who you are.

I fell in love with this book as soon as I read the excerpt on the back of it. I became so involved in the book that i read it just a few hours! Dokey's use of detail effectively brought the story to life.I fell in love with charactors and thier world as if i were tking part in the action. It had me cheering for Kit and Bold Will till the end. When i had finnished the book, I immediately had to get my hads on the sequel, "Charlotte:Heart of Hope". Once again Dokey delivers a heartwarming novel of adventure and love. This irresitable spirit is again successfully reflected in "Stephanie:Heart of Gold" and "Carrie:Heart of Courage", the final two books of the series. After finishing the entire series for the third time, I began to wonder. What would the next generations of Kelly women be like? What adventure will they embark on next? And ultimately, what keepsake would they tuck away into the fine hope chest, telling of thier legacy.

I thought this was a wonderful book, all four books to the Hearts and Dreams series are great!...

This is definately one of my most favorite books. I first read it when I was 12-years-old when my sister and I took turns reading aloud one quiet summer day. Kathrine is a spunky, intelligent and funny herorine who captures your heart from the very beginning. A young girl who longs for adventure and who has incredible courage. I fell in love with 'Bold Will' and the rest of the endearing charactures from the start. It's one of those books that sucks you in from the first page to the last and leaves you feeling happy, satified, a sad to see it end!

I have read this so many times and I am sure that I will continue to read it many more times. This book inspired me to try to write my own stories and helped kindle my dream to be an author someday. So thanks, Cameron Dokey, for giving us such a great book!

I love this book! Katherine and Charoltte are two of my all-time favorite books. I read both of these classics when I was much younger but I still love them! I recommend both these amazing stories to anyone. They are romantic, interesting, thrilling, and historical. These two books will forever be among my favorite books.

A simple approach to leadership that works with lots of wonderful examples from the 450 year history of the Jesuits. Well worth reading.

I have purchased and gifted this book over 20 times; mostly to young adult leaders. The central theme is that each and every one of us has leadership potential. Our job as adult leaders who work with youth is to make sure young adults are given the opportunity to grow as positive, productive citizens. The Jesuit model Lowney presents in this book was the perfect model 450 years ago and is just as relevant, if not more so, today. The examples of Jesuits and their accomplishments are very compelling. A wonderful read for anyone who thinks one person can't make a difference. This will change their mind.

I first read this book about a year ago when participating in a class on understanding the Jesuit heritage of my place of work. I re-read it on the plane a couple of days ago returning from an overseas location where we recently established a program. The first time around I thought it was wonderful; re-reading it, I found it both wonderful and also profoundly relevant to our new enterprise.

Lowney takes as his thesis the idea that the same precepts that have animated the success of the Jesuit order can likewise inspire personal and business accomplishment. I have to say he has me convinced. He boils down concepts - like Cura Personalis, Magis, and Ad majorem dei gloriam - that will be familiar to those who attended Jesuit schools to what he describes as the four integrated "pillars" of leadership: Self-awareness, Ingenuity, Love and Heroism. He then uses the history of the Jesuit order to demonstrate how, through application of the four pillars, the Society of Jesus grew from a motley band of 10 likeminded University students of different nationalities, with no agenda beyond doing work "to help souls," to become arguably the most successful and influential Catholic religious order.

Lowney's work is not without controversy, especially his contention that the Jesuit's' leadership lessons can be replicated minus their overtly religious agenda. No doubt the order's founder, Inigo (Latinized to Ignatius) of Loyola - for whom doing it "for the glory of God" was all that mattered - would disapprove. However secular research would suggest that the 16th century Basque had some very profound insights that have application beyond turning back the tide of the Reformation and making converts worldwide. I have to say I find Ignatius to be an intensely attractive character, not least because he advocated active engagement in the world, not withdrawal from it. Here's a guy who for most his life just can't get it quite right - and who along the way experiences some incredible reverses - but who never stops trying to perfect his muddled thinking. He just keeps plugging away until it starts to become clear. And it turns out that it's his very lack of success that leads to his deepest insight: that an intensive regimen of active self-reflection will help him make better decisions.

What resonated with me during my most recent reading was how the Jesuit order faced the daunting task of preserving their purpose in remote lands among peoples with unfamiliar traditions - the same challenge facing my organization. Lowney provides many examples of how the Jesuits succeeded at that task. The training that the novice Jesuit undergoes involves frank self-examination, the letting go of attachments (the concept of "indifference" or the freedom to choose any course of action unencumbered by ingrained habits and prejudices), while learning, through active and repeated self-reflection, to validate one's own instincts to action. This creates a confident, prepared and self-reliant individual, eager to embrace life's challenges. In addition, the Jesuits teach a methodology for self-reflection - the Spiritual Exercises and the Examen - that can be used (the Examen everyday) to reinforce their initial training. Their selection process is tough - they take only the best and most purposeful. Those who are selected are encouraged to innovate and shown how love adds passion and purpose to the pursuit of heroic ambitions. The result, says Lowney, is an organization that can adapt easily to radically different circumstances while preserving it's core values (the same "preserve the core, stimulate progress" that Built to Last author Jim Collins sees as the hallmark of companies of enduring greatness).

At times during my visit to our new overseas location I found myself wondering if our task was just too daunting, the culture just too alien, to hope to transplant our unique brand. After reading how the Jesuits managed it, I feel more confident than ever that my organization can do likewise and should do likewise - not shrinking from full-out engagement - through the innovative application of our fundamental values to this new environment. Thanks Chris, and Inigo, for the reinvigorating lesson!

An excellent book on leadership development. It contains a lot of information and skills that are essential for leaders at all levels. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve self-development and self-awareness. Parents can utilize this book on their children's personal development.

The subtitle of this book is "Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company that Changed the World." Indeed, we can learn a lot from the practices of the Jesuits. Even though they were and continue to be theological competitors with those of an evangelical faith, the Jesuits provide a leadership model that is in contrast to many Protestant organizations.

The Jesuits rose to worldwide influence within a generation from their "no great leader" organizational practice. Whereas evangelicalism is often built around singular personalities and monolithic structures formed to achieve one man's vision, the Jesuits attempted to build all of their recruits into great leaders who, in turn, swarmed the world. That is the singular refreshing lesson that evangelicals can gain from the study of this book.

However, what is disturbing about the book is the inability of its author, or the Jesuits whom he cites, to grasp the biblical message of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone. With a works-based salvation the Jesuits were - and still are - about moralizing the world with biblical principles rather than affording individuals the New Testament teaching of the free gift of new life in Christ - and the power to live the Christian life - by receiving Christ as Lord and Savior through faith alone.

Dianne K. Salerni is a true genius. She knows how to capture her readers' attention and hold it . . . to the point of distraction! For me the best part of a story is characters so real I get to know and like, dislike or alternate between the two. High Spirits has this in spades - the Fox sisters are truly engaging as are the many supporting characters in the book. The twists and turns of this story are riveting. Just when you think oh, I know where this is going, she throws you a curve ball that has you on the edge of your seat unable to stop reading, despite any responsibilities that await. Please, please, please write your next book right now!!!

I found the Fox sisters to be a revelation not only to the reader but to the spirit world. The book is well written and entertaining as you follow the girls from something unplanned to profession. I was quite amazed at how their lives not only changed others, but put them in positions of control and in some cases danger. I would recommend this to anyone who loves history. Even though it could be described as a "teen book" it is for anyone of any age.

High Spirits is an excellent book, and Dianne Salerni has an incisive ability to get into the characters' minds. Her characters were actual people, true, but she has a way of taking them out of the past and sitting them right down next to us, making it feel as if we are seeing their story firsthand.

High Spirits actually seems to be two books in one. The first half is the history of the Fox sisters and how they became famous spiritualists, believed to be able to communicate with the dead. As their fame grows, so too does their infamy, and they must deal with nonbelievers and detractors, some of whom are willing to resort to violence. This lends itself to some harrowing, suspenseful moments.

The second part of the book is a romance, as Maggie Fox falls in love with a man who loves her in return, but is unable to find the courage to make his feelings public. Meanwhile, he demands that she give up her life of spirit rapping, which angers her family to no end as it is their sole means of support. Torn between betraying her family or losing the man she loves, a man who makes these demands yet is unwilling to commit, Maggie rides an emotional rollercoaster. We sit by her side at all times, through the constant ups and downs, not knowing how the ride will end.

It is an enjoyable ride, nonetheless, and one well worth taking.

Some movies bring tears to my eyes; books seldom do.

High Spirits starts with the haunting of Hydesville in 1848. It follows the real life adventures of two sisters, Maggie and Kate Fox. Maggie starts the story by telling us that she began the `deception' when she was too young to know right from wrong. Kate, the younger of the two, regrets her sister's use of that word. To Kate, the dead are real, and the spirits talk to her.

I have well over a hundred books sitting on bookshelves in my study. Some of them I've already started. Since I lost interest in most of them, the bookmarks are still waiting between early pages for me to return. Many of the books I buy end up neglected orphans in need of foster parents.

Books on the best seller lists seldom satisfy me, because they are shallow or seem like a story I've already read. It's almost as if most of them were chosen by those politically correct people we know are out there monitoring what we say and think and learn--people very much like a `few' of the characters in High Spirits.

However, when I find a novel worth reading, it's like walking into an undiscovered country. High Spirits was one of those.

High Spirits is about the lives of the Fox family and two sisters that are devoted to each other. Kate and Maggie are credited with starting the spiritualist movement as a prank. When I first picked up High Spirits, I thought I was going to be reading about ghosts and romance.

To my surprise and satisfaction, I soon discovered that High Spirits offers much more. High Spirits turned out to be a story told on many levels. At times I found myself chuckling. At other times I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat wondering if one of the characters I liked was about to suffer a horrible fate.

High Spirits is also about a dysfunctional but loving and loyal family surviving in a cruel world. On a more personal note, they are like us. It is easy to identify with them. When danger looms from skeptics that threaten Maggie's life, her older sister Leah Fox rescues her in a daring and risky escape that leaves Maggie in heart-pounding terror. Just thinking about myself in the same situation under the same circumstances had me breaking out in a cold sweat, and I'm a combat veteran that served in Vietnam. Maggie was a young girl.

The romance in High Spirits arrives later in the story. Dr. Elisha Kent Kane, the most widely celebrated American adventurer of the day, eventually walks on stage and fall "madly" in love with Maggie. What turns out to be a complex relationship stands equal to Romeo and Juliet; Tristan & Isolde, and Tony and Maria of West Side Story. That's as far as I'll go. My lips are now zipped shut. Hollywood, pay attention. Stories like this are rare, and Maggie and Elisha were real people.

In High Spirits, the harsh lines that separate the privileged and powerful from the working class show that dysfunctional people come from all levels of society. However, those at the top have the power to do more damage. What they are capable of doing to hurt others is more like a tidal wave washing over distant shores and leaving nothing but destruction and misery in its wake. When Elisha's mother interferes with his love for Maggie, horrible consequences are set in motion.

Although High Spirits reveals that most of us are human at heart, a few inhuman monsters populate our world and wreck havoc wherever they can for selfish, egotistical reasons.

If you are looking for adventure, romance, heartbreak, a bit of history, and a story that will touch you, I recommend this novel. Reading High Spirits will be a journey of discovery that might squeeze out a tear or two like it did for me.

High Spirits: A Tale of Ghostly Rapping and Romance is a novelistic treatment of a real incident from American history, the story of the Fox sisters, whose childish pranks of communicating with the departed were taken seriously first by family members, then neighbors, and then the community, ultimately growing into a genuine phenomenon. The resulting movement, known as spiritualism, became quite the rage from the 1840s until after the Civil War. Traces of it are not unknown today.

By the time they reached young womanhood Maggie and Kate Fox had achieved near-celebrity status. The proceeds from their appearances financed their blue collar family and allowed them access to the highest circles of society in New York City, Philadelphia, and so forth. Maggie, in particular, developed a relationship with Elisha Kane, an adventurer and explorer whose exploits earned him his own corner in history and fiction.

For this reader, however, the history is not ultimately the point of the book. The story is a rewarding and entertaining study of two sisters, their family, and their acquaintances, as they grow and develop and mature (or fail to). The author has done a splendid and totally convincing job of filling out their lives and personalities and putting real flesh on the bare bones of history. The romantic relationship between Maggie Fox and Elisha Kane is especially well depicted, for example. Good historical fiction is capable of putting us not only in other minds but in other eras, and High Spirits does this beautifully. One can read all the history one wants of the position of women in Victorian society but this book can show us what it actually felt like.

In addition the story is masterfully written and edited. All in all this is a first-class novel.

I'm an older guy who reads mostly nonfiction--history, biographies and current events books. I haven't read much literature since my college days 40 years ago. I've been trying to broaden my perspective and found this book on Amazon and was surprised by the unanimous 5-star rating. Trust me, this is a beautiful story and the ending will tear your heart out.

I'm an older guy who reads mostly nonfiction--history, biographies and current events books. I haven't read much literature since my college days 40 years ago. I've been trying to broaden my perspective and found this book on Amazon and was surprised by the unanimous 5-star ratings. Trust me, this is a beautiful story and the ending will tear your heart out.

Beautifully written...deeply moving...eloquent descritptions...one can sense how devastating war can be for the general population.

I cannot understand why this book is not mentioned more often as one of the great books of the Twentieth Century.It is a stunning read full of images and ideas that remain in the mind long after the last page is read.It is haunting and also most illuminating.Morante succeeds magnificently in detailing the effects of war and (perhaps more importantly)the aftermath of war on the ordinary people of Rome.In her hands these people become extraordinary.I can recall reading passages in other books that have moved me similarly but never one that moved one so consistently and continuously as the story builds to its climax.At present I feel to read any other work of fiction would only detract from the experience I have had.

When I ordered this book I really didn't want a war book but after reading a few reviews, couldn't resist this. I'm not a scholar, not even much of a history buff but enjoy a good history novel and am always looking for something new and different to read. Elsa Morante walks you through the life and times of an Italian woman in Rome during WWII. While that's not new, the quality and insight of this book makes it stand alone. No battle scenes, no war strategy or technology, just an amazingly written book that at times has an incredible cadence that keeps you going. Really a pleasure to read. The cast of characters are so well developed you'll know them all and will watch as they have very different and reasonable/understandable reactions (each according to their own) to extraordinary circumstances. I'll always remember this as one of a few special reads and would like to give it a review it deserves but... I don't think this does it and guess you'll just have to read it!

The book title is exactly descriptive.For those who want the truth of the constitution,start your research here.The fatal flaw in Ron Paul's platform is that he relies on the constitution.If the foundation of the house is built with defects then the house (u.s. government) will be defective and will eventually collapse.If you want to see what the civil laws of good government are, then study the Torah.May I suggest a Messianic viewpoint for the best understanding.Shalom.

His best work and it will make you think. He effectively questions the lame assumptions, propaganda, and hero worship that were drilled into most of us in the government un-schools.


I had to read this one again almost immediately after I finished it the first time.

Author Royce has done a tremendous amount of research to back up his claim of that the Constitution will never restrain the powers of the ruling class. Well quoted and with incredibly relevant quotations of the the nation's Founders the case is well laid that the Constituion (of? or for?) the country is not and was never meant to be a serious leash on overbroad power.

A condensed and scholoraly work, well worth the time and effort to read it. And most definetely not for the timid of intellect or the intellectually cowardly.

It also segues wonderfully well with the Author's previous work Goodbye April 15th!, it fits as a addendum and clarifying work.

For years I have heard that the adoption of the Constitution was a victory of the wealthy upper class of the former American colonies over the common people. Liberals have used this fantasy to push their view of an "organic" Constitution that must change with the times - change in ways that promote a liberal statist agenda, that is. Royce shows that there is in fact much truth to the liberal claims - the Constitution was a clever shell game, designed to hoodwink most Americans into thinking they were getting a free democratic republic, while in actuality laying the groundwork for a strong, and eventually oppressive, central government. But Royce's conclusions are totally different from the liberal's - he persuasively calls for amending the Constitution to push the country back in the direction of freedom and individual rights. Royce also backs up everything he says with solid research and quotes from the Founders, both those who favored the Constitution, and those who opposed and feared it for the threat it posed to individual liberties (the latter included Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson). For those trying to figure out how we have strayed so far from the freedom that the American Revolution was fought for, Hologram of Liberty is a must read.

In the preface of this book, the author challenges us to find the inconsistency in the Constitution's preamble. He presents this truncated quote: "We the People of the United States... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." I'll admit I didn't see it, and even after Royce explains that "United States" has a considerably different meaning than "the United States of America," it still made no sense to me. (It's not easy to overcome a thorough public school brainwashing.) Only after reading most of the chapters did I finally experience an "aha!" moment, and I promise that by the end of this shocking book, you will, too. Highly recommended.

Good story, Dekker rights well. Not what I call a 'page burner', but close to it. I enjoyed it, over all. At times I was frustrated with the characters because they didn't do what I considered to be logical things, but maybe Dekker meant it to be that way. I found myself drawn into the story and interested in what happened next. The book reads as if it is for late teens. It may be advertised as such, but I'm older and enjoyed it just the same. I would recommend the book. I read the Black, Red, White series and there a tie ins. I like that series more, but not a by a large margin. If you read the B-R-W series you would proabably enjoy The Lost Books series.

The Circle trilogy consists of the books Black, and Red, and White, and is followed up by Showdown, and House (co-authored by Frank Peretti), and Saint, and Skin. And a new book to be out either later this year or next year, titled Sinner. And the Lost Books consist of Chosen, and Infidel, and (coming out in May Renegade and Chaos.

Yes, Ted Dekker has been quite busy creating his history of Other Earth.

While the Lost Books are marketed in the Youth Fiction genre, it was of course well-known to Dekker and his publisher, Thomas Nelson, that millions of Circle fans of all ages would flock to bookstands to pick up the latest installments. In fact, by marketing the Lost Books as Youth Fiction, Dekker and Nelson stand to pick up even more readers than before, as the appeal of The Circle spreads to younger readers.

I, for one, have been captivated by Dekker's Circle trilogy, as well as many of his other works. A quick browse through my review list will turn up almost every book written by Ted Dekker. But you didn't come here for that, did you? You came here to learn more about Infidel.

I was at first a little confused as to whom the title referred. According to Dictionary.com, the number one definition of the word infidel is "a person who does not accept a particular faith." The several Dekker books surrounding Other Earth are filled with people who don't accept the faith of the Forest Dwellers. It was hard for me, in Infidel, to determine just which character was the infidel. I'm still not altogether sure.

And while I understand that weaving a story takes considerable character development and that several threads of the plot line must be laid in order to get to the culmination, I found Infidel to be a very interesting work, but just not quite up to the standard that other Dekker books have set.

Infidel is, no doubt, critical to understanding the history of Other Earth, and I can't imagine reading the next two books in the chronicles without first reading Infidel, but I just wasn't grabbed by it like I was the original Circle trilogy, or most of Dekker's other works. I found Infidel to be more about laying the foundation for coming installments than furthering the story.

What makes the whole thing even more interesting is the marketing ploy that Dekker and publisher Nelson have developed in order to drive the hype behind the stories. There's a massive online search for the Lost Books of History, with multiple sites and characters created for the sole purpose of guiding readers through the search for the ultimate discovery -- the last Lost Book of History -- and the ultimate prize -- a brand new Chevy Cobalt.

I have, of course, registered for the search, but I haven't been very active in it. I found on the first day that I could easily spend hours of my day just digging and digging through the clues online in search for the Lost Book. As much as the search intrigues me, I just don't have that kind of time on my hands.

But what I do have time for is reading the next Dekker book when it comes out. Adam hits bookstores next month.

In the meantime, Infidel is definitely worth the read, but only if you've read the rest of the epic first.

I preread this book for my son. It is a great adventure. Poopoo to all the nitpickers. I got behind the characters and enjoyed the adventures.

I have read Black, Red and White, so after that I had to continue reading the lost books. Infidel was a great treat, I love how it combines the first books. I have started reading Renegade yesterday, it just keep getting better and better. Ted Dekker is a brillant author, I love how are this books are tying together. I read all the Left Behind books, and they were great, and I would place this series right up there at the top. If you start reading one, you will want to read them all, believe me.

In this second installment of Ted Dekker's action-fantasy series, The Lost Books, all four main characters --- Johnis, Silvie, Billos and Darsal --- are immediately thrust back into active combat after their celebratory evening. Johnis can't get his mind off the fact that the recovered ring signifies that his mother is still alive. But just how is she living? As a slave? Is she a Horde now? Under what conditions will he find her? Obsessed by this newfound knowledge, Johnis and Silvie sneak out of the city, taking their lives into their own hands and following Johnis's heart instead of his head.

Clearly, Johnis wants to rescue his mother, but there is opposition from both inside his ranks and outside. And complications. The power of the book is also another mystery and a compelling one; when someone touches the book after spilling his blood, something otherworldly and intense takes place. But where does this power come from? Is it a tool of Elyon or of Teelah?

After battling their way into the enemy city with the help of a small Horde girl, Johnis and Silvie do find his mother, but they also become victim to a bigger plot and are trapped. Johnis is given an ultimatum --- either agree to help the Horde find and abduct Thomas Hunter, or they will kill both his mother and Silvie. Johnis's heart is wrenched in two as he tries to wriggle his way out of this no-win situation.

Martyn, the Horde general, outlines the entire scheme to Johnis right down to the lies he would tell to lure Thomas into the trap. With more bravado than he feels, Johnis approaches Thomas and sets the ambush. A forest guard warrior turned traitor, Justin of Southern, with whom the Horde knows Thomas cannot resist meeting, is the bait. Johnis spins a story that Thomas is to meet with Justin in Red Valley as soon as possible. The Horde knows Thomas's interest will be piqued and they're right; plying him with lie after lie, Johnis lures the commander into the desert before abandoning him without horse or water. Riding away, convicted and ashamed, Johnis tries to convince himself that he had just acted on behalf of his mother and Silvie. But thoughts of a stunned Thomas stranded without aid won't leave his mind.

Thankfully, despite his many and frequent mistakes, others step in and assist Johnis, offering both real help and needed mercy before the final stage is set. As the "chosen" one, Johnis learns a great deal about following his heart, using his head, and listening to the counsel of his fellow warriors and friends. With lightning speed action, Ted Dekker delivers another energizing tale that will have readers of this series impatient for its next compelling segment. But as they wait, the multi-leveled plot and theological repercussions will keep fans mulling the storyline over and over.

--- Reviewed by Michele Howe

I was fortunate enough to have this author as a professor for a history of Japan course. His knowledge and insight on the subject proved to be invaluable and this book is a must-read for anyone interested in Japanese history. Personal stories, many of which have never before been shared, about a time that many have struggled to forget, this book offers a glimpse at the effects the war had on the "common man." I Highly recommend this book. It's a quick read, but by far one of the best ways to learn about the subject.

This book presents interviews with a tremendous range of Japanese people who experienced WWII. It is an incredible book. About ten years ago, I read this as an undergraduate for an Asian Studies seminar course on relations of China, Japan and the US. This book had a tremendous impact on shaping and expanding my understanding of just what went on in the Asian sphere of WWII. Since reading it, I have frequently referenced it for courses that I teach. It is a fascinating and disturbing book which when taken as a whole provides deep insights into what was going on inside and outside of Japan during that period.

This book gave me great insight into how a people are injured by the lies of their government. I learned a lot about the Japanese culture.I could easily see myself in the mothers of Japan. I bought this book at a garage sale where the owner was selling all of the books they read in their Asian studies program at college. I was honestly shocked and heartbroken to read about the Japanese point of view.
The really scary thing is how current the idea still is that an uneducated populus can really be driven to a horrible end by their government's lies! Now I am learning Japanese (another garage sale find!) from tapes. I will visit Japan with a greater sense of their history and culture.

This was a very good well written book! It is easy to follow, and takes the reader down numerous paths of the war years and the scars that were inflicted on those who lived, and died.

I believe the book was initially utilized as a text in some colleges, but it is not written like any text book I ever had to read.

This book is an accumulation of oral interviews that helps the reader to visualize, smell, and even taste the sadness and poverty of those who fought the war; not just on the high seas, or the jungles of the South Pacific, but...on the streets of Tokyo, Nagasaki, Kyoto, and Hiroshima.

This book examines a proud culture and the utterly devestated people who lived within it.

A compelling set of recollections from Japanese citizens and soldiers who lived and experienced WWII. These stories give an interesting insight into the psyche of the average Japanese citizen and soldier during the war. This is one of the few existing WWII books pertaining to the Pacific Campaign that gives you insight into the thoughts and feelings of the Japanese during the war. A must read for anyone wanting to see the perspective from the "other side". Highly recommended.