Living History Books

This book very clearly presents the main focus of God concerning man and Jesus Christ's
full salvation. The two sections in the appendix on "the World" and "the Church" shed much light on two very important matters. It would be especially helpfull to young believer's but is a must read for all God's seeking people. After reading it, I bought 10 copies which I gave as gifts to young believer's.

an awsome book. one of the best beggining books, or for curious people. i would recomend this for anyone of all faiths.

One of the first spiritual books that I've read. God is certainly not a fiction of the imagination.

This book is great to give to people who are not Christians but are open minded. Watchman Nee takes the interesting perspective of a prosecutor presenting evidence. He does not plead with you to believe, he simply lays out a logical argument. He starts with the argument for God, then proceeds to ask the question - What would the word of God be like, given that there is a God? He comes up with four conditions:
(1) It must tell us explicitly that its author is God.
(2) It must carry a high tone of morality.
(3) It must give a detailed description of the past and the future of the universe.
(4) It must be available.
Going through various inspirational books throughout the world, he shows that the Bible must be this word of God.

Nee then proceeds to show why God would become man - rather than starting with the issue of salvation, Nee mentions that other than writing to man, the only other way for God to communicate with man would be speaking to him as a man. He lays down five requirements of such a man, and then goes through a list of likely candidates. He finally settles on Jesus, the only man to meet all of the five requirements and also to have claimed to be divine. Nee continues on to discuss what the nature of Christ would be like, and finally what the new Christian's life should be like. The appendix goes into details on subjects that are mentioned only briefly in the book, including more details on the subject of the existence of God and why Nee has found that people deny the existence of God. Nee's arguments and his examples of his own experiences while preaching the Gospel in China between the World Wars are simple yet elegant.

It is truly a unique Christian work and a great work of evangelism. Even if you are already a Christian, it is a good book to read in case you ever come across a seeking one and would like to know how to approach matters. I highly recommend it.

It is as difficult to know who we are as to know who God is. A man is born to be proud, and this pride hinders him from knowing the living God and keeps him away from God's salvation. The book helps us turn away from our human pride and turn to the living God who is the very creator of the universe and who is also the savior Jesus Christ. The normal Christian faith is based on knowing who God is, and is experienced by dropping our human opinions and giving our hearts to Jesus Christ who is not only the incarnated God but also the salvation to those who need Him and want Him.

Brenda Feigen's Not One of the Boys does what few memoirs do. It shows that all journeys must come full circle. Starting with her own education at Harvard Law School and the discrimination she bore there, she ends her pages by inviting the daughters of the future to join her in the on-going stuggle for feminist rights. Writing in prose that is never preachy or pretentious, Feigen, who helped establish Ms magazine, did bidding for the ACLU, assured the passage of the ERA, and gave Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Gloria Steinem the privilege of working with her, asks the reader to retrace her steps, which broke ground for all women every time she put her foot down. This book is a terrific read and a wonderful gift to those who still believe differences can be made by people who have the courage to make them. Brenda Feigen shows readers she has the stuff.

Not One of the Boys is satisfying on so many levels, as a biography, as a snapshot of the Women's Movement from its inception through the 1990s and as a discussion of how laws affect women. Brenda Feigen writes honestly, clearly and beautifully about her own experiences, what she sees as the failures of current feminism, theoretical differences between feminists and much, much more. I was completely enthralled by this book. Ms. Feigen very clearly conveys the excitement of the 1970s, the legal victories, the setbacks and her own emotions when facing a level of sexism that seems almost unimaginable today, although it took place less than 40 years ago. But this book is very personal, too, as she speaks about her marriage and other experiences that have shaped her perceptions and illustrate quite clearly the old saying 'the personal is political.' I could go on and on about how terrific this book is, how smart, how inspiring and how touching. Yet the real point is that I think that there's something in it for everyone, and I very highly recommend it. There's a great deal to be learned from this book and I hope that many, many other women and men explore it.

An anonymous American leader finally steps forward and reveals everything. Every female law student should read this. Brenda Feigen's story quickly reminded me of one thing: There is nothing so real as the impossible.

Brenda Feigen gives us an inside look at how it really was ... and she's not afraid to tell the truth about her treatment in Hollywood - horrifying and fascinating at the same time ... and at William Morris. The picture of Ruth Bader Ginsberg gave hope to this reader that the struggle is continuing in high places. I loved all the inside information about the startup of Ms Magazine and the complete legal picture of the progress of women in the last quarter of the 20th century. Read it for the gossip alone.

I loved this brave book. It is wonderful to read a chronicle of the times we grew up in. It read like a history of my life as a feminist, except that I was involved from the sidelines and Brenda Feigen was actually there, not only moving it along but making it up as she went along. Her observations on the future of feminism are worth the price of the whole book. We were, and I trust are, fortunate to have her fighting for us.

we guess this is a rare book, since it's selling for over 2,000 dollars. we got it for five dollars, and am now are thinking we should have got five copies if it's selling for so much. But the book itself was great. It's our favorite in the caroline years.
Nataley and Susanna

This book is very well written. It describes Caroline's and her siblings time in the new town of Concord. There is also a drastic epidemic that rips through the community of Concord, and several of members of the Quiner family grow quite ill. There are also several of other obstacles and points that challenge this young family.

This book is about Laura Ingall's Ma when she was nine years old. It reads very much like all the little house books about Laura Ingalls but is even easier to read. In ma's family there were three boys and three girls. Ma was the middle girl. All six of the kids like each other and get along well. Ma's name is Caroline. Her father has been lost at sea five years ago and her mother works cooking for workmen. One day Caroline overhears one of the workmen ask her mother to marry him! We learn a lot in this book like how to preserve vegetables for the winter, what kind of food to buy to last all winter, how to make a beehive, and how to behave when you're invited to a fancy house. There are also some songs like in the little house books about Laura. And we get to meet someone who Laura could have been named after. If only our parents and grandparents could write books like this about their lives. This is truly an enjoyable book.

This book is wonderful edition to the Caroline books. I really hope this one isn't the last on in the series.

Caroline's mother has a suprise. Caroline is getting a new Pa. Mr. Holbrook. While Caroline likes having a new Pa her brother Henry doesn't quite feel the same way. Then disaster strikes. Cholera. Everyone catches it except for Joseph and Thomas. Then when everyone gets over the cholera. Then a disaster of a different sort happens frost they have to harvest their vegtables before it hits.

First of all, I love the last section of the Introduction by the Translator--"Neither Catholic nor Protestant." As an Orthodox Christian, it made complete sense to me, but I had to laugh at the translator's ignorance of the Orthodox fairh, ro which Clement subscribed to. This book is very helpful to those who wish to lead a Christian life the way our Lord mapped it out for us.

It is full of exegetical insights and more importantly, challenges to the reader to live according to the example of Christ, as passed onto us by the Apostles. The translation is faithful to the Greek, and the translator did an excellent job of presenting the material much as Clement originally did. So I feel very comfortable suggesting and giving this book to my friends who want to better understand what Christianity is all about.

I love this little book. I go to it often. It brings me back to the basic teaching of the bible. This book seems like it uncomplicates things for me, in what is real and seems real about christianity. I read the bible a lot and belong to a church that teaches like Clement. It is exciting to see how close we are to the 2nd century teacher here, in our church. Because that is what we strive for. Clement teaches the truth and it is very easy to understand. I recomend it for anyone who already has a good knowledge of the scriptures, because you will see the scriptures come alive in his lessons.

A fantastic, down-to-earth, real-life portrayal of early Christian life before all of the schisms within the church. If you want to know what Christianity is supposed to be like without getting a picture clouded by doctrine, this is the way to go. This book does not accept any excuses.

Clement of Alexandria (Titius Flavius Clemens) was born c. 150AD, most probably in Athens, and later moved to Alexandria, where he taught and wrote, first as a student of Pantaenus and later as his successor (c. 190) at the catechetical school. The Roman persecution of Christians under the emperor Severus, affected his move to Jerusalem, where he died between 211 and 215. His most noted student, and successor as presbyter in Alexandria, was Origen. Born probably of pagan parents, Clement had a voracious appetite for knowledge, which fueled his extensive travels. It is apparent, though not necessarily in the passages selected for this small volume, that he was extremely well studied in Greek literature, in all schools of classical philosophy, in the tenants of pagan religion, in ideas considered 'Eastern', in the Hebrew scriptures, the New Testament and myriad other orthodox, Gnostic, and apocryphal writings. As an adult he whole-heartedly became a Christian and is remembered as a missionary theologian to Hellenic culture and as an apologist.
All of which is impressive, but not what this collection of selected writings is about. Editor David Bercot chooses texts, first Clement's best known sermon, 'Who is the Rich Man that shall be Saved?', and secondly texts from his 'Miscellanies', which explore a common theme -- what it is to live as one who knows God. This is basic Christianity. For those who are serious about the Christian's walk in this world, the meditations of the early church fathers are invaluable. This small work is not "challenging" in the sense that, say, Augustine's or Origen's works are, but if you're interested in early Christian writings, this book is an excellent entry.

This book was written by a guy who lived the Bible's teachings! His writings are fascinating and are explained in a clear, concise manner. The book basically contains excerpts from some of Clement's writings (mostly the Rich Man's Salvation and the Miscellanies book 7) put into modern language. I have highlighted virtually every line in my copy!

This book shows a good sense of humor by the author and the children in the story are very realistic. The story shows a British perspective on the American Revolution. It has a very satisfying ending.

I first read this book when I was 10 years old, and I loved it, checking it out of the school library at every opportunity. After leaving that school at age 12 I never saw the book again, and over the past 32 years I have periodically searched for it. I realized if I did find the book it may very well turn out to be not the enchanting read I remembered so fondly. Little did I know! "The Reb and the Redcoats" is very well-written, with an engrossing perspective on the American Revolution. A young American rebel is a POW in a household (in England) whose head is a Redcoat recovering from wounds suffered in the war. Through their interactions we come to appreciate the humanity of the people who make up both sides of an issue. If there is a fault with this book, it is only that the heroic nature and adventures of the Reb seem a bit beyond the grasp of a 15-year-old boy. Still, if Hollywood would only age him a few years, they could make a very compelling film of this tale.

In an interesting turnabout, the Revolutionary War is seen through the eyes of a British family to whom an American prisoner of war has been entrusted. Technically the young prisoner is in Uncle Laurence's custody, but the children soon forge a forbidden friendship with him after he nearly dies in an attempted escape. He becomes the Reb and they, his Redcoats. But when they learn of some events leading to his coming to Europe, even Uncle Laurence, embittered by the unjust death of a friend in America, thaws toward him-but this doesn't stop the Reb from scheming to escape. Constance Savery deftly weaves themes of trust and forgiveness into an interesting plot with likeable characters.

I think that this is a great book for children and maybe adults as well. It is about an American prisoner in England. This book shows how people saw the American Revolution in England. It is also a book that shows how much work it was to keep a prisoner like this one. This is a super book.

I picked this book up for my children a few years ago and read it aloud to them. I found I could hardly put it down and we finished it in a day or two. My children insisted that my husband next read it to them. He couldn't put it down either - in fact he stayed up late the first night to finish it for himself!

This unusual story of the American Revolution from the perspective of a British family playing "host" to a young American prisoner of war is filled with timeless themes of patriotism and forgiveness. It is very accessible to younger readers, but "meaty" enough to be enjoyed by older children and adults as well.

Since my family moved to the San Joaquin valley in 1972, I have seen many changes on Highway 99. This book not only brought back memories, it also piqued the curiousity I have always had in travelling old highway routes. I have now covered all of old Highway 99 between Sacramento and Fresno. Someday I plan to make it to Calexico. Even if youdon't plan to make the journey, this book is a must read for anyone who has travelled or lived near Highway 99 and is interested in it's history. The photos are wonderful and informative, as is the text. Especially the appendix (Following The 99 Trail). FIVE STARS PLUS!

A truly remarkable book showing the history of hard work and visionary planning of tax paid highway workers. Their hard work allowed the families of America to make use of their automobile to provide unforgettable visual memories, wrapped in a ribbon of asphalt, for the children on the move and remembered as a vacation. This book allows us to revisit those vacations in the comfort of our home.

Both ribbon of highway books totally transported me back to the family 1950 chevy sedan rear seat with my younger sister, as the roadside scenes rolled past our windows. Traveling is, and was as a child, always a very enjoyable experience for me, and these highway 99 books let me travel the roadway while relaxing at home! The flowing discriptions and priceless photos kept me glued to my imaginary windshield for hours without asking, are we there yet. Also hidden within the books are great tips like how to eat an orange in the back car seat without making a mess. I recommend these highway reading treasures to anyone who loves past as well as today's road adventures.

That Ribbon Of Highway II: Highway 99 From The State Capital To The Mexican Border takes the reader from Sacramento to Calexico in a history that is enhanced with more than one hundred historic and contemporary photographs, an Accurate Road Log, and twenty detailed maps. Together, these two volumes present the armchair traveler with a splendid and informative entertainment, and serve the on-site traveler with a marvelous reference for a truly engaging road trip. Also highly recommended is the companion title, That Ribbon Of Highway I: Highway 99 From The Oregon Border To The State Capital.

"Society for Commercial Archeology Journal," Spring, 2000 For those of you unfamiliar with the West Coast, Highway 99 is the principal historic highway that knitted together the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Portions of it were known early on as the Pacific Highway or the Valley Route or the Golden State Highway. However, in 1928 these various bits were sewn together and given federal designation as US 99. Despite de-designation as a US highway in 1964, Highway 99 continued to play a prominent role in western transportation. Jill Livingston and Kathryn Maloof have compiled a two-volume guide to the history and sights of Highway 99 in California. Each book, half-sheet size and paperbound, provides a general summary of the road's history and a detailed description of features along the existing road organized geographically from north to south. Both offer an extensive photographic tour of the respective route sections, as well as sections devoted to detailed maps that outline the route and provide directions on how to access often-bypassed elements or road alignments. There are generous graphics and photos throughout. I may be a biased reviewer of this topic. I grew up on Highway 99 just south of Sacramento and enjoy mostly fond and entirely vivid memories of this road. I have muddled memories of passing objects from car to car while careening down the Grapevine toward Metler, CA to rescue a friends' stranded vehicle. I also remember with fresh horror as I watched my record collection of 250 albums melt in 100+ degree heat while broken down on that same wretched hill in 1983. Livingston and Maloof have brought it all back for me. I pine for chicken dinner at Pollardville and an orange freeze at the Mammoth Orange. I mourn the passing of the Blueberry Hill Café in Chowchilla, and am startled to see a picture of the theater where I saw my first genuine rock concert in 1975. The authors have peppered their text with sidebars of interest to one and all. The evolution of the Ridge Route and disappearing/reappearing highway under Shasta Reservoir are two of my favorites. The organization of the books is clear and easy to follow; the photos are beautiful and plenty. The text is well written and enjoyable, not bogging down in non-essential detail or excess verbiage. These books are just the ticket for roadside exploration off the beaten track in the Golden State.

This book is very well written for the person who is seeking to learn about Jesus of Nazareth.

This books has some very interesting points on Satan and anti-God. It is required reading for anyone interested in religion and Christianity today. The book will help you deal with issues facing the real world in a holy sense.

this is the only book I ever buy in bulk - it is great to give to people who are unfamiliar with Christianity,Jesus Christ, the church, etc. This book is very easy to read and the content (although their is no scriptural reference) is very accurate Biblically. I encourage Christians to read this to further deeper your understanding of Jesus.

As a previous reviewer mentioned, I also purchase this book in bulk to pass out. It is excellent. It is small and short, but packed with a common way to understand Jesus in his day and what that means for us in our day. It has helped many people I know to understand the Gospels much better and it has given them a confidence in knowing Jesus Christ.

No other book I have read is such a succinct summary of Christianity as originally taught by Christ. It takes us back to the times, history and original context without the intervening centuries of Church politics or dogma. Yet it is done in a practical, no nonsense, modern style acknowledging past/current religious and secular prejudices about Christ. In short, it is a discussion of Christianity that both Christians and non-Christians can be proud of without having to suspend their faith, reason, or intelect

An interesting overview of the 60's commune phenomenon. I was part of a Christian community in the 70's to early 80's. I like the appendix which lists several hundred of the known communes here in America. There is a resurgence of the phenomenon in that many folks from the era who are retiring now are going back to commune life. This is the second book of what will be a trilogy when it is finished. The first covers communes from 1900 till the 60's, the last book will cover the commune movement from the late 70's to the present.

I grew up in a Jesus Freak commune, the Highway Missionaries, one of five communes I've lived in my life. The first commune I was born into, Jesus People Milwaukee, is actually mentioned (though not by name) as the precursor of Jesus People USA, JePUSA, in this book. So I came into this book with a high degree of interest, hoping to see something familiar, and learn new insights into myself, and how we were.

I was not disappointed. This is a top-notch book, well-written, scrupulously researched, sociological and anthropological, a wealth of information. Miller's primary purpose is to look at 60's communes in general, of which he says the Jesus People were perhaps the largest single contingent, but still a minority overall. The book not only mentions many different groups, giving a brief blurb on them, but ties them together in genuine scholarly treatment, so that we learn how the different aspects of various groups fit in an overall framework.

Miller's treatment of daily life in community and children from communes was very on-target, as was his look at the eventual dissolution of the communal movement, and what happened to the millions involved in it afterward. This is not an easy topic, as there was a wide variety of communes: Jesus People, environmental, anarchist, LSD, Sufi, Jewish , Hindu, Krishna, and middle-class communes, to name a few. Yet he is able to combine all these diverse elements into an overall thesis, while still treating each type unique. He makes a strong point that many communes are not covered in his treatment, and of the 1000's that existed in this time period, many don't even have any written record any longer.

I think I'd bring up only one minor flaw- his discussion of us, Jesus People Milwaukee, was not entirely correct, as we were neither fundamentalist (but more in line in thinking with Sojourners), nor reaching out to youth, but a Discipleship Training School for young adults.

It is true, as Miller says, most of us in the communes were unaware of what was going on in other communes. It seemed to be just a spontaneous move all around the nation, and to those within the Jesus Movement, a spontaneous move of the Holy Spirit. It was something that had a huge impact on our lives, as Miller describes, and something that continues to highly impact the culture today.

If you've ever lived on a commune or if you're interested in studying intentional communities from roughly 1967 to 1975, this book is a page turner.

Having lived through the '60s era and having participated in the communal scene, I often find myself irritated by inaccurate reporting by authors who only seem interested in sensationalism (such as Robert Houriet's *Getting Back Together*, 1971), but Timothy Miller does his homework carefully, and I don't find such inaccuracies or biases in his work.

*The 60s Communes: Hippies and Beyond* is not a glib dismissal of a blip on the screen of American community. Miller makes it clear that this is an ongoing phenomenon. Many of these communities still exist (such as The Farm in Tennessee) even though many have gone through countless evolutions and restructuring.

Miller compares land and food arrangements, architecture, parenting, and social interaction of diverse communities across this country along with their philosophies, ideologies and spiritual perspectives. He doesn't unrealistically romanticize and neither does he condemn. He just tells it like it is--and was. And he bakes it into a cake.

The book illustrates the profound effect that these communities have had on our society. It doesn't pretend to include in-depth personal reminiscences or ideological transformations (such as those chronicled in Peter Coyote's excellent *Sleeping Where I Fall*), but it brings all elements together in an informative Big Picture of what was, what is, and what may follow from this movement. While the communes of the American past were primarily arks, says Miller, those of the 60s were lighthouses. I agree. This is one good read. I recommend it. pamhan99@aol.com

This was required reading for a graduate course in American history.

The 1960's was a time of radical change in American history. Timothy Miller's book is a look into the controversial subject of the effect the hippies had on American society and its values. Since post World War II American society had seen so many changes in just a few decades. "Hippiedom" was another new change the nation had to deal with in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

The "Hippiedom" movement in the 1960's became known as the counterculture. This movement was composed of teenagers and persons in their early twenties who chose to separate themselves from the traditional American lifestyle. Hippies were usually young, white and came from the upper middle class. The hippie culture's basic beliefs were in peace, racial harmony, and equality. Their culture condoned smoking marijuana, engaging in liberated sex, and living communally they felt that as long as no one was hurting anyone else or themselves it was okay.

The main characteristic of the hippies was dope, and the majority of the hippies used it. Dope was one of the main elements that separated the counterculture from the mainstream. Hippies looked upon dope as good, and approved the use of any drug that was perceived as being able to expand consciousness. Drugs that made people "dumb" were bad (25). The main elements of hip ethics of dope looked something like this:

Use it positively. Use it sanely. Know what you're doing. Avoid bad drugs. Avoid misuse of (good) dope. Don't use dope to hurt others. Assert your freedom to make your own decisions
about dope. And have a good trip (27).

Hippies believed that dope was about fun, revolution and was good for their body and soul. They lived by the creed: "If it feels good, then do it so long as it doesn't hurt anyone else." (29) Dope was believed to be useful in many different ways. One specific use of dope was to heighten intimacy and interpersonal interaction.

In the counterculture movement dope and sex were often intertwined. Hippies believed that people should be free to express their sexuality as they chose and use dope to boost the sexual experience. Hippies had extensive reasoning as to why they should enjoy sex. They used the same credo for sex as they did for dope.

Homosexuality and nudity developed a consciousness within the Hippiedom as well and became part of the new sexuality. It was not long before the consequences of this life-style forced the counterculture to deal with issues such as social diseases, birth control and abortion. These new obstacles did not deter them from participating in orgies and organized free sex which they believed was harmless, helped break down social barriers, created community spirit and was beneficial to one's private sex life (65).

While dope and sex were major elements of the counterculture movement in the late 1960's and early 1970's the movement was not complete without rock and roll. Rock and roll was believed to have been a major influence on the feelings and beliefs of the counterculture. It became a way of life and a means of communication. The lyrics reflected the counterculture's values and in turn helped shape them (78). Rock and roll festivals and concerts were considered sacramental gatherings by the counterculture. They provided opportunities for massive indulgence in dope, nudity, sex, rock and community. Woodstock was one such example of a sacramental gathering to hippies.

Rock and roll and dope played a major role in developing communal living arrangements within the hippie countercultural movement. Those who lived in the communes believed they were rejecting mainstream society. The communes were usually located in the country so that the communards could "get back to the basics", by living off the land."

Hippies created their own "love" generation (104). Although the counter-culture movement attempted to stay free of the mainstream, they were not immune to opposition from the traditional society. Conventional society was opposed to dope, sex, rock and roll and hippies' sense of community. Hippies believed love was the only answer to major problems afflicting the world (105). As a result of their beliefs on love, they had some political implications.

Hippies believed in disinvolvement and felt that voting was useless and politics were not a concern of "free" people. This resulted in hippies "dropping out" as they fell out of the mainstream society and into a New Age (110). Despite "dropping out" they had to keep one
foot in the mainstream door because they had to work. While hippies worked by necessity they believed money was meaningless and just a necessary evil. They considered play to be much more important in their value system. In order to stay true to their beliefs they would only play games, such as Frisbee, that did not require score keeping, competition and rules. If people did not incorporate play into their day, hippies believed they were missing out.

By all accounts hippies did their own thing and believed they were starting something new with the "sexual" revolution, the drugs and the rock and roll. However, while they were "loving" everyone and "getting back to the basics" they were just repeating history; but their movement is probably the most substantial remnant of hip culture we have (136). They did not look at the past to see how wrong they were. For example, they were iconoclasts. However, iconoclasm is another classic American virtue. They were different in that new issues were under attack. They chose to confront rationality, technocracy, and materialism (126).

The hippies' idea of living in the country in their communes was also not a new idea. The establishment of thousands of communes in rural areas was a replay of the agrarian ideal not
to mention a communal vision - which was well established in the nineteenth century. Sexual freedom was another case in point. For years there have been groups who deviate from the norm when it comes to patterns of heterosexuality, monogamy, marriage and wearing clothes (127).

In the counterculture movement women were referred to as "chicks" or if they were in a relationship they were "old ladies" (16). Women withdrew from the "sexual" revolution
because it involved male predominance. "Free" sexuality, like any other kind, "carries with it an
unwarranted domination by the man, of the woman, which injures both," a hip southern female wrote.

Another woman was more blunt: ''The talk of love is profuse but the quality of
relationships is otherwise ...The idea of sexual liberation for the woman means she is not so much free to f*** as to get f***ed over ...Our mothers could get a home and security, a prostitute money, but a hippie woman is bereft of all that "(67).

The question will forever remain as to whether the hippies had a lasting effect on American society and its values. They certainly attracted public awareness during their time with the popularization of recreational drugs and the new attitudes toward sex. They believed with all their heart, at the time that they were making a huge impact on the world. Although after their "heyday" it is questionable if what they thought they were working towards was ever accomplished.

Recommended reading for anyone interested in American history, counter-culture history.

Bruce and Stan really shed some insight on the meaning of life in a delightful way. Not only do they share some of the stories they heard along the way, but they give interesting facts and funny stories in the different cities that they visited which I particularly enjoyed. If you're looking for something fun and insightful, you definitely have to pick this one up!

My husband and I are both reading it and laughing out loud! We find it especially enjoyable because we took a similar road trip a few summers ago. You do not have to have taken a cross country road trip though to enjoy this book. It is comical, thought provoking and soul stirring.Buy it today!

I picked this up and couldn't put it down. Bruce and Stan are two middle aged men who talked their wives into letting them tool around the country on their own for nearly four months. They start in Boston and work their way west. Taking themes from the Old Testament Existentialist in Ecclesiastes, they find his themes echoed in the various cities they visit. I laughed in agreement with most of their discoveries. I preached about and read from some of their book on Sunday morning and three people wanted the book (this is very rare!) I am glad I bought it, read it, and preached some from it! I look forward to reading other books in their series.

Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz are two middle-aged men and best friends who take a road trip across the United States for one purpose, to find out what Americans think the meaning of life is. The duo visited eleven major cities and found that each place had its own theme, its own identity. These themes helped Bruce and Stan decide on particular people they wanted to talk with and provide a framework for which the book is written around.

But don't get the wrong impression. Bruce and Stan aren't serious philosophers on an epic quest. No, they are basically just two normal Christian men with a great gift of comedy. The book is full of more humorous insights than serious ones and it is clear that these two gentlemen know life is a comedy and not a tragedy.

SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE is entertaining, full of insights, and easy to read. It also has lots of quirky little facts about the various places they visited. It's part travel book, part philosophy treatise, part humor book. Combined together it makes for one highly enjoyable read.

For those of us who grew up around Chicago and know downtown, this is a great book not just a vague coffee table book. Lots of good photos and history.

I loaned this from the library and am planning on buying it on Amazon.

Highly recommended!

Gerard Wolfe has produced an inclusive and engaging book concentrating on the area in and around the Loop in Chicago. In a series of walking tours, he weaves history and architecture into a "must see" for tourists, native Chicagoans and armchair travelers, alike.

I currently live in Chicago and have had a great time exploring and learning about new (to me) places with the help of this book. There is a good amount of info. to give the reader a decent background on many of the buildings in the Loop. It omits lengthy and unnecessary history topics to focus on the highlights of each walking tour, leaving the lengthy history for other books to explore. I've learned alot about my own city by reading this book and highly recommend it.

An excellent set of tours of all neighborhoods of downtown Chicago, profusely illustrated with contemporary and archival photos, with a lively and user-friendly text. Especially helpful for the first-time visitor, although I understand it has been adopted by the Chicago Architecture Foundation as a guide to train its docents who give walking tours. I have not come across any better guide to the Loop and its surroundings, with a crisp style and useful historical facts. Dr. Gareth Shellman (shellman@csd.uwm.edu) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA