Associations Books

Have studied the Cayce Materials for over four decades -- along with many other metaphysical writers. Cayce was a trance medium who when in trance state contacted sources from the other side or overself.

This is an excellent reference. Cayce presented much data for the enrichment of self and this book shows the variety of his trance work.

His materials are not easily read -- for the subjects are complex ---and written in a style of English no longer used. But study of the data will make clear the subject.

I recommend the book highly....RR

This is one of my favorite books. It's curious to me how I come across in the review below, all those months ago. Since that writing, I have come a long way in my spirituality, and Edgar Cayce (and this book, quite truthfully) played an important role in that. This book is comprised of Cayce's readings and covers a broad array of topics. It is engrossing. I have it on my nightstand and reference it often. Still.

I am no longer worried about my past fundamentalism. I am, however, still stoking the fire ignited by my interest in Cayce, and spurred on by this book. I truly would recommend it to anyone interested in the subject of PSI or the man himself.

Peace.

As a third generation 'Cayceite', I spent the better part of two decades studying the Edgar Cayce Readings. I was a long-time member of a Cayce 'Search For God' study group, and for two years, a volunteer correspondent for the Cayce Foundation's (A.R.E.) Prison Outreach Program, and so my personal history with this material is extensive. But after circumstances compelled me to initiate an objective reexamination of my metaphysical teachers and their teachings, I arrived at a conclusion that forced me to back off and entrust my spiritual development exclusively to Bible study, prayer, meditation (and the Divine Guidance ensuing from these practices.)

To be sure, there is much information of great value within these pages. Cayce was a benevolent soul whose psychic readings helped bring physical healing to scores of people. This is documented fact and The Bible tells us 'a tree is known by its fruit' and a 'house divided will not stand.' (Matthew 12:25,33) THIS work was of God. In one reading (#1152-5) Cayce stated, 'DID YOUR LORD BLEED WHEN THE NAILS WERE DRIVEN IN HIS HANDS AND FEET? DID HE GIVE UP THE GHOST? DID HE DIE? YEA. FOR AS HE GAVE, WITHOUT HIS DEATH - YEA, WITHOUT HIS RESURRECTION - THERE IS NO HOPE IN MAN'S ESTATE.' And in another (#422-1) he said that spirits or entities must be tested: 'IN EACH EXPERIENCE ASK THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE LIFE, THE DEATH, THE RESURRECTION OF THE JESUS, THE CHRIST...OTHERWISE, GET THEE BEHIND ME, I WILL HAVE NO PART WITH THEE.' According to The Holy Bible (1st John 2:22; 4:1-3; 5:1) Cayce could not have made statements like these but by inspiration of The Holy Spirit. That the Light of God can be found in many of his readings is indisputable and clearly evident in this collection of excerpts which includes a valuable section on SPIRITUAL IDEALS and gems such as these: 'Why worry when ye may pray?' (#2981-1); 'You'll not be in Heaven if you're not leaning on the arm of someone you have helped.' (#3352-1); 'When individuals hold a grudge they are fighting the God within themselves against the God within the individual...towards whom such is held.' (#1304-1); and the EXCEEDINGLY IMPORTANT WARNING, '(In meditation) never open self...without surrounding self with the Spirit of The Christ, that ye may ever be guarded.' (#440-8)

The section on HUMOR is very brief, but it's a hoot! For example: 'Q: woulD it be better fOr the body to remain in bed without movinG about? A: It'll move when you give it the Castor Oil.' (#348-18); 'Q: How much better am I? A: 37.3%' (#567-4); 'Hide not skeletons in thine own closet, for they rattle when ye least expect them.' (#3246-1)

So, what's the problem then? Cayce's readings are NOT ALL correct and they sometimes originated from spiritual darkness! In reading #1472-14 he said, 'IT IS NOT MEANT THAT INFORMATION GIVEN THROUGH THIS CHANNEL SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AS BEING INFALLIBLE.' In #531-2 he posed the question, 'WHAT PREVENTS THE INFORMATION FROM ALWAYS BEING ACCURATE, OR BEING WHOLLY OF UNQUESTIONABLE NATURE?' before continuing on with an impossibly convoluted answer! This is YOUR spiritual development we're talking about here; no small matter! Do you REALLY trust your own judgement sufficiently to always be able to discern which of Cayce's readings are Divine and which are a demonic deception? MANY of his Earth changes prophecies have proven to be inaccurate. Jesus did not return in 1998 (#5748-5); The poles did not shift in 2000 or 2001 (#826-8), et al.

Yes, I know experientially that Cayce's 3-Day Apple Cleanse Diet is efficacious, and clearly he supernaturally gained insight into the anti-cancer vitamin B-17 content of (bitter) almonds (see #1158-31 and read WORLD WITHOUT CANCER by G. Edward Griffin and ALIVE AND WELL by Dr. Philip Binzel, Jr.) And yet, in another reading (#3180-3) he inexplicably makes the absurd statement that 'AN ALMOND A DAY IS MUCH MORE IN ACCORD WITH KEEPING THE DOCTOR AWAY...THAN APPLES. FOR THE APPLE WAS THE FALL, NOT THE ALMOND.' Not only does the apple have nothing whatsoever to do with the 'Fall' of mankind (the word 'apple' does not even appear in the entire book of Genesis), but in fact, apple seeds contain as much or more concentrated vitamin B-17 than bitter almonds did!!! (They are no longer available.)

In other readings (#1152-11 & #470-10) Cayce dubiously praises things that my independent studies have conclusively shown to be luciferian in nature! In #364-1 he says of Theosophical literature: 'AS TO WHETHER THIS INFORMATION IS TRUE OR NOT, DEPENDS UPON THE CREDENCE INDIVIDUALS GIVE TO THIS CLASS OF INFORMATION.' Is this not bovine excrement of the highest order? Can a less helpful and more noncommittal position be conceived?

Over the years I developed a theory to explain how Cayce's God-given Gift became polluted and why his 'HEALTH' readings are considerably more reliable than his 'LIFE' readings. But the bottom line is this: Do you really wish to risk the condition of your mind by trusting in these pages when a sincere appeal for (and faith in) The Father and Son's Guidance, serious Bible study, prayer and PROPER (!!!) meditation is all that's required in order to get you SAFELY where you want to be? Not to mention saving you $16.00 (See my Amazon guide titled, "So You'd Like To...DEVELOP A REaLATIONSHIP WITH GOD" Parts 1 Through 4.)

Naturally, it is for each person to decide just what course they wish to sail. I apologize for the unseemly length of this review, but I felt that this was important and that I ought to share my thoughts with you. Thanks for considering them.

HOSANNA!

Coming from a very apocalyptic religious background, I was fearful to even open this book. I knew when ordering it that it would deal with such "heretical" concepts as past lives. However, I am so very glad I purchased it! This companion quotes directly from Cayce's readings, and at length, but not simply on past lives. There is poignant affirmation and revelation pertaining to God, soul development, reincarnation, death and life, soul mates, Jesus, even nutrition. I would be lying if I did not admit that this book testified to something deep within me. Simply seemed logical, each page, and as a result, so freeing!

I am not asserting that all things proceeding from Cayce's mouth are infallible---I'm too much of a Cacye novice to say anything of the sort. But his beliefs, concepts and practical applications certainly add some much-needed "gray" to the harsh black and white mentality of today's religions. How foolish it is to actually believe that God, in his infinite grandeur, can be contained in entirety within the confines of the Bible! Common sense, as well as resources such as this particular companion, will open the eyes of anyone longing to explore spiritual truths and lead richer, fuller lives. I enjoyed this book immensely and would recommend it to anyone truly seeking something more, something real, something eternal.

Buy This Book and you'll not regret it!

Also,I feel obligated to comment on a Reviewer's quote from a Cayce reading and stated "Cayce's readings are NOT ALL correct and they sometimes originated from spiritual darkness!"

The quote he inserted was not in its' entirety such as in where he, the reveiwer states, "In reading #1472-14 he (Cayce) said", ('IT IS NOT MEANT THAT INFORMATION GIVEN THROUGH THIS CHANNEL SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AS BEING INFALLIBLE.')

I felt that in all fairness it should be read and taken as intended for the recipient it (the reading) was given to, so therefore I have included the entire two paragraphs from the reading itself, that pertain to this particular EC quote.

(Q) As far as I know I followed all instructions given me through this source in all former Rdgs. and would therefore be grateful to be told why I received no help through the information, that I may now correct the cause of former failures in order to make this Rdg. and the advice it offers more effective.

(A) Because they didn't do what was indicated to be done! It was not always the fault of the body, [1472]. Mostly it was because of the manner in which administrations were made by others. These as we find are the faults, if faults they be.

It is not meant that information given through this channel should be interpreted as being infallible, but these are the conditions existent as viewed from the condition of the individual entity.

The interpreting of the information in the minds of others, as well as the manner in which the individual entity is influenced by others - by their material or physical knowledge, does not imply that the information given is incorrect. But it does imply that if these are met under certain other administrations, and done in the same manner and attitude that the information may be given, there may be produced a oneness - and response in its own kind.
READING 1472-14

Again the same reviewer wrote: In #531-2 he posed the question, 'WHAT PREVENTS THE INFORMATION FROM ALWAYS BEING ACCURATE, OR BEING WHOLLY OF UNQUESTIONABLE NATURE?' before continuing on with an impossibly convoluted answer! This is YOUR spiritual development we're talking about here; no small matter! Do you REALLY trust your own judgement sufficiently to always be able to discern which of Cayce's readings are Divine and which are a demonic deception?

Below is the two paragraphs from the original reading. And if read accurately with an open heart and mind, it will and does make perfect sense. Of course if one were 'looking' for evil, then they shall certainly find it somewhere within their own mind, even if it doesn't truely exist, but I have yet to find any so-called "demonic deception" in any of Cayce's readings....Ever! And I have encountered nothing of this "spiritual darkness' that was spoken of by the reviewer and have lost nothing from my own personal 'indepth' studies of the readings except a portion of my own selfish nature, in which is a blessing.

EC reading 531-2:

The soul of the seeker being passive, and the soul of the individual through whom information comes being positive (as the physical is subjugated into unconsciousness) goes out on the forces that are in activity by being guided by suggestion to that individual place of the seeker. And the souls commune one with another.

9. Then, it is asked, what prevents the information from always being accurate, or being wholly of unquestionable nature? The fact that such information must be interpreted in material things. And that then depends upon how well the training of the physical-mental self is in picturizing, visualizing and wording that which takes place in such a communion.
READING 531-2

Quote: MANY of his Earth changes prophecies have proven to be inaccurate. Jesus did not return in 1998 (#5748-5); The poles did not shift in 2000 or 2001 (#826-8), et al.

These are not inacurate! These are wrong 'only' according to an individuals own personal interpretaion or in this case 'mis-interpretation'.

Jesus did return in 1998, the proof is in the spirtual awakening that has occurred world-wide since 1998.

The poles 'are' shifting right now and there are plenty of 'scientific evidence' and articles to back this up.

If you want to grow spiritually and want to understand lifes real purposes, then adding "The Edgar Cayce Companion: A Comprehensive Treatise of the Edgar Cayce Readings" to your collection is a must!

Please, there are many Edgar Cayce critics out there that have tried (in vain) to defame this spritual God-loving individual, all because of the selfish deceptions of ignorance. Please do yourself a favour, buy this book and keep it along side the greatest book of all, your Bible, It is an worthy companion and helpmeet in your search for True enlightenment.

What's new under the sun? Nothing really. Everything that holistic health is preaching this day was given 80 years ago by Edgar Cayce. And some great ideas that science hasn't figured out yet. Why wait another 80 years to get the whole story. Read this book now.

Only gave it 3 stars since I didnt read the whole book. But I recommend it,very helpful

The services were flawless - everything arrived in great shape and timely.

This is one of the best books on natural remedies. Easy to read too. Comprehensive. It has remedy ideas for almost all ailments; formulas that nowadays are proven true. And most important, ideas to keep oneself healthy, to prevent sickness. A must have for anyone's library and reference.

This is a wonderful book on how to use the Cayce trance suggestions to maintain a healthy body. The first time I bought it, it happened to arrive while I was suffering with a terrible flu that was going around my community. At the time, my one-month-old baby was being breastfed. I realized I couldn't afford to be sick again with a newborn depending on me, especially since it's not recommended to take medicines while breastfeeding. I also felt wretched because of the painful head pains associated with this particular flu. You can imagine how motivated I was to get and maintain a healthy body.

I began to follow the suggestions in the book immediately--switching to an alkaline-reacting diet, and as soon as I was well enough, incorporating the exercises suggested in the book. These included specific exercises for the morning and others before bed. With two small children, there were many nights I just wanted to crawl in bed, but I kept up with the exercise program even though I was often very tired.

Amazingly, when the next round of flu went through the community, the other members of my family suffered with it but the baby and I sailed through without any symptoms whatsoever. The suggestions in the book, based on Cayce's trance source as put into use by Reilly's expertise as a top-notch physiotherapist, worked!

There's much more in this book than diet and nutrition. There's also the famous Cayce castor oil packs and mixtures of oils for massage recommended for ailments such as arthritis. There's suggestions for increasing beauty and prolonging life.

I like that Reilly quotes from many of the actual Cayce readings and that the publisher included the number of the readings. Many books about Cayce, such as The Edgar Cayce Remedies, which I also like because it is written by a doctor, refer to the Cayce readings but seldom quote them and if they do, they neglect to add the reading number.

Today, it is so easy for members of Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. to look up the readings online that I appreciate the reading numbers if I want to consult the rest of the psychic reading.

Reilly was recommended by Cayce in his psychic readings. Reilly thought that Cayce must be a doctor because his diagnoses and physiotherapy suggestions were so accurate. You can imagine Reilly's surprise when he discovered that Cayce was not a doctor but a psychic.

Reilly is a real authority. He trained many physiotherapists and massage therapists. Edgar Cayce's A.R.E.'s health facility in Virginia Beach, Virginia is named for him and Cayce.

If you want to know how to do many of the therapies suggested in the Cayce readings, this is the book for you. If want to understand Cayce and Reilly's insights into the workings of the body, get this book. If you prefer to keep healthy instead of cure illness, you need this book.

By Carol Chapman, award-winning photographer of the ONLY Edgar Cayce calendar Divine in Nature: With Quotes from Edgar Cayce and author of When We Were Gods: Insights on Atlantis, Past Lives, Angelic Beings of Light and Spiritual Awakening.

Danielson has done a superb job of bringing together the qualities that make a good teacher. The layout she uses is so useful that our district has based our evaluative system upon this work. A very practical, thorough book to put into action to improve schools and professionals working within schools.

The book came in good condition and in a timely manner. I was very pleased.

I was very pleased with this item. It was exactly what I needed for class and it was in mint condition. I was also very excited to see how much money it saved me from buying it at the school's bookstore. I have no complaints!

Danielson has written a book that teachers and administrators can actually use to improve their schools. Her Framework for Teaching sets out what teachers really do, in four domains, each of which has multiple comonents and those have multiple elements. She also provides a rubric for evaluating performance for each element. I've recommened that my principal buy a copy of this book, and I'm going to be recommending it to my district, as well.

Now in a revised and updated second edition, Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching presents a framework for K-12 educators that is based on Praxis III: Classroom Performance Assessment criteria as developed by Educational Testing Service, compatible with INTASC standards. Chapters cover the four domains of teaching responsibility (planning & preparation, the classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities), methodologies for maintaining a professional attitude, specific concerns for specialist positions, a tutorial on how to use frameworks & charts to maximum effect, and much more. The framework system, along with sample logs and unit plans, is highly organized, and easy-to-use in this solid all-around guidance and structure tool.

Ms. Burda's book provides guidance and training for the law student seeking to learn about a cutting edge nuance of estate-planning. With crystal clear language and outstanding organization, a law student finds him/herself wishing his/her law school professors followed Ms. Burda's instructional paradigm. This book is a must read for anyone seeking a career helping others plan for retirement.

This book is an excellent resource for attorneys as well as non-legally educated persons. The book covers all issues that a person would need to take into consideration in creating an estate/living plan for a same-sex couple.

The Publishers Marketing Association just awarded this book a Benjamin Franklin Award at the June 2005 award ceremony in New York City. This book and the author Joan Burda, are well deserving of this prestigious award.

This is an excellent book for both lawyers and their clients.

This book is absolutely essential for any attorneys practicing in this field. Ms. Burda has put together not only the laws and state of affairs across the country but she has also included the much needed forms in order to accomplish the task. After all of our years in law school, only Ms. Burda has shown us exactly what these documents are supposed to look like!

Attorney Burda has done the impossible, writing a "black-letter law" treatise in an easy-to-read and enjoyable style.

Practitioners will find it informative for its nuts-and-bolts practice tips, while members of the public will take away a 'how-to' roadmap (with forms!) when planning to protect themselves and their families.

I recommend this book without reservations -- not only for attorneys practicing in this field, but for smart individuals across the nation who attempt to balance the scales of justice while usually suffering inequitable treatment under the laws.

This is a must-read for any city, county or region that is considering a growth management system. Dr. Freilich is one of the pioneers in American growth management systems, and his personal experience in designing the systems is an invaluable resource. In response to Lewyn's comments, linking growth and infrastructure can be VERY controversial. If not done properly, it can lead to invalidation or takings liability. Even if done properly, a variety of stakeholder - including neighborhoods, the development and building community, and local administrators - usually weigh in heavily. The controversies can be particularly intense during the formative stages of the program. No jurisdiction should undertake this type of system without learning the lessons gleaned from this outstanding book.

No one but Robert Freilich could maintain that the past 35 years of his life has been dedicated to combatting urban sprawl. When most of us hadn't graduated from law school, he was giving his own unique brand of "thoughtful consideration" to a critical issue which most communities had yet to recognize. Robert's book is an exceptionally informative volume, combining history of law, politics, and planning with a dash of autobiography. A great read!

As one of the other reviewers pointed out, this is a good introduction to modest, relatively noncontroversial things local governments can do to slow suburban sprawl, such as requiring development and infrastructure to move together. But I wish Freilich had been a little less optimistic, and focused more on how inadequate such steps sometimes are. For example, Portland and Minneapolis both have variations on urban growth boundaries, and Freilich praises the Minneapolis program. However, the Minneapolis program has basically been a failure: the Twin Cities keep losing people because the growth boundary includes far more land than the Portland version. Also, I would have emphasized that sprawl is a result not only of land use but of highway and education policy.

This book provides an excellent introduction to the planning techniques for directing and focusing development available to state and local governments and a critical assessment of how they have been used in a variety of local and regional settings.At a time when state and local competition for available land has become increasingly intense, an understanding of the legal and policy bases of these approaches and the different ways in which they might be used in planning is critical to finding ways to accommodate legitimate public goals to the expectations of property owners.

"From Sprawl To Smart Growth" belongs on the "must read" list of anyone working to combat urban sprawl. Bob Freilich brings 30 years of first-hand experience to this complex topic, and he tackles it with great enthusiasm and a unique historical perspective.

A pretty good little self-help book that leads us to reflect on what might be hindering us in becoming truly happy. I like the author's recognition, especially in the last chapter, of the importance of the spiritual life, especially prayer. He also has a very interesting discussion of Alcoholics Anonymous and how faith in God is important in overcoming our own psychological limitations and addictions.

Appropriate for anyone high school age or over. Full of revelations about self-image, getting free from "what other people think", learning to love and appreciate yourself, learning to trust yourself, and so much more great stuff we all need to know. You read it and say, "That's so true! How could I have been missing that all these years?!?" Get yourself in good working order and then you might be able to tackle the rest of the world...or live in it anyway, without getting beat up yourself! Easy read, in a day or over several weeks. Lots of food for thought. A life-changing book! Would be great on audio, like to listen to while in the car!

This book is an excellent one for anyone who wants to take control of their life and be truly happy. The author makes the reader think about what is really important in life and directs one to complete many activities which help you to achieve true happiness. A definite must read!!

This book gives you a great insight in what it is important in life and inspires you to take charge of your own life and happiness. It helped me during one of the most difficult periods of my life. I recommend it highly.

I am 19, and this book has opened my eyes so that I know what I want and need to make my life happy. I need to be a whole person on my own. This book is astounding. It is dissected into 10 easily understood categories and each one leaves a lasting impression. After reading this book there is no way you can forget the messages that have become so deeply ingrained in your soul.

Let's not forget we're living on a little planet, what some like to call spaceship earth. If earth is a spaceship, this is the owner's manual: THE HOME PLANET. Political boundaries are dissolved by a moon's-eye view of Earth to create bold visions of the planet through 150 color photographs culled from the American and then-Soviet archives. Commentary is provided solely by eloquent quotes from astronauts of 18 nations which are shown both in original language (be it Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Mongolian, French, German, Spanish, Hungarian, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Bulgarian, Dutch, or Russian) and English translation. The message is simple--we are all citizens of the same global nation.

This superb coffee table book by Kevin W. Kelley is especially apt in this day and age, when so much in life feels precarious and precious. A simple and simply eloquent collection of photographs and quotations, it is so much more than the sum of its parts.

The astronauts who have either landed on the moon or have orbited the earth have so much to tell us and it's easy to see from the photographs why they feel words fail them. Luckily for us, words DON'T fail them. This select, small group of men and woman try mightily to tell us what their experiences were, and overwhelmingly they succeed in conveying the mystery and beauty they saw from their unique perches in space. A few of the better bits include:

"[From space] you have an almost dispassionate platform--remote, Olympian--and yet [seeing the earth from up there is] so moving that you can hardly believe how emotionally attached you are to those rough patterns shifting steadily below."
- THOMAS STAFFORD, USA

"O. Henry, the American writer, wrote in one of his stories that if you want to encourage the craft of murder, all you have to do is lock up two men for two months in an eighteen-by-twenty-four-foot room. Entering 'Salyut,' which was to be both our home and our office for six months, we told each other: We are brothers. I am you and you are me."
- VALERIE RYUMIN, USSR

"Before I flew, I was already aware of how small and vulnerable our planet is; but only when I saw it from space, in all its ineffable beauty and fragility, did I realize that humankind's most urgent task is to cherish and preserve it for future generations."
- SIGMUND JAHN, GERMANY

In no book that I can think of does the phrase "A picture is worth a thousand words" better fit. The photographs herein are astonishing in showing the exquisite planet we occupy. A view of England's North Sea coast looks like a slab of lapiz lazuli, its surface flecked with sparkle and hue. Canada's Lake Winnipeg from space has the appearance of something primal, almost fetal. The Indian Ocean off Madagascar looks like a sheet of slate over which some divine presence has tossed a handful of diamonds. So few of us can ever hope to share the experience of these men and women that this book is all the more precious, and beautiful.

Political boundaries are dissolved by a moon's-eye view of Earth to create bold visions of the planet through 150 color photographs culled from the American and then-Soviet archives. The pictures are allowed to speak for themselves, with only tiny captions describing locales and weather conditions. Commentary is provided solely by eloquent quotes from astronauts of 18 nations which are shown both in original language (be it Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Mongolian, French, German, Spanish, Hungarian, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Bulgarian, Dutch, or Russian) and English translation. The message is simple--we are all citizens of the same global nation.

Conceived and edited for the Association of Space Explorers, no earthling will be unmoved by the views, both photographic and verbal, regarding our home. From desert to arctic, ocean to breadbasket, this book will delight anyone who's ever looked outside an airplane window to marvel at the forms below.

A wonderfully moving and beautifully compiled collection of images. Mountain ranges and river deltas dissolve into abstract designs of astounding beauty. The accompanying commentaries show a world united in space in a way that is sadly absent on Earth. The book would make anybody want to become an astronaut.

This is the perfect present for any occasion. It has touched the hearts of everyone I know who has ever seen it. Highly recommended.

This coffee table book presents some of the best photographs taken of the Earth and the Moon by both astronauts and cosmonauts. Due to the large size of the book, these photographs are even more stunning. In addition to the photographs, several quotes by those who have flown in space accompany each photograph.

One of things that I really liked about the book is that other than the small quotes, there is very little accompany text. The only real text is at the end of the book, where NASA's chief photographic planner describes "Why Space Photography?" I found thispart kind of chilling where he states, "it is a far more air-polluted Earth today than it was in the past ... twenty years ago"

Very good resource if you are considering the ethical implications of IVF and infertility treatments.

This book spent the first several chapters helping you know how to best feel sorry for yourself and understand your grief. It does have some good information in it also but I sure could have done with out the pity party section. My wife and I need the answers not sympathy.

The Infertility Companion: Hope and Help for Couples Facing Infertility (Christian Medical Association) is a book that is part almanac, part dictionary, part personal testimony and part Bible teaching and study. It's written by a Christian Infertility Doctor and a Christian Infertility Patient.

I'll start with my critiques because they're pretty minor. My biggest complaint about the book is that for some reason I've not quite put my finger on, DH and I both found it visually hard to read. I can't decide if the text is smaller, the leading is smaller, the characters are closer together, the lines are longer or if it's because the pages are gray and not white, but I found it hard to read more than 20 pages in one sitting before my eyes were too tired. I've never experienced that with a book before and I'm quite confident it wasn't the content that made it hard to read so I'm quite befuddled. At times I was frustrated because I wanted to continue reading but couldn't comfortably do so.

My other critique is that the book is littered with one paragraph personal anecdotes from various people that I found distracting on almost every occasion. I struggle to see their purpose and at times, was frustrated by the incongruence that occurred when the anecdotes interrupted the primary authors' train of thought, with little explanation as to why they were offered in the first place. The primary text is stronger when one skips the interruptions (though for thoroughness' sake, I did read them all).

However, those two, minor things encompass the totality of my complaints about this book.

What I love about this book is how straightforward it is. This is not to be confused with authors who are insensitive. This book just lacks the emotional aspect of a lot of the other books, which my husband especially appreciated. He felt much more comfortable reading this book than reading some of the others I speak highly of, including ones I've recommended here. The book reads largely like a textbook on infertility, if such a thing could exist given the diverse nature of individual experiences. However, it is very conversational and approachable in tone-not at all dry and difficult to read like the mention of a "text book" would suggest.

The authors write with one voice and do an excellent job at it, which I think lends itself to the "neutrality" of this book. It's not a book by women for women, or men for men. It's a book for a general audience, which I think is rare in this particular genre of texts.

The book spends some time on the interpersonal aspects of infertility, including the patients' relationships with themselves, with each other, with God, with their friends and family, with Christendom and with the general public. It also address such things as parenting after infertility, secondary infertility, childlessness by choice, and responding to well meaning advice.

Perhaps one of the most instrumental things I've read in any book on the subject was in the authors' chapter on myths of infertility. In response to the myth "If you adopt, the pain will go away," the authors cited another author who identified six key losses that are rooted in infertility:


1. Loss of control
2. Loss of individual genetic continuity
3. Loss of a jointly conceived child
4. Loss of the pregnancy and birth experiences
5. Loss of emotional gratification surrounding pregnancy and birth
6. Loss of an opportunity to nurture and parent a new generation

pg 29


How freeing it was for me to read that it is perfectly normal to mourn the loss of pregnancy--a need that will never be met through born-child adoption! I've already shared this with a few other people because it was so instrumental to me to identify the various types and sources of grief and loss. I wish I could put it on a flyer and distribute it to the world and maybe then people would cease looking for trite things to say or ways to help their infertile friends "get over" this loss!

The rest of the book, however, is what I found most useful. It's an explanation and bioethical exploration of the tests and procedures common in the treatment of infertility. It covers everything ranging from sample collection to examinations to medications to surgical procedures. The authors are quick to confess their own limits and biases, but even with the procedures with which they don't agree, they highlight the benefits along with the risks. I appreciated this neutrality. They are also careful and responsible to state that their opinions on anything that falls outside the bounds of clear scriptural teaching and/or does not jeopardize innocent life is their own opinion and not gospel truth. On the other hand, where something does violate clear scripture or the sanctity of life, they are firm in stating its inappropriateness for the committed Christian (examples would be fornicating to produce fluid samples or children, selective reduction abortion, etc). In some cases (IVF for example), they are very helpful in helping the reader understand the limits they should place in order to keep the procedure one that honors God and human life. Where Catholics and Protestants might differ, they offer information and resources for both world views.

I appreciated how respectful the authors are of opinions that differ from theirs when it comes to matters of interpretation. There is no condemnation-only simple, undecorated statement of their opinion and where applicable, medical and scientific facts. They do not pressure the reader to come to the same conclusions and as I mentioned, are generous in even offering the benefits of procedures that they would not choose for themselves.

They offer a very useful grid for evaluating the ethics of reproductive technology. They have borrowed the framework from a secular textbook and offer it as being both useful and consistent with a biblical worldview.

The four principles are:

Beneficence-to do good. Thus, we ask, "Does it do good?"

Nonmaleficece-to do no harm. We ask, "Does it avoid doing harm?"

Autonomy-the patient has the right to make decisions about care rendered to him or her. We ask, "Does it respect self-determination, the patient's right to decide for him- or herself?"

Justice-fair, equitable, and appropriate distribution of social benefits and burdens. Our own definition of justice goes beyond this definition to ask whether something seeks what is right or due the patient in a given instance. So we ask, "Does it give what is right, due and equitable?"

pg 171


So long as the reader retains honesty careful grounding in scripture when answering the questions posed in this construct, I found this to be a very useful and practical framework.

The book also has quite a few extra curricular resources. The end of each chapter has discussion questions for the reader. I suppose with some moderation, they could be good prompts for a group discussion as well. The appendices of the book include a scripture-based workbook of questions and exercises for each chapter, an infertility medical workup worksheet, the Christian Medical Association Statement on Reproductive Technology, an IF glossary with common vernacular explanations, a list of resources and complete citations for all of the studies, interviews and writings cited in the book.

The book is very well cited. Each time the authors mentioned a clinical study, a public statement by a group or committee, a medical fact, and even in some cases a hermeneutic explanation, there was a corresponding citation. This set me at ease that the things that I was reading were true, or at least easily verifiable. It also gave me a place to go if anything piqued my interest to the point of wanting to seek out further information. I appreciated this responsible treatment of a lot of things that are offered as "fact" in a world full of questions and controversy.

I will confess that I did not complete the workbook or discussion questions yet, and am not sure if I plan to. However, I did read through them and found them relevant and thought provoking.

The book is like an encyclopedia insofar as there may be portions (even large ones) that are not relevant to you if you are not considering a certain procedure or class of procedures. I did read the entire book so as to have a firm understanding of it, but I admit to times when I had trouble staying interested in subjects that are not a part of our journey. I will say that the book can easily be read in sections or chapters. If you skip a section that is not relevant to your journey, I do not think it will make the rest of the book unreadable and I think you would still benefit. Each chapter can stand on its own and be contextually accurate and understandable. However, the book also feels unified enough to be read through as a traditional chapter book.

There is a ton of clinical information in this book, which distinguishes it from other books in this genre. For that reason, it's a lot more difficult to retain all of the information in the book than it is with other books that are more narrow in subject. For that reason I think this book is most useful when consulted many times, especially the subjects of particular relevance to the reader. I know I shall have to read through the details of some of the Reproductive Technologies several times before I feel I have a firm grasp on them but again, that selective reading is very possible in a book structured this way.

This book is an excellent resource for infertility patients. I'm not sure it's useful for pastors, friends and family or doctors, but I suspect it was never intended to be. This is not your typical infertility Bible or personal enrichment study, so I would not add it to my library in lieu of books that are more personally challenging, but it is an excellent academic reference resource, which is especially useful in a world where the sheer volume of facts and anecdotes can be overwhelming.

I am so glad I happened upon this book! The personal experiences of Sandra, the expertise of Dr. Bill, and the spiritual issues addressed in this book have been an invaluable resource to my husband and me as we have struggled through the difficulties of infertility. This book is a terrific guide to anyone going through infertility themselves or any lay person or clergy helping a couple that is struggling. Rarely does one find a book that balances medical terminology and its great detail with the emotional and spiritual aspects of the patients' experience, but this book does. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone that is beginning the journey of infertility as it clearly gives medical information. More important to me, though, was the biblical content that reminds us that we are NOT alone through this process, that God is still God, and that the emotional roller coaster is a normal thing. Not to mention the chapter that deals with handling well-intentioned advice... great content there, too! :)

Right around this time of year, sermons about Mother's Day and the beauty of parenthood bring grief to those experiencing the hellish ride of infertility. Though I have not personally experienced this, I have walked with several friends that have. This book was invaluable in helping me understand the medical, spiritual and emotional issues facing infertile couples. Glahn's personal story is woven throughout, giving the reader glimpses into the pain of infertility. Cutrer offers the reader practical and sound medical advice, gleaned from years and years of treating infertile couples. Both grapple with theological questions like "Is infertility a curse from God?" and "Why did God create sex?" Perhaps the most helpful chapter detailed the well-intentioned (but painful) things people say: Just relax. You can have my children for a weekend. If you adopt, you'll conceive. Just trust God. The latter half of the book deals with the ethics of medical intervention in an honest, non-alarmist way. If you are looking for an infertility manual with heart, pick up this book. If you are longing to love a friend or family member through infertility's minefield, read it for understanding.

I've been CTO for several venture backed startups for the last few gigs. So if like me you want to prepare an application draft as thoroughly as possible before you call your attorney (and open your wallet) then this book will pay for itself on the first chapter. Like when it comes to having my car fixed, I don't do what the mechanic (or expert) does for a living, but I sure want to understand his rationale and learn from him. That's what this book does for the reader. Take one giant leap forward in undertanding the language, strategy and reasoning of the pros and enjoy the insights and confidence that comes with an enhaced command of the art.

Invention Analysis and Claiming: A Patent Lawyer's Guide As an entrepreneur, I found Ronald Slusky's book supremely helpful! We have numerous inventions at my startup company, and we needed a 'language' for communicating with our patent counsel so that our ideas would be more efficiently conveyed. And Ron's book fit the bill! I highly recommend it to any technology company who works with patent counsel. It will save them a lot of time - and money!

I read this book and immediatly manadated that all of my attorneys read it as well. I also recommended it as essential reading for my law school students. Ron may call himself "old school" but in my opinion his way of thinking about patent claims is the only correct way. I've employed and taught Ron's claim drafting strategies for many years and although I might hate to admit it, I learned a lot from this book.

I wish I had this book when I was first starting out 17 years ago. Instead, I read the claim construction decisions and learned on the job. Claim drafting really is an art form and Ron's book gives you the framework necessary to begin crafting patent claims with a purpose.

I was thinking about writing a text book about how to draft patent applications, but now I'm not so sure I could add much to what Ron has written.

Kirk Teska, author of Patent Savvy for Managers: Spot & Protect Valuable Innovations in Your Company

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn to draft valuable, enforceable patent claims. The book is very well written and very clear, and the examples are thoughtfully chosen. I learned much of what I know about elevating patent prosecution to an art form from the author, and this book contains his expert insights. I have personally benefited from this book and intend to buy it for each of my associates.

I'm a newly minted patent associate. I've seen other massive tomes around on drafting basics. I'm aware that the bosses rarely have time to initiate a tutorial for the associates. So, what's the solution? I just happened to read an ABA pitch for Slusky's book and picked it up. What a book it is!

It's not easy to take complex subject matter and distill it down into its key components while being educational and keeping the pace light, but dare I say as a novice patent attorney, that Slusky seems to have accomplished just that. I don't know the man, but I couldn't help but think as I read this book that he was standing over my shoulder at my desk, shepherding me along.

It's so clear to me: read with a goal--begin with the problem/solution and keep it in your head throughout your drafting. Slusky's mantra has made it seem so much easier. And isn't that the mark of a good teacher after all, substituting mastery for mystery?

Some people don't learn by reading, but by doing. Fair enough, but this book, unlike its more massive brethren in the field, packs more useable knowledge per page and in an enjoyable style to read, than the others ever could.

Thanks. I feel ready to tackle the most challenging of patent apps!

This book is pure poetry in motion. From the story of Fireball Roberts and his untimely demise to the story of Joe Weatherly. A moving tribute to some of the greatest drivers ever.

Finally a tome that is down to the nitty-gritty of a sport that nowadays is white-washed and sugar coated.I have been involved in auto racing my entire life and can identify with poeple like Ralph Moody and Lou Larosa and can understand there point of view on the state of the sport today.True racers could give two shits about money!

At first, I was hesitant to pick up this book, as Golenbock is not exactly one of the most popular names in NASCAR writing. His last work on NASCAR - American Zoom - was filled with glaring errors and misinformation about the history of the sport. However, after sitting and reading merely a few pages from The Last Lap (...), I could tell this book was much different. Golenbock tells the history of NASCAR from a driver's standpoint instead of merely describing races and race results. Each era of racing is related to a different driver. He also tells the stories of several lesser known drivers who happened to have lost their lives prematurely. If you are a racing fan, I recommend this book. If you don't like racing, you may get curious after reading about the escapades of Curtis Turner and Joe Weatherly. It is my personal opinion that you do not have to be a fan of NASCAR to enjoy this book.

Each chapter is a separate story about one of NASCAR's heroes. The book does a great job of staying accurate, down to the improper grammer of the quoted person doing the story telling! A fun and informative look at how NASCAR built itself up to what it is today.

Peter Golenbock has captured the true face of NASCAR. He interviewed old time racers and their families to give you a look at what there lives where like. Stories about Curtis Turner, Fireball Roberts, Tim Flock, Maurice Petty and many others capture your attnetion for hours. This book is an absolute must have for any true NASCAR fan.