Publications Books

I bought this book for a gift for my husband (and my family) because he is always telling us of all the creatures he sees when he is diving for lobsters when we go to Florida in December. Now we can enjoy the pictures and see what he is talking about. This is the same book that sells for more money at the dive shops. The pictures are wonderful. Glad we were able to find it here!!

This is probably the best reef creature ID book out there for Florida, the Carribean and the Bahamas, but buy the third edition instead. Semi-hard cover.

I bought this item for my trip to the Caribbean. I'm a marine biologist by training, and I loved this book because it gave information above and beyond just identification. It also tells you how likely it was that the critter you saw was the one pictured in the book. Then there are lists of all the species in the back, with space for you to record when and where you saw it. I had so much fun combing this book after snorkeling to identify all the organisms I had seen! What a great investment! I also like this book because it arranges species by their scientific classification. It could have been a bit more thorough, though--i saw plenty of organisms that aren't mentioned in this book at all.

i think its a really good book because it tells you almost every thing you can see in the ocean. I really like it.

This book is a great resource for anyone interested in marine invertebrates from Florida, Caribbean and the Bahamas. It is a especially useful reference for divers because of the great underwater photography depicting the animals as one would while diving. This guide also has information on the taxonomy, popular and scientific names, size and depth, as well as visual id tips, abundance and distribution, habitat and behavior, reaction to divers, and additional information of interest. In some cases, there is information on effect on divers if the species is known to cause a negative effect or potentially dangerous. More than 50 researchers contributed to make the book as accurate as possible. I am a marine biologist, I am very happy with my purchase and highly recommend it.

"Riding Grace." What a beautiful, evocative phrase. How do you ride grace? Alissa Lukara rides grace through recovery from chronic illness linked to paternal incest by accepting that "true healing, the true miracle I seek, comes from opening to and heeding the deepest callling of my soul" (p.91).

Out of the grace and truth she finds in the powerful 12-year healing journey with a pen in her hand for at least half that time, Alissa becomes a wounded healer.

"Wounded healers...learn compassion for their own suffering and the suffering of others...and has a ripple effect" in healing individuals and the society as a whole (p. 141).

Alissa finds a circle of support in intimate realtionships, friendships, and invisible beings. Her writing, done in the 15 minute chunks that her attention span can handle,sustains her. One guide suggests that Alissa "do at least one things daily that is larger than my human limitations. If I can't write, I can sing or speak words out loud instead. I can paint or dance naked in the moonlight...something that's not controlled or protected or limited" p. 162.

She learns to ride the fire within. "The fire and I build a ring of divine protection from which the light in me can safely shine forth--in healing and transmutation. As I ride this grace, I see that the power of the fire burns with the essence of love and divine co-creation...I can trust that now. I can trust myself" p. 169.

Writing a book such as "Riding Grace" is triumph enough. Her own healing is triumph enough. But Alissa Lukara went on to found and head of [...], a nonprofit Web site dedicated to help people overcome adversity and host the Southern Oregon community television program, "Transcending Life Challenges."

Janet Grace Riehl, author Sightlines: A Poet's Diary

Very moving and inspiring, especially for the incest survivor just beginning to take the journey towards healing from childhood sexual abuse.

Alissa Lukara's book, Riding Grace, reads like melted chocolate, so nourishing and satisfying while gently nudging the reader to great depths.

Ms. Lukara writes about healing from paternal sexual abuse and spontaneous recovery from chronic fatigue syndrome within 12 hours of deciding to write her story.

Dramatic, soulful story, beautifully written.

This book was hard to put down. It moved me deeply. The subject is a tough one: Alissa Lukara spells out in vivid detail her remembering and then coming to terms with repeated sexual abuse by her father. Yet the story that Alissa tells of her journey of struggle, growth, and self-transformation is so lyrical, and the healing so complete that I found myself swept up into it and truly inspired. Alissa Lukara is a deft, powerful writer, one who has mastered the art of bringing the reader fully and immediately into the emotional life of the moments that she lives through her words. A truly wonderful book.

Given the statistics on childhood sexual abuse, Riding Grace is a story that must be told, and one that must be heard. But it is so much more than a clinical report. It is a testament to the indomitable power of the human spirit, and to the author, Alissa Lukara, who sustained the courage to keep believing in it. Most important, it appeals to us to honor our own inherent impulses toward health and forgiveness.

This little book is not easy to come by but it is well worth the effort; how often does a reader encounter one small volume which encompasses time travel, mysticism, spiritualism, Japanese history, Christian teachings, the WWII Japanese American internment camps, fallen heroes, combat and personal sacrifice, and a multi-layered story of a young boy coming of age in a courageous, inspiring manner? Although this book almost defies description, the story manages to transcend age divisions, as it is fascinating and accessible to young readers but also keeps the attention of mature readers as well.

The timeless spiritual values, and the eternal virtues of truth and honor, are brought into a captivating story, and the dramas played out in this tale hold the reader's interest to the very last page.
The edition that I own was an early one, and there are a few typos which were NOT the fault of the author but which happened as the person who did the editing, transcribed and reformatted the original texts. But this is a small thing, easily overlooked, and hopefully it will be corrected if there is another edition on the horizon.
I also hope that this author will write more in the future; her style is warm and deeply engaging. As she reveals more and more layers of the characters, we come to feel that we know them and care about them, just as we do with new friends in our own lives.
All in all, I highly recommend this one.

Samurai and the Tea was not only historically accurate but kept my interest from beginning to end. Cathy Brueggemann Beil has an extraordinary talent for writing! After reading the book myself I am now reading it to my children. What an incredible way to learn about the beautiful legacy of the Japanese Christians! I look forward to her next book!

Not often have I learned so much while being held by a good story. Japan is was like so many other civilizations that encountered Christianity: that which is most noble and beautiful in the culture blends easily with Christianity. The japanese tea ceremony is such a custom and is the hub for Cathy Beil's story. What a fun way to learn about the Japanese martyrs and how Christianity survived in hiding for centuries in Japan.

While never being an avid reader in high school I am deliberately trying to broaden my literary horizons. I reviewed the consumer critiques of Cathy Brueggemann Beil's book, The Samurai and the Tea, and chose to read it. I was not disappointed. The book had adventure, mystery, and inspiration. I also loved the fact that it wasn't super lengthy. It held my interest and I strongly recommend the book. Looking forward to more of Beil's publishings.

Being nonCatholic and non Japanese I can truly state that I was enthralled with the story of Micheal. I strongly recommend to every reader to purchase Cathy B. Beil's book, The Samuarai and The Tea!! You will not be disappointed.

I am very impressed with the wide variety of desert fathers given in this source. It has increased my interest in exploring in more depth some of the desert fathers such as Macarius. I would suggest this to anyone who wanted an introduction to the stories given by and about the early monastic fathers of the Church.

All I can say is that if you love the simple way of the monks, the Church Fathers and Mothers, then you must read this book. The absolute gems to be found will completey renew your Christian faith and let you look at the Christian faith, and the Bible, in a completely new light.

Fantastic book for all peoples, Christian or not.

I cannot tell you how much this book has enriched my spiritual life. The wisdom of the Desert Fathers is timeless, and not to be missed!

For thirty years now Sister Benedicta Ward's translation of the sayings of 131 of the earliest monastics has served as an indispensable text for English speakers. In addition to her brief foreword and short biographical introductions (when they are known), the book includes simple maps on the inside front and back covers, a short glossary of terms, a chronological table of key events in the development of desert monasticism, a bibliography that is all too short and badly dated, and then two indices of key concepts, people and places. The sayings themselves stand alone without commentary. For contemporary extrapolations one can turn to the fine books by Archbishop Rowan Williams (Where God Happens, 2005) and John Chryssavgis (In the Heart of the Desert, 2003). For more complete primary resources, see the two works by John Cassian (360-435), Institutes and Conferences (900-plus pages), in which Cassian relates what he learned from and about the earliest monastics.

Beginning in the third century, three monastic experiments emerged in Egypt. St. Anthony (251-356), an uneducated Copt, is generally hailed as the father of the hermit monasticism centered in lower Egypt. Thanks to The Life of Saint Anthony by Athanasius, we know as much or more about Anthony than any other of the early ascetics. Other monks cooperated and collaborated in "cenobitic" monasticism. Pachomius (290-347) is generally credited with instigating this communal form of flight to the desert. Finally, in Nitria and Scetis small groups of monks lived near one another under the direction of an elder or "abba." In addition to Egypt, desert monasticism flourished in Syria, Asia Minor and in Palestine.

It's easy to dismiss the eccentricities of a Simon the Stylite (d. 459), who sat atop a fifty-foot pole outside of Antioch for forty years, or the ascetic excesses of food and sleep deprivation, but we honor these saints for their unique experimental spirituality that explored just what the words of Jesus might mean: "Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me." They stopped at nothing in "their lifetime of striving to re-direct every aspect of body, mind, and soul to God, and that is what they talked about" (Ward) in these "sayings."

In these sayings we are taught to "expect temptation until your last breath." That means doing battle with one's inner appetites, drives, thoughts, attachments (for example, to wealth) and desires. It also means the further you travel on the Christian journey the more you realize the breadth and depth of the struggle. Consequently, these monastics were above all things modest, non-judgmental, and deeply tender in regard to our human weaknesses. They were reluctant to take Christian office, made the certainty of their death a force for good in life, modest in what they thought they might know about Scripture, eager to keep silent, and appreciative of the diverse ways that each monk worked out his salvation. Ultimately, and in contrast to so much Christian spirituality of today, these desert monastics recommend a "hidden" form of discipleship, the focus of which is the interior geography of the human heart regardless of where they body finds itself. I have found these ancient saints to be wise guides for our contemporary world.

This is the best book I have ever read, excluding the bible. It is so helpful and gives you the greatest advice. When reading about what the desert fathers have to say, you get so intuned with it and makes you to try to live a good life. It has helped me fight temptation. I will recommend this book to anyone who wants to change their old lifestyle and live a better one that makes you closer to God.

I have spent 12 years on a spiritual quest, and ran into this book while doing a search term. I had heard so many negative things about Scientology, that I ignored my findings for 3 years. 3 years later, and hundreds of abandoned books, again I search, and this book comes up. So I buy it. And now I kick myself for not acknowledging it when I first discovered it.

I have read thousands of books, I read every day, I study every day, and this is by far the best practical guide to life I have ever encountered. I use the information daily. Whether it is dealing with my children, setting goals, performing nerve assists or touch assists on friends and family with pain, public relations, organization - I spent 4 days doing the practical applications in my home and in my office, and I felt lighter and free to think when the clutter was removed, marriage, and something I use with myself and taught my kids was the technology of study. The entire educational system should adopt this, and it is so easy you could do it in under a week. The cause of suppression - since reading this I have never had a cold or illness since. There is much more, and this book would make the best gift to a son or daughter heading off to college, or for any adult that is not flourishing.

Until you discover an answer for yourself, the rest is heresay and gossip.

Wow where to start on this book? There is so much data in this book you could literally start a career in just about any of it's chapters. This is most basic yet powerful tools Scientology has to offer and using them will change your life.

Whether you want to improve your study skills, your ability to analyze data or help a person with physical injuries, this book will have something for you that will just grab your imagination & you can RUN WITH IT!

You cannot go wrong with this book! Get it and enjoy!

It had everything I had ever been looking for to change my life and turn it around for the better.

This really is a very useful handbook with real answers that work well to help with almost any situation in life, to improve your life or help someone else. Very easy to use with lots of pictures and illustrations. I think the study technology should be used in all schools...actually should be the first course that kids do in school. I love the chapter on management and use it all the time. This book also helped me to get over a major loss.

I love this book because it is so useful. Each chapter contains methods for handling problems in some aspect of life.

From childrearing to studying more effectively, to increasing the production in a company, you can find very useful information - and processes - that, when applied, can improve your life.

This book, on its own, is an incredible resource. I recommend it to everyone!

This book is filled wth great ideas on giving children memorable experiences in Nature. I myself am a nature docent and I know from experience that if you try to lecture to children out in nature you just have a lot of kids not listening. If you give them an experience you will give them something that they will always refer back to for the rest of their life. I highly recommend the methods used in this book.

Before moving overseas, I practically lived outdoors with my two young children. We had easy access to nature parks and there were plenty of places to connect with nature on a regular basis. Now we live in a rural farming village and I homeschool. (So we are in the house the majority of the day.) Recently, my 2 1/2 year old screamed and was absolutely terrified of an ant that crawled on him. What a wake-up call! Walking down the country lane is NOT really a nature experience, for he appears to be afraid of insects. (I grew up with a continual collection, much to my parents' dismay. "You're a GIRL, for heaven's sake"...) My oldest two children LOVE to explore wildflowers, insects, and anything they find... so long as I deem it safe. I think this is because when they were younger we took the time to immerse ourselves in nature. I regret not doing this for my youngest, but have decided it is time to get out and get in touch with mother earth once again... this time for good. I grew up loving nature just because I spent most of my spare time IN nature exploring and observing the woods all on my own, or reading natural history books from the library. No one taught me, encouraged me, or took the time to do activities with me. Wow, that would have been a treat. Encourage kids who love nature and inspire others to get involved! Buy this book! Get outdoors! Wish others by this author were back in print.

.

This is one of the best books that I ever bought when I was at college. The best part of this book is that it is simple and easy to use as a teaching tool. You can pull out one activity from this book and use it as a fun nature activity for children which is also educational.It gives children the chance to rediscocer the joy of playing in nature and it also encourges them to respect nature. It is truly amazing. It can be easily adapted to the climate that you are in. This book is truly a masterpiece.

From the author of FLOW learning comes the book "Sharing Nature with Children" and the sequel "Sharing Nature with Children II". These delightful books are a welcome tool in the bag of tricks for any outdoor education facilitator. Find out how the characters of the Otter, Crow, Bear and Dolphin help guide the mind's eye to the wonders of nature. Re-discover the joy of playing in the outdoors while helping the next generation to appreciate and respect nature. This book is more than a must have for any teacher, parent or naturalist. Don't miss out.

This book is THE original tool for connecting kids with nature.

Whether you are a parent or a teacher, you will find that this simple, small but comprehensive book will be the dog-eared book on the shelf or the coffee table...or the one that gets loaned out to friends the most. In every place I have taught environmental ed, I have seen activities from this book being used. In fact, so many enviro ed books have borrowed and adapted activities from this book that they have become classics.

The best part of this book is that it is a comprehensive teaching tool called "Flow Learning" that works like a cookbook. What I mean by this is that you can pull out just one 'recipe' for an activity, or combine several into the educational equivalent of a full four-course meal. Cornell's book is more than just a nature book, it is a system of four stages called 'Flow Learning', which very simply and effectively models how to facilitate connecting children (yes- even inner city children) with nature.

If you don't find this book extremely invaluable, I would probably offer to buy it back from you. After all, I can't seem to get back that last copy I loaned out...

Reading Chet Raymo is like taking a deep, cleansing breath and exhaling slowly--one is filled with inspiration and joy. More than learning about the wonder of the night sky and beyond, you become part of it. This is my fourth Chet Raymo book, and I look forward to another.

This book requires a certain level of knowledge. Knowledge about astronomy, e.g. star constellations and star names, about chemistry, e.g. atomic structures, and about biology. Further more, a spiritual sense for nature and existence combined with a questioning but open mind should be part of the reader's characteristics. If you have all this, you will love to explore this book, just like me. You will find questions you are asking yourself, too, as well as new hints and new perspectives to look at "things" written in an almost poetic language. And, that's the best, you learn. Even though theories about quarks or the beginning of the universe and our existence are hard to understand, you will get an idea about it all with this book. Theory is presented in an easy to read way and written in a wonderful descriptional language using parabels and comparisons to create pictures in your mind. I am already halfway through and I do not want this book to end. It is going to be one of my very favorite books.

I read this book for a college course on Ecocriticism and was totally spellbound. I read it in one sitting and it made me crave for that feeling you get while standing under the stars--realizing how small you are--and how infinetly wonderous at the same time. Everybody should read this book, it is beautiful and important for understanding humankind's place within nature.

"For Beauty's nothing but the beginning of Terror" - page 13
This is such a beautifully written and illustrated book. Each chapter gently reveals us through our science, religion, poetry, and history. Now I know why whisperings of Magic began in the night so long ago and continue to present times.

"Soul" is one of my favorite books of all time. Raymo is to astronomy what Thoreau is to naturalism. This book will stir the wonder in anybody and renew your appreciation for the wonders of the sky.

I like Strange Matter books because they are scary and cool. And because I think "The Last One In" is cool. I like the rest of the books because they are a lot of fun to read. I think when you turn the page you get a new surprise.

it was sweet i encurage peaple to read this because theres diferent monsters like dover demon pendek mingwa and my two favorites the collecter and buru. it even shows pictures of them all!!! and make more books.

With these awesome horror/adventure books are entrily new in a sense there not. It uses peolple, places, and things from the world of Strange Matter. In a word: AWESOME

This book is great! Strange Forces takes all the Strange Matter books and rolls them into one astounding novel. As far as I know, there are four of these books, Strange Forces 1,2,3, and Strange Forces: The Last Buru. People didn't buy these books enough and apparently, the creators went out of buisness. I wish more people had known about them, then the book would have gotten more sales and it would have stayed in buisness. Strange Matter was a great series, and I know quite a few people who want to see Strang Forces, and all the other Strange Matter books, make a comeback. I would reccomend this book to anyone.

This book is one of a kind. It made me literally feel like Iwas in it! Iv'e read it over and over and can't stop. I want to getall the Strang Matter: Strange Forces books and the Last Buru too. I you want a real alien/monster/unknown species THRILLER book, this books would be it! Once you pick it up you can't set it down. Once you finish a chapter you just have to read the next. There are all kinds of strange creatures. For example Burus, Mingwas, Marlaks, Mothman, Pendeks, and all other kinds! Then their is the Collecter. He is the main evil dude in this chilling story. This book is I believe in Indianapolis, Indiana is not for sale anymore. So I need to get the others from here at Amazon. This place has it all, and so do the books.

Taking Canon HIstory Law and found the material insightful with regard to the complexities of Canon Law
Thanks

I should like to recomend this book. I have found it very well written, and quit easy to understand, for all that might read it.

When an average Catholic hears the term "Canon Law", what image comes to mind? A stuffy code, perhaps reminiscent of the Old Law of the Pharisees that obsessed over every aspect of everyday life for the Israelites? Or perhaps one is reminded of the Spanish Inquistion, or expecting the Church to be poised to excommunicate someone for a slight infraction of an obscure rule. Fortunately, this book lays such concerns to rest. In clear language, authors Pete Vere and Michael Trueman, both canon lawyers, explain what canon law is and isn't, what it covers and what it leaves alone, and that most of all it isn't a burden to be feared and loathed.
The book begins by explaining the different types of law, and which one is covered by the Church's Code of Canon Law. Last revised in 1983, this code helps with day-to-day workings within the Church. Surprised By Canon Law answers questions such as whether a non-Catholic can have a Catholic funeral(yes), may a layman say a homily(no), and is it all right to have a single godparent(yes). Sensitive topics such as divorce and remarriage, sacraments for severely disabled Christians, and abortion are handled clearly and without harshness. The difference between heresy and schism is laid out, with concise definitions and explanations as to how to avoid falling into one or both. This book also clears up any confusion about the difference between what is valid or illicit; a bishop that was validly ordained but then excommunicated for a schismatic act may still validly ordain priests, but his and their sacraments, though also valid, are illicit.
Easy to read and reference, with a well laid-out format and index, Surprised By Canon Law should be in every Catholic household. Its 150 answers are eminently useful, and could help when confronted by someone angry or confused over the Church's policies. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking to be more firmly grounded in the Catholic faith. It may also prove most helpful when discussing the Church with those of other faiths. Most of all, this book demonstrates that far from a crushing burden, canon law is simply a framework within which the Church may live and breathe, and address the problems of our current age.

This book is a goldmine! Thank you Pete Vere and Michael Trueman for doing the hard work for us. I run a catholic ministry and this is such a great resource because these questions often come up and when dealing with so many people as I do it is great to have the answers right at my fingertips! very informative yet simple to understand!

Professor Emeritus, Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada
Unfortunately canon law is one of the most misunderstood and consequently least appreciated aspects of the Catholic Church. This is true not only for non-Catholics, but also for many Catholics, including many of the clergy. In a word, many do not like canon law because they do not really know anything about it, or have gross misconceptions.
Pete Vere and Michael Truman have attempted to put to rest such misgivings. I hasten to add that they are most successful in fulfilling their goal. This is not a text book of canon law, nor a reference book for canonists. The authors present 150 questions that ordinary Catholics may have concerning canon law, and then answer them in a clear fashion that is easily understood by the man or the woman on the street or the faithful in the pew. On every page of this short work their love for the Church radiates as they explain in simple language her legislation which reflects that "the salvation of souls, which must always be the supreme law in the Church, is to be kept before one's eyes." (Can. 1752)

That's right... the 13th resource you want for your ministry is this book! It is creative, challenging and very effective for the new youth worker or an old tenured guy like me. If you work in a church or a para-church ministry, The Top 12 Resources is for you!

This book is an excellent resource for volunteers and career youth workers. Tons of great ideas which will help you open doors to sharing Christ with kids.

This is a very helpful book for volunteers and career Youth Workers. Tons for tools for opening doors to share Christ with teens.

This book is exactly what youth workers need--practical, user-friendly, thought-provoking, in-your-face ideas and resources.
As an in-the-trenches youth pastor, I often don't have time to sift through all the myriad articles, books and magazines to find the help I'm looking for. It's the one resource where I am almost always guaranteed to find help--no hype, this is from my own experience. Jonathan is an excellent communicator who has organized this book in a highly usable way.
I highly recommend this book!!

McKee has written a book that will help anyone working in Youth Ministry today. Everyone starting in Youth Ministry should read it for several reasons. It gives great ideas to get you started. Plus it gives powerful principles that will guide you in years to come while serving in Youth Ministry. I have worked with teenagers for a number of years and still found great tools in his book. The book is a must for Youth Pastors