Publications Books


Books-Under-Review-->Recreation-->Outdoors-->Speleology-->Publications-->43
Related Subjects: Journals
More Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250
Publications Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Publications
Letters to Young Black Men (Audio Book)
Published in Audio CD by Torch Legacy Publications (2008-05-29)
Author: Daniel Whyte III
List price: $13.99

Average review score:

Proudpapa
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-29
I purchased this for my son who is a junior in H.S. After reading it, I gladly handed over to him for his use. Money well spent!

It is a great and inspirational book for youth
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-04
My son read this and seem to be impressed and attentive to the writer views since he is of African ethnicity and can relate to what young black males go through. I really considered the fact that for a person to take the time and write a book concerning the need to relate and instill his value system in teenagers that he sees himself through, his heart has to be passionate for males that are walking in the path he has traveled. I applaud him to want to reach back to the community. I think his book should have been publicized and promoted more for the mainstream crowd more and it was not. Perhaps that should have even been a few given free to allow the people that may want some inspiration (postive) to be able to read it.

WONDERFUL
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-27
I picked up this book in a gas station somewhere between North Carolina and Virginia. (It must have been on the border of Virginia/North Carolina because the line was very long for the lotto!)
I have a 19-year old away at school. He was brought up in the church and quite honestly he likes going to church. We've never add problems getting him to participate in church activities. So I feel he has the religious roots to stand on. However, being away from home, I know he is being challenged in his church attendance. More importantly I want him to "know the Lord" not just attend church. Flipping through the book at the store aroused enough of my interest to purchase it. I read it first before giving it to my son and was even more impressed. That's when I ordered 10 more to give to my husband, pastor, nephews, cousins, and brother-in-law being deployed to Kuwait.
I gave the book to my son the week before his Spring Break and told him I expected him to read it once, twice or as many times as necessary over Spring Break to get the message. And I would be quizzing him to be sure he read it. He truly surprised me and called to tell me he was almost done with it the week I gave it to him. My note inside the book said to him to pass it on to a friend if it benefited him. He said he had highlighted so much of the book, he wanted to keep his and could I send him 2 more to give to his room mates. (Yesterday he wanted 2 more for others who saw him reading it.)
I have not heard from my nephews that I gave it to. They may need a little more encouragement to read it, but that's why I gave it to them. They truly need "encouragement for a difficult journey".
Every Black young man that I know I want to share this with them and their parents. Some co-workers asked for some too. I teach Sunday School, ages 8-11 and I will use the section entitled, "Things I wished someone had told me at age 12" with my class.
I sent one book to a previous Sunday School student who is now incarcerated. The book was returned with a note that books could only be given to inmates if they were shipped directly from the printer or a bookstore. It would truly be a blessing to get this book into the prison.

An Inspirational Work!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-27
This book is an inspirational work for the reader. It explores the three aspects of life that causes conflicts and problems in the life of young men. The spiritual, mental, and emotional aspects of life that for so long has gone unaddressed are delved into in detail. Although the book talks about young black men, this is a lesson for all young men.

Fatherly advice - Full of wisdom
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-02
I do a chapel service in a Juvenile Detention Center in the Bronx, and this book is the first book that I have found that I feel would be VERY helpful to the boys.

The reason is - it is broken down in a very simple fashion that is super easy to read, designed for one that may have a short attention span and doesn't typically read a lot, and is very practical and directive as to why and how to get onto a good path.

I am so grateful to this author for creating such a wonderful loving tool so full of wisdom. It has no hint of being condescending, which I also love.

Publications
Making Magic for Witches and Pagans
Published in Paperback by Llewellyn Publications (2002-09-01)
Author: Edain McCoy
List price: $14.95
New price: $5.00
Used price: $2.24

Average review score:

All Between to Covers
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-03-12
Excellent guide to teach technique to beginners. Also gets into intermediate practices as the book goes on. A great book for anyone who wants to use or improve your magickal repetoire.

Natural Magick
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-15
Edain McCoy is a straightfoward writer - down to earth and practical. I would most certainly reccomend her books, especially to beginners, above anything by Crowley as suggested by another reviewer. To compare Crowley with McCoy is a tad ludicrous - for one thing, some of his methods are, to be frank, dubious; and he was a ceremonial witch, unlike the kind of magic McCoy is writing about.
If you are after theatrics and out-dated medieaval palaver, high drama and a boost to your ego by deluding yourself to be 'controlling' things, by all means go read crowley. There are other ways of working which are more in harmony with Earth and her energies, and are much more positive and life-affirming - Edain McCoy presents one such way beautifully.

Best Beginning Wicca Book Ever
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-17
As a practicing Witch for over 10 years & a teacher of Wicca, I always reccomend this book to my students as a first book to explore Wicca. It helps them to decide if this religion is right for them at this time. Young & old can easily understand all the concepts put forth in the book. I still refer back to this book in my daily practice. I find Edain's books well-written, informatinve (without the "fluff") and timelessly useful!

If you are unsure about Wicca - this is the book to clear up any imsconceptions & let you decide if this path is right for you!

The best book about magick yet
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-07-17
I would like to say thank you Ms McCoy for writting this book. It is a great text book explination of magick and the way that it works. The methods she teaches is a basic for any one to build a great knowlege on. By far one of the best book I have ever read. She explaines the elements, including spirit, and pagan ritual. And one thing that she put in that is left out of some many other books is phychic self defence. I recomend this for any one who wants to know more about our universe and the way she works

comprehensive and easy to understand explantions
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-25
I don't see how anyone who has read this book could want to throw it out. All I can think is that they either didn't read it or they are holding a grudge against the author or both. Personally I don't chose books based on who the author is. This book provides the basics need to know info on magick, what it is and how it works. Sure other books and internet sites may have simliar information, but here it is organized and presented in an easy to understand way. No one holds the market on this information. It's in how the information was presented that I find useful in this book. I've read a lot of books on this subject and a lot on related subjects that touch on this one but never quite get all the nitty gritty of it. I think author has done a find job at bringing it all together under one subject.

I actually borrowed this book and read half of it and then decided I had to have it so I could finish reading it.

throw it away??? what was that reviewer thinking?

I would recommend this book to any beginner and intermediate interested in working magick. It would make a great accompanyment to other wiccan/pagan titles up to and including crowley's if cerimonial magick is your thing. It's always good to read more than one view I think. It gives you a well rounded view of things and not a one sided view.

a well written book that obviously had a lot of thought put into it.

Publications
Medieval Calligraphy: Its History and Technique
Published in Paperback by Dover Publications (1989-11-01)
Author: Marc Drogin
List price: $16.95
New price: $9.94
Used price: $5.75

Average review score:

Medieval Calligraphy; Its history and technique
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-02
Medieval Calligraphy; Its history and technique, is a comprehensive book on the whys and wherefores of Medieval Calligraphy.
It covers the development of different scripts and letterings. It gives a bit of background on each script, how it was used and when it was used. It then gives details of each letter and some variations as well as how to form the letter.
As well as the focus on calligraphy itself this book puts scripts into context. It gives individuals the tools to use the scripts to complete a project with a medieval tone and flavour. It talks about page layouts, how to alter scripts for capitals, additions of ligatures and numbers. The book also covers materials that can be used to produce a completed piece that looks very close to medieval without going to all the bother of making the inks and other items yourself- although this too is covered.
This book is fantastic for anyone with a serious interest in calligraphy in the middle ages.

Medieval letter forms
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-08
The book provided an excellent history of the evolution of letter formations used in medieval manuscripts. Especially interesting was the impact that the Emperor Charlemagne and a Benedictine monk had on standardization of text forms throughout much of Europe.

Good Basic Book
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-27
Pros: Nearly half the book covers the history of calligraphy as well a selection of various scripts. The other half covers basic technique and specific instructions for 13 different scripts plus numerals.

Con: No colour images of period examples.

Great for SCA/reenactor

More colour please!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-08
This is an excellent book with the exception of the glaring lack of colour in the photos.
Great explanations, good connnections between the different eras and styles, but again, if one is depending on a book for colour suggestion, this is not the tome.

Worth having in your library.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-14
Medieval Calligraphy by Marc Drogin is comprehensive and historically informative, certainly worth having in your collection.

Publications
Memoirs of an Infantry Officer
Published in Paperback by Simon Publications (1930-12-01)
Author: Siegfried Sassoon
List price: $35.95
New price: $28.76
Used price: $17.95
Collectible price: $35.95

Average review score:

Classic Tale of Educated English Life Smashed into Disillusion of WWI
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-09
Continuing tale of the Cambridge-educated English Officer living the hell of warfare on the Western Front: replete with adoring batman, blustering colonel Blimps, out of control colonials (Australians and Canadians), journeys to England on home leave to meet misinformed civilians. Sasson has a style that waxes between light and lyrical, cynical and dark and starkly realistic. It is reminiscent of Graves but less dark than Blunden.

This is a tale of the human mind (an upper crust mind) that makes the journey from old world to that of the lost generation -- but Sassoon never loses himself. It shows that the mind-set was already there capable of dissecting and throwing away the old world view tradition. With capable honesty Sassoon relates the contradictions in life, army and mind set of the pre-war generation. He still takes advantage of the liesure of the educated class; his batman pours his tea, he still sees the colonials as slightly quaint and backwards (especially the Australians), still finds refuge among his educated Cambridge intellectuals -- this is no tale of class struggle.

This book can read as part of his trilogy lifestyle or on its own. It has many haunting vignettes and is perhaps one of the top 5 WWI memoirs. Highly recommended.

Memoir in the tradition of Graves and Orwell
Helpful Votes: 19 out of 20 total.
Review Date: 2002-08-30
Siegfreid Sassoon's wonderful war memoir is thinly disguised as the story of George Sherston. Based solely on Sassoon's life in the trenches of WWI, it recounts the horror and scale of carnage that occurred. More importantly it shows the emotionally scars that the survivors carried with them as a result of exposure.

Sherston (Sassoon) was a rather spoiled and pampered young upper class Englishman. The war changed all that. Confronted with death, destruction and idiotic leadership from the High Command you sense the inner turmoil of Sherston.

Relieved when he is not involved with the fighting he is driven by guilt over the loss of the soldiers in his battalion. Consequently when his platoon is on the line he takes great risks in reconaissance of the German positions.

The effects of non-stop total war, stupid leadership and the complete contrast between England and the trenches (only a few hundred miles apart) is staggering to Sassoon. Sassoon becomes anti-war and considers becoming an objector, but his obvious connection to his comrades and loyalty to them wins out in the end. He hates the war but won't abandon his comrades in the field.

This is a great war memoir written by a poet who survived and was changed for life by his experiences in it.

Truth Through the Veil of Fiction
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-07
While perhaps best known for his poetry written during WWI, Siegfried Sassoon was a very talented wordsmith in general, a trait that is demonstrated in his second semi-fictionalized autobiography, "Memoirs of an Infantry Officer". Sassoon chose to fictionalize his accounts of his life, an odd technique that allows him to distance himself from these experiences as he intimately describes the raw emotion and response behind them. In his three memoirs he is George Sherston, a thinly veiled version of himself, who thinnly veils the real-life characters he encountered during these times.

Readers are automatically flung into Sassoon's war experience, from the disjointed and fantastical training, to the brutal reality of life in the trenches. Sassoon describes these experiences in vivid detail, the sheer misery of trench warfare, the almost callous attitude toward the dead on both sides, and the surreal life led by those back home. Sassoon, nicknamed "Mad Jack" for his stubborness and seemingly sheer lunacy at times, was awfully lucky during his battle campaigns. He was wounded a few times, always sent back home to England to recuperate, and almost happy to return to the war.

However, after one session as an invalid, Sassoon begins to recognize that the war may not be all it's cracked up to be, that those in power are not telling the truth about their war aims, and that he may just be a lowly pawn in a game he doesn't want to play. Towards the end of his narrative, Sassoon tells of his decision to speak out against the war, even if it meant being court martialed. This act, filtered with courage and fear, is achingly portrayed as an act both necessary and questionable: as Sassoon places himself in danger, he questions his true beliefs in the matter. This account ends just as Sassoon enters the hospital in Scotland, avoiding court martial with a diagnosis of shell shock, 'lucky' as usual.

"Memoirs of an Infantry Officer" is a vividly descriptive account of life in the trenches during WWI. Sassoon is a gifted storyteller, who can make even the direst settings come to life. He offers a unique insight into the soldier poets who first questioned whether or not war was such a noble and glorious pursuit and if the sacrifice of lives was worth the price in the end. While a little slow at times, the last quarter of the narrative which details Sassoon's questioning of the war, is a brilliantly written firsthand look at how a too little celebrated writer finally found his voice.

Sassoons's great work
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2005-09-06
Terrific book that sounded a bit autobiographical. Sassoon, of course, was a war hero on the battle of the Somme, decorated twice for bravery.

The book reads lyrically and is convey's nicely the daily life of soldiers moving back and forth from the front fighting trenches to the rear area of the battle field. He also does a great job portraying the strangeness and inner conflict of being back in British society (while recovering from illness) with people who know nothing of the war or its cost to the participants.

A Brit's version of "All Quiet ..."

Vivid account life at the front line during WW1.
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-13
Siegfried Sassons' "Memoirs of an Infantry Officer" is a first-hand account of life at the front line during World War 1. This is not a just a historical document or diary however. Sassoon writes via an alter-ego called George. In real life, Sassoon was an infantry officer who fought at the front, but eventually grew suspicious of the reasons for the continuation of World War 1, and as such became a dissenter. This book may be fiction, but it is based on fact and it gives an impressive account of what life must have been like in those trenches, nearly a hundred years ago. Sassoon's incredible ability with words paints a much more vivid picture than any war movie will ever provide.

George was a middle-class officer who had the luxury of a university education and was an avid reader of classic English literature. He juxtaposes the themes and ideas in this romantic poetry with the realities of life at the front to great effect. Although a tad repetitive in it's ideas (perhaps to get the point across clearly), this book is rewarding and still relevant this whole century later. As one character in the book says, "In war-time the word patriotism means suppression of truth" .

Publications
My Creative Companion: The Ultimate Scrapbooking Resource
Published in Spiral-bound by Primedia Enthusiast Publications (2001-10)
Author: Becky Higgins
List price: $29.95
New price: $12.99
Used price: $9.99

Average review score:

GREAT SCRAPBOOKERS HELPER
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-18
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FOR WHEN YOU HAVE A CREATIVE BLOCK -- LOTS OF IDEAS AND YOU CAN EASILY ADAPT THEM TO FIT YOUR STYLE! TONS AND TONS OF GREAT STUFF

My Creative Companion
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-12
Great Book, I love it. Good source of information and ideas. I would recommend it to anyone. I plan to get her other books also. Thanks Becky Higgins.

Excellent Resource for a new-intermediate scrapper!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-20
Becky Higgins is a wealth of ideas for scrappers, and this book is just the thing I need when I'm trying to put together a layout. In the world of scrapbooking, trends come and go, but because these ideas are based onkey graphic design concepts (and all of Becky's stuff is like this)they can easily transfer over to new styles and techniques. If you are an experienced scrapper, then you've probably seen a lot of this stuff before and would benefit from getting her newest book, "Best of Becky Higgins Sketches." But I consider this book indispensable!

A Beloved Classic and It Still Works
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-28
I bought this book 5 years ago, and I still use it. This book, and all of Becky's sketch books, give you ideas for pages not reliant upon products, designs, or themes. I simply look for a page layout based on how many photos I have and their orientation. Turn the book 90 degrees and you have more options. Turn it upside down for even more options. Have an empty space to fill with an accent? Check out that section. Wondering how to emphasize your focal point photo? Look at frames.

The best thing about this book is that the sketches do not rely upon the more modern trend of oddly sized photos. All the photos in this book are 4 x 6 or thereabouts. No PhotoShop skills or computer equipment is necessary!

Absolutely worth every penny.

Great Generic Ideas With No Photos to Distract
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-31
My favorite part about this book is that it isn't just a bunch of pages other people have created that you then get caught up in the photos and stories, forgetting why you originally went looking. For years, I'd gotten the scrap magazines, which, while beautiful and ususally inspiring, did not always help me. I usually thought I had to find a book with exactly the theme I was working on. The good news is that you don't, and this book has mock-ups of layouts, borders, etc. that are easily adaptable to any book you're working on. I think the only downside might be that there are so many new techniques that have come out in the five years since it was published, that it may not cover as much as some might like. Having said that, I'm willing to bet the #2 that just came out will pick those up perfectly! From my perspective, buying either book (or even both!) would be a good investment for anyone who's found themselves stuck creatively!

Publications
Nordic Gods and Heroes
Published in Paperback by Dover Publications (1996-01-18)
Author: Padraic Colum
List price: $10.95
New price: $6.26
Used price: $4.80

Average review score:

Excellent Intro, Not Necessarily "Right"
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-06
I thought that this was a well-written story, and an excellent introduction to the mythology of the Norse Gods. The story is enjoyable from cover to cover, and at certain points, it is very hard to put down.

Basically, the author takes the disjointed and sometimes backwards poems of the Poetic Edda, found a unifying theme and a linear story, and runs with it. This gives an interesting, although somewhat false account of what "really happened" according to the ancient text. The cause-and-effect relationship between the events of this book may not be quite what the original authors intended, and thus, there is a bit of bending the rules.

Overall, however, this book should be commended for providing a more readable account of Norse Mythology for those who want a story more than a collection of poems. I thought that the shorter episodes would make a great collection of bedtime stories for a young child, and the whole book is an excellent book for preteens to learn about the myths. Don't let that fool you into thinking this is a kid's book, however, as this is really fun for all ages.

Excellent retelling !
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-20
This Dover edition is superior the Alladin Publication of "The Children of Odin" simply because it contains the original artwork, albeit in black and white. This a bare bones retelling of Nordic and Teutonic tales - Part 4 is devoted to the Ring of the Nibelungs. Keep in mind that the audience for this book is children and young adults, but is an excellent place to start.

Why Amazon chooses to sell both publications together is beyond my ken.

Buy the Dover edition if only for the artwork !

Be prepared for some archaic language : "dost", "spake", "knowst", etc.

interesting to say the least
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-22
This particular book is great for studying up on Nordic mythology or simply just reading for the enjoyment of it. The reading is strait forward but all of the names of people, places, and things can be a bit confusing because you read them once in the biggining of the book, along with many other long and strange names and don't come across them until many pages later, which causes you to look back and try and see what or who that thing was. But other than that, it is a very satisfying read and is strongly recommended as a good introduction for anyone who wishes to learn about the ancient Norse culture.

if you only read one book in your life
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-28
This is a telling of Norse mythology in a form that lives and breathes, not in dry academic prose. There are no pseudo-intellectual discussions about religion or tiresome comparisons to other, lesser myths and cultures, just straight storytelling. It is not a children's book, though the language is simple and the book could be read by children. The illustrations are excellent. This is a slightly altered version of the book that has been around since it was written in 1920 and called "Children of Odin".

What else do you need to know? This is a telling of Norse mythology in a form that lives and breathes and which has proven its quality through its
staying power.

It seems to me that if you only read one book in your entire life, it might as well be this one.

Captivating and Entertaining
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2006-12-10
I bought this book thinking it would be a difficult-to-understand translation of the norse myths, as I've found in other books. How surprised was I to find that the stories are actually re-written to sound much like a children's book! I kept thinking that it reads like Harry Potter as I was rushing through the pages. This is definitely one of my favorite books on Norse mythology due to the refreshing flavor the author has put back into these ancient stories. One could easily read through this book in three days, and have felt like they've been on a great adventure in the end. I hope to see more books like this one in my studies, and I will be sure to recommend it to all of my friends - some have bought and read it, and loved it just as much! Well worth the affordable price!

Publications
Oracle8i Database Administration
Published in Paperback by Manning Publications (1999-11-01)
Author: Noel Yuhanna
List price: $42.95
New price: $7.00
Used price: $0.41

Average review score:

Excellent!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-20
I already read many Oracle books from Oracle Press & other publications. They are very good. This book takes different approch of How-to Style content which is very much practical & solves day to day administrative needs. Topics are covered in detail. Most importantly examples given are from grounds up. Excellent! This book is also helpfull for all who know a little bit of Oracle Database & want to know more in depth

The book pays itself many times
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-30
We all know, especially here in Brazil, the money that one pays to have a good Oracle trainning. If you already have a little knowledge of Oracle and its jargon and are self estimulated, this book will take you to high level of expertise without a pain . Want to know Oracle ? Start with it.

The most useful and practical Oracle8i Reference Book
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-16
Among all the Oracle reference books, I found this one to be the most useful and practical book. This book is very well written and has an easy to read format. The detailed step-by-step instructions in Q&A section helped me solve problems quickly. This saved me much time and effort than going through piles of other reference books and trying to pull pieces of information here and there together to get a complete picture. I highly recommend this book to Oracle DBA's in all levels.

Most useful DBA book I've read so far
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2000-10-13
As an Oracle Instructor and DBA I've had the opportunity to review numerous Oracle texts for DBA's and have to say I've been quite disappointed with most of them. Mr. Yuhanna's book however is an exception. Out of the many DBA texts I have on my shelf this is the one I goto most frequently. Unlike other texts which spend excessive amounts of time covering uncommonly used features and little to no time covering commonly used features this books covers almost all the basics in a hands on approach. The book is setup in a step by step how-to format. Although it doesn't discuss concepts much that is not its purpose and the best concepts book is the Oracle Documentation anyway. I've have yet to see a good how-to DBA book until I came across this one. As a consultant/instructor I recommend it quite frequently.

The best DBA book for new and experienced DBAs
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-08
The book is very useful for both new and experienced DBAs because it has a lot of practical examples. I especially like its Q&A format with scripts which makes reading very interesting.

Publications
The Path of Alchemy: Energetic Healing & the World of Natural Magic (Pathways to Enlightenment)
Published in Paperback by Llewellyn Publications (2006-11-01)
Authors: Mark Stavish and Pat Zalewski
List price: $14.95
New price: $8.44
Used price: $9.95

Average review score:

The book that transmuted my interest in Alchemy
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-10
In "The Path of Alchemy", author Mark Stavish gives an introduction to the concepts and practices of Alchemy that, in all honesty, surprised me with its depth of knowledge that contrasts with the simple and very user-friendly presentation used. And when I say "depth of knowledge", I don't necessarily mean sheer amount of knowledge, but the quality right amount thereof. To quote him in the Introduction to the book, "'The Path of Alchemy' seems to walk the thin middle ground between these giants, and like Baby Bear's porridge, it is 'just right' in the information department." I wholeheartedly agree with this. There's a lot packed into this little book, though. There's enough information and an abundance of exercises and meditations to get the Alchemical student's feet wet. What's even better is that the entire book is pretty much structured like a self-paced course of study. That being said, I do think it is more or less a beginner's book on Alchemy, but what a beginner's book!

Most of the book focuses on Spagyrics, or Plant Alchemy. Stavish, with his easy, friendly writing style, starts off with a chapter introducing the overall concepts and ideas central to Alchemy. After this he goes into the specific concepts and operations of Spagyrics, going from basics in tincturing to creating a plant Stone.

After this he moves into some technically-based chapters by discussing distillation using basic equipment that can be utilized in one's kitchen. He even goes into how to distill pure alcohol from wine!

After going through the material on distillation, it seems like he moves into specific aspects of Alchemy and its uses. Included in this is Initiatic Alchemy, Alchemy in health and healing, use in ritual, a discussion of the Red and White Stones, and finally a discussion of Tarot-related symbolism. That last, by the way, includes a dreaming exercise that I've found very effective so far, and it's only been 2 days of use. Last, but not least, the Appendices include such articles on things as Planetary Hours, the Longevity Formula of St. Germain, and the Path of Nicholas Flamel.

The one and only thing I wish were a little different about this book is that I think it should have been a little more illustrated with a few more classic alchemical symbols, although it already has plenty for the essential concepts.

If you want to learn about Alchemy, but have been intimidated by all the older works on it, don't want to wade through confusion, or if you don't know where to start, buy this book!

Excellent and practical alchemy
Helpful Votes: 20 out of 20 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-23
This book remedies one of the main problems in publications about alchemy - it is both understandable and practical! The basic practices and symbolism of alchemy are detailed, with emphasis on spagyrics (plant alchemy), including how to make various tinctures and plant stones. The author is to be commended for laying open so clearly this complex area of esoteric study.

This book is not for the lazy! It gives you material that will take years to work through, though it is all explained in a way that will encourage you to try things and see for yourself. It has certainly got me thinking about purchasing some of the equipment to give it a go!

A cautionary note, some of the alchemical symbolism differs from the classic Qabalistic symbolism. The author does explain this, so pay attention to these sections to avoid confusion. All in all this is an excellent practical and thought provoking book that I would recommend to everyone who is genuinely interested in magick. I hope the author will write a further book exploring the wealth of alchemical symbolism with a similar level of clarity to further the availability of the huge corpus of alchemical material which is largely ignored today. Now pass me that alembic!

Perfect and practical Alchemical Foundation
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-02
The three traditional pillars of the Hermetic arts are Alchemy, Astrology, and Qabalah. None of these are stagnant but are all living, growing and evolving arts which are completely compatible with both religion and science.

This amazing tome, written by one of the foremost living authorities on Alchemy, gives a guided path to anyone wishing initiation into the mysteries of this amazing process. It combines practical modern science with the ancient Alchemical sciences and gives working students a firm foundation on which to build their temples of ascendant light.

This book is truly a treasure which provides years of practice and work, and with it one could ascend to mastery in this both ancient and sacred art/science/religion/philosophy (collectively known as Magick.) For a deeper understanding of the philosophy I suggest "Sorcerer's Stone," by Hauck. And for a more scientific introduction to the subject, especially for students with a background in other schools of sciences, I suggest, "Real Alchemy," by Bartlett.

These three books I have called (semi jokingly but still in truth) the "Holy Trinity of Modern Alchemy." They compliment one another perfectly, each focuses in a slightly different manner and the combined information is a very nice place to start your journey in preparation for the actual process. Read all three, make sure you understand them well, and then patiently, and with utmost care begin your Great Work!

An honest review
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-03
Unlike many people who pick up this title, I am not in search of the rumored Philosopher's Stone. I started reading this book to find ways to change myself for the better. Within its pages, I found not only philosophical alchemy, but practical alchemy as well. I took my time, created a few of the basic tinctures, used them over a period of time, and I have to say that I have indeed changed. Now, I'm not saying I sprouted a third arm or anything, and I'm certainly not going into specifics via this medium. But, I will say that my communication skills have improved, I'm more understanding and compassionate when dealing with everyday concerns, and I'm just generally more pleasant to be around. And yes, I am attributing much of that to this very book (and my own elbow grease of course.) You don't have to believe it can be this easy. Buy the book; read it; re-read it; perform the exercises, and you'll find out for yourself.

The best of all possible beginnings
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-12
This book is a true gem. Before reading it I had little interest in laboratory alchemy and while I still have little interest in the path of mineral alchemy, my interest was more than just a little piqued by this book.

Plant Alchemy or spagyria is the application of alchemical theory to herbal products. By breaking up the plant into it's "Mercury" (alcohol product), "Sulfur" (essential volatile oils) and "Salt" (the white/gray ash left over from a slow, low temperature burn) these three principles are then recombined in various ways (even producing a plant "stone") to enhance and purify the occult, energetic properties of the plant.

The true value of this book is in the author's ability to make the work seem so possible, even easy. Mr. Stavish also has the courage to admit that he believes that plant alchemy can be more than just a healing art but also has the potential to be an initiatory path in and of itself (a claim usually reserved for the path of laboratory mineral alchemy). I agree with him with the caveat that a strong energetic bond must first be forged with the very plant whose product is being worked upon. The practice of "dieting" a plant as practiced in some South American shamanic traditions would seem to be a useful practice as a preliminary to such laboratory work (see Plant Shamanism by Heaven and Charing).

The only criticism I have for this book is that it would seem to make it all look too easy. In fact I would prefer to have more guidance in the actual temperatures at which to heat the product at various stages and for how long to expect each stage to take. I would also have liked to learn more about the distillation processes as the technique Mr. Stavish goes into is only for those on a shoe string budget. However, as the title of my review states, this book is the best of all possible beginnings.

Other sources to study are the works of Junius Manifred and the works of Jean DuBuis whose works expand upon and fill in the gaps of this brilliant primer.

Publications
The Planets in Full Score
Published in Paperback by Dover Publications (1997-01-21)
Author: Gustav Holst
List price: $14.95
New price: $9.53
Used price: $8.05
Collectible price: $17.99

Average review score:

Planets Suite Score
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-07
I have recieved my score for the planets suite and this score is just what I wanted. The book is about A4 size and is very easy to hold, read and handle. The print size is fine for studying the score or just scanning while you listen. I am very happy with my score.

Outstanding Study Score for a fair price.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-09
What more can be said about Holst's masterpiece "The Planets" which has not already been said been? To be sure, the music is a work of genius; therefore, I wish to comment more about the quality of Dover's printed score. This publication is a quality product. The engraving is primo (a reproduction of the 1921 Goodwin & Tabb Ltd. original); it is easily legible, accurate, and looks wonderful. Obviously, the original engravers were at the top of their game on this one, and Dover has done a terrific job of transferring the plates; it's as clean as one could wish for in an affordable study score. Even in soft-cover, the binding is durable and the pages lay flat. The inclusion of a commentary or brief analysis would have been a welcome addition, but that is a very small gripe against an otherwise fantastic publication. I give it my highest recommendation.

Review
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-15
I went through this score several times with multiple recordings and it is to the tee. All the movements are in the book, in concert order, the score was written out in the proper key. If you're trying to find a score for the Planets, This is the one without having to buy the actual performance score.

Very Good Score
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-04
This Dover score presents everything in a clear and easy-to-read way even though Holst wrote some interesting things that are difficult to notate by ear! The score does open up a new world - listening to it and reading/watching the score are two different things. I was completely unaware of Holst's gigantic forces and his wonderful orchestration that is present in the score.

There's no see through on the pages (and where there is, it is only minimal). Main languages are English and Italian terms. For an 80-year old score, it's pretty impressive and in very good condition. A very good buy I must say for $10 - my friend had to pay close to $70 for her copy (both of which are exactly the same). A great bargain!

a beautiful edition
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2006-01-03
Clean, clear, large print, handsome edition of this well known and loved classic. Lists instrumentation on every page (some editions don't list the score instrumentation except for the first page. This often makes score study [especially big orchestral works like this or R. Strauss] very hard to read).

Great price as well.

Publications
The Practice of the Presence of God and The Spiritual Maxims
Published in Paperback by Dover Publications (2005-03-24)
Author: Brother Lawrence
List price: $4.95
New price: $2.24
Used price: $1.66
Collectible price: $10.00

Average review score:

Wonderful Book of Knowing God and Being in His Presence!
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-27
This is a wonderful book on faith to read and reflect upon. I won this edition of the book in a Pentecost Praise Poetry Contest, sponsored by Brain Strand, in Aylesbury, England. I won the first prize and was mailed a copy of the book.

This book is very inspiring. Although I had to read several sections a second time to get a clear understanding, the language flows very well. Brother Lawrence's commitment was certainly to his Lord and Savoir and not man. There is a lot that a person of faith, and without faith, could learn from reading this book.

I really enjoyed the section entitled "Conversations" and the manner in which they are written. The style is a little different; however, the message is clear. The section entitled "Letters" is equally uplifting and sends a wonderful message of praise.

Part II of the book regarding "Spiritual Maxims" certainly drives home the theme of the book regarding daily worship and praise. This spiritual process, if followed, should erase unwanted and ill thoughts from the mind, and gives a person a clear focus on God. The essence of the book is that each person must have a clean heart and sound mind, because that's the way God desires us to be.

Other books to read are: Trilogy Moments for the Mind, Body and Soul; Everyday Miracles; and The Language of Poetry Forms.

Must have for any Christian.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-21
This book was referred to in another book that I was reading. I was enjoying that book so I checked Amazon for Brother Lawrence's book and ordered a copy. It has proven to be one of the BEST investments I have ever made. This tiny book is just amazing in the Truth that it delivers. Brother Lawrence seems to have been an exceptional human being blessed with tremendous Grace from God. It was so because he sought after it. I have recently traveled through losing a job and beginning a new one quite different from what I was used to. After 25 years of being a manager I am now punching a time clock and emptying my own trash. When I begin experiencing pride issues I can pick this book up and immediately be put in my place. Praise God! This book may be small in size but is LARGE in content. Personally, I highly recommend.

A Gem of an Old Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-30
This book contains a description of how one Godly man communicates with God and receives communication from his God and is obedient to that communication.

what its all about
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-06
I dont have this exact copy, but just wanted to encourage everyone to get this book.

You can read this thin little thing and put into practice what it says, and let the Lord teach you. Or, you can buy and read a dozen 300 page books.

I have read book after book, for fun, or for seminary, and over and over again, I write in the margins "BL", because so much of what people are saying that has merit is really related to what BL (Brother Lawrence) writes.

This book did more for really bringing me into a relationship with Christ than anything else. I buy like 100 of them at a time to hand out to people who are searching for God's true heart.

Grace, peace and joy!

Excellent book but not this version!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-04
I bought at least 10 copies of this for all the guys in my Bible study, thinking this was just a newer version of the one which I had read. However, unfortunately, this translation is much tougher to read than the one which has a white cover, with a picture of a tree and a mountain. (Note this is still a step up from the version you can find for free online, which one of my guys said sounded like it was translated by a college student). Here's the one to get: The Practice of the Presence of God


Books-Under-Review-->Recreation-->Outdoors-->Speleology-->Publications-->43
Related Subjects: Journals
More Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250