Adam Books

Being a woman, I realize that I'm already at a disadvantage when it comes to buying a car. Not that I'm a woman, but that the approach car dealers use towards women and their attitudes towards women are so uncalled for, so disrespectful and so not acceptable. They assume just because I'm a woman that I don't know what I'm doing or that I need the help of a man to buy a car.

Well, thanks to Pique Lyle and her most incredible and informative book, I learned so much about every aspect of buying, leasing, and financing a car. I was able to walk into the dealership showroom and buy my new car with all the dignity and confidense in the world, and tons of amunition to negotiate the best deal ever. Her book was also extremely funny and so easily read and understood... I would recommend this book to everyone who's in the market for a new automobile, male or female.

Thanks again Pique for the best book I've ever bought. I literally saved thousands, thanks to you...

I loved this book! I was very concerned about buying a car. Now I am well informed and prepared to stand my ground. Many of the key points have been mentioned by other auto experts. I do not feel so vulnerable now when I walk into the showroom. This book is must for anyone thinking about a car purchase. I am so glad it has become part of my auto purchasing research library. I now see all the things I did incorrectly last summer when I first glaced at some models. I also laugh about the crap that the saleperson said to me and the stupid questions he asked. I won't be visiting that dealership again. I'll drive by in my pre-owned Grand Am (baby #2 :)) and wave and I will laugh and thank Pique again.

When someone reccomended the book to me , I thought it would probably not be of any help considering I've purchsed several cars and thought I pretty much thought I had the idea of the whole thing....But Pique's book opens new ideas that I had never even thought of as being a rip off ...the book is definitley worth buying , considering you will learn soo many new things in a clear , light hearted manner ! A car buyer must!

This is one of the most useful "How To" books I've read. As a Certified Financial Planner I am called upon by clients all the time for advice on buying or leasing vehicles. I now either recommend PKs book or loan them my copy. For those of you who are frightened of doing the math that buying a car requires, don't be. PK walks you through clear, easy to follow examples of how to figure out what to offer and how to go about it. And, this is a just plain fun book to read.

I was in the market for a new vehicle, and even being a guy, I was not 100% sure of what I was going up against with the car dealers. Ms. Lyle's book is informative, entertaining and a MUST read for anyone who is considering buying or leasing a vehicle. I purchased the book, read it completely a few times, and went to the dealership and saved almost $3000! Buy this book!

I pass ccna2.0 with 935/1000 today. All I have is this book and Boson exams. I've read my friend's Todd Lammle book. I think this book is much better than Todd's. Todd's is written for passing the exam. For the ICND book, you actally learn the CCNA stuff in depth. I strongely recommend this book for everyone who want to pass the CCNA2.0 with FULLY understanding.

I pass ccna2.0 with 935/1000 today. All I have is this book and Boson exams. I've read my friend's Todd Lammle book. I think this book is much better than Todd's. Todd's is written for passing the exam. For the ICND book, you actally learn the CCNA stuff in depth. I strongely recommend this book for everyone who want to pass the CCNA2.0 with FULLY understanding.

I read ICND by Cisco Press before. I found this book used on Amazon and bought it just because it was cheap. Now I can not put it down. This book is far better than Cisco Press' ICND. It has about 100 more pages than Cisco's. To me it is worth every minute spent to read this book.
I passed CCNA in December. So, I don't have the exam pressure. I am reading this just for fun and enjoying it.
I strongly recommend it over Cisco's ICND if you intent to take CCNA test.

I just finished reading this book cover to cover and feel very confident about moving on to the next stage of my CCNA preparation, practice tests and simulation! I've been using the CCExam software from CCStudy.com as well as a few other practice tests and am amazed how easy a lot of the questions were after reading this book. Just an indication of how comprehensive this book is.

More important, in my opinion, is the book's "readability"! I'm sure there are numerous books that cover the exact same information as this book yet might not be written in a manner that is clear and simple to understand, especially for Cisco newbies like myself. This book is just a lot of fun to read.

Finally, I really enjoyed the "real world" tone of this title. It isn't written for someone who's bound for the testing center, but rather for someone who needs to apply the knowledge at work in the field. I'm certain that I'll constantly be using this book as a reference even after passing the exam. Very cool.

All in all, I'd like to recommend ICND to the Cisco neophyte who's looking for that great "First Book" to start off his or her Cisco library. I'm really glad I got this book and I'm sure you will be too.

Good luck on your CCNA!

I pass ccna2.0 with 935/1000 today. All I have is this book and Boson exams. I've read my friend's Todd Lammle book. I think this book is much better than Todd's. Todd's is written for passing the exam. For the ICND book, you actally learn the CCNA stuff in depth. I strongely recommend this book for everyone who want to pass the CCNA2.0 with FULLY understanding.

Enjoy one of the biographies of John Adams, then read this superb book to complete the story of this great man. Mr. Thompson is a fine writer and can be seen on an old CSPAN segment giving a lecture on Adams. His grasp of President Adams's work and his ability to explain it are unmatched.

I am floored! I started reading biographies of John Adams after the musical "1776" piqued my interest in him and have absorbed at least 20 of them since then. I don't know how this 1998 title flew underneath my radar until 2004 but it did ... and I think NOW, after the 2004 election, is the time when every American needs to know what he did for us ... or TRIED to ... including: pointing the way for those of us who CAN to start doing something about the mess we're in now. His insistence on basing our government structure on actual human nature instead of a fantasized ideal of how human nature ought to be may be the only reason we've lasted even this long. Communism went down because it flew in the face of this wisdom. We could be next. Thompson shows that Adams was not only a political theorist, he was a scientifically oriented psychologist. So am I. And I know that he had a handle on psychological reality that exceeds what most modern psychological theorists can lay claim to. He was an Adlerian more than a century before Adler was a gleam in his father's eye. May ALL the Gods bless C. B. Thompson for what he has done ... and may his publisher start doing a better job of getting this book before the public.

I just finished reading C. Bradley Thompson's "John Adams and The Spirit of Liberty," and am in awe; not only of John Adams but of Dr. Thompson's masterful explication of Adams' political thought.

I had no idea what a debt of gratitude I owed to one man, John Adams, who more than any other Founding Father developed and provided the intellectual framework that became the Constitution of the United States. At the very least this book should be required reading for any person who is interested in pursuing a career in politics.

To all of you who are interested in understanding the intellectual founding of this country I urge you to read this book. You won't be able to put it down.

And to C. Bradley Thompson, I salute you and thank you for your efforts in resurrecting the reputation and honor of this great man.

The most critical period of American history actually occurred after the revolution. The instability of anarchy threatened to make the ideas expressed in Jefferson's Declaration of Independence and the heroic successes of Washington nothing more than a forgotten dream. Another hero, one who would be willing to chronicle all previous forms of government and guide the architects of the constitution in creating something entirely new was what was needed. He was more than just another name on the list of American presidents. That hero was John Adams.
Thank you, C. Bradley Thompson, for this inspirational account of an often overlooked and undervalued intellectual giant among the American John Adams and the Spirit of Liberty by C. Bradley Thompson
founders.

To return America to its original foundation of freedom and individual rights, it is vital that we know the ideas of the men who created that system. This important task will be easier thanks to this book by C. Bradley Thompson. Readers interested in the Founding period and its legacy for our own time will not want to miss this book.

The book "Miracle in the Making" is an inspirational story about Adam Taliaferro, a former Penn State football player who was paralyzed in a game. He was told he would never walk again and this books lets you travel with Adam in his personal story of his road back after being completely paralyzed. This boo is a truly motivational book in which i recommend anyone, not just Penn State fans, to read.

This truley is an excellent book. I grew up in the same neighborhood with Adam, attended the same HS (graduate a year after) and every bit of information (names, dates, etc) are all correct. All the information about his character is completely true, he really is an inspirational person. Growing up in a huge suburban high school with him, it really was a very competitive atmosphere. Everyone seemed to love him because he was one of the brightest (one of the highest GPAs of his class, scholar athlete and best athlete in the school) along with being one of the most modest, down to early people ever. If someone had the will to succeed it is him. I recommend this book to anyone overcoming obstacles, down on their luck,athletes and basically anyone because it is the type of book that you can not put down.

After finding out that Adam Taliaferro couldnt walk again ever. His father and mother urged him to push on. His spirits were high always no matter what. This is a triumphant story about courage and self-determination and a little help from some up above

This book is good for anyone whether you are a football fan or not. I personally am a football fan, and I would especially recommend this book for those football fans out there. This book is inspirational and well documented. It is also at a good price now, and it is a quick read.

All too often in today's world of youth sports; parents, coaches and players miss the meaning of sportsmanship. Having been involved in youth sports for 14 years, I have witnessed over bearing parents and tenacious coaches. I suggest they keep a copy of "Miracle in the Making" in their equipment bags. This book highlights the true meaning of a parent/child relationship and a coach/player relationship. Adam is the definition of courage, kindness and strength. His family's support during his recovery is awe-inspiring. The writers did a terrific job of bringing me along on Adam's journey to recovery. I will be on the sidelines cheering; watching as Adam wins the biggest game of his life!

We've tried over 20 of the recipes to date and have liked all but two of them. I like to try one new recipe out of this book each week. Some of my favorite recipes thus far are: Calico Beans, Hamburger Soup, Roast Pork with Red Cabbage and Apples, Chicken Breast with Sherry-Sour Cream Sauce, Buttermilk Baking Powder Biscuits, and Oatmeal Cherry Muffins. I like to cook, but do not often add to my collection of cookbooks. After borrowing this one from the library several times I finally decided it was worth owning. I highly recommend this cookbook; in my mind it ranks with Joy of Cooking for utility.

I got this book directly from the author after hearing her speak on nutrition for cancer patients. But although she also has a couple of cookbooks related to cancer, this book has great, simple dishes that the whole family loves. She has taken many "old favorites" and made them healthier, though no less tasty. My picky kids quickly found a number of favorites from this book, including Beef Stroganoff and Meatballs in Sour Cream Sauce. I also recommend Weihofen's "Moms Updated Quick Meals Recipe Box"; I was keeping my eyes out for that one and bought it here as soon as it was published (early 2006).

My very picky 10 year old daughter loves the Fettucini Alfredo! This cookbook is awesome and it is the one book that I refer to constantly. The children at her school loved the Peanut Butter Cornflake Nuggets. This book is awesome and I may have to buy another because the pages are starting to fall out from usage!

I am an avid cook and this is by far one of my favorite cookbooks and the one that I use more than any other. The recipes are quick and easy to prepare -- perfect for mid-week dinners. The ingredients are easy to find, and the recipes have been made healthier without sacrificing flavor. Our personal favorites are the hash brown casserole, apricot-glazed chicken, lemon bars, and porcupine meatballs. I highly recommend this book!

The recipe for Veggie Cheese Pie calls for 1/2 cup salt. Try 1/2 teaspoon. Other than this misprint I have enjoyed this recipe book. Great for beginners.

I would say that it is a very informative book and an easy read.
I read over half the book in 3 days. I would recommend this book for all to have in their reference library.
It's worth keeping near your Pro Tools rig

Wow! I'm an intermediate PTLE user, and this book blew me away. Now I know what's been missing from my mixes, and what to do about it.

This is not a book for beginners, although the initial section on setting Preferences for professional workflow is something I'd never seen covered in any other basic PT book. The authors explain WHY certain preference settings make your life easier or harder, and where certain settings can cause PT to behave in unexpected ways. The other feature for beginners is to show what to aim for in the way of pro quality results. However, the book assumes that the song, arrangement, playing, tracking, and basic mixing (EQ, comp, volume/mutes, panning, etc.) has been done to a reasonable quality level. The material covers the last 10% of tightening the rhythm and fixing any vocal glitches that separate a potential gold-record result from a semi-pro effort.

After getting the book, I went into a session I'm doing with some rather complex rhythm parts over a synth drum loop. After "pocketing" the parts, the song now sounds much crisper and more alive, but not mechanical. (NOW I know why I should have recorded the loop to a grid, and driven the synth from PT's clock. Oh well...) My next step will be to clean up the vocals, using the book's suggestions for using Auto Tune. Now I understand why I was always a bit dissatisfied with Auto Tune, even in Graphic mode.

Overall, the book is very well written and edited, and covers not just the easy situations but tells you how to handle a number of real-world oddities. Most of the text is accompanied by screen shots (including before / after, where appropriate.) The DVD is also very helpful, and I found myself really understanding material by referring between the text and the DVD.

I'm advanced ProTools User.
This book is more about Nathan particular techniques.
Dont adds much to me maybe works better to you.

Being a professional Recording Engineer in the music industry for 23 years and having used Pro Tools for the last 3 years, finally there is a book written that offers some useful and valuable information. Mostly all of the other Pro Tools books are written for beginners and intermediate users. They seem like edited down versions of the Digidesign documentation that already ships with Pro Tools. The most valuable part of the book to me was showing where to separate audio events before time stretching them. You always want to preserve the transient of the sound and the authors have some very good tips on how to best preserve the original piece of audio. Though editing is the tedious process that many hate to do, it many times is the difference between a good recording and a major label quality recording.

I am a songwriter and have a home studio where I demo my songs. Even though I know the mechanics of using pro tools, I was missing the practical knowledge of how to apply all of the nuts and bolts. This book and the other dvds by this same publisher do just that. You are sitting right there next to the engineer with actual raw studio tracks going through the entire post production process. The accomanying DVD/ROM provides you with narration and actual pro tools screen shots so you see and hear what the engineer is doing. This book covers editing and pocketing in extreme detail. I now appreciate pocketing - a term I had heard but never really understood with respect to post production. Now I KNOW how the records I hear sound so insanely tight. There are a lot of tweaks done in post and this book shows you how to do it. The autotuning chapter also is excellent. After so many disappointments with other books that basically rehashed the user's guide this book and all of the other Multi-Platinum Pro Tools products were exactly what I was looking for. They have been my rosetta stone to pro tools. Excellent, excellent, excellent. Get it!

Susan Fee's background as a counselor and conflict negotiator is put to good use here with sound solutions for every roommate problem imaginable. Whether your roommate is gossipy, controlling, depressed, or anorexic - to name just a few - there are suggestions, tips, and even specific dialogue for use in dealing with each problem. Having this book on hand, when a crisis rears its ugly head, is not a bad idea. (You could keep it under your mattress for quick access if things get heated.)

The author writes in youth-friendly language, and keeps it simple. She has obviously been a college roommate, and must have been taking mental notes from day one, since the book is so very thorough.

Susan Fee has done a commendible job advising prospective rooommates on one of the most important segments of college life. In fact,these communication and negotiation skills will come in handy when dealing with people long after your college days are over. 50 Ways to Leave Your Mother

Susan Fee has a wonderful way of making important information relevant and understandable. She offers examples, tips, and explanations that use common sense and have real-life application. There will be more than enough challenges awaiting the college freshman--be prepared for the one that will share your room!

College prepared me for many things, but I certainly wasn't prepared for college. MY ROOMMATE IS DRIVING ME CRAZY! is a book I wish I had around when I went to college. With humor and wisdom, Susan Fee explains everything incoming first-year college students (as well as upperclass students) need to know about living with roommates. From communication issues to sexuality, from financial concerns to campus life, MY ROOMMATE IS DRIVING ME CRAZY is a book that no student should leave home for college without.

As a counselor and life coach, I often work with young adults. Whenever they are bound for college, I always recommend this book!

I got this book for my daughter who is going far away to college for the first time. She has never met her roommate and I wanted both of them to have a good experience. My daughter and I both read the book and thought it gave some great ideas for keeping the lines of communication open in a friendly way...on about every topic there is. It's a great book and I'd highly recommend it.

Humorous and informative, you'll recognize yourself and others as you read through the many scenarios of roommate encounters - Susan complied her information by interviewing students, teachers, counselors, and parents. In addition, you'll find an abundance of practical, usable communication tools, tips,and strategies to prepare you for your own roommate challenges. If you want to ensure having a successful college experience, this is the book to buy.

Adam gives us a look into the lives of the local natives of Prague through the eyes of a local coffee shop owner. While it may be a coffee shop it has the feel of the old TV show "Cheers" where everyone knows your name. Like any where in the world there are those who miss the old ways and others who can't wait for the new ideas to take hold. Both sides of the political coin can be found. It reminded me of many other coffee shops, and bars that I have had the pleasure of visiting in various parts of the world. Weather it is in Seoul, Munich, London, Los Angeles, or Boston little cozy out of the way coffee houses will be open for people to debate, or just engage in lazy conversation with friends over a cup of coffee.

Contradictions of Perspective Swirl in the Drinks. Crying in beer is universal, but oh so artistically done by a Czech! As Thor might have said, "Daily I dread my death (coming sooner or later) ... as I toast my health."

It would be worth your time to read the blurb on the buying page for this Amazon Short, "Adam Daniel Mezei Speaks About One, Post-Communist Café Street." That summary is a perfect synopsis of this delightful piece.

Before I realized the writing style carried the ambience of Czech dialect as it translated into American-ese, I had felt that the syntax and grammatical structure in the first few paragraphs had seemed slightly awkward. Then the story's grumpy warmth took hold, smoothing any pseudo-bumps as it rambled into the literary labyrinth of global-type coffeehouse connections. Mezei was successfully translating here, from a refreshingly untethered level of the "political" non-politics of soul.

I admired the technique the author used of a symbolic and tactile focus of Thor's toying with his Communist Card, as he was working around his residual attachments to the ways-of-being in his café prior to what he termed "democracy" taking over his revered preference of the "wonderful socialist experiment." (I did wonder how he was able to privately own a shop in the previous Communist economic structure.)

Thor grumbled, "Now that Communism was dead and gone, the replacement was a poor substitute for the past."

Part of the ambience gestalt in this story was that the terms for the various political-stance-angles ("liberals"; "dissidents"; "libertarian crook mafiosi") were (purposely) neither clear nor enduring, but they became endearing as the mood meandered, exposing the embodied soul's need to connect to others like, or unlike it.

Here is a sample of the adept type of characterization here, accomplished with a few descriptive words: >> Thor proffered the list of firms which the city inspector left behind for him to read. Old Man Rychlý snatched it away from his hand and adjusted his reading spectacles -- holding it half a meter away from his face -- to get a better read .... Old Man Rychlý sipped his turek, looking about U Thoru as if he was taking it in for the very last time. Thor patted him on the hand reassuringly. <<

And, a sample of Mezei's ability to succinctly capture Thor's gravely attitude: >> In his day, young people weren't nearly as fickle. You were the person based on how you grew up, and that was that. He remembered when students sat there for hours in the shop, sometimes lingering over the same cup of coffee, reading whichever books he'd had on his shelves, engorging themselves on whatever literature was to be found within their pages... <<

A sample of some of the easy-flow conflict: >> "But hey, the Old Times weren't all that bad, you know." "`Weren't all that bad,' you say? They were terrible! Where do you think these bast.... at my company learned to pull all their tricks? Out of thin air?" <<

This delightful Amazon Short, with gorgeous graphics on its cover, has accomplished a perfect "Nostalgia in Spades." Loved that guy, Thor.

The Key to U Thoru's taste and flavor: >> Krystof launched headlong into another stream of invective. <<

Irony was uncovered and unleashed here. Eyes sparkled, lips quirked in smiles as grumbling invectives continued rambling the past into the future, and back. An excellent read which slipped the mood of foot-level Prague right into the heart of my Notebook PC. (For a cafe bakery story of similar warmth, from a near opposite, yet somehow same subculture, Coal & Coca-Cola )

Linda Shelnutt

In One Post Communist Café' Mezei, once again probes into the real issues people face when living in a country who's government is ever changing. He asks hard questions like, what you do when you are faced with the knowledge that the history you lived is now being altered or simply left out by the new historians. Those who were happy with the old regime are forced to face the fact they must adjust to the new. Even the lovers of the current government find themselves frustrated with the remnants of previous ways and so on. This is a thought provoking read. Mezei is a talented craftsman, be sure to give this story a try.

Adam Daniel Mezei writes beautifully crafted short stories. He leads the reader through the absurdities of modern life by revealing the words and thoughts of his fully realized characters. Adam doesn't tell us what to think. Instead, he forces us to think for ourselves.

In this story, which is set in post-communist Prague, we learn about the city's past and present through the statements and thoughts of an aging man with a perfect memory. Thor is the owner of a small cafe, and his main fear is that his business may fail, despite its earlier years of success.

As Thor prepares to open the cafe for another workday, he reflects on the fate of communism, "that wonderful socialist experiment which had gone terribly awry."

Thor's first customer for the day is Old Man Rychly. Rychly has much to complain about.

Thor responds with his own story. The city tax inspector has declared that the cafe's accounting system is not up to capitalist standards. The inspector has, therefore, fined Thor one thousand crowns.

Later, Thor talks to a student and gains further insights into the young people of Prague. He realizes even more how much has changed since the fall of communism.

In the evening, day labourers arrive at the cafe. Thor talks to Krystof, his favorite customer. Krystof has much to say.

Throughout this story, the reader is left to wonder what will happen to Thor and his business, the cafe of unrequited dreams.

Adam Mezei's story grabbed me perhaps because I'm not otherwise reading many stories that take place outside of America. We Americans are too often blindered into our own culture that we forget there are others out there. In "One, Post-Communist Cafe Street," we jump into historical Prague in the landlocked nation of the Czech Republic, where we sense much change happening post-communism. Specifically, we're in a bar/cafe where the young and old rub against each other; the protagonist is Thor, the aging owner who has seen it all. Thor's problem with capitalism gives me a sense of what the Czech Republic has gone through. Mezei's sprinkling in of the Czech language gives a flavor of how it's used, too. The story reminds me of Milan Kundera's work, not just because of the country but also because of two political systems at work. Mezei is a talent to watch.

The footnotes for each episode are by the far the best part of this book.

I was exposed to this series in reverse!! I read the books, then saw the BBC shows, and finally heard the BBC radio show. There are subtle and not so subtle differences in all the different media, but they are all pure Douglas Adams!!! The radio scripts are an essential, and clarify (At least for me they did) many things that were not co clear. Not everyone is drawn to the scripts of the favorite shows/broadcasts, but as I have all the scripts for the Monty Python shows, it works for me. Especially if you are a fan of "British" humor, most of which lies in the dialog, it is pure delight to read through these scripts!!

So, you've read the books... bought the tv series on dvd, gone through all the special features (including the comment captions on the film)... read the biographies... and hunted up collectors items on ebay. What next?

Get this book. "The Original Hitchhiker Radio Scripts" contains many scenes not in the books and, if you've already heard the radio series, many lines that were trashed for time. There is also commentary after each episode by Perkins and Adams.

Some things will seem eerily familiar, then zoom off into a completely different direction and, in my opinion, a better direction. Of course, some things are missing that make the books equally essential.

You can currently get this at a pretty good price used from amazon. Get it now before you can't get it at all.

Although it requires a fair amount of effort to sift through the directions and radio-style writing, the reward is some stuff that I, frankly, find much funnier than much of the Hitchhiker novel series. Recommended to anyone who wants a good laugh, and especially to Hitchhiker fans.

...life forms are required to use a seldom-exercised ability called "imagination" which, with effort, allows the user to paint a mental tapestry that is superior in many respects to any computer generated image or subjective image of perfection.

(takes a breath)

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy goes on a bit about the relative superiority of radio as a medium that stimulates the pleasure centers of the brain, but it also notes several references to various works that endure in a medium regarded as deader than the telegraph.

The Hitchhiker's Guide is not only proof that radio is still a viable medium for drama, but that Douglas Adams is a genius. The show, scripted week-by-week by DNA and Geoffrey Perkins was easily translated to books and television with minimal edits. Yes, the second series is a bit off the ultimate track, but it is quite original and the foot notes from Douglas and Perkins are very insightful. These footnotes exist as a log of what took place when it all began and, sadly, as the only memoir to them.

If you can find it, get it.

I enjoy(ed) this book immensely and am perplexed by the Publishers Weekly review that it "provides no medical information to complement her outlandish methods of self-empowerment." For me, this book is neither a medical book nor a book containing outlandish methods of self-empowerment. It seems to me that a professional reviewer ought to review books of a genre that they specialize in and about which they know something. For me, this is a book which encourages nurturing of one's spirit and emotional life after 40. I enjoy the book's charm, humor, and sense of sisterhood and I relate to much of it from direct experience. Highly recommended.

This book has a totally refreshing and charming way of addressing the real needs, feelings, and experiences of women after 40. I applaud the author for her great insights, witty advice, and outrageous suggestions. I went right out and bought a red sweater after reading this book and I am heading to the paint store next!

As a woman over 40 it was wonderful to read such an elightening book. It spoke to my soul. Judy's words and stories encouarged me to embrace all the parts of me as I embark on yet another phase of my life. I highly reccomend "Painting the Walls Red" to anyone who is over 40, will be over 40 or knows someone over 40!

Painting The Walls Red has a real depth that only those of us over 40 can really appreciate. Aging well means laughter and hope and Judy gives us both in this truly touching and often times spiritual approach to really living this particular phase of life. I give it a loud and enthusiastic thumbs up!!!

Aging is a conundrum of sorts. As we grow older we get wiser. We gain perspective. We lose a great deal of those immobilizing, everybody-is-looking-at-me insecurities that come along with youth. For the first time it seems that our hard edges soften. We don't take life so seriously. There is something liberating about aging. It feels relaxing somehow. At the same time, however, aging feels overwhelming. We experience health issues that we thought belonged only to our grandparents. We face retirement and wonder how we will survive on a fixed income. We lose those precious attributes (perky breasts, smooth skin, naturally non-grey hair) that our youth-obsessed culture seems to value over anything else. Sometimes I feel that with each year I age, I become more invisible. I am losing my innocence, I am losing my beauty, I am losing my voice in society.

This is where Painting The Walls Red steps in so beautifully and brilliantly. Judy Ford writes with an optimism that is nearly impossible to find these days. It is fine by me that the book does not offer any medical information about aging as there is an abundance of that available to anybody who does a little research. What we are missing, what we desperately need as we grow older, is tenderness and compassion which is exactly what this book offers. It is full of stories about women over forty who have all approached aging in unconventional ways. These stories are utterly inspiring. The women Judy Ford writes about remain excited, inspired, amazed and fresh even as they mature. Painting The Walls Red is not a book for women who are stuck believing the myths we are told about aging. It is a book for women who believe in the power of creativity, who work to keep their hearts open, and who want to live in awe. I guess it is obvious that I have been deeply touched by Judy Ford's work. I highly recommend this book.