Baker Books

a beautifully detailed book with amazing reproductions of these important paintings. highly recommended to anyone one interested in tibetan buddhism, art, tantra, or history.

This book is a valuable asset to anyone desiring an illustrated view of tantic Buddhism. With gorgeous pictures of the walls of the Lukhang Palace, and plenty of supporting documentation, the reader can truly appreciate the spiritual value of this book.

In addition to being a meticulously executed illustrated art book, The Dalai Lama's Secret Temple: Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet by Ian A. Baker, et al. guides the reader through some lesser known biographical details of Tibet's greatest Dalai Lamas and of the history of Tibetan Buddhist culture as a whole. The amazing drawings, many of which painted in an almost feverish surrealistic style, are accompanied by insights into the lore of the Dalai Lamas, with thoughtful excerpts from their writings. I am also much obliged as a book shopper to show my appreciation to the book's publisher, Thames & Hudson, for the excellent printing quality and overall layout and binding of this book, details which for me always work to enhance the message of a book and to demonstrate the seriousness and loving care with which the authors themselves have treated their creation.

A really beautiful book: pictures are magnificents, thanks to the anonymous ancient painter and to the modern photographer, with many pictures of the details of the paintings. But the book is worthy not only to see. The first chapter tells a short but interesting history of the temple and of the Dalai Lamas, and at the beginning of each of the three main sections (as there are three walls painted in the temple, corresponding to the three pillars of Dzogchen teaching: base, path and fruit) a short but careful explanation of the principles of Dzogchen, in connection with the painted teachings of the secret temple. I do loved this book, and reccomend it to anyone interested in Dzogchen and Tibetan culture and Buddhism.

The Dala Lama's Secret Temple is a wonderful and insightful look into one of the most spectacular temples in Lhasa. Having just visited the Lukhang, I had the pleasure to personally view the murals. Many of which are unique to Tibetan paintings. And still very preserved. Better than I could have photographed myself, this book presents each of the walls paintings in the highest quality plates. Descriptions of the historical significance of the temple mirror the detail works of the painting. A nice addition to a library of Tibetan Art and Buddhism.

We are so happy we discovered Ella the Elephant! The illustrations are beautiful and the story here, about Ella and her mother's bakery, is so sweet. Ella sets a great example for little girls--she's smart, a great problem solver, and determined. She also wants to finish what she starts. I love the book as much as my daughter does. She will be getting all the Ella books for her birthday to add to our home library.

This is a wonderful book and the pictures are beautiful. My four year old twin daughters love this book.

I really love the "Ella" series... The books are nice and sweet, and presents a marvelously imagined, self-contained world that will strongly appeal to little kids. It has a similar feel to the "Curious George" and "Babar" books, except without all the weird, disturbing undertones that make those classics a bit troublesome. A great choice for some fun books that you don't have to worry about. (ReadThatAgain)

My daughter loves this book, and I like reading it too. It's about an elephant who is very eager to help her Mother by helping arond her bakery. Ella is such an earnest and sweet elephant. The plot is simple yet has enough twists and drama to make it memorable. The illustrations are captivating.

For all Ella fans out there everywhere, there is now a new online home to visit Ella, explore her world, and play fun games!
http://www.ellatheelaphant.com

If I could recommend one book about job hunting to all my students - this is it!

This book gets right to the point and gave me a whole new insight into the hiring process. After reading the section on negotiating I started my new job at a whopping twenty per cent more than the salary range offered! Thank you!

What I liked about this book is that every chapter packs a punch and there is not a bunch of meaningless filler between all the good information. I love the chapter 'Never go to an interview to get a job,' so true. The explanation about empathy is the best I have ever read. Great book Phil Baker!

Employers Secrets is a wealth of information. Anyone who will be looking for or changing jobs should read Phil Bakers common sense approach to finding and getting that dream position. Empoyers Secrets will be a reference book in my library.

I read alot of books and every once in awhile I find one where the author has turned an otherwise mundane subject into a creative and exciting read. After seven years in Human Resources I thought I knew all about interviewing and negotiation. Employer Secrets taught me some tricks and new insight into empathy and the art of persuasion. This is one of the most genuine self help books I have read.

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

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

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

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

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

This book was very easy to use. It was just like vocabulary books you had in middle school. You start off learning things like prefixes, root words, suffixes etc. Then they start putting words together. It will help you understand medical terms when you break them down. The flash cards also help.

This is a great way to learn medical terminology. It's easy to understand, interesting and presented in a way that makes it easier to learn than just straight memorization. I am planning on keeping this book and not reselling it, because I think it will be a great reference for future classes as well.

I paid extra to have them delivered in 24 hours and sure enough, they came. Awesome!

Classes started and its not a class you want to be behind on. I odered the book though my school, but it was on backoreder forever. Finally got mad, cancalled my order though school and I ordered book here, paid a little more because I wanted it over night! I guess I'm better off getting the book though amazon. Atleast I didn't get far behind!

In a different school, I took Medical Terminology their book is confusing, This book is GREAT, pic to show where stuff is, and explains. I understood this book a lot more then the old one!

My son finds this book very helpful in his prenursing course which is also entitled Medical Terminologies. It is thorough and comprehensive. The root words are very helpful and the pictures are descriptive.

Palmer's book is a helpful guide to the so-called Five Points of Calvinism. He tells us at the very beginning of his book that there is much more to Calvinism than these 5 points, and that they were not invented by Calvin. It is also worth pointing out that they are a response to a submission to the Church of Holland and not an original statement by Calvinist believers.

I found Palmer's presentation compelling. I think that if you believe the Bible is authoritative, he has shown that the so-called five points are its teaching [along with much, much else].

Palmer's short account of Calvin's perseverance despite opposition and all sorts of illnesses is also a worthwhile feature of this book.

If you want to pursue this topic further, I also recommend Loraine Boettner's Reformed Doctrine of Predestination and Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology for more detailed treatments.

Palmer does a better job than other authors covering this area. He does far more biblical exegesis (which you'd expect from the Executive Secretary of the NIV Bible), and his exegesis is generally more precise. (I've long wished Sproul would revise his Chosen by God to include more exegesis.) Palmer's methodology is sound. He raises the issues, then let's Scripture prove his (and its) point, but not in the "list of prooftexts" way that Steele & Thomas take. He exposits the passages he relies upon to bolster his argument, which is helpful. Unlike a few authors with similar books who shall remain nameless, Palmer is not an angry man, and doesn't have a chip on his shoulder or a proverbial axe to grind. He isn't teaching "against those terrible Arminians"--he simply wants his fellow Christians to understand our neediness and God's grace--a grace he models in response. His treatment of predestination is solid, biblical and uncompromised... and kind.

Edwin Palmer does a good jog explaining and defending the Five Points of Calvinism. I recommend this book to any person, Calvinist or Arminian, who is interested in learning about this topic.

This is the best book by far I've ever read on the TULIP doctrines. Scripture proof is abundant throughout. If someone is unclear about these Bible doctrines, hand them this book. There are some great discussion questions at end of every chapter, so it would be ideal for a Bible study at your home or church. A wonderful book! I would highly recommend it to all.

A Scriptural study guide is exactly what one needs when making a decision on Calvinism vs. Arminianism. More often than not, when people are first confronted with Calvinism view of God's sovereignty and salvation, they rebel against it. The concept simply goes against the natural mind's idea of how things should be. But for the Christian, our personal feeling of how things "should be" should not be the determining factor on what to believe. The only thing that matters is: what do the Scriptures teach?

So if you are struggling with this topic, get this book and go through the studies. And most importantly, look up all of the Scripture references. And for more help in this regard, you might want to check out the three chapters on this subject in my book "Scripture Workbook: For Personal Bible Study and Teaching the Bible." These chapters list hundreds of verses upholding the absolute sovereignty of God and the five points of Calvinism.

This book is just about the most inspiring and amazing books I have ever read. The very first chapter completely forced me to look at how I view God and how it affects every part of my life. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.

I rarely get real excited about devotional books. However, this has become one of my favorite books. It balances well the use of Scripture and the use of anecdotes. I shy away from books that rely strictly on stories to convey their message. This relies a lot on Scripture, but not so much as to be overwhelming or hard to read. It truly helped me to see God in a different way. I highly recommend this book!

We all have times of doubt about who God is and if His character is consistent with who He claims to be. Chip Ingram brings the one true God, the God Almighty, before you and gives you a clear understanding of who God is and why He is Lord of All. Chip Ingram is one of my favorite authors, there is no question he is led completely by the Holy Spirit and his style of writing is so personal that you are moved from the moment you begin reading his books. This book is no different from his others in that they are powerful, inspirational, and filled with a message straight from God. You will find yourself face to face with God throughout this book and you are sure to draw even nearer to Him. I would highly recommend this as well to anyone who is questioning their beliefs in God, a friend or relative who does not know God, or someone just struggling in life who needs to know God is with them. I HIGHLY recommend, "God As He Longs for You to See Him!"

This is one of the most influential books I have ever read. I recommend it to everyone, especially to anyone who struggles with their concept of God and how He sees us. Simply wonderful!

This book has given me a much deeper insight to God's character.Very much unlike ours.I would highly recommend this book to anyone.I bought several to give to members of my family.

This is the autobiography of John Bunyon and his life. It is about his life before and after Christ and the grace of God upon his life. John wrote this classic while in prison. He went to prison for preaching the gospel.

I've been looking forward to reading this book for years ever since I read Bunyan's classis Pilgrim's Progress, I've wanted to read Grace Abounding to learn more about his incredible man of faith. I also recently read The Hidden Smile of God by John Piper who introduces the reader to three incredible men of God including Bunyan. So actually reading the journey of Bunyan himself in his own words was thrilled...but difficult at the same time. Bunyan struggled greatly with the concept of grace; he wrestled with understanding how God's grace could be sufficient to save a sinner as great as he. Grace Abounding is a peering into the soul of Bunyan as he goes through this deep personal battle wanting to believe that God was able to cleanse him of all unrighteousness, but constantly confronted with the holiness of the divine.

Just over half way through the book, Bunyan surrenders to the will of God in his life. He finally and fully grasp that the grace of God was truly sufficient. Then his heart is set aflame to share this grace with others and he becomes one of the great preachers and writers of all time, even though he goes on to spend a dozen years confined to prison for preaching contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Personally, it was interesting to see the cultural battle Bunyan faced at the time looking back from my vantage 500 years later to see that America is the beneficiary of his great struggles with the prevailing church of the day. As Bunyan sat in prison, he wrote about the great journey from a metal worker to a pastor of the gospel of Christ - in allegory form for the Pilgrim's Progress and in autobiographical form in Grace Abounding.

I can understand why many believe this book is a classic - the thoughts and insights that Bunyan has into the Word of God were profound and significant. It was amazing to read how Scripture flowed through his mind irrigating every thought so that his life bore much fruit. I wouldn't recommend the book to a younger reader, it is a difficult read, but well worth the effort.

Grace Abounding....is an excellent autobiography of John Bunyan and his spiritual struggle to obtain assurance of his salvation in light if his belief that he had committed the unpardonable sin. Recommended to anyone who may be facing the same struggle with this question. Each paragraph of the text is numbered and, thus, it is easy to put the book down at any point and pick it back up later without losing train of thought. Since the book was written over 300 years ago, it is interesting to have insight into the thoughts of a Christian who lived during that time and to compare with current Christian thinking.

A lot of us are familiar with John Bunyan as the author of The Pilgrim's Progress, whose influence in Christendom is second to the Bible. Bunyan was a preacher, a prolific writer and a shining saint for God. However when we read this book we find out that he was an atheist and infidel in his youth, enjoying sin and rebellious towards God. Inwardly he suffered from tormented nightmares of demons and judgment, but outwardly he went on pretty much as any other sinner, taking delight in sin and being the ringleader of mischief. Several times he nearly lost his life, and even though there were several close calls, still he did not turn to God. After his marriage, he participated in religious activities, went through the motions of attending church and generally lived as he pleased, each time successfully shrugging off pangs of guilt. One day, after church, while playing a sport, a voice seemed to call out to him from heaven to his soul, which said, "Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven, or have thy sins and go to hell?" Bunyan was convinced it was the Lord Jesus looking down on him in displeasure. What follows details his sinking into despair, his desparate attempts at working his way into God's good graces, and his struggles with temptation and doubt. In a strange sort of way, it is comforting to read about Bunyan's struggles and identify with them because you can see how he turned out so greatly used by God. He rationalized, made excuses and tried every way to justify himself. Bunyan did not try to gloss over his motivations but gave an honest account of his struggles from avowed sinner, to religious hypocrite before he was finally converted. He describes in great detail his doubts and despair, his yearning to be converted to Jesus Christ, and then being assured of his salvation by reading the Bible and praying. Reading this book will help you realize how God's grace can abound and save even the most wretched of sinners and gives us abounding hope.

I can't say that I have read this book...yet, but what I can say is that anyone who endeavours to read any work of Dr. Haykin is in for a real treat. He was my prof. for Church History, and a man whom I am thoroughly impressed with. He is a humble, diplomatic, professional person with a strong heart for God and His glory.
His knowledge on Church History is incredible, especially his understanding of the Reformation, the Puritans, and the Particular Baptist movements. But he cannot be limited there even. I could literally listen to him speak for hours.
I strongly recommend anything by Dr. Haykin as you will become well informed on the topic that he writes about, whether it's Cromwell, Bunyon, Edwards or anyone else.

God bless and enjoy.

If you found Hobey Baker and America in the early 20th Century interesting, you will enjoy this book. I preferred the 1966 biography, however, as it concentrated more on Hobey and his athletic skills and less on the social mores of the day. Also it is clear that the author is not really into sports, which is unfortunate. However this book did delve into what Hobey click and the confusion surrounding his death/suicide. Overall a very good read.

As one who spent his earliest years in Boston as a Montreal Canadiens fan (uncle was an usher at the old Montreal Forum) and his later years in New Jersey (still a Red Sox fan), this book was made for me. Growing up in Boston during the 40's and 50's the winter in college sports was dedicated to hockey. Shifting to the Garden State for the years 1960 to the present, there wasn't much college football to shout about. We New Jerseyans need something more than tolls and the shore to brag about. Having a neat bio of Hobey Baker just helps meld the two geographies. As soon as I read the promos, I knew I just had to acquire this book.
The most recent bio out of Boston that I had read that had any effect on me was the Tony Conigliaro story. But think about the stature and accomplishments of Mr. Baker. He was celebrated in two sports by his peers and served his country. What more could one ask. The story was handled quite well by Mr. Salvini and would provide a good reading assignment in any high school English or Social Studies class. The depth of Mr. Salvini's inquisition is superb. One gets to know the main character as one so often should, not just superficially.
When I think back on the number of superb footballers who have probably traversed the hallowed halls of Princeton, believe it or not I can only come up with one of my favorite television fathers, Ozzie Nelson, quarterback. How great it was to go back in time and spend some quality private moments following the soon to be heralded exploits of Hobey Baker. In this day of misguided "idolization," thanks for bringing us back down to earth. And thank you Mr. Salvini for bringing me back to those "thrilling days of yesteryear."

"HOBEY BAKER: American Legend"
A Book Review by Bobby Bryde
www.hockeymeister.com


"...an ideal worthy [Baker] of everything in my enthusiastic admiration, yet consummated and expressed in a human being who stood within ten feet of me." -- F. Scott Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald immortalized Hobey Baker in his 1920 novel, "This Side Of Paradise", and while a professional cynic like myself might wonder if his endless gushing about Hobart Baker makes me think his lust didn't stop at Zelda, Fitzgerald did capture the essence of `the blond Adonis' who `did everything with no or little effort.'
Author Emil Salvini, who spent three years researching "Hobey Baker: American Legend", has done likewise. "Research and making time every day to write was the toughest part," Salvini said. "But it offered an opportunity to learn about the origins and evolution of college hockey and football," said the graduate of William Patterson University and Harvard Business School. "It was an opportunity to retell the story of an American legend."
But who was Hobey Baker? Some might know the rink at Princeton, Hobart Baker Memorial Rink, is named in his honor. Some might know he is the only American in both the Hockey Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. And some might even know he died in an airplane accident.
In 1988 Robb Stauber (founder of Goalcrease, Inc.) won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the best collegiate hockey player. "I had heard of him, but didn't know the details," said Robb. "But the Award is special, no two ways about it. It is a great honor. I'm a member of a small, very special fraternity."
Brian Bonin won the award in 1996. "I had some knowledge of Baker, since Neil Broten and Robb Stauber (Minnesota) had both won the award before me," said Brian. "It's great for college hockey, both on and off the ice. It is great exposure for the game."

From Hobey's birth in Philadelphia in 1892, to his attendance at St.Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, to his college career at Princeton, and finally, to his death in France, this biography covers all the details you might have known-and many you didn't.
For instance, did you know Baker got only one penalty in his entire college hockey career? Did you know that Princeton athletes were allowed to participate in only two sports each year? Did you know that ten of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders listed their occupation as amateur "football players"? (Let's take a moment to scratch our heads wondering how someone can call playing "amateur football" an occupation.") Did you know that Baker helped Princeton win one football championship and two hockey championships?
These are just samples from Salvini's biography of Baker, and it doesn't take the reader long to realize why the book took three years to write. Granted, one has to take a claim of Baker catching over 900 punts in his career and averaging 300 yards in punt returns per game with a grain of salt (Princeton doesn't keep records going back that far), but the sheer weight of research-particularly the newspaper accounts-is impressive.

"The world today needs the spirit of sportsmanship both to prepare youths to play cleanly the team game of our complicated life and to learn the recreative joy of play that develops the finest things in human life-health, self-control, fair play, tolerance, character, leadership, neighborliness." -- Herbert Hoover

Graceful. Fearless. Frank Merriwell. Sportsmanship above winning. Greatly admired. Charming, attractive, handsome. All of these words (and more) described Baker, and it's easy to see why Fitzgerald-and the American public-had a crush on Baker. However, if you read between the lines, one finds that although Baker's finances didn't earn him the label of `aristocrat', he certainly can be considered a member of the `turn of the century' elite.
Baker was indeed a `target' on the field and on the ice, but he always got up and took the extra attention with class, while at the same time he `may have been spared' the ritual of hazing then common at most colleges. Baker may have shaken the hands of players who pulled him down from behind or gave him an extra hit after a play, but he believed that playing professional sports was akin to selling one's soul. In 1918 Baker's arrogance would cost him his life.


"The men who make the best pilots are horsemen, people who play polo and ride to hounds. Next to that, the men who are accustomed to athletic competition, such as football, baseball and things of that kind which require quick action of the reflexes." -- Gen. Billy Mitchell

Clearly, for myself, the best part of the biography is the chronicle of the Lafayette Escadrille. Not only does Salvini describe Baker's flying career, but he also details the history of the American fighter squadron in France during the First World War. Which naturally leads to the conclusion-and the controversy-concerning Bakers death in 1918.
Salvini offers two versions of Baker's fateful crash just after the Armistice, allowing the reader to make his own judgment: was his unnecessary "final flight" an accident? Or suicide? I prefer to think the former, that it was indeed accidental; however, I'm betting that while spinning down to his almost certain death, Baker didn't really mind.

F. Scott Fitzgerald's Gatsby met an early (predictable?) demise, and Baker similarly suffered a tragic end; and even though Baker isn't technically a member of the "Lost Generation", players and fans of today will be enlightened reading about the days when being called a `mucker' was considered an insult!

On the back flap of the book, there is a line that reads, if Hobey Baker didn't exist, some clever wordsmith would have made him up.

To that point, Hobey Baker has been made up time and time again in movies and books - whether the author realized it or not. Anytime we see a hero in a book - a star athlete, an all-American legend that captures all that is good about this world -chances are the author based their character on Baker, perhaps without even knowing. The point is, no matter what made-up all-American Ivy League hero we see in the movies, nothing can come close to the real thing, which is Baker himself.

Anything he tried he excelled at, and is the only person ever to be enshrined in the football and hockey hall of fames. His life was cut short by the war, as was the case with many people Hobey's age during the tumultuous decades of the early 20th Century. Who knows that he would have accomplished had he lived, but what he did accomplish in his short life has been unmatched by anyone since. More than 80 years after his death, his story is as amazing as ever.

Emil Salvini paints a perfect portrait of a man in this book that is easy to get through and one you will probably want to read more than once. If you told your family or friends about Baker before they knew he was real, they would probably assume that he was made up by Salvini - but he wasn't. It's hard to capture the life of a legend as large as Baker - a mortal who lived much bigger than that for 26 years, but Salvini manages to do it.

Many people today mistake celebrities for heroes. I suspect that's because we overlook the hero in front of us (the policeman, policewoman, nurse, fireman or member of the military who risk their lives to protect ours) in favor of those whose photographs grace magazine covers and whose profiles dress up our television sets. Emil Salvini has done our celebrity-obsessed culture a favor by writing about someone who was a real hero . . . both in overcoming adversity in sports and in war.

Hobey Baker first achieved notice for his sports accomplishments. A natural athlete, he could pick up a new sport in minutes. At night, he could skate across a frozen pond in the dark without losing the hockey puck. Being faster than other athletes of his day, he could skate and run circle around them.

But he was also tough. He wasn't all that big, and opposing teams tried to simply beat up on him. He persevered despite that.

All of this success occurred in a world in which amateur athletics were king, and there was no social cache for an athlete like Hobey to become a professional.

Facing a life of boredom, he volunteered for dangerous duty as a fighter pilot in World War I. The engines frequently failed. The pilots carried no parachutes. As a result, the average life expectancy of a fighter pilot was only two weeks.

Hobey's life ended sadly when his plane crashed shortly after the war was over while he had his orders to go home in his pocket. Some argue that it was a tragic irony while others suggest that it may have been suicide. Mr. Salvini writes both ends to the story and leaves it up to you to decide what you think.

The book has two main strengths. The first strength is in its great explanations of what sports and war were like in Hobey Baker's day. The second is in the reminiscences that peers provide from knowing or playing against Hobey.

The book's main weakness is in repetition of material about Hobey Baker's distinctions such as being the first American in the Hockey Hall of Fame and the only person in both that and the College Football Hall of Fame. Just skim over those sections.

The book is solid, if brief. I think you'll like it.

The debut novel of columnist and television scriptwriter Brain Baker, Irregardless is a whimsical adventure that asks: what if the Apocalypse accidentally overslept? In a waning world where the Apocalypse is scrambling to make up for lost time, demons are just starving to whet their appetite on tasty fresh people, an undead leader tries to prevent the four factions of undeadhood from degenerating into all-out war, a Christian waiter tries to figure out both God's plans and how to keep himself off the lunch special, and a women who just wants a cup of coffee gets caught in the middle of it all. The tongue-in-cheek humor adds spice and kick to this rollicking ride of the quest to save the Earth from the narcoleptic Apocalypse.

This book is smart, witty, a little twisted, and just a whole lot of fun. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. Mr. Baker is a talented new author with a unique voice, and I look forward to reading his next book.

This book probably isn't for everyone, because let's face it...There are a lot of boring, easily-entertained people out there. HOWEVER, for readers who want a clever, well-constructed tale that entertains, enlightens, and endures, this book is probably a really, really good idea.

If you like Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchet, Harry Harrison, Mark Twain, Salmon Rushdie, or the early, funny novels of Tom Clancy, you'll love "Irregardless". If you don't like any of those authors, don't worry - this book is something completely unique, winding its laugh-filled way back and forth through more than ten centuries in under 200 pages. And if you are a fan of John Grisham, buy this book because you need something good to read for a change.

If the end of the world is as entertaining in real life as it is in this book, sign me up. "Irregardless" has great ideas, hilariously funny scenes, a wonderful ending, and a slew of big words that the author isn't afraid to use. There's even coffee. Can you ask for more than that?

I read this book while on a flight over Thanksgiving weekend. My wife probably wishes I hadn't. I'm afraid I was proving to be a distraction from laughing so hard. If you are looking for a book to awe and inspire you to be a better person, keep looking. If you are looking for a quirky, funny, and all-around entertaining story, get this book.

"Irregardless" is a fun, fast-paced comedic fantasy. The author masterfully weaves a unique tale of supernatural beings, the creation of coffee, the living dead, horrible food, and the end of the world. Lots of fun and highly recommended.