Benedict Books

I read this book the first time when I was in Jr. high school. I know I have reread it at least ten times. I have 2 copies one falling apart and one to lend to friends. As you can surely see I love this book.

Yes! I have read a few books that I wanted to read again. However, "Mrs. Mike" by Benedict and Nancy Freedman found me wanting to re-read chapters the first time through.
This treasure will be stored in a special place to be read again and again when I want to go back in time, feel feelings and thank God for talented authors.
I wish I had found it as a teenager, or a young mother. Guess this retiree should just be grateful that I was given this warm gift in my latter years.

Mrs Mike is an old friend. I first read and enjoyed this book more than 35 years ago. This story chronicals the life of mountie Sgt Mike and Mrs. Mike. It honestly chronicals these lives and shows that it is in the sharing of the small things that make life joyful. I'm so happy to be able to now be able to now share this book with my neice

I just got this book again since I lost/loaned my first copy. Although some have critisized the writing style, and the facts, I really enjoyed this book. I think it's one to keep on your shelf and pull out from time to time to reread.

I found this book in the school library when I was in 7th grade. I read it every year I was in school there. It was a wonderful story about a young girl who falls in love with a good man and talks about their life together. It made me laugh, cry, and cry some more. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good story. It is a great book.

If you're wondering whether or not the Pope is still Roman Catholic, you won't after reading this. I found it very handy, well referenced (lots of notes back to the Catechism itself) and clear to read. It is a reasonably short exposition of the key doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and presents itself well.

I offer this from the perspective of a catholic-minded Lutheran, who has been flipping through the CCC since it was published in the 1990's. While there is a risk that the Compendium will reduce reference to the Catechism, it does help clarify conversations between communions.

This is a wonderful and informative publication. I have never been able to bring myself to tackle the actual Catechism because of its enormous size, so this little book is great for me. I am a CCD teacher and I find this book to be a wonderful reference as I prepare for classes. My parents have also borrowed it and really liked it. It really has a simple way of explaining the fundamentals of the Catholic faith.

This is an excellent source of material for RCIA leaders and members. It is easy to use and very informative.

The book came suggested by Amazon.com while I was searching another title and I am glad it did! This was an excellent recommendation. The book is organized by a serious of questions and serves as an benefical reference while reading other books on Catholicm or by itself. I am pleased to have purchased the item.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (904 pages) tells you how the clock works before it tells you the time. This book just tells you the time. If you want to know more about a question, then you can go to the big Catechism.

Having worked in the alternative health industry for 12 years, and studied it for 17 years, I read the book having been on a similar journey as the author's. His is a very unique telling of such a tale. The first time I read the book when it was first published, I didn't agree with or understand some of his points on health or the way he was presenting them, but experience has shown me more clarity.
His is not a 'how-to' instruction book, and he gives clear reasons for why it is so. His is rather a book on his own ideas, and someone following in his footsteps will have different experiences and find different truths working for them.
And his insigts into why he still experiences physical discomforts provides great words for dealing with those types of questions one on this journey encounters from those outside.
And ordering it from Amazon is a great idea. [...]

Having now dealt with cancer in my family three times over, I was curious to read other literature about others who have dealt with cancer. My uncle currently underwent a new form of prostate cancer treatment, and is doing very well. What I find interesting is my uncle probably lives as close to Mr. Benedict's way of living, and has throughout his whole life. That did not prevent cancer. That did not cure it.

I am a daughter of a research scientist. I am a country girl and work with horses/ride/train/compete. I am also a writer(when I have a free moment). I like to think of things, read things, expand my knowledge. Knowledge is key to curing anything. The more you know, the more you can fight something.

I've watched my stepfather die of a radical cancer in short of three weeks, at the ripe age of fifty(dying on Christmas day. A rare blood cancer). He never even knew he had it. He was highly atheletic, ate healthy, never smoked. He still died.

When writing a book, I feel an author does have a certain responsibility to the public in showing a balance of information to the reader. This is the only place I found this book lacking. It was very one sided. If you eat a certain way = bad. I don't disagree with the theorires of Mr Benedict, but rather the lack of other information available out there. Truth be told, doctors CAN help patients. Patients can help themselves. There can be a yin and yang of both.

My grandfather just passed away at 93 years of age. He ate beef and eggs daily. He never smoked, was physically active his whole life, and stayed that way until his mid eighties.(perhaps because he had a vacation home in New Hampshire and retired there was part of that well-being? I've often felt of New Hampshire as a healing place and loved visiting there my whole life!)

What worries me about this book are some of the medical goings on in mr Benedicts life, and his lack of concern to reporting to a medical practitioner. There are many medical reasons of what was happening to him, not just mediphysical(excuse spelling, not my strong point).

Fact---your body will metabolize food eatten. It does not stay in your system longer than your body is able to eliminate it. There fore, the problems given(physical) were more likely due to stress, life style and other things(I believe Mr Benedict smokes cigars. Sorry, but right there, I Can give you a million reasons for why that could cause every ailment given).

HOWEVER, I am not dissing this book because I believe in it's message. HEALTHY living is key to being healthy. Enjoying your life, living your dreams, and making sure you eat a balanced diet and exercise. This is a key component that is ever disolving in today's life for kids. Childhood obesity and diabetes is on the rise, and you can thank fast food chains and their super-sized meals for that. While I do have to eat on the go with my job, I do not eat at those fast food places...the mere sight of them make me ill. When I do go with friends, and they grab a bite there, I am amazed at the portions now from when I was a child.

There are many pearls of wisdom in the book---do not fear. Many revelations that only a truly deep hearted person would want to share, and share he does--with his heart and soul. That's a GOOD thing, and so rare these days. People seem to want to profess something only if it benefits them. I did not see that in this book at all. I saw someone who went through something so huge and so overwhelming, he wanted to share that. That is to be commended.

In the end, what Mr Benedict is saying, and what I also believe in is live a healthy life. Eat right, exercise and above all else, enjoy and don't lose sight of your dreams.

I read the book, and I fell in love with it, and I hope that everyone would take their health seriously, and I hope that if someone you know is getting into health, please give them the book, it's a bible to the health-concious people everywhere, so please do take some of the things that Mr. Benedict is saying, it might save your life someday.

I believed in what Mr. Benedict is saying, and I hope that every one is taking their health seriously, and if someone is in trouble or confused with health, give them the book, if you do that you will be make making a great investment, people should take actors who have been through hell serious enough.

This is an excellent book. Dirk is an excellent author. This was the quickest read of non-fiction I have had in years. It is great getting a point of view of others, especially, when they write in a down-to-earth style you can understand. Dirk seems to be that kind of guy.

If you are looking for a bit-by-bit blow from Battlestar Galactica or the A-Team...forget it. He only tells us a little about his work. I wish he would have written more because the few parts there were a great read.

This book is mainly about how Dirk fought cancer using macrobiotics. After reading this book I am not a convert, but I learned a lot. I learned that I and most Americans need to greatly reduce our intake of fatty meat and triple our intake of good vegetables. More veggies, a balanced diet and less caffeine and alcohol all lead to a healthier person.

I do not totally agree with him on his views on modern medicine. Yes, there are many quacks out there who think that they can solve any problem you have with a pill, you get addicted to that pill and then you're hooked. But evidence shows that we are living longer today despite our intake of unhealthy food. I think we can thank some doctors and scientists for that.

For me, the power of this book was the fact that Dirk took control of his life that, to him, seemed out of control. And it does seem like his method helped beat his disease.

I hope we have more offerings from Dirk, not only on the screen, but more literary works as well.

Every question is answered with clarity and right to the point. For those who would like to learn about our present Pope and his beliefs this is the book to buy. The church and the world should feel blessed to have a man as Joseph Ratzinger . Tremendous insight into the church and his own life before he became Pope. Peter seewald is a great writer and Ratzinger really comes through in this interview. Catholics around the world should thank God that this man speaks on behalf of us.

Without a doubt, this new Pope Benedict XVI is the most brilliant man in the world!

That probably does not need to be said, does it? What is more important than being brilliant is that the "then" Cardinal Ratzinger, is seen as one who can and does communicate with the people. We are those people! Anyone can understand what Cardinal Ratzinger means when he answers Peter Seewald's questions - one would never go away saying, "What did He mean by THAT!" Brilliant!

Peter Seewald asks great questions - for a starter, "Do you pray when you and the Pope (then Pope John Paul II) meet?" "What do you wear?" Silly? Maybe, but we learn about the setting of the meeting of the Pope and the Prefect - we see the picture - we ARE there with them! You seem to take a chair here with Seewald and the "then" Cardinal Ratzinger, now Holy Father - who is also fondly called the German Shepherd and/or B16. You can take him anywhere! Later Peter Seewald's questions become deeper and more profound, but never more profound that the answers.

I swooned over the first 20 pages. I began putting green stars to mark things that were amazing - then green exclamation points to help me locate great comments - then began to underline - now I have a book that is almost totally green in ink! What a heart for God this Cardinal had in 1996 and to think that 10 years later he was our new Pope. Get out your markers!

Purchase this book and, at the same time, order God and the World: A Conversation With Peter Seewald - the next book dated 2000. At least, put these books on your Wish List for Mothers' Day or Fathers' Day. Actually begin by adding everything Pope Benedict XVI has ever written to your library.

I believe Mr. Seewald went "Home" to the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church shortly after this book. They were a great team!

After all the costly legal expenditures (and the lack thereof) have, in the majority of cases, been accounted for, Ratzinger now no longer feels pressured to provide us with the keys to the Kingdom of Secrecy relegated above. Is this "upper surface" really all that remains of his famous sight outside, or is it nothing more than a considerable reputation that has been established for reliable books? And how can such an author hope for so long that Ratzinger's new book, by its absence, will have cultivated anything like it? Seldom, the beginner thinks, will the work of such an author--lacking the reserve or the aesthetic control of the above-mentioned colonels--be captured immediately. Nor will it be completely convincing. But that, of course, was precisely the experiment that was forced on them after Ratzinger's consideration was ceded in 1960. The impact of this first impression shows the entire direction of the book. In the library, after which I was completely in agreement with his single new worldview, one could see signs that it would soon disperse. With the relative lack of English letters on Ratzinger, I, for one, would like to gather a summary and a consideration of Ratzinger's body of work, under one flag, as completely as possible. And on the general topic of any official meetings, if each report made a first impression as written, then what prospect does the neophyte have, when he comes for the first time to these books. The catch is that, as a unit, I can only hope that these pieces will be useful as an inspiration, mostly so that our readers will freely choose the work of an author who has spent too a long time in negligence.

Contrasted to Vittorio Messori's breakthrough interview of Cardinal Ratzinger, the famous Ratzinger Report, this book at first glance does not seem to stand up as well. Messori is Catholic, prepared, and focused. The interviewer here, Peter Seewald, is a contemporary journalist and while obviously a man of good will, comes on too often with cliched assumptions about Catholicism. The gracious Ratzinger sidesteps this as consistently as Lou Gehrig could hit singles, but the overall result can become monotonous, tedious, and diffuse.

Yet many will doubtless prefer this book as an introduction to the new pope's thinking. The reason, simply, is that for all its flaws the book is more human, intimate. It often looks just like straight transcription of a conversation about the faith between two men, who for whatever different reasons do care about the subject and the answers. There is a thus, finally, a certain glow of Christian fellowship to the whole undertaking. The Ratzinger Report, in contrast, now begins to betray something of the hand of the editor -- on both sides. Thus however stumbling and sometimes clumsy, this book is more than a "semi-official" report: it is something that might even convert somebody -- as the meetings apparently did Seewald.

The focus here is less on the Catholic Church as an institution, more on the burden of Christianity and belief at this precise moment of history. Seewald stands for the contemporary mind. Ratzinger's replies both exhibet a bounty of patience and a dogged persistence to be understood with as much accuracy as his questioner can glean. For once, the theologian is out of his skin, and must become catechist -- to a most unlikely candidate. As perfectly chiseled as the Ratzinger Report was, one suspects that this book, then, will for now on find the wider audience, perhaps even endure.

Simply, when the voice of the modern man is modulated, as befits an interview -- and not screaming in protest or assault -- the Cardinal's responsive voice, densely civil, jam-packed with informed response in defense of belief -- and poignant questions of its own for the modern man -- levels the field like a superhighway. Disarmingly, while Ratzinger seems to play a long hand, at the end one is no longer even listening to modern man's wailing. The man of quiet belief has known all along it was a but a feisty baby's howl for real food.

Read this book.

There are so many things that are wonderful about this book; it is hard to know where to begin. First and foremost, this is a fantastic comprehensive synthesis of Ratzinger's views regarding much of the current concerns of the Church and of the world.

Additionally, the question and answer format makes this book extremely accessible, even for those who might think they are too busy to read about the new Pope. I would even say that the topics that are discussed in this interview are of interest to everybody as they do not necessarily revolve around interior Church issues.

Like I said earlier, I suggest that you read this book. It's a great way to start learning more about what Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) is like and how he thinks.

Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) is a rare gem. He has a clear mind that cuts like a scalpel. Combine that with a stellar education, decades of painstaking and thorough study, and a gift for writing profoundly yet with simplicity. Introduction to Christianity is a fine example of his erudition and seemingly effortless intellectual elegance. His capacity to consider and master a vast array of histories, cultures, theologies and philosophies, and integrate them into his own penetrating thought, is remarkable.

Written 40 years ago by Ratzinger, this book still resonates with the times. In itself, this shows that Ratzinger is focused on what really matters in the Christian mystery - he nevers gets side tracked into going down blind and fruitless alleys. It is only on my second reading of this book that I began to see how important a book this is. This book is an important exploration of the nature of belief and of the articles of belief set down in the Apostles creed. I believe that in this book Ratzinger surpasses his mentors, namely De Lubac and von Balthasar. His analysis of the kenosis of Christ is particularly impressive, Christ "being from" and "being for".

Ratzinger first deals squarely with belief and points out that it is within the context of doubt that the theist and the atheist can enter into dialogue. After all, the Christian believes; he does not see. Likewise, the atheists "sees" what is optical and does not believe in what cannot be empirically verified. But, both the Christian and the atheist, if he is honest, must have doubts about the nature of his belief or non-belief. There must be times when the atheist says: "yet perhaps it is true (page 46).

For Ratzinger the word credo means:

"man does not regard seeing, hearing and touching as the totality of what concerns him, that he does not view the area of his world as marked off by what he can see and touch but seeks a second mode of access to reality, a mode he calls in fact belief, and in such a way that he finds in it the decisive enlargement of his whole view of the world" (page 50).

For Ratzinger the radicality of Christianity is that "God has come so near to us that we can kill him and that he thereby, so it seems, ceases to be God for us".

Ratzinger poses the question of whether "it would not have been much simpler to believe in the Mysterious Eternal... to leave us as at an infinite distance". (page 55)

Ratzinger notes that belief does not come "though the private search for truth but through a process of reception.. Faith cannot and should not be a mere product of reflection" (page 92). Faith demands unity and calls for the fellow believer; it is by nature related to a Church." (page 98).

On the nature of the Trinity, he noted that: "He is one, but at as the exceedingly great, entirely Other, he himself transcends the bounds of singular and plural; he lies beyond the" (page 125).

On the "I am who I am" scene in exodus, he notes that the words sound like a "rebuff","like a refusal to give a name than the pronouncement of a name (page 127) "I am" is as much as to say "I am here for you" " a Being-for". (page 129).

"The name is no longer merely a word, but a person: Jesus himself." (page 133) Ratzinger goes on to say that the meaning of a "name" is its invocability. God, by having a name, becomes accessible to me. "He is handing himself over to men in such a way that he can be called upon".

"And by doing this he enters into coexistence with them; he puts himself within reach; he is "there" for them". The name is no longer just a word at which we clutch; it is now flesh of our flesh, bone of our bone. God is one of us" (page 134/135).

Ratzinger notes the great saying by Tertullian: "Christ called himself truth, not custom". (page 141)

His thought then becomes even more metaphysical:

"Whoever looks thoroughly at matter will discover that it is being-thought objectivised thought. So it cannot be ultimate. All being is ultimately being-thought and can be traced back to

"Christian belief in God means that things are the being-thought of a creative consciousness of a creative freedom and that the creative conciousness that hears up all things has released what has been thought into the freedom of its own, independent existence". (page 137).


"The doctrine of the triune God, means at bottom renouncing any solution and remaining content with a mystery that cannot be plumbed by man (page 168)". "Faith consists of a series of contradictions held together by grace". (page 171).

"It now became clear that the dialogue, the relatio stands behind substance as an equally primordial form of being". I note here that Ratzinger preempts some of the philosophical work done by the great Jesuit Thomist, Norris Clarke and by the personalist, John F Crosby. "Father is purely a concept of relationship. Only in being for the other is he Father; in his own being in himself he is simply God". (page 183). "By calling the Lord "Son", John gives him a name that always points away from him and beyond him; he thus employs a term that denotes essentially a relatedness, He thereby puts his whole Christology into the context of the idea of relation" (page 185).

Moving on to focus of the office and nature of Christ, he notes that Christ "performs himself and gives himself; his work is the giving of himself" (page 204). "The person of Jesus is his teaching and his teaching is he himself" "message and person are identical" (page 206). "Jesus is his work" "His being is pure actualitas of "from" and "for"(page 228).

"For John, the picture of the pierced side forms the climax not only of the crucifixion scene but the whole story of Jesus... his existence is completely open. Now he is entirely "for"; now he is no longer a single individual but "Adam" from whose side, Eve, a new mankind is formed". (page 241) "The future of man hangs on the Criss - the redemption of Man is the Cross. And, he can only come to himself by letting the walls of his existence be broken down, by looking on him who has been pierced" (p242)

"Talk of original sin means no man can start from scratch any more (completely unimpaired by history" (page 249). "Last judgement, on the other hand is the answer to these collective entanglements" (page 249).

"Being a Christian means essentially changing over from being for oneself to being for one another". "Christ is the infinite self expenditure of God" (page 261).

"Love demands infinity, indestructibility; indeed it is, so to love demands, infinity, indestructibility; indeed, it is, so to speak, a call for infinity" (page 302).

Ratzinger's analysis of the resurrection and the Last judgement is deeply impressive, noting its deeply serious nature. Of hell, he notes that it "consists in man's being unwilling to receive anything, in his desire to be self sufficient. It is the expression of enclosure in one's own being alone."

Finally, on the Church, Ratzinger approaches the evil evident in the Church in a sober fashion. "At bottom there is always a hidden pride at work when criticism of the Church adopts that tone of rancorous bitterness which today is already becoming a fashionable habit"

He notes that Christ in his earthly ministry scandalised others; is is surprising that he does so again when he gives himself over to be broken sacramentally on his altars, ministered, at times, by deeply sinful ministers and consumed also by those whose lifes often contradict the gospel. Don't we all in our own way contradict the gospel in our daily lives?

Our Holy Father is great! He is so clear in his writing and conveying his ideas. He articulates and conveys theological ideas in ways that students can grasp, digest, and make their own. I know this was written long before he would even be considered for Pope- but it only goes to show that he has been doing the kind of work and prayer this work needs to be able to do for a long time. He is the kind of student who has done the work so well and sought such understanding as to teach well.

Reading this amazing book is like being wrapped in a warm blanket reading the writings of a beloved friend who is sharing his heart with you alone. Not only is the scholarship amazing but the heart of a man who is in love with Jesus comes through clearly and loudly. Don't miss this book.

Okay, maybe this isn't such a good way to review a book but it may be of assistance to another reader or two.

I started reading this book 3 years ago...I haven't made it past page 15 yet. Why? Well, I think I'm in need of a more focused brain - I have a touch of A.D.D. and a book this focused is very hard for me to digest.

On the funny side of all this I want to share a conversation between two priests about this book. Both priests had bought the book to read and one of them said "I just can't seem to get past chapter 1" the other said "Oh good. I couldn't make it past the 3rd paragraph"

This book was written very early in Joseph Ratzinger's vocation and was more a part of his proving his qualifications to teach Theology (I guess the equivalent would be a Doctorate thesis).

So if you're anything like me, this book may be over your head. I'll get back to it one day but it is highly recommended by many, many people I trust. Therefore I recomment this book.

If you are intellectually superior, you may not find this review helpful. However, if you more on the average level I hope this review is of some assistance to you.

The author has offered a very practical challenge for living in a loving manner in today's world. His approach is intelligent and encouraging.

This book properly positions family, Catholic education, the spirituality of work, and the right to life as values that should be promulgated by everyone including the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case quite often by the Church, for details, google isaiah59.

This book makes you question your purpose on earth.
Does capitalism ruin your soul?
How does Catholic dogma affect your daily life?
Faith or pragmatism?
Hope, faith, inspiration, spiritual motivation are well studied in this book. Highly recommended. An inspirational book.

The 15 books were delivered ahead of schedule, well packed. The price was excellent. Could not have asked for a better transaction.

The Supreme Knight writes a great book that is a must read for anyone in the Knights of Columbus. It is also insightful for anyone who is on the outside looking in that would like to understand more of what the Knights of Columbus stands for.

I echo what everyone else has said. This book gives you the gift of a more thoughtful approach to worshiping at Mass. Pope Benedict XVI (Cardinal Ratzinger) sometimes uses complex sentence structures (most likely because the book is a translation from German), but it give you the opportunity to really take time to re-read and soak in the depth of what each well-thought out phrase means in the context of his whole message. One of the most beautiful things he does is weave in a little religious history and puts the Catholic Mass within the whole history of worship. Read the book!

Highly recommended! Pope Benedict XVI, as always, writes with gripping clarity. His prose never disappoints or wearies the reader. Virtually each sentence sheds light, something true of all his writings. This book plumbs the depth and mystery of the Catholic liturgy in all its richness, and reasons that its sacred character must never be diminished by innovations responding to ephemeral cultural tastes.

This book was wonderful. Ratzinger is a wonderful author and it is an easy read.

The last of the four sections is the heart of the book and contains the enthralling thoughts one expects after reading "Introduction to Christianity". For me, the text on art proved very dull and lifeless. But in the final section of the book, the Pope returns to the topic of active participation in the liturgy. He brings vitality and thought to these topics. The section on the Human Voice as part of the Mass is exceptional and thought provoking.

Perhaps one day I will gain enough insight to revisit the middle sections. Undoubtedly, the last section will become familiar to all Catholics as the Mass adopts these thoughts in practice. Although I still have trouble with his thought of an oratio conducted largely in silence. The Eucharistic Prayer is the heart of the liturgy; to place it in silence seems a terrible loss.

This book held me spellbound. Filled with insights and history surrounding the mass and the liturgy, as a lifelong Catholic, I suddenly saw the mass in a whole new light. Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Ratzinger demonnstrates his abilities as a clear patient teacher as he teaches about the liturgy and its meaning, in ways that are down to earth and don't require a degree in theology to understand. It will open your mind and understanding. Highly reccomended!

My boyfriend and I checked this book out from the library so often that I finally bought him a copy! The all of the recipes that I've tried have been quite good, though many in the book are quite heavy. Some of the dishes have become staples, especially the delicious meatloaf. The highlight of the book is the Kennedy trivia and family photos, not to mention the lovely food photos (the desserts are pure eye candy!).

This book contains recipes and recollections of a great American family, the Kennedy's. It contains the family's favorite, Meat Loaf. I made this on 4-27-07 and it was incredibly delicious! The Lobster Stew is a rich stew which is quick to make and elegant at the same time. The Honey-Pecan Sweet Potatoes are so good, you'll want to slap someone! You will also enjoy the family fotos included in the book and the little stories that go with them.

Interesting collection of recipes & anecdotes, spoiled for me by the overly servile tone of the authors. Actual recipes that I've tried are delicious, easy to follow & easy to cook. Wonderful photography. Well worth buying

I love the Kennedy family and I love New England. This is the best cookbook I have ever read. The photos are amazing, and the stories are wonderful. Everytime I read the book it makes me hungry for authentic New England seafood. It also makes me wish I lived in New England.

I bought this book as one of our prizes for out annual 4th of July races. I skimmed it and copied a few recipes before placing it on the prize table. Wonderful stories with every recipe. The three recipes I made have been excellent. The meatloaf is the best I've tasted and easy to make.

I plan on ordering another copy for myself and trying more recipes.

In this book, Dr Lust provides a quick reference on every possible herb you could need. The book is very useful as an encyclopedia of herbs and their medicinal uses.

This great resourceful paperback on herbs,is still the best one around.It's packed with useful herbal information and history.Anyone interested in herbs should read this book.Anyone also studying and practicing Wicca can learn a lot from this little book.For the cost of this book,its well worth it.When first published ,in 1974,it was well ahead of its time.Nowadays,everybody knows the health benefits of 'Green Tea',Ginko Biloba and Hoodia.Green Tea burns body fat,aids digestion,surpresses appetite,flushes out free-radicals,and kills bacteria around your teeth.I was glad to have read it years ago and it got me thinking about better,healthier living.It also got me interested in the environment and gardening.When you hurt the environment,you hurt others and it will come back to haunt you too.

I have used this book so much over the years that I am about in need of a new one. This has so many herbs packed into a small, fat book. Excellent!

This is my second copy of this book, I bought my first one when I began to learn about herbs and wore it out from reading it so much. After 15 years of studying and 10 writing about herbs, this is one of my favorite books and I still learn from it. There is an incredible amount of information crammed into this 600+ page book, and its portable.

This is the one, the one book I feel anyone serious about herbs should have in their collection. It has proved invaluable to me in so many ways. It includes cosmetic and medicinal for most any herb you can think of. It is also good for information on traditional uses and background knowledge. It can be a bit overwhelming at first but once you get a grasp on how it is organised (it didn't take me long) it proves indespensible.

I loved Dirk's Second book, and it was so wonderfully written by a honest man, not by a celebrity, and I actually felt for the man what he went through for the birth of his first son, George, by reading the pages, and I love the ending, and I hope that he would actually write more for the happiness, and the being of his fans, because we would want more, who wouldn't agree with me?

From the guy who brought so many cliches to the screen, to a writer with an honest and traditional background, came "And then we went fishing". I cannot describe the underlying sense or feeling one receives when reading this book. Then comes a story from out of the blue that confirms to you inside that there are good people in the world, moreover, there are people who can be honest with those they know not. To me that is the sign of a true writer,more importantly of a good man. Good Luck.

In case you didn't know, Dirk Benedict is that good looking actor who endeared himself to millions by playing the loveable scam artist, "Face" on the A-Team. In addition to this and numerous other acting credits, Mr. Benedict has to rank as one of the finest yet most under-rated writers of non-fiction in America. Believe it! He is THAT good!

In, "And Then We Went Fishing", he delicately intertwines the story of the birth of his son with the tragic murder of his father. And he throws in a little bit of Shakespeare for company. But the English bard is not needed here as Mr. Benedict's smooth and thoughtful prose can easily stand on it's own merits.

The author does not play it safe with this book. It's not just that he chooses to show us his heart and share his intimate thoughts. He risks compromising this by using flash backs. Lesser word smiths can mess up their stories when they use this style by confusing their readers with the "back and forth" technique. Not Dirk Benedict. He has masterful control of his prose and manages to captivate his reading audience. The result is a beautiful tapestry of 2 different stories that occured decades apart.

The only criticism I have of this work is the occasional use of cuss words. Not to be prudish, but most of them were really not necessary. I would recommend that those who teach others how to write prose, put this book on their students required reading list. The tome will not only teach them technique but it will give them a clear example of what putting one's heart into their writing is truly about.

Dirk Benedict, you're not only a talented actor but a great author. Encore.

I was deeply moved by Dirk Benedict's honesty and daring to reveal and share such a personal tale. For me, the Shakespearean references to Hamlet added to the story as he gradually revealed the details. It was a powerful book for me, and gave me more respect for the inner strength of the author.

This second book by Dirk Benedict touches on some deeply personal experiences of his life that he shares with the reader. It interchanges between the tale of his father's death and his first child's birth, each unique experiences.
He and his wife had elected to have a homebirth way before they became fashoinable, and the endless parade of misfit Midwives makes for humorous reading.
the personal tradgedy of his father's murder, and the state of the family during that time give depth to the pages.
As well as he touches on subtle aspects of his life that may haunt him later, such as his head injuries that kept him out of the Army and his suggestion Natural birth should be required by law for at least two children per family. (Do we really want the government making this personal decision for us? How could anyone make such a suggestion!)
One point of note is chapter 9. A rant against birth-control and a disticntly male-sided view of free love and yuppies, (These views only are valid with one generation and don't seem to apply to us younger then baby boomers) which is typical of his style but totally seems out of place with the rest of the book.
A deeply moving recounting of past experiences with an ironic climax.
But a suggestion to a would-be-buyer: Get it off of Amazon. It's much cheaper. [...]