Bishop Books

I got this book because I heard it reccommended on the radio by Swindoll. It is a very short simple easy to read book which, though I was expecting it to be deeper and more insightful, the simple clear presentation of what that day may have been like for these mere mortals involved in it presented in such a simple mundane matter of fact way moved me to tears repeatedly. This book helps you to put God's coming as a human being in the flesh and all the awe and grandeur of it into a perspective that is more easy to see in grasp for us humans.

For such a small book, it was jam packed with great information. This account of Christ's birth made Mary & Joseph's saga "real" to me. As I read the accounting of the time, I could see the occurances in my mind clearly and could truely imagine what they must have been feeling during that period of time. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the story of Christ.

When it was first written in 1959, this book was subtitled "A Reverential Recreation," and it is a very good one, an outstanding piece of work that gives the reader a new appreciation for the human dimensions of the Christmas story. Bishop's detailed research and captivating writing style make this book an engaging read, giving the reader a greater feel and appreciation for Mary (she was only 14 or 15 at the time)and Joseph (He, too, was much younger than you might think, about 18 or 19), of what their life was like, of the family ties between Jesus and John the Baptist, of what countryside was like on the 90-mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, of Bethlehem's proxmity to Jerusalem and its impact on the story...Reads like the the old "You Are There" TV series, and it is good, very good. Well done and highly recommended. Perhaps the next best thing to being there...

The Day Christ was Born is an excellent work of fiction describing the life of Christ. The book actually covers more than just the day of Jesus' birth, giving attention to the circumstances surrounding that important event, such as Mary's pregnancy, the trip to Bethlehem, the visit of the shepherds and the Magi, and the trip to Egypt.

Bishop takes a few liberties in his interpretation of the biblical story, but maintains the crucial elements in his narrative. He explains some of the customs of the day, including those of marriage and the process of giving birth.

With only two of the four gospels giving any details about the birth of Jesus, Bishop has attempted to supply the missing details, weaving in material from various ancient historical and archeological sources. He doesn't tamper with the facts, but merely enhances them with a creative dialogue and description that makes the book an enjoyable read.

This is a good book for academic discussions on the philosophy of Bruce Lee, both in philosophy and theology. At last, there's a book that takes Lee seriously as a thinker.

John Little's comment in this book is important: Lee's thoughts might have more impact to the world (especially those who don't know what a straight blast or a pak sao is), more than his ideas on efficient self-defense.

A student of Theology
at Graduate Theological Union
Berkeley, CA

I was challenged in reading Mr. Bishop's book not because of his academic ability, but because I had to respect his objectivity yet respect for the subject and the phenonenon of Bruce Lee. i do know what a pak sao and straight blast are. And I still found the book essential in understanding those concepts and activities as well as the activities of people in the JKD world. Perhaps this is why Mr. Lee dissolved his organizations before he died. Still, i was troubled by Mr. Bishop's compartimentalization and fragmentation, if you will, of martial arts from martial arts philosophy. They are inextricable and essential to understanding the whole. Until one experinces the martial art he left to many of his students, it will be difficult to understand how martial arts is not pugilism.

I was quite surprised by this book. It had a lot of new information about Bruce Lee and the people associated with him that I had never read before. I particularly liked the list of books that he owned. It was interesting seeing what types of stuff he read. I also liked all the discoveries that Bishop made about things that have been published under Bruce Lee's name that are not Bruce Lee's words. Some of them were very surprising.

Since this book takes Lee as an intellectual very seriously, it is a good resource for students in philosophy and theology, such as myself, who draw on his thought in their writings. I've been trying to find a book that would list the books in Lee's personal library, and I've found one.

It's inspiring to know that there are academics like Bishop who are interested in giving space to Lee's thought in academic discussions in Philosophy or Theology.

With regards to Lee's relationship with the non-martial art world (i.e., those who don't know or have no interest in the significance of the "straight blast" in JKD), I agree with John Little who, in this book, says that there are more people who can learn from Lee's "motivational philosophy" than from efficient self-defense techniques.

Student of Pacific School of Religion
(Graduate Theological Union) in Berkeley, CA.

The question regarding whether to publish the unpublished work of great authors is indeed a vexing one, especially in this case since the poet evidently chose not to release these.
However, just as in the case of the notebooks of great philosophers such as Kant and Nietzsche, one often gleans riches from their fragments. Elizabeth Bishop is a great poet, and there are treasures of all kinds here--images, rhythms, narratives.

Elizabeth Bishop published less than 100 poems prior to her death in 1979. This new collection is similiar to a box CD set of studio out-takes of a rock musician : not essential for the causal reader but a must for a true believer of the artist. It is the definitive edition of her unpublished work with extensive notes and annotations. Some of her private poetry is considerably more erotic and emotional than her previously published work and the new poems (over 100+) are the reason to buy this edition. Having said this, the reader is referred to "The Complete Poems, 1927-1979" (1983) of Elizabeth Bishop.

This rather strangely titled book is a tribute to the demand for Elizabeth Bishop's work. It is a set of pieces gleaned from some 3,500 pages in the Vassar College library collection. Not exactly random (but almost) here are 108 poems, some prose, notes she took, some sketches, some facimilies of her papers, some sketches she made, and other pieces harder to describe.

Obviously this is a book that will appeal most to people who are already Elizabeth Bishop fans. This is more of a work in process. It tells more about her as a person, it illustrates the great effort she went to get her poems just right before sending them off for publication. It shows something of the way her mind worked.

The work here is not Ms. Bishop's best. It's unfinished. Some of the shorter pieces, fragments really, make you wonder where she might have taken it.

This book's availability in hardcover makes the unavailability of Bishop's "Collected Poems 1927-1979" in hardcover hard to fathom. FS&G, please reprint EB's collected poems in hardcover as well as paperback. Thanks.

Brandreth's short book on the various Independent Catholic and Orthodox groups active in England, the US, and other places in the early twentieth century is biased, often uncharitable, and openly racist in several places. Fr. Brandreth did very little to discern what spiritual good may have come to the church catholic as a result of independent bishops.

That said, this book is absolutely invaluable for the independent sacramental movement. A great of what we know about our early history is found in this book and others written by Anglicans to discredit these bishops. The book contains detailed lines of succession for Mathew and Vilatte, along with tons of other historical information about the early years of the movement. A few of Brandreth's arguments even point to recognized problems in the independent sacramental world, though they are rarely put in charitable ways. Finally, this edition, published by Apocryphile, is beautifully done. Once hard to find, this indispensable volume is readily available. But take it with a grain of salt!

This scurrilous work by a vicious gossipmonger and Anglican priest (I pity the parishes under his pastoral care) contains vicious attacks on our early forebears in the independent sacramental movement (which is not to say that many were not at least a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic), and the attacks reveal a lot about the author's character. Many of his theological opinions for doubting the validity of independent orders could be used equally well to invalidate his own Anglican orders.

That being said, one may wonder why I chose to give this 5 stars -- and the reason is that this is one of the extremely few works documenting the movement in the first half of the twentieth century, and even reading between the lines of viciousness, one can learn a lot about the movement. The tables of apostolic succession are indispensable. I find that the footnotes contain a lot of very valuable information. Many of the bishops he listed would have been completely forgotten without him. Even much of the history he recounts is useful if distorted.

So order this book for your library, which won't be complete without it, and get yourself a box of salt to go with it.

I found this book amazingly helpful during my research for an M.A. in Church History. Brandreth, a Church of England priest, is one of the few people ever to provide an outsider's view of the colorful and sometimes shady world of the "episcopi vagantes" (Latin for "wandering bishops.")

Historically, these were Middle Eastern bishops with no fixed see or jurisdiction--often because they were driven out by Muslim invaders. In modern times, the term describes bishops of doubtful orders--often of doubtful doctrine and conduct as well!

Brandreth spends most of his time considering the legitimacy of many different "vagantes" and the churches which claim descent from them. Though writing on a dry subject, the author livens up his material with anecdotes of "vagantes" he has known. His own opinion is that the "vagantes" don't have valid orders, and that many of them are just status-seekers, who have barely two or three parishioners to their name. For some, though, he has kind words; he considers them sincere and godly men, who are nonetheless deluded about their episcopal status.

Brandreth's book has become increasingly relevant as more and more people have left the mainstream to join the "Continuing Church"--traditionalists who oppose theological and political liberalism. Many of the "Continuing" Bishops trace their orders from the "vagantes."

Why read this book? If you love church history--especially of the quirky variety--then you'll enjoy "Episcopi Vagantes and the Anglican Church." Even non-Anglicans can take pleasure in Brandreth's dry but anecdotal style.

The book Episcopi Vagantes and the Anglican Church represents an interesting instance of biased reporting, acknowledged as such, that is nonetheless held up as objective and impartial history. Unfortunately, the history of historical scholarship is replete with such examples. Conveniently forgotten in the mists of time are the motivations and intentions behind such works, and it becomes the task for us in succeeding generations to revisit these works to see if the scholarship remains of value.

The jury is still out on judgement for Brandreth's work. First published in 1947, reprinted in 1961, Episcopi Vagantes is both a history and a polemic. The various denominations of Christendom have a history of `not playing nice together', and ironically, the closer in history, style, and general aspect of denominations, the harsher they are toward one another. One gets the sense here of the cliched explanation of why there is always more than one Baptist, Methodist, or other such church in town. One also recalls Swift, and the illustration of warfare over whether it was proper to crack the hard-boiled egg on the top or the bottom.

There are real issues at the heart of Brandreth's work. The term in the title of the book, Episcopi Vagantes, could be translated as vagrant bishops - these are people who have acquired or assumed titles without really having, in many cases, institutions or credentials to back them up. In the Old and Independent Catholic movements throughout the world, but particularly in North America, there is a nearly-inexhaustible diversity of bishops, archbishops, and metropolitans. One of the perennial criticisms of the Old and Independent Catholic movements is that these people often represent no one other themselves and perhaps a handful of followers. In a good number of cases, counting in human terms, this is correct.

This book has supporters - Henry Brandreth was granted access to archives at Lambeth Palace (an official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury), and one such archbishop praises Brandreth's efforts for `bringing light to bear on this obscure but not unimportant corner of ecclesiastical life.'

One of the problems that Old and Independent Catholics must admit, being honest historians, is that many people who have sought and been granted ministerial orders in the past have been unworthy of these; many have sought orders for personal gain, for personal glory, and sometimes for the ability to deceive or make mischief for their local Anglican, Roman Catholic, or Orthodox communities. Brandreth addresses the issue in his preface to the second edition, after having received commentary and feedback, often in the form of scathing criticism and attack, for the first edition.

Perhaps the most critical line in the entire book is found in this preface. `I believe all the episcopi vagantes to be ecclesiastically in error.' This small phrase sets the framework for the bias in this book. Brandreth admits in the preface that there are honest and true persons, of right intention and action, among this group. However, his admission of this is couched between statements that make it clear he doesn't want to give any individuals or groups the slightest credibility or legitimacy.

Why would a scholar and cleric of the Anglican church care so much about these? It is relatively rare in the course of Anglican history for the Anglican church to make pronouncements on the validity and legitimacy of other Christian bodies, save for purposes of official intercommunion. Perhaps the answer lies in the dealings of the Old Catholics themselves, who often proclaimed their validity as somehow more proper or valid than the Anglicans with whom they wanted to relate. One individual, highlighted in the book, Archbishop Mathew, may have misled the continental Old Catholics into believing that there was a great number of people desperately concerned with validity along historical episcopacy lines (although Mathew may have been more sinned-against than sinning, at least in his original intentions vis-a-vis situation in England); Old Catholics on the continent claim a stronger connection (not without its own controversy) with the See of Rome than the Anglicans maintain in many respects. Mathew's consecration and continuing ecclesiastical odyssey afterward (he ordained and consecrated many people, under different organisational structures and rubrics, during his decades-long tenure as a bishop) created a host of local problems for Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

In an era where communications were slow and verifications hard to do, it may have been difficult for local clergy to verify who had proper credentials. Ultimately, most Old and Independent Catholics did not find a welcome home with most Anglicans or Roman Catholics; sometimes there was open hostility, but more often an active ignoring of the situation.

The lists included in Brandreth's book trace lines of succession from Mathew, Vilatte, Ferrete, Herford, Aftimios, Duarte Costa, and various other lesser lines of succession. These lines have stretched all across the world, onto every continent. Various strands are in communion with each other, and others don't recognise anyone but themselves. Some Old Catholic bodies, such as the Philippine Independent Catholic Church, which arose out of missionary work by many who come from these lines of succession, boasts millions of members. Old Catholics in some places such as Puerto Rico have a good working relationship with local Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

In all, the book Episcopi Vagantes and the Anglican Church is a fascinating read. It must be taken as if one were reading one side of the arguments in a court case; the subtle way Brandreth attacks some of the Old Catholics is worthy of a study in and of itself. Yet, Brandreth does highlight many problems that continue to plague not only Anglican-Old Catholic relationships outside of Europe, but some of the problems that Old and Independent Catholics must recognise and attend to if their churches are to become effective and proper places of the worship of God.

I am a very avid reader of the Economist magazine. I bought this book to give me a deeper understanding of economic theory, but the list format makes this book rather useless aside as a pure reference "dictionary". It covers topics on a cursory level. It's too brief for the novice and likely too basic for the expert.

This badly named but invaluable book is vintage Economist style, method, and theory. If it is not what its title leads one to believe, this is pardonable on the grounds that it is perhaps better than that.

ESSENTIAL ECONOMICS is comprised of a lively and informative essay by Matthew Bishop that plays upon the oft-cited designation of economics as 'the dismal' science, followed by brief encyclopedia-style entries written with the Economist's trademark brevity of style and commitment to ideological restraint within a market framework.

Bishop's 'The Joy of Economics' (!) should be required reading for high school and college students. This delightful essay explains almost as much about what (free-market) economists *don't* say about reality as about what they affirm. These ten careful pages constitute a virtual primer on economic discussion in broad historical outline and the state of the question today.

Entries from A ('Absolute advantage') to Z ('Zero-sum game') then fill out this handbook-sized volume with intelligent summary and effective cross-referencing.

Brilliant, concise, unapologetic, sized for the desk, shelf or briefcase, ESSENTIAL ECONOMICS is worth its modest price, which should prove no 'barrier to entry' to dismal scientists and lay enthusiasts in virtually any 'optimal currency area'.

This book delivers what it promises: a brief overview of the essential economic expressions of our time. Most interesting are its style and format. It certainly delivers on The Economist's guarantee of quality writing and the encyclopedia-like entries make it simple to find what you want, jump from one topic to another (even easier thanks to the cross references are in capital letters) or simply skip around the book.

I would say that this is a non-technical publication, perfectly accessible for the interested layman. Not as comprehensive as the bulkier Dictionary of Economics also published by The Economist, but a great reference title on its own. It covers basic topics but also some more unusual ones like positional goods or the tragedy of the commons.

A good companion would be The Economist Guide to Economic Indicators that goes more into depth on several subjects. Also interesting is that you can find a shorter online version of this book at The Economist's website, called Economics A-Z. It is not as comprehensive but certainly quite handy.

Unlike other reviewers, I did not like so much the author's introduction on the dismal science... In any case, throughout the volume, the author's style is brilliant and most effective when covering complicated terms, as he beautifully summarizes the essentials of each expression. I believe it to be a very useful volume in our global environment, as understanding economics has become more important than ever.

Economics is not an exact science. Neither is it the "dismal science" that Thomas Carlyle claimed it was back in the days when Britannica still ruled the waves. Economics is a social science, a "historical" science, a science that can seldom rely on experiment to test its theories but must make do with observation. We do not know whether a tax cut for the rich, for example, will be good for the economy as a whole. It can be tried and when the results are in some years or decades down the road, we may come to some conclusion; but because we could not also see what would have happened had there been no tax cut or a different sort of tax cut, we really cannot be sure that it was the tax cut for the rich that led to economic growth or (as the case may be) revolution.

Nonetheless, while the knowledge we receive from a rigorous and disciplined observation of facts and events gives us nothing like certainty, it does lead us to know how to place our bets. And in an uncertain world that is really all we can expect. Even in closed systems like mathematics there are things unknown and not fully understood; and even in the most rigorous of the sciences such as physics, there is no presumption to absolute knowledge.

This attractive pint-sized publication from The Economist includes an opening essay entitled "The Joy of Economics" by Matthew Bishop that summarizes the current thinking of economists and presents a report on the state of the art. Unlike many essays written by economists, it is easy to read and directed at a general (but, of course, educated) readership. It serves admirably not only as an introduction to this volume but to current economic thought as well. I especially like his point that "better measures of economic success or failure" than "a purely monetary measure" such as GDP are needed, most clearly some measure that takes "environmental and other non-monetary factors into account." (pp. 8-9) Also good is his question about what effect the information explosion will have on economic thought and practice.

After Bishop's essay there follows hundreds of mini-essays and definitions arranged alphabetically on matters economic. If one compares these entries to those in the similar, but larger Dictionary of Economics also put out by The Economist, one quickly sees that there are fewer entries here but they are presented in a more readable fashion. This is then a less technical publication and not as inclusive; yet for most readers I would say it makes the ideas of economics more accessible.

Furthermore, Matthew Bishop, who wrote the entries has a slightly different slant on some economic ideas than those of the editors of the Dictionary of Economics. For example, on "adverse selection" Bishop concentrates on the market failure likely to be experienced by insurance companies selling insurance to, e.g., "55-year-old male smokers" while the Dictionary of Economics zeroes in on what it calls "the lemon problem." In both cases the problem is that one side of the transaction has an advantage that results in an adverse selection for the other side. In the former case, the insurance company that sells insurance to someone who is in poor health is at a disadvantage; and in the latter case the buyer of the poorly-made or maintained car is at a disadvantage.

In another example, the "prisoner's dilemma" of game theory is explained and related to the problem experienced by oligopoly (that of setting prices) in perhaps two hundred words. In the Dictionary of Economics twice as many words are used and a table is included. How to choose between the two explanations? The answer is the same for choosing between the two books: simply how technical do you want your explanations, and how readable?

Clearly this is the handier book. The type is a little larger. It takes up less space, and it does not cover the more esoteric ideas of economics that the non-specialists may profitably skip over. Furthermore, this quality paperback book has built-in front and end flaps that work as book marks for keeping your place. Cross references are in capital letters, which I think is the most straightforward way of pointing to them.

Bottom line: handy, accessible and just right for those of us who have degrees in something other than economics.

Fr. Sullivan's approach is not one of dogmatic polemic. Instead, he is candid about where the case for apostolic succession in the Roman Catholic church is weak. At the same time, he is clear at where the case is quite strong. His homework and scholarly detail is meticulous and challenging. Yet, despite the depth of study, Fr. Sullivan's text is immensely approachable and entertaining. This is the source for thinking through this important topic and no library of ecclesiology (Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox) is complete without this concise but thorough study of apostolic succession.

Because I am a Lutheran clergyman, it is predictable that I disagree with Father Sullivan about what it means for the "one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church" to be both catholic and apostolic. Therefore, I disagree with Father Sullivan regarding his conclusions about the nature of the episcopacy and the validity of the Eucharist outside of Roman Catholic communities.

Nevertheless, Father Sullivan's research is scrupulously honest, even when honesty demands that he disagree with popular Catholic beliefs. He presents his opponents' arguments gently and with great kindness. His arguments and conclusions are reasonable. Perhaps most importantly, his discussion is intellectually and spiritually stimulating.

Whether you agree or disagree with the Roman Catholic position on these issues, read Father Sullivan's work. You will struggle with its rich content. You will grow because of that struggle.

Sullivan is a fine writer, unlike most theologians. That's one good point. The other is that Sulllivan tackles the notion that early christianity was a jumble of ideas, not a single strand. It's not possible to believe, as some thologians have argued, that early christianity was riven by gnostic and other ideas. Not after reading Sullivan's close examination of early church growth and beliefs. Sullivan's chapters on Paul's letters alone should refute shuch ideas, his close detailing of the pastoral care Paul gave to each church. This book needs to be widely read.

I picked up this book expecting not to like it, and actually started to heavily enjoy it from the start. Sullivan looks very closely and critically at the writings of the New Testament, and the church fathers of the late-first through the mid-third century , attempting to discover the development of the Church as an organization. Sometimes I could not believe the words I was reading are written by a Roman Catholic. Sullivan is not affraid to say the rhetoric of many Roman Catholic scholars that one often hears is wrong... though he ultimately agrees with the final conclusions of the Roman Catholic Church.

One will find Sullivan's scholarhip and conclusions to be extremely tight, and difficult to argue with. Though, he essentially says some of his conclusions can only be accepted by faith... that is: the post New Testament development of the Church in the second and third centuries to have been divinely guided by the Spirit.

He tries to prove this saying, "We have just as good reason for believing that the Spirit guided the church in recognizing its bishops as successors of the apostles and authoritative teachers of the faith as we have for believing that the Spirit guided it in discerning the books that comprise the New Testament." (p. 230) A powerful argument, but ultimately, only one that can be accepted by faith. Many scholars would say the books that make up New Testament canon were well accepted by consensus of the faithful at large well before the bishops decided it in formal councils.

Ultimately though, I personally believe the fundamental flaw which the author makes is the assumption that the apostolic office faded out of existance after the intial apostles and their apostolic co-workers died. Many Pentecostals/Charismatics (such as myself) would strongly disagree with Sullivan, and would say that the New Testament points to a continuation of the apostolic office (Ephesians 4:11-13) well beyond that of the first century (Many would say it continues to exist today). If apostles would continue to exist, then, one cannot properly say that bishops replaced the apostles and their co-workers. I would be highly interested to see what Sullivan would think of this point of contention... one that he is probably aware of.

Overall, this book will probably become a classic in the study of Ecclesiology... and rightfully so.

My dad has worked closely with Mike Waldholtz in revealing the dynamics of genetic research as it moves from a descriptive science into an actual tool in medicine. Like many other journalists his age, Jerry is retired, and spends many hours plying his grandchildren with gold coins.

Several years back, I received the initial edition of Genome as a gift. And what a gift it was! I've read it cover to cover many times, and it has sparked in this lay reader a sincere interest in genetic research. It conveyed the excitement of discovery in an understandable and readable way.

Then I started looking for additional books that survey the status of genetics research in the same way Genome did. I always wished that another, updated version of Genome would come along. Lo and behold, one did!

And now for the disappointing news. The "updated version" doesn't deliver. One short epilogue chapter is added to cover all of the happenings in the field in the past 10 years! Even the pictures are poor in quality, implying to me a rush to press on the part of the publisher. What happened with the experiemental treatments for DMD? What's new on the race to uncover the secrets of cancer? How goes the battle for our ethics to catch up with the science? No answers to be found here that date from any time after early 1990.

All this said, the material is still exciting to read, and I would recommend it to someone testing the waters in genetic research. But for those who's interest was sparked by the original Genome, this update isn't worth the money.

Excellent survey of 2 decades of progress in genetics, 1970-1990. The updated part of the book is a 15 page Epilogue, hardly doing justice to the past explosive decade. Authors put great conflict and human interest into their stories, e.g., the couple, each carrying the recessive gene for cystic fibrosis, had each given it to both of two daughters before they realized they were playing genetic casino. They "realized their gamble only after they've already lost the bet." The questions of whether to offer a new gene test for a serious malady when no treatment was available were especially troubling to the researchers.

Authors present a scary picture for the future role of medicine and physicians. Doctors will have to order genetic profiles to avoid malpractice. In pharmacogenetics, drug companies will take one's blood to develop personalized medicine to avoid side effects. The profile will allow them to peek into your health, your personality, your IQ potential and physical skills. With that genetic profile they can, with their pals the insurance companies, become tyrannical Big Brothers.

Authors try to raise red flags about future genetic discrimination. They don't seem to realize how much of current discrimination is already based on genetics. Society has been coping with discrimination for centuries. They mention the probable arising of a biological underclass (perhaps like the caste of untouchables in India?) and see that a genetic profile could become a scarlet letter following one throughout one's life. Employers would get the data and make a group unemployable. But aren't there already laws protecting the handicapped? In the near future most everyone will be seen with defective genes and partially handicapped.

Perhaps, however, Author's concern about a hereditary meritocracy is just genetic hocus-pocus. One's current illusions of choice and one's ignorance of the current genetic basis to behavior are likely to continue. The realization that one typo in the replication of a gene can cause a defect or disease is not likely to change one's current illusions of self control. The vast number of 3 billion interrelated nucleotides will more than likely always keep both science and lay people amazed at the complexity of human life.

A difficult but very important book! As a non-scientist, I had to go slowly and carefully through the chapters, remembering the key technical words. But it is more than worth the trouble. This is our future and we must think about not only the medical promise involved, but the cultural implications it brings. By all means read it!

While this a perfectly enjoyable guide to Lake Superior region, I find it lacking in some respects so as not to quite merit the "ultimate."

First, the descriptions lack the amount of detailed information that I would expect. At times it reads more like tourist promotion than a serious guidebook.

The biggest problem though was the decision to list the attractions alphabetically rather than in geographical sequence. Since it is likely someone traveling will want to read about the places as he/she comes to them, it is really inconvenient to jump around the book. If I want to read about say, the Upper Peninsula, I have to jump around the book. Each entry does have a "what's next" - but that is really not adequate.

This also means there is no continuity or flow between listings. If you want to look up a specific place - well, that is why books have an index.

The book has very good maps, but because of the order of listings, a particular map will not be near all the towns that are on it.

I have never seen this arrangement before, and I am not sure why the editors chose to do it. In my opinion, it significantly reduces the utility of this book.

This book is wonderfully done and is a great source when visiting the Lake Superior region. I would highly recommend it.

This is a great reference book for the US and Canadian venture around Superior.
However, I was billed three dollars more than the printed price on the book cover!

Lake Superior: The Ultimate Guide To The Region by Hugh Bishop is a definitive 320-page guide and travel map especially for Lake Superior tourists and travelers. Cities, small towns and regions are listed in alphabetical order, each with black-and-white photographs and road maps, information on where to stay, where to taste the local flavor, and other attractions. The text offers short descriptions of each town and suggestions concerning where to go and what to do to experience local treasures to the fullest. A broad-reaching guide packed with information, and a guarantee that the Lake Superior traveler will never run out of things to do.

Maggie Bishop doesn't horse around with the plot in Murder at Blue Falls. Suspicion, greed, and murder are galvanized with plenty of red herrings and adventures on horseback. This book takes you to Bishop Country, where the hooves meet the crooks. I enjoyed it very much and want the next one. As an ECU alum myself, I'm proud of her achievements.Highly recommended.

I read this book after reading "Appalachian Paradise" and "Emeralds in the Snow." "Murder at blue Falls" is the best of the three; it is clear that Ms. Bishop is growing rapidly as a writer. One reason I liked this book better than the previous two, is that it is heavy on the mystery and easy on the romance; romance is not my favorite genre.

I enjoyed reading about the trail rides and found myself wishing I could tag along. The horse and farrier information is well researched and instructive. Descriptions of flora and fauna are accurate providing a vivid backdrop for the story.

The characters and their actions are believable. I enjoyed the character Jemma's CSI efforts; she is delightfully refreshing and rather untraditional.

The story moves along quickly with some clues but the soultion is not obvious nor is it contrived.

This the third book I've read by Maggie Bishop. While I've enjoyed them all, I can see in this work the blossoming and maturing of this splendid writer. The story is a page turner which pulls the reader around an unexpected bend, seamlessly intergrating new events by building on the foundation she has laid before. She arouses reasonable suspicion of a number of suspects before allowing the true killer to reveal himself in the last pages of the book. I always am struck with the accuracy of Bishop's depiction of the territory in which her characters operate. I ride horses in the Appalachians myself, though on the Tennessee side, and as I read this book I feel myself back in the saddle negotiating the dangerous terrains of the mountains. The characters are interesting, even the poriferal characters. The heroine is strong and capable, yet quite feminine, and the hero is strong enough to appreciate her strengths and sensitive enough to accept her flaws. It is interesting how she has woven the lives of real people, and real writers, into her fictional tale. It is always an education reading books by Maggie Bishop. She gives little details about life in Appalachia that one would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. My only regret in reading Murder at Blue Falls is that it ended too soon. Perhaps there's a sequel in this one?

Jemma Chase works as a trail leader on her parents' ranch, the Blue Falls, where she is also an accomplished photographer, carpenter and fixer-upper. Jemma has returned home in an effort to find some stability in her life, but things become tumultuous when someone begins poisoning dogs in Watauga County. Jemma is called in for an interview with Detective Tucker and bristles at his subtly accusing manner. A forensics fan, Jemma sets out to try to solve the riddle herself and keep Detective Tucker at bay. But when she stumbles upon the dead body of a neighbor, Jemma finds herself involved in a much more serious investigation and at odds with Tucker once again.

An established must-read romance author, Maggie Bishop has crossed into the mystery genre with finesse. Her latest novel is packed with suspense around a tightly-woven plot which begins with the poisoning of dogs and escalates to the murder of a local man. Throughout, she deliciously teases the reader with the bristly attraction between the investigating detective and the woman who found the man's body and who just might be a suspect. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Boone, North Carolina, with engaging characters, red herrings at every turn, and a galvanizing story line, this is a must-have, must-read. Highly recommended.

It is the essential guide to modern Catholic funeral rites with big enough type to read in any situation. It is what it says it is.

it fills the need as expected; it is less thick compared to previous editions; the prayer for rituals over cremains gives proper context.

I am very happy with the book and the purchase price is what made me order it from Amazon.

I ordered the book in the first place because I needed it, but I didn't want to pay full price for it. So I was happy to get it at the right price through Amazon. I am very happy now that I have the book. The book is in perfect condition. I was surprised when I got the book and it was the updated version with everything I needed. Thank you.