Bloom Books

Brini is a domestic Guru! I wanted to entertain for hours after
reading this delightful how to. Style and Grace and over all happiness comes from learning to enjoy life like Brini can! A must read for any fledgling
Domestic Demi- Goddess. Why didn't I think of that?

I think the most wonderful thing about Brini Maxwell isn't the admittedly brilliant skewing of the whole "domestic goddess" ethos by having a male actor (the super-talented Ben Sander) portray her, but that she actually connects to more people than most of the people putting out books today. Martha, Sandra, and the rest are great if you have a place with extra bedrooms, a seven figure income and scores of assistants willing to weave you place settings or 3000 thread count sheets. Brini will show you how to eke out storage space in a cramped apartment, or spur you on to create a party in a galley kitchen using an electric skillet and a blender. The most subversive thing about Brini is how much useful information she gives while turning the whole home-show thing on it's ear.

If the people at the revamped Oxygen network have a brain, they'll sign this ultimate domestic diva up for a show for people like us who live in apartments, but aspire to some chic on the (I hate to type it) cheap! Because Brini's the gal for that!

This book is full of how-to projects that will keep you busy. Everything from entertaining, to recipes, to organization, this book has it all.

This book was really inexpensive and cute....Can't wait to try some of the projects...

It's nice to have this book, though it's not as engaging as the show. In this book, Brini tells how to pack for a trip, how to entertain, how to organize a living space -- it's very nice, but no substitute for her show.

This is an interesting book with an interesting premise. It's worth it just to look at the pictures alone, but the peoples' stories are very moving.

As you are reading the book you will find yourself going back to see the connections these people have with one anohter. Not only a great photo book but the stories are a good read.

Moving and fascinating; read it straight through. The authors have enough sense to get out of the way and let the people speak for themselves. The brief narratives are often better than the photos. One man talked about his baby daughter who died six days after being born and said, "I took her outside so she could feel the breeze and hear the birds and listen to the sound of other children playing," which is one of the most moving things I have ever read. Most books are like some other book, but this one is unique. One of the best things you will ever read. Sad to see what 20 years does to us all, but uplifting in many ways.

I read about the Oxford project in the New York Times a few years ago. I was excited to see the book in publication. It is a fascinating look inside an American town and I felt like a bit of a peeping tom. It makes me wonder about people I knew 20 years ago and lost touch with. I've shared this book with several friends who have loved it as much as I have.

This is a "must-read" book for anyone who enjoys oral history.

As someone who enjoys people and looking at how people impact history and how history impacts people - I've found a guidebook. Believing that a social history is more important than a polo tical or economic one (because social history is a product of both) and the subjects of the book being middle Americans, I have found been faced with the changes in society, the ones that seemed to just happen overnight, were indeed a progression.
The photography is wonderful. Black and White has never captured so much color. The death of downtown, the death of the proud American, the demographic change and stagnation are just several of the things captured in picture and in interview. This book is worth every penny I paid for it and a must for anyone who wants to learn more about themselves through the eyes of others.

This work is thorough, but at the same time simple and concise. It is essentially a collection of documents that relate to important events in Chinese history with short background sections introducing most works and longer introductions when a new period of history is covered. I believe that this is currently the most complete single volume on the market as it runs from the early 1600's all the way up to 1989, covering the Qing Dynasty, its collapse, the Nationalist Revolution and later the Communist Revolution, up through the ideas behind the Tienanmen Square demonstrations and the modern reevaluation of Confucianism. If you only want one volume on modern Chinese history that focuses on the sources, I think this is probably the one to have.

This book gets the majority of its bulk from direct translations of actual Chinese texts, and as such it is an indespensible tool for any student interested in Chinese religions and philosohpies. There is very little input on the part of the editors and I, personally, was very thankful this. It can be dreadfully difficult trying to find sources that aren't mired in thousands of pages of theory and speculation, and sometimes a person just needs the root text! An awesome book.

I'll make this short...For anyone interested in Chinese history, literature, or culture, this volume is an absolutely essential collection of primary sources, and includes prefaces and explanations by China scholars. There is no one better than de Bary, and this new edition includes everything from the 1960 edition up through the Jiang Zemin era.

This book is a collection of readings dealing with ancient Chinese history, especially focusing on philosophy and religion. The readings are organized into chapters related to various stages in Chinese history. Early chapters cover antiquity, Confucius, Mo Tzu, and Taoism. Then comes Confucian tradition, the Legalists, the Imperial Order, the Universal Order, and the Economic Order. This is followed by the Great Han Historians, Neo-Taoism, and Buddhism. This volume is rounded out with the Confucian revival and neo-Confucianism. Each chapter begins with a short introduction essay that introduces the context and events of the time and goes to a selection of original texts on the topic at hand. At the beginning of the book is a chronological table of Chinese history from 2852 BC to 1849 AD that highlights various events in Chinese political philosophy.

This book is a great resource for the serious student of Chinese philosophy and culture. The essays and readings provide a unique window into Chinese thought. The authors assume that the reader will have a basic familiarity with the overall picture of Chinese history, and provide many details and insights into why history took the course that it did. I found the reading selections, drawn from such documents as the Analects of Confucius or historical documents like Ma tuan-Lin's Introduction to the Survey on the Land Tax, particularly illuminating. To find so many documents such as these presented in English, together with essays that explain their context and importance, is invaluable for the serious Asian studies scholar.

This book is excellent for anyone wanting to read primary source information. It is a great help for any college student or proffessor interested in the Chinese Culture. I highly recommend this to any one who is interested in Chinese history.

More humor from the mind of Berke Breathed. If you love Bloom County, this is good one to add to your collection, although some of it is repeated elsewhere.

Breathed is a great cartoonist in general, but his political satire is without equal. For those of us coming of age politically in the mid to late 1980s, this book will provide a constant source of laughs, from disgraced televangelists to football strikes to (my all time favorite) alien dogs that look and act surprisingly like Oliver North. Don't miss!

This collection does a marvellous job of walking the fine line between the hilariously funny and the absurdly silly. Some of the other Bloom County collections fall off of that line and land in the absurdly silly zone; for the most part, this one avoids that flaw. A must for any fan of the collection, and a good place to start for someone who isn't familiar with it. Of course, anyone too young to remember the '80s may miss some of the then-topical political references (a murderous alien that looks like a cute, telegenic puppy testifying before congress a la Ollie North, for instance) but for the most part, even if the reference is unfamiliar to the reader, the humor is only reduced, not lost entirely.

Berke Breathed was one of those rare political cartoonists whose political insight was the same weight as his humor. "Bloom County" was his greatest vehicle. Some other cartoons have great political scope but just don't make you laugh out loud--"Doonesbury" and "Mallard Fillmore", particularly. While others fake political insight, but are very humorous. "Tales Too Ticklish to Tell: Bloom County" is as good as any of the other Bloom County anthologies, but it's the inclusion of a Bloom Picayune that makes this an extra treat, and serves as a reminder that this strip was special for its time. Boy, do I miss it.

Bloom County was and still is one of my favorite strip comics ever. It was often topical, referring to presidents, sitcoms, and other Americana of its day. Such subjects, when they appear, give this comic a dated look, almost like watching the Marx Brothers.

Most of the strips, however, are timeless. Opus' personality is as sweet and doofy as ever. Oliver Wendell Jones still gets in trouble, the kind no one has the heart to punish him for. Steve Dallas is still a jerk, the kind of jerk that I still find today. All the rest are still there, too, as good as they ever were.

It's a funny mix, news from the 80s mixed with topics that work today, and it's still a funny strip. If, someohow, you missed the original run of Bloom County in the daily funnies, you'll find that it's never too late to catch up. Enjoy!

//wiredweird

I enjoyed When The Roses Bloom. It's an easy read and one that's sure to lift your spirits and lets you believe in the innate goodness of people. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

This book is just wonderful. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down. The book just ended way to soon.

I,Barb, read the book cover to cover in one day. Only had to stop occasionaly when tears blurred my vision. The story was both sweet and sad but easy to read and had a happy ending. Looking forward to Alfred's next book.

I liked the book very much and am looking forward to the next one. Good job!

You should make this into a movie! What a great story that keeps you captivated and you really feel like you have a personal relationship with the characters.

Delighted to receive it -
Delighted to skim through it -
and now I'm searching through my stash for
the appropriate fabrics so I can get right to
the making of the cover project
as a pillow but will use the pinks/greens/
whites combination of the suggested wall hanging.
The directions are clear, the aids seem precise,
and the projects are very inspiring.

Susan Taylor Propst's BEAUTIFUL BLOOMS: QUILTS AND CUSHIONS TO APPLIQUE tells how to create a range of flowers in lovely artful quilts. Ten wall quilts with ten coordinating round and square cushions use a range of hand applique, provide patterns, and offer tips for color matching in a lovely pairing of quilts and cushions to applique. Gardeners who love quilts will find these projects appealing.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I love the flowers in this book. This will be my third applique quilt. It may look intimidating, but the author has included great illustrations and instructions. If you have done applique before, it will be easy. If this is your first, then jump right in and have fun. These flowers are really beautiful!!!

This is definitely the book for me. I DON'T have a green thumb but I do appliqué. I wish I had found this book last fall rather than now going into summer but the book will still be there come fall. Appliqué is something I love to do in front of the fireplace on a cool/cold night.

The first 25 pages are all about appliqué hot-to's and quilting basics along with choosing colors and fabrics. It is a chapter that very thoroughly covers all these points.

Then there are 10 different flowers to "grow" under your needle. Pillows and wall hangings make up the 10 patterns. While no quilts are shown, there is no reason you couldn't turn the patterns into quilts.

Each project begins with a paragraph about the flower and the finished size of the project. A materials and cutting list follow this. Simple construction directions are given with finishing suggestions. All templates are included. The more complex patterns come with color keys as well.

Grab some scrap fabric (this book will give you a way to use up those scraps you just can't part with), some template plastic, your ruler and cutting mat and this book. When you are done, you will have a "green thumb" to show for it!

This is a wonderful resource book for the seasoned quilter. It is not for a beginner, but if you have been appliqueing quilts before, this book will make you smile.

Even kids too young to read the simple text will delight in reading Bloom's eloquent facial expressions and body language -- especially the tantrum this piggie throws after being abandoned by a flighty love. Adults will identify with Bloom's experience: the devoted suitor in the mud puddle comes to mean more than the flashier yet fickle fellow who initially catches Bloom's eye. This life-lesson is deftly delivered by van Lieshout's nimble pen and her sparing use of color washes to express the extremes of Bloom's passions. BLOOM is a pithy operetta in picture-book form. BRAVO! I hope this little diva returns for an encore!

Love lends itself to the picture book format with remarkably variegated results. Sometimes you get a straight love story like Sara Pennypacker's Pierre In Love. Sometimes you've something a little sadder, if more honest, like Russell Hoban's, The Marzipan Pig. And sometimes you've a title that is oddly sweet like Maria Van Lieshout's, "Bloom". A story of both infatuation and love, Van Lieshout presents a short, infinitely adorable book that packs a wallop with apparent ease.

Though she is urged to play in a puddle, the soft pink piglet Bloom decides to go off and do her own thing one day. And since she loves flowers so much, down she lies beneath a canopy of lovely petals. To her amazement, a butterfly or "flying flower" swoops by and it's love at first sight. Bloom is immediately entranced, but despite her protestations of adoration the flying flower leaves her. When her friend sees her upset by her sudden abandonment he brings her the loveliest flower he can find and then leads her to a puddle where he has scattered the blooms all about. Charmed, Bloom agrees to play in that puddle, not even noticing the fickle butterfly swooping not far above.

The book isn't judgmental, which is interesting. Bloom falls for a butterfly, but there isn't a kind of "stick to your own kind" of message to be had here. In fact, we're never entirely certain that the butterfly itself wasn't leading Bloom on. I mean, when she sees it for the first time the text reads, "They looked into each other's eyes for a long time." But the minute Bloom brings up the L-word, that butterfly is out of there faster n' lightning. It doesn't have a face or appear as anything but your standard wings and antennae, but I label this flying flower a fly by night lover if ever there was one.

On the back cover of this book it says that Ms. Van Lieshout is originally from Holland and has since settled in San Francisco. I wouldn't have pegged her style as particularly Dutch, but when I found out where she was originally from it seemed natural. This book is all thin black lines and understated swoops of the pen. Van Lieshout then combines pen-and-inks, watercolors, and crayons at strategic points. The result is sometimes very spare and often quite striking. Emotions tend to be indicated by either a slight reddening in a character's face or, in moment of extreme emotion, the entire page will match what someone is feeling. When Bloom blushes it sometimes causes a whole sea of red to erupt around her. The blue butterfly she falls in love with is the only color in this book that isn't red-based, and I was particularly fond of the moment when it disappears above. As Bloom stands, four feet apart, nose pointed up in the air, only the smallest dot of blue is visible in a clear white sky above. And when she screams on the next page, a crayon cloud of anger and frustration emerges from her, reminding the reader of the pigeon's temper tantrum in Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!. This is a little book too, coming in at a mere 7" X 7". Smart move, since I don't think a large format could have supported the artist's spare style.

"Bloom" is in serious danger of coming across as an adult title in picture book form. Falling in love and then finding that the object of your affection doesn't love you back? Everyone gets that, though the romantic aspects are definitely post-pubescent. But I think "Bloom" leaves the door open enough to introduce other aspects of love. Kids who adore cats that don't love them back, for example. An editor once wondered whether or not kids would even dig a book about romantic love. But even if readers don't extrapolate this into other types of adoration, I could still see a serious audience for it. I was one of those kids obsessed with the notion of romantic love. I'd watch shows like Sesame Street with an eye on certain characters, hoping they'd hook up (and back then, they did). So yes. Love is very much a picture book friendly concept. Not everyone is gonna dig it, but not everyone digs train or dinosaur stories either and those tend to do pretty well.

When reviewers use the term "nice" it's widely considered to be backhanded praise. "Nice" suggests that the book in question is fine but not particularly literary. I would make an exception in the case of "Bloom", which I happened to find beautifully drawn, finely honed, and nice. Nice and sweet, this is best described as a gentle little sigh of a book. Worth reading.

Bloom is one of my new favorites!
I fell instantly in love with Bloom's character. She is someone we can all relate to, as each of us has fallen in love with something in our lives. Children have fallen in love with moments in time, or pets, or their favorite snack and adults with all of the above and more!
Maria has done such a lovely job with her lite drawing lines and splotches of color. The design by Molly Leach compliments everything Maria has created. There is such life and animation in little Bloom. I want to know what she does next..... Will she find a bigger flower to love?
I am sure we can all relate to her young feelings of love. I know both children and adults will fall in love with Bloom. I did.... and I am not quite as fickle as Bloom.

What fun. A delightful book about friendship and love. A perfect present for kids or adults any time of year, especially Valentines Day.
The wonderful illustrations capture Bloom's changing emotions with whimsy and heart. Infatuation, love, frustration, anger. And a satisfying ending the reader can really sink into.

Bloom! is one of those rare children's books that works on so many levels that adults are bound to love it, too. Maria van Lieshout has created an adorable and enduring character in Bloom, the little pig who doesn't see love when it is right in front of her snout.
Children will love this book for the simple, elegant art work and will identify with the raw emotions the main character experiences when she wants something just out of her reach. Adults will love it for the universal nature of its theme (after all, do we ever stop looking for love in all the wrong places?) and its perfect resolution of this porcine romance.
Bloom is a perfect gift for the child you love or the love of your life.
(And a clever alternative to chocolates on Valentine's Day.)
It's dangerous to predict what book will become a classic, but this just might be one!

I have been on the Buddhist path for more than a year now, with many breaks in my journey! For some reason this book struck a nerve, clicked for me. Really just a collection of stories or examples of Bhuddhist compassion, many of them have rung true for me, really opened an understanding for me in ways some other books have not. Were those other books required to lay the groundwork for my understanding? Perhaps. This may be a wonderful SECOND book on Buddhism. Find a general introduction to buddhism or two... then get this one. It has been said the goal of Buddhism is to awaken... and the goal of awakening is compassion. This book helped me to understand the power of that. I don't know for sure if this book will have the impact on you that it did on me. I can say that at a minimum you will enjoy the book and find many of the stories enlightening and interesting. A very quick read if you do not stop and let it sink in. Much longer read with some self reflection.

Rinpoche is defined in the glossary of this beautiful anthology as "Literally 'most precious one,' a form of address used in Tibetan Buddhism for ...respected teachers." Buddhist Acts of Compassion is truly a precious teacher. Pamela Bloom states in the introduction that "the greatest merit a book like this can achieve is to inspire you to delve more deeply into the traditional teachings." With just a rudimentary knowledge of Buddhism, I found myself touched again and again by the deeply personal stories related by masters and students alike of their journeys to the real meaning of compassion and the often severe tests of their desire to relieve the suffering of all sentient beings. The individual stories are short and quotes from the great Buddhist teachers are interspersed throughout. Even the design of this small book is beautiful.

There are many lessons offered in this anthology. One of the most powerful is that the practice of Buddhism is to be compassionate in your very nature. Several of the stories are written by the rinpoches who have spent many years imprisoned by the occupying armies in Tibet. As I read of their ability to overcome the extreme physical and mental torture by practicing tonglen (breathing in the suffering of others, breathing out compassion and light) I was in awe of their complete dedication to uncompromisingly relieving the suffering all sentient beings, even that of their tormentors. It was in this small book that I first read of the concept that anger and compassion were not mutually exclusive. However, according to the Buddhist definition of karma, anger often leads to non-virtuous acts creating negative karma but compassion is a state of great merit creating positive karma. The philosophy of non-judgmental acceptance of all beings as being always kind led one writer to muse when meeting one of the Dalai Lama's tutors that "His magnanimity offended the part of my mind that wanted him to value me specially."

Buddhist Acts of Compassion has over fifty short stories interspersed with quotations, a guide to Metta meditation, a guide to Tonglen meditation, a brief glossary, and a brief biography of each of the individual contributors. The stories can be read in order front to back or the book can be flipped open to see what message the Universe may have today. This is a book that can be read again and again and the message will be different each time. The daguerreotype style photo of a monks beautiful hand holding a mala, the ivory paper and the clean, delicate type all add to the tangible pleasure of experiencing this book. Pamela Bloom has indeed inspired me to learn more about the traditions of Buddhism.

Buddhist Acts of Compassion is the latest book from Pamela Bloom, an award-winning writer, journalist, minister, and spiritual counselor. In it, she has collected inspiring stories from such luminaries as Pema Chodron, the Dalai Lama, and Thich Nhat Hanh, as well as from numerous others involved in spiritual growth.

Bloom says that "compassion is universal," and not a religious practice, but adds that "for most people, however, the development of compassion must necessarily start small, and the various Buddhist traditions have a richness of methods to cultivate loving-kindness in even the most intransigent of beings."

The stories she has included all serve to illustrate how compassion can change lives, including those of jailers engaging in torture, thieves, and ordinary people facing the stresses of daily life.

Bloom includes directions for two special meditation practices. The first is "Metta," or loving-kindness, which focuses on becoming calm, centered, and connected. The second is a powerful practice named "Tonglen," in which meditators "breathe in" the sufferings of others, and "breathe out" healing and love. Both are extremely effective in developing compassion.

Buddhist Acts of Compassion is small enough to fit into a purse or briefcase, so that it may be easily carried. Each story stands alone, allowing readers to open it to any page and find inspiration. Bloom's desire is that her book provide "a boat, a bridge, a passage . . . for those seeking to relieve suffering and develop the ultimate source of healing within." Readers will find that she has provided the understanding they need in order to begin practicing their own acts of compassion.

   Rinpoche is defined in the glossary of this beautiful anthology as "Literally ‘most precious one,’ a form of address used in Tibetan Buddhism for…respected teachers." Buddhist Acts of Compassion is truly a precious teacher. Pamela Bloom states in the introduction that "the greatest merit a book like this can achieve is to inspire you to delve more deeply into the traditional teachings."

With just a rudimentary knowledge of Buddhism, I found myself touched again and again by the deeply personal stories related by masters and students alike of their journeys to the real meaning of compassion and the often severe tests of their desire to relieve the suffering of all sentient beings. The individual stories are short, and quotes from the great Buddhist teachers are interspersed throughout. Even the design of this small book is beautiful.

There are many lessons offered in this anthology. One of the most powerful is that the practice of Buddhism is to be compassionate in your very nature. Several of the stories are written by the rinpoches, who have spent many years imprisoned by the occupying armies in Tibet. As I read of their ability to overcome the extreme physical and mental torture by practicing Tonglen (breathing in the suffering of others, breathing out compassion and light), I was in awe of their complete dedication to uncompromisingly relieving the suffering of all sentient beings—even that of their tormentors.

It was in this small book that I first read of the concept that anger and compassion were not mutually exclusive. However, according to the Buddhist definition of karma, anger often leads to non-virtuous acts, creating negative karma, but compassion is a state of great merit, creating positive karma. The philosophy of nonjudgmental acceptance of all beings and always being kind led one writer to muse when meeting one of the Dalai Lama’s tutors that "His magnanimity offended the part of my mind that wanted him to value me specially."

Buddhist Acts of Compassion has over 50 short stories interspersed with quotations, a guide to Metta meditation, a guide to Tonglen meditation, a brief glossary, and a brief biography of each of the individual contributors. The stories can be read in order from front to back, or the book can be flipped open to see what message the Universe may have today. This is a book that can be read again and again, and the message will be different each time. The daguerreotype photo of a monk’s beautiful hand holding a mala, the ivory paper, and the clean, delicate type all add to the tangible pleasure of experiencing this book. Pamela Bloom has indeed inspired me to learn more about the traditions of Buddhism. --By Kathryn Lanier. Buddhist Acts of Compassion  Pamela Bloom (Editor)  Foreword by Joan Halifax Conari Press, Berkeley, CA, 2000 ISBN: 1573245232

   Rinpoche is defined in the glossary of this beautiful anthology as "Literally ‘most precious one,’ a form of address used in Tibetan Buddhism for…respected teachers." Buddhist Acts of Compassion is truly a precious teacher. Pamela Bloom states in the introduction that "the greatest merit a book like this can achieve is to inspire you to delve more deeply into the traditional teachings."

With just a rudimentary knowledge of Buddhism, I found myself touched again and again by the deeply personal stories related by masters and students alike of their journeys to the real meaning of compassion and the often severe tests of their desire to relieve the suffering of all sentient beings. The individual stories are short, and quotes from the great Buddhist teachers are interspersed throughout. Even the design of this small book is beautiful.

There are many lessons offered in this anthology. One of the most powerful is that the practice of Buddhism is to be compassionate in your very nature. Several of the stories are written by the rinpoches, who have spent many years imprisoned by the occupying armies in Tibet. As I read of their ability to overcome the extreme physical and mental torture by practicing Tonglen (breathing in the suffering of others, breathing out compassion and light), I was in awe of their complete dedication to uncompromisingly relieving the suffering of all sentient beings—even that of their tormentors.

It was in this small book that I first read of the concept that anger and compassion were not mutually exclusive. However, according to the Buddhist definition of karma, anger often leads to non-virtuous acts, creating negative karma, but compassion is a state of great merit, creating positive karma. The philosophy of nonjudgmental acceptance of all beings and always being kind led one writer to muse when meeting one of the Dalai Lama’s tutors that "His magnanimity offended the part of my mind that wanted him to value me specially."

Buddhist Acts of Compassion has over 50 short stories interspersed with quotations, a guide to Metta meditation, a guide to Tonglen meditation, a brief glossary, and a brief biography of each of the individual contributors. The stories can be read in order from front to back, or the book can be flipped open to see what message the Universe may have today. This is a book that can be read again and again, and the message will be different each time. The daguerreotype photo of a monk’s beautiful hand holding a mala, the ivory paper, and the clean, delicate type all add to the tangible pleasure of experiencing this book. Pamela Bloom has indeed inspired me to learn more about the traditions of Buddhism. --By Kathryn Lanier, a freelance writer published in several national publications. In addition to conducting internet-based Wisdom Circles, I design and teach workshops on The Art of Forgiveness, The Art of Simplicity, and The Healing of Your Heart. MilleniumWisdom@aol.com.

Ms. Bloom has collected, edited, and offered us a wonderful book of short stories and quotes to be read and savored at any time.It's a book I could pick up one day, read a page or two before starting work, then read again a week later if I chose to. What I found so fascinating was that although the title contains the idea of Buddhism, it need not have contained it at all. These acts of compassion are a true celebration of our humaness and as Ms Bloom quotes from the Dalai Lama, "My religion is kindness." This book is an act of kindness that had a positive effect on me. It allows one to open just a little more to the possibilities I can engage in during everyday life. This book makes a wonderful gift for others regardless of background. It is a book to be read at the beginning, the middle, and during,the continued unfolding in anyone's practice. It's one of those books that encourages endless levels of inspiration and discovery as we deepen and manifest our own acts of compassion. I highly recommend it.

The story of a young seed looking and looking for the right place in which it can bloom and grow...

Vibrantly beautiful illustrations that truly bring to life each diverse stage of the seed's journey...

An engagingly stylized presentation of the story's text that draws readers into the illustrations, and along in the seed's journey...

This book is not only a wonderous and reassuring tale for youngsters growing up into our world (that there is a place for everyone, if each is only patient and faithful enough to find it), but for parents of those youngsters hoping to nurture their growth, teachers, etc. It's also easy enough for most young elementary schoolers to read, while engaging enough in both look and story that makes its reading far more fun than most.

I LOVE this book!!!! The message is inspirational and entertaining and perfect for young children, but also for any of us (young and old) who are trying to connect with the world around us. I plan on buying copies to give as gifts - baby showers, birthdays, but also for graduation and other "life occassions." What a great book!

Stephanie Bloom has created a child's masterpiece. This book will delight children and adults alike. While young minds will enjoy the simple story and magnificent drawings; adults will read "deeper" and find the hidden messages.

A Brilliant story with amazing artwork. A Place to grow will enlighten children of all ages.

I got this book when it first came out and it blew me away. The message and the illustration is perfect. Both my kids (ages 11 and 8) are in love with it. I took my copy to my sons third grade teacher...*giggling*...couldn't get it back from her for almost a month, she loved it so much. I purchased a copy for her as a gift and she plans on using it in her classroom teaching and sharing it with the other teachers from the school. Can't wait to see what Stephanie Bloom comes up with next.

I was sent this book by a friend and absolutely love it! The story is so sweet, the illustrations are stunning, and the message is meaningful for young and old alike. The anology of a seed looking for its home is something that we can apply to so many journeys in life. My two little boys LOVE the book and refer to it as their "favorite!" The illustrations are so vivid, magical, and emotional. A perfect gift for expectant parents, new babies, children, or even high school graduates. Also, a great book for school teachers who might want to teach a springtime lesson and have the kids plant their own little seeds. Superb!

Far Hills has joined the list of my all time favorite books. If you're looking for romance, spirituality, adventure, and suspense, this is the novel for you. With well-crafted characters that stay with you long after reading the final word on the last page, and an uplifting testimony to God's grace, mercy, and love, Ms. Noble has written a moving and gripping story, one that I will read again and again.

I first read Diane Noble's writing when I read Promise Me the Dawn under the name of Amanda MacLean. Ms. Noble is an excellent author. She does an excellent job of finding new areas to write Christian Fiction about. I enjoyed this book's characters and their search for the love that God has for them. This book has an excellent message of waiting upon God's timing, even if difficult situations. I look forward to the next two sequels and seeing what lays ahead for the characters.

Diane Noble is quickly becoming my favorite author due to this recent book "When the Far Hills Bloom." I found it to be a book that holds your attention and you don't want to put it down. The emphasis on committment was very uplifting. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

What a wonderful story. It has so many twists and turns and is full of adventure. I couldn't put it down once I started it. It's a story you hate to see come to a close. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. IT'S GREAT! Great work Diane.

It's 1860s California and the Byrne family is about to lose their home, Rancho de la Paloma because they have had to use all available finances to fight to prove its boundaries. Aislin Byrne has been friends with Jamie Dearbourne from the neighboring rancho all her life and it was always believe they would marry, so when he asks for her hand just before he leaves to go fight in the Civil War, no one is surprised. But when word comes of Jamie's death, it seems it will be necessary for Aislin to marry Jamie's brother, Spence, in order to help save both their ranchos. Then, when word comes that Jamie might not be dead after all, Aislin joins in the search and will be honor-bound to marry him even though she has found it is Spence she really loves. Aislin's father doesn't realize that his supposed friend, Hugh Dearbourne, father to Jamie and Spence is actually sabotaging his efforts to save his home and everything he has worked so hard to achieve. Jamie and Spence soon join forces to break and deliver wild mustangs to the army in order to save the rancho and in doing so, attempt to find out the truth about Jamie as well.

This is an outstanding novel, superbly crafted and richly textured with may surprising twists and turns. Published by Bantam's Christian/Inspirational imprint, Waterbrook Press, this novel will appeal to historical romance readers everywhere. Although the character's beliefs are quite evident, they never overpower the story, and simply help motivate Aislin, Spence, and others to keep going even though the going gets tough. Diane Noble is one of the best writers of "inspirational" romance today. Her thoroughly researched, compelling stories are worthy of a wider audience than they will receive simply marketed as "inspirational" novels. This book shouldn't simply be read by the "Christian" audience as the beliefs expressed by the characters are universal. I understand its the first of a trilogy, but this one certainly stands on its own.