Bonds Books

What gives meaning to our lives, down at the deepest roots? That's what genuine myth is all about: the guiding narrative that enables us to make sense of the universe & our place in it. It's not about dogma or fossilized ritual, imprinted upon us by family, society, religion -- although that's where we all start -- but about the meaning we find or make for ourselves, the reasons we have for living, and not merely existing.

D. Stephenson Bond delves into this rich & complex subject in these pages, first exploring the ways in which myth has worked in the past -- usually in some organized form, binding a culture together -- and then investigating something newer & even more compelling, the notion of personal myth.

Now, what does he mean by that?

It's no secret that many traditional belief systems have splintered & faltered in the past couple of centuries. Many people respond by immersing themselves even more deeply in traditional religions & ideologies, which can either lead to a solid & sustaining faith, or else the cramped & destructive prison of fundamentalism. We've seen the horrific results of the latter too many times in recent years.

But some have begun to find or forge personal myths -- a meaning, a pattern of understanding the world, that's unique to them, born of their own experiences in the world. Artists were the first to do so, going back to such visionaries as William Blake & the English Romantics. In more recent times, writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien created their own myths, informed by their inner lives & knowledge, in order to negotiate the losses & randomness of existence -- something Bond explains in fascinating detail.

As he makes clear, this isn't necessarily a conscious process. Nobody just sits down & says, "Well, I'll create a meaningful myth for myself today." No, it's something that develops inwardly & naturally, as a seed opens & grows into a flower or tree. Certain images, patterns, ways of seeing the world strike a chord somewhere within us, and we find ourselves developing an explanation of life for ourselves -- one that's born of both reason & emotion. This is an ongoing process, allowing for the twists, turns, reverses & surprises of life.

Bond explores this process clearly, making the sometimes difficult mysteries of Jungian thought easy to follow, without ever dumbing them down. What he offers isn't an airtight system or one more self-help plan -- nothing so shallow & simplistic -- but a new way of looking at the world, and your own being. He shows a possible path ... but it's up to each of us to walk it in our own way, each of us going to our own goal. As always in real growth, the work is up to us.

Most highly recommended!

This book could possibly be the most powerful resource I found during my journey out of a worn out ideology. He lays out, with quiet inspiration, the importance of myth in our lives and empowers us to create a new mythology when we've watched an old, familiar one die. In the spirit of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung.

The book covers a variety of aspects of these Pennsylvanian women including: the impact of industrialization; the growth of teaching, ministry, and reform work among women; women's various roles; how society dealt with mentally ill, poor, and criminal women; and the role literature of the time played in defining gender. Jensen thoroughly covers each particular topic, providing plenty of detail for the reader and the researcher. I liked the book because of its focus on rural women, it illustrated the relationship between Philadelphia and the rural population, and it goes beyond just description to analyze the key aspects of these women's lives at the time.

The book covers a variety of aspects of these Pennsylvanian women, including: the impact of industrialization; the growth of teaching, ministry, and reform work as occupations for women; women's various roles; how society dealt with mentally ill, poor, and criminal women; and how literature influenced gender roles. Jensen thoroughly covers each particular topic, providing plenty of detail for the reader and researcher. I liked the book because it focused on rural women, it illustrated the relationship between Philadelphia and the rural population, and it went beyond description to analyze the key aspects of these women's lives at the time.

Marilyn's open and honest personal illustrations make this book not only palatable, but somewhat humerous! All of us have found ourselves in vulnerable and painful situations. Her practical advice points us to the only way out of the pit...Jesus Christ!

I first saw M.M. in the lobby of the Hyatt in Columbus this year. I didn't know who she was- but my sister did. So, as any mature, 44 yr. old woman would do, she walked right up to her, tapped her on the shoulder and said "I know who you are",and walked away smiling. I saw Ms. Meberg several times more over the next two days and really felt drawn by her speaking style so much so that I bought her book. Recently I had my vehicle serviced and took this book to read while I waited. OMG! I cried and then I laughed. If anyone was watching they probably would have thought I suffered a bipolar disorder. I found myself in Mary Graham. I laughed so hard at Lucy and the shower curtain. Cried over Beth in the isolette. I learned the distinction between being left & being abandoned. I was overwhelmed. The words of this book reach right up and bring recognition and balm to where you've been hurting and maybe didn't even realize. I couldn't put it down so much so that when they forgot to come and tell me my car was ready - 3 hrs later- I had just finished underlining/marking notes. I definately recommend LOVE ME NEVER LEAVE ME and will give it many times over as a gift to my friends just as Ms. Meberg has unveiled her heart and given this gift to all of us.

All 3 stories are so fun--

Stephanie Bond's TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS is so funny. The FBI guy Steve Berringer will do just about anything including being an Elvis impersonator at the wedding chapel, TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS, but he falls for the wedding director Gracie Sergeant.

Jo Leigh's PLAY IT AGAIN ELVIS is a cute story of a comedy writer, Charlie Webster, who falls in love with the comic Ellie Evans he writes for. Elvis gives Charlie helpful hints on how to get the woman!!

Joanne Rock's GOOD LUCK CHARM Alyssa Renato a retired talent manager who has a memorabilia shop in Las Vegas and trying to contact Elvis at seances when she's asked by Brett Neale to help him win the Elvis Legacy contest. Brett is Alyssa's Elvis!

The Elvis theme was great!

"Taking Care of Business" by Stephanie Bond. In Vegas, FBI Agent Steve Berringer is undercover as a photographer at the Taking Care of Business Chapel. His target is Mitch Landy who is expected to come here to marry. As Steve trips over H.D. the dog, he also finds he can't help falling in love with wedding designer Gracie Sergeant.

"Play It Again, Elvis" by Jo Leigh. In Vegas, stand up comedian Molly Canada worries that her writer Charlie Webster has written poor material for her lately. Charlie is not suffering from writer's block, but instead fears unrequited love. He knows it's now or never that he must declare his feelings to Molly.

"The Good Luck Charm" by JoAnn Rock. In Vegas, former music agent Alyssa Renalto owns and operates the Memorabilia shop. Currently she is angry with musician Brett Neale who disrupted her Elvis séance. Brett wants Alyssa to be his agent and more as he suffers from a burning love for her. However, when he competes against her sister in the Elvis Legacy Contest, Alyssa feels divided as she loves her sibling but the hound dog too.

These contemporary romances with an Elvis theme are tongue in cheek fun starring delightful couples and a multiple of "Elvi".

Harriet Klausner

A very unique and interesting method of applique'. This allows me to do more than just fabric on top of base fabric and is a lot more interesting. A marvelous book with new ideas.

This book has changed the way I look at flowers. I can now duplicate them easily using this technique, while at the same time maintaining the realistic look. It was great fun. Joan Shay is an artist.

This is a very good 007 book on the James Bond films. Lots of info and great pictures. This is one of the best.

This has everything you would waNT!Interviews and color photos! Id reccomend it to all bond fans!

If you enjoyed the adventures of Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin then this book will be a real treat. It is a definite must for your library.

M. Pamplemousse is a french food critic and detective 'extraordinaire'. Pommes Frites, his dog/companion/taste tester, is always by his side keeping him out of trouble. One or the other is always into something. A prime example is M. Pamplemousse's involvement with a blow-up human doll. Can't say more, you'll just have to read the story!

Michael Bond certainly knows the subtley of french cuisine and is able to describe the various dishes without difficulty.

My only complaint is when I finished the book I was left wanting to read more. One should be warned that this book will make you laugh out loud, be prepared to receive some looks if read in public!

Monsieur Pamplemousse (created by the same wit who invented Paddington Bear) is the dour food critic for a thinly disguised Michelin ratings book of european restaurants. He travels around europe, uncovering murders and trying to remain incognito, all the while accompanied by his loveable bloodhound, Pommes Frites (french fries). These rollicking adventures had me howling out loud (a rarity) and begging for more - don't miss them!

All the Paddington books are such great stories for children (and adults!), and this is no exception! Stephen Fry is an excellent narrator. This book is great for story time with your children, or to while away the long hours of a road trip!

My 5 year old listens to this over and over again. Stephen Fry does a fantastic job narrating, giving just the right voice inflection and capturing the spirit of the characters beautifully. A family favorite!

I love humorous romance stories and this is definitely one of the best that I've ever read. Make sure you read it alone because you won't be able to stop laughing!!

This book kept me laughing page after page. I couldn't put it down, so I stayed up all night to finish it.

Cindy is the General Manager of an old, historic hotel. The hotel has a reputation for attracting unusual clientele (Trek fans, Adult Toy Salesmen to name a few). Eric is a sophisticated bureaucrat sent by management to investigate the unusual reports about Cindy and to evaluate her hotel. The problem is, he arrives without her knowing who he is. Cindy's antics and the problems that occur with the hotel are uproariously funny. For a while, she even thinks Eric is one of the Adult Toy Salesmen!!!

You must read this book if only to unravel the story behind the blue silk pajamas and to commiserate with Cindy and her many disasterous hair make-overs. The characters are all well-developed from the hotel barber to the concierge. I loved them all! I've always enjoyed books by Stephanie Bond but NAUGHTY OR NICE? is one of her best.

It has been said that the wealthy are different. Well, not so much. In fact, according the in-depth study done by the authors of this book, the wealthy came not from wealth but from middle class backgrounds. They therefore have all of the middle class ethics and needs, wants and desires.

Yet within the wealthy, there are differences. From first becoming wealthy to having had wealth over a decade or more, money brings different meaning to the groups within the wealthy.

If you're a marketer, you should read this book. I came to it as someone who makes a living understanding different groups and how to sell to them. To that end, I got a good deal of useful information from the book.

You'll learn what they read, what they buy, how they feel about their wealth and money in general. You'll learn far more about them by reading this book than anything you might see on television.

It is full of research. It has lots of facts and figures and very little editorializing, which I like. This is by far the most interesting and best written book on this subject that I've read and I highly recommend it to you.

- Susanna K. Hutcheson

I've spent the last 18 months researching academic journals, scientific and popular literature about how those who achieve the top 5% of wealth end up where they are. I've gone through three dozen books, of which four were quite good and the others were brutally poor.

The New Elite by Taylor, Harrison and Kraus stands head and shoulders above the rest.

The book serves two broad purposes.

1) You learn how wealthy people think and who they really are.
2) You learn the fundamentals of how they will perceive your marketing to them. (Are they interested in what you have to sell?)

Either of the two is a good enough resaon to pick up and devour this book.

THK have undertaken their own research which asks all the right questions. Their analysis is spot on and what readers of every income bracket can gain from what is here could be life changing.

This is not a self help/how to be successful book. It does not set out to accomplish that, but if you simply read between the lines...

Five stars.

Kevin Hogan
Author of The Science of Influence