Bridges Books

This book gives a window in to things that many have heard about and many don't get to see up close and personal - the urban drug culture and it's deeper causes, the Police from the perspective of their prey, life in the Cabrini Green housing development and much more. But, beyond that, it reflects on many deep challenges faced by U.S. society - and challenges the reader to reflect on them deeply.

One may not agree with the authors prescriptions for this or that social issue. But an honest reader has to stop and think about what they usually glide over when they read the newspaper or watch the 10 O'clock news. Or when they pass someone of a different race, nationality or culture on the street.

What I've said up to now might make you think that this book is a heavy, heavy read -- a slow, sociological treatise. It actually is a fast moving, engaging and entertaining reflection on the world. It is filled with love of people and joy for life. And, while sometimes the experiences of the author may seem far fetched one has to keep in mind that real life is often stranger than fiction.

I encourage anyone who wants to take a voyage into an unknown land to read this book and discover the unknown land that exists all around them in their every day life - a land you can't see until you look through someone else's eyes.

i enjoyed this book, i found it intriguing and entertaining. it was written by a real positive man who offers great insight into the streets of chicago.

I read the whole book in ONE night.... loved it. Then I went back and read it again...just to be sure. Annette Sanford is a wonderful storyteller and her stories are poignant and interesting. I have just recently been introduced to this writer by a fellow librarian... I don't know how I missed her books and stories. I highly recommend it to friends... especially those who have lived in Texas. For three years, many years ago, I lived in East Texas and I would not give anything for the experience. It helps me appreciate Texas writers and there are many good writers in Texas.

If you enjoy the special talent that can bring a wonderful tale filled with word-perfect dialogue, wit, and wisdom, and deliver it within the form of a short story, you will be hard pressed to better this collection. "Crossing Shattuck Bridge", by Ms. Annette Sanford is a series of ten stories that you will enjoy without exception. This is her second collection of her work the first book was published in 1987. The time between the books is the only rational reason I can find why this writer's work is not more widely known. The readers and fans of short story fiction are missing excellent writing.

Many of the stories are entered by the reader after the pivotal event has occurred, or a lifetime of habit is about to be disturbed, and not necessarily with negative consequences. An example of the latter is, "Housekeeping", that is as charming and funny a story as you will find oh so rarely. "In The Little Hunky River", which closes out the book has a great cast, however 80 year old "BoPeep", owns this story. She is part Mother, advisor, surrogate, and the fount of knowledge for a family badly damaged by an accident. She is one of those old souls who not only appear to know everything; she understands it all as well. When she has offered a loan, and the person asks what if he does not return it, she simply replies she will not die until he does.

This Author has a way of writing that is best experienced by reading her work. She has a style that strips every unnecessary word from her prose, gives the reader all they need, and maintains every detail. She does not have to tell you what someone was thinking, nor does she ponderously establish that a person's thoughts may have shifted to the past for a moment why they contemplate what they will say next. Her work reads as though there is much more written on the page. The magic of it is that she places in the reader's mind the story she wishes to tell without holding your hand the entire journey.

Unconditionally recommended.

I was grateful to find Sydney Metrick's book Crossing the Bridge. It is a book like no other I've seen. I lost a dear friend to cancer four years ago and have done a lot of healing about my loss. What I hadn't done yet was create a ceremony or ritual to grieve my loss. Metrick's book gave me many ideas which inspired me to plan a ritual. It is comforting to know that I will be having that ritual soon.

Reading this book I felt that my journey through loss was being eased, honored and understood. Thank you Dr. Metrick for writing this book. I believe it belongs in every home as a resource to consult again and again when we experience loss.

Judy K. Underwood, Ph.D. Author, Dying: Finding Comfort and Guidance in a Story of a Peaceful Passing

I had lost my mother, and had bought Crossing the Bridge. It was really helpful in dealing with and getting past my grief. It helped clarify my emotions and feel as if what I was going through was normal and the feelings I had were normal feelings. It was well written and easy to follow and I would highly reccomend this book to anyone who is dealing with any sense of loss, or grief.

I use this book in a leadership class I teach in Therapeutic Recreation. My students have responded very well, and I believe they are on the way to being self-aware and confident leaders! I have also enjoyed this on a personal level. It is a great book to use for yourself when you are at a crossroads in your life, especially after a life changing event such as a death. It helps to see where you have been and where you want to go. I have given this book as a gift to women who seem to be searching for answers in their life. Definitely worth every penny!

This is a great book! It not only provides funny and personal anecdotes from the authors past experiences, it also helps you focus your thoughts. The easy to follow examples help you complete the workbook pages. I have used it several times to help me understand my life's journey

I didn't really think a book could help me deal with the heavy loss I experienced in my life. A friend turned me onto this book and it was truly a gift. It explained what was happening to me in a way that made sense. I came to the conclusion that if writing could be this powerful, I'd try some of the ideas offered. I wrote the story of my experience, and over the months of that process I made it back. I recommend this book highly.

What a great resource this book has been. I recommend it highly, and consider it an excellent resource for friends and family to cope with their own pain around death and dying. Dr. Metrick presents an opportunity to create healthy personalized rituals to deal with death and catastrophic losses. She outlines a process by which - while not eliminating the pain or suffering such losses can cause - we can acknowledge our own feelings through the use of personalized rituals or events and begin to work through all the emotional "stuff" that comes up. She presents a practical framework within which we can begin to heal our hearts and our lives. What a great way to help a friend with this difficult issue. When you can't find the words yourself give them this book. It really can make a difference...and has many times before. What a shame that it's not available right now. There are so many people I'd like to give it to, but I only have one copy.

James Cochran - Senior Real Estate Consultant for RE/MAX East Bay Hills Real Estate in Oakland, CA

This is not just a book about coping with grief and death, but a handbook for everyday life. While I first read it after the death of my father, I have found it useful in enriching my everyday life. Laura has put me in touch with the spiritual side of my nature and made be thankful to be alive and at peace with what life has to offer. Keep up the good work, Laura. And God bless you!

I am thankful that I discovered this gem of a book. Dr. Hutchins has a way of presenting the spiritual in words that are both inspiring and easy to understand. I re-read this book whenever I need a spiritual "lift". In a simple and easy to understand way, she has opened my eyes to the spiritual world that is all around us. I will never live in sorrow again because I now know that the spirit goes on forever. Thank you, Laura, thank you.

This is a perfect resource to help teach about the Penobscot Nation located in Maine. Due to a new law, LD291, Wabanaki studies need to be taught in every grade in the state of Maine. This is a great book to introduce Wabanakis in grades 2-4. It does not include typical Native American stereotyping. The author obviously did a lot of research before writing this book.

_Crossing the Starlight Bridge_ is an extremely insightful novel for children that touches on both the imperfections of family as well as the importance of culture and identity. The protagonist, a young Penobscot girl from Maine, is unwillingly transplanted from an island where she lives with other Penobscot families and friends to the mainland, over the "starlight bridge". The reason for this move is that her father has left her mother, and for financial reasons they are forced to go live with her grandmother on the mainland. Of course all of this change is devastating for a young girl who feels robbed of everything familiar and comfortable in her life on the island, including her family, house, and Penobscot culture. Rayanne, the protagonist, is unwillingly forced to adapt to a new lifestyle.

Alice Mead does an excellent job of expressing the thoughts and feelings of this young girl as she struggles with the separation of her parents, resentment toward her mother and father, and the less peaceful ways of the mainland. Adapting to this new life is not easy for Rayanne, but her grandmother, who has learned to embrace Penobscot culture and yet function in the culture of the mainland, makes this transition much easier for her.

The grandmother's character is wonderfully written, and exudes comfort and stories and all that grandmothers should be. She is an imaginative woman, and sparks Rayanne's imagination through her own stories of Penobscot culture. As a result of this support, Rayanne is able to rebuild her life on the mainland and find her own niche with new friends and her family.

This is an excellent book for any child, but I think that kids who are dealing with major changes in their lives, especially their parents' divorce or separation, would especially appreciate _Crossing the Starlight Bridge_.

Bridges joins commentators such as William Galston (Liberal Purposes) and Ronald Beiner (What's the Matter with Liberalism?) in probing the weaknesses of modernist liberalism. Taking his bearings from John Rawls's Political Liberalism, Bridges criticizes Enlightenment-based metaphysical foundations for individual citizenship and autonomy because this universalism has implicitly denigrated particularistic cultural ideals and worldviews. More importantly, it has lessened both the intelligibility of liberal ideals to particularistic cultural communities, and also the possibility that these communities will "succeed in discovering within their own local cultural traditions motivational resources supportive of the pursuit of the civic good." Bridges suggests that we "de-totalize" the concept of civic freedom by recognizing that it applies only to a part of life. Civic freedom requires individual commitment to particularistic life ideals, and also the affirmation of their possible revocability both by oneself and by others. The tension between simultaneous commitment and detachment provides the space for civic freedom, and it is this narrative imagination that it is the task of civic education to cultivate. Bridges incorporates creativity as well as intellect in this thoughtful and provocative project.

The Culture of Citizenship is provocative, path-breaking scholarship. In it, Thomas Bridges presents liberal political philosophy as in retreat from its traditional confidence in the 'modernist rhetoric of pure theory.' Instead, Bridges argues, figures such as John Rawls are inching toward a 'rhetorical turn' toward context, culture and history, a direction this book seeks to accelerate. To this end, the book explores the often surprising and deeply challenging implications this rhetorical turn holds for the philosophy of politics and culture.

Dancing With The Devil is an adventure lover's delight. From Africa to Canada, Jazz searches for adventure ... and peace. Returning to her home because of her father's death, she tries to come to terms with her life there when she was a girl. But there are secrets she isn't willing to face. And a whole part of her life, she's cut out.

Danger follows Jazz. Romance beckons as well, but which man should she choose? It all ends on a remote ranch in a deserted copper mine. Where Jazz faces her past and finds her love.

When Jazz gets word of her father's death, she and her friend, Pete, make a daring, dangerous escape from the tiny, war ridden country where they are working. Barely getting out alive, the danger should be over, right? It is only beginning.

Returning home, Jazz learns that her father's death was a bit mysterious, and soon finds herself the object of a stalker's attention. Gifts, such as roses and a kitten, begin appearing out of nowhere, and there are some break ins. Fortunately, Pete follows her home and is there to reassure her and protect her.

Things start to turn romantic with Pete unexpectedly, and deadly with the stalker as it becomes obvious to him that she does not return his "love". Murder and violence are now what Jazz is being given. When an innocent child is put at risk, Jazz must face the past and her fears to confront a familiar enemy. In a showdown that for some reason reminds me of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Jazz meets the greatest challenge of her life.

***** Suspenseful and taut, this novel is well worth the time and money. Ebooks often have little known authors that are worth discovering, and such is the case here. Jazz is a heroine that is easy to cheer on as she finds love and danger. Not perfect, she has weaknesses, which make her easier to relate to and more believable. Pete is a loveable hero, though not the alpha male that often populates the position. again rendering him more realistic. This is a story that could be real. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

This is a superb work, chock-full of insights and intelligently organized by topic. Here's two key examples of frequently occurring dilemmas sorely neglected elsewhere: (A) Defending a suit contract as third hand, you can either cash a high card in a side suit, setting up a winner in dummy, or you can underlead your high card to give partner a ruff. Which should you do? In practice, either may be correct, depending on the context of the entire hand. Kantar gives a COMPLETE autopsy of exactly what to think about in order to make the correct choice. (B) Defending a suit contract as third hand, you hold ATxx in a side suit. Dummy hits with a small singleton in that suit. Kantar points out that you KNOW declarer is going to lead that singleton through you sooner or later, probably sooner. Do you fly in with the Ace or duck (smoothly)? The latter is more often correct, but not always. Here too, Kantar gives precise guidance on what to think about in order to choose the correct defensive play. The well over 500 tips in the book are loaded with good advice such as "When declarer doesn't dare lose the lead and is guessing which finesse to take for the fulfilling trick, cover NOTHING."

Humorous and in language that I can really understand.