Bridges Books

This is such a wonderful and diverse description of the grace that has been given to every person who claims the name of Christ. It opens up new ways of thinking which even long time Christians are astounded by.

Jerry Bridges has repeatedly said throughout the ages that as Christians we need to be continually preaching the gospel to ourselves, every day. The Gospel for Real Life pivots on this fundamental need. It is intended to answer three questions:

-1- What is the gospel we should preach to ourselves?

-2- Why do we, who are already believers, need to preach it to ourselves?

-3- How do we do it?

Bridges does a terrific job addressing each of these questions throughout the book. In the sixteen chapters Bridges moves at a nice clip through the intricacies of the gospel. A book like this is so helpful in its consistent reiteration of critical elements of the gospel, such as substitution, mercy, grace, faith, repentance, and so on.

Some may say that they already know all of this stuff and another book on the gospel is probably not going to do much for them. To this person I would say, this is exactly the book you need to read next. I think it was Tim Keller who said before that if you think you fully understand the gospel then you don't, and if you think you don't fully understand then you probably are beginning to get it. The fact is our hearts are so inclined towards our own self-righteousness and the preservation of our autonomy that we forget the realities of the gospel. Therefore we must regularly revisit, and truly, as Bridges contends, preach the gospel to ourselves on a daily basis.

I appreciate Bridges emphasis upon Christ' righteous life (chapter 3 & 4) as the basis for our righteousness. In addition, his clarity with respect to the substitution of Christ in the atonement is refreshing (ch. 5, 6, 9, 10).

As a pastor I am always searching for good books to recommend for both small group and personal settings. The Gospel for Real Life is such a book. If you are familiar with C.J. Maheney's book Living the Cross Centered Life, this is similar, only it is more detailed and intricate theologically. But this theological depth does not diminish its readability and practicality, and this is really what makes this book such a gem.

This is a great time here in the early days of the new year to resolve to be more gospel centered every day, by preaching the sermon of Christ's sacrifice to your own heart each day. This book is a great tool to equip, refresh and sustain you to this end.

Churches need this book. Bridges writes about very weighty theological topics in a very succinct and simple manner. It has been said that to really grasp something is to be able to communicate it simply. Bridges must really understand the gospel. Through beautiful story-telling, pointed analogies, and soul-stirring metaphors Bridges makes deep truths easily understood.

The principle behind this book and its Christ-centered, gospel-loving nature will make this a timeless classic. It causes the reader to want more. More of the gospel and more of our Savior. It reminds us that the gospel is meant for every day. To truly apply the principles in this book would revolutionize our individual lives and our churches.

What I Disliked:

"Dislike" is probably too strong of a word. One of the greatest qualities in this book is also one of its most distracting. The simplicity of this book can cause the deeper reader to get a tad bored. The material is wonderful and Bridges writes in such a way to combat that. It is probably more a reflection of my own heart and not being in awe of the great work of Christ as I ought to be as it is Bridges writing. Nonetheless, the reader does have to stay focused. This book is better read reflecting on a chapter at a time. Unless of course it is new material, then soak it up and read it three times over.

Should You Buy This Book?

Yes. Pastor's buy a few for your congregation. Lead a study on this. It does have a study guide in the back. This would be very fitting for a small group. Buy one and live by it.

this is the most thorough and understandable explanation of the Gospel I've ever heard. jerry bridges is a great man of God who obviously has lived his life and studied the Scriptures in such a way as to know these truths deeply! this book is insightful to mature believers, thorough to young believers, and explicit and clear to the seekers...great for anyone!

Jerry Bridges is one of my favorite authors. His writing is always clear, concise, saturated in Scripture and very edifying. The Gospel for Real Life is certainly no exception. Bridges gives his straight forward and simple thesis in the preface: "This book is not meant to be a theological treatise. To borrow an expression from the collegiate world, it is intended to be `Gospel 101.'"

Bridges' burden in the book is to help the Christian reader fully understand the gospel so that they can preach the gospel to themselves, everyday. Why? Because he is convinced that there are many sincere Christians in the church today who have a deep, troubling, yet private anxiety about their relationship with God.

He tells of a ministry colleague of his who "recently confessed that he felt overwhelmed and anxious even in the midst of fruitful ministry." He quotes Richard Lovelace to articulate the problem: "below the surface of their lives [they] are guilt ridden and insecure...[and] draw the assurance of their acceptance from God from their sincerity, their past experience of conversion, their recent religious performance or the relative infrequency of their conscious, willful disobedience." Where does this come from? Bridges contends that it flows from an inadequate view of the gospel.

Therefore, Bridges seeks to unfold the riches of the gospel of Christ in 15 chapters, discussing gospel essentials such as the depth of our sin, justification, atonement, Christ's sacrifice, reconciliation and the imputation of Christ's righteousness, just to name a few. He finishes the book with a final chapter (chapter 16) focusing on our responsibility to take this glorious gospel to the world. This responsibility, however, is not a duty to be done out of slavish fear or mere obligation, but an act of loving obedience in response to the glorious grace revealed in the gospel-the gospel that he labored to help the reader understand in the previous 15 chapters.

Personally, I have already read this book twice and I plan to read it again. It is very refreshing and strengthening. It keeps me away from the tyranny of trying to earn my righteousness and from the soul killing power of legalism. It is a simple book, and, as Bridges explains, not a theological treatise. But God help us if we think we are "beyond" such things. This is a book for baby Christians and seasoned theologians alike because it brings us back to where we are to constantly remain: relying fully on Christ and His gospel.

Japan seems unusually well-represented by travel writers with the skills to really bring the country alive. Perhaps it's the nature of the society there that both brings out amusing mockery in some authors (not this one) or lends itself to serious reflection (very definitely this one.)

It's strange -- in reading this book, rightfully considered a classic, I was brought to mind a book called 'Dinner with Persephone' by Patricia Storace. The two writers couldn't be any less similar, but both are fascinating characters whose books (and this is not a complaint) are far more about themselves than the lands in which they find themselves. In less worthy hands, such a trip could be like being trapped on a Jehovah's Witness bus, but Ritchie brings enough interesting detail and understanding of Japanese life to make this journey rewarding.

"I hear they are building a bridge
To the island of Tsu.
Alas...
To what now
Shall I compare myself?"
- old Japanese poem, included at the start of the book.

The reason I decided to read this book is that the idea of ambling around some quiet Japanese islands with an Ozu nut sounded like a good time. And I was not wrong. I can only echo most of the sentiments expressed by reviewers above. This is a wonderful book.
Ostensibly, it's a travelogue, and a farewell letter to a Japan that was fading from existence when Richie made his trip in the early 60s. While I'd be the first to sympathise with Richie's remorse at the changing face of Japanese society (had I experienced it, that is!), I visited Japan for the first time last year and when reading this book on my return found many of my impressions reflected in the book (if much more eloquently than they existed in my head) Furthermore, while the book undoubtedly appeals to many at some stage of "the syndrome" as Richie calls it, it is really a book for anyone who has wished to cast themselves off for sea, and utter those words that bracket Richie's story, and that title this review. This is a man who has sought a world in which he will always be a stranger.
In the afterword to the original edition, the author states that Japan is a mirror to the western soul. Perhaps it's not so much that, as that other cultures cast our own ways into relief and force us to ask questions of ourselves; for many westerners, the questions that Japan asks are fascinating.
As other reviewers have noted, prudes or puritans ought to be a little wary; others may wish to be a little subjective about which lines they read between. Still, something had to happen in Onomichi to stop it turning into a lecture on Ozu I suppose.

Regarding this new edition. I have to agree with Willy D's comments. I can put up with the two columns of print (sort of giving it the book a bottom of the backpack quality; to take out and meditate on at random), and I haven't even bothered with the new introduction. But while the new afterward is interesting, the omission of the old one is a bad mistake, and worst of all, the replacement of the beautiful photos in the original edition (sorry I forget the photographer's name) with some tacky little low contrast snaps of places visited is very sinful. Perhaps the next edition could fix these errors up...?

So if you can, get to the library and find the crusty old 1971 edition, but whichever version you read, I highly recommend this terrific book by a wonderful writer.

Honesty is a characteristic of Richie's writing, along with humor, insight, and detail. He's often quite brutally honest, in fact, and though he hides little about his own failings, he's sometimes a bit more judgemental of others. But aren't we all and his observations are so entertaining, sometimes astonishing, that I always have a hard time putting his books down.

There are times, however, when Richie's judgement wears on me. The qualities that allow him to do his best writing, his marvelous detachment and curiosity, seem to make him miss aspects of the humanity of those he's observing. He romanticizes where it serves his personal needs and dismisses, sometimes churlishly, where he becomes tired or irritated with the scene and the people who he then allows to become only part of that scenery.

I recently had the enormous pleasure of reading his Japan journals while traveling Japan. The journals extend to 2004, well after "Inland Sea," and I find less of the irritating Richie in them.

In the final analysis, I just can't help mostly loving Richie. This small volume is just another gem in the wonderful body of work from this writer who should be appreciated as a writer, not just as a writer on Japan.

Donald Richie wrote a journal in 1962 which formed the ground work for everything in the book. In the 9 years until he decided to publish his journal/book, he reprised the journal with additional insertions, in which he sometimes took pieces of his experiences within Japan, that although they did not occur in the Inland Sea of Japan and during the time the journal was written, he nevertheless recognized them as very much a part of what he considers to represent Japan before modernization. Although it is unknown what exactly didn't occur within Japan's Inland Sea, it is undeniable that the book is a masterpiece of a travelogue that very much captures the essence of everything he specifically mentions. He may well have written the journal with the expectation of it being published eventually, once he was ready.

In many ways it is hard to think of it as a travelogue due to the fact that Donald Richie has already experienced half of his life within Japan, and what appears to be an individual reflecting much of his personal life into the narration. It comes across more as an journal written by an individual whom by this point into the published version has become established within Japanese culture and integrated his life within Japan, and is so able to absorb himself into his encounter, that a deeper visual presence of this world and his psyche emerges integrated into this work, that not even a well developed visual experience within cinema could do it justice.

Donald Richie has written many books on Japanese Cinema, namely Kurosawa and Ozu. His visual thinking style is very evident in this book, and I must mention he has a gift for visualization. Compared to Alan Booth, he appears to be far better at writing, and is a far more reflective an individual. Able to decipher the meaning to things, he doesn't simply note down the illogical peculiarities of the individuals he encounters. A note of warning though is that Richie has some definite vices, namely he acts upon sexual gratification with young women, and almost gets taken away with a high-school girl. He doesn't do anything illegal in the story (at least, not that I'm totally familiar with, given the time and place, and nothing with which you couldn't do, and get away with, in the US.) Although he does so during a marriage, and his actions would well be chastised by many readers, he is who he is. The end notes of his book (in the first edition, published 1971) do tell the reader of his decision to keep much of the journal writings intact without any changes made to the events. By doing so, some may find his encounters reason enough to steer clear of the book; however I must let you know you will be missing out on a very memorable experience.

The man is a brilliant writer, and one you will not find too common-place. It is also an incredibly rare experience, even more so that time has passed since then. Not to mention, the book does not come across as a book written from memory, as the writing takes a very concerted effort to engage the reader as though the reader were Donald Richie, living scene by scene in real-time. And more importantly is that the book is even better with some of the hilarious aspects of his adventure, and is much more believable with accuracy than Alan Booth. Not to mention, is Donald Richies noticeable appreciation for the Japanese people, despite clear impression to avert from some of the fine nuances that are presented in their culture, and which one might believe that he is seeking to escape his own cultural background, as if a vagabond in search of his soul. In this way he seems to have a sad and endearing appreciation for something that doesn't entirely isolate itself to Japan, although in many ways unique to it. In part because he gets caught into the moment of his experience, he sometimes steps back and picks at nuances, sometimes disrespectfully callow; though this is rare for him in this instance. Read it and maybe what I said will make sense, as I didn't write this too well.

RMP

I really could not praise this book enough. It is one of my favorite books of all time and a truly astounding piece of "travel writing". However, this edition is a bit wanting.

The new afterward is very good but a bit sobering, confirming that, yes, to a large extent the place you have just read about is now dead as the dodo, all too effectively ending your "fever dream". Also, the new pictures are junk. They look as though they came from a Lonely Planet guide, whilst the original edition had beautiful, mysterious, haunting, high contrast photos that came across more like paintings.

Most puzzling is the page layout which consists of 2 columns per page, like a magazine article. Why? So it looks like something from "Outside" or GQ? Needless to say I preferred the musty tome from the library that read like some brilliant forgotten diary.

I am a 6 grader at Our Lady of The Cape School on the Port -au-port Peninsula, NL.
Jesse Aarons has 4 sisters and he is the only boy. His 2 older sisters are very snobby and he has 2 younger sisters. Jesse does all the work and his older sisters have all the fun.
One day while he was running around the cow field he noticed a tomboy on the fence . They became best friends even though she won all the races at school and is the fastest .They made up an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia. One day Miss Edmunds his music teacher took him to Washington to look at a museum. When he got back home he was all the way into the kitchen before he realized that something was wrong. I would recommend this book to all ages just because someone is different doesn't mean that you can't be best friends.

I am a sixth grade Language teacher and have been using Bridge to Terabithia as a major part of my curriculum for many years. Each year that I read this book it gets better. Each class gets a little something different from the book. The way my students engross themselves with the characters Jesse and Leslie always seems to amaze me!

I am not the greatest book lover. But sometimes I enjoy reading books, and usually if I find a book I like I can't put it down. Well this book I couldn't put down. It shows how Jesse and Leslie overcame differences and became bestfriends. They have a secret place. I think this is kind of how kids are today. This book ends sad though whaen leslie dies so don't read this if you don't want to be sad. I give tis book 4 stars because it is not the best book I have ever read but it's right up there.

It was a rich entertaining book it kept me in Suspence the whole way through it, it is about 2 friends and the decide that they will build a magical country in the forest. The two of them are the rulers of this magical place.

I am not the greatest book lover. But sometimes I enjoy reading books, and usually if I find a book I like I can't put it down. Well this book I couldn't put down. It shows how Jesse and Leslie overcame differences and became bestfriends. They have a secret place. I think this is kind of how kids are today. This book ends sad though whaen leslie dies so don't read this if you don't want to be sad. I give tis book 4 stars because it is not the best book I have ever read but it's right up there.

I have to admit I'm giving the book 4 stars based on my memory of it from grade school. I remember it as a great and exciting mystery, and I'm thrilled that I was finally able to recall it and find it on Amazon so that I can (I hope) share it with my kids. I have been pleasantly surprised that some of the classics from my youth (such as Joan Aiken's Black Hearts in Battersea and her other "Hanoverian" books) have proven equally entertaining for modern kids. It isn't only Harry Potter (not to insult that mighty feat of imagination) that can get kids excited about reading these days.

Thanks, Amazon, for making it so easy to keep worthy old books alive.

I still have the original copy I bought in 1968 and treasure it to this day. I haven't read it in a few years, but feel that the story has stayed with me because it is told so well. I have come back to the book over and over and am still thrilled by the scary parts.
I would rank it up there with the Harry Potter series--it draws the reader in with suspense, fully formed characters and locations, adventure, humor, and kids being self-reliant and overcoming adversity.
Can we see the further adventures of Dan Pride at some point?

This book has it all, a spunky kid, a centuries old mystery, a wild man in the marsh, in short, everything you could want in a good children's mystery story. I first read this book thirty years ago and was suprised to find that I remembered every twist and turn like it was yesterday. I was amazed that it was not a bit dated. It is rare to find a book that still has the power to raise the hair on the back of your neck after thirty years.

This book should be republished. It is a crime that a book this good (and wholesome to boot!)should be unavalible.

I first read this book when I was in elementary school. I had all but forgotten about it, when I discovered the ravaged paperback in a box of items from my childhood. This was the book that taught me to love reading. It had all the elements necessary or a 9 year old boy to get excited about it: mystery, creepy setting, and interesting dialogue and writing. This book does not treat the reader as if they were mentally challenged, but rather attempts to challenge the reader. It's a primer for more advanced novels.

When the lead character, Dan Pride, crosses over the marshes for the first time and sees his new home, you can almost feel the chill of the fog and the dampness of the sea. It is a book well written and well presented.

If you can get your hands on a copy for a young man you know, then do. He'll devour it quickly and learn to love reading as well.

I read this book in 8th grade and loved it. I read it again when I was 23 and loved it even more. As a native of Massachusetts, I can certainly relate to the atmospheric scenery of the marshes that Barbee describes in this book. It also contains a spine tinging plot, and believable characterization of the young Dan Pride. This story would make a wonderful film for children and adults alike. With films like The Crucible and The Sixth Sense, to name a few, in high profile these last few years, that have to do with mystery and the supernatural, the Witches Bridge would make a timely film. The actors who I see playing the roles are Gary Sinese as Julian Pride, Brad Renfro as BillyBen Cory, Joan Allen as Susan Bishop, and Hale Joel Osment as Dan Pride. I plan to write a screen play eventually and maybe make a small scale home movie of it myself someday. I have already composed a song for the opening credits and have ideas for the trailor/preview. Ms. Carleton, if you are reading this, send your story to a film producer today. It has amazing potential. "Out of the night, and the fog, and the marsh, these three, success shall come to thee!"

Rabbi Neuman tells his story starting through the eyes of a young boy and ending through the eyes of an elder Rabbi. The Story is told in a calm and matter of fact manner, leaving the adjectives describing the German brutality to the mind of the reader. Thus, the reader can get a much broader picture of the times without getting hung up with anger at specific transgressions. Most everyone would enjoy this book, but especially anyone who is old enough to remember the time when all this was happening.

Rabbi Nueman tells his story starting through the eyes of a young boy and ending through the eyes of an elder Rabbi. The Story is told in a calm and matter of fact manner, leaving the adjectives describing the German brutality to the mind of the reader. Thus, the reader can get a much broader picture of the times without getting hung up with anger at specific transgressions. Most everyone would enjoy this book, but especially anyone who is old enough to remember the time when all this was happening.

Rabbi Nueman tells his story starting through the eyes of a young boy and ending through the eyes of an elder Rabbi. The Story is told in a calm and matter of fact manner, leaving the adjectives describing the German brutality to the mind of the reader. Thus, the reader can get a much broader picture of the times without getting hung up with anger at specific transgressions. Most everyone would enjoy this book, but especially anyone who is old enough to remember the time when all this was happening.

I am not as eloquent as some others who have provided their perspectives, but I wanted to share my thoughts on this great book and author nonetheless. I live in NYC but grew up in Champaign, IL recognizing that Rabbi Neuman was and is a very bright and strong-willed man who packs great wisdom into relatively few words. But only after reading this book, and the brutality and hardships he faced, obstacles so great they are hard for most of us to even fathom, could I, or most anyone, fully appreciate the depth of his strength and courage. I have read very good books that more fully illustrate the details of the day-to-day murder and brutality (books such as Ordinary Men and Treblinka), but Rabbi Neuman makes it clear that not only were numerous innocent people murdered, but many wonderful communities and ways of life were forever destroyed. And yet, he, like many others, found the strength to move beyond the worst event in human history in order to make a difference and help others. This is among the must read books for anyone who wants to understand what was lost, particularly in Poland, in the genocide and devastation of the holocaust, all the while getting to learn about the courage and strength of survivors like Rabbi Isaac Neuman. Thank you for everything Rabbi Neuman!

In the Narrow Bridge: Beyond the Holocaust, Isaac Neuman set himself the most of difficult of tasks to write the "silent song of my vanished people.

He succeeds so well in invoking the presence of those who are absent that this reader feels as if he had sat at the study table of Reb Mendel as he taught a page of Talmud and told ancient stories that echo again and again the most contemporary of wisdom. The memoir is passionate and deep, religious in its intensity, and yet so very compassionate in its understanding.

Isaac Neuman makes the characters of his past come alive. We gain an insight into the world that ways and is no longer. We learn the streets of his beloved cities and its courtyards, more importantly we are privileged to enter the inner lives of its inhabitants. Unlike most Holocaust memoirs, which are most intense in their portrayal of the evil the survivors experienced, Neuman is most passionate about the past that has vanished and most successful at calling it forth.

Religious Jews will hear the echoes of Jewish legends in the last moments of minyan of martyrs who accepted their decree with dignity and had more faith in the divine that a God present in the Holocaust could ever possibly merit. Secular readers will read of Passover in the camps and glimpse the power of tradition to speak forth even in the most atrocious of circumstances. They will experience the consolation of the invocation of a miraculous, redemptive past in a world without miracles, without hope.

This lyrical work will touch the soul. One laughs, one cries, one mourns and indeed one even celebrates. Restrained prose glisten with insight. The work is deep, passionate, charming -- and ever so welcome.

Michael Berenbaum

Mr. Aaland does a wonderful job of explaining many of the key functions in Camera Raw. The benefit of this book over many others is the opportunity to work along with Mr. Aaland using either his examples or your own photographs and the detailed explanations associated with each topic. His approach and style are superb. As mentioned by another reviewer, some of the examples are a bit hard to see in the book, but if you work along in Camera Raw that is not an issue. This book is a great learning tool and reference manual. The best I have found so far. Highly recommended.

I have a number of books that attempt to explain Photoshop CS3 and Camera Raw in particular. This book is, far and away, the best I have seen. It is extremely well written, easy to follow, and very comprehensive. I recommend it without qualifications.

This is a fine introduction into CS3 RAW. It is very clear and easy to understand and follow. If you shoot in RAW and use ACR, this book should be in your library.

How do professional photographers turn RAW data into fine polished results? Photoshop CS3 RAW: Transform your RAW Images into Works of Art explains how to use the Photoshop CS2 tool, surveying the basics of optimizing RAW images and deciding when to shoot RAW, how to organize and automate their processing, how to tweak the images with professional techniques, and more. Neo-pros need this - and any computer or photography library strong in Photoshop techniques will find it popular.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

'Photoshop CS3 Raw: Get the Most Out of the Raw Format with Adobe Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Bridge' is a great resource for all levels of digital photographers who want to work with images of the highest quality possible. A regular photo who takes images with their camera probably takes them saved in the JPEG file format that has been so widely known and loved for so many years. The problem with this format is that when JPEG is used their is always data lost in the compression used to save the images. This data usually is minimal and not a big deal but if you need the highest quality pictures without any loss or compression at all, you need to save these in a better format. One of those formats is the Adobe RAW format which is the data saved with no data loss at all. These files will be much bigger in size but they also will guarantee that whatever picture(s) you took, you will see everything that was intended to be seen (and saved).

But simply taking the picture isn't enough, as there is tons of post-processing that goes on to get images looking even better than when they were taken. If you want to learn how to edit, crop, saturate, lighten, darken, whatever your heart desires with RAW imgagery, this is a great resource to have!! With nearly 250 pages spread across 12 chapters, this is a great introduction (in full color on glossy paper) to getting the most out of your camera and taking your images from Bs to As!!

This is a great resource to digital editing, my only caveat is that I feel it could be a bit longer. Another 50 pages or so with another example per chapter could have made things even better. A small complaint (and not enough to hurt my rating for the book) but it's worth noting.

If you take RAW images and want to learn how to get more out of them, this book will get you well on your way!!

***** RECOMMENDED

Thank you, Bear Jones!

You are the first author to treat Wicca as just another religion - no better or worse than any other. Melinda does not wear black, dress gothy, act anti-social, or any of the other stereotypes. Her belief is sincere and she is a real person, not a caricature.

I liked the plot line and story twists. All of your characters are real people. You've written a very entertaining book, here.

Thanks again,
Hecaté

This book got my kids and me through a very long hard day.

When I packed for the recent evacuation from Houston, I tossed my new book in my handbag, never imagining that I would spend all day trying to cover less than a hundred miles. As my husband grew angry and my kids went crazy, I lost myself in the first few chapters of this book. After that, I began to read out loud and my husband and my kids actually listened and followed the story. My kids don't pay attention to anything non-electronic and my husband doesn't read anything but Gun & Ammo or Sports Illustrated.

When my voice got tired, I spelled my husband Rick at the wheel and he continued to read the story to the rest of us.

Mr. Jones, anyone who can get my husband interested in a book is a good writer. Higher praise than that, I cannot give.

Thank you, Mr. Jones.

I have to say that I was captivated from the very beginning. Although I don't know anyone like Melinda, I would like to. She seems like a person worth knowing. I have to say that Mr. Jones has put much thought and observation of the female psyche into his book and I am pleased to recommend it to anyone who wants a well written story. Congrats Bear!

I loved this book! Melinda is my kind of woman - the kind I wish I was.

Mr. Jones has created a small Texas town that resembles my own so much that I found myself wondering if he was from my hometown. I know what it's like to break free and move to the city as well as what it's like to have to go back home in defeat. Maybe I need to get a dog, convert to Wicca, and apply at the Abbot Police Department.

Keep writing, Mr. Jones, but faster!

Matty Cole
Abbot, Texas

I fell in love with Melinda from the start.She is my kind of Lady, strong willed, independent, knows who she is and what she is all about.Very well written, I felt myself pulled into the pages, It's one of those books that you find hard to put down.Bear Jones is a very talented writer, I'm sure we will see alot more, I know for one I can't wait untill the next book!

I have been using Lightroom since it first came out. I've used it effectively but always knew there was more I could get out of the software. This book just brought it to life! I'm a professional photographer and I love taking pictures, not reading text books; so I've always left it up to my wife to read them and then explain to me how to do what I need done. This book, however, is easy to find subjects of interest, and then follow the clearly written instructions. I found the book's design of using Notes, Tips and Cross References particularly helpful. It's the only Photoshop/Lightroom book I use.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom & Photoshop Workflow Bible by Mark Fitzgerald is an indispensable text for today's digital photographer. I have been working with Photoshop for over a decade and Lightroom for the past 2 years. As I have transitioned between film and digital photography, going all digital 3 years ago, my post production needs have changed dramatically. The right software added to knowledge of workflow management coupled with post production skill is key to success. Lightroom is an incredible program that has allowed me to fully leverage the power of digital photography while Photoshop remains the premier program for serious digital image post production.

I have found Lightroom to be essential for managing workflow and Mark's book essential for understanding Lightroom. With the complexity that comes with modern software, an instructor like Mark is a rare find. I find his teaching style intuitive and his technical explanations digestible, being distilled down to the important necessities. There are some places where I would like to find more information (like addressing the limitations of watermarking and slideshow output in LR), but usually I find I am looking for features that are not yet fully fleshes out in Lightroom. LR 2.0 is a major improvement on the first version of Lightroom and I look forward to future upgrades of this relatively new software.

Photoshop is a beast. What can be done with Photoshop is nothing less than incredible. I have been self taught on Photoshop through the years and subsequently missed learning many of its key elements. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom & Photoshop Workflow Bible by Mark Fitzgerald has gratefully filled in many of the holes in my knowledge that are essential to harnessing the power of Photoshop. Here, Mark's style was indispensable as he took me through the steps that are most important to me as a Professional Photographer.

With the power and flexibility of both of these programs can come confusion at times. There are different ways to accomplish the same result so which way is best? A streamlined workflow is essential to being successful with your digital photography. The real value of Mark's book for me comes from increased productivity and more joy in the process. Having settings and preferences customized, presets and metadata at my fingertips, knowledge of the process and best practices in my workflow has allowed my photography to reach new heights. I have always enjoyed the process but the software can be frustrating at times. Mark has erased any frustration from my process and for that I am grateful.

I can not recommend this book enough. The volume of images with digital photography can be crushing for both amateur and professional photographers. Being able to quickly manage your images and then knowing how to retrieve the ones you want is essential. Mark will get you to the point where shooting is fun again, your images look fantastic, and the workflow is second hand nature, freeing you up to concentrate on those aspects that bring you the most joy.

I have been a commercial advertising photographer for thirty-five years. I started shooting digital in 1995. One of the things I learned early on is that if you don't have your digital asset management under control you can lose your shirt on the back end. In this book, author Mark Fitzgerald lays out a comprehensive road map using the powerful combination of Lightroom and Photoshop to manage my images. Quality and speed (in that order) are the two primary goals when it comes to processing my images. Mark has shown me how to use these two powerful tools to add a creative touch of custom processing to my files quickly and with the knowledge that I am archiving them in a reasonable way. This has become my workflow bible and its home is right next to my computer where I refer to it often.

I agree with all the previous reviews... this book is great!

Mark Fitzgerald covers everything! He literally goes over every aspect of the workflow from start to finish (Lightroom to Photoshop). In addition, he adds "tips and notes" throughout to highlight key points. I feel like Mark gives us all the tools in an easy to find/ learn/ chronological Bible.

I want to keep my response simple and concise, like Mark keeps his books.

Also, I highly recommend Mark's other book... Photoshop CS3 Restoration and Retouching.

I am a professional photographer that has used Photoshop from the beginning and Lightroom from the first Beta version, and I thought that I had a pretty good understanding of my workflow. I picked up Mark Fitzgerald book and started working through the chapters. Mark has a wonderful way of teaching and I was able to streamline the work that I was doing and learn new techniques that made keeping track of my images so much easier. This book is a must for anyone, beginner or pro, that wants to work smart.

An excellent book with realistic characters, superb descriptions, and classic dialogue. A must have for your collection.

This book made me laugh out loud, kept me guessing and made me think about the bonds we create in life. We never know what life has to offer. This is a great story of suspense, friendships and life.

I have never been to San Francisco or seen the Golden Gate Bridge but feel that I experienced a little taste if it by reading this book. The author creates a vivid picture that stays with you. I enjoyed the story line and the plot kept me interested from start to finish. The characters were wonderfully created - I can't wait to see what happens to them next. (I hope there will be a sequel!) I think this is an excellent first novel for Jim Zoller and I look forward to reading many more.

This book has it all. It holds your attention with the suspense and intrigue and you don't want to put it down. The characters are quite unique and blend together very well. This book puts you through an emotional range of feelings and keeps you interested until the very end. I really enjoyed this book and hope to see more from this author.

This book made me laugh out loud, kept me guessing and made me think about the bonds we create in life. We never know what life has to offer. This is a great story of suspense, friendships and life.

Cheron Mayhall's book is moving, powerful, sweet, uplifting, magical, poignant, and of course, searingly sad. For those of us who have not experienced the death of a child, fear is painfully vivid when we hear about others' loss. It is hard to imagine surviving, psychologically. For those who have experienced this grief, I imagine Cheron's book as a wonderful, healing, transforming comfort. Cheron helps all of us make some sense of this experience, from the inside out. From darkness to sunshine.

Dr. Mayhall has used the deep grief of losing a child to craft a narrative that lifts one's spirit while creating introspection and empathy. Scottie's story is touching and encouraging, filled with life's emtions, sorrow and joy.

"The Bridge is Love" brings me comfort, hope and joy. Dr. Cheron Mayhall and I met in college and have remained friends for 46 years. When Scotty died, it was very tragic and sad. However, "The Bridge is Love" has helped the author bridge this saddness to acceptance of his death. It will also bring comfort, hope and joy to others who have lost young children tragically. Anne Kask

As a mother who has also lost a child, I was hard put to pick which of Cheron Mayhall's many links of healing spoke to me the most. But reading, and living through her story, The Bridge Is Love, I found the 'love link of love' resounding in my heart many times over: We can be closer to our loved one by giving more to life, mutually guaranteeing ourselves a place in each other's hearts forever, regardless of time and place. Plus we spread that hope of life beyond ourselves to others which, like the sun "as we journey towards it, casts the shadow of our burdens behind us (Samuel Smiles, from The Bridge Is Love, p. 126)."

I suggest that The Bridge Is Love is but one of many healing ways Cheron Joy Mayhall will reach and comfort fellow grievers on their road to healing and restoration.

Christy Lowry
author of PAM and Hope Renewed

This is a book of hope and love that is sure to strike a chord within you. Not only is the plot creative and engaging, but the story helps you realise that life does go on after the death of a loved one and that there is a way through the pain and grief.

Mayhall is clearly a talented writer with a gift for capturing the emotions and thoughts that pull us through traumatic, life-changing experiences. Her book is beautifully written with carefully crafted narrative that reminded me a little of `The Five People you Meet in Heaven'.

Death, especially the death of a child, is a subject most people do not want to think about, but this book bravely tackles it head-on in a tale that is by turns painful, tender - and yes, even joyful. This is not a `sad' book but more of a journey through the process of personal growth. I would encourage anyone who fears or confronts death or bereavement - which let's face it, is all of us - to read it.