Brown Books

Only someone with a keen mind, and a sense of moral certitude, could put this difficult subject into a book that is, at all times, respectful of the Church and its teachings, while demanding that the Bishops and Priests, who have sworn an allegiance to God, Himself, and His Holy Catholic Church, "teach people for whom you are ordained, both by word and by example, the things you understand from divine Scripture."

Mrs. Brown is well versed in her defense of the Church's teachings and presents not a personal "belief" but "the truth." As she so succinctly says in Chapter One, "There is a huge difference between what you or I "believe" and what the truth is." As she further says, and does, "Truth can be stated unapologetically while a personal belief is merely an opinion."

Mrs. Brown pulls no punches in this book, nor does she argue anything but the truth of the Holy Catholic Church teachings. Allow yourself to listen to the truth through this book, and you will have gained great insight into the true teachings of the Catholic Church, and also why her title, "Saving Those Damned Catholics," was well chosen.

The basic idea of Ms. Brown's book is; if you don't believe what the Magisterium of the Catholic Church says are our core beliefs... get out. And she's right. Nobody is forced to be Catholic so if you want to use birth control, have abortions, and pick and choose (as in cafeteria Catholics) a little of this and a lot of that and humm, none of that...trying to tailor make the Church to suit YOU well then, the Catholic Church is not for you. As Ms. Brown clearly points out (and she ain't afraid to name names I might add) the Church's core beliefs are her core beliefs: in spite of the efforts of many to invent "wiggle room" there just isn't any, no matter what the USCCB and some of it's more notorious members say and/or do to the contrary. This book is a must read for all the faithful. It's quite horrifying in places: Catholic nuns who are pro abortion, Catholic hospitals that allow abortions, Catholic Bishops and Archbishops who ought to, at the very least, hang their heads in shame and resign their offices, who instead continue to enable and even encourage behavior condemmed by the Catholic Church they have sworn to uphold and defend. Good for you Judie Brown, this book needed to be written and needs to be read by all serious Catholics.

If you haven't read Judie's book yet, you must, especially if you are Catholic. Too bad this book isn't a must read for every bishop and priest in America; maybe then they would go back to leading their sheep the way God intended. Judie clearly documents the crisis in the Church: leadership, or the absence thereof. This book is useful reading for non-Catholics as well. Maybe now they will understand why the country is in its current, moral, downward spiral. Thank you Judie! Kathy Kuhns, Wyomissing, PA

Every Catholic should read this book! It tells the truth about what has happened to our faith in NOT TEACHING the people the True Faith! Thats why so many Catholics have left, they don't know what they have. The priests need to stop being afraid of offending anyone and tell the truth. Christ told us what to do to gain heaven in following Him, not to be PC to keep everyone happy and don't upset anyone.

Very well written! This book is filled with lots of documented facts. I hope this touches a lot of hearts out there. Judie Brown (the author) couldn't be any more right. You need to read this yourself.

This book is a classic on people who were interned in China during WWII. I have used it in connection with the book I wrote, "Called to China: Attie Bostick's Life & Missionary Letters from China: 1900-1943," since Attie was interned in this camp near Weishien. This book provides a vivid description of the conditions there.

-Rebekah (Becky) E. AdamsCalled to China:Attie Bostick's Life & Missionary Letters From China: 1900-1943

"For even saintly folk will act like sinners, Unless they have their customary dinners."

That's the theme of "Shantung Compound." It's the best sociology laboratory one can imagine. Take a diverse group of 1,500 Brits and Americans, shut them up in close quarters for two and one-half years in an internment camp, feed them barely enough to survive, let them rule themselves, and see what happens. That's what happened to the foreigners in the Japanese-controlled parts of China in World War II.

The situation at the internment camp in Shantung starts hopefully as the foreign internees elect a government, set up hospitals and kitchens, allocate space (9 feet by 4 and one-half feet per person), and establish a thriving black market. After that things go downhill. Some people won't work; others steal; and the community can't find any way to impose its will on the offenders. Missionaries comprise a large number of the internees but they are as lazy, morally obtuse, and uncooperative as many of the less savory members of the group. The most interesting and divisive moral issue comes up when the Americans internees receive food packages from the Red Cross. Should they share with the British or not? Another good story concerns the sex lives of the teenagers in the camp which became, to put it mildly, scandalous.

The author is a theologian and looks at both the moral and material issues. The book is not all bleak. The moral lapses and disputes of the internees do not destroy the community -- although one suspects than another year of internment would have seen that happen. One of the positive notes of the book is the character of Eric Liddell, the Olympic champion runner portrayed in "Chariot of the Gods" -- who is one of the few human beings in the book to come through as wholesomely good. (The author changes the names of all the internees mentions in the book but Liddell is easy to identify.) "Shantung Compound" is a classic of its kind and is perhaps the best book I have read on the behavior of human beings under stress.

Smallchief

Gilkey's academic liberalism is tested by the reality of the stress he observes as a mid-20's, very involved leader under prison conditions. His insights in the complex areas of law, food distribution, justice, work (his insight into lazy workers is very good), equality, theology, among other topics makes this book required reading for all managers, supervisors, teachers, religious leaders and lawyers. His associations with gifted intellects as well as self serving persons during his incarceration allowed him to validate his presuppositions. This is one of the most insightful books I've read in a long time. I now know why he is such an highly respected, revered teacher, mentor and theologian. His insight into the original sin of mankind is worth the price of the book! This book is truly a blessing.

This book should be required reading for every college student to better understand human nature and how people function when building a functional micro society from scratch.

This book left me speechless and introspectively questioning the Christian faith I espouse. In Shantung Compound Gilkey, through his experience in the internment camp, stops the "program" of our spiritual doings and forces us to examine the conscience of our spirituality. His book has molded together spirituality, philosophy, psychology, and sociology--all of this together into a powerful delivery that demands a reconstitution of true religion in the hearts of seekers and believers alike. Even now I grapple for words to describe the book because it's just that powerful. Every Christian thinker must have this book as well as those who question Christianity. If anything it should restore faith in faith.

I had a chance to meet this author last year at the Book Expo while showcasing my own first book in New York.I didnt get to reading it until this year. I must say I read it in one day...and it was great. The ending was shocking as well as some other parts I found myself saying things like "Oh my God", and "No he or she didn't"...lol anytime I get into a book like that it must be good. I look forward to this author's next books and I wish her much success on her future endeavors.

Renee Jones-Brown, Silent Fear, is an excellent story which leads to a trail of events surrounding Nia's world.

Nia is an ordinary working woman who's in a relationship with her high school sweetheart (Mike). After seven years, Nia bored with her relationship with Mike is very curious about the grass on the other side and decides to call-it-quits. Mike confused and devastated respects the love-of-his life decision and moves out.

Meanwhile Tony very handsome man with dangerous connections meets and lures Nia into his world after they locked eyes during a night out with their friends. Very prematurely, alienating everyone around her, Nia finds herself falling hard and heavy for Tony.

Tiffany, Nia's dearest friend starts putting pieces together after noticing unusual behavior and changes in her. Silent Fear quickly unfolds after Tiffany, fearing for Nia, and with the help of her co-worker (Gloria) stops at nothing to solve the dangerous occurrences with Tony being the perpetrator (or is he)?

Renee does the unexpected and stylish job putting closure to her first-time novel which has a shocking and heart-felt ending which help makes Silent Fear a good read!

Ok, I JUST finished reading Renee Jones-Brown debut novel titled "Silent Fear". It was a real entertaining read. It was real. One of those novels that make you stop and think. It inspired feelings of shock, humor and love. It made me think, "what would I do if that was me?"

I truly enjoyed reading her first novel! I'm eagerly awaiting her next book already!! A great read! Check it out EVERYONE!!!!

I read this book in half a day and I could not put it down. So far I have loaned my copy to 5 friends in the space of 2 weeks and so far they all agree with me this was an excellent first novel for the author. Excellent thriller!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's been seven long years since Nia and Mike have been together. Now that they are adults, they live together. Lately, things appear to be different for Nia. She's decided that she has to follow her heart, and unfortunately, that doesn't include a life with Mike.

As unbelievable as it may seem, the very night that Nia breaks up with Mike, she meets Tony. Could this be the start of something new and exciting? In search of her newfound independence, Nia may have naively connected with a handsome guy that could potentially be harmful to her health.

Mysterious, stirring and a swift read, Silent Fear deals with the power of battery and the shame associated with it. However, the notion that Nia would get so involved so quickly in a new monogamous, pressure packed relationship is too much to fathom and takes away from the story for me. Good first effort for new author, Renee Jones-Brown.

Reviewed by: Crystal
3.5

I bought this book to satisfy my curiosity to learn just how man made this wonderful creature extinct. Believe me in reading this book I found out. There were beautiful and heartwarming parts to this book and there was also many sad, cruel, heartless parts. Man was heartless and greedy. The inhumane ways this bird was slaughtered are unbelievable. When I got to the last chapter the tears rolled down my face. Also, if you want to know what a "stool pigeon" is you'll find it out in this book. Believe me, it will leave you saddened for a very long time. I highly recommend this book.

Linda Diglio

After reading Allan Eckert's books on the frontier, I was pleased to find he also wrote a book about the passenger pigeon, a subject that has always fascinated me as a history teacher and an environmentalist. I read The Silent Sky and was deeply moved. So moved in fact that I was almost ashamed to be human. The greed and outright murderous lust thousands of Americans had for such an easy prey as the passenger pigeon was shameful and hard to comprehend. Unfortunately, the passenger pigeons were so timid, easy to hunt and numerous that they were incredibly easy pickings for the pioneers of the 19th century who unbelievably decimated a species that at one time numbered in the tens of billions. Eckert is an awesome writer and really hits you in the gut with such a touching story that you feel fascination, anger, guilt (for being human) and sorrow at the same time. In what I have learned from this incredible book, it really is a silent sky out there today compared to just over a century ago. Anyone with an interest in American History and the environment just has to read this book. Eckert, as a writer and researcher is truly gifted.

What can i say about this book, it was beyond captivating it was the best story i have ever read. Anyone who cares about nature or wildlife or both need to read this book. The way Eckert puts the plight of the passenger pigeon into words is wonderfull. He makes you believe you are one of the now extinct birds flying among one billion soaring a thousand feet in the air looking for your next meal, feeling your strong wings glide through the air and most of all feel the pain of being alone. In an extremely short period of time man wiped the passenger pigeon off the face of the earth. It gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach to realize that man is capable of destroying such a beautiful bird....hundreds of millions of them...untill they were gone forever. GET THIS BOOK EVEN IF YOU DONT LIKE STORIES ABOUT NATURE..IT WILL TOUCH YOUR SOUL

This book was compelling to read and impossible to forget. The way that the author writes the story from the bird's perspective gives the reader an unforgettable vision into one of North America's greatest environmental tragedies.

What can i say about this book, it was beyond captivating it was the best story i have ever read. Anyone who cares about nature or wildlife or both need to read this book. The way Eckert puts the plight of the passenger pigeon into words is wonderfull. He makes you believe you are one of the now extinct birds flying among one billion soaring a thousand feet in the air looking for your next meal, feeling your strong wings glide through the air and most of all feel the pain of being alone. In an extremely short period of time man wiped the passenger pigeon off the face of the earth. It gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach to realize that man is capable of destroying such a beautiful bird....hundreds of millions of them...untill they were gone forever. GET THIS BOOK EVEN IF YOU DONT LIKE STORIES ABOUT NATURE..IT WILL TOUCH YOUR SOUL

As someone who has had the privilege of calling Alaska home for a few years, this book is a fascinating read. Whether you've experienced Alaska or not, whatever age you are, you will find Talkeetna Good Time exciting and, at times, mind-boggling. When you consider that these are true life experiences...well, it's even more of a "wow"! The first two stories give you a glimpse of who DB is. He buys land, an airplane, marries his high school sweetheart, and moves to Canada by age 19. And, that's just the beginning.

DB does such a great job recreating and describing his experiences that it's hard to put the book down once you start. Each short story could easily be developed into an entire book of its own. Each story has that much depth and wallop. (By "wallop" I mean 'the capacity to create a forceful effect or impact'.) My hats off to DB,Carol and their family for living this great adventure and sharing it with the rest of us.

My wife and I both enjoyed reading this book very much. A glimps of what it was like for a young family to follow their dreams and meet the challenges of the Alaskan environment. Not like reading a book as much as reading a collection of short stories.

I enjoyed this book so much. I could not put it down and didn't want it to end. I would love to have read many many more of their adventures and
hope that Dennis will continue writing more. I will definitely buy them.
The experience he has had in Alaska is amazing and to endure everything
they did and the knowledge they gained is something most of us don't
experience. The chapter on Dog Boy and how they helped him is touching as
was the chapter on Russian Mike and how they helped ease his loneliness .
All the chapters were intriguing and took you to the heart of Alaska. I have read several books about the state and this is the most thrilling !

'Talkeetna Good Time' by Dennis Brown is an amazing adventure. This book had me on the edge of my seat as Dennis described life as an Alaskan bush pilot, but equally awed by the wisdom, grit and generosity of this modern-day pioneering family. Plan for an all-nighter armed with a hanky. I wouldn't be at all surprised if this incredible book were made into a movie the entire family would love!

I've never been to Alaska, but author Dennis Brown made me feel like loading the vehicle and taking a road trip without to many plans. This book is about the Brown's adventures around Talkeetna, Alaska.

I sat down on the couch one night and read Talkeetna Good Time, before I realized it I had read the entire book. I had to get to the next chapter to see what the next story was. The stories are real and keep you wandering what is next. I will be looking forward to the books to come. If you like real life stories this is a must read for you.

I've searched for this book in different venues and came up with nothing. Ironically, I just found out that the author of this book is my cousin. I guess that makes me biased. Sorry. But thanks so much for your help.

First of all, I noticed that you had the first word of the title as "trails", but it's "trials" on the book, and that is a shame because this book is excellent. It reads more than a poetry book, it tells stories that black people can relate to. I think that it's brillantly written and I've shared it with all of my friends. Oh yeah, the title is amazing.

Dee Brown introduced me to his book and I must say that this is the best book of poetry that I have ever read. I could not wait to get home and call my friends and family to let them know how great this book was. I am so glad that I had the pleasure of reading this book before Mother's Day, what an excellent gift!! From a young, black, intelligent woman, GET THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just wanted to say that this book is really good. I read the entire book in two days. this is not your ordinary poetry book because I could relate to the poems so well. I'm also from the hood and this book captures many attitudes and feelings from my neighborhood.

first of all, the title that is on amazon.com is incorrect. the title of this book is "trials and tribulations of a fried bologna sandwich." not "trails". however, i thought that this book was fantastic, dee brown is a true poet. his diverse styles throughout the book make it a page turner and a pleasant surprise on every poem. this book is deep, wise, smart, thoughtful, and humerous all rolled into one. i give this book five stars, for sure.

I though I had done that already. So, once again, the book arrived on time but the sender failed to tell that this was a LIBRARY BOOK. It was full of stickers with library numbers on the cover and inside the book itself. Had I known this, I would not have bought it. It's one thing to buy a "used" book. It's another, to buy a used book with stickers and notations. So, I am not very pleased and I emailed the sender upon receipt.

I have four daughters, and as I read this book I alternated between thinking "That's exactly right based on my experience!" and "Wow, I'm very glad to know that!"

The range and depth of information is impressive, and Dr. Metzl's writing style makes you just keep reading once you start.

This book should be required reading by all sporting parents. I can promise you'll be a better parent for having read it.

When my son slipped during a recent curling match, I was worried that he'd never feel comfortable comepting gain, but Dr. Metzl's excellent book gave my wife and me the information we needed to get our son back in the game. This book is a must-read for parents with kids in sports. It does for sports injuries what chicken soup and chopped liver do for the soul.

This is one of the best health books, and one of the best parenting books, I have ever read. Dr. Metzl's style is both authoritative and engaging. I highly recommend this book.

Dr. Metzl clearly articulates the do's and don'ts of sports medicine and there impact to young athlete's. He has a dry sense of humor that makes the book an enjoyable read. A must have for parents with active, athletic children.

This book is an excellent way to determine a beginning program in terms of effort and time and a logical method how to progress without burning out. It has some questionaires, but don't be put off by the arithmetic. The charts determining your VO2 are accurate (correleated with my 1 1/2 run time) and the method of determining your first weeks target number and the increase for each week, helps you from being too lazy or pushing not hard enough. However it would have been good if the chart on the VO2 had been supplemented with a percentage(%) maximum heart rate chart, but the % heart rate and the correlated VO2 can be found on the web. In short, the point system is far superior to the Aerobic Points from the Ken Coopers books.

The biggest benefit this book gave me was a reasonable, sensible goal. Without some kind of measurable goal (in this case, meeting the minimum number of exercise points per week), you have nothing to measure yourself against and I always felt I wasn't doing enough! Now, when I've done my exercise for the week and I don't feel like getting up on Saturday morning, I just crawl back into bed! And it's working! Without changing my diet I've lost 10 pounds over the last month, just by using my stationary bicycle, hiking, and exercise videos.

This is a great book. It illustrates the fundamental theories of health and excercise in a rational straight foward way. Also all the scientific proof is written in the book for the cynics. The point system may not be a favourite for everyone but once you get the gist of the program and start analysing food labels for yourself it is really easy to add in a few more exotic foods. It is very simple to keep track of what you have eaten and how much energy you have expended without having to anlalyse everything you do during the day. One point that may be relevant to note is the ratio that foods should be consumed in. Like all books, it is biased towards the authors background. Body builders like weider and bill phillips recommend far larger meat intakes than this book. This book also focusses on having a greater complex carbohydrate intake than some newer books.

This is the closest thing to an idiot-proof fitness plan out there; trust me, I should know. Before I started using this book, I was overweight and not very fit. In school I was the kid who hated gym class and faked doctor's notes to get out of it. Over the years I had tried and failed at lots of fitness regimens. Then a friend gave me this book, saying it had worked for her. A year later I have slimmed down and I feel a lot stronger and more energetic. This may sound like a cheesy testimonial, but it's true. What's great is that the author, Dr. Richard Brown, uses the same plan with the Olympic athletes he coaches -- it is entirely customized to your level of fitness and your goals.

Under this plan, any exercise counts -- from scrubbing floors to Tae-Bo to sailing -- because you rate the effort yourself according to an easy-to-use scale (no heart-rate monitoring). The main point is to choose something you enjoy, the reasoning being that you'll be more likely to stick with it that way. I get my points mostly from walking, stationary cycling, and a strength-training video workout, but I can just as easily figure out my effort for the occasional day of hiking or swimming in the ocean. Even if you don't keep track of your points, you can still use the general principles to pace yourself. The result for me was that I didn't burn out the way I had on other plans, because I was doing exactly the right amount of exercise, and I started noticing the benefits right away. I'd like to thank the author: L.E.A.P. is quite an achievement.

The hardest part of exercise is getting started. This program really helps because it makes every little bit count. You can start by doing lite exercise and move up to more strenuous workouts. If you are already in shape and exercising regularly, you can also benefit. I found the point system fun -- kind of like taking a quiz in a magazine.

You look at his life without knowing him, and you'd say he led a charmed, privileged life. Not so. He struggled like the rest of us, but did not let himself become callous, embittered, resentful, and all the other unproductive attitudes that people use as a crutch. He always dwelt on the positive aspects of life. I liked his social conscience. He photographed and wrote about Manzanar, and the plight of native Americans of Japanese ancestry. His Manzanar writings, for me, is one of the highlights in his autobiography. His many acquaintances and friends are fondly and personally recounted in ways that I've experienced from no other author. All throughout, you get a strong impression that he was a very scientifically-minded person who also excelled as an artist, and that's very rare even today. He poured himself out into this book.

These photos take my breath away. They've inspired me so much

A wonderful collection of black and white photography. Reproduced on quality photographic paper which is ideal to frame at the end of the year. Ansel Adams brings nature into your house in the most expert fashion. Each photograph is superbly shot. Wonderful!

Pauline Gaston

and not a wall calendar

The calender was spiral bound and oversized. The pictures were absolutely beautiful. I had bought another calender for 1999, but it just doesnt have the same beauty as the Ansel Adams one did, so I had to search out the Ansel Adams one again and get it. It is a choice that I am glad that I made!

This book has to be the best and most illustrative book for the beginning mirror and telescope maker. I was given a copy by my wife's uncle 30 years ago and though it's been through the wringer, stained with cat urine (when a friend borrowed it), for instance, I still have it. It is not for the advanced mirror maker, but for any beginner, you can't go wrong, despite some erroneous information, as one other reviewer pointed out. However, it is the first book that laid out a table of how to figure a mirror's correction by its focal length if left spherical. It clearly illustrates how the focal length can affect the depth and need for a paraboloid. For those wishing to get by with a spherical mirror, just make sure the focal length is long enough that the correction would be at least 1/4 wave. For a 3" mirror, for instance, it would be an f/9 or so, if I remember right. However, as another reviewer pointed out, the way they rated 1/4 wave was not quite accurate so it would be better to go for what he says is 1/8 wave to be safe. However, if you have an 8" or 10" mirror or larger, the focal ratio would have to be f/12 or higher and your tube would be ten to fifteen feet long! (Excuse my fuzzy memory on exact details, but it should give you the picture.)

There are sections on mounts, finders, eyepieces, and even observing. Though mostly outdated, this info could still apply even today.

I love this book for its simplicity and excellent illustrations. Today, it might be titled "Telescope Making For Dummies." Highly recommended.

I whish I had this book when I first got my telescope.
Still available new from Edmund Scientifics for $12.95.

If you are interested in getting or own a telescope this book should be your first purchase

If you dable in telescopes, astronomy, DIY type, you MUST have this classic book. While over the years I have advanced to pretty fancy scopes, I still reach for my ragged, old AAT regularly. They can add fancy graphics, but they cannot improve on Brown's treatise and collection of optic math made simple.

This book is old, somewhat updated, and in some cases, inaccurate! So why five stars? Because it is extremely accessible, entertaining and informative. The book is divided into thirds - one third is pictures (showing what the author is talking about), one third is tables (providing numbers or formulae for the calculations one may wish to know), and the other third is text (like this, explaining what on earth all of these pictures, tables and formulae mean!)

This book WAS (at one time, and still maybe IS) the best book for the beginning amateur astronomy enthusiast to ever hit the mailboxes. For years, it was sold exclusively by Edmund Scientific, a well known dealer in surplus optics in 1968. It may still be available from Edmund Scientifics, if you can't find it reasonably priced here at Amazon.

Like all good books, it is not without its errors and misconceptions. Most notably to Amateur Telescope Makers, is the issue of the quarter-wave / Rayleigh Criterion for optical excellence. The book (in previous incarnations) gave the impression that one-quarter wave surface accuracy was sufficient. It is NOT. The one-quater wave applies only to the wave-front, thus requiring the surface to depart no more than one-eighth wave from perfection (about three-millionths of an inch!)

However, the book still has the best graphical illustrations of how to grind, polish and figure a mirror I have yet read. Alas, the book's age is no longer current with modern amateur telescope making. Many have sworn off the separate tower and slide foucault mirror test rig described in the book, in favor of the integrated "slitless" foucault testers described on the Internet. The principles remain the same, but the compactness, elegance and reduction of error are an improvement over earlier methods.

This book is for amateur astronomers and telescope makers of all ages, ranks, experience and skill levels. *Do note that not everything written here should be taken as gospel.