Bryant Books

If you like Southern history, especially thoughtful and effective professional history, this is a terrific collection. A few of the pieces--the first one, unfortunately, among them--are dry and a bit pinched, for lack of a better word. But don't be fooled, it gets better--all of the essays are worth reading and there are real gems throughout, especially toward the end. Timothy Tyson's "Dynamite" essay is "the bomb," pardon the pun. And Glenda Gilmore's essay is very strong. I like the range of stuff here, and these are all first-rate historians. I would recommend this for course adoptions, especially for seminars--some of the essays will not work for undergraduates.

My story with this book is rather strange. I bought it in 2003, and haven't touched until the summer of 2004, if I'm not mistaken. Read a dozen of pages then, then started again the next summer, dropped again. Since that last summer I've been learning a lot of things and apply them to my health. Many of them are related to Eastern and Oriental healthcare approach.
Then, recently, I decided to actually read the book for some reason. Now everything was obvious - I knew many things from my own experience. I also learned some new ideas and exercises, and put things into a better perspective.
The book treats some subjects - the life energy (introduction), nutrition, breathing, physical self-exercises, bodywork and energy development.
What makes this book unique is that each chapter (subject) is given a brief introduction, then the Western theory and exercises are described, and finally the Eastern theory and practices are being revealed (many of them have been used for millennia with good results).
For example, it introduces the basic nutrients (proteins, lipids, etc.) and the calorie based diet vs the Chinese approach which is driven by harmony of the five elements.
Physical exercises such as jogging vs. practices like yoga or tai chi.
The book tries to be balanced in what it does, and I guess it succeeds. However, probably because of my background, the fact of comparing directly the two approaches make me realized (once again) how shortsighted is the Western science, especially for the diet and physical exercises. The East has a wholistic approach, where body, mind and spirit are aspects of the same thing, and treating as a whole many times gives better results.
There are exercises presented here - it might take years or even a lifetime to master them.
However, to get a masterpiece of the Eastern health and lifestyle (focused on Chinese - Taoist), read Daniel Reid's books: "The Tao of health, sex and longevity" and "Complete Book of Chinese Health & Healing" (in this order). The first one contains almost everything in "Ki: energy for everybody" and much, much more (is much thicker actually). The chapter on fasting and detoxification alone is worth the price of the book! The only thing which wouldn't there, but is in the book reviewed here is the chapter of bodywork, which isn't too big anyway.
So, nice book... but there are better. Either way, get something - this or that, and PRACTISE!

This is an allegorical tale that provides food for thought, as the reader accompanies one man on his journey to redemption. The man is question is a deeply flawed one, driven by many of the seven sins. When he kills his girl friend and flees in his car, he has what would appear to be a fatal accident. Instead, he mysteriously finds himself in the land of Ata. Thus, begins this fantastical Utopian tale.

The book is simply written and chronicles one man's entry into a world where the dream state is reality. It is a world where unconditional acceptance of others prevails, and symbolically all are spokes in the circular wheel of life. Much of the book is redolent of Christian ideals. How much of Ata is in this man's mind and how much of it is truly real, I leave to the individual reader to discern. It is comforting to think, however, that the kin of Ata just may be waiting for you.

1. About Kobe Bryant and his life as a teenager in a man's game.
and how he was cocky and always embarrassed people with the killa crossovers. His rookie year was only bad because he was a target.
2. This book made my feel like not wanting to embarrass people on the court or take scrubs pride.
3. This had irony because when you watch the games players seem to be nice to each other and they like each other. Almost everyone who didn't play on his team didn't like him.
4. Every person who likes superstars in the NBA should read this book about one of the best superstars in the NBA.

We used this book in my fourth grade classroom to present a puppet show. We made a back stop and the kids made puppets with various different features. We taped the story and as the tape played the puppets performed. Very cute, multi-cultural, and the kids had a blast!

My daughter (3) loves this book. The Spanish is very simple, eliminating the problems of too many verb tenses for children who are just learning the structure of a new language. The story is cute, and my daughter loves hearing about Strawberry not knowing what to bring to school for show & tell, and finding a bird's nest. We also read the Dora books in Spanish, and while they also enjoy those, they seem better able to follow what's really happening in this book. While the Dora books appear to be written for native or fluent children, "La sorpresa" seems to be written for someone learning a new language. A great book if this is what you're looking for!

This book will help you understand and deepen your experience of God. You'll be able to ask the questions of issues and faith in a safe place. You'll discover (or rediscover) a way of grace, joy, and peace--indeed, the way of Christ himself. Ideal for the novice and veteran alike, this book defines and explains the most basic concepts and language of the Christian spiritual life: prayer, the Bible's message for our lives today, spiritual gifts, listening, journaling, and much more. It's the ultimate six-week orientation to spirituality and the essential elements of faith. Stories, scripture, and exercises in each chapter will help connect your beliefs with daily experiences. Through independent and group study, you'll establish a rhythm of daily time with God, weekly time in Christian community, and a lifelong attentiveness to possibilities for serving the world. "To become a spiritual adventurer means learning to listen for the voice of God," writes the author. "This listening involves a certain level of risk and vulnerability that does not come easily. ...[But] we cannot fully rest until we find our way back to the place of our soul's origin, back to the love that gave us life."

Life, Why? is a journey-in print, that engages and invites the mind to open the soul for a life altering exploration. The book must be approached fearlessly, with openess, and with expectation. For only then will you receive the transformation afforded by this passage. "Life's" content delves into our most pure and most filthy parts, our most honorable and most shameful, and our most wise and most ignorant. Should we choose to dialogue with Bryant on this pilgrimage, we'll wrestle with our demons but rejoice in our convictions as we confirm the truth and discard the deceit. Another author said (and I paraphrase), "to thine own self be true and it shall follow as the night after the day, you can't be false to anyone". Life, Why? embodies this for me, so that I (we) may live my life in truth to the fullest that was ordained by the Creator.

A good mystery for the grades 3-4 audience. Four African-American middle school students investigate tunnels under their school for ghosts of the Underground Railroad. Slightly unbelievable that middle school kids had never heard of the Underground Railroad or that their dog digs them out of trouble. However, middle elementary should enjoy the suspense.

Claire Bryant's book is appealing, especially the parts where she describes the personality that she gave to each dolly she made. The dolls are easy to make, as are the costumes. The suggestions for hoop skirts, crinolines, even bust enhancers (!) are helpful. I would have liked more info about making ALL the costumes for ONE doll. Also, about breaking away from copying her EXACTLY.