Clark Books

Carol MacGregor did an excellent job of presenting Gass's writings. Gass appeared to clarify several situations that I had difficulty with in Lewis & Clark's writings in Thwaites edition. It is a strong addition to Coues edition and provides insite not evident in Ambrose's Undaunted Courage. I'm anxious to read writings of Ordway and Whitehouse even tho I understand that some of the writings of the enlisted men may be duplications of each other.

Carol MacGregor has done a wonderful job. She has taken the original Lewis & Clark Journals and footnoted the Gass Journal. Where Gass said men went out to hunt she names the hunters ect,. His account book told me when my g,g,g, grandmother died and what was bought day by day. I was surprised that so much fish was eaten. On behalf of the Gass family, Thank you for a job well done.

Sergeant Gass was one of the few members of the Corp of Discovery to keep a consistent log of the journey. His journal style makes his account interesting and very readable. Gass's log of daily activities shows the optomistic spirit of the corp and makes this an important contribution to the study of the expedition. The inclusion of Gass's newly discovered personal account ledger is facinating!

Patrick Gass's journal is much more readable than that of Lewis & Clark - for a start, his spelling is better; he doesn't resort to overblown, flowery descriptions (the notable and ludicrous exceptions are those added by his first editor); and Ms McGregor's wonderful notes flesh out this rivetting story.

Reading this after the better-publicised Lewis & Clark journals makes you wonder if they were on the same expedition - the Captains' journal is more concerned with who they met, making maps and taking measurements - whereas Gass's journal is full of description of the surrounding country and wildlife (interestingly, Gass rarely mentions anyone but the Captains by name).

The newly-included account-book is very interesting and the list of animals killed for food gives one some idea of the calorie requirements demanded by the intense labour these men went through each day, and also making you wonder if there was anything left for the poor natives after they'd passed through their territory!

Mrs. MacGregor gives a salient introduction to the story of Patrick Gass. His life and his own account of his trip with Lewis & Clark make for a remarkable read as we approach the bicentenial of the Corps of Discovery. A wonderful footnote to the personal history of this intrepid explorer is available in the detailed account books of Patrick Gass found only in this edition. For any student of the L&C expedition and the early history of the opening of the west, I highly recommend this book.

Despite all the books written about Ronald Reagan, none reveal the insights into this President and man like this book about his closest friend and soulmate, William P. Clark, "The Judge". Besides learning some new, important and inspiring things about Reagan, we learn a lot about this most amazing, and truly unsung American hero, former National Security Adviser, William Clark. As the book jacket and others have already stated, the reason we are just finding this all now is because Clark seems to truly embody those rare virtues of humility and selflessness not often found in public figures, and he never wanted the light to be shone on him and his incredible accomplishments. He was truly a public servant who went to Washington to serve Reagan and his country, always with his eye on someday heading back west to his beloved ranch. Reagan knew Clark was this type of very honorable man, and thus trusted him completely, and that is why Clark became Reagan's confidante, top adviser and closest friend in those very critical years for our country, and the world.
Lets hope that those men who are now striving to win the Republican nomination for the next Presidential election and, hopefully, take up the mantle once again of the great Reagan, will read this book and truly learn from it what it means to embody those ideals and deep convictions that Reagan and Clark both held in tandem and lead our country with that same, much needed strong, fearless, and wise moral and just leadership like that of Ronald Reagan.

A fine study of how one remarkable man added to the strength of another remarkable man guiding this country to a peaceful ending of the Cold War.

A very informative and rewarding reading experience -- somewhat like a good novel, you hate to have it end. Although this book is a biography of Judge Clark, it is extremely valuable in placing before the American public how and why Ronald Reagan was a successful President and led the United States to Victory in the Cold War.

The author's emphasis on Judge Clark's philosophy of "Let Reagan Be Reagan" is so important and in such contrast to other key advisors. Judge Clark's exemplary style of Leadership and Management contributed much to his function as Reagan's "top hand." Clark's humility, loving care and concern for those who worked for him, plus his family and friends, displays great character. The concern and dignity Secretary Clark paid his driver, Joe, is obvious by considering this driver his friend rather than "government chattel." Especially touching is the scene where Clark brought Joe before the President to show off his belt buckle. Joe had served another Secretary for three years who had never bothered to speak a word to him.

References to the "Divine Plan" for Judge Clark and President Reagan, along with their Faith and belief in God, exemplifies what is missing at the top in our government today, something we desperately need. Strengthened by his belief in God and his devout Catholic background, Clark was able to serve Reagan well in various critical and important assignments. Clark's wise judgments added immeasrably to the success of President Reagan.

Authors Kengor and Doerner are to be commended for bringing this valuable Biography and Presidential History to the attention of the American public. Job well done.

James A. Webb, Jr.
Major, USAF (Retired) and
Associate Professor of Business,
Louisiana Tech University (Retired)

I completed this informational biography in seven days during a stay at the Cleveland Clinic. Due to my conservatism and Roman Catholic background, the book held my interest throughout with its references to Bill Clark's faithful devotion to his President and his Pope. Especially enlightening were the passages revealing Al Haig's true personality and the secret meetings with the papal nuncio as the Berlin Wall was beginnning to crumble and the USSR bear beginning to stumble. I would recommend this book to those who are able to uncouple their politics, open their minds and enjoy a vivid look behind the one of the most difficult times of the 20th Century. Good job, Paul Kengor and co-author.

A wonderful look at one of America's unsung heroes. William Clark was indeed a patriot who went above and beyond the call of duty. As President Reagan's key advisor these two great men had a relationship unlike any other political figures in recent history. Almost telepathic in nature they were like brothers united like no other. Elemental in the ultimate "end game" in dismantling the Soviet Union piece by fractured piece to ensure the safety of America and preserve our freedom. It may not ever make the mainstream media's top ten list for obvious reasons and that is a shame. A must read for anyone who grew up during the Cold War.

This book showed a different side to Ronald Reagan.One that many people may not have known about.But as always, it did show that Reagan had strong bedrock values and surrounded himself with knowledgable people.

LEGAL LIMIT is the most suspenseful book that I have read in a long time and by far, the Honorable Martin F. Clark's best work yet. It is a real "page turner". How could anyone get into such a nasty, personal, legal mess? Then I think of my own brother. The characters are very real and you can't help but get caught up in their fear and anxiety. I laughed with them and I cried with them.
Yes, I LIVE in Stuart-- the setting for LEGAL LIMIT--but I am not FROM Stuart. I get the inside jokes and am not offended. Knowing the people and places in the book is fun, but it was the story that kept me reading.

Mason Hun escaped his sadistic abusive father Curt with a college scholarship. When his father vanished, Mason, his older brother Gates and their mother Sadie rejoiced as no one was as mean as Curt was. In 1984 twenty-four years old law student Mason comes home to visit his beloved mother. He is on the back roads with Gates when his brother cold bloodedly shoots and kills a man who was playing with his girlfriend. Mason agrees to ignore what he witnessed as his sibling was always there keeping him safe from cruel Curt.

Years later, Mason is happily married to Allison as they raise their daughter in Stuart. However, he is devastated when Allison dies in a car crash. In 2003, Gates seeking a pardon from prison turns state's evidence against his brother; accusing Mason of murder almost two decades ago. A special prosecutor gets a grand jury to indict the attorney.

This exciting family legal thriller is filled with suspense in and out of the courts; in fact some of the strongest scenes involve the estranged siblings and their mom in a variety of confrontations. Martin Clark makes a case that the law may be so blind that achieving justice often fails. Fans will relish this thought provoking tale as Mason learns blood may be thicker than water, but so is ketchup as betrayal can come from those who allegedly cherish you.

Harriet Klausner

I've been a fan of Martin Clark's writing ever since I read his hilarious debut, THE MANY ASPECTS OF MOBILE HOME LIVING, a number of years ago. So I was very happy to learn that his latest novel has just come out - and even happier to find that THE LEGAL LIMIT really is a perfect summer book: it's a page-turning thriller, a gripping family drama, and a thought-provoking investigation into the nature of justice all wrapped into one. The two brothers at the center of the novel, Gates and Mason Hunt, are so compelling and credible that you're immediately drawn into their lives and their story. That story starts with a dark secret in the brothers' past, and Clark creates an incredible amount of suspense by keeping the reader guessing how, many years later, that secret will come back into their lives. When it does, Clark ratchets up the suspense even more as the novel builds toward a surprising and provocative resolution. It's powerful stuff - highly recommended!

(4.5 stars) In this absorbing fictionalization of a real murder case from 1984, author Martin Clark, a Virginia circuit court judge, explores the increasingly fraught predicament of Mason Hunt, who, as a naïve young man makes a decision that he must live with for the next twenty years. The product of a terrible home life, Mason has been protected from his sadistic father, during his teen years, by his older brother Gates. Mason eventually escapes the family to attend college and law school, while his brother Gates, at home, grows into a man so filled with rage and so damaged that he believes the world owes him for the abuse he has suffered.

At the outset of the novel, Mason, a young law student, accompanies Gates to a party, where Gates, drunk and high on drugs, becomes involved in an altercation over his girlfriend and shoots and kills Wayne Thompson, her would-be suitor. There are no witnesses--except Mason, who moves instinctively to protect his older brother, crafting an alibi for himself and Gates, and then acting as if nothing has happened. The case remains unsolved, and the two go on with their lives, albeit in different directions. The Thompson case reopens dramatically, however, when Mason eventually becomes a Virginia Commonwealth's attorney, and Gates is in prison on another matter.

Clark tells such a lively can't-put-it-downer that many readers will read well into the wee hours. His characters, often quirky, leap off the page in their realism and the reader identifies with them and their problems, even while recognizing they may deserve the disasters that are obviously awaiting them. The story of the murder eventually insinuates itself into Mason's marriage and family, his long-term friendship with his black assistant, his decisions in the cases before him, and his desire to help his community become revitalized with new jobs, while the setting in Stuart, Virginia, where the actual case took place and where the author now resides, is so vibrant it becomes almost a character.

As in his two previous novels, The Many Aspects of Mobile Home Living and Plain Heathen Mischief, Clark examines justice as a relative term, with each character defining it based on his own understanding of right and wrong, innocence and guilt, sin and salvation, and real-life success and failure. As Clark explores the consequences that result when someone commits a short term wrong in order to achieve what he believes is a long-term right, he shows that no decision is ever made in a vacuum or can remain in one. The novel's conclusion contains one or two more complications than are necessary or appreciated, but the author's themes are so fully developed, and the suspense is so fine-tuned that the reader will long ponder whether Mason's ultimate decisions are the "right" ones, or whether, once again, they are expedient. n Mary Whipple

Brothers Gates and Mason Hunt survive a childhood terrorized by a violent father, each scarred in his own way, boys who stand toe to toe against the man whose blood they carry, the family freed only by Hunt's eventual abandonment. As their hardworking mother juggles jobs to provide for them, the boys grow into men, the oldest, Gates, a charmer with a penchant for extremes. The more moderate Mason sets his sights on a career as a lawyer, studiously applying himself to his studies. But there remains the memory of one dark, fateful night, the two brothers forging a pact they vow will never be broken, a bond built on trust and blood. Years later, their paths have diverged, Mason a successful attorney in Richmond, Virginia, with a wife and baby daughter. The wilder, impetuous Gates has squandered his life on drinking, drugging and women. It is no surprise when Gates Hunt ends up in court on a drug charge, but his stubbornness earns him a much longer sentence than is necessary, forty-four years.

Eventually Mason returns to his home town, Stuart, as attorney for the commonwealth. The imprisoned Gates is encouraged, positive his brother can now pull strings and shorten his sentence, refusing to believe Mason cannot intervene on his behalf. Never particularly introspective, Gates' less attractive traits have been exacerbated by incarceration, a typical victim who believes himself ill-used. In a last, frantic effort to get released early from his draconian sentence, Gage instigates a plot that will position his brother squarely in the sights of the authorities, an act of revenge that threatens everything Mason holds dear. By the time of Gates' desperate maneuver, Mason's world has been rocked by a terrible tragedy, the man clinging to his work as he staggers under an unexpected burden. Mason finds great solace in his assistant attorney, Custis Norman, a huge, dreadlock-sporting man with a kind heart and effusive nature.

More of a real brother to Mason than Gates, Custis is a loyal friend, the two men rock solid as they face the trouble Gates engineers with a united front. Add in the immoral machinations of a businessman who will resort to any means to get his company established in Stuart, Mason the only obstacle, and events conspire to push the protagonist to the emotional and legal limits of his abilities, a lawyer facing a justice system too often flawed in its application. There are two plot points I find troubling- I think the author could have been more innovative in achieving the same results without resorting to stereotypical exploitation. To be sure, Clark is quite self-conscious writing the more intimate passages of his novel, on much more familiar ground when dealing with the conundrums that so fascinate the legal profession and make for edgy courtroom thrillers. Despite my reservations, this is an evocative novel, proving, once again, that justice is truly blind. Luan Gaines/ 2008.

This book has been on my coffee table for awhile and I have noticed two things. one I always have time to pick it up and strol down the river with both the expedition and the photographer. His presentation makes you able to really "be there". Second, I have noticed when I have guests in town, they invariably pick up this book - out of many I have laying around - and will peruse it over and over again. It is a true pleasure to own! I can not wait for Richard Mack's next book!

In this book Richard Mack has captured the unbelievable beauty this country has to offer and he has done it with the setting of the Lewis & Clark Trail as its background. While this book gives you a thoroughly new look at the trail and the country as the folks on the expedition might have seen it, it transcends that and goes beyond, to the world as we can see it today, in all of it's natural glory. His photographs are superb, and one can make the claim he is one of the best landscape photographers working today. This book is not just for Lewis & Clark fans, although it is the best book I've seen on the trail, with the journals of Lewis & Clark interspersed with many of the images, it also stands as a testament to our natural resources and why we need to continue to protect them. I highly recommend this book to everyone, Lewis & Clark aficionados, nature lovers, photography buffs, or those just needing a great gift for someone. This is the one!

A true journey and labor of love. Mr. Mack captures the beauty, serenity, and majesty of our country and shares with us the magic of that courageous expedition. A brilliant concept, captured by a gifted photographer!

Those who have read and admired Steven E. Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage" will be moved by this photographic depiction of Lewis and Clark's Journey of Exploration. The photography is incredibly vivid, and romantically evokes the magic of the western American landscape. A masterful piece of work.

Richard Mack is clearly a remarkable, talented man. His skill in photography, his love of the widely varied American landscape, and his respect for the members of Lewis and Clark's expedition all shine through in every page of this beautifully crafted book. If you love photography, you need this book. If you love natural beauty, you must buy this book. If you are intrigued by the human stories and the visceral phenomena that make up the fabric of every historical event, get this book right now.

Mack didn't merely travel the trail and take great pictures here and there. He captured moments right out of Lewis and Clark's journals by photographing each spot along trail at the same time of year that the expedition party was there, often presenting the photographs with quotes from the journals themselves. You turn each page and move along the trail with the party, seeing much of what they saw and understanding the wonder and awe they must have felt in the midst of riveting views, often brutal conditions, and seemingly unending newness.

I've shown this book to dozens of people. It draws not merely appreciation, but admiration. It's a book you will find yourself thumbing through again and again.

The littles go exploring is a story about when a family of
very small people called the littles
and there adventres.
The names are Tom Lucy baby Betsy, and Granny, Uncl;e Pete and Uncle Nick.
The Littles were tiny people with tails. They lived secretly inside the walls of the house owned by George W. Big and his family. No big people had ever seen a Little or any other tiny families that lived in th houses in the big valley. They kept in touch by letters that were delivered by cousin Dinky and wife Della in his glider.
I thout thils story was cool because we got to go exploring. I would recommend this story to a friend. I look forward to reading other books in the series.

The book is about littles or little people. They live in the Biggs wall. Their grandpa disappeared.They are trying to find him. They found a little room. Do you think that grandpa was in the little room? Read the book and find out! I like the part were they find the room. I do not like the part were they go down the chimeney.

The Littlies go Exploring was so exciting. The Littlies are a family of small people. The interesting part of this family is that they have tails! In this story the characters are Mrs. Little, Mr. Little, two uncles, a sister, a bother, and a young baby sister. The family goes on many adventures in the book. There was one main adventure but all I'm going to write is that they are looking for someone in the family that went missing a long time ago. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves adventures and exciting settings.

Once I saw this book ¡¥The Littles Go Exploring¡¦,
written by John Peterson,the natural colour and the beautiful picture of the cover attract me to choose this book.
The story was said about some tiny people who went exploring to find an old man called Grandpa Little.He was a smart man who was the first little to understand electricity and had made the trip to explore the place,but unfortunately he is unsuccessful and lost his way.
After I read it,I think the most interesting part was the part about the Littles family found Grandpa Little.they tries to solve all theproblems when they went exploring.
I think the main character Tom and Lucy were the cleverest and bravest children in the family.They told their parents immediately when they discovered the secret room and they discuss with them.It shows that they were cooperative with the family members.Also,when UncleNick said that he needed two volunteers to go along,Tom answered that he could go very quickly.he didn¡¦t mind to lose his life tio find Grandpa Little.And Lucy,she was curious about everything and had her own decisions.Although she was very little,she provided a lot of opinions about the plan to find Grandpa Little.It shows that she was a wise girl and did all the things sensibly.
I really enjoy this book because of two reasons.First of all,I think the story is very interesting,it made me easily to put in it.Also,it is very meaningful,because it can tell us a lot of things about our life.I hope I can make myself clever,brave,confidentand mature like Tom and Lucy.I think this book is suitable for everyone,so I think you shouldn¡¦t miss it!

I think this is a good book because it keeps you interested. This is probably the best book I ever read. Let me tell you what the book is about. The story is about old Grandpa Little who everyone thinks is dead except Granny Little until Tom and Lucy find a secret room with Grandpa Little's journal. And then the Littles go exploing to find out that Grandpa Little is not dead. This is a good book for any age and so are all The Littles books. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would.

The book had adventure, fun, mystery and danger. The Little Family had to go look for Aunt Lilly after she falls from cousin Dinke's glider. The small family must explore the world of regular size people to find Aunt Lilly. The Little Family use a family cat for their ride as they search the forest. While in the forest they meet large animals and other tiny people called tree and ground tinies. The book ends with the rescue of Aunt Lilly and a journey back to their home in the house of the Big's family. I ernjoyed reading this book.

In "The Littles to the Rescue", Mrs. Little is expecting her third child, and, by tradition, she wants Aunt Lily to deliver it. However, Aunt Lily and her son, Cousin Dinky, live four houses away, which is quite a distance for Tinies (little creatures--approximately 4 - 6 inches tall--that vaguely resemble elves with tails). Nevertheless, Cousin Dinky pilots his mother in his glider plane to the Littles' residence, even though it's in the middle of the night and snowing. However, during the trip, Aunt Lily falls out of the plane and is captured by the reclusive Ground Tinies. A search party is formed to locate Aunt Lily, with the added help of a cat and skunk, who remarkably don't make a meal out of the Littles. But will they find her in time?

This was one of my favorite books (and cartoon series) when I was a kid. It was given to me by my grandmother when I was about eight-years-old. Not only are the black-and-white illustrations terrific, but the Littles are extremely resourceful and imaginative in this story, using most things people throw away as tools, decorations, etc. My only two complaints are that the book has a rather abrupt ending (or perhaps there's a page missing from my book; I have had it for about 15 years), and that it's a bit ...., though younger readers may not pick up on this. Still, "The Littles to the Rescue" is a fun adventure story for children age 7 - 10. Highly recommended.

This is a great entry in a great series, which features the adventures of a family of small people-with-tails named the Littles, who live in the walls of the clueless humans, the Biggs.

This is probably my favorite book in the series, prominently featuring two other families of little people, the Specks and the Tinies. These two clans have an irrational distrust of each other, and the Littles get caught up in their struggles just when they desperately need to be focused on the pregnancy of Mrs. Little.

The elements that make the series consistently great are also on full display. The little people are essentially living in isolated pockets in the vast and dangerous frontier created by humans, and they must rely on their own wits to carve out a decent living. The problems they face, and the solutions that they struggle to find, are amazingly realistic, and there is no need to create evil-minded villains when the terrain is so inhospitable. Seeing the other clans in action also shows that the methods of living life on such a small scale can be very localized; the Specks, who live in the trunk of a tree, have an entirely different way of life than the Littles.

This is a charming series, with hundreds of thoughtful details that will delight children with their ability to portray a real world. Interactions with housecats and toy gliders are particularly thrilling.

Also, I would be remiss not to mention the wonderful sepia-toned drawings by Roberta Carter Clark. They mirror the text's adherence to realism, and give us a very graphic and fun look at the scenes that the text describes.

Living on this Earth, right under our very noses, is a race of tiny people. They are not dwarfs or elves, but simply tiny people, six inches tall at the most and possessing beautiful, furry tails. And in the home of the Biggs, lives a family of these tiny people, called the Littles.

In this book, Mrs. Little is coming due for the birth of her baby. But, with a snowstorm covering the area, the Littles decide that they must telephone Aunt Lily (a nurse from four houses away - quite a long distance) and tell her NOT to come. However, when a human intercepts the call, Aunt Lily decides that the call was a call for help, and she and Cousin Dinky set off in his glider. Disaster strikes when a gust of wind throws Lily out of the glider, and now it is up to the Littles to stage a rescue. It's a dangerous world out there for a little person, and Aunt Lily has fallen into adventures in a big wood!

I am a fan of Mary Norton's Borrowers books, and was saddened by the knowledge that there would never be any more. When I discovered Mr. Peterson's Littles books I was overjoyed, hoping that these would be just as good. Well, I wasn't disappointed!

The story in this book is charming, and quite entertaining. My children and I were thrilled with the story, and look forward to reading more of the adventures of the Littles. We highly recommend this book to you.

I am 7 years old and in 2nd grade.I like to read about the Littles because they are always having fun adventures.This story was interesting when the Littles traveled by rabbits, a cat, and a skunk.I try to think how much fun and how fast I could go on these animals. I like how the Littles get help from animals. I thought Aunt Lily was not going to make it in time for the baby.
But with the help of everybody she was found.

Rowan Williams, current Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote the book 'Lost Icons: Reflections on Cultural Bereavement' while he was Archbishop of Wales, primate of a national church in the Anglican Communion outside of England. In his preface, he states that he was working on this book for the greater part of a decade: 'There have been times when I thought this book might more honestly have been presented as a sort of journal of the 1990s.' Of course, during this time, Williams wasn't even Archbishop of Wales; he spent much of the decade of the 1990s as Bishop of Monmouth.

This was the era of the Spice Girls, of the death of Prince Diana, of Madonna (the singer, not the Blessed Virgin Mary) and of other media sensations that came to be called 'icons'. An icon used to be used in terms almost exclusively for those images that Eastern Orthodox (among selected others) hold for veneration and prayer. Now it is more likely referring to a computer graphic image; even the media 'icons' have fallen. Williams resists the urge to set out a complex theological and aesthetic theory of iconography, but rather, more accessibly, looks at areas that are more particularly associated with everyday life and ways of thinking.

Williams looks at issues of identity, choice and will, society encroachments upon these aspects as well as the recognition of the other, that part of the world and society (including pieces of ourselves) that are outside of us and our own control. Finally, Williams looks at the issue of the soul, hoping to recover a 'lost language of the soul', taking secular language construction to task in theological as well as historical and psychological terms.

'So, this is an essay about the erosions of selfhood in North Atlantic modernity.' This involves issues in politics, economics, and philosophy as well as religion and theology. Williams' grasp of the fundament issues is strong, and his breadth of knowledge to draw these disciplines together in a useful and thoughtful way is impressive. Williams calls for a kind of cultural discourse that goes beyond the modern slogan and sound bite; this may seem radical, but in fact is what the true founders of modern society were calling for against the backdrop of medievalism. Who are we? Do we as individuals each have a self?

This is an important consideration - just what does our self consist of? Quoting Joseph Needleman, Williams states that 'Christian doctrine and exhortation are meaningless in our present context so long as we have no idea of what sense of self such teaching is address to.' We are called by Williams to build a new self different from that which media-saturated, postmodern society imposes upon us. Williams finally relates his argument back to the Eastern-style icon and what that means for us today. We have lost focus, lost a luminosity that these icons embody and demonstrate.

How can one not love a book in whose index Madonna, John Major, David Mamet, Thomas Merton and the Muppet Workshop appear virtually side by side (not to mention Roald Dahl, Jacques Derrida, and Diana, Princess of Wales)? Despite the references to Hegel and Derrida (among others), Williams text remains accessible and inviting to the general reader, and a real gift to those who have an interest in theology, spirituality, and culture.

This book is well written and easly understandable, +Williams presents his arguments clearly and constructs a good framework from the begining. This is not a scholarly work, in the sense that it is written in a more relaxed style, but Williams does a great job in using points made previously in the book to illuminate his current arguments. Although this book is written with a focus upon happenings in Great Britain it is still very helpful for people in the US. I would reccomend reading this book along with some Stanley Hauerwas and other Post-liberal thinkers as there are many points of contact between Williams' critisicms and those made by post-liberals.

I highly recommend that everyone read this book; after all, how can I be wrong when I'm so sincere? :-p

This is the second book by Archbishop Rowan Williams that I have read and, regardless of what one may think of the Anglical Communion, someone such as Rowan Williams must give one some level of hope for its continued (and hopefully unified) existence. Although this work is less theological than a book such as _Resurrection: Interpreting the Easter Gospel_ (the other book by him that I have read), it is nonetheless still relevant as it finds its roots in a Christian worldview.

What I find both interesting and refreshing about the Archbishop is that he seems far more willing to listen to both sides of an issue than many other religious thinkers. I have heard him referred to as a "post-liberal"; although the usage of the word "post" is all too chic these days, it does seem to designate a type of continuity with a tradition while at the same time a certain level of discomfort with it. Particularly refreshing is his brief discussion about the use of the word "choice" in abortion debates and how the use of the word "choice" presupposes the action/s of an individual are divorced from a social context. Such an understanding of "choice" is, of course, naive; the result of such thinking can all too quickly become an ethics of power, which is contrary to so much of feminist ethics.

Williams seems to have a particular interest in language and its place in community, culture, and relationships - not in the purely romantic sense, but in the more general sense of relating one person to an other. He notes several times the place of language in expressing and sharing one's self with others and how certain dispositions - such as a lack of remorse - result in the inability to accurately and fully articulate one's existence in language to another person. His points are well thought out and touch something deep within not only the self, but within the soul as well (for a fuller discussion of the soul and the self, read the last chapter).

Disappointingly, the layout of this book is rather frustrating - there are several formatting errors that are completely unnecessary. While the Archbishop's writing makes this book well worth the read, it would have been nice if those that formatted the book had done a higher quality job - a job that matched the Archbishop's work.

All in all though, this book is another one by Rowan Williams that is well worth reading - and, perhaps as another reviewer has written, worth reading twice.

I think this is one of the most invigorating books I have ever read. It is totally uncompromising and incredibly impressive in its breadth and depth of thought. It presents an intellectual and moral structure that goes further than any other I know in explaining personal identity, amongst a host of other things. I very much like its humanity - this is a world view that allows the possibility of remorse that has real meaning, of change and redemption. I don't think it's possible to read this book intelligently without measuring yourself against what it says, but falling short of its high standards does not leave one without hope - the roadmarks are there. This is an honest, kind, and above all brave book. It's also delightful to be given, along the way, a bibliography of other interesting titles. I shall be rereading many times, I suspect, and finding new depths each time.

Rowan Williams, current Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote the book 'Lost Icons: Reflections on Cultural Bereavement' while he was Archbishop of Wales, primate of a national church in the Anglican Communion outside of England. In his preface, he states that he was working on this book for the greater part of a decade: 'There have been times when I thought this book might more honestly have been presented as a sort of journal of the 1990s.' Of course, during this time, Williams wasn't even Archbishop of Wales; he spent much of the decade of the 1990s as Bishop of Monmouth.

This was the era of the Spice Girls, of the death of Prince Diana, of Madonna (the singer, not the Blessed Virgin Mary) and of other media sensations that came to be called 'icons'. An icon used to be used in terms almost exclusively for those images that Eastern Orthodox (among selected others) hold for veneration and prayer. Now it is more likely referring to a computer graphic image; even the media 'icons' have fallen. Williams resists the urge to set out a complex theological and aesthetic theory of iconography, but rather, more accessibly, looks at areas that are more particularly associated with everyday life and ways of thinking.

Williams looks at issues of identity, choice and will, society encroachments upon these aspects as well as the recognition of the other, that part of the world and society (including pieces of ourselves) that are outside of us and our own control. Finally, Williams looks at the issue of the soul, hoping to recover a 'lost language of the soul', taking secular language construction to task in theological as well as historical and psychological terms.

'So, this is an essay about the erosions of selfhood in North Atlantic modernity.' This involves issues in politics, economics, and philosophy as well as religion and theology. Williams' grasp of the fundament issues is strong, and his breadth of knowledge to draw these disciplines together in a useful and thoughtful way is impressive. Williams calls for a kind of cultural discourse that goes beyond the modern slogan and sound bite; this may seem radical, but in fact is what the true founders of modern society were calling for against the backdrop of medievalism. Who are we? Do we as individuals each have a self?

This is an important consideration - just what does our self consist of? Quoting Joseph Needleman, Williams states that 'Christian doctrine and exhortation are meaningless in our present context so long as we have no idea of what sense of self such teaching is address to.' We are called by Williams to build a new self different from that which media-saturated, postmodern society imposes upon us. Williams finally relates his argument back to the Eastern-style icon and what that means for us today. We have lost focus, lost a luminosity that these icons embody and demonstrate.

How can one not love a book in whose index Madonna, John Major, David Mamet, Thomas Merton and the Muppet Workshop appear virtually side by side (not to mention Roald Dahl, Jacques Derrida, and Diana, Princess of Wales)? Despite the references to Hegel and Derrida (among others), Williams text remains accessible and inviting to the general reader, and a real gift to those who have an interest in theology, spirituality, and culture.

Made You Look is about advertising and how it works. It is very informative. I didn't know advertisers had so many tricks. I like this book because it shows so many different perspectives of advertising and lots of opinions. Kids ten and up would like this book. It has some good quotes and facts. It's a very unique book because you won't find many books about advertising for kids and adults. Some of the lies advertisers have told are outrageous. Did you know that when Coke first came out it was advertised as a medicine? There are different rules about ads in each country. For example, Canada has a law that you can't target infomercials at kids under twelve. For me, this was a page turner because it was different than books I usually read.

"Made You Look" is about the advertising industry and how it became so powerful and influential. It explains the ways ads catch our attention, and how advertisers try to influence us. It also explores how advertisers who pay broadcast, print and other media outlets to feature their commercials can control the sorts of news and entertainment we will or won't see, read and hear.

Before you buy something based on an ad, "Made You Look" recommends that you ask yourself: Who wants me to believe what the ad says? How do the advertisers benefit if I buy this product? Aside from the product itself, what else does this ad sell? What information does this ad leave out?

"Made You Look" draws attention to the important things that money can't buy, and how time away from TV, radio, computers and billboards frees us to reach for the relationships and experiences that enrich us and make the world a happier, healthier place.

"Made You Look" is a wealth of information with outstanding illustrations to help young people understand advertising and how media impacts our lives and decisions. This title from the list, SC Reads 2005-2006: 100 Titles for High School Students, is one that older elementary, middle school and high school students can all enjoy. In a classroom or at home, this book provides great sparks for lively discussions!

This is an excellent tool for teaching media literacy and critical thinking to school-age children, and even to adults! I appreciate the history, the presentation of multiple perspectives, and the education about consumer advocacy.

I thought that this book was very interesting when I picked it up, because I had never seen anything like it! Even the author states:
"Do you remember the day one of your parents sat you down to have a serious talk about advertising? Me neither."

Basically, no one really teaches you about this stuff. I remember that in seventh grade, one of my favorite subjects was called, "Propaganda." It taught you about how advertisers use good looking people to sell products, or how they compare against other products. It was interesting, but didn't last very long! You usually learn about it yourself and by that time, you are up to your eyeballs in debt!

The book looks at both sides of the story. It points out how advertisers try to get your attention and may do things that aren't always ethical, but it also points out the facts.

There are some sections called "Try this at home!" Basically, these are exercises to make people more aware of the advertising around them. One suggests to look around your environment and see if the melting pot of society exists on your TV or in commercials. Chances are, it doesn't. On another section similar to this, the book asks you to look at the ingredients on a "brand name" product and a "no name" product and see if the ingredients are the same. Usually, they have similiar contents but people are more familiar and feel more comfortable with the brand name. So, we are more likely to buy it.

Towards the end of the book, there is a section that gives you information on how to speak out about what you think may not be right. If you are offended by something that is advertised to you, it suggests that you write to the company, because writing is taken more seriously than a phone call. There are also resources in the back on how to get a hold of companies and organizations that can continue to help you in your quest!

Must read for pre teens and teenagers alike!

This book is the ultimate must have for any fan, collector or movie buff. Clark Kidder has done an amazing job gathering together new & old, rare & popular and foreign & American Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. The book is full of luscious photos. Many of the photos are in color. Each item is detailed and is given an approximate value. The book includes values on: magazines, books, dolls, plates, posters, statues and countless other items. The book is well made with thick paper and easy to read text. If you shop on Ebay or antique shows or just want to know the value of your Marilyn collectibles you will need this book. Thank you Clark! CHERYL

Awesome guide! The best as finally been put out for a reference price guide on the best ever movie star MARILYN MONROE! Even she would be amazed I bet! Terrific job! Thanks for all the hard effort in making it! All worth it!

This book is a must have if you are a Marilyn collector or even just a fan. Not only are there thousands of listings but, there are thousands of pictures too! This book is the perfect tool to start you on your way to collecting Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. There are tips given by the author such as using the internet to find items, how to spot an original & much, much more!
You will refer to it again and again. I highly recommend this book. It's a purchase you'll be glad you made!

Beautifully illustrated and indexed a true "must have" for all Marilyn Monroe "afficionadoes" and serious collectors as well.
I truly enjoyed perusing through this book and appreciated how Mr. Kidder gave a thorough "overview" of Miss Monroe's career, "photo modeling" thru her "starlet" years thru her very brief "super stardom". The author also presents a biographical overview of the Stars'life. All in all, really loved this book. Of notable mention,Mr. Kidder's first book, (Marilyn Monroe Collectibles: A Comprehensive Guide to the Memorabilia of an American Legend), co-authored by George Zeno, was their first as well as successful effort on this subject.

This brand new, year 2002 224 page, softbound book is sure to delight any Marilyn Monroe fan. There are more than 3,500 items shown, and plenty of useful information on collector clubs, buying on the Internet, and insuring your items. You'll find a wealth of informative text included, along with a complete index to make item location easy. Over 500 large full color photos are shown. Fan clubs and collector sources are listed. It is the most up-to-date, comprehensive price and I.D. guide available. Every type of Marilyn collectible is shown in this book. Add it to your library.

This is an amazing historical fiction account of the Lewis and Clark Voyage of Discovery. In Idaho, students are spoon-fed Lewis and Clark starting in the fourth grade. By the time they get to 8th grade, students think they know everything there is to know about the Corps of Discovery. This novel opens up their eyes and their minds to so many more possibilities, and the understanding that, "Yes, you're right Mrs. Baker, I guess there are still some things about the Lewis and Clark journey that I don't know." And they enjoy it! Beyond that, my husband, who is only satisfied with reading non-fiction, enjoyed it. I loved it. It is exceptional. The content/vocabulary is not so difficult that those with lower reading abilities will be put off, as they are, for example, by Undaunted Courage. Read it. You will be glad you did!

THIS BOOK IS THE BEST BOOK ABOUT LEWIS AND CLARK AND I'VE READ A LOT OF THEM. EVERY ONE SHOULD GET THIS BOOK.

I loved this book - it is great historical fiction. The story-telling is great, and you pick up a lot of facts and information about the actual Lewis & Clark trip (without it getting boring or tedious). The style of writing takes a little getting used to - it is written in a poetic style, and each "chapter" is written in first-person by one of 14 different people. But, you get used to it. A plus for me was that each "chapter" is only 1-3 pages in length - so I could read small, complete pieces when I could find time. The author does include actual passages from journals kept on the trip, and mixes these passages well with both fictional and non-fictional accounts of the trip. I particularly enjoyed following the stories of Reubin and Joseph Fields.

I love poetry and history and found this book to be an intriguing blend of both. I've read many books on Lewis and Clark's voyage - even the best have a tendancy to become tedious with the (mis)spelling and durge of details. Mr. Wolf tells the story of the trip from the aspect of many different characters - including Seaman, the Newfoundland dog. This would be an excellent book for teachers to read aloud to their students - it's also a great introduction to poetry - don't be put off if you're not a poetry fan - you will like it!

"New Found Land," by Alan Wolf. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0763621137/qid=1114056055/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-6991206... This book, billed as suitable for grade seven and up, caught the eye of a geezer. It's a novel written in first person poetic form in fourteen different voices, all principals of the Lewis and Clark expedition, The Corps of Discovery.

The title voice is none other than that of Seaman, Meriwether Lewis's big black bear of a Newfoundland dog--known to himself as Oolum. New Found Land is a story of a land at the dawn of its transition to a new existence, one that we know today as the western half of the United States of America. Other voices are Lewis himself, Clark, Thomas Jefferson, George Shannon, the Fields brothers, others of the expedition, and of course, Sacajawea.

Of course, it wasn't really New FOUND Land. It had been found some 10,000 years earlier, before the pyramids were built. But to the members of the expedition, and to many of us who love their story, it WAS NEW Found Land.

This work is a blend of the actual words from the Journals, and what might have been said by the characters as they made their daily discoveries. I like its poetic style, unique among all the books I've read about this adventure.