Dean Books

I received this book over twelve years ago by a relative when I was five years old, and it still remains a treasure on my bookshelf. There are some books that embody a sense of magic well beyond their words and after long putting this one down, the images, love of tales, and the pure passion of the myths stays with you. James C. Christensen's work very obviously could stand alone. The brilliant rich colors and original imagination very nearly breathe life into an eloquent, albeit essentially simple story. You end up `seeing' the adventure as it pans out, on the decks of the Basset as it goes sailing, looking for magic.

The story has always remained dear to me, having characters that not only do you empathize with and care for immensely but end up seeing little bits of yourself entwined in. I love the subtext with the science in a world where physics and rigid rationalities are not shunned out, but rather melded together in an appreciation of what an untamed imagination has to offer a world that works within rules and boundaries; an ideology that I have long since held with reverence and respect. That without the ingenuity and sparks of original thought, the very fuel and passion of science and humanity's natural need and compulsion to understand, would be left lackluster, without the same benefit, and without the very essence that makes us who we are.

It is a quiet little book that has interwoven themes in a light manner and stays in a genre all its own. Someone obviously cared deeply about the origins of the myths, tales, and creatures, and through the perspective of Professor Aisling you shall find footnotes telling of their backgrounds and stories. As a kid this is why I fell in love with reading, the type of thing that leaves a dreamlike quality in the waking hours and sends shivers down the spine.

As that child, I saw the excitement and adventure that often keeps a young one entertained, though also growing up through the last twelve years I have drawn depth out of it. Originating from someone young who cared little for the sensible, polite etiquette of today's society (Cassandra), to now someone who roots and thrives and builds their life off of the science of the world (Miranda), I can see myself in both daughters. I have been both daughters. The book has a story of loss in its pages, and contributes to how our dreaming and imaginative nature is often lost in light of trauma and death, and also how it can wither or steel over as we grow older; as we come to understand the world expects a certain sense of propriety out of us. The two girls here are the split halves of a sphere; the pure willingness to believe with the mind of a child, and the sensibility and maturity of a questioning nature. Neither science nor the imagination is on some level complete without the other, and here they are personified in two strong females rooted in the deep bond of family.

This will be a book to give a child that will most likely appeal to their tastes, though will always remain something accessible to those older, and something that one will never tire of picking up. It's the sort of thing that will always hold something new with each stage of life and therein lays my ardent affection for the mythology, calm wisdom, and art within its pages. A golden and heartfelt story awaits you on a neglected dock. Credendo vides, my friend.

I think that my favorite part of this book were the illustrations. Then again, I hesitate to call the pictures in this book illustration; they step into the realm of artwork. Christensen's artwork is beautiful! The colors are vivid and alive, and sometimes I couldn't turn the page because I wanted to soak in every detail. They were so real, that I had a hard time looking at Medusa's eyes because it almost seemed that they would turn me into stone if I looked.

I loved the way the story and art went hand in hand to tell the voyage of the professor and his two daughters. If you love daydreaming about fantastical journeys, this is the story for you! Everything from Greek Mythology to Mideival Legend is found by sailing with the crew of the Basset.

What great story would be complete without having an equally great message! The message of this book is as beautiful as the story and its artwork. For fear of spoiling anything, here it is in the latin: "cresendo vides!"

If you love fairy tales then this book is for you! with an excellent story and beautiful pictures, I open my book at least once a week! I highly recommened this book to all ages! A true classic!

This is my favorite book. I have read it so many times. The drawings are beautiful. The story is so interesting that you almost feel like you are in the book, that you are Cassandra. There are so many mythical creatures discribed and drawn out for you on every page. My favorite part is when they meet the Manticore and the Sphynx falls in love with him. It is a very cute book that reads easy.

A story about a family coping with heartache and struggling to pick back up the pieces of their torn lives. Full of whimsical illustrations and imagination. For kids and the kid at heart, the only thing you will regret is not going on this fantastic voyage of distant shores and mythical creatures.

This is a must have book for anyone interested in Chicago's beer wars. Mrs. Keefe has written a brilliantly told acurate story that helps us understand how Capone became the legend that he is, for without Dean O'Banion on the north Capone may not have been as big on the south.

Chances are if you're reading the reviews for this book then you've read at least one Capone biography and walked away, like me, thinking, "Great story, wish I knew more about the Northsiders." Well Rose Keefe has heard our collective wail and has provided us with one of the best books on both Chicago gangland and one of its most interesting characters. There is much more to the O'Banion/Northside story than just being fodder for Capone's gunmen. If you're into Chicago's gangland past then this volume is a must.

A great bio on the Chicago gangster gunned down in his flower shop during the "Roaring Twenties". The book focuses on the rivalry between the Northside Chicago mob and the Southside Torrio-Capone mob.Obanion and his cohorts are literally devoured by the inter-city "big time" mobs with connections to New York city.From reading this book I don't believe Obanion knew what he was up against,he was a small town boy who moved to the city of Chicago, yet he tried to run his crime empire like a small business. Cavorting around a flower shop by day,shaking hands,(without an enemy in the world?),with little to no protection,meanwhile engaging in criminal activity that would include murder.That's just asking for it,and Torrio's mob,later inherited by Capone,was only too happy to oblige. It seems Torrio's mob when they arrived in Chicago was already an experienced hard core criminal transplant from NYC and cites thereof.How could Obanion honestly think that when the control of rackets,gambling,bottlegging,and the millions of dollars at stake, there was a "moral" line that shouldn't be crossed?Especially when dealing with the mob and seeing as the mob eliminated its own so what could a rival gang expect.Capone listed his profession as furniture dealer but I doubt you would see him lifting furniture into trucks.His furniture business was a fort.The short baby faced Obanion never had a chance in dealing with the NYC mob. this book really brought this out as I read it.An excellent work on crime history but it sort of makes Obanion look like a "farmer".

This is about the people who nearly beat the Capone Mob for control of the Chicago boot-legging business. They were led by a florist and included a war hero, a cowboy, a bigamist and a practical joker who starred in an early stag film in the middle of a gang war. The wild Northside Gang is today best remembered for being the victims in the St Valentine's Massacre but in the twenties they were household names. This and Rose Keefe's book about Bugs Moran are both fascinating. A must read!

This is the most comprehensive and thoroughly researched biography of Dean O'Banion and it has been justly recognized as definitive. Rose Keefe's greatest accomplishment is that her meticulous research has refuted dozens of journalistic half truths, embellishments and canards that have become commonly accepted as the truth simply because of constant repetition over eight decades. The actual Dean O'Banion is a far more complex and interesting character than his newspaper stereotype.

Many sources have characterized the Prohibition battles between the Northside Gang and the Capone/Torrio mob as simply a territorial battle between the Irish and those damned Dagoes. Keefe correctly points out that the Northsiders were, in fact, an exceedingly diverse group comprised of Irish, Italian, German, Jewish and Polish hoodlums. The reality was more complicated than the widely accepted conventional wisdom.

Although O'Banion could act in an utterly ruthless manner if circumstances warranted, more often than not he relied upon his quick wits. He possessed superior intelligence and had an engaging personality that inspired great loyalty from his comrades even long after his death.

Despite his humble origins, O'Banion had the ability to put people from various walks of life at perfect ease and to form lasting friendships that allowed him to move easily in political and social circles despite his criminal background. O'Banion was a contradiction: he was a devoted son and husband. One could envision the industrious O'Banion succeeding in almost any field of endeavor that he tried. The loss of his beloved mother to tuberculosis and a childhood accident that left O'Banion partially crippled with a permanent limp were traumatic episodes, but rather than contenting himself to be sidelined by his handicap or to endure a life of economic hardship and privation, O'Banion chose not to be pushed around as he hit back hard with both fists in order to survive in the rough and tumble, dog eat dog environment that was Chicago in the early years of the past century.

If you are living from hand to mouth, it always pays to be ambidextrous and O'Banion was, figuratively and literally: his custom tailored suits contained multiple pistol pockets which allowed O'Banion to draw concealed revolvers using either his right or left hand or both hands simultaneously. The same hands that O'Banion could and did use to fire pistols, crack safes, stuff ballot boxes or slug out rival newspaper hawkers would also cut flowers into lovely arrangements for weddings and funerals. As a bootlegger, O'Banion prided himself on selling quality products as opposed to the rot gut handled by his rivals.

Keefe relates the many occasions on which O'Banion performed acts of charity. Some of these kindly acts were calculated, however, since O'Banion was also interested in reaping votes come election time. By performing good deeds, he could call in favors when ballots were being cast by his neighbors. Unlike Al Capone who coupled brutality and with openly lewd and lecherous behavior (Scarface allegedly gained his trademark after making crude remarks about a woman's shapely posterior in the presence of her protective and knife wielding older brother), O'Banion was noted for behaving in a courteous and oftentimes chivalrous manner.

Keefe's writing is factual and entertaining. The O'Banion who she describes in such great depth proves to be such a charming and larger than life personality that it is entirely possible to imagine his immortal soul awaiting forgiveness and redemption in Purgatory. I was reminded of the Warner Brothers crime melodrama "Angels with Dirty Faces" in which a priest played by Pat O'Brien called upon a group of juvenile delinquents to "pray for a boy that who couldn't run as fast as I could" after his childhood friend who failed to escape the corrupting influence of the mean streets died at an early age as a result of embarking upon a criminal career. If this sounds like a mere Hollywood screenwriting cliche, consider the fact that a Roman Catholic priest was disciplined and transferred for leading graveside prayers for Dean O'Banion despite orders from the Cardinal to deny Christian burial rites to known gangsters.

The only serious fault that I found with "Guns and Roses" is that the book lacks proper footnotes. There is a bibliography, but Keefe ought to have provided footnote attributions to the excerpted materials that were previously published elsewhere. There are also some minor geographical, historical and typographical errors that Chicagoans may catch in the text, usually on minor details, but the book is otherwise solid. Despite these shortcomings, this book is nevertheless a significant addition to the true crime history of Chicago during the Prohibition Era.

Arguing persuasively that measurement as a positive accountability tool can transform an organization and its competitive performance level; consultant Spitzer presents the how-to's for socializing performance measurement into the fabric of an organization in a positive way. Showing how performance measurement can be used to direct behavior, focus attention, clarify expectations, enable accountability, increase alignment, motivate, etc. by utilization of four keys - Context, Focus, Integration, and Interactivity, the author makes a valid case for balance between the technical elements and the social aspects of performance measurement, be it reported by scorecard, dashboard or traffic signal.

Identifying `Context' as the most important of these four keys, Spitzer demonstrates how the purpose for which measurement is being used - to provide real understanding, helpful feedback, and to foster learning and improvement; or for justification, reporting, judgment, control, and reward - sets this `Context' and determines the employee reaction to and transformational benefits of any system, no matter its level of technical sophistication. The theme of this book speaks volumes about the importance of replacing fear with a supporting environment if you want to get transformational benefits from a performance measurement system. And, it is easy to agree with the author when he says, "When performance measurement is done the way advocated in this book, the organization itself and the people within it will be impacted positively." If your performance management system is using measurement primarily as a reward and punishment tool, this book will be a valuable read.

I very much liked what Spitzer had to say in this book; unfortunately I did not very much like reading it. Distracting from the impact of such a powerful theme is the redundancy contained within the chapters and the extent to which the author bolsters his argument with quotes and references from others - the book contains more than 250 notes (more than one quote per page on average) and shows a bibliography of 220 books or articles. Written as a 100 page how-to manual on the development and management of a performance measurement system this should be a best seller.

Dennis DeWilde
The Performance Connection

This book is an excellent example of thought leadership. The concepts presented on performance measurement places a whole new lens on the subject. I congratulate Dr. Spitzer on an excellent piece of work.

I just wanted to add my congradulations to Dean Spitzer for writing the best book I've read on performance measurement. Every page is filled with insight that will help you help your organization overcome fear and transform how people think about and use measurement.

After 10 years of development in operations finance and organization design, I am in a position to say unequivocally that Dean Spitzer has articulated my experience and conclusions on every page of his master work. Anyone who aspires to be an effective leader in today's market environment had better begin deepening their capacity to drive this kind of change, and Dean has offered a powerful set of insights, tools and guidelines that I intend to begin using immediately to support and augment my own toolkit. Bravo! Can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

I confess bias on this subject, as I head up a software company laboring in process intelligence ... So as someone keenly interested in how measurement is used in the enterprise, I find Dr. Spitzer's book to be essentially the bible on the subject. It is extremely balanced, thoughtful, and in my opinion, prescriptively correct. Hopefully, in the near future, prompted by this book, there will be more than just a few, "Chief Measurement Officers." And each one of them will be indebted to Dr. Spitzer's pioneering. But, the future on measurement is by no means certain. Yet the future of data has never been more exciting. The "data web" is just around the corner, and soon we will be accessing data with the ease that we access documents today. Right now it seems that gaiting factor to exploiting the "data web" is our social organization around measurement. Let's hope Dr. Spitzer's advice is followed.

As someone who frequently works with CIOs, I found this book to be excellent. One can read it cover to cover, or easily pick a topic and read the appropriate chapter. Since each chapter is essentially a standalone work produced by a CIO it is easy to flip to a particular issue, and gain insight.

Topics range from some of the more mundane, technical aspects of the CIO position, and further the old "business vs. tech" stereotypes, but other chapters such as "The First 90 Days" and the more strategy-oriented chapters are quite good.

Aside from the relatively minor "'the business' is evil" stuff, the book is marred by poor production. There are several spelling and grammatical errors, and the graphics are inconsistent and some of poor quality. The great content is mildly hindered by what appears to be poor editing and a rush job by the publisher.

Patrick Gray, author of Breakthrough IT: Supercharging Organizational Value Through Technology

I only got to read a few chapters before someone else in the office wanted to read the book. But I can say that the introduction, both generally about the CIO job, and the brief overview of each CIO who contributed, was very good. And the chapters from the different CIOs are valuable for the varied individual perspectives.

If you're not in IT management, probably not a very exciting book. But if you are, it gives you guidance from the varied real experiences of a lot of CIOs--people that you probably wouldn't hear from any other way.

The seventeen articles in this compendium represents contemporary and topical subjects, each written by a seasoned CIO. I was as impressed with the selection of articles as I was with the content because each topic is foremost on the minds of CIOs and senior IT managers today.

Among the articles I especially like are:

- The First 90 Days, by Mark Egan, which contains actionable plans that will get the new CIO (or other senior IT executive) quickly moving in the right direction.

- IT Organization, by Guy de Meester, in particular the challenges of centralization vs. decentraliztion, and organizational models in general. If this area is your focus I highly recommend additional reading: "Decentralization: Fantasies, Failings, and Fundamentals" (ISBN 0964163535) and "RoadMap: How to understand, diagnose, and fix your organization" (ISBN 0964163527), both of which go into great detail and provide an exceptionally effective approach.

- Governance, by Danny Maco, which is conspicuously missing in organizations large and small - or is often done incorrectly if done at all.

- Budgeting, by Bob Denis, Maureen Vavra, John Dick ... you'd think IT has this basic function under control, but sadly not. Read this article for excellent advice.

- The Metrics of IT: Management by Measurement, by Shel Waggener and Steve Zoppi. One of my favorite topics, and this team provides outstanding advice and keen insights.

Other articles are as well written, and span topics from architecture to strategic planning. Taken as a whole, this is a sourcebook that is filled with both knowledge and experience, and should be on the desk of every CIO, seasoned and new. I also recommend visiting the site that supports this book (paste the ASIN number, B0001EHNFK, into the search box for all products on this page). The site contains additional articles, news and other books in this series that CIOs, IT managers at all levels, and subject matter experts will find useful.

Truly, this is 'CIO Wisdom' - set down by CIOs and IT managers who deal day-to-day with information technology in perhaps the most challenging environment - Silicon Valley itself. As a 42-year veteran of the IT industry, I think this is the first time I've seen so much down-to-earth, practical and useful IT guidance in one place. The chapters are clearly and well-written. The authors get right down to the meat of the subject and provide practical suggestions for improving IT delivery.

If the book has a weakness, it is that there is so much specific information here that it will likely take multiple readings to glean all of it.

I think this book should be required reading for all CIOs ... and if you really want to start something, get a copy for everyone on your IT staff!

As a CIO I though CIO Wisdom hits the nail on the head on many of the challenges and issues facing today's CIO's. Sound and practical advice from those actually performing in the job was quite refreshing to the theoretical approach found in many other books on this topic. I only wish that many of my customers (business line leaders and executives) would read this book to better understand the value of IT can bring to our organization.

My only critique is that some of the concepts discussed in the book where not fully flushed out when the author was talking about solutions. Of course there have been entire books written on some of the topics covered in CIO wisdom.

I was particularly impressed by the Communications, Governance, Marketing and the Business Intelligence chapters.

i have'nt read the whole book let but i will be buying it because the sample stories were so great i am setting tears rolling jusst over that so i know this book has to be great.

What can I say to make you want to buy this book? If I tell you I'm the author of "My Little Brother" which is included in this book - would that make you order it? Probably not. If I say it's one of the best collection of short stories I've ever read - would that make you order it? Again, probably not. So why should you order this book? You'll know the answer to that question after reading just one or two stories. I promise you will experience the joy of laughter and the healing of tears. This is one book that will be talked about for a very long time. But hey, don't take my word for it. Take a chance and buy it. This is one book you won't want to put down!

The book is perfect (in content and size!) When I joined Heartwarmers.com some months ago, I figured, why not, it's free, what do I have to lose? Well, it has actually changed my life. Now I wake up and look forward to my days, rather than getting hit with the usual negative news. When I heard Heartwarmers.com was coming out with a book, I was so happy. Now I could share these wonderful stories with friends who were not on the Internet. When I got the book, I was thrilled and got several more. Oh, this would make a great Mother's Day gift too! (My mom already has hers, I couldn't wait.) I hope they come out with more books soon. I want to start a collection. Brenda

What can I say to make you want to buy this book? If I tell you I'm the author of "My Little Brother" which is included in this book - would that make you order it? Probably not. If I say it's one of the best collection of short stories I've ever read - would that make you order it? Again, probably not. So why should you order this book? You'll know the answer to that question after reading just one or two stories. I promise you will experience the joy of laughter and the healing of tears. This is one book that will be talked about for a very long time. But hey, don't take my word for it. Take a chance and buy it. You won't want to put it down!

I am one of many authors who donated some of their best stories to this book (for free) so that people might be inspired by the goodness of others. Be ready to laugh, cry and feel good while reading this book. There are stories that can make you laugh. There are stories that can make you cry. But this is the book that can make you laugh and cry at the same time....

I have read Alan Dean Foster's Star Wars books and was told to try out some of his non-Star Wars books. I tried Codgerspace but was unimpressed. Nonetheless, I decided to plug through this highly rated book.

Plot:
Seeth is a punk rocker. Kerwin is a college student. Miranda is a blonde bombshell. This trio meets up with Arthwit Rail, an alien in possession of Izmir, a strange being that no one is quite sure of. When Rail is chased by Oomenians who want Izmir back, the three humans are whisked away to a wide expansive world possessing more aliens than imaginable, shopping sprees beyond imagination, science this world has only dreamed of, and a five-way war over the strange thing that keeps tagging along. Will these three humans survive and who will gain control over Izmir?

Good:
AMAZING! This is a positively awesome book. From the characters, to the plot, to the pacing, to the science, there is very little that is wrong with this book.
From the moment that we meet Seeth, I was hooked. Seeth was an absolutely awesome character, portrayed perfectly. Not quite good and completely different from the middle-class ideal, Seeth is such a convincing persona, he outshines his other two counterparts. Miranda actually acts like a ditz (most of the time--see below) and Kerwin is a nerd in a new sense--non-science (i.e. physics, math, that kind of stuff).
Next, the plot was perfect! Each action led to the next, was unique but not confusing and was overall amusing. Watching how the three are introduced (Kerwin and Seeth in the bowling alley, Miranda and the two in the car Rail steals), how they land on an alien world, how they shop, what they have to do to make money, all these little incidents are absolutely perfectly intertwined to make a completely satisfying story.
The pacing was also perfect. Not too much time is spent on Earth, no large gaps occur in time, and Foster doesn't get bogged down in long expository scenes that serve only to explain every detail that the audience doesn't get (which, by the way, Foster again does perfectly). I enjoyed how they understood so much more than the humans (although I did get tired of the human downplaying).
Lastly, the science! And boy, is there a world of science. From new alien species that defy the almost-human aliens to the new spaceships to the unique spacetime wormholes used by the Halets, the aliens actually are aliens! I loved the new battle warfare (between computers!) and the hard-core explanations (like the missing 30 - 40% mass of the universe). But the science isn't so concentrated and focused that the story is missed.

Bad:
Two characters are absolutely plain. Miranda took a freshman physics course and talks like she can compete with alien knowledge? Yeah, right. I have taken sophomore physics, and I wouldn't hold my own next to an alien's superior knowledge of physics. And I am supposed to believe this ditz can spout freshman physics and sound intelligent? This just undermines the shallowness of her character.
Next, I loved Seeth's viewpoint. I was so disappointed when the view went to boring Kerwin. Yes, it is interesting that he is a sociology (I think) major, but really, not much goes on in his head other than being jealous of Seeth over Miranda or mad at Seeth for something he said. What about Seeth? What about Miranda? What about Rail for goodness sake? Why would I want most of the book, which concentrates on three, not one, major character to be told solely from one being's point of view?

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Seeth has quite a foul mouth (being a punk and anarchist after all) and so do several other characters, but "fortunately" the language is reserved to da**, he**, and sh**. Miranda is sleeping with her boyfriend in the back of the van. Seeth can think only of sleeping with Miranda. Violence is very tame, with the exception of the Oomenians shooting at fleeing Kerwin, Seeth, and Rail.

Overall:
After reading Codgerspace and being only minimally impressed with the story, I really did not want to read another book from the author for a while. But, it sounded interesting and my sister told me I should, so I did. And that was a great choice. I was impressed--I was more than impressed, I was shocked. Even with a few minor qualms (the viewpoint change and some characterizations), Glory Lane is an awesome, awesome science fiction book and I think that all sci-fi fans should read this one. Five stars easily.

The book is about three misfit Earthlings that unwittingly get caught up in a chase around the universe to obtain a very mysterious object.

This book is a wild ride and its actually funny! It has great characters and a story that gets bigger and more intriguing with every page. It is one of a handful of books I've read more than once. Don't let the cartoonish cover scare you away... though the book is quite silly, it is actually very thought-provoking and will open your eyes to the lighter side of contemplating the universe and our place within it... something we all really need a bit of. Great for kids or adults.

My best friend gave me this book years ago and I loved it so much I wore it out! I lost it recently and had to get a new copy. You will enjoy this hilarious romp through the universe. It was everything I'd want in a science fiction novel!

When punk rocker Seeth rescues someone from arrest at the local bowling alley, it all seems like a harmless lark. But, when the cops turn out to be murderous aliens, Seeth and the bookworm Kerwin soon find themselves running for their lives. Accidentally picking up airhead style-queen Miranda, they set off for the stars on the adventure of a lifetime!

This is quite a fun little book. Shift your brain into neutral and suspend your disbelief as you will quickly find a universe filled with extremely odd creatures doing extremely odd things, while the situation becomes odder and odder. I mean, this is not Isaac Asimov teaching a lesson, instead this book is a fun romp through all sorts of strange adventures. By the way, did you realize that the most important thing in the universe is shopping? Well, get this book and learn more!

...all three human characters. They do not grow. They remain petty, impudent little pests and I found myself wondering why the other races tolerated the human species if this was all the better that they were going to meet!

Seriously, the actual sci-fi was top-notch. There were a multitude of worlds and species that were well-done. But, it was marred by the inclusion of a punk rocker, a geek and a ditzy blond who continued to bicker, and sometimes actually fistfight with one another, no matter the situation. I wish he'd haven given that aspect of the story a rest.

I encourage anyone who dreams of traveling to read: Wondrous Journey by Dean Jacobs. I felt like I was on the journey with him and he reignited the flame of my inner gypsy. Dean writes in a warm and touching way that warms the heart. He also writes with such humor that I found myself laughing aloud. The pictures were awesome and his description of the spiritual pilgrimage he found himself on stirred my soul. I love a book that has such an open honesty about it. I love a book that makes you think about deeper things like, Where is God in my life? One day I will take a journey of my own, but until then, I know I can journey with Dean and let the gypsy within continue to live.

The book Wondrous Journey, by Dean Jacobs, gave me the desire to go out into the world and see how people act and what the world looks like outside of America. Sometimes I watch movies or read books about people around the world who are not nice. After reading about Dean's experiences, however, I realize that people are actually very friendly. Many of the people Dean met even provided their homes for him. This book also showed me more of what the world was like outside of America. There are so many amazing things I didn't know about before I read this book. You should read this book and find out more about the world too.

Reading the book Wondrous Journey by Dean Jacobs helped me, and maybe you after you read this review, learn about the real people in our world, not just the people the newspapers tell us about. The people Dean met often had very little, but could offer so much. Many opened their doors to Dean and let him stay in there homes. They were very kind and gracious to him even if their country's government didn't agree with ours (U.S.A.).

Dean learned that people work hard all over the world to support their families. Many people work 10 hours a day, seven days a week and still get paid very little. Even though the people work hard, they still like to have fun. Dean found this out when he started to teach the children in Indonesia to play the hokie pokie and the adults started joining in. This game was one of many ways Dean connected with people on his journey. After reading Dean's book, I am inspired to travel the world to make my own connections with the people who live in it.

Wonderous Journey allows the reader a glimpse into the heart and depth of a man searching for something greater than himself. Written in easy-to-read prose, Dean describes his adventures with humor and compassion during his 22 1/2 month journey around the world.

Although the pretense of the book is a chronology of his day-to-day travels and is in itself an engaging read, the book delves further into the spirit of the man on the journey. By traveling around the world, Dean encounters people and places that offer him the challenges and diversity he is unable to find in the doldrums of everyday life in corporate America. Dean chooses not to stay in the four-star hotels, but instead gets to the heart of the common people and thereby comes to know his own.

The photographs contained in the book serve as a pictorial documentation of the beauty and diversity of the 28 different countries and cultures Dean discovers during his short time in each.

I would recommend Dean's book to anyone who has the desire to step past that which is commonplace and have the courage to go beyond it. For those who wish to travel and for those who wish to dream, Wonderous Journey fulfills both.

My daughter and I read this book together and this is what she has to say (she is nine years old).
"It was the best book I ever read! It had so many interesting, funny, and adventurous stories. My favorite was when his truck got stuck in the mud in Africa.The book has a picture section too! It includes: tazmanian devils, kangaroos, African sunsets, water falls, and much more."
Megan Arnold
Ohio

This book will teach you about what everyone needs to know and have more off in the diet. Check out what others say and buy the book today. A book that urgently needs to be read.

I knew magnesium was important from other books I had read, and other classes I had taken, but I didn't realize how many things reduce the amount in the body such as, exercise, sweating, stress, prescription drugs, fluoride, and calcium supplementation. Magnesium is necessary to properly metabolize calcium, and it keeps calcium in solution in the body, so it prevents calcifications, which are quite common.

Magnesium is therapeutic in treating the following:
1. Anxiety and panic attacks- because it helps keep adrenal stress hormones under control
2. Asthma - both histamine production and bronchial spasms increase with magnesium deficiency
3. Blood clots - magnesium prevents blood clots and thins blood without side effects.
4. Bowel disease - magnesium deficiency is one of the main causes of constipation.
5. Cystitis - bladder spasms are worsened by a magnesium deficiency.
6. Depression - serotonin (mood elevator) is dependent on magnesium for its production and function.
7. Heavy metals - magnesium is essential for the removal of heavy metals such as aluminum and lead.
8. Diabetes - magnesium facilitates the production of insulin and the transfer of glucose into the cells.
9. Fatigue - magnesium deficiency affects hundreds of enzymes, and fatigue is one of the first signs of a magnesium deficiency.
10. Heart disease - The heart requires magnesium as does all muscles.
11. Hypertension, hypoglycemia, insomnia, kidney disease, migraines, nerve problems, PMS, osteoporosis, Raynaud's syndrome, and tooth decay are all aggravated, and sometimes caused by a magnesium deficiency.

Calcium causes muscles to contract, while magnesium gives them the ability to relax. This is why it is so helpful in the treatment of heart disease, asthma, migraines, PMS and Raynaud's syndrome.

She told a very scary story where a Florida high school football coach gave his players a calcium supplement on a very hot day before a game. Eleven players became disoriented and had difficulty walking. Their speech was slurred, they complained of muscles spasms, and they were breathing very deeply. Within an hour eight of the boys collapsed into full-blown seizures. Thirteen of the players reported headaches, blurred vision, muscle twitching, nausea, and weakness. They all eventually recovered. The heat, exercise, and calcium supplementation had driven their magnesium levels dangerously low. Magnesium deficiency may play a role in sudden cardiac death syndrome as seen with athletes.

She generally recommends 600-1,000 mgs, and depending on your health condition will determine what type of magnesium to take. This is one of the better books I have read on natural health care. I'm currently working on a summary for myself, I'm about halfway through and already have four pages of notes. I would recommend it to anyone who is serious about natural healthcare.

If you're like me, you know to avoid "miracle" claims for any supplement. So, the title of this book may seem over the top.

But the fact is, magnesium is involved in hundreds of cellular reactions--to the point that if you don't have enough of it, you are breaking down all over. Sometimes in subtle ways and sometimes major ones. And magnesium can help such a wide variety of conditions that it does seem a bit too good to be true.

When I started researching magnesium a few years ago, I found the science so strong and the implications of mag deficiency so serious, I could not understand why more doctors didn't know about it.

Instead, our culture is getting pumped full of calcium, to the point that it is causing serious problems with sleeplessness, breast lumps, repetitive-use injuries, tendonitis, hypertension, anxiety, and even constipation.

A recent study showed that magnesium supplementation even at the point of infant delivery will reduce the risks of a child having cerebral palsy. And women who don't have enough magnesium have higher rates of hypertension during delivery.

I explain it to friends this way: Calcium gives rigidity to the cell, and magnesium gives flexibility. It's not exactly scientifically accurate, but it's close enough.

So, with any problem where you are lacking "flexibility," magnesium might help. Moreover, taken as the experts recommend, it won't hurt you--unlike the pharmaceutical alternatives your doctor might recommend instead.

As a nation, we are largely deficient in mag due to many factors, including high stress levels, consuming too many dairy products, and the quick-growing methods we've employed in our farming practices over the last 50 years. And the industry fixation on promoting calcium is CREATING many health problems.

Carolyn Dean explains everything you need to know about magnesium clearly, factually, and entertainingly. I recommend it to all who care about their health--and that of their loved ones.

"The Magnesium Miracle" is a well written, understandable look at this key mineral. The book details the studies done showing magnesium's role in the healing of so many disease conditions. As the author rightfully says, "We are not drug deficient, but rather nutrient deficient." Also, all the key minerals and vitamins are synergistic in their operation. This means that they work togehter to procuce the desired effect. For example, calcium is a muscle contractent, while magnessium is a muscle relaxant. For magnesium and calcium to do their jobs you also need vitamin D, copper, maganese, boron and zinc. Also these nutrients need to be in the proper ratio to each other. You might have heard that you need two parts calcium to one part magnesium. The author contends that you need one part calcium to one part magnesium. I agree with her.

The author stresses the importance of a healthful diet with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, cold water fish, organic meat, beans, nuts and seeds. She also gives you a supplement protocal for every disease condition talked about in the book. She isn't for mega doses of any one nutrient, but the right ratio of all the needed nutrients. I've known quite a few people, who while professing to be supplement takers, are slip-shod about the whole thing.This approach will not provide the necessary nutrients on a daily basis that are essential to regaining your health. You need to be responsible and discipline yourself to follow a supplement protocal and eat at regular times as well.

The author tells you about the various kinds of magnesium, how readily each one is absorbed by the body and whether they can cause loose stools in sensative people. Dr. Dean takes all the guess work out of chosing a magnesium supplement.

The one negative comment is where the author tells people with certain disease conditions to lay off meat. While some people need more protein and fat than others, we all need some in our diet. Because of the way most animals are raised, of all the foods to purchase organically meat is the most important. While organic meat is definitely more expensive, especially if you are already sick, you do not want to be eating growth hormones, antibiotics, etc. Some people are carbodydrate types, others are mixed types, while still others need a higher fat and protein diet. One simple way to determine your food type is to ask yourself what kind of chicken you most perfer. If like me you love dark meat, you are probably in the last catagory. If you perfer white meat the opposite is probably true. If both are equally appelaing you are probably a mixed diet person. For a more detailed test on this important subject go to Joseph Mercola's website.

I would also highly recommend you you read "Vitamin D Is It The Fountain of Youth?" by Paul Stitt. Vitamin D is another miracle nutrient. The more I study on nutrients the more convinced I become that only what our Creator designed us to function on will produce abundant health. We can't eat junk food, take a multi vitamin and be healthy. Also, lipitor will never replace magnesium. And while natural remedies such as herbs, chiropracitc, etc definitely have their place in a healthful lifestyle they don't replace proper eating, drinking enough water, getting adequate sleep, exercse, sunshine and fresh air. Also having a right relationship with God and close, healthy personal relationships is key to health. We need to learn to take responsiblility in every area of our lives.

This isn't your typical "you need Magnesium so here is where you buy it" and then bloated with a bunch of pages with a thousand sources that anyone can easily find on the internet. This is good reading and well done to open your eyes and make you aware, not only of the need, but the reasons. If you want hand-holding go to the health food store but if you want an education on the subject, this a good one.

After 35 years, finally something that starts to put together some of the pieces. Dean has hit the nail on the head for me, although only about 30% of the book really relates to my experiences. I still need some answers, but now have a better idea of how to find them.

This is a great book to enable soldiers to come to terms with the effects of PTSD. It is the best book around on the subject.

This is one of the finest books written for Vietnam veterans and their families, and I've read many. As a former wife of a Vietnam vet, I know too well the emotional devastation that was visited on those of us who were ill prepared for the return of our loved ones, suffering from psychic war wounds.
This book spells out what PTSD is, in clear, understandable language. How I wish I'd had this book years ago, but I am eternally grateful for Chuck Dean's courage and insight into this subject. He is helping so many of us find a way to put our trauma in perspective, and find meaning in our experience. Thank you, Chuck, for writing this book!!

I am a social worker with the Dept of Veterans Affairs and work closely with many Vietnam vets. This book put their experience in perspective for me. My father is also a Vietnam Vet and I have urged him to read this book. I have read many books on treating PTSD and about the Vietnam War, but this, by far, is the finest book I own regarding both of those topics.

Since 1975, nearly three times as many Vietnam veterans have committed suicide than were killed in the war, the divorce rate among Vietnam veterans is above 90 percent, and between 40 and 60 percent of Vietnam combatants have persistent problems related to the war. What is the cause of these terrible statistics, and how can Vietnam veterans cope with flashbacks, depression, fits of rage and worse? Written by a Vietnam veteran, and now in a newly revised and expanded edition, Nam Vet: Making Peace with Your Past is a self-help guide that helps survivors identify the origins of self-destructive behavior with roots in the war, and make lasting peace with the past. Chapters address how to deal with recurring nightmares, survival guilt, PTSD, the dangers of "self-medication" and much more. A profound, earnest and helpful book grounded in realistic appraisal of lasting personal problems relating to the war, strongly recommended for the families of veterans as well as veterans themselves.

This book is quite interesting. It takes the wisdom from many different religions, though it definitely has a very Eastern bent. His writing reminds somewhat of Alan Cohen. Well, that makes sense since they believe in similar things and they both come from a Jewish background.
I feel relaxed reading this book as I did with Cohen's work. I would definitely recommend this. I would also recommend Eckhart Tolle's book called "Stillness". I like it better than the "Power of Now".

Dean Sluyter writes, "On our journey through life, we think of, say, stopping for gas or going to the bathroom as time out from the main event, from our "real" activities. We think of the time we spend walking down the corridor from Office A to Office B as intermission, dead time, mere connective tissue. But there is no intermission. The show never stops.Every moment is the only moment." Living mindfully each moment is one of the Zen commandments that Sluyter artfully teaches in this wonderful book that you will likely read more than once.
The nine other commandments express Zen essence in an earthy way. This does not have the feel of religion, dogmatism, or preaching. It's more like a friend telling you what he learned in his travels that just might change your way of experiencing the world. The author has taught meditation for over thirty years. I feel certain that he is an excellent teacher. Quoting diverse sources such as Miles Davis, Thoreau, Bill Clinton, and Euripides, Sluyter keeps us on our toes with the wisdom coming from North, West, East, and South. This has taken its place as one of my favorite books.

No, you don't need to give up the religion you grew up with to embrace the thoughts and perspectives this excellent book contains. The author teaches the lessons in an accessible way and leads you on a path to inner freedom and contentment. Its a quick read but you may find yourself reading again and again.

this is a sweet and thoughtful book...
skillfully and beautifully written...
it certainly gets to the heart of the matter...
just the reading of it provides peace...
thank you, mr. sluyter...

This book will open your eyes to a wonderful new way to approach Zen and how you can actually apply it to everyday life even if you are down in the trenches just putting one foot in front of the other. I loved reading it, laughed frequently and was sorry when I finished.