Howard Books

It's not far fetched for little Nellie, who's father was a confidant of one president and a friend to another, to set a goal of going to Washington in the top spot available to a woman... the wife of the president.

Having recently read about Alva Vanderbilt, I chose this bio. of her contemporary. These are two very amibitious women living in a time of limited options for women. Neither bio. suggests their paths crossed, but it would seem that they should have. Both battled the odds, one to be the hostess to society, the other to the country.

This is a very good book, and worth reading, but I've given 4 stars and not 5 because

1) the early life seemed bogged down in detail (I almost stopped reading it)

2) In this case, a better analysis of a husband's political agenda is appropriate in a bio of his spouse. In the 3 party campaign, TR has a compelling platform, but Taft only seems to speak to isolated issues and against one constitutional change (Taft's passion is law) that TR proposed. This could support the thesis that Taft is not interested in the job, and has it because his wife is interested in being First Lady (thereby losing it on this same account).

3) The Roosevelt (TR, Edith & Alice) relationship is too cardboard. Taft serves TR and the country very well in remote/dangerous locales (The Philippines, Cuba, Panama), and boring cabinet jobs and sings TR's praises. The author portrays TR's very public betrayal as TR not wanting to give up the presidency and his personality clashes with Nellie. I'd have liked more opinion on this. Maybe TR & the insurgents felt that Taft was unelectable or that Taft was disinterested in the issues (i.e. he just wanted to make his wife happy), and their agenda would be stalled.

The low key political life of the times is amazing in contrast to today's. Taft can get nominated in a tight ballot at a convention he doesn't even attend. Campaigning is not a day and night enterprise. There doesn't seem to be any fundraising or donor pleasing, Carnegie willingly offers money. Nellie can say she never takes a drink in complete confidence of no journalistic follow up. Nellie can walk the streets of DC, just show up at hearings or even the Democratic Convention without an entourage or papparazzi.

The Taft's financial situation is hazy. In the pre-While House days they presumably live on a shoestring.. but there is a lot of travel, shopping and entertaining. The Tafts leave the White House enriched by $100K, which was Taft's annual salary inclusive of White House entertainment expenses.

A psychologist might have some comments about the influence of father figures among the principle characters. One being Nellie's pursuit of what her remote father could not attain. Another being the similarity in appearance of TR and Taft(note the side by side in the photo section) and its effect on their friendship, Taft's inability to criticize TR until the very end and the curious behavior of Alice.

As you finish the book, despite words to the contrary throughout, you have the idea that Will, who loved Nellie very much, was a mere tool. Nellie seems unfazed by his death and rids herself of his clothes and books with dispatch.

I read Carl Sferrazza Anthony's biography of Florence Harding a few years ago and thought it was terrific. Mrs. Harding deserved a full-fledged biography, given her push to make her husband president and the scandals that followed. I was less interested in Nellie Taft and wondered if this woman warranted 411 pages of text. Mr. Anthony proved that it was worth it.

The initial chapters of this book are narratively slow. The Taft/Herron courtship as described by the author bogs down in style and I'm not a fan of his calling his subjects "Will" and "Nellie". (I can't imagine a biographical author of Lincoln referring to them as "Abe" and "Mary") However, once President and Mrs. Taft are married Mr. Anthony's writing finds its groove. By the way, previous to this book, the one bit of recognizable knowledge about Mrs. Taft was that she was the First Lady who secured the cherry trees for Washington, D.C.

Carl Anthony gives us a detailed look into Mrs. Taft....her ambitions for her husband, her dislike of the Roosevelts, her love of champagne, automobiles and travel. Always independent, Nellie Taft became accustomed to a life of accommodation, based on her husband's political choices, her health, but also one of (often) unusual distance from her parents, siblings and children. Having fought so long to make sure that Theodore Roosevelt wouldn't gain a third term as president, she lived long enough to see another Roosevelt do just that.

This is an important book about a woman who was more of an inspiration almost one hundred years ago than we might otherwise have remembered and a woman who has largely been forgotten until Mr. Anthony's book. It is ironic that I finished the book on the day that Sandra Day O'Connor announced her resignation from the Supreme Court. Carl Anthony mentions Mrs. O'Connor on the very last page of his book as the Supreme Court justice spoke at the seventy-fifth anniversary of Nellie Taft's first planting of the cherry trees at the Tidal Basin. It would have been fun to gauge Mrs. Taft's reaction to that ceremony had she been alive. I'm sure she would have noted that a woman had made it onto the Supreme Court, that great position of distinction that her husband, as Chief Justice, had finally attained. Then she would have retired to a good game of bridge and a glass or two of champagne.

I've been a history buff most of my life. In kindergarten, I could recite the U.S. Presidents. Many years later I added the Vice Presidents. Perhaps someone could name all the First Ladies. Note: some Presidents were widowers when they took office. One was a lifelong bachelor. Others remarried, before, during, or after their terms. Nellie Taft has received relatively little attention in history books. One main reason may be that her husband only served one term. A falling out with his onetime mentor (and predecessor) Theodore Roosevelt led to a split in the Republican party. Democrat Woodrow Wilson won. Taft finished third, to Roosevelt's Progressive "Bull Moose" party. That's the only time in recent years that a "third" party finished better-than third. Yet if it wasn't for Nellie Taft, her husband would have never been President. She worked hard to fulfill her longtime wish to be the wife of a President. This was at a time when women couldn't even vote. Ironically, her own position on suffrage would evolve. At first, she favored allowing only educated women-and men to vote. Nellie Taft was ahead of her time in many ways. Unlike most women, she enjoyed alcohol, smoking, and gambling. She had worked as a schoolteacher. Even after marriage and children, she oversaw a local symphony orchestra. Throughout her life, she loved to travel overseas. After the Spanish American War, the USA acquired the Phillipines Islands. William Howard Taft was appointed governor. Nellie was a great asset. She showed remarkable sensitivity in her dealings with the Filpino people. Theodore Roosevelt found her an ally in steering her husband toward the Presidency. Yet their relationship would be very shaky. Her tenure as First Lady was ground breaking. She was the first to ride with her husband in the inaugural parade. She sponsored concerts, had Japanese cherry blossoms planted in Washington, and placed African American doormen in the White House. A stroke sidelined her for a little while. Yet she supported her husband's bid to defeat Roosevelt for the Republican nomination in 1912. That year she had another first. She attended a political convention-the Democrats'. Another first came after leaving the White House. She wrote her memoirs. Her life continued to be active. It became more separate from her husband's. That was especially true after 1921. He was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. That was his life's goal. But she was with him during his final days. After his death in 1930, she continued a life full of travel, family, and some politics. She even varied from the Republican party on occasion. There are many photos. This is a long read, but very informative. The book is well footnoted. You may want to check out the author's other books next.

On May 31, 2000, I read Carl Anthony's excellent biography of Florence Harding, wife of President Harding. When I saw this book I decided to read it, based on my good experience with his Harding book, even though the subject did not seem to be nearly as interesting as was Harding--since there were rumors that Florence Harding had some sinister role in her husband's death. But I enjoyed this book much. It is superbly researched and since Nellie Taft was very much caught up in her husband's career, it is exceptionally interesting. Nellie never liked Teddy Roosevelt's wife, and she told her husband in 1908 that TR would turn on him--as of course he did. The book is written from the Taft viewpoint and so Nellie comes out looking pretty good--though she was imperious and quite demanding and gave her husband a hard time often. In her youth she had a goal: to marry a man who'd become President. And while Taft's goal was to become Chief Justice, he attained his wife's goal before he attained his own. (But attained both!) Even the account of Nellie's life after her husband died in 1930 is full of interest. She had a rather detached view toward her son, Robert Taft, and his presidential ambitions in 1940, and lived till 22 May 1943. This was a much better book than I expected and held my interest thoroughly.

This is a very good Biblical dictionary. It helps you understand Biblical terms and is easy enough for a young adult/teenager to use.

The New Bible Dictionary first appeared in 1962. It is one of many great books that was written, to a large degree, in Tyndale House, Cambridge. It has been updated several times to include new discoveries and to improve the already terrific original dictionary. The scholars who wrote the articles are some of the best-known, most-respected evangelical scholars today.

Highly recommended.

If you would like this book and 17 other helpful books, including the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, Sinclair Ferguson's New Dictionary of Theology, the New Bible Dictionary and the New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, also the Essential IVP Reference Collection CD ROM.

This book was a gift from a friend about a year ago. I use it all the time when reading the Bible and doing studies with friends. It has all the information you could ever want. Some very obscure topics are left untouched, but all of the major and minor topics are dealt with. It also includes maps, pictures, etc. Well worth the money.

The New Bible Dictionary is more like an encyclopaedia than simply a dictionary. The scholarship is first-rate and the book is an almost essential resource for those who are conducting more in-depth study of the Bible.

It contains a number of articles from a range of good Christian scholars on pretty much every person, place, book and other thing in the Bible. For example, when discussing a book of the Bible, the article would contain information about the author, the date of writing, some of the scholarly issues concerning that book and would give a broad overview of the purpose and theology of the book.

This book is an invaluable resource for both lay person and Ministers, and would be useful to anyone who is involved in writing Bible studies or talks on the Bible, or who is undertaking formal study of the Bible or who is simply serious about examining more closely what the Bible really says.

If you fit one of these categories, you should definitely buy this book.

Why is Waldrop so ignored? His short stories are brilliant, but difficult to classify-- he heads off into a completely new direction every time. There isn't a genre he won't twist to his own ends, frequently with large dollops of genuinely witty humor thrown in. The miracle is that he succeeds each time with even the most improbable concepts and premises. So track this down along with his other collections (Strange Monsters of the Recent Past, Howard Who?, anything else you can get your hands on) and enjoy. You'll become a fan, I guarantee it.

I'm completely mystified why Howard Waldrop's books are out of print - they should be required reading for everyone! Although it's easy to assume this guy is seriously crazy, he possesses the most imaginative mind I've ever come across. His stories often take a historical event, and give it such a neat little twist, you end up wishing it had happened that way. Whatever the subject, you just find yourself thinking, "Hey! What if ....." and surely that can only broaden your mind. Isn't that what the art of short story writing is all about? To get us thinking?

Although I'm responding to this excellent collection (which I've owned for many years), my favourite of his short story collections, "Strange Things in Close Up" is not even listed here! Among 19 wonderful stories, it contains "The Ugly Chickens" which has to be one of the best short stories ever written (most of the rest of my personal top ten short stories are also by him). You'll really believe dodos were alive (in America, no less) into this century - after all, Paul Linberl saw the photo. This story also made me find out what on earth Pachelbel's "Canon in D" was and was instrumental in changing my taste in music forever!

From far-off Australia, I urge all Americans to rise up and demand Howard Waldrops books are reissued so they can rush to log on to Amazon and buy them! This guy should be revered as one of your greatest authors, not languishing among the "Out of Print"!

No matter what crazy or malign things Howard Waldrop may have done in his life, these stories or his will pay for his entrance into Heaven! This is a short story collection which takes "What if..." ideas and twists them around until the reader says, "What the HELL?!?!" Waldrop's fiction is a smorgasboard of delightful details. It activates circuits in your brain you didn't realize you had. Waldrop's characters are so deftly rendered that you can SEE them in your imagination - the man would have made a great casting director. He knows old movies better than Connie Willis (who took an entire book to do something Waldrop did in a handful of pages). He knows comics and H.G. Wells and music and ... heck, if I ever meet the guy, the beers are on me. This sonuvagun can WRITE!!!

Two or three years ago I test-drove the latest Waldrop offering, a hot little number the manufacturer decided to call HOWARD WHO? for most obvious reasons: Waldrop writes some of the best sci-fi or imaginitive fiction I've seen today---award-winning---yet this superb author remains a relative unknown. Now if you're looking for great refinement in a 0-to-60 short-story, you'd best look elsewhere, but if you're looking for a vehicle that will A) knock you back in your seat with the sheer g-force of imaginitive acceleration; and B) make you wonder how or where a top-notch writing-engineer like Waldrop receives his divinely insane ideas, this is your ticket to unmitigated bliss. Waldrop is a mad-man, but one we can all understand, and he seeks to hurl each of us about the tight curves of his mind on the responsive yet friendly suspension of this latest collection, each short complete with a personal annotation from The Maestro himself. You want alternate history, this book's got it. You want pure fantasy, this book's got it. You want the plain old daily drive of weird, this book's got it. This has to be the best working-person's imaginitive drive for the money. I'd even be willing to pit it in a no-holds-barred road-race against any other collection of imaginitive fiction still in production. Collectors will want to order one copy to drive, and a second copy to garage, something to show the grandkids.

Having used the "old" Novak while securing my education, I was pleased to recieve my newly published edition. The text and pictures are timely and helpful. I keep it in my office for reference. The family practice residents have the privilege of using our book to supplement their knowledge as well. Meg Stoyle-Corby, CNM, MSN

i read this text for years and this new edition also a reference

I first read the book when I was four. I am now, at the age of ninteen, a fully qualified obstrician/gynecologist, all because of this book. I have now, of course, read this several times, but it is still like reading it for the first time. As the title implies, my father is David Olive, the editor of this book. I fully recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in a profession as a gynecologist.

A comprehensive book, essential to every Ob-Gyn resident or clinician. Takes you from the basics of anatomy and physiology of the female reproductive tract to the management of complicated gynecologic conditions.

This book is a perfect little gem.
A book complete and very alive in the writing.
Bravo.Look foreward to read his second novel.This being his first, we have wonders to look foreward to.Thank you.

every once in a while, a book pops up that really succeeds in almost every way imaginable...that is, capturing the imagination, feeling empathy with/for the characters and then simply getting so involved with the story that nothing else exists except the written word...The Officers'Ward is one of these jewels...the lovely thing about it is that it may be read in one sitting and even though the story is quite tragic, there is a certain slant of optimism that keeps the story alive. a simple, elegant story...i highly recommend.

Based on the experiences of his grandfather in WWI, Marc Dugain writes beautifully about a hospital ward of soldiers recovering--if that can be done--from severe facial injuries. The Officers Ward is a powerful account of what it means to go to war and to have oneself disfigured and, perhaps, left literally speechless. The characters make the reader uncomfortable and make each other uncomfortable, as the story explores what men can and cannot share with each other. These soldiers, including the main character Adrien Fournier, talk of their own pain and of women and of the men still in the trenches. This story is especially powerful because the men who fought WWI are largely gone--it's a history that cannot be lost to new generations. Now that it's available in paperback, I'm doubly recommending this short novel to friends.

If you're interested in short novels, you might also consider Julie Otsuka's When the Emperor Was Divine, a story about a Japanese-American family during WWII. Other good, short novels include Bill Grattan's Ghost Runners (think baseball), Jane Smiley's Ordinary Love & Good Will (think Midwest), Neal Bowers' Loose Ends (think Tennessee funeral), and Helen Humphreys' Afterimage (think 19th-century photographer).

Perhaps the tragedies, the horrors, and the heroics of World War I have been
chronicled over and over, but perhaps, still, not often enough. In Marc Dugain's first
novel "The Officers' Ward," the French-born author has furnished yet another story (and
lesson) from the "War to end all Wars."

To say it was "the worst of times" would be an understatement and young
Lieutenant Adrien Fournier finds himself an early casualty of the German onslaught. He's
devastatingly wounded--much of his face is blown away--and he's transported to Paris to
await recovery and rehabilation for the rest of the war, some five years or so. A bright
young man (an engineer by education), and handsome, he must now face a future
grotesquely disfigured and to a whole where self pity, even repulsion, await him. He
forms a long-standing bond with three others who've suffered similar injuries. It is a time
for them all to come to grips with their own mortality.

But Fournier is no lightweight and sets about facing his own destiny. His time in
hospital--in a special ward for soldiers with such facial injuries--serves as the basis of his
own positive perception of the world to come. It's not an easy ride for him.

The general idea for this story comes from Dugain's own grandfather, himself a
veteran of The Great War. "The Officers' Ward" was honored with France's Prix des
Libraires, and was on the short-list for the Grand Prix of the Académie Française.
Dugain's power of description and episode is a depressingly tragic view of such a
senseless war, yet these tragic elements are somehow overshadowed by the hope and the
will of the human spirit to rise above the personal pitfalls and to function positively within
the confines of a civilized society. But most importantly it is within the confines of his own
self-image that Lieutenant Fournier prevails. Dugain deserves his accolades.
(...)

Congratulations to Mary for writing such a compelling book. I live in Australia and our past adoption practices are under review and it is the birthfathers that have been forgotten. Never given a chance to have a say - the law discriminating against birthfathers. Now through such a book - people will be educated and listen to fathers. It really is a joint project - many birth matters were never allowed to mention the father's name - if they did - it was trouble for the mother. Birth father's parents also had no rights - the only rights available was with the authorities -

Finally some one is helping birth fathers speak out and I can only hope that birth fathers in Australia have the opportunity to read this book and come forward in the forthcoming Inquiry in the State of Victoria, Australia. This book will give them the confidence to "speak out" so that the true picture can be heard by the adopted children. Their parents loved them - and in many cases, had no say as to their own child's future.

Hopefully Australian birth father's will come across this book. I will certainly be doing everything I can to promote the book in Australia.

To all Birthfathers who spoke to Mary congratulations and to those that did not - speak out now.

Since I did my interview with Mary I have been reunited with my son for 6 Years. All I can say is that being able to tell my story,along with the reunion with my son, brought me a closure to what I had been through that I could have never acheived without either event. I am truly gratefull to Mary, and the people my story has touched. If anyone wishes to talk about there situation I am more than willing.

As a birthfather who lost his children in a closed adoption 25 years ago I found Mason's book to be a breath of fresh air. Birthfathers are the invisible and often unwelcome members in the triad world and this book shows that we are parents who can love and care deeply for the children we have lost. I have become active in triad issues since my reunion with my son and daughter a year ago and this book has helped me keep going when faced with the sometimes daunting birthmother-centered focus in our corner of the triad.

Being a dad who put my child up some years ago, This book help to grow and go on with my life. Thank you So much

This is a hilarious, well-written, well-drawn book that you won't want to put down.

Both artists are incredible, and a friend of mine who is an art teacher pointed out how the variation in Zach Howard's line weights really made for great contrast on the page. Shawn Murphy's lines are less varied and softer--perfect for the treatment of women or a character like Quinn, and the two styles balance each other out well, so that neither gets overwhelming.

But both styles are gorgeous, fun, and creative. For the reviewer that says one artist is better than the other, I think he's wrong... it's a matter of your preference in styles. My art teacher friend said he liked Zach Howard's work better because he found the variations more interesting. Then he pointed out if you look toward the end of the book, you can see where it looks like each artist was sort of influenced by the other artist's styles so that it gets harder to tell which one is which. I think that shows the artists must be pretty well matched.

The writing will make you laugh out loud and fall in love with the characters. I'm not typically a fan of raunchy humor, and while the book does get risque, I still found it funny and well written. I probably annoyed my seat mates on the plane by laughing out loud so many times, but they'll live. :)

The drawing details are rich and wonderful. You'll want to keep going back and looking for background art that you missed while turning the pages so quickly to see what happens next.

If you have a sense of humor, you'll love this book. Get it. If not, get it anyway. It will help you develop a sense of humor if you don't have one!

This is a very fun SciFi/Humor adventure. Would love to see more of Quinn and Krunk.

This book is hysterical--cleverly written and expertly drawn with the perfect combination of sarcasm and wit! I've met the writers/artists before too and they're both very friendly...not too bad on the eyes either!

While I always advocate "Supermind" and "Mystic Path" as good places to start, this is a good book sof Mr. Howard's.

This book opens your mind to deep thought . The message that he shares in this book is truly inspiring and bring clarity to our jumbled minds. The goodness of life is right in front of us but we don't see the trees but for the forest. This is a master mind at his best. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.

This is my favorite of Mr. Howard's many books. A book of practical advice and illustrative stories I have returned to it again and again for guidance and relief in the face of life challenges.

In my opinion it is one of the three best books of Vernon Howard, the other two being "The Power of the Supermind" and "Mystic Path to Cosmic Power." It's a book plenty of practical spiritual insight.

The book encompasses the whoe of the immense tragedy of the World War II refugee problem, a subject often neglected by historical accounts. Wriggins' personal reflections on what he saw while serving with the American Friends Service Committee from 1942 to 1949 in Portugal, Algeria and Egypt, France, Italy, and Spain with a sequel in Geneva and Gaza after the establishmentof Israel are perceptive and graphic.

More than a half-century has passed since the times of which Wriggins writes. We can expect few, if any, more eye-wittness accounts. Those interested in the subject should take full advantage of this one.

Please correct typo errors in my review sent in yesterday. Thank you William C. Olson

Howard Wriggins is best know as a high-level official in Washington, ambassador and professor at Columbia University, but this book ranges back to the years of World War II when he worked for the Quakers in helping waves of refugees thrown up by Nazi oppression. He provides a heart-rending description of the travails of refugees in Portugal, North Africa, Italy and France, and good insights on how, even in the chaos of war, non-governmental organizations can play a useful rule by skillful interaction with military and civilian bureaucracies. An important sub-text is how Wriggins, a conscientious objector to military service, wrestled with his Quaker beliefs in the face of the obvious need for military force to crush the Nazi evil. The author returned briefly to refugee problems in the late 1940s, when he was called to help when the Friends Service Committee worked together with the United Nations in helping the Palestinian refugees that had fled from newly-created Israel. Again, Wriggins provides telling descriptions of human suffering and devoted attempts to ameliorate it. Readers come away not mermely with an enrichment of their understanding of history, but also with a challenge of how to do something to help history's victims.

When the US invaded Iraq in 2002, it was easy for Americans to pick up their flags and support the effort to remove a hated tyrant, because, as a country, we had been protected from the horrors of war for two generations. It had become acceptable for everyone, even politicians, to skirt military service. War was not something most Americans had experienced or understood.
I was a naïve American myself until I read this book, PICKING UP THE PIECES FROM PORTUGAL TO PALESTINE. It filled me in on what war really is. The author, a respected diplomat and professor at Columbia University, not only explains how awful war is, he also explains how necessary it is. Tyrants must be beaten at their own games but the human suffering involved is enormous. While Hitler and Franco were wiping out lives by the millions, Wriggins was saving lives, one by one. His is an inspiring memoir, showing how faith and intellect work together as humans strive to do the right thing.
This book details the author's decade-long efforts to provide for the people whose lives were wrecked by World War II. He dealt with short-term problems like food (one of the amazing things to discover is how fat-anathema to Americans today--
was valued at the time because people were starving) and shelter; and long-term problems like education and permanent residence. The Europe that he worked in has been transformed into a prosperous paradise, whereas the problems he addressed in Palestine are wearily familiar today.
What made this book one of the most important I have ever read is the author's clear sense of reality. As a Quaker studying political science at the University of Chicago, he volunteered to work for the American Friends Service Committee administering relief. But this is no holier-than-thou testimonial. Instead, Wriggins tells of going to Europe as a conscientious objector but emerging from the World War II experience understanding that not all problems can be solved without force. He went on to teach new generations to deal with the inevitable red tape and annoying politics of bureaucracy in order to solve the problems that only huge organizations can handle effectively. He describes the turf battles between the governments, the religious groups, the military and the NGOs in a way that puts some of today's problems in a meaningful perspective.
The surprising thing about this book is that it feels like a listening experience rather than a reading experience. The author is so careful to be truthful that I felt he had been telling me something confidential about war: as awful as it is, it is necessary sometimes. It's a wise person who knows when that is. Wriggins's first-person account of his discovery of the necessity of World War II provides a paradigm for making that judgment.

Marvelous news: this amazing book, a book with the power to spark an entirely new process in your life - the process of self-transformation - is back in print! You can get it at a reasonable price under a new title, "Secrets for Higher Success". Discovering this book was one of the turning points of my life; what an adventure it began. Are you weary of it all? The same old patterns, the same old lies - everything always the same? Do you feel, deep down, that nothing you have tried has ever really worked? This noble book contains something truly different for you. Get it, read it with an earnest heart - and give your life just one more chance to change.

I had the opportunity to get a copy of this book through a mail order offer of a course that taught me how to make money with stock options. I guess the guy bought the rights to the book or something, but I consider this book the only thing good I got out of that deal, and it was worth a million dollars. I don't think I paid anything for this book, and I'll never sell. I classify this book up there with Napoleon Hill, Dennis Waitely, W. Clement Stone, Dale Carnegie, Zig Ziglar, and the like.

BUT - this book is so unlike any other I have ever read. It completely changed my life. It helped me to understand that how we look at life is EVERYTHING and will determine everything about how it "turns out". Our perceptions are so powerful and can easily become distorted. You'll read each sentence twice, because each one is such a deep, spiritual insight. You'll never find another writer like Vernon Howard. Absolutely amazing! If this would allow me to, I would rate this one with 20 stars!

Vernon Howard's books present the clearest and most astonishing exposition of timeless spiritual truths I have yet encountered. They certainly aren't for everybody, but if you're one of those who, like myself, were so fortunate as to stumble across one of his books, open it up, and immediately have the sense, "this is something different, this is exactly what my spirit needs," then read on. The present title has been out of print for years and isn't even mentioned on the official VH website. The reason I know about it is that, on a friend's recommendation, I happened to order the 'course' that you will find advertised in Ken Roberts' book, "The Rich Man's Secret". That 'course' cost me about $100 and, apart from the Vernon Howard book, there isn't a whole lot to it (just my personal opinion). Why am I telling you this? Because that one book has been priceless to me. I have most all of VH's books and this one is my very favorite. It is a classic; so powerful, and yet so gentle at the same time. I've lent my copy to several friends and each has (independently) agreed that there is something unique about this particular book, even when compared to Howard's wonderful other works.

The unusual quality of Vernon Howard's spiritual writing needs to be experienced to be believed. As I said, it isn't for everybody; but to readers who already know its value, I say: you owe it to yourself to get this book, it is pure gold. Don't get me wrong: I absolutely do not think you should have to pay $100 to get it. Quite the opposite, I think it's a terrible shame that it isn't as widely available as the rest of Howard's work, and the marketing shenanigans surrounding the way in which it *is* currently available are not to my taste at all (again, just my opinion). If you don't already know and love Vernon Howard, it would make no sense to pay this much -- start instead with one of his many other books, like "Pathways to Perfect Living". I'm just writing this review to make other Vernon Howard readers aware that they do have the option of obtaining this strangely "lost" title, and that, for me at least, it has proven to be worth many times more than what I had to pay to get it.

This marvelous book--a follow-up to the tremendously popular book "Psycho-Pictography"-- IS still in print...under the author's original title: "Secrets for Higher Success."
Any serious student of inner-life studies will want this in their library.