J Books

I have an eight and a six year old. Both of my daughters loved this book, they laughed a lot, there is plenty of humor. Now they want me to get the rest of the collection. Great book.

I'm a brand new Media Specialist at an Elemenary School and Babymouse flies off the shelves as soon as I put the books back. I read this one (and Babymouse Rockstar) the other day and feel in love with the character and the artwork. I agree that this has a very nice crossover appeal and it seems that Babymouse is a very approchable character for this age group.

Highly recommended. I am rooting for Babymouse and look forward to more of her adventures.

My daughter loves graphic novels and Babymouse is her favorite. The reading material is challenging enough for her, but still interesting. Great for kids who love to read, but want to read something entertaining also.

I wanted to look into this book because I hadn't really seen any of the graphic novels. My daughter is already an avid reader, so I didn't know if she "needed" a book like this. When I showed it to her, she thought it looked really funny. As anticipated, it didn't take her long to read it, but she said, "I want to read it again. I want to read it again right NOW!"

If your child is a reluctant reader, this comic book formatted novel might help her get inspired, and if she already reads everything in sight, like my daughter, she will probably love yet another way to process text on a page.

My eight-year-old daughter was a very reluctant reader who was having trouble with even the most basic words. We have a lot of books around the house and take several trips a week to the library. Babymouse was the first book to get her excited about reading. She read the first book to me, haltingly. She begged for the second. When we got it, I had to make dinner and she wanted to start right away, so she read it on her own, asking me loads of questions. She has now read all seven published Babymouse books and hardly needs any help anymore.

We love that Babymouse got her excited about reading. But we also love the books. Her 10-year-old sister and I wait hungrily to get our chances to read them. I love Babymouse's imagination and her love of books.

Ted Lea, author of "When I Grow Up I'm Going to be a Millionaire (A Children's Guide to Mutual Funds)". I read this over the holiday season and found it to be a wonderful story with a great message on money for children. The story is great, and the messages on money are right on target. Enjoy it.

I spent several months researching programs and books that explain wealth building. I was looking specifically for something I could use to teach children the fundamentals of building wealth when I came across this book using an Amazon search. I took a flyer and ordered it, and then read it through. I was pleased to find that the book takes the reader through a series of adventures that both boys and girls can relate to while imparting to readers the basic fundamentals of building wealth.

One of the best lessons comes as the children (who are searching for the pillars of wealth) are looking for the second pillar. Like our present society, the characters from the book who seem to have every extravagance actually live beyond their means and have borrowed themselves into near ruin. The man of wealth, an unlikely fellow living a quiet, reserved life, who through discipline has managed to hang on to his earnings- has actually accumulated wealth. What better a lesson to teach a child, before they get into a race with their peers for "stuff", than to illustrate that it's not always the fellow with the Rolex and BMW who has true wealth. Often it's the guy with the truck in the driveway that says "Hank's Plumbing", or the person in the jeans and sweatshirt shopping in Walmart.
If you're looking for tools to help you instill values in your children this is a great tool. When young people get to that phase where what you say is discounted because you're Mom or Dad, remember the power of having a book like this. The author can instill the lessons you want them to absorb even thought it doesn't come directly from you.

I received a copy of this book as a promotion and, being interested in investing and active in educating kids about the stock market, I read through it in one night. I have to say, Mr. Pritchard has an excellent way of putting good money sense into the minds of kids. I encourage you to pick up a copy of this book for yourself or your kids...30 years from now they'll be thanking you when they pay for your retirement!

My two children loved this book! I bought it so they could learn how to better handle their allowances, but they really got into the story and said they couldn't put it down. The lessons about finances seemed to sink in also. My 12-year old has started saving more and spending less. "Quest" is an undicovered gem!

I really like what J. J. Pritchard has done. First, he has simplified what it takes for good personal finances (a good work ethic, thrift - delaying gratification today for tomorrow, and investing - particularly compounding.) That alone is valuable. But he has built wonderful stories around them. They're exciting and interesting.

The children in all my classes learn quicker when they enjoy the subject matter and this book does that. It's a very refreshing approach. DOn't be put off by the subtitle "A Children's Guide to Growing Rich." It presents a balanced approach and touches on the value of sharing once someone has attained wealth. A very good read!!

I have been following automobile racing since 1961 and followed sports car and formula 1 closely in the 60's and 70's with great interest. This is the finest book on sports car racing I have ever read. It's both filled with incredible data as well as anecdotes. If you have any interested in racing buy this book. You will not be disappointed.

This is truly an excellent book. I have an extensive collection of books devoted to motor racing (300+) and I would easily rank this in the top 10. I couldn't put it down. John Horsman was lucky enough to be intimately involved in the development and racing of the two most significant endurance race cars of the 60s and 70s: the Ford GT40 and the Porsche 917. He obviously kept copious and detailed notes during that period and he makes excellent use of them in writing this book. The story is packed with hundreds of tiny details and anecdotes that only a person who was there and lived it can provide. He creates an atmosphere where you feel you are actually there, looking over his shoulder and watching all that is going on. This is exactly what I'm looking for in each racing book I buy; unlike the majority of them, this one actually delivers.
There is another plus associated with this book: it almost free of any errors. It clearly had both an editor and a proof-reader. So many other recent books about motorsports appear to have had neither, and thus end up laced with errors: factual, grammar and typos. This book is refreshingly free of them.
If you only buy one motor racing book this year, this should be the one.

This book highlights the technicalities of racing sportscars at the highest level. Whilst the book focuses on the development of the various cars the author worked with (GT40/Mirage/Porsche 917), it also touches on the various drivers employed by his teams during his career (Rodriguez, Vern Shupan, Derek Bell).

This book provides some fascinating insights into the author's perspective of the Porsche 917 era, particulalry in regards to the rivalry between the Gulf team and Porsche Salzburg/Martini.

A great read, particularly if read in conjunction with Vic Elford's book, which details the Porsche Salzburg side of things.

Highly recommended for those who enjoyed the epic sportscar era.

This is a great book for anyone who grew up on the movie Le Mans (still the best racing movie ever made) and dreamed of racing at night down the Mulsanne straight! The author not only was a part of history, but is a surprisingly engaging writer as well.

Far too many "Three Star" or "Four Star" books are given a "Five Star" rating, but John Horsman's, Racing in the Rain, truly deserves five stars because it is one of less than a handful of automotive racing books that is absolutely first class in informing the reader, and doing it elegantly, of both how and why some racing cars win and others just compete. I put it along side Laurence Pomeroy's, The Grand Prix Car, and Karl Ludvigson's, Mercedes-Benz Racing Cars, as the best of the genre.
Horsman has the direct personal experience and engineering expertise to know and understand what went on in the sportscar racing world from the late 1950s through the early 1980s, a period that coincides with the golden age of prototype sportscar racing. In this era, Aston-Martin, Ford, Porsche, and Mirage battled with Ferrari, Matra, Alfa Romeo, Renault-Alpine, and other marques in endurance competitions that tested designers, teams, drivers and cars. Rule fixing or "performance balancing" was not part of the racing scene then: it was a tough, honest, win-or-lose world, and John Horsman had an insider's view of it all, and, happily for us, provides a clear, well-written, and, most importantly, an informative account of what went on and why.
One learns, for example, exactly how much bhp and at what rpm a Ford engine produced and what its design weaknesses were and what measures were taken to turn an essentially production-car engine into a race-winning proposition, or what the drag and frontal areas of Mirage racing cars were and, thus, what speeds down the Mulsanne straight might expected, etc., and consequently why some cars won, others came close, or still others failed entirely. In particular, he writes with an unusually clear-sighted eye when discussing Porsche, recognizing the firm's real engineering and production strengths, but not in an awe-struck way (as so many do) for he is able to see how, occasionally, blindness and arrogance on the part of Porsche people led to potential victories slipping away. I also appreciated the hard information Horsman provides on myth-shrouded or obscure topics such as the reason why the Weslake-Ford V-12 failed to be used in Mirage cars.
From an engineer, like Horsman, one expects accurate and detailed information on the cars he worked on or of those against which he competed, but he is also good in capturing the essence of the personalities he encountered during a quarter century's involvement in racing at the highest level. Compassion and feeling are shown where deserved, good drivers are respected and the risks that all assumed are not overlooked, while the occasional fools and knaves of the racing car world are given what they deserve.
If you have even the slightest interest in sportscar racing, you should get this book immediately, but even if your motoring interests lie outside this area of the automotive performance world, you will still enjoy reading it -though be warned, it will make other car books seem thin, pale and dull.

i liked: these 10 promises can be lived by during both challenging times and good times. author does an excellent work of outlining god's desire of moving us out of weakness away from him to boldness near him through his promises. each chapter begins with a red sea rule, a promise, then quotes a bible passage from exodus as its foundation. then through the chapter and sub-chapters you are taken on a journey of experiences and stories to illustrate the meaning of each promise. every chapter and sub-chapter is filled with scripture quotes and quotes from historical persons. a wonderful little book packed with great reading. i disliked: none found.

God used this book to bring me thru a hard time in my life. God showed me that,when there seems to be no way thru or around a problem, He will make a way. He did just that for me. I have given about 2 dozen "Red Sea Rules" books away, most of the people I give them to come back and say "God did a wonderful work in my life thru this book" Jackie Wolf

I keep this book by my bedside and read it whenever I am troubled.

I shared this book with a couple that were going through a crisis. They liked it so much they gave my book back and bought their own!

It's a must read for any christian.

This is a wonderful book. Following the biblical pattern of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea the author helps you look at life's difficult problems in a new light and gives you guidelines for "getting thought" tough times.

The Red Sea Rules The Same God Who Led You In Will Lead You Out
I was going through a difficult time and this book answered ALL my questions. I read through it 5 times. It is so small that it fit in my purse and I could take it anywhere.

Redemption Road is a beautifully written novel. The colorful cast of characters are real and funny and charmed with flaws. I was hooked by the first paragraph. As the paragraphs turned into pages, I loved the delightful anecdotes and morsels of truth sprinkled throughout the story-line. It has been awhile since I have read a book that has inspired me to litter it with highlighted passages to re-visit time after time.

Michael Griffin shows his gift for tapping into our sentimental spots. And--there's much wisdom here . . . Redemption Road delivers a reminder of the intrinsic value of human life and how it is never too late. I truly enjoyed this book. It has to be one of the best books I have read in a while. I hope to read more of your books. Keep up the great writing!!

If only I could use words in this review the way that Michael J. Griffin does throughout this entire book. Every word, sentence, and chapter are sewn together so beautifully to bring each reader into the story as if he were there himself. I went on vacation with my husband and could not put the book down!! (My husband, by the way, was not too thrilled about that!) Because I cannot give a review even worth the review this book deserves, I just beg to you to please read it and you will also understand where I come from! I haven't read a book like this in years. Reading is like exercising to me: Once I get started, it has to REALLY feel good to keep me going. Trust me, this is one of those books. You won't be able to stop. Thank you, Michael J. Griffin. And I want to know, when is your next novel due? I will be one of the first to buy it!

This is the best book I've read in quite some time. It is a wonderful book. It exceeded my expectations and expounded to a great ending.

This book was so descriptive, you feel like you are right there. Redemption Road reveals a part of American history that we try and block out, which is wrong. Griffin has us face this controversial time in history and focuses our attention on learning from it. It is a fantastic piece of writing.

Carmen Leone works magic in Rose Street. He captures the specifics of his Italian-American family's experience in Youngstown, Ohio with remarkable clarity while simultaneously tapping into themes which remain universal to the family dynamic: responsibility, authority, self-sacrifice, love. The story of his immigrant mother's daily struggles and triumphs offers us insight into the core of our humanness. Originally written as a gift for Leone's own family, Rose Street inspires us to treat ours with a little more tenderness.

A friend from Youngstown, my home town, loaned me this book and I was eager to read it and hear of the 'old town'. What I found was far more than a nostalgia trip; it is a strong testament to the great spirit of the people who settled this country and to the sanctity of life itself and the bonding strength of family ties. Its impact was strong and the reader doesn't have to be from East Youngstown (or Campbell)... or be Catholic ...to feel its power. Reading it filled me with new appreciation for my 'humble', but blessed, beginnings.

This book was so inspiring to me. I learned about it from my teacher last year who was the authors daughter. This book reminded me what it was like being italian. Some of the little things reminded me of my own italian family. This book is for anyone of any nationality. One of the best books I have ever read.

A wonderful heartfelt account of family, heritage and tradition. Also one of the finest tributes to Youngstown - the then thriving city, we too are proud to have once called our home. Relax in your home, read, close your eyes, and remember.....

Carmen Leone examined a topic close to his heart, and storytelling gifts made it a story that is now close to mine.

My own grandparents came to Ohio around 1900. "Rose Street" brought to narrative life all the stories my father, uncles and aunts have told me over the years.

I wonder if Carmen Leone realized that by telling his story, he was telling mine, too, as well as the stories of countless others. They might Italian, but they don't have to be. In fact, the soundtrack that came to my head while reading "RoseStreet" was the song "Tradition," from "Fiddler On The Roof." How can the story of an Italian immigrant couple and their American-born children have anything to do with Jewish shtetl life?

Read the book.

Ever look in the mirror and just examine your own eyes. Ever see the faces of your relatives in your own?

"Rose Street" is, too, such a mirror.

I really enjoyed this essay. I have always been interested in the freedom of the will problem and I thought that this essay provided a good description of the problem and some very interesting discussion. Schopenhauer writes very clearly and in a manner that kept me interested throughout the hundred pages of the essay. Schopenhauer starts out with a consideration of what is meant by "freedom of the will." He considers the statement that "I can do what I will" to be irrelevant to the question of freedom of the will since he says that "...the will is already presupposed...for it assumes that the will has already been decided." He goes on to say, "The assertion does not at all speak about the dependence or independence of the occurrence of the act of volition itself."

The real question that Schopenhauer seems to be interested in is whether an individual can will what he or she wills; he does not think that this is the case. Schopenhauer arrives at the opinion that "...man's will is his authentic self, the true core of his being...he himself is as he wills and wills as he is" such that, "You can do what you will, but in any given moment of your life you can will only one definite thing and absolutely nothing other than that one thing." He then goes on to talk about causality and what compels the will to act in one way or another (i.e., motives) always coming back to what he sees as a confusion when people use the fact that they can do what they will as an argument for free will. Schopenhauer argues that an individual's statement of "...`I can do this' is in reality a hypothetical and carries with it the additional clause, `if I did not prefer the other.' But this addition annuls the ability to will." Schopenhauer considers the notion of an uncaused cause to be unintelligible and at variance with observation. "If freedom of the will were presupposed, every human action would be an inexplicable miracle--an effect without a cause...here we are supposed to think something which determines without being determined, which depends on nothing, but on which the other depends."

One question that often comes up when talking about the absence of freedom of will is "What then happens to individual responsibility?" Schopenhauer answers this by saying that people are responsible for their own characters and that others judge individuals based on the outward signs (actions) that belie their inward character. "So the responsibility of which he is conscious falls upon the act only provisionally and ostensibly, but basically it falls upon his character--for this he feels responsible. And it is for his character that the others also make him responsible." So then Schopenhauer seems to be saying that people are judged based on their actions and underlying motives since these together show evidence of their true nature.

On a somewhat unrelated note, Schopenhauer's relationship with Hegel seems less than cordial as evidenced by his discussing Hegel's philosophical ponderings as "the emptiest word rubbish and silliest gallimathias [the word means nonsense or gibberish] that have ever been heard outside the insane asylum." For some reason, this passage made me laugh such that I wanted to include it in this review. It makes me thankful that my professional relationships have not yet reached such a level of colorful language. At any rate, I enjoyed this essay very much and would recommend it to others who are interested in a freedom of the will discussion.

For those who are convinced that determinism has been refuted (ie. Popper, Sartre, Kierkegarrd) it is quite obvious that they haven't read this essay because if they had they might put their own presuppositions about the validity of free will into question.
Schopenhauer does a fantastic job at dissecting the concept of the 'freedom of the will' by first showing that it cannot be proven from self-consciounsess. He follows this by meticulously distinguishing between the changes that occur in inorganic objects (cause), plants (stimulus), and animals(intuitive and particularly for humans, abstract motives). He points out that in regards to the automatic organic function of animals bodies, changes occur in the form of a "stimulus" but in willed action motivation is the cause (but not in the mechanical sense that the narrow definition of casaulity implies). Schopenhauer writes, in regards to motivation, "causality that passes through cognition... enters in the gradual scale of natural beings at that point where a being which is more complex, and thus has more manifold needs, was no longer able to satisfy them merely on the occasion of a stimulus that must be awaited, but had to be in a position to choose, seize, and even seek out the means of satisfaction."

Schopenhauer thinks that humans have "relative freedom" but that relative freedom is to act in accordance with the motives that are necessitated by the Will-- which in turn is the determining factor of human behavior. In humans the linkage of cause and effect is of a far greater distance than that of intuitive animals-- causing us to mistakingly exclude our behavior from the law of casaulity-- but in the end 'the Will' still determines actions by what he calls "sufficient necessitiy".

"For he (human beings) allows the motives repeatedly to try their strength on his will, one against the other. His will is thus put in the same position as that of a body that is acted on by different forces in opposite directions - until at last the decidedly strongest motive drives the others from the field and determines the will. This outcome is called decision and, as a result of the struggle, appears with complete necessity."

Unlike Sartre's treatise on freedom, which ultimately collapsed into obscurity and contradiction, Scophenhauer's rightly contends that a fixed essence is inborn (what we would today call DNA). In other words, it contradicts Sartre's saying that "existence precedes essence." For Schopenhauer, neither precedes the other. The two are inseparable. The expression of the essence can change through experience within the environment but the fundamental aspects of it remain instrinsic to the organism (Genes/Biology). Schopenhauer responds to the proponents of absolute free will, who haven't carefully analyzed what it means for the 'will' to be free, by writing: "Closely considered, the freedom of the will means an existentia without essentia; this is equivalent to saying that something is and yet at the same time is nothing, which again means that it is not and thus is a contradiction." So my guess is that if Sartre had happened to stumble upon this particular essay he might have realized that it was he who was in "bad faith" about man being condemned to be free.

It should also be noted that if Schopenhauer is wrong about mans intrinsic nature then all of the social sciences are a fraud and particularly psychology is wrong when it takes genes, biology, and the environment into consideration when interpreting and analyzing human behavior.

The reason people object to philosophical determinism is that it makes morality and personal responsibility a precarious thing. One valuable thing we can adopt from Sartre's ideas is that it is imperative that we take responsibility for our choices. But being that pragmatism is the philosophy of the U.S. and not existentalism, it is more than likely the masses will always assume that Free Will exists because the stability of civil society depends on it. In light of all of this it should be mentioned that Schopenhauer does not think that people can't be morally reformed. In other words he thinks that the expression of behavior can be cultivated. Many people credit Nietzsche for coming up with the idea of sublimation that would later be used by Freud, but it was actually Schopenhauer who was the first speak of the idea.

"Cultivation of reason by cognitions and insights of every kind is morally important, because it opens the way to motives which would be closed off to the human being without it."

Schopenhauer also condemns a moral system that tries to root out the defects of a person's character rather than utilizing sublimation.

For those who consider this type of philosophy immoral because it seems to exclude the possibility of moral responsibility we should remember that in Christianity there is the concept of predesination, and in Islam there is a religious fatalism. On top of that fact, many of the church fathers (Augustine and Luther) didn't accept the notion of free will either.

I highly recommend this book!

Almost everyone agrees that - here, Schopenhauer made a convincing case for denying free-will. Nevertheless, I would argue that if we look back to the influence Kant's work exerted on Schopenhauer, and review Schopenhauer's own remarks about the validity of empirical knowledge, it must surely be that Schopenhauer landed himself in difficulties. On his own reading of Kant's philosophy, and those parts of it which he incorporated into his own work, the 'willing' subject, sensu strictu, cannot be said to exist in space and time, but only to be working through those categories in the understanding.

If time and space are transcendentally ideal - as Schopenhauer asserted, following Kant, he ought to have known better than to locate the 'will' in time and space, when according to his own reckoning, 'time and space are in us.'

Kant distinguished here, between 'will' and 'willkuhr' - that is, the practical difference between the will grounded in the noumenon, and the will seen in its phenomenal or empirical
employment. Insofar as Schopenhauer adopted Kant's distinction between appearance and reality, viz. the ideality of time and space, it surely follows that by denying free-will, Schopenhauer was denying a key element in his own philosophy. In short, his argument against 'free-will' amounts to a simplistic observation - namely, 'your willing takes place in the empirical world. The empirical world is conditioned. Ergo, your willing is conditioned' - as if he had suddenly forgotten everything else said in his philosophy, about the ideality of time and space.

By arguing that 'free will' - in the empirical manifold, is simply comparative or relative - viz., when confronted with choices - Schopenhauer was stating the obvious. In this respect, Schopenhauer's position was not unlike that of certain early Buddhists, who almost made Buddhism into a form of determinism. To do that, they had to advocate a kind of empirical realism, while denying any reality to the 'pudgala.' But in actual fact, Schopenhauer's position vis-a-vis the ideality of the phenomenal world, more nearly resembled the Vijnanavada/Yocacara. What mattered to Kant (and what surely matters to anyone else, defending the case for free-will), is that considered as noumenon (i.e. our unconditioned nature), that which can initiate a new chain of events - in the phenomenal world, is not - in itself, phenomenal.

We are free when we are able do what we want, that is, when we are not somehow impeded from doing what we will to do. But we decide what to do as a matter of causal necessity; otherwise, our actions would be random and senseless. The notion that we have the power to originate the causal chain by an act of will makes no sense; as Schopenhauer says, causation is not like a cab that you can start and stop wherever it helps your argument. As he notes, that point also defeats cosmological arguments about "prime movers" and "first causes." This is a great read, a chance to experience a first-class mind grappling with a difficult and interesting problem. Schopenhauer generally even avoids his usual bitter broadsides and against Schelling and Hegel and the sort of philosophizing they represent, although those are fun to read and generally on target. (He lost another, later prize because his essay in that case, although the only candidate for the prize, was so full of personal invective that the judges refused to make the award.)

Another reviewer correctly notes that Schopenhauer undermines his own argument at the last minute, or tries to, in a strange concluding chapter. There he argues that our feelings of personal responsibility for our actions points to freedom of some kind, a species of argument that he had earlier dismantled. Anyway, this freedom would have to exist beyond the empirical level, as his arguments have decisively eliminated any possibility of freedom there. The position Schopenhauer presents in that chapter involves the idea that we, somehow, choose our own characters at some mysterious point of emergence from the Kantian noumena. No commentator I have read has been able to make sense of it. In any case, it's completely skippable, a brief, tacked-on chapter that makes no difference for the rest of the book, which is very well worth reading.

The title of my review is a little misleading, so I'll be quick to explain. In fact, Schopenhauer does make a good case for determinim in his essay. However, there is something noteworthy I haven't seen in any of the reviews so far: At the end of the well-crafted essay, Schopenhauer -- well -- spoils it all. Having established the truth of determinism, he suddenly tries to justify free will. Yes, that's true. He appeals to a Kantian style idealism to try and convince the reader that we are ultimately morally responsible. He asserts that we have metaphysical free will because we FEEL our responsibility. His proclamation that this free will that we are supposed to have is a mystery is strikingly reminiscient of theistic statements like "God works in mysterious ways". This is just an example to illustrate the failure of Schopenhauer's case for free will. In order to defend his free will, "real free will", Schopenhauer is forced to resort to mere assertions. He can't explain why we have this free will or how it works, hence he calls it a mystery. If you are a determinist it may well be that you will feel a little betrayed or even outright disappointed after finishing the book. I give the book 4 stars nonetheless, because for the most part it IS a skillfully written defense of determinism. Schopenhauer should have laid aside his pen a couple of pages earlier than he did, that's all.

Here is the clarion call to a true life that
glorifies God. Put the lies of culture aside
and learn the real truth.. and live it!!

The fact Pastor John Piper in some of his books, "Don't Waste Your Life" and "A Hunger for God" quoted Law in this book several times intrigued me to read it personally. As I went through the chapters, however, it is clear to me and will become clear to the readers as well that Law sounds eerily close to a Roman Catholic minus the devotions to the rituals. Despite many deep, excellent, stinging, uncomfortable, soul-searching reflections and illustrations on the Christian life contrasted against the futility of a self-centered life that I believe are profitable for Christians, particularly to defy the preaching of prosperity gospel that seems to "prosper" more than the true gospel, sadly Law embraces the fatally erroneous doctrine of justification by works. In his view, Christians need to practice the principles of piety, self-denial, generosity, meekness, simplicity of life and all the Bible, particularly the New Testament teaches, the best they can in order to be saved that sounds all too familiarly popish. What he mostly brings up from the Bible is the wonderful teachings of Christ. There is no mention of poverty of spirit, dependence on God's grace to live a sanctified life or to desire to live for him to begin with, let alone the cross, justification by faith, sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, and perseverance of the saints.

Well, the immediate questions that arise are of course, aren't Christians saved already, and that they are saved by grace on the basis of the finished atoning death and resurrection of Christ on the cross, and not by works? How does one know that he has done his best? What is the standard? Whose standard is it to use to determine whether one has done his best, man's or God's? If it is man's standard, which one? The Pope's? How can we be so sure if it is his standard to be used, not someone else's? If it is God's, where is it in the Bible that says God commands us to do the best we can and not rely on him for everything without excluding our responsibilities? Where is it in the Bible that God's standard says we are saved as long as we do the best we can? This is unquestionably deadly because in the end, it points to the perfectionist demand of the law where no one can meet, which is warned against by the Apostle Paul in his epistles, particularly to the Romans and Galatians. The meat of what Law talks about is all about doing and there is no mention of child-like dependence and trusting on God's grace in Christ through the Holy Spirit to enable us to follow what Law, in some cases, biblically and exquisitely exhorts to embrace and practice. To properly describe what Law offers here is a mixture of rich food and poison. The rich food is his biblical heart-piercing warnings, rebukes, reflections, illustrations and encouragements, specifically about prayer, fasting, simplicity, modesty, generosity, humility and self-denial that I must admit are too good, too important, and too bitter-sweet, eye-opening of an exposure and remedy to my own weaknesses to be overlooked as well as too precious to be neglected in practice. The poison is his constant insistence of justification by works. For the fullest benefit to be reaped, enjoy the rich food. Let it purify our souls and reform our lives, but spit the poison out. Instead, embrace and enjoy the even richer food of justification in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, and to the glory of God alone for these are the fountain that enables all true piety.

If you're looking for a challenge in your spiritual walk - this is the book for you. Law's classic book was the transforming resource in the lives of the Wesley brothers as well as abolitionist William Wilberforce - just as it changed their lives, this book will not leave you the same!

I've read an abridged and edited version for the modern reader by John Meister (158 pages) - but it wasn't enough - I had to order the small type 317 page version! This is not an easy read - on the difficulty scale of 1 - 10, this would be a solid 9. I wouldn't suggest this book to anyone in high school or even college - Law deals with real world issues and a little seasoning in life is necessary to get the full effect of his challenge. This is a perfect book for the Christian man who wants more than a Purpose Driven Life, the man looking for a profound, insightful, and challenging read that will deeply impact the core of his being!

You can find these books online. The longer version is a Vintage Spiritual Classics edition and retails for around $13.00. Rare will be the person that will want this book - but if you're the one, don't pass this one up! I give this my highest endorsement and recommendation.

Law deals directly with the concept of devotion to God - and asks some difficult questions about where man places his true devotion in life - in the things of this world, or in the Kingdom of Heaven? Law argues that a wise and reasonable man will wholly devote himself to the things of the Lord for they are far superior to the temporal and worthless things of this world. In fact, Law says that a lack of this devotion is a clear indicator of gross ignorance! The book gives several practical elements necessary for a devoted life including prayer, study, humility and confession. But it is not the elements about which Law writes, it is the manner in which he presents them to the reader that makes this book so exceptional - Law raises the bar and challenges the follower of Christ to live an exemplary life, a life worthy of their calling, a life comparable to the great saints who have walked before us or even to angels who minister above us!

wow - what an inspirational, hard-hitting, right on read this has been. I'm still in the process of reading it but I already love it. This should be required reading for all Christians. Then perhaps the church would live differently than the world and perhaps we'd have less scandal.

So far I can see that there needs to be a balance. One could easily tend towards legalism and a justification by self-works type of mentality. Perhaps he'll cover in later chapters how it's the Spirit of God that now creates the will to do differently and also empowers us to do so as we allow him to lead us in all areas of our lives.

But as long as one is aware of this work of the Spirit in a believer's life, then this book can do nothing but stimulate one to self-reflection and love and good works.

This book should be read by every Christian that can get it. It was a tremendously insightful and humbling book that opened my eyes to the hypocrisy in my own life as well as the church in general. The Christian church in America and I am guessing much of the Industrialized and wealthy west[yes, I am a member of that group] have fallen so far from the devotion and holiness that God requires that it is a shock to see what was the actual New Testament norm just 270+ years ago, let alone at the time of the writing of the New Testament. This was a very easy to read book, compared to say Spurgeon or Calvin. Extremely convicting personally. Would recc. to anyone who see themselves as sinners and wants to know what they should do. Includes excellent examples and is written as a practical guide, though not a how-to book[remember, was written over 270+ yrs. ago, before self-help books where invented;)]Found out about this book from a Word Pictures Program on the subject at their video's are also highly recc. for those seeking to glorify God and enjoy him for eternity[mans chief end]
Sincerely,
Wayne Borngesser

What would a world be like if Ants were the evolved creatures?
What would their cultures be like? What would their values be? How could they interact with Humans? You will never look at a trail of Ants the same way again! What would happen if Humans could live for hundreds of years, how wealthy and powerful could they become?
These are the introductery concepts of this amazing story that explores betrayal, revenge, isolation in a new and fascinating way. This short book is plenty to work over for anyone. I just wish that Ms. Cherryh could manage to come back to this story some time and explore more of this fascinating tale.

There are many reasons I love Serpent's Reach. 1) It is the first book by C.J. Cherryh that I bought (as I was judging it by the cover). 2. The Majat are a insect-like alien race and I like both insects and alien races, so for me it is a real treat. 3. C.J. Cherryh's might SEEM to start out slow, but she is really creating a setting and a foundation for a perfect story.

If you liked this book, I would suggest C.J. Cherryh's 'Pride of Chanur' which is a stand alone book that is followed by FOUR other books (A three book series and another stand alone). Alien cats, but not just your run-of-the-mill alien cats.

Serpent's Reach (1980) is an SF novel in the Alliance-Union Universe. In 2223, the interstellar probe Celia discovered the majat, a sapient alien species, on Alpha Hydri III -- Cerdin -- in the Serpent's Reach. The majat body structure and organization was much like social insects such as ants. At the time of discovery, there were four different hives, each ruled by a collective intelligence with memories spanning millions of years.

There were no survivors from the Celia, but the hives did decide that each human was an individual intelligence. In 2229, the crew of the Delia probe was kept alive and, in 2235, under terms of the Hydri Treaty, one shipload of colonists was allowed to settle on the planet. These became the Kontrin Company. The colonists, however, brought a shipload of embryos, from which were grown the Betas. These Betas, in turn, grew clones of themselves, the azi, with biological timers that limited lifespan to forty years.

In this novel, Raen a Sul hant Meth-maren is Kontrin. She is the direct lineal descendent of The Meth-maren, destined to lead the family some day. For the past fifteen years, she has been learning the things that she should know to govern. Since all Kontrin have been made potentially immortal by the majat, she has many years of learning before she is old enough to have fun.

One day, the family estate at Kethiuy is visited by the Houses of Thon and Yalt, but these welcome guests bring others from the House of Hald and, worse yet, members of the Ruil-sept of the Meth-marens. Neither Hald or Ruil would have dared to set foot on the estate without Thon and Yalt. The Ruil cadet-sept has come to suggest a change in the relationships with the majat, but the talks are only a cover for an attack on the Sul-sept.

Only Raen survived the vicious attack by the Ruil-sept, Red and Gold majats and majat-azi. She manages to escape to the nearby Hive of the Blue majats and to convince the Hive Mother to help her wrest Kethiuy from the Ruil-sept and others who have assisted in the attack. She succeeds in destroying the Ruil-sept, but the Blue Hive is also destroyed and she is captured.

She is brought before the Council and Eron Thel, the head of the conspiracy, is almost allowed to relinquish Raen to her enemies. Yet Moth, second oldest of all Kontrin, protests that there has been no vote and Lian, the Eldest, agrees with Moth. Lian makes a speech, at the conclusion of which Moth kills all the known conspirators. Raen is banished from Cerdin.

She chooses to go to Meron. The following year, Pol and Morn Hald appear and confront her. She sends Morn away, but Pol stays for dinner. They meet occasionally at social events and smile at each other, but they never meet in private.

Raen lives through a few assignation attempts, but never gives the Council any reason to curb her freedoms. When Lian is assassinated, she continues her usual social activities. She moves on to Andra and then Kalind. But then she leaves Kalind on the Andra's Jewel. Every Kontrin seems to know that she is in transit but none knows where she is going.

During the voyage, Raen challenges an azi to a Sej match, to continue until the ship reaches her destination. Jim, the azi, agrees and they play ten games a night until the ship reaches Istra, the contact point with the Outsiders. Jim gains a lead until the final day and only loses the match in the last game. Jim now belongs to Raen, so she buys him a full set of luxury clothes and accessories and installs him within her quarters.

A Blue majat is also on the Andra's Jewel. On the last day of the voyage, he awakes and Raen calms him down. He is a messenger from the Kalind Blue Mother to the Istran Blue Hive. Raen suspects that he is the only Blue messenger to reach Istra since the destruction of the Cerdin hive.

In this story, Raen discerns a plot on Istra that didn't die with Eron Thel. She sets out to correct the problem, making contacts with Beta companies and the Blue Hive. She burdens Jim with more responsibility and he expands his programming.

This story is typical of the author, with one human becoming the main contact with an alien species. However, there are secondary plots, including the results of providing humans with potential immortality. Jim also undergoes a significant metamorphosis by immersing himself in Raen's deepstudy tapes.

Highly recommended for Cherryh fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of alien cultures and human adaptations.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Some of her works go slow for me, but I was completely enthralled by this story. Her characterizations are vivid and realistic. I've read it several times now!

Remote contact with Alliance. Dates mentioned do not fit with dates given in other Union-Alliance stories.

The worlds of Serpent's Reach are colonized by Union, but have only contact to Union and Alliance at a single station. They are ruled by immortal families, while the populace consists of azi and mortal "beta" humans. The immortals or "Kontrins" are the link to the four hives of indigenous giants ants.

The female protagonist is the only survivor of her family murdered by rival humans, then of all the ruling families, when humans perish as the hives make war on each other and are united in a single hive, which apparently is part of the natural life cycle of the hive, which spans several hundred years.

Again, we have been hit. All of us. Another school, this time San Diego. And another boy who was mocked and abused and taunted until he even told people what he was going to do. All the tenets we need to have to understand the inner world of THIS boy are in Shooter. The book is a handbook on a sad and lonely psyche in a boy unafraid of finally lashing out. If school boards won't get this in the schools for discussion, let the parents chip in and get it in in truck loads! I wonder where the author is tonight - and if she wishes we would listen? Bless the children as we sit idly by when there is this first, pioneering, and excellent book on WHY!

I'm a kid, but I'm 17 and I know exactly what Harold felt. Most of my friends either still feel or have felt the same way. How come Dr. Woodhouse knew this? The book made me cry so I won't put my name here but my counsellor said that was good and wants to read Shooter in The Skie with me, in parts. But I want to save it because there are certain pages I have saved so that I can read them when I feel alone. I thought I was crazy. I think a lot of kids do. I wish we had this book as an assignment in, may be, grade 9 and we could write our answers. I gace it to my sister and my mom read it. I just wonder if the writer, who seems really smart and honest, had to make an okay ending or parents and teachers would freak! I think Harold would have gone, but gone peacefully. Maybe not. Thanks for giving this to me, Mrs. Woodhouse. I wish I could talk to you. R.T. (student)

I am close to retiring as a scondary school principal and I was as impressed when I read this fine book the second time as I was the first time through. As a once English teacher, I presume to say that this author is an important writer, and an invaluable social critic as well. The detail she provided of this boy's psyche are invaluable to us and, when we think about it, we should have inferred some aspects of "his" psychological pain from various behaviors. But the author has handed us the boy's pain and his wishes on a silver platter. The questions she has included are perfectly pertinent and, I might add indicative of her thoughtfulness. The questions have been clearly thought out so as to be useful, not inciting.

I will be recommending that this book become part of a social studies curriculum. However, were I younger, and my career in mid gear, I would insist on it. What is the saying? "God, save the children"? This exzcellent book could help us to save at least a few. Mrs. H. Mason

As a criminal lawyer I was intrigued to read Shooter on a cross-country flight. As the author would know, most of these kids are first-time offenders, going straight to murder. Dr. Woodhouse captures the torment and confusion that set in when they realise what they have done. Most of them have never seen the inside of a police station, let alone a prison, let alone a maximum security prison. Among the other extremely important issues that this book deals with in such a fine, readable story, is the mess we have made of dealing with our youthful offenders. The boy in this book is not unusual. He should not have been where he was, but this is what we are doing with 13 to 15 year olds who snap. I wish everyone involved with family court, youth offenders, and the related legislation and sentencing would read this pioneering book. The author is a hard-nosed criminologist taking us through this story and process with the artistry and care of a poet. Congratulations to the author, but also to the publisher for being smart, brave and sufficiently prescient to publish this fundamentally informative book. WE NEED MORE OF THE SAME!!

The book is so revealing. "Shooter" opens the door to a subject we have been discussing from behind many, many doors, both socially and institutionally. The author, Dr. Woodhouse, obviously possesses the very rare ability to feel, understand, and to explain the complex emotional and mental make up of her fellow human beings. I have seen her do it in person, as a presenter. Now, I have experienced her curious acumen in her writing. I bought HARD LESSONS for my family to increase the chances of staying in touch with our children - my nephews and nieces included. I bought SHOOTER IN THE SKY to take us all a step further toward sensing and feeling their pain before they become either a potential victim or just another kid in serious pain and isolation. Thank you again, Dr. Lauren.