John Books

After the Bible, this is the best book written for the church today. Bar None. If this book (the ideas in it) would be taken seriously, it will change the church in America - maybe save it from being like the church in Europe. I've recommended it to every single pastor I know.
Rev. Karen Walters

This is one of those books that you could read at any pace, but to really nudge out the details of the pages you really have to do alot of reflection. What i really like about the book was it opened up avenues for fresh questions and perspective. I found that by preasenting their concepts of ministry tried with real stories makes the book authentic. I love this. It gave a realistic vibe to it.

I was interested in this book because my church is launching a daughter church. The insights that Burke has are so dead on. My husband's Bible study decided to go through the book a chapter at a time, using the discussion questions at the end of each one. The questions are good - really make you think about how the church should look in this culture. I work in a non-profit organization. The entire staff bought the book and we've been using it during staff meetings. This book is accessible, but not "dumbed down" at all.

Great book. I got the book from the library and have been using it for a college class. The book is very good and has actually casued me to rethink some of my ideas about non-christians. There are excellent stories in the book. It reminds me of how Jesus taught; in parables. I have never written a review here, but this book impressed me quite a bit.

Starting a church based on the principle that people should feel safe to express themselves exactly as they are without any semblance of pretense, Burke wrote No Perfect People Allowed to chronicle how he dealt with the messiness that inevitably follows. The book is at its best when Burke simply relates stories of his interactions with authentic people and talks about how he approached each situation and why, but it stumbles when he starts talking about broader principles and the bigger picture. At the end of the book, Burke laments that the church has historically emphasized pastors as instruments of instruction while neglecting to enlist people with leadership gifts into the role, and one certainly gets the impression that Burke himself is more gifted as a leader than a teacher. His examples of practice are greatly superior to his contextualization of them. For example, while he has a reasonable grasp on interacting with people of the postmodern generation, Burke's short theoretical explanation of postmodernism is atrociously awful and carries the potential to mislead ministry leaders who may not have the academic background to discern how far offbase he is.

I've scuffled through many books that promise to teach you how be psychic--from Psychic Development For Begginers, to Edgar Cayce's Awakening Your Psychic Powers-- but this one is by far at the top of my list. It's straight to the point and practical. Whats more important is that you can tell the information is genuine and that the author knows his stuff. Some of the techniques I was already familiar with, such as the Eastern method of using the breath to increase psychic energy and the visualization technique to open each of the chakras. Avoid the new age hogwash out there and get this!

All I can say is WOW. John Holland is my new favorite Psychic author. The man writes in a style that is very easy to comprehend, and the techniques he teaches are simple and actually FUN to practice. But most importantly to me, THEY PRODUCE RESULTS! This is a must have manual for anyone looking to develope their psychic gifts IMHO.

Awesome Book! 5+ stars!

I absolutely love this book!John Holland is amazing in which the manner that he teaches everything regarding our abilities comprehensively yet thoroughly!He doesn't leave anything out or leave one wondering..ok what now?He covers every conceivable psychic ability with such simplicity yet great technique.This is one guide that will NOT disappoint you whatsoever,no matter where you are in your abilities..John covers everything such as;
1:What does it mean to be psychic,psychic abilities and intuition,importance of learning equipment and preparing yourself to begin.
2:Clairsentience,clairaudience,clairvoyance.3:What is meditation,Relaxing the body&mind,Active meditation,Accessing your higher mind.4:Breath awareness,The complete breath,Mindfulness of breathing,Psychic breathing techniques.5:What is an aura,developing auric vision,Aura colors&their meaning,Sensing the Aura,Strengthening the aura.6:What are the Chakras,The seven energy centers,Chakra workouts,Raising the Power.7:Decision making,Psychometry,Energy scanning,Your psychic time.
Such compelling and indepth teachings here in this book that I could NOT put it down this summer until i had taken it all in..the book truly resonated with me and the added bonus is the Delicious CD that is attached to inside back of this book-I love,love the relaxation very healing meditation that John takes you through as well as the 2nd part of this CD where John guides you through your Chakras in opening and closing them and creating pyschic protection<<<I highly recommend this book and CD to all that are just discovering or are intermediate in their abilities as well as the Most advanced!

P.S.To a previous reviewer-John's accent isn't a Brooklyn one,it's a Boston one,I know as I grew up in Mass! But reside in a heavenly paradise not too far!Away from the hustle n bustle of the big cities of Massachusetts.

This book had alot of the background info. on chakras, and auras etc. But was not extreamly useful in opening up the psychic within.

John is a psychic-medium who has been lecturing, demonstrating and giving readings for over 15 years. He helps people connect with loved ones who have crossed over and assists others to become more aware of their psychic abilities.

This is a book with a meditation CD included, and what a nice gift to yourself or for someone else, especially someone on the path. There are 4 tracks in this CD; 2 are just some quick info, and 2 are meditations. These meditations are very similar to those on his separately selling CD "Healing Relaxation & Opening Your Psychic Awareness". I had a very positive experience the very first time I used that CD. It was truly wonderful.

The Book:
First of all, John tells us we are all born psychic or intuitive, but many of us choose to hide it. We are taught quickly as children that those things are just our imagination. This book is about bringing out those traits which you already have. (Now, if you don't believe that, it's OK. Can you just open your mind to the possibility for a minute and stay with me? If there is a chance, would you like to be more "tuned in"? If so, read on.) Now, John's not the only person who is out there saying we all have these abilities either. There are many.

John suggests you read the entire book before using the CD, so you will better understand. The book is not very big, so it won't take too long. I don't have a ruler handy, it's about 5" x 6" (almost square) and has 160 pages. It is clearly written in simple language and it includes exercises to enhance your development, as well as positive affirmations. Topics in the book include: 1) What "psychic" means 2) Psychic strengths--clairsentience, clairvoyance, and clairaudience 3) Meditation 4) Psychic breathing techniques 5) Auras 6) Chakras 7) Psychic tools--decision-making, psychometry, energy scanning, and [taking] your psychic time [centering yourself].

The CD:
The CD is a wee bit over 53 minutes long and has 4 tracks.
Track 1: intro-- :35
Track 2: Healing meditation - 20:15
Track 3: General info - 2:05
Track 4: Psychic awareness meditation: -- 31:19

This set is just wonderful and I think you will be very pleased with it. One word of caution, and John mentions this on either this CD or my other one: psychic opening also opens you to being more emotional. You probably should be in a comfortable place in your life [emotionally] before you start opening psychic connectivity. (So, like if somebody screams, that might be like nails on a chalkboard to you. You might see a dead animal in the road and start crying because you feel the pain the animal felt when it died---and so on, until you get used to the change in your vibration. I remember even reading a story on the internet about a child being hurt and just cried so bad for about 15 minutes. The story didn't have a lot of detail but somehow, I think I felt the child's pain. (I wish somebody had told me about this sensitivity thing earlier. I spent a couple of months wondering what was going on.) Sorry if it sounds squirrely. After all, maybe it's just our imagination???)

Update: May, 2008. Just saw John in person at a conference in Hershey, PA. He was absolutely wonderful. He provided a lot of useful information. He also did several readings and he had several people in tears with the information he "read" from their deceased friends/relatives/etc. (Tears are good, folks.) I think he really helped some people address some guilt they had stuffed inside themselves for who knows how many years. John was knowledgeable, funny, and very natural. He was very comfortable to talk to. In other words, he was not uppity. And I believe without a doubt that he is a 100% genuine psychic medium.

"Trust used to be all about a handshake - and nothing has changed..."

So begins Appendix F in Vacca's book. The entirety of the book defines that critical handshake, which has been made so much more complex by Internet
freedom and opportunities. Layers of certification and handshaking, both online and offline, hashing, third parties, CA's.

Vacca includes costings, comparatives, definitions, implementation instructions, and white papers written by others with expertise in the area.

This book is a 'must read' for those of us working in IT security.

As usual, John writes a very timely book on contemporary IT issues. Most people are still afraid to use their credit cards on the net and businesses have huge constraints in terms of what can and can't be done through the web. As the rules of the game toughen for the every-ready hacking minds, government are also cracking down on such culprits, however, for the average user of electronic commercial transactions, there needs to be a stronger feeling that their money is safe. John's PKI book helps to educate those with this understandable concern, that it may now be getting safer to do business on the net.

This book covers the entire spectrum of PKI technology with an emphasis on the pratical aspects of design,implementation and use. As an IT security professional, I have found this book to be extremely useful in my job as we must constantly be on guard and make use of the latest technology to stay one step ahead of the multitude of security threats we face on a day-to-day basis.

To successfully transact business on the worldwide web, a secure network is essential. John Vacca's book explores public key infrastructures (PKIs)as a technology to provide that security. This book would be a good resource for anyone responsible for maintaining network security in big business or small.

"Trust used to be all about a handshake - and nothing has changed..."

So begins Appendix F in Vacca's book. The entirety of the book defines that critical handshake, which has been made so much more complex by Internet freedom and opportunities. Layers of certification and handshaking, both online and offline, hashing, third parties, CA's.

Vacca includes costings, comparatives, definitions, implementation instructions, and white papers written by others with expertise in the area.

Previously a developer and implementor, and now a user, I wish that we had had this information then when we were implementing PGP, and I can only hope that my host sites now are compliant.

I haven't read this book in long time.As a matter of fact I think it was one of,if not,the first book I ever read.I was lead to it because of the star wars androids.Do you remember the rock'em sock'em robots?HA HA!I couldn't have been mabye 10 years old.I'm 31 now and I still remember this book.It's kinda funny.I'm here because I was attempting to find the book to read in the library here in okinawa,camp kinser.I am currantly reading the book I,robot by isaac asimov.I feel good about complimenting this book it has served me well. I appreciate this opportunity.

I read this book when I was about 10 years old, and I'm sure that I wore that copy out re-reading, and re-reading it! What a terrific, timeless, science fiction classic! If you can get your hands on this book and you love juvenile science fiction, I don't hesitate to recommend this one!

My parents gave me a copy of this book for my eighth birthday, and I still have it. A wonderful book for anyone, and a great book for children. I'm surprised it's not on the Newberry list.

I haven't read this book in long time.As a matter of fact I think it was one of,if not,the first book I ever read.I was lead to it because of the star wars androids.Do you remember the rock'em sock'em robots?HA HA!I couldn't have been mabye 10 years old.I'm 31 now and I still remember this book.It's kinda funny.I'm here because I was attempting to find the book to read in the library here in okinawa,camp kinser.I am currantly reading the book I,robot by isaac asimov.I feel good about complimenting this book it has served me well. I appreciate this opportunity.

It's no secret that some of the best books are written for kids and teens. Baby Boomers will fondly remember Scholastic Book Services before they were a mainstream publisher, and little four page weekly reader newspapers that were passed out in class. Books cost about 50 cents and you'd order them together as a class. What a great stake in classroom reading, how fun to take home your books from class, and how different than a $30 Harry Potter hardback. And what great books they were: Encyclopedia Brown, The Amazing Adventures of Alvin Fernald (part of which showed up on TV), Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine (predating PCs) are a few that come to mind. The Runaway Robot was a classic among classics, penned by golden age sci-fi author Lester Del Rey, and now collectible for it's space-theme cover. These are only a few of the great books modern librarians cycled out of libraries in their continuing war on the imagination. But until someone reprints gems like these, my advice is order yours used, and discover this long- lost classic. You'll be glad you did.

Derbyshire's fine novel is innovative in style and concept. For this reason it requires imho some explanations if it is to be fully understood. Thank goodness for Amazon which makes such explanations easily possible. There are at least two issues which might be helpful for at least some readers to discuss These are firstly the subtedly of Chinese culture and secondly the mysterious meeting between the protagonist and Calvin Coolidge which accounts for the book's title.

There cannot be many novels in which a Caucasian author writes in the first person as a Chinese. To do that successfully requires a deep understanding of Chinese culture which while certainly not "inscrutable" is very different and often more subtle than ours. Derbyshire has this understanding because he has lived in China for many years, speaks several of the languages and last but not least is happily married to a Chinese wife. So as you read the book you will come across many references to classical Chinese novels and poems as well as expressions common in Chinese speech. Pay careful attention to these quotations, they are not there for decoration but they are Derbyshire's pleasant way of showing you some things about Chinese culture and how it differs from ours.

The book's title comes from Chapter 18 in which the protagonist "sees" Calvin Coolidge or perhaps his ghost. It is clear from the previous reviews that many readers have not understood what is going on here, which is understandable since Derbyshire has been perhaps a bit too subtle in developing this part of his plot. At any rate, I figured it out but thought it necessary to e-mail Derb asking him to confirm my theory. Here is what I wrote;

Derb,

I have just finished reading your book and enjoyed it very much. I am thinking of writing a review for Amazon which is needed perhaps because no one seems to have understood your rather mysterious Chapter 18.

Here's my theory of what is going on here. Ding has found out about Chai's attempt to restart his old affair with Selina and makes a plan to prevent this and so save her marriage. She does this with the help of Mr. Chan hence the several long unexplained phone calls. The plan involves the Coolidge impersonator Mr. Ruggles who is actually the man that Chai meets in room 1010. So no dream at all, just a sophisticated plot that you only hint at.

Please tell me if I am on the right track, because if so readers who do not seem to have understood should be informed.

Here is Derb's courteous reply:

That is exactly right, Wolfgang. It is a story about clever women
outwitting a man who isn't as smart as he thinks. Hey, it worked for
Shakespeare (at least four times...)

So there you are. Derbyshire has written a great novel, stylish and well-informed but subtle and nuanced. Buy it, read it carefully, and you will be well-rewarded.

There are other unusual characters in literature, but surely the protagonist of this book is right up there for dynamic range of experiences and interests. He is a former Red Guard Chinese American banker whose also an amateur etymologist and American history lover. When he's drawn toward a tryst with a long lost love only his determined wife can save him and only Silent Cal (in a dream) can possibly advise him.

I was disappointed when my aquaintance with this interesting man came to an end.

My husband and I bought this book simply because we happen to live in one of Calvin Coolidge's old homes. We didn't really expect all that much. Boy were we surprised. I immediately recommended the book to my book club.

Let me say something about my book club: we've been together for almost ten years and we're made up for thirteen stong-minded women ranging in age from 30-something to 80-something. This is one of the few books we have unanimously loved. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we wrote the author a letter inviting him to return to Northampton. He did and it was a joy to meet him.

Rita Bleiman
author "Dirty Tricks"

I was telling a friend who was once my English professor at Cal Berkeley that Seeing was the best novel I'd read in a long time. (Unfortunately, there is currently little time for novel reading.) She asked, "Good book or good read?" I sort of went "Huh," but have been mulling over the question ever since. The answer: good read, emphatically. Swift, short and constantly entertaining in its transitions of place and time, and overlay of memory, Seeing is a true page-turner. Good book? I think the answer here is also yes. Derbyshire, who I presume from his name to be a Caucasian, does a pretty convincing job as an Asian narrator, even capturing Chai's reflexive smugness toward women, particularly his wife Ding. The pitch for the rehabilitation of Calvin Coolidge does not convince me; he still seems a simple man for simpler times whose values are of a more limited guidance than the author implicitly argues. At the same time, the observations on China, particularly the excesses of the Red Guard, and on a self-absorbed and often frivolous America as seen through a recent, successful immigrant's eyes ring very true. And you can't help but enjoy Ding's wiles as she brings Chai to live Coolidge's maxims.

Until recently, my only acquaintance with Mr. Derbyshire was in his role as a somewhat disagreeable controversialist in "National Review" magazine. Then, I noticed his most recent book (as of this posting), "Prime Obsession", a non-fiction account of the work of 19th century German mathematician Bernhard Riemann, whose prime number theorum remains one of the biggest unsolved problems in mathematics. Through the capsule biography of the author, I found out the existance of this book and consulted the reviews here.

Having read "Seeing Calvin Coolidge in a Dream", I can say that it fully lives up to the sometimes-extravagant praise posted here. The book has a quirky charm all its own, not least because of the first-person voice of its hero, Chai, a winning and fascinating personality. Since the plot has been fully discussed in other reviews here, I will limit myself to a few random observations.

--Chai's account of his participation in the Red Guards as a teenager reads like a chiller out of Chen Jo-Hsi's book, "The Execution of Mayor Yin, and Other Tales of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution" His witnessing of a gang-rape (which he feigns participation in) shames him and destroys at a stroke any loyalty to the Party he may have had. This starts him on his long road to America.

--Like Joseph Conrad in England, Chai masters the intricacies of English while in America. His ironic and insightful observations of the United States, China, and Hong Kong (before the PRC took over) are fun to read and dead-on.

--The long-dead Calvin Coolidge appears to give some dry and intelligent advice. Mr. Derbyshire manages to squash the old legend of "Silent Cal" as unintelligent and indolent. While the author perhaps spreads it a mite too thick, it is still a useful and entertaining corrective. (I hold with the political scientist who believes that Mr. Coolidge's apparent indolence was the result of a deep--perhaps clinical--depression at the death of his 16-year old son, Calvin Jr. from septicemia caused by an infected blister on his foot that had been raised playing tennis on the White House lawn.)

All of this is just by-the-by, however. The book was simply a delight and I urge anyone whose interest has been piqued by these comments to read it just as I did.

As I read this book I could almost feel the track clicking below the engine, hear the chuffing of the engine as it labored to pull the cars, listen to the lonesome sound of the whistle as the engineer arrived at the crossing and feel the power as the fireman put the coal to the firebox and the engineer pulled the Johnson bar. All in all a great read and a book that anyone interested in the steam era would read with relish.

One of the most compelling railroad books I've read - the narrative is compelling because of Orr's consistent, insightful commitment to doing his job well and discovering the most efficient way to get his train over the road. Of course hardcore railfans will enjoy this book, but I think students of industrial history and those interested in the way people go about their jobs (a la Studs Terkel/working) will get something out of this book as well.

The detailed descriptions in "Set Up Running" will have you smelling coal smoke. Even though I have been a rail fan for all of my 65 years, was an NYC-PC employee, and I'm a native of Pennsylvania, I learned something new on nearly every page and thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Although "Set Up Running" deals almost exclusively with operations on a PRR branch line, ferroequinologists (students of the iron horse) everywhere will love this book. It has the unique quality of making you wish it would go on forever.

When I read a book or article about railroads it is easy to tell when the writer is over his head. Not here. This book is authentic.

The time covers a great period of growth of steam locomotive development. PRR classes from the old class R through the M1a are run and evaluated. Which one is the engineer's favorite? You might be surprised.

The book is a labor of love. It is human as well as technological. Here you find the enthusiasm of the young man, the confidence of the mature man, and the feelings of being squeezed out of the retiring man. As I finished the book I sat and thought about the family for a long time.

Set Up Running is simply the VERY BEST railroad related book which I have EVER read! If you don't have it GET IT! PERIOD! (PS: I have NO financial interest in this book or any organization/company which sells it). I'm doing YOU a favor by rating this book and advising YOU to get it!)

ceh

Stephen Colbert is so good at being seriously funny. This comic book is a hoot.

This comic based on Steven Colbert's Tek Jansen story (unfortunately still unpublished) is pretty hilarious. Though it's set in the sci-fi future the impression that I get is that it's a take (though a strange one) on modern politics, living and, of course, lovin'.

It's a good, cheap read and more than likely a collector's item... Because who doesn't believe that Colbert could take over the world with his wit alone?

I was totally jaded with all the "Dark Graphic novels and Comics - until I picked up Stephen Colbert's Tek Jansen.. A more capable Hero there never was nor will there be. Illustrations are top notch, and storyline fantastic! Tek! Tek! Tek!I don't care what Shatner sez. I WANT MY TEK ADDICTION!!!!!

I have never read anything more funny and enjoyable than this Tekaliciously Tek Jansen comic!!! A must-read for anyone!! I highly recommend it. :-)

When I heard that the Tek Jansen comics were coming out, I was at first nervous. Would the comics be just as good as the show, or would they fall short of Stephen Colbert's hilarious brand of comedy and disappoint me?

Luckily, Tek Jansen issue number one managed to be a completly hilarious comic, and I loved it instantly! The humor is not entirely like Colbert's, but similiar all the same. Colbert did have some imput in the script and art for the comic, but it's clear that the comic's writers and artists took their own style and combined it with Colbert's to create a fantastic, entertaining read.

I counted down the days for this comic to come out, and though it came out months later than expected, I finally bought it and devoured it, and I'll be doing the same thing with the next one. The next issue can only get better, as the comic book writers and artists collaborate even more with each other and with Colbert to create such an amazing piece of work that's entertaing for fans of The Colbert Report, fans of comic books, teenagers, adults, and everyone in between!

I grew up with Melinda's maternal and paternal family, even though the author was a tadpole when last I saw her. As an author myself and a retired English teacher, I find Melinda's talent with her craft endearing, stimulating, hilarious, and very sensory. So many of her adventures were (and are) my own, even though we're a generation apart; she makes me see, hear, smell, and taste my own childhood in that small Alabama town.

Melinda reminds many of us that we're not only "GRITS" (Girls Raised in the South) but also "SWAGs" (Southern Women Aging Gracefully) and damn proud of it!!!

I have laughed and cried (from laughing) through this book! I feel like this is the story of my life sometimes. Great read...especially for 40-somethings and up! Or mothers of any age...I'll be reading more by this author.

I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for my sister. I enjoyed the book when I read it. I am still waiting to hear if she enjoyed it as well.

Everything about this book was great. So TRUE! If you are a woman in the South, you will really dig this book!

Though I am from a different region of the South than the author, the truisms smack you in the face like the humidty on a hot Southern summer's day. She has captured the essence of all of us who were reared in the South. And it is true, that most of us over a "certain" age prefer red lipstick. After all, Revlon wouldn't lie to us, would they?
I vary between gales of laughter and nodding in agreement while reading and wish someone were here so I could read it aloud to them.
She has captured our little customs, the SOP of our daily lives in a way no Yankee could ever do, but still it is an inspiration to those women who grew up North of the Mason-Dixon line and want to understand the mystique of Southern women. Men should read this as well. It is full of insights on how to survive with a Southern woman in a close personal relationship.
G Hileman, Middle TN and now FL

A very nice book, with remarkable trees, however, from the cover I suppose I wrongly assumed they would be beautiful trees. Quite a lot of the book is spent on African trees of a very strange nature, and to my husband's suprise, very little was done on the banyan tree. I was looking forward to large, ancient trees myself. All in all, it is still a wonderful book, it just wasn't what we were expecting.

Great Book will enough the wonder hopefully they have it in the school systems or county systems

Trees are grouped by various, sensible categories that other books on trees might neglect: Giants: Gods, Goddesses, Grizzlies; Dwarfs: For Fear of Little Men, In Bondage; Methuselahs: The Living and the Dead, Shrines; Dreams: Prisoners, Aliens, Lovers and Dancers, Snakes and Ladders, Ghosts; and Trees in Peril: Do the Loggers always Win? and Ten Green Bottles. Pakenham's text is great fun to read, as can be viewed from those sectional titles, and individual tree titles such as "Tie up my feet, Darling, and I'll live forever" for the Bonsai tree that is the In Bondage section.

I suppose coffee table books really shouldn't be considered exceptional items to read - view, yes; read, not so much. This is an exception. Tolkien's Ents are invoked for a handful of trees, and rightly so; geography students who get a core borer stuck and (somehow) get permission to cut down what had possibly been the oldest tree in the world just to retrieve it are warned against; and, of course, it is mentioned that any fool can climb a gum tree. I've read this about six times this year, high time I count it officially.

beautiful book. Bought it as a gift for my brother.
I already have a copy for myself.

In fall 2006, Lansing's forestry department planted a tiny gingko biloba tree between the sidewalk and the street in front of my house.
It had four and a half branches, all oriented in one plane like the candlesticks in a menorah. You could barely roast a wiener with it.
I scrambled into the house for a book I had bought, by sheer coincidence, the previous day -- Thomas Pakenham's "Remarkable Trees of the World."
Yes! There, sprawling across pages 110 and 111, was a gingko nearly 1,000 years old, still living in Tokyo, measuring 30 feet in girth and 66 feet high.
Pakenham, a British historian with Irish wanderlust and a gentle sense of drama, has traveled the world to photograph and research the history and lore of 60 of the world's most remarkable trees.
This oversize book, just now out in paperback, is so relaxed and un-sensational you picture Pakenham walking from tree to tree, a Haydn string quartet playing in the background, not minding the continents and oceans in between. It's a follow-up to another book that's just as good: "Meetings With Remarkable Trees," in which Packenham confined his wanderings to the British Isles. The response to "Meetings" was so warm that Pakenham packed his bags and expanded his search to global proportions.
Pakenham's style is that of a curious, intelligent pilgrim. He pairs generous full-page or double-page images of his subjects with un-fussy, lightly conversational background information. He clearly respects local lore and legend, but doesn't go overboard with it, nor does he bog the text down in scientific details. The result is almost a set of personality profiles.
The images are spectacular -- given the subject matter, most of them can't help it -- but sensitively chosen and framed, with an eye toward the unique setting, mood and attributes of each tree.
It's a low-key approach, but if this book doesn't awaken your sense of awe, nothing can. That little stick of a gingko in my front yard, for example, belongs to a hyper-ancient species/order/family that predates dinosaurs. Its peculiar lineage (it's related to ferns) is betrayed by unique, fan-shaped leaves that have no central fold.
Of course, trees have their own agenda, and don't care whether they get into a coffee-table book or not (it's tempting to think they'd rather not, insofar as books are made of paper). But it was hard not to think of Pakenham's gargantuan gingko as a thundering encouragement for my little tree's stressed-out, brown-fringed leaves and spindly trunk.
For one thing, Japanese Buddhists believe the gingko, not the Bo tree of India, was the tree under which Buddha found enlightenment.
If lore doesn't thrill, Pakenham serves up history and science. For example, a gingko 800 yards from the epicenter of Hiroshima threw up new sprouts even after the atomic bomb hit.
But enough about gingkos. In this book, the reader will meet a panoply of the world's most amazing creatures: General Sherman, a mega-giant sequoia in California that weights 1,500 tons and is probably the largest living thing on Earth; ancient teapot-shaped African baobabs out of a Dr. Suess illustration; the leaning Italian cypress said to have been planted by St. Francis; wind-lashed cypresses clinging to the rocky California coast; great oaks with hollows where 20 people can sit down to a banquet; bristlecone pines now into their fifth millennium of existence.
Some of these magnificent trees are near roadsides or chained off in parks, all but ignored by passersby. The wonder of this book is that it tunes the mind to the low-frequency, centuries-long chords only these creatures can hear. Looking at trees that have lived the better part of a millennium make you wonder whether there will be a California -- the home of a disproportionate number of these giants -- or a Lansing in 1,000 years.
My bet's on Lansing, which is far less likely to slip into the ocean before my gingko grows up.

J.C. Ryle warns the reader in a compelling way to flee worldly temptations and sinful lusts and to meditate on things above. He shows that only godly living brings true contentment in life.

I wish someone had went through this exhortation with me back in my teens or early twenties. This is a must read for every young man and even for middle aged and older men. This is the kinda talk a father would have with a son, and Ryle is very easy to read and understand, yet the wisdom he passes on is crucial and very important for all men. This is a straight forward heart to heart talk about what really matters in life. Thank you J.C. Ryle.

I bought this for my son, I read it first and have greatly enjoyed this read. It is still a message for young men of today. I would highly reccommend.

Great conservative ideas for keeping young men pure. Though written quite awhile ago, the ideas are really timeless.

J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) was the first Bishop of Liverpool (Anglican Church). This book is a short yet passionate plea of a man in the latter years of life who was no doubt qualified to address young men. Page after page one finds that this booklet is full of truths that are no less relevant today than as when they were written more than a hundred years ago.

The books is divided into four sections with a conclusion. In section one, Ryle begins with reasons for his exhorting young men. In section two, he then focuses on five specific dangers which young men to be warned of (e.g. pride, the love of pleasure, the fear of man's opinions, etc.). In section three, he outlines some general suggestions which he entreats young men to receive and then in section four he lays down some practical specific "rules of conduct" which he strongly advises young men to follow. Ryle then concludes with the results of heeding such exhortations as he has laid out.

I read this book on a bus ride to the mall . . . and I'm so grateful that I did. In the preface to the book, J.C. Ryle wrote this:

"I am growing old myself, but there are few things I remember so well as the days of my youth. I have a most distinct recollection of the joys and the sorrows, the hopes and the fears, the temptations and the difficulties, the mistaken judgments and the misplaced affections, the errors and the aspirations, which surround and accompany a young man's life. If I can only say something to keep some young man in the right way, and preserve him from faults and sins, which may mar his prospects both for time and eternity, I shall be very thankful" (p.5).

Well J.C., you did your job with me--thanks. While I know men such as him are not popular nowadays, I cannot do justice to my own conscience if I do not say that his exhortations are more practical and timely than many of today's most popular authors.