Lewis Books

I read this book slowly, for I'm 80 years old. The plight of the young boy raised by relatives and mistreated is a heartbreaking fact of life. I felt his rejection, for the author has a way with words, creating such a connection to her characters, I could not put it down. The end was amazing and rewarding, confirming that with God, all things are possible. I would recommend this book, for it is inspiring, touching. The beautiful poems only added to my enjoyment, for I could plainly see what it cost the author emotionally to write such words. Only someone who had been there could possibly describe such feelings of pain as Mrs. Lewis has done. I loved it! Wish she would write a sequel!

Although newly published, the author exhibits amazing skill in her ability to involve the reader in the passions and pain of her characters. The young boy, Matthew Carlisle, portrayed as a victim of his environment, seems unable to understand his own anger and hatred. Does a child necessarily exhibit such ingrained hostilities as an adult due to influences from childhood? Is it possible for the dark side of a personality to be affected by prayer and faith in God? The reader must decide this for himself, for the theme of this book points to that conclusion. As a man, I enjoyed the smooth, flowing, poetry of this book. Possibly considered a woman's preferred reading, based on the author's personal experiences as the wife of the character of Matthew Carlisle, I nevertheless was caught up in the struggle between the dark side of his character and the light. This is a book of fiction, but the events are true to life. There is a message of determined comittment to marriage, which is not too popular today. Also, the character of Amelia, the long suffering wife, could be labeled a fool by feminists. Its all in the perspective of the reader's view of God, faith, prayer, and real, tough, love. I rated this book five stars because I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Whether as fiction or fact, it is deeply moving, invoking sympathy and empathy.All in all, a good read.

In doing research in deciding to become a parent or not, I have read MANY books, but this is the only one that "tells it like it is". It is informative and realistic - just what I had been looking for.

I think this book should be required reading for young women and any couples thinking about or entering into parenthood.

I came across this treasure of a book in my local community library. It reads like a heartfelt letter from a friend, who have gone through the joyous and apprehensive experience of being a first-time mother. This is a great book for those of us who do not know exactly what to expect and sometimes do not have the foggiest idea what questions to ask. Read on and know that you are not the only odd one around!

This is the only Tax Book Ive ever read that didnt put me to sleep. Easy to read, lots of great tax advice and lots of humor to keep it interesting. If your an investor, I highly recommend this book. It could save you thousands of dollars!

This book is worth reading cover-to-cover to learn what you need to know before filing your taxes, and it's also a handy reference that can be used to answer specific questions (I've used it for both). The examples are humorous and clear, and the book does a good job of anticipating what questions will come to mind as you prepare for your tax filing. If your tax situation is getting complicated because of your investments, this book should really help.

Lewis Grizzard writes about his memories of his daddy in this sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious book. This is what got me started reading Grizzard's books, and made me a loyal fan. You can't help but like it.

With this work Grizzard departs from his usual mileu of homespun humor and examines the special relationship between fathers and sons. In doing so, the author takes the reader on a bittersweet trip through his father's life to include his military experiences during the Korean War, return to the United States as a combat hero, declining success in the business world, divorce, and finally his early death brought about by alcoholism. The story operates on two levels first by examining Grizzard's relationship with his father and, of greater importance to the reader, in unraveling the intricate interaction between all fathers and sons. On this second level, the work reveals that sons see their fathers as heros regardless of their circumstances. The author makes his best point in the early pages of the work in a discussion of, of all things, the various degrees of intoxication. First there are belligerent drunks, followed by rowdy drunks, followed by the "crank up the Enola Gay" drunks. In describing the most inebrieated level, Grizzard coins the phrase "crying about your daddy drunk", a point at which pent up emotions surge from that special place in the male psyche where men hide their most painful wounds. Any man who has lost a father can relate to this final level. I would recommend this work to two groups of readers--men who have suffered through the death of a father as well as those who wish to understand the depression and post traumatic shock of combat. Grizzard provides more insight to these readers than the best researched psychology book on the shelf. A powerful work with an eternal message, it is a shame that this work is no longer in print.

I lived in Liberia over 20 years. It is a wonderful place and Ophelia takes us back to those wonderful years, the traditions of family and honor that we should never forget. I recommend MY DEAR LIBERIA to those who know Liberia, and those who wish to know Her. I am very proud of Ophelia and her writing for future generations. Love always, Thelma J. (Brownell) Cato - Decatur, GA

I have just read "My Dear Liberia - Recollections", and was very impressed with both the content and style. As an American, I really felt like I gained some insight into Liberian life and culture. I would recommend this book for a wide audience, including those who teach courses covering African/African American studiies. It is very readable (right down to the crossword and word scramble), and yet provides a window into the life of those who are of Liberian heritage.

This thriller has the best prologue I ever read, and the remainder of the book is not far behind. It moves so quickly and cleverly that I had to put it down every few minutes to catch my breath. I hope this will be followed by many more Jeb Willard books.

This is a terrific book. It reads fast, the writing is taut and it has more twists and turns than a tornado! It is indeed a thriller and the ending is explosive, literally. I was impressed with the accuracy of the technical details but they didn't slow the reader down. The book looks impressive even if it isn't a hardcover. The cover and chapter illustrations are first rate. One reader told me it was the most intriguing book she'd read in a long time. I totally agree.
G.K.Lewis

This story, set in Tanzania in the 1960's, is about a boy who wants a bicycle to help his mother carry loads of produce to the market. The boy saves up his money to buy the bicycle, occasionally getting the money out of his secret box, putting it into neat piles, and counting it up.

There are a couple of places in the book where the boy is laughed at as he tries to accomplish his goal. The reader feels for the boy as he goes to the market to buy the bike and is laughed at because he doesn't have enough money. The author helps the reader to understand that there may be obstacles that you have to overcome in order to be successful.

A good picture book to use with 3rd and 4th graders to discuss character traits, cause and effect, sequential details, plot. Drawing conclusions- at the very end of the book it shows the boy counting up his money again- students can conclude that he will buy his mother a cart for her load. Themes in the book: patience, perseverance, helping others, determination.

The young boy in this story shows exceptional selflessness and a touching concern for his mother's well-being when his dream is to get a bicycle so that he can help her carry their load of goods to market. Truly a wonderful storyline.

The illustrations are superb; not only do they accurately depict village life, but they are simply beautiful in their own right, and convey the emotion of the text, for example, the look on the father's face as the boy falls off the bicycle.

The familial love in this story is extraordinary, without being the least bit saccharine. A gem.

This book is so beautifully illustrated and written. The story line of saving money for a desired purchase (a red and blue bike), took me back to my own childhood. Readers can feel the child's disappointment over not having enough money. As a wonderful addition, the child wants to save for a bike in order to help his mother carry her heavy loads. This was a truly enjoyable read.

I greatly enjoyed this book. What I liked most about it is that the things that Spence talks about here, connecting ancient Britain to North African religious practices and migrations seem to be supported by modern genetic analysis(see http://www.oxfordancestors.com ).

Spence had a rather interesting career and was also the founder of the Scottish Nationalist Party.

A prolific writer, Lewis Spence (1874-1955) was dedicated to the 'Celtic Revival' of the late 19th/early 20th c. 'The Mysteries of Britain' was his crowning work in this respect, containing a wealth of material - which, in one form or another, has seen reprints, with minor changes of title, ever since its first appearance (1929). This Bracken Books/Studio Edition reprint comes complete with a facsimile of the illustrations Wendy Wood produced for the Ist ed.

Some would say that 'Celtic revivals' are problematic, and 'Neo-Celtic' fads even more so. Peter Berresford Ellis - a contemporary authority on Celtic culture, has asked how we can re-invent an unknown past, without substituting fantasy for reality? How far can the 'Celtic' tag can be stretched, before it becomes meaningless. It cannot be coined with intrinsic meaning, if simply a hook for frustrated urbanites to hang their 'pagan' wish fulfilments upon. Still, regressive questioning of this kind can go too far. Even the 'serious' revivalists of the late 19th c. have been viewed with suspicion.

Without being naive, Lewis Spence was confident with his sources. Keen to savour Celtic culture in all its forms, be it that of his native Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Mann, Cornwall etc., Spence felt that the Druidic/Bardic tradition had been preserved - at its best, in Welsh sources. Thus, he esteemed the work of Iolo Morganwg/J. Williams ab Ithel/Llwelyn Sion - e.g. the Welsh triads, the Barddas etc. - as genuine, even though this had been viewed with suspicion by some of his peers, and remains controversial to this day. Spence regarded such material as genuine, adducing his reasons in chapter III - the 'Mystery of Celtic Philosophy,' and chapter IV,titled 'Barddas.' This is but one aspect of Spence's book - but, given the seminal importance of the Barddas in the Celtic revival , and the often careless remarks heaped upon it by detractors, it is pleasant to hear the book appraised in positive terms. For his own part, Spence claimed that he had seen transcripts of material - attributed to Llywelyn Sion, which pre-dated Iolo's sources, thus demolishing the notion that Iolo had fabricated the material. Some of this material was in Raglan Castle. The manuscript of Llywelyn Sion, transcribed by Edward Davydd, was still extant in the Library of Llan Haran, Glamorganshire. Hence, - 'What' Spence asks, 'is there improbable in all this? He goes on to note that much of the mytho-poeic imagery involved, mythical cycles etc., also appear in the Mabinogion and other such sources, which are beyond dispute. Hence, Spence says: 'It seems to me, indeed, highly improbable that (Llywelyn) Sion 'invented' this mystical progression . . .

I have singled this material out, and Spence's remarks about it, because texts like the Barddas have, in effect, served as handbooks to sustain the 'Celtic revival.' So far as Spence was concerned, its 'triads' etc., preserve the 'mysteries of Britain' - understood as an inner doctrine. The external factors - megalithic sites, such as Stonehenge, or so-called 'burial chambers' such as 'New Grange' etc., are or were, merely the external vehicle through which such inner principles unfolded in a deeply symbiotic relationship. Spence also looks at the empirical aspects, discussing the possible function of megalithic sites, underground chambers etc. Once viewed as crude edifices, presumably tokens of a crude culture, modern archeologists now know that such megalithic sites embody a very precise knowledge of the stars and their movements, with exact allignments and progressions to mark the procession of equinoxes, solstices etc. In short, mathematical precision of a very high order. Believe me, it is a moving experience to await the Winter Solstice inside a 'beehive vault' such as that found at New Grange, watching the fingers of the dawning sun work their way along the narrow passage, until they strike the central altar (owing to a phenomenon called 'precession,' and the lapse of time, this no longer happens exactly on the solstice day ). It is science - plus magic. Spence had his own theories about the origins of British/proto-Celtic culture, citing sources in N.W. Africa, Berber and Basque people etc., sources strangely confirmed by genetic research, decades after Spence wrote his book. In other respects, almost in defiance of his own findings, Spence had the urge to celebrate the 'mysteries of Britain' as a kind of nationalistic - or at least, highly indigeneous trait. In other respects, he referred to Morien O. Morgan, another 'Druid' revivalist from Glamorgan, who ultimately linked the Druidical system with a kind of parent Indo-European source. Peter Berresford Ellis has noted the links between classical Indian and ancient Irish music. Phoneticaly, certain elements of ancient Irish are virtually the same as Sanskrit (e.g. 'madhya'= middle/mean; 'san scroight' - 'holy writ' etc.) If anything, what we now call 'Celtic' culture finds reverberations and echoes world-wide. There are definite correspondences between the Ainu language and Celtic. Prof. Barry Fell (Harvard) has found Celtic (Ogham) inscriptions in N. America, dating back before the Christian era. This upsets all the comfortable ideas about absolutely distinct cultures. We may have to accept the fact that centuries before Christ, there was a kind pan-Celtic culture, linking the 'mysteries of Britain' with far flung places like Hokkaido, and ancient artifacts found in Vermont etc.

A refreshing look at the judiciary. Well worth the read.

Is the federal judiciary really out of control?

By way of answer to that question, Mark Kozlowski delivers 220 pages (plus endnotes) of fresh air and good sense -- all pointing to the conclusion that, nope, the federal judiciary is doing pretty much what it's always done and working pretty much the way the framers of the Constitution intended it to work.

It's a nice analysis. In his opening chapter, he sets out an eminently fair statement of what he calls the 'Imperial Judiciary thesis' (propounded most recently in Mark Levin's ill-reasoned screed _Men In Black_ -- endorsed, notably, by Ed Meese). In the rest of the book, he proceeds to make complete mincemeat of it. 'Originalism' (both the 200-proof Bork/Meese variety and the 100-proof version offered by Keith Whittington) get a pretty complete takedown -- along with, really, the entire Levin/Bork/Meese view of the Constitutional role of the judiciary.

I won't try to summarize Kozlowski's arguments here; I'll just recommend them highly to anyone looking for a sane voice in reply to the current round of anti-judiciary fanatics. This is an excellent and well-reasoned book that, unfortunately, remains timely two years after its publication. I guess there are still some people who need to read it.

This is an excellent book for everyone who loves Russian language or culture. This is actually written in archaic spelling so you can aprecciate Nabokov's translation at a 100%.

This is a great reading for anyone who loves Russian classics. It combines the unique Nabokov's style with the wonderful plot of Lewis Carroll's masterpiece. Don't expect to see the exact translation of Carroll's book, rather consider it as a "variation on the theme" of "Alice in Wonderland". Take a book, a cup of tea, spend the time with favourite and funny Carroll's heros in the magic country of Carroll-Nabokov.