Long Books

"Be Prepared" is the only guide to provide a comprehensive and accessible map for coping with the maze of financial, legal, tax, and practical issues. It was refreshing to just discover that a financial planner somewhere "out there" had taken the diagnosis and progression of chronic illness into consideration. Many books from planners are written with a "what if you get an illness" or "after you owe thousands in medical bills" viewpoint. This is a great book for understanding the basics when you have a chronic illness but are not yet owing over a hundred thousand dollars in medical bills.

I highly recommend it to all of those with chronic illness that my organization serves through HopeKeepers Magazine--telling them it's WELL worth the expense.

It is easy to access and understand and includes over three hundred tips, with guidance on these and other topics:

How to obtain, keep, and maximize use of your health insurance coverage. * How to maximize your income and manage your debts. * How to make new uses of assets, such as turning life insurance into cash and using credit as a nest egg. * How to assess work issues, including the legal protections relating to your current job or a new one. * How to prepare for disability, make it work for you, and return to work without compromising your benefits. * How to minimize your taxes. * How to tailor your investment and retirement strategy to meet the needs of your condition. * How to choose and use the best professional services, including doctors, home care, hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies, and hospices. * How to find, evaluate, and finance promising new drugs and treatments.

This book was full of helpful information. I read it for my stepmother, who has terminal cancer. There is tons of information in the book, and it was super easy to pick through it and read the parts that were relevant to us. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has limited time in this world.

Before I start my review let me just say I read the previous reviews for this book and I don't understand the ranting of Betty Burk's review. It is very clear that she has not read this book and is on some personal vendetta against the gay culture. It's amazing how she speaks out about name calling from "bullies" on the internet but has no problem with singling out young gay men as being "evil." I hope Betty is judged as she judges others.

At age 34, I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer that has metasized to my liver. At the time of my surgery to remove a large tumor from my colon, my oncologist gave me a 50% chance of living another two years.

Today, I've survived over a year and a half of chemotherapy and still going strong. My wife discovered this book one day at our oncology clinic at a time where we where struggling with a lifetime cap on my health insurance and monthly bills from the hospital that would burn up the cap in a year.

This book, though a little bit dated with the recent drug plans offered by Medicare, covers pretty much everything you should be thinking about when dealing with a life challenging condition. From dealing with your employer, your rights as a person with a disability, to private insurance and disability, and of course your options for long term care, social security, Medicare and Medicaid. It also encourages you as well as gives you hints on how you can take action as your own advocate.

I highly recommend anyone facing a life challenging illness or disability to read at least the first chapter of this book. The chapters are well listed and you can skip very easily to the places you are most interested in. I'd also encourage family members to read it as well.

Overall, it's a wealth of information written in "grandma's english" which makes it very easy to understand. I thank David Landay for providing us with this great resource.

Be Prepared seems to have been written for people with AIDS and cancer, but its recommendations apply to anyone facing health problems and any kind of financial difficulty. The author guides you through getting disability, maintaining health insurance, getting other benefits that may be available to you and getting all your papers and affairs in order.

These steps help you keep control of your life when health problems could otherwise overwhelm you. As Landay says, "preparing for the worst allows you to expect the best." I followed his recommendations in coping with multiple sclerosis and applied some of them in my book The Art of Getting Well.

It's not always the easiest read; it's long and packed with info and resources. But I consider it a vital reference; I don't know of an equal one on the topic.

David Spero RN www.davidsperoRN.com

Be Prepared is an incredible compilation of useful and practical information for anyone dealing with serious illness. When my mother was diagnosed with Liver Disease, I had no idea where to turn to get answers to a number of our questions regarding insurance and financial matters - our family attorney didn't even have all the information compiled here. I am grateful that a friend gave me a copy of Be Prepared... Not only did it provide me with the tools to evaluate our situation realistically, it also pointed me in the right direction to deal with issues that hadn't even crossed our minds. I highly recommend Be Prepared to anyone facing the challenges of a serious illness.

I co-lead a Bible study group which is using this book right now. Honestly, we haven't totally finished it yet, but so far, this is a great book. It is easy to read so it doesn't mean an overwhelming amount of homework for the group. The study questions in the back do not simply ask you to "fill in the blank" from what you have already read. The questions suppliment the reading. The author intertwines her writing with scripture and quotes from a poll of husbands. Many contemporary wives will see themselves in this book. In the end, this book is more about a wife's relationship with God than about a wife's relationship with her husband. This book can change your life and improve your marriage.

I love this book.

This book did a good job describing what men want and giving suggestions of how to give it to them. I've read much of the same stuff before, but this was a well-written book on the topic and I'm going to keep it in my library for another read-through.

However, if you were to buy just one book on the subject of improving your relationship with your husband (which is why I bought this), I'd recommend "For Women Only" by Shaunti Feldhahn. She not only covers most of the topics in this book but she goes much more in-depth so you can really understand what men mean when they say that they want respect or whatever.

My daughter introduced me to this great resource for marriage. I read it. I studied it. I wasn't disappointed and you won't be either. Discover 7 life-changing principles to meet the relational challenges of marriage, and have fun doing it!

Sharon Jaynes does an excellent job of presenting information about what men really want in a marriage. She did a simple survey with hundreds of men and shares her discoveries in this book.

What I enjoyed was that she gave stories of various women who either excelled in one of the seven qualities or was an example of what not to do. Although she occasionally gave a list of "25 ways to show respect" for example, I didn't feel overwhelmed by a to do list. I think Jaynes communicates in a manner that stresses the importance of the relationship with your husband.

Sharon Jaynes made a simple statement near the end of the book that could save a lot of marriages. She wrote, "It all goes back to why we want to become the woman of his dreams. Is it to give or to get?" Just keeping or re-gaining the perspective that it is possible for me to be the woman of my husband's dreams and experience the joy of a vibrant relationship with the man I married is liberating. He didn't choose me to compete with, but rather to complete him.

As a relative newcomer to the field of historical criticism, I appreciate Provan/Long/Longman's work. It is truly a sign of good scholarship to be able to take the complex and make it understandable. I don't mean easy, but understandable. Provan's command of his topic is clear and thorough, especially in regard to epistemology and testimony. Those who by faith and reason trust the Biblical texts as reliable testimonies of ancient Israel will find encouragement in this book.

The authors are to be congratulated for their beautifully laid out and tightly argued book. The first third of the book lays out their philosophical basis for the history and provokes many questions and encourages much thought. We are in their debt for this fine, fine book on Israel's history as its comes to us from the "testimony" of Scripture. The authors are to be appreciated for their answering the so called "minimalists"
approach to "biblical" history. I found the book well written, wonderfully argued, and extremely helpful. This book should belong on the shelf of everyone interested in ancient Israel's history.

The first 100 pages discusses the methodology of modern historiography and demonstrates how biblical critics continue to use out of date methodologies in their attempt to destroy the concept that ancient Israel actually existed. Especially telling is his discussion on testimony. They maintain that the biblical testimony about Israel's history is as valid a source as any other. Even modern archeaology is not neutral but needs to be interpreted; therefore it becomes another testimony in the mix.

The next two hundred pages discuss the history of Israel with this positive-testimony model. They do not paint as comprehensive a history as some might like (along the lines of Bright). Instead they focus on the problem areas rasied by the text.

This is a terrific book and it is taking a very important place in my library.

Having only recently dived into the pool of historiography, this book has helped me tremendously to understand the complexities that go into a historiographer's reconstruction of history.

As to why this book is leaps and bounds better than most of your popular apologetic works, here are a few differentiating factors:

A. Philosophy of historigraphical reconstruction. This is perhaps the most unique feature of the book. Before even diving into the various evidences being considered for a reconstruction of the history of Israel, the authors spend roughly 100 pages in dealing with the philosophical underpinnings of historiography. I found this section IMMENSELY enlightening and the book is worth the price for this exposition alone. On what grounds do we accept or reject historical testimony? Does the presence of ideology in a text imply that historical details have been interpolated? What can archaeological evidence tell us about the past? What are the limitations of science in reconstructing history? These and more questions are dealt with in "History of Israel". Rather than merely beginning with a given set of assumptions, the authors dissect the assumptions of themselves and their counterparts in Israeli historical reconstruction.

B. Expertise in the field of historiography. Unlike the many Josh McDowells and Lee Strobels, the authors of this book are professionals in this field of study and it shows in their knowledge of the material at hand, as well as their treatment of the material.

C. Objectivity in a reconstruction of Israel's past. What I loved about this book, especially in comparison to other books on the trustworthiness of the Old Testament texts, was the cool-headed, objective handling of the evidence. The word "prove" is rarely, if ever used. The authors' make it clear that nothing in history is "proven"; only plausible and implausible. This is a breath of fresh air in comparison to the oftentimes dogmatic assertions that are made by many other Christian authors who propound their conclusions with a matter-of-fact, case-closed confidence that leaves many, like myself, wondering what side of the story I'm not hearing from dissenters. The author of "History of Israel" provide ample examples (although sometimes too brief, but there is only so much room when dealing with an topic of this magnitude) of those who do not believe in the historicity of the Biblical texts. Mud-slinging and demonization of dissenters is not present in any of the book. Dissenting views are given what I considered to be a fair (but perhaps too brie) treatment.

"History of Israel" does not set out to prove the Old Testament reliable. It attempts to demonstrate how the Biblical texts can, and likely do, fit in with the evidence at hand. Can this be proven? No. But they certainly make a compelling case for why we ought to trust the traditions handed down to us.

I have always felt that you should believe someone unless you have good reason not too. Many biblical minimalist seem to take the view that the bible is wrong as history with very little, if any proof to back their claims up.

This book is a ultra maximalist defense of the bible as a historical work. If you are interested in this subject, its a must read.

The author, Pat Murphy has been one of my favorites for years. Lately I got to tracking down all that she has written and came upon this wonderful gem.
Other reviewers have reiterated the story for you - don't believe any of it until you have read it for yourself. The tease I will give you - I could not put it down.
I think it is the best book I have read in awhile (maybe 2 or 3 years) and I am an avid reader; at least a book a week sometimes a book a day. And I have read some good ones.
This book filled me with unaccountable glee and random bouts of laughing and crying. It was philosophically intellectual, artistically rendered in joy and hope, intertwined with magic and possibility. But mostly it is a story of the absolute reality of art and the responsibilities of artists; to change the world, make it over in the image that delights them the best, and nothing is ever the same afterwards. That is what this book did to me, and I am grateful.
But I am not selling my copy; it goes into the save forever to read over and over group.

I first stumbled upon this book some seven-odd years ago, when I was just moving into the beginnings of a proverbial intellectual 'awakening.' I spent perhaps four months tracking it down, as it was out of print and not carried at my library; read it at least a half-dozen times while it was in my posession, and only begrudgingly gave it up when the time was due (though it was rather tempting to keep and fess up the library fine).

In hindsight, this book is idealistic in nature: It is a peaceful, love-beaded dystopian novel with more than its share of hope. It tells the story of a community of citizens who have migrated to San Francisco, in an event to both continue with their crafts (There are painters, sculpters, just plain tinkerers). They also attempt to organise themselves against the "General," a militaristic dictator-esque figure moving across America.

This settlement comes in the wake of an outbreak of plague, as a result of an altruistic attempt to bring peace to the world, and to the United States.

Although a children's book, this novel still stands out in my mind as being one of the most powerful books I have ever read. Rarely do a book's details stay with one for the better part of ten years, in the clarity that this one has. Well-worth tracking down, or buying used.

This is a wonderful and refreshing subversion of the post apocalyptical tradition, for which David Brin's The Postman stands as a paradigm for. Though at times The Postman is spiritual, it does portray the issues of national reunification after a catastrophe as a given and the achievement of that reunification (or resistance to it) as inevitably violent.

Though Kim Stanley Robinson's Wild Shore critiques this patriotic urge deliciously, only Murphy has managed to outright attack it. There are no natural or artificial forces making survival a struggle in Murphy's post-civilised Utopia. Instead, the San Francisco of this unspecified future is alive and well - albeit very underpopulated - and is in fact flourishing after a plague has indiscriminately wiping out all but an anarchic cross-section of artists. Cries for `Progress' and `Order' are the exception, and the majority feel "disorder works just fine."

Through her characters, Murphy could be imagined to be having an argument with other speculative fiction writers: "It seems we have very basic disagreement ... You seem to think that joining together into a larger and more powerful nation is automatically good ... Personally, I've always thought that nations were tremendously overrated."

The City, Not Long After asks what we would become outside of civilisation, and what San Francisco would be without the U.S. It provides a lovely answer.

So there's this plague, see, that wipes out about 99.9 percent of the population. San Francisco is a big artist commune - one group paints the Golden Gate Bridge blue. An army decides to take over. The ensuing war is one of the oddest battles ever fought - soldiers, cut down by tranquilizers, have the word DEAD painted on their cheeks, and are warned via a letter that if they don't consider themselves hors-de-combat, they may very well die for real next time. Other soldiers are dived-bombed with water balloons full of jasmine perfume and LSD. Probably the lowest body count of any book featuring battle scenes. I read this book on a whim and fell madly in love with it. I have to reread it again soon.

I've read this book a number of times since I first discovered it a few years ago. The story & characters stay at the edge of my memory and as the details get blurry, I take it out & read it again. Pat Murphy's description of San Franscisco as the artists transform it, is so vivid that I can see their art and understand its impact. It's an entrancing book -- I wish it had a sequel.

If you care about living long and well, this is the book for you. When I saw it at my local bookstore it literally jumped off the shelf. You can't always judge a book by its cover, but in this case the contents lived up to the promise on the jacket, "What Really Determines How Long You Live."
There are many things that I could say about this exceptional book. The most important is that at a time when we are deluged by the latest hype on health and happiness, this book, by one of the premier researchers in the country, gives us the real facts about holistic health.
I've been working in this field for 38 years and consider myself one of the experts, but I learned new things in every chapter.
At a time when Gender Medicine is emerging as a new field of health, this book gives us the facts to help us understand why men continue to live sicker and die sooner. It doesn't have to be that way. We can all improve how long and how joyfully we live.
If you buy one book this year on Mind/Body/Spirit, make it Emotional Longevity. You'll be glad you did.
I have been working in the area of Gender Medicine and writing books on men's health for the last 35 years. Among the 7 books I have written, Male Menopause has been a best-seller and has now been translated into 16 foreign languages. My new book, The Irritable Male Syndrome will be published next year.

What one should take from this book is that health means balance is all areas of one's life. We are social animals and obviously our emotional well-being influences our longevity. A great book!

An eye-opening look at the synergy between emotions and longevity. In the deluge of "let's just be happy" rather superficial books, this one is a refreshing departure from that norm.

Written by a leader in his field, Dr. Anderson does not negate the biological determinants affecting longevity. But drawing on his work as the CEO of the American Psychological Association as well as numerous studies, he paints a compelling picture of the actual links between emotions, beliefs and one's social environment and their effect on one's health and subsequent death. He also cites the many studies that show how these same factors influence our vulnerability to everything from the common cold to heart disease. The book is written in an understandable style and features vignettes of prominent people, such as Maya Angelou, Terry Fox and Linda Ellerbee to add a more personal touch to his scientific presentations and findings.

This is a book that will give you a most compelling reason to try and change your life and your way of living. It can indeed be a matter of life or death or at the very least a significant factor in the quality of your life.

Emotional Longevity explores the dimensions of health and well being in a unique and refreshing way. Though based on research, it offers a refreshing (and understandable) perspective differentiating it from other books of this genre. It clearly defines and illustrates how each of the elements affecting longevity play out in our lives and in the lives of our children. It juxtaposes science with vignettes, making it not only informative but compelling as well. It is an insightful and contemplative "must read."

...

When I picked this book up, I thought for sure that there was nothing else to be learned, but I was completely wrong. For once, this book is backed by scientific research and the results are shown for experiments such as positive and negative outlooks, overcoming illness, likelihood to die early, the list goes on and on. 'Emotional Longevity' does not indicate the length of an emotion, but rather teaches us to view things in a light that will produce a much higher quality of life, and will ultimately lead to a much healthier, longer, and more fulfilling, realistic lifestyle. I know it sounds cliche, but it's true. And it's different from all the others to boot.

Highly recommended from a person who highly needs good books like this. :) (Who doesn't?)

My wife and I have a Hospice Ministry and found the book to be a very real look at a family as they dealt with final days of a very dear loved one. The daily process that Dr Cavanaugh details is the struggle that we all will experience at some point in our lives, either for ourselves or a loved one.

Thank you for letting us see into the insite of how it is to go through the death of a loved one, it shows so much what the family is feeling and how they deal with it. It also shows how a man lets go of his family thru their grief and how it brings them together. A MUST READ for anyone who has lost a parent.

This book is a day to day account of a son sharing his father's last days on earth. While parts of this book will break the reader's heart, it also provides great hope for anyone that has unsaved loved ones. Through God's amazing love and grace, relationships were restored and salvation was won. I would recommend this book to all care givers and to those with lost loved ones.

I found this book to be a sensitive look at the journey that many families take when a loved one becomes ill. This journey took this family through both physical and emotional pain as they dealt with issues from the past and present. The message of forgiveness, reconciliation and love of God and family is a touching story. Mr. Cavanaugh's style of writing is open and lets the reader see into his heart and that of his family. This book is a must read for all adult children who have elderly parents.

"...the eye that can see does not." A powerful illustration in the life of a dying man. Roland takes the reader on a moving journey that only a loving son can tell. This book has two gripping themes. One of a prodigal father's return and the other of a son's own self examination as he serves his father emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

I had Mr. Eder as a Professor for two Philosophy classes, so I knew a bit of the background behind his daughter's murder but I never completely grasped the tragedy of it. I cried like a baby in a few places...Mr. Eders' memoir is the heart-wrenching story of a father living his worst nightmare; the dissappearance and murder of his only daughter. I couldn't put it down until I had finished the book. My favorite quote from the book is so classically Eder: simply put yet powerful..."I teach the great Philosophers, study the great ideas, and search for God." Thank you for introducing me to this book, Professor.

As a former student of Mr. Eder's (and the former-Mrs. Adrienne Eder), I felt an instant connection to this book & the author. As a student, I knew that something bad had happened to their daughter, but I was not aware of the extent. This book is provacative, poignant and I must commend Mr. Eder for having the courage to write it.
As a teacher, myself, I know that it is hard to put your heartfelt personal life out there for students (let alone others in the general public) to see...this crime was so horrific, that I can't imagine how this man managed to inspire students the way that he did everyday. He has been through Hell and it is inspiring to see how he and his family have carried on with such dignity and courage.

James Eder has written a thoughtful and provocative memoir. His tone is candid and at times brutal in his frank inner pain. To read him is to discover our own worst fears; to walk with him is to realize the immeasurable power of the human spirit. The book aches in the very pages, but there is much beauty and craftsmanship in Eder's stirring journey. Ultimately, Eder's story is necessary reading for all of us.

Recommended to anyone who loves a good book; excellent for libraries.

Vicki was a fellow classmate of mine at Northport High School (Class of 1981), we were also in the Environment Team together(those who went to Northport know what that was). I remember vividly the day when they found Vicki's body, I cried like a baby. I suppose that was odd considering we were not good friends, but just aquaintances. Yet I cried like a baby none the less, the hurt and sorrow were real. After reading this book, the sadness all came back.
My heart goes out to Mr. Eder, and I thank him for sharing his terrible ordeal with us.

This book is amazing! I couldn't put it down! Eder is beautifully spoken and writes with pure honesty, emotion, and detail. Of course I'll never know what it's like to be in his shoes but this book comes close. He makes the intense thoughts of a father, husband, teacher, and human being during a time of crisis so real to the reader. There are things in this book that we can all relate to like the loss of a loved one, questioning of your worthiness as a parent, and questioning your relationship with God. Eder raises the questions we have all considered at one point in our lives - How can an all loving God allow such horrible things to happen? and Are our troubles in life punishments from God? I highly reccomend this book to anyone and everyone. The content is universal wether you believe in a God or not, wether you believe the world is an evil place or a good place, we all have something to gain from understanding the experiences of others.

This book was an excellent read and tells a wonderful story of the power of family and faith. It should remind people that most people are genuinely good people who are drawn down less that desirable paths in life. Thankfully, the love and family and a strong faith can bring a lost soul back.
I couldn't put the book down once I began reading it - I finished it in the doctor's office with tears in my eyes. A heartfelt story that can touch anyone who reads it and encourage them to re-examine their ways.
Kudos, Jessica!

From the first page this book will grasp your emotions! You will accompany "Stephanie," a modern century prodigal daughter, in her heart journey of fun, frustraion, despair, confusion, fear, pain, education, riches, love, and shattered dreams into true reality, clear direction, and deep hope, love, joy, and peace! There is not one dull moment in the story! Teens, young to older adults, singles, married, moms and dads will all richly enjoy and gain from this book. "I Took the Long Way Home" is a great gift giver. Each person I have given it to thus far have been wonderfully affected by it. What a testimony of the amazing grace of God!

The author tells her own story of veering from a Christian life of loving and serving the Lord, to a world many more of us, as teenagers, experienced: rebellion, deceit, and the belief that, at 16, we know what is best for ourselves. This is an amazing recount of the lives of Stephanie's parents, how they found the Lord, and how they nurtured this love of Christ in their daughter. It is a heartwrenching tale of parental love, loyalty and support, even while facing their daughter's teenaged pregnancy. After reading this book I felt uplifted and inspired, and had a much clearer understanding of my own "way home" to a more fulfilling relationship with the Lord.

This INSPIRATIONAL story of a young girl who has opened up her very heart and given us a glimse into some of the deepest hurts, the understandable fears, and the most blessed joys that a human being can experience in life.
This was truly the BEST book I have ever read. No other book except the Bible has made me cry so much, laugh so hard, pray ,or thank God for saving us, as much as this book did.
It is a must read. Max Lucado, Stephen Ambrose, Calven Miller, were some of my favoriet authors and as good as they are Jessica Parenti is now my #1 can't wait for Her next book
Billy Walsh Deptford N.J.

This is a wonderful account of transformation and redemption; a woman of the world becomes a woman of God. A fast paced page turner, we track the life a woman searching for answers, a woman who, by society's standards, has everything yet in her heart has nothing.After much soul searching,she finds her answers at the beginning, where they have always been.She returns home, literally, metaphorically and spiritually and thankfully embraces her long lost faith.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has lost their moorings and is searching for the path home. I look forward to the author's next work.

Long Life: Essays And Other Writings showcases the prose and poetry of Mary Oliver who has won both a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award for her work. A master wordsmith, Mary Oliver has authored more than twenty books, and in Long Life shows herself adept at the art of the essay as well as a gifted poet whose lyrical commentaries range from describing a goosefish stranded at low tide to being baptized by the mist from a whale's blowhole. Long Life is highly recommended, emotionally resonating, cognitively gifted reading and a welcome addition to personal and academic library literary collections.

Reading this is like peeking into Mary Oliver's Journal in which she has recorded thoughts about poems and poets, art and artists, and all the secrets and truths they share.

I am a Mary Oliver fan. I love her poetry combining spirit and nature, and I can understand it. I certainly agree that writing should come from the heart; however, if it is to be published, the authors should sometimes provide a map to navigate the terrain. Not Mary Oliver. In these essays and poems, Oliver shares with us how the world calls to her and invites us to greet our world as she does hers. I particularly love:

"People say to me: wouldn't you like to see Yosemite? The Bay of Fundy? The Brooks Range? I smile and answer, 'Oh yes' sometime. And go off to my woods, my ponds, my sun-filled harbor, no more than a blue comma on the map of the world, but to me, the emblem of everything. It is the intimate, never The general, that is teacherly."
Teacherly. My computer says that is not a word. What does my computer know? I like it. Even her prose is poetic. "Every day my early morning walk along the water grants me a second waking. My feet are nimble, now my ears wake, and give thanks for the ocean's song."

I liked Part Three the least. Her praise of Emerson and Hawthorne were first published as introductions to Modern Library Classics. However, she did tickle my curiosity about Emerson. She has given me enough in her short essay to make me want to read his work now that I am an adult. I think of all the rich material which I was fed in school and only now as a mature adult can appreciate and enjoy.

Oliver does not write, here, about aging or the end of life. She writes in both prose and poetry about how full her life is. And she reminds us that full does not necessarily mean busy. She reminds me that I could live a rich and delicious life right here in my neighborhood. She reminds me that I can receive so much by being conscious. This book stays on my shelf with my other Olivers to pick back up occasionally and savor.

by Judith Helburn
for StorycircleBookReviews
www.storycirclebookreviews.org
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Readers of this book come away knowing that Mary Oliver wakes up each morning,
rushes outside and breathes deeply ready to fill her mind and soul with nature's
surprises of the day. There is a chapter, Dog Talk, that will warm any dog
lover's heart, including a wonderful listing of her dogs' names, past and
present. The language is gorgeous and full of imagery yet sparse.

Oliver's comment on the necessity of literature spoke to its essential place
in my life.
"The best use of literature bends not toward the narrow and the absolute
but to the extravagant and the possible. Answers are no part of it;
rather, it is the opinions, the rhapsodic persuasions, the engrafted
logics, the clues that are to the mind of the reader the possible keys
to his own self-quarrels, his own predicament."

Like a gentle warning, one we will not heed, Mary Oliver states in her foreword that she prefers writing poetry to prose, but each has its own pleasures and manner of expression - "different paces of heartbeat." Anyone who has dabbled in both types of word-art knows how true this is; and we are grateful that Oliver is willing to adjust her heart rhythm so that our appreciative hearts may beat a little differently, too.

"Long Life: Essays and Other Writings" is a slim collection of prose and those few poems Oliver could not resist interspersing, collected into a love letter from Oliver to the universe, "full of radiant suggestion." Whether walking the beach, ten feet from her home, or the town dump, her praise to the beauty of the world is undaunted and lavish. There is no detail she misses, no praise unwarranted, and Oliver relishes what is life, animate, inanimate, human, canine, reptile or insect. In "Flow," she notes how we already live in paradise, and to be fully aware of it is to "have such music in one's head and body," that one must, brimming with blessing and gratitude, ask: "what is the gift I should bring the world?" For Oliver, cleary, her literary art, adding to our paradise in books.

In various essays, none very long, Oliver writes tributes to favored authors Hawthorne and Emerson, but also to her lifelong partner, Molly, in appreciation of their many differences and habits, making relationships that much richer and more rewarding. She writes of perfect days, and surely all are, in their own way. She writes of childhood huts, little places she built with open doors, so that she might sit inside and watch the wonder of the world around her (I did exactly the same). There is no place where she is unable to find beauty, and whereas Poe claimed to be able to hear the night falling, Oliver listens for the morning as it "settles upward." In her series of poems called "Sand Dabs," she collects pithy and wise sayings, the sort one would scribble on a napkin corner and keep in a wallet so as not to forget. And, even while she strives to appreciate this worldly paradise in open faith, her intellect presses her, "... forgive me, Lord, how I still, sometimes, crave understanding."

Oliver walks in the world to love it. We read her books in order to walk alongside her, love it through her eyes, her words, her spirit "settling upward," and by end of book, bask in the afterglow, recipients of the gift Oliver has given back to the world, to us.

Bill Miller has a remarkable talent for lampooning PC San Francisco and the worst (and funniest) aspects of the trial court system through the occasional perspectives of some eminently sensible New Papuan cannibals. A book in the great tradition of Gulliver's Travels and Candide. My lawyer sons are all about to receive copies.

As a lawyer who has had experience in courtrooms throughout the United States and in many other countries, I was delighted to read William Miller's very funny exploration of our legal and political systems. He has a very deft way of examining the inadequacies of our system by holding up somewhat exagerated examples in a way that demands laughter. And, he does this in good taste and good fun. Political correctness has met its match in Mr. Miller.

This is a charming and exceptionally creative work. It evokes images ranging from Waugh to 1930's "screwball comedy" movies. Despite the fact that the author exposes a range of human weaknesses, the story is never malicious. To the contrary, it is warm and understanding. It's as though God is observing His/Her children with a mixture of amusement and sadness.

People in the Bay Area in particular should enjoy this work, which is set in San Francisco and uses the city's colorful political scene as its backdrop.

Long Pig is a story about Penny Hill and her defense against criminal charges brought upon her. The story
progresses through a series of episodes. Each episode presents a specific social issue on a silver platter, which is
then decimated by the choices made by the multitude of antagonists. Throughout the book, the principles grown
accustomed to by our modern culture are applied to hypothetical situations. Each hypothetical brings a specific issue
to it's fullest potential in a matter-of-fact fashion. The author elevates each social issue to a level of....fantasy in
order to shine light on how a city such as San Francisco generates an endless circle of conflicts and resolutions,
conflicts and resolutions...followed by more conflict. If you wish to blow off steam from frustrations created by the
liberal tendencies surrounding you, read this book.

William C. Miller, author of "Long Pig," is the kind of man you'd like to have sitting across from you at dinner. He can tell a story with humor. His ear for dialogue is near-perfect. He has experience enough to skewer the party blow-hard's pet political and cultural theories and smile as he does it. He also has expertise enough to lend credence to any skewering he chooses to do.

Those qualities that might make him excellent dinner companion also give this, his first novel, a leg up the ladder of literature-possibly to a rung on a best-seller list. It's fresh and fun and implausible and irreverent. A Berkeley graduate, this man can write. So pull up a chair for the feast. When was the last time you heard San Franciscans mentioned in the same breath as cannibals?

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "This is the Place"