O Books

I'm really glad I purchased the Wee Sing Nursery Rhymes. It even comes with sheet music! It seems that every song I learned in school is included, plus many more. Now I can pass this on to my son and daughter! Shipping was prompt, which is a bonus!

We were so glad to be able to buy this on CD. Our tapes were so old and really no equipment handy to play, especially in the cars. We played this over and over and over and sang and had a wonderful time going places. My granddaughters are 16 and 19 now and I loved the smiles on their faces when I gave them their very own CD. Thanks so much.

One thing I'd like to add to the other comments is that you might want to search inside the book to see the list of rhymes and lullabies as well as a sample of the notes for two of the songs which you can play on the piano if you like.

My three grown daughters remember all these songs from having the cassettes when they were little. Sometimes when we're all together, someone will break into spontaneous song from one of the tapes and we all join in. It brings back great memories from our many car trips. I still have the cassettes, but no cassette player, so it was time to upgrade for my 18 month old grandson. His mom has been singing these songs to him from Day 1. All these Wee Sing CDs will become a family treasure! You won't go wrong on any of them.

My Mom and I used to quote that every time we would go on a trip. This is easily one of the best Wee Sing tapes, now available on CD. My cousin recently had her 2nd baby and I bought it for him. And since my Mom had the NERVE to sell our original copy of this one in a garage sale, I just HAD to download it to my iPod before wrapping it.

The nursery rhyme part of it, is also set to a story of Georgie Peorgie, Jack and Jill, and Mary going to King Cole's Birthday party, and on the way meeting other Mother Goose Characters.

Here are some interesting facts and trivia on some of the nursery rhymes and lullabies.

THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL. Originallly titled "JEMIMA," was written SURPRISE! SURPRISE! by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow about his daughter about a time that she misbehaved. Everyone knows the first verse. But there are two other verses that are almost never anthologized.

One day she went upstairs while her parents unawares.
Sitting below were at their meals.
She stood upon her head on her little trundle bed,
and then began hurraying with her heals.

Her Mama heard the noise and thought it was the boys
A playing at a combat in the attic.
But when she climbed the stair and saw Jemima there
She took and she did Spank her most emphatic!

LUCY LOCKET If you own this product, you'll remember that the poem is sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle. What you may not know is that Lucy Lockett is the main tune and that the yankees got the melody for Yankee Doodle from Lucy Lockett.

GOOD NIGHT TO YOU ALL Isn't really a lullaby, but it was a round dating back to the 19th century often sung by quartets in hotels and such as a finale.

EARLY TO BED Was written, believe it or not by Benjamin Franklin. And was used as a way to get children to go to bed on time.

SWEETLY SLEEP Is a parody of a Czech Christmas carol called "ROCKING," which you will find on "Wee Sing for Christmas." Either song gets me in a Christmas mood no matter what time of the year it is.

All in all, this is a first rate recording and perfect for the young and the young at heart. So if you or anyone you know is about to have a baby, go ahead and buy it. You certainly won't go wrong.

"What Goes Around" starts off fast-paced and absorbing, and ends with a bang! David O'Neal's first book of power, love and war in this progressive series of four, won't disappoint. An action novel that also delves into relevant social and ethical issues, O'Neal uses his experience as an ex-marine to create this tightly-written drama about how an ordinary man can get caught up in circumstances beyond his control. The decisions that the protagonist, Doug Carlson, uses to cope with Mob aggression and control in the gambling lifestyle of Nevada are colored by writer O'Neal's unique insights into the warrior mentality from his military service in the Vietnam jungles. This series, which includes "The Pact With Bruno," "Choosing to Kill," and "Fool Me Twice," illustrates how possibly this "jungle" could inadvertently creep into our own backyards. I read all four novels back-to-back, and found them hard to put down. Very good reads!

Great plot, interesting characters, and a fascinating perspective on American life--then and now. The then, for O'Neal, is the Vietnam war. Now is the culture of contemporary California and Nevada--rich, violent, out of control. Battles with the Mob in the present alternate with intense flashbacks to combat, surfacing the confusion, grief, and rage, as well as the skills needed to overcome the guerilla attacks by made guys and their henchmen. It's jarheads vs The Sopranos, and the Marine Corps wins--by a whisker.

Slip into the realm of the Mafia as Doug Carlson begins his journey and pulls you along with him each step of the way. Feel the suspense, the thrill, the anticipation, the emotions, as they are written by David O'Neal in a compelling, can't put down novel. It is a novel you will remember forever.

Doug Carlson could be Mr. Everyman before his bump with a mob leader. Mr. O'Neal leads us on a deadly rollercoaster ride which transforms his character from a peaceful citizen to a deadly adversary. I can't wait for another installment of Doug C.

I read Dave O'Neal's second book, "The Pact With Bruno," first. Now I know why some reviewers are calling him the next Elmore Leonard. But you must read "What Goes Around," to know what makes Doug Carlson tick. The night has eyes. And O'Neal's books would make great movies.

I just finished it and cried throughout the book. I have been to one baseball game in 63 years, and only know the names of a few baseball greats, yet I loved this story. I have searched the internet. Can't find Elgin Woodell. I even went on ebay to see if I could locate one of his baseball cards. No Elgin Woodell. You know your great at writing when you convince your readers that a character in one of your novels is real. That's right, go ahead and laugh.

The first two-thirds of this book were wonderful, but there wasn't enough conflict and suspense and as the end approached there was nothing to resolve. The book ended in a straight, predictable, and grossly sensational fashion that left me feeling cheated.

The author let me down on this one.

This was a fun book to read since it reminded me of some of the fun of being a kid playing ball. This book is about a 10-yr. old boy named Elgin and his love for baseball as well as his relationship with his parents who are divorced. His dad, who used to play ball, is in prison. Elgin has great talent and is so good at hitting that he is kicked out of little league because he's too good so he gets to play in higher leagues even though he's just a kid.

Another aspect of this book is to practice correctly and keep at it. Elgin practiced all the time! He played fastpitch in the alley or practiced with a pitching machine in the basement that he adjusted to throw really fast. Anyone interested in little league or baseball would probably like this book. I enjoyed it very much!

Karen Arlettaz Zemek, author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

When you finish this book, you'll be searching the Internet to find out if the Youngest Hero was a real person, it's so real. The perfect book for young and old men that love the game of baseball. The author allows you to get into the thoughts of the characters and you become a part of their life. It's the best there ever was. If you like this one, check out author John R. Tunis for other real sports books you can't wait to pick up again to finish.

This book was excellent. I loved every single minute of it. Even though I am not a big sports fan, this book was engrossing with it's facinating detail to the game of baseball. It gave me a new appreciation of sports, and what it means to the people involved in it. The characters were precious, and I truly felt like I knew them. Several days later, I still remember them well. THAT's the sign of a great book!

Analisa is a woman of remarkable determination, faith and strength. I first met Analisa when she and Brian moved to our area shortly after completing her transplant and we worked together for several years in our church. My greatest joy was watching her regain strength followed by her and Brian receiving their two baby boys into their family. It has been a difficult journey for Analisa, but if you knew her, you would understand how and why she survived, as she is "tiny but mighty". This book is a great narrative and would be an inspiration to anyone who must undergo a bonemarrow transplant or any other difficult medical procedure. Where there is faith there is hope--and miracles. Well written and inspiring.

Analisa is a modern day hero with her strength and faith inspiring all of us to conquer our personal trials and heartaches in life. Her story and determination will always be a guide and inspiration to me throughout my life. Thank you Analisa!!

Anna's account of her ordeal is uniquely her own. Her account is pitch perfect-- an honest and uniquely personal telling of her grueling struggle both to live and to reclaim her life. She is everyman, or woman as the case might be, tempored in the crucible of personal struggle against overwhelming seemingly incontestable circumstance.

I must tell you that I know Anna and Brian personally, I know about her struggle with cancer and her effort to write about it. I often wondered if the world needed one more survivor book. If so, this is that book. You won't need to know them going in because you'll soon get to know them through their own eyes and in your own heart. You'll know yourself a little better too. Just be prepared to read for a while because once you start, you won't put it down. Paul Nielsen

This book is one of a kind! As amazing as it is riveting, the story Analisa tells of her journey through her bone marrow transplant will leave you breathless and unable to put it down. More thrilling and devastating than fiction ever can be, this autobiography will remind you of the many blessings you have in your life!

This book is filled with wise and wonderful words. Not only does it contain practical advice and guidance on how to survive a life-threatening illness, it also shows how relying on your spiritual faith can give you strength and help you heal. The author teaches us the importance of family and friends, and how their love and support is so vital in the healing process. This is a personal story that will provide the reader with great hope and comfort in facing adversity. It is a sensitive and powerful story that will inspire others who may be facing a similar challenge.

This is a must have book for adoption in Russia. It is well supportive of independent adoption. It covers the process of adoption in Russia in detail. The book also has a large section of Russian law, translated and explained, that is very helpful to adoptive parents. An excellent travel tool for Russian adoption.

This book is excellent. Especially for PreAdoptive Parents. Anyone who has already went to Russia can relate to much of this book. Whether you are using an Agency or Adopting Independently you should read this book. It tells all about what to expect from the laws and your dossier to what to expect while in Russia and Court. There is alot of information in it that I was not able to find anywhere else. The Laws of Russia are always confusing and the book explains them very well. If you are using an agency this book will help you answer some questions. You will have much more knowledge on what questions to ask your agency and what to expect. It helps make learning Russian words and phrases easy. If you want to learn anymore about the children in Russia this book is definitely for you. And let's not forget all the FAQ's, there all there, and we've all asked them. Good Luck and God Bless you on your Adoption.

For anyone who is interested in an indepth understanding of Russian Law and how it related to international Russian adoption, this is the book to read! Well written, well thought out, easy to use and very informative! Irina O'Rear has written an outstanding book that explains in detail how the law works in Russia and how it applies to adoption.

Did you know adoption in Russia is free? Did you know that the Russian Law DOES NOT require two trips? Did you know there is an appeals process for adoptions that are turned down by the judge? Do you want to know if you can request a specific child in a specific area, from a specific orpahage? Irina explains the whys and wherefores of the law, and how it applies to various adoption situations. She explains the adoption process, gives a list of documents commonly needed for a Russian dossier, and explains what is involved in the court hearing.

A well written, concise, and thorough book. A must read for anyone interested in adopting from Russia. A great place to get the right answers to some tough adoption questions.

This book is a MUST to read!! You will REALLY see where your money goes after reading it! I was quite amazed. However, compared to the other reviewers, I ended up using Alaska Adoption Agency. (Excellent company by the way!) We did a 2 trip region. (Khabarovsk) Was a great overall experience. For more info on adoption, I used to go to www.adoptionforums.com Great source for MORE updated info on what's going on with the adoptions these days!

A must read for anyone adopting from Russia.

From the introduction of the book: "This book has been written in order to provide the reader with basic and helpful information pertaining to Russian adoptions and Russian adoption law." There is no doubt that Irina O'Rear has managed to accomplish this in her recently published book.

Pre adoptive parents have many questions and MS O'Rear has managed to consolidate most of the answers to these questions into one book. A family going through the adoption process would be turning to this book daily to get valuable information. Some of this information can only be found in this book.

The book starts out with a general discussion on making a decision to adopt and specifically why to adopt from Russia. From there the author describes what to expect in Russia. This covers everything from how to dress, what to expect in the court hearing, and generally what to expect while sight seeing. There is a good description of the adoption process form the Russian side, which lets the parents know what is happening while they are anxiously awaiting an invitation to travel.

There is one section of the book, and I feel the most valuable section, where MS O'Rear translates excerpts of the Russian family law that pertains to adoptions. She also provides her expert commentary on each section of the law. In my work with Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption (FURA) I have repeat idly heard parents ask what the Russian laws says on certain issues. Now I have a resource that I can point them to for answers.

Besides the unique section on Russian law the author provides another unique section of useful words and phrases. Nowhere else have I seen a list like this. It is in English word order and the Russian translation is done using the English phonetic alphabet instead of the Russian Cyrillic. This is most helpful to those who don't know the Cyrillic alphabet.

For people looking for a resource and reference guide to help with a Russian adoption then this is the book for you.

Although the title suggest otherwise, Advanced Rails is really required reading for anyone using Rails - beginners and gurus alike. The information provided is excellent, with essential tips and sound advice. In particular, the chapters on routing, security, internationalization and database issues are well worth the purchase price. Like Obie's The Rails Way (Addison-Wesley Professional Ruby Series), this book should live on your desk in your workspace. What's missing? Well, it would have been nice to see information on Git considering the effort put into covering source control systems. It's also surprising that there is not more on testing techniques and issues. But overall, this book is fantastic, and chocked full of juicy info you won't find in any of the other Rails books currently available.

This book is almost worth it just for the first chapter's dive into Ruby metaprogramming, but the rest of the book doesn't disappoint. Ediger delivers useful advice regarding available methods, alternatives and considerations that all serious web developers should take into account.

This book should be non-optional for all Rails development teams, as it has some of the most sane and sober treatment of relevant topics I've ever read in a single book. From security to databases to deployment, this book gives the reader a solid foundation in nearly all of the major disciplines involved in building web applications.

As Ruby on Rails rocketed into the development community's hearts and minds a few years ago, the number of books on the subject climbed with it. However, a lot of these books were introductory in nature (Agile Web Development with Rails, Beginning Rails, Build Your Own Rails Applications, etc.). What's a budding Rails-head to do once they've gotten the basics down? Books like Advanced Rails -- which was released late last year by O'Reilly - aim to fill this void.

Author Brad Ediger has been kicking around the Rails scene since the pre-1.0 days. Though not a Rails "luminary" necessarily, he certainly qualifies as an advanced user. He is CTO for a Real Estate tech company called Tasman Labs and runs a web design (and Rails consulting) firm called Madriska Media Group. He seems like a sharp cookie and a decent writer.

Advanced Rails covers quite a bit of territory, going for breadth rather than depth most of the time. Each chapter covers a classic, pivotal development concern... well, at least most of them do. The chapters are as follows:

1. Foundational Techniques
2. ActiveSupport and RailTies
3. Rails Plugins
4. Database
5. Security
6. Performance
7. REST, Resources, and Web Services
8. i18n and L10n
9. Incorporating and Extending Rails
10. Large Projects

By "Foundational Techniques", Ediger is referring to Ruby and Rails techniques, principals and patterns like Metaprogramming, Don't Repeat Yourself, and Functional Programming techniques. The chapter also goes into a fair amount detail about the Object/Class/Module relationship. A bunch of this may not be particularly new material for most Rails users who've been at it for at least a few months. However, it's still nice to have all this stuff in one forty page chapter... good to have handy to refer to. Also, there are some nice nuggets in there that could save you some head-scratching. For example, what's the difference between Kernel#lambda and Proc.new? The answer is that, if you *return* a value from the block passed to Proc.new, the calling method is exited as well, abandoning any code that you might have after it.

If the first chapter feels like it's leaning towards a reference work, the second chapter -- which digs into all the goodies offered by ActiveSupport and RailTies -- pretty much falls over right into reference-land, complete with a method-by-method listing of features added to standard library classes. This may seem even more like just putting api docs available online into print, but Eidger defintely adds a bit more explanation. And, I haven't really seen anyone give a rundown of just what the heck RailTies does. That's the library that provides the glue to pull together the more famous Rails libraries to make it all work together as rails: generators, initializers, etc. There is definitely some interesting and not necessarily readily available information here.

Chapter three covers Rails Plugins, and is quick and painless. It explains the common files and directory structure in a plugin and talks about how Rails loads them. It also talks about using Piston instead of svn:externals to manage plugins and show some example plugins.

The following three chapters cover more of the classic eternal problems faced in running high-traffic sites: databases, security, and performance. These really make the most sense in an "advanced" book; they are the "brass tacks" that everyone must get down too if they go beyond the "toy app" stage. Ediger talks about the strengths and weaknesses of the various popular database systems. He also goes into the benefits of using the filesystem to store data, which is largely because web servers can make use of fast system calls to dump files straight into the TCP socket. He also covers some advanced db features like composite keys, stored procedures and clustering.

The security chapter isn't all that long and a lot of the info it covers can be found in beginner Rails books... SQL injection, cross-site scripting etc. However, the book would be remiss to not include this material and it is presented in a concise and complete manner. This would be good to refer back to now and then to make sure you haven't slipped in your security awareness. Ediger also doesn't hesitate to make specific recommendations, like "whitelist rather than blacklist".

He also jumps right into recommendations while writing about performance optimization in the next chapter: "Algorithmic improvements always beat code tweaks", "As a general rule, maintainability beats performance", "Only optimize what matters", "Measure twice, cut once". He then goes on to cover specific tools and techniques for uncovering your bottlenecks, from a quick explanation of basic statistics to using httpperf, benchmark, and Rails Analyzer Tools, improving database calls (using indexes and "include" on finders), and the various caching solutions. There is plenty of good information in this chapter; also a good bit of reference next time you need to track down a logjam.

Chapter seven covers RESTful Rails, from the very basic theory as outlined by Roy Fielding to exactly how Rails has chosen to use these concepts, and is the longest chapter in the book. The amount of coverage REST gets seems questionable since Rails has been very heavily into the RESTful approach for over a year and embraced the philosophy so thoroughly that it's hard to imagine anyone using Rails today without being exposed to the concepts.

On the other hand, one can still wire up verb-oriented actions in routes.rb and might be able to get away with ignoring all the RESTful goodness. So maybe there are some out there that can benefit from this chapter. Plus, having such thorough, theory-to-practice coverage allows the chapter to stand on its own as a solid reference to the whys and hows of RESTful Rails. It also has one of the better sections on RESTful routing that I have seen (routes being one of the more mysterious and sometimes frustrating pieces of Rails).

Rails has gotten plenty of grief for its lack of official support for Internationalization and Localization, but in Chapter eight, Ediger lays out the options, such as gettext, Gibberish, and Globalize. He is most enthusiastic about this last library and it does appear to be quite powerful, including support for translating strings, translating model fields, localizing numbers and dates, and even recording what needs to be translated by saving them in the database. Creating multi-lingual websites is a hard problem in any web-development framework and most other frameworks have plenty of head start. However, Ruby and Rails certainly isn't without options and it will only get better.

The next to last chapter of Advanced Rails runs through a number of alternatives to the standard components of the Rails framework. On the database end, it covers DataMapper, Ambition, and Og, giving this last one the most attention. For alternatives to ERB templates, Ediger talks about Markaby, Liquid and Haml, all in a very brisk fashion. He also talks about using traditional Rails components -- like ActiveRecord and ActionMailer -- outside of Rails applications. The chapter closes with a discussion of how to contribute to Rails (hint: submit a patch... don't just bitch!).

The last chapter is called "Large Projects" and covers some useful information about working on a Rails project with a team, beginning with version control (though anyone who is writing code that covers more than a single file and *not* using version control is just plain insane). This starts with a quick overview of Subversion, however this feels like it is really a set up for making a case for "decentralized version control". Ediger does a good job of explaining these concepts, using Mercurial for his examples. This seems a bit unfortunate, since many people on the Rails core team have embraced Git and it is looking like Rails will eventually move its repository to Git. However, Mercurial has a reputation of being more user-friendly, so that may have influenced his decision. And it's useful information regardless.

Chapter ten continues on to discuss avoiding migration numbering collisions, issue tracking, keeping Rails and required gems within a project, web servers, load balancers, production architecture and deployment tools like Capistrano. This is all covered in a fairly quick fashion so don't expect a lot of depth.

That last sentiment came up often while reading this book. It often felt like Ediger was trying to get every possible Rails-related topic into the book that he could, but didn't want to come out with some 1000-page behemoth. Plenty of the topics mentioned don't have much more coverage than you could get with a quick "googling". However, there is something to be said for being exposed to a lot of tools, projects and concepts in one go, even if the exposure is sometimes superficial. I definitely found reading this book worthwhile and will keep it around to refer back to now and then. I don't know if I'd go so far as to label it required reading, but then again books on web frameworks rarely are.

With 'Advanced Rails' the O'Reilly family of Rails books is looking to add a Rails book that talks about some of the extra stuff you can do with this great technology. At 300+ pages long this isn't a book with 'Learning' in the title, rather it assumes that you have some fundamental Rails knowledge and are looking to improve your skill set.

Chapter Overview:

01. Metaprogramming
02. ActiveSupport and RailTies
03. Rails Plugins
04. Database Stuff
05. Security
06. Performance
07. REST and Web Services
08. i18n and L10n
09. Incorporating and Extending Rails
10. Large Projects (Source Control and the like)

Rails is a powerful framework but it isn't an easy one to always understand and get working. If you are looking to use Rails in your web app and want to get better at understanding the ins and out of it, this book can really help fill in the blanks.

If you want to become a better Rails developer/admin pick up this book and get better immediately.

**** RECOMMENDED

For a programmer who doesn't work in an office full of rails gurus this book answers a ton of questions I would like to ask, but have no one I could ask.

Half of the book is bits of rails wisdom mixed in with recipe like code snippets.


A very timely book for me. I especially like the further reading sections at the end of each chapter. The book is new enough that all the links are current, and I have learned a few nuggets of knowledge from these as well.

The section on globalize was immediately useful on one of my current projects and returned my investment in the book many times over.

No wonder amazon only has one left today.

"The synthesis that I have offered is undoubtedly characterized by assessments that some scholars will judge to be misleading, premature, or even wrongheaded. ... Instead, I desired to sift through the information provided by the specialists who have diligently made the literatures and cultures of the ancient Near East available to us,..." John Walton.



Prologue to Hermerneutics:
Half a century past, when I read the Old Testament in the city where it was first translated from Hebrew, now then, in its cousin language Arabic, much of the biblical narratives seemed stories from an ancient mythical past to me, the young Psaltos. However, when I started to formulate inquisitive questions, the most refreshing though troubling replies came from my father, a specialist in comparative civil law, a professor in the French Lyceum and a former Viennese student in the European enlightenment milieu of the thirties, the young teenager was then introduced to comparative criticism through JH Breasted, Gardiner and Lang when I began to understand how ancient Egyptian viewed the world, the Old Testament becomes more clearly a book that stood "within its ancient context, while also speaking against it," in the words of Wheaton's J. Walton.

Renewal of Biblical Studies:
"The rediscovery of Egypt began in earnest in the eighteenth century AD and of Mesopotamia in the mid-nineteenth century AD. With the decipherment of the ancient languages, the tens of thousands of texts that were being unearthed began to be translated and analyzed. ... Initial studies were inclined to be defensive of the Bible, even if such a stance required the dismissal or distortion of the cuneiform texts. The flurry of activity in connection with the relationship of these texts to the Bible had reached a critical mass of sorts by the turn of the century; and, consequently, widespread attention was attracted by the series of lectures presented in 1902 under the auspices of the German Oriental Society and attended by Kaiser Wilhelm II."

Israel's Intellectual Milieu:
John Walton suggests three main roles that a comparative study could play in Hebrew Bible interpretation: critical analysis, defense of the biblical text, and exegesis. He focuses on exegesis and its particular importance for guarding interpretation against applying modern world-views. Walton offers a thoughtful introduction to ancient Near Eastern literature and the common milieu of 'cognitive environment' that rediscovers the world of ancient Israel. He evaluates concepts of ancient beliefs on gods, views on people and history, about religion, the cosmos, after surveying types of literature, after a survey of the interface between the ancient Near East and Israel, clarifying the analogies and non similarities between them.

Comparative Biblical Study:
This book provides an excellent introduction to the field of comparative Biblical studies and integrates many specialized studies by Coogan, Chavalas, Currid, Kitchen, Redford, and Yamauchi on Israel's neighbors. He makes use of extra biblical resources to enrich their understanding of ancient Israel and its Scriptures. This is very well explained by Peter Machinist, of Harvard University, "Comparisons between the culture of biblical Israel and the other cultures of the ancient Near East have long been a fundamental part of biblical scholarship, but more often than not, they have been presented in piecemeal, isolated fashion. In his new book, John Walton offers a much broader reach, giving us arguably the most extensive review of these cultural comparisons now available together with a serious meditation on what the enterprise of cultural comparison is all about in biblical study."

Analytical Book reviews:
- "... excellent survey of the interface between the ancient Near East and Israel. I especially appreciate his sidebars on 'Comparative Exploration,' which enable readers to 'zero in' on the comparative topic of their choice relatively easily."--Mark Chavalas, U. Wisconsin
- "... an important and useful guide to entering into some of the major worldviews and value systems found in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Israel. ..., bridges the gaps between ancient Near Eastern texts and the perspectives of the Bible." Richard Hess, Denver Seminary
- "Walton penetrates beyond the simple comparisons often made to bring back intelligence about the contexts and constitution of the ancient world, stressing the ideas Israel and its contemporaries held in common. Yet Walton repeatedly demonstrates how Israel's faith was distinct,..." Alan Millard, U. of Liverpool

very scholarly, but easily understood,; cogent discussion of how to understand the Hebrew Bible on its own terms, integrating science and archeology. a must have book.

Divided into five distinctive sections, this book provides an introductory look at the conceptual world surrounding the Hebrew Bible. The five sections are Comparative Studies, Literature of the Ancient Near East, Religion, Cosmos, and People.

The section on Literature of the Ancient Near East is is a good, although very brief, survey of the literature of the ancient near east including Egyptian, Sumerian, Akkadian, and Hittite. The author has included a good cross section of ritual texts, letters, chronicles, legal collections, hymns, wisdom literature, and prophecy.

The section on Religion is subdivided into The Gods, Temples and Rituals, and State and Family Religion. Here the reader is exposed to ancient thought on these subjects with the intent that they come to understand the common beliefs and practices well as beliefs and practices that differentiated them from each other.

The section on the Cosmos examines both the geography of the cosmos and the beliefs surrounding them. The section on the geography of the cosmos is excellent and includes an examination of the structure of heaven, the earth and the netherworld. I found this section to be particularly interesting and very informative with an excellent exposition on the Hebrew word "bara" and the functional aspects of naming.

The final section on People provides an excellent examination of the various concepts of creation of the human race as well as what it means to be human. It also includes a very good explanation of the interaction between the people and their religion including prophecy, oracles, and their perception of history as a nation. This section ends with a discussion of the beliefs about the future of the earth and what happens after death.

Throughout the book the author has included excellent side-bar sections offset in shaded boxes that further illuminate related ideas and concepts. These often contain some of the best and most interesting observations of the material if you are already somewhat familiar with the subject.

Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament provides a solid comparative study of the various literature from the ancient near east showing both commonalities and differences with the beliefs of the nation of Israel. The book clearly sets the culture of Israel in the Old Testament times alongside those of its neighbors and allows the reader to better understand the mindset of the time. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament is highly recommended.

First off I want to say that I audited a course by the author of this book, and read through the book throughout the semester. It is part of the core curriculum for an M.A. in New Testament or Old Testament Exegesis at Wheaton. I am a pastor who preaches regularly. This book has impacted my entire understanding of the Old Testament in a powerful way.

The logical format of this book gives the reader a simple and effective way to slowly enter into the worldview of ancient people. The author is very good at giving readers hinge concepts to help understand the distinctions between our worldview and their worldview.

The book categorizes ancient near eastern thought into topics that are actually enjoyable to read. Each topic could easily overlap with other topics, and Dr. Walton does a great job of separating the topics without distorting them (in my opinion).

This book tackles thorny issues that separate Evangelicals from Liberals in the land of scholars, without alienating either side of the issue. Walton's premise is that we should abandon the old approaches to Ancient Near Eastern Thought and simply understand what they believed, and how it was different from or the same as Old Testament thought.

One concept that emerges as the book develops is the idea that some Israelite prophets argued for the support of the covenant with God rather than for the reinforcement of the Kings authority (as the prophets of other cultures and sometimes Israeli culture did). This sets Israeli prophets who held to the covenant with God at odds with everyone else who prophecied in Israel and around Israel. Coupled with the exclusiveness of the Jewish religion, and the people soon became alienated from those around them and sometimes from their own religion or people.

Probably the most helpful aspect of this book is his excellent approach to comparative studies without labeling certain parts of the bible as extensions of other cultures or vice versa. His approach, when properly understood, is actually what both sides of the historical divide on this topic ought to be doing. I find it not only full of wisdom, but extremely helpful in preparing sermons from the Old Testament.

A nice companion to this volume is The Bible Background Commentary of the Old Testament. I think that this book shows you how to use the Bible Background Commentaries.

One criticism that I would like to mention is that some of the charts in this book are a bit difficult for me to understand. That's an area that the next edition may have to improve on. However, there are only a few pages like that and the rest of the book is really a very very good summary and introduction to Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament.

Some of the topics he covers include but are by no means limited to:

The Ancient View of the World.
The Ancient view of the heavens.
The Ancient view of Temples
The Ancient view of Omens and Magic.

I think he has around 13 topics in all. This book is well worth reading and if you plan to teach from the Old Testament over the years, you might want to pick up a copy for your personal library. It's packed with helpful references also.

Walton's book focuses on the similarities between the Ancient Near Eastern religious teaching with the Old Testament. He is careful to point out that similarites between the two doesnt necessarily imply that one is borrowed from the other. He emphasizes that they came to some similar conclusions based on their similar environments. This is a quite interesting take on this hotly debated subject.

His introduction to the book and introduction to Near Eastern literature is excellent.

However, while I will admit readily there are some similarites between Ancient Near Eastern religions and the O.T., Walton seems to see some similarities that I do not. He seems to be reaching quite a bit in those instances. For this reason, I gave it three stars.

The similarities between the two schools of religious thought are so few and far between that I feel a case could be made for coincidental similarities.

The book did however, accomplish what I thought it would accomplish. Regardless of the author's comments, the comparisons between the religions really emphasizes the distinctiveness of the O.T. For that reason, I am grateful for purchasing the book. Its something I have never doubted, but it certainly makes the chasm wider between the Ancient Near Eastern religions and the religion of the O.T.

Of course, the difference is one is real, and the others arent.

Being able to share Mama D's story was one of the truly memorable times in my life; knowing that her story is just one of millions makes my heart break. Everyone who read my copy of this book has loved the animals, cried over their circumstances, & rejoiced at most of the outcomes. In an age of all the cruelty in the world, it does my heart good knowing this kind of book can touch so many. Christina, thank you again for your belief in Mama D's story & it's ability to touch your readers.

Susy Hiller

I haven't read all of this book, but rather the stories that interested me. Several brought tears, usually happy, to the eyes. There is a wide variation of the expertise of the writers, but it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the read, and shows you don't have to be a professional writer to write a good story. I would recommend this book to those that have an interest in saving unwanted and abused animals, and perhaps encourage more people to seek out adopting these "loosers". Most make our lives much fuller. Heart warming, feel good stories.

This book was wonderful!! It made you laugh and cry, which is the scale I judge books on. The stories were written in different styles, making it so personal. And it makes you want to head down to the nearest animal shelter to see how you can help. Congratulations to the author. I wait for her next compilation.

I became aware of this book through the local Pittsburgh Shelter I volunteer for - Animal Friends. The only no-kill shelter in the city of Pittsburgh. It has many heart warming stories and I've sat reading many with tears in my eyes. It not only tells tails of pets from Animal friends, but other rescue groups as well. A must for any animal lover out there.

This book is the best I've read about rescued pets. Too many people look at rescue and shelter pets as second best. Nothing could be further from the truth. This book shows pets who have changed lives. Whether they come to us at a time we need a best friend or we rescue them when all of their chances are gone. Animals make lives better every day! Thanks to Chris for telling their stories!

My wife enjoyed the book very much, very enlightening and educational, well done and presented. Worth the cost and more!

This book is a box collectors dream come true. Excellent detailed photos combined with informational prose.I am glad I purchased it.

Good information on the periods, materials and types of antique boxes most frequently collected. Photography excellent and item pricing accurate. I love this book and it's helped me enormously.

One does not have to be an expert to love this book. It is a treasure trove of information on all kinds of English boxes from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. Packed with photographs and intelligent text, it is simply the best, most informative, most comprehensive book on the subject. It's easy to tell the writers are not only experts with vast experience but lovers of these boxes too.
I'm particularly interested in writing boxes, and I could wish for more chapters on these, but that is purely out of a sense of greed. The whole book is fascinating, whether one is browsing or studying. Thanks.

Look I stipulate that this is most likely the best book currently on tea caddies and box's and such, but these reviews are so gushing. This book is not prefect, the font is poor and it is overpriced at 90.00 U.S. I think it is well worth 50.00 U.S., but for 90.00 I expect more pages and better quality. I was expecting the Holy Grail when I ordered this book, the reviews where hailing this as the burning bush; what I got was a good book, a very good book on tea caddies and box's, but not the end all be all. If you love tea caddies and such you will immediately enjoy this book, but the sticker shock may take a bit longer to get over.

Awake, O Sleeper is not a book just for women with breast cancer. Women of all ages need to read this book. If we ourselves have not experienced breast cancer, someone we know and love will. Awake, O Sleeper is an honest portrayal of the fear one experiences at finding they have a frightening disease, yet it is also a story of hope found only in one place--God. I highly recommend Awake, O Sleeper!

Some people tell a story so you can hear it; Katherine Murphy tells a story so you can live it. Awake, O Sleeper ushered me into Murphy's soul in the first few pages. Not only did Murphy take me through her personal cancer walk, she also skillfully opened windows into the lives of her husband, children, and friends. Cancer wraps tentacles around the victim as well as bystanders. It takes courage to survive; it takes God to give it meaning.

Katherine Murphy lost many dreams with the nightmare of cancer but awoke with the vision of God in her circumstance, and the reality has never dimmed. As she vividly described the loss of physical strength and appearance, Murphy discovered a true identity and inner beauty. Seasons of the year come and go just as our existence depicts the same cycle; however, Katherine Murphy views life as "a world of borrowed time." She seizes each opportunity as a gift. Awake, O Sleeper is her gift to us.

Awake, O Sleeper is an honest exploration of the hatred and blessing of cancer. Katherine Murphy has chosen to buoy others with her own life jacket. I am pleased to recommend a book that will speak for a very long time.

When Katherine Murphy discovered she had breast cancer and then that it had progressed to stage two, her life was forever changed. In her book she relives the diagnosis and the battle that followed. She was determined that she would fight and win.
Fear was the biggest enemy - that she might lose her life and leave her two sons and husband. When she renewed her commitment to God, these fears were not over but there was a new peace and she could go where God would lead.
This is a great read for those with cancer and who have close ones struggling with the disease. There can be victory even in the darkest times.

Awake, O Sleeper offers a touching and honest look at the pain of breast cancer and the hope God offers as we take His hand for the journey.

With transparent candor Katherine Murphy expresses deep emotion through her diagnosis and treatment. The reality of her struggles, questions and fears will resonate as we grapple with her for answers. Her insights touch heart and soul as she shares her growing awareness of God's presence in the midst of a painful and frightening time.

We all know women touched by this disease. Katherine's honest journey will offer peace as they see themselves in the mirror, truly loved and cared for by the Shepherd of our souls.

AWAKE, O SLEEPER is more than Katherine Murphy's story of her battle with breast cancer. It is also an account of her spiritual journey toward an intimate relationship with God. Although raised in the church, it was only after her cancer diagnosis that she began to read and understand the Bible. The book's title is from a Scripture verse, Ephesians 5:14: "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."

It's obvious that AWAKE, O SLEEPER is written from the heart. Murphy is honest about her fears, the effects of her disease on family relationships, her doubts, and her search for truth. Several of Murphy's poems from her diary are included and they add to the open and vulnerable style of her writing. The author's descriptive passages and use of word images provided interesting and easy reading.

Murphy's story is a testimony of God's faithfulness and grace. She was strengthened through her battle with cancer, saw good arise from bad circumstances, and discovered the true meaning of life.

AWAKE, O SLEEPER will be helpful and encouraging for anyone struggling with cancer or other life-threatening diseases. Murphy provides hope by sharing her own experience and her faith in a loving God.