O Books

This book is a very very good book. It has not only improved my personal life by trying to examine and solve situation on a trantic level, but it has also improved other aspects of my life in ways that I can just not even begin to explain. If I had the money I would purchase one for every man and woman to read. You have to be in a state of readiness to receive the information that in put forth in the book and also willing to practice the ways that are explained in the book. If you do that you will find improvement in every aspect of you life.

Forget everything you know about sex in western culture. The book walks you through the process of rediscovering sex following tantric practices. Very enlightening. My wife is also reading this book. Truly something to share with your love.

While browsing for books on alternative personal and environmental energetics, this book jumped off the bookstore shelf at me. I wasn't looking for a tantric sex introduction but after scanning it I knew there was something I was meant to learn from it. This book is valuable on 2 levels. On an personal and emotional level it simply describes the benefits of mindful conjoining and the tools to remain in the present moment, all of which has the ability to extend the conjoining experience by hours. As an energetic consultant practitioner I appreciated the physiological principles and descriptions throughout the book which were verified to be all true after following the guidelines. My approach has been changed forever. Anyone I discuss it with appears to be naturally drawn to the concept as well. It also discusses sexual dysfunction which makes alot of sense.

I liked this book so much I bought 3 extra copies for my friends so that they wouldn't have to try to read through all my highlighter marks. This book offers an excellent blend of subjective and objective suggestions and techniques. Most importantly, this book gave me a new understanding of sexuality.

I just finished this book and by the time I was reading the last chapter I kept feeling tears well up. I realized it was because I was resonating so much with what the author was saying. This is so much more than a book on Tantra. She delves deep into what makes the male and female bodies want each other. I was deeply moved at how she describes what it takes to truly connect with your lover and not just perform an animal act. This definitely covers the "fulfillment" aspect the relationship like no other I have found yet. Enjoy!

Holy Ambition deals with the problem that most Christians, including myself, struggle with. How do we take all of our good thoughts and intentions and turn them into something concrete. Ingram gives illustrations that help us to sort through the noise of life and obtain some clarity. Along the way, he also takes away excuses and challenges the reader to make a difference.

This book has been the most challenging book I have read since "Experiencing God" by Blackaby. It forces you to look at what it really means to live out your Christian faith and seek to make a difference for God in this world.

I am a pastor of a church and have given out at least 35 copies to individuals within our congregation. If a few people in a church could put these biblical views into practice, that church would impact its community and the world for Christ.

Move this book to the top of your "to read" list!

After seeing Chip Ingram at a conference, I was excited to get this book. If you are a Christian, just getting by ... read this book! It will challenge you, and make you re-think about your walk with Jesus. It is top notch, and lists many verses to study on the bible.

Get it, read it, and get closer to Christ!

Holy Ambition is a book all Christians should read. It talks about what it takes to make a difference for God. Chip Ingram, a teaching pastor on Living on the Edge and President of Walk Thru the Bible states that in order to make a difference for God, you need the following six steps,

1. developing a dislocated heart
2. experiencing a broken spirit
3. practicing a radical faith
4. creating a strategic plan
5. exercising a personal commitment
6. growing a couragous soul

Don't stop here. You may think you're not "good" enough to be used by God, but let me tell you, God uses ANYone at ANYtime, ANYwhere, so what does it mean to have a dislocated heart, a broken spirit or a radical faith? You will understand once you read this book.

I'm almost half way through already and let me tell you, in the four chapters that I have read so far, I am already moved by God. In that four simple chapters, I learn that we should live a life for God and give ourselves for Him, not the way we want, but the way HE wants. Notice this phrase, `it is not about you, it is about God.' All our treasures are stored in Heaven. Whatever you lose on earth for Him, is what you get back in Heaven. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." Luke 9:23-24 NIV.

What I learned most is, a Christian having a big house, a loving spouse, happy kids, nice cars and a 6-figure income doesn't mean anything to God. The question you should ask yourself...is that what God wants for us? Right now, the key is not what we want in life but what He wants for us. Don't get me wrong, it is not bad to have those treasures, but what is important is our intention. Why do you have them? Do you use them to satisfy yourself or used for serving God or helping others? If God asks you to give up everything (savings, assets, treasures) in order for you to follow Him, what would you do? These questions are not meant to scare you, because your answer doesn't affect me. It is for God. If you answer "no" to the last question, don't feel bad. We're on the same boat. Now is the time to ask God, "I am here for You, I am willing to take whatever you have for me, use me God."

You may think you have to be "good enough", well let me tell you folks, God will use you, me or even Chip Ingram himself no matter where we are in our Christian walk. It doesn't matter whether you're an amteur Christian or you're a faithful Christian, God will use you, in times you least expected at a place you wouldn't want to be. You don't have to be a good speaker or smart to be used by God, you just need to follow the six steps above and Ingram will teach you what it takes to make a difference for God and a great way to start...is by reading "Holy Ambition."

Chip Ingram here presents six characteristics needed to develop what he calls "holy ambition." Holy ambition is defined as living a life that leaves a spiritual legacy in the lives of others. The six traits he offers are: a dislocated heart, a broken spirit, a radical faith, a strategic plan, a personal commitment, and a courageous soul.

Ingram weaves Scriptural passages together with his own experience to provide support and illustration for each characteristic he names. For the Christian reader who has digested numerous books on increasing devotion, there won't be any startling revelations here or radical insights. Instead, the value of Ingram's work is that he gathers together widely known Biblical passages on spirituality and organizes them in an easy-to-follow manner.

Aside from a little over-spiritualizing in the "Woman Wisdom or Folly" portion, I thought that the book was quite engaging and informative.

The title of the book is accurate - as the author does an excellent job in showing us "How to Read Proverbs". I have taught Proverbs 1-9 at least three times in Sunday school classes and so I knew many of the things he had to say. But it is refreshing and assuring to hear someone say the same things I had discovered about Proverbs. He gave me good ideas on how I could improve my teaching on Proverbs. Much of the material can be used straight from this book when teaching Proverbs.

He shows that Proverbs sees life as a "Road" or a "Path" or a "Way". And how we should walk a "Straight Path" and not a "Crooked Path". Life is full of "Decisions", that point us in "Directions", which will ultimately end in "Destinations".

In the 3rd chapter, I think the author is in error on page 32 when he is speaking about the two Women. There he says, "Both have prepared a meal". I know that Wisdom has prepared her table and her food, but I do not see any preparation on the part of Folly. And I think that is the point of Proverb 9. Folly does NOT prepare, even though she makes the same invitation for the simple to come. Folly's only food is stolen, but she does not prepare it. I believe that is the point of Proverbs 9. God in His Wisdom is very well prepared and thought out. His plans are always for our good. It was in wisdom the He created the world. On the other hand, Folly makes no preparations - because she really does not care about her guests.

I liked his 4th chapter and how he showed that proverbs are Parallelisms, Parallelisms of Opposites, Better-Than Proverbs, Imagery and Secondary Devices. Some people can over do this stuff and ruin a Sunday school class. But this would really be good to share with people and he has great illustrations to show each category.

Chapter 5 - I think that this is one of the key chapters in his book. He successfully shows that proverbs are not "Law" with absolute results. Instead, proverbs are general principles that have to be taken in context of life. He gives excellent examples to show how he comes to this conclusion. He also gives excellent examples to show the absurdity of reading these proverbs the wrong way. This was a great chapter as he shows that some proverbs are lessons from Observations and Experience, some are Instruction Based on Tradition, some are Learning from Mistakes, but ultimately all are learning is from God's Revelation - the Fear of the Lord.

No offense, but I thought chapter 6 was boring and I did not care that other nations in Solomon's day had also used this genre. I don't know anyone in a Sunday school class who would care. To some this might be interesting, but thankfully this is only one chapter and he does not over do this.

Chapter 7 was excellent. I had never seen the book of Job and the book of Ecclesiastes in this light. He shows how these 2 books give balance or completion to the idea of the proverbs. Just when you think you understand a proverb, read Job or Ecclesiastes to get the whole picture. I learned a lot from this chapter not only about these 2 books of wisdom literature, but also how they give perspective on proverbs. Very good!

Chapter 8 was also very well done as he showed how the lives of Joseph and Daniel are great illustrations of the proverbs. Their lives are the proverbs with flesh and bone - not just proverbs in theory. Life does not always yield the immediate results we think we will have even when we obey the Lord.

Chapter 10 is very well done and gives a good example of how to look at the entire book of Proverbs and concentrate on just one theme at a time. We need to follow that one theme through the whole of Proverbs. From this approach you will see that one theme often has many aspects and is much more than you may first think. I find this chapter an example for us to use as we start our own study of the Proverbs.

Do not let the simplicity of this book fool you. He has done an excellent job in making it easy to read. It clearly shows you "How to Read Proverbs".

Positive:
- Easy to read
- Good structure
- Very helpful study questions and "for further reading" at the end of each chapter
- Good approach to the subject
- Compares Proverbs to Near Eastern wisdom texts to give background information of such kind, in such days in that region - amazing similarities!

Almost negative:
- The author uses the New Living Translation (NLT)
I must admit that I am a lover of the King James Version (KJV). But in such a book I would have expected a different version of the Bible. An example might illustrate my point:
Proverbs 8:14-15 NLT
"Common sense and success belong to me.
Insight and strength are mine.
Because of me, kings reign,
and rulers make just decrees."
Proverbs 8:14-15 KJV
"Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice."
Proverbs 10:19 NLT
"Too much talk leads to sin.
Be sensible and keep your mouth shut."
Proverbs 10:19 KJV
"In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise."

Overall an excellent book, for beginners and advanced students of the Bible alike. The author took me several layers deeper into the Word of God - I enjoyed the ride!

Part II of Longman's little "How to Read" series, I think it is by far the best of the three (his Psalms intro is a close second). His exposition on the meaning of Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly was fantastic. His integration of other wisdom books was very helpful and militates against an isolated reading of Proverbs. And his interpretation that the woman in Proverbs 31 represents Jesus was genius. This book really motivates you to tackle Proverbs on your own and to really appreciate its artform. And you can't ask more from a intro book.

For a brief, nontechnical introduction to Proverbs, and wisdom literature in general, you will want this book. Longman discusses Proverbs in three sections: 1) General overview of Proverbs and wisdom; 2) How Proverbs fits into the overall theme of ancient wisdom (this includes the other wisdom books in the Bible and wisdom in other parts of the ancient world); and 3) Themes in Proverbs (money, love & marriage, wise and foolish words).

This book is not a verse by verse study of Proverbs. For that you will want a commentary, such as that by Dave Bland or Bruce Waltke (see my reviews). Instead, this book is an introduction to Proverbs and the nature of wisdom literature.

Chapter one is entitled "Why Read Proverbs?" Below are comments from that chapter:

"Wisdom is the skill of living." (P.14)

"Wisdom entails the ability to avoid problems, and the skill to handle them when they present themselves. Wisdom also includes the ability to interpret other people's speech and writing in order to react correctly to what they are saying to us." (Pp.14-15)

Proverbs is more about E.Q. (emotional quotient) than I.Q. (intelligent quotient). Proverbs uses stories of animals (Prov. 24-28). "These animals don't have a high I.Q., but the verses plainly describe a skill in living that is remarkable."

"People who have a high I.Q. know many facts; they can solve difficult mathematical equations. Their ability to reason and use logic is superior to others'. People with emotional intelligence have other abilities, including `self-control, zeal and persistence and the ability to motivate oneself ... to control impulse and delay gratification; to regulate one's moods and keep distress from swamping the ability to think...'" (Longman quotes from Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence). Biblical wisdom is closer to EQ than IQ. (P.15-16)

"Wisdom is a skill, a `knowing how': it is not raw intellect, a `knowing that.'" "Why read Proverbs, then? To gain wisdom, which is an ability to navigate life." (P.16)

You'll appreciate the insights Longman's book will give you to get a handle on wisdom in general and Proverbs in particular. I recommend it.

Wow! This book is truly amazing. The information is really practical and applicable for both parents and early childhood teachers. The table of contents makes it especially user friendly; no need to reread the entire book for problem-specific solutions, though you may find it impossible to put down! Thank you, Michelle and Barbara!

This book is for all ages not just for 2-5 year-olds. My girlfriend has public and private meltdowns ALL THE TIME. This book has changed my life. Seriously though, this book is organized so well and easy to reference any specific situation you can encounter. Every parent/grandparent needs to have this on their bookshelf.

In addition to its ultra-helpful table of contents organized by situation ("Won't let you leave the bedroom;" "Ignores you or others;" "Won't get fingernails clipped"...), I was delighted to see that I Brake for Meltdowns also includes a range of "What Ifs" covering some of the many possible curveball responses that kids come up with (because, at least in my experience, the absurdly neat child-response scenarios in many other parenting advice books often read like fairy tales. Or some serious wishful thinking). The authors have a clear respect for children. Unlike many advice books which are focused solely on using Skinnerian discipline to control behavior, IBfM offers insight into children's motivations and developmental stages along with advice on how parents can help children learn to be pleasant, civilized people. And the authors' down-to-earth, been-there-done-that tone about the sometimes maddening business of childrearing makes it a companionable read.

Although the toddler and preschool ages are wondrous years of learning and discovery, they are often overshadowed by power struggles, tantrums, and battles. It can be a very frustrating time for both parents and children. As I'm currently in the throes of raising twin four-year-old boys, I immediately jumped at the chance to read "I Brake for Meltdowns: How to Handle the Most Exasperating Behavior of Your 2- to 5-Year-Old." Finally, a book has been written to help me cope when life with little ones makes me wonder if I'm truly adequate for the job of parenting!

What I really like about this book is that it's practical. It gives real solutions for how to handle very specific scenarios. In fact, the list is so extensive that you're sure to find a solution to your particular parenting problems. Written by Michelle Nicholasen--a mom who had five children in five years (including triplets)--and Barbara O'Neal--a mother of three children (and three grandchildren) who has worked with preschool-aged children for more than 40 years--the authors bring a wealth of wisdom and experience to the table. Every parent with a 2- to 5-year-old needs to pick up "I Brake for Meltdowns." It will give them hope that they can survive the trials of raising toddlers and preschoolers!

Highly recommend! As a mom of 4 children aged 11 down to 2, it's not often that I have time to pick up a parenting book anymore. But this great book kept me reading & gave me some helpful new parenting tools for my arsenal. It would be a wonderful resource for new parents, too.

Targeted to common parenting challenges -- e.g., pushing, mean & angry talking, refusing to stay at the dinner table -- the book suggests very specific words & actions parents can use with young children for each particular issue -- with a loving, respectful, but firm tone that most of us aspire to, but don't always achieve. So busy parents can flip right to the problem at hand for a quick refresher on an ideal response, or for another approach to try when you're stuck in a parenting rut. The authors include lots of examples & solutions from their own experience that really ring true & make this a much more practical & helpful resource than most of the parenting books I've consulted over the years.

Anne Graham-Lotz have done it again. I enjoy all of her books. They are truly spirit filled.

My mother had searched for this particular book forever. She is a Graham fan! A great Christmas gift I must say! Thanks!!!

Ms. Lotz presents the Bible in a totally different way than anyone I know. When she speaks of Isaiah, she makes you feel like she knew him personally. She really gets into the mind of the character. Even though she is Billy Graham's daughter she has issues just like the rest of us. People don't always treat her so well either. She is very humble in letting us know that. Her writing is for the average person who needs encouragment.

As the daughter of the world renowned evangelist Billy Graham, author and speaker Anne Graham Lotz frequently shares in her auspicious father's spotlight --- not on his shirt-tails as it were, but because of her own skilled ability to speak and write in a similarly compelling manner. Lotz has written a number of titles entreating fellow Christians to draw closer to Jesus Christ as the meaning maker to all of life's quandaries and as the final answer to discovering true inner-satisfaction and peace amidst a troubled, war-ravaged world.

In her newest text, Lotz continues in a similar vein, challenging evangelicals to "wake-up" to the call that time is speeding by and countless individuals pass into eternity unprepared spiritually. Citing 9/11 as her own personal "wake-up call," Lotz recounts her invitation to speak on "The Early Show" mere days after the 9/11 attacks. Revisiting her thoughts and feelings from that time, Lotz reports on her on-air conversation with co-host Jane Clayson, in which she shared that it is America's moment to decide whether "we're going to implode and disintegrate emotionally and spiritually or whether we're going to make the choice to be stronger." In response to Clayson's assertion that many people were expressing indignation and anger at God, Lotz replied with an honest observation that, for the most part, Americans have been shaking their fist at God and telling Him to get out of the schools, out of the government, out of businesses, and out of the marketplace. "And God, who is a gentleman, has quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life, removing His hand of blessing and protection."

On the heels of such a pronouncement, Lotz then begins her text in earnest as she lays the foundation for the practicalities of re-awakening a believer's heart who outwardly appears to be in tune with Christ because such said Christian quotes Scripture, prays out loud, sings hymns from memory, and has a cursory understanding of historical Christianity. Yet this person lacks the heart passion for God's Word, for intercessory prayer, for sharing the gospel, for saving a lost and dying world, and for Him alone. Pointedly, Lotz goes straight for the jugular and aims to either incite fresh passion or see complacent Christians cringing at the truthfulness of her words.

With the prophet Isaiah as her model, Lotz explores this biblical character's journey to greatness by detailing his life struggles, which she successfully pairs with modern-day life events so as to further demonstrate how alike today's believers are with historical figures and how God works in similar fashion throughout the ages with His people. Lotz urges Christians to recognize their sleeping state, wake up, open their eyes, rend their hearts, bend their knees, heed the call, move their feet to action, and stay awake for the duration. One of Lotz's strong suits is the ability to balance difficult calls to change with hope for lasting inner-transformation. She understands that Christians, on their own steam, cannot achieve (or succeed over the long haul) what the Bible calls them to do without the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.

Fans of and newcomers to Lotz will be admonished, chastised and revived. And due to Lotz's gentle boldness, they will thank her for the upbraiding.


--- Reviewed by Michele Howe

This is my first time reading anything by Anne Graham Lotz. She was a guess speaker at my church & I enjoyed her sermon. This book is a must read.

This book served as a guide to go from not knowing anything about iMovie to being able to create a large slideshow project. I ordered another guide first and couldn't get off square one. This guide allowed me from starting at no knowledge to understanding well enough to get my job done. The iMovie icon sat on my desktop for years before this book opened it's utility. A small and worthwhile investment to get the most out of this software. It has even given me the bug to get a camcorder and move from photography to videography.

As digital video cameras spawn in the hands of you, me, parents and tourists like cockroaches in my kitchen we find ourselves needing the kind of technical and aesthetic help not really seen since the advent of `desktop publishing'. Once again a `Missing Manual' has come to my help. `iMovie 3 & iDVD: The Missing Manual' is an excellent book.

I previously reviewed iPhoto2: The Missing Manual and said "The target audience for this book would probably be a little less technical than myself, however when I find myself in a field I don't understand well I don't mind a little stuff for the absolute newbie" -- and once again this is true. iMovie 3 & iDVD: The Missing Manual finds me in an area where I am technically inferior. Once again I truly appreciated this book and its style.

The book is broken up into four sections, one devoted to video cameras and shooting a movie, a large one on editing in iMovie 3, and smaller sections on exporting out of iMovie 3 and on using iDVD. At the end are two useful appendices: the first is a menu-by-menu look at iMovie 3, and the second is an iMovie 3 troubleshooting guide. The latter is often needed and always useful -- iMovie 3 still has more than one bug.

The first section gives a great deal of incredibly useful information about video cameras and how to use them, including hints on various types of shooting such as sporting events, interviews and weddings. The technical information on cameras is perfect if you have yet to buy a camera, including a guide to which features are essential and which unnecessary as you can do the same thing (only better) in iMovie 3. When it goes on to the `how to shoot' section, you get pretty much the same advice you'll get anywhere, but since we didn't really read all of from the last book on video we read (and forgot half the bits we did read) it's nice to have it there again.

The second section does a good job of explaining the details of iMovie 3, even down to some of its shortcomings and bugs. I also appreciated the way it spent as much time on improving the quality of the finished film as it did telling me how to use the various parts of the software. It follows a logical sequence through the movie-making process, giving good details on how iMovie does the job, how to get the best result and what sort of things to avoid -- particularly useful for things like transitions and effects when less is best.

The third section, titled "Finding Your Audience," is a bit more of a problem. It really has nothing to do with finding an audience and a lot more to do with QuickTime. The section first spends ten pages telling us how to get our edited film back onto the camcorder or onto a VCR, then it spends a lot of time dealing with exporting to QuickTime, including posting movies to the web and some info on using the QuickTime player, including some "tricks" with QuickTime Player Pro.

The attention to the finished product in the second section carries through to the fourth section on iDVD, though the writing here is not quite as good. It is incredibly informative, however. I learned a great deal about putting together all sorts of iDVD projects, including ways of customizing almost every aspect of the finished product.

O'Reilly have the usual marketing stuff on their website while Pogue Press have the handy little Missing CD section with links to all the free and shareware software mentioned in the book. Neither has a sample chapter or the table of contents.

One of the drawbacks of getting free software is that we don't get good free documentation. One of the benefits of free software is that we can choose which `documentation' to buy. Some people might prefer the style of the `Dummies' books, others the style of Peachpit's Visual Quickstart Guide. I've had a look at all three and like the balance of depth and explanation that Pogue has in his `Missing Manual' series. I once again find myself recommending a `Missing Manual' to everyone. While catering to the beginner, this book goes deep enough that all but the most long-term user of these two pieces of software will find something to learn in this volume.

I love this book. Its so easy to read and informative that it'll suit any age! Its an easy way to get the know-how on Imovie and Idvd and also helps seasoned ammatures (like myself) brush up on the commands and answers any questions you might have.

Yup. This book really made using iMovie for the first time a walk in the park.
Wiht absolutely no prior experience in this sort of stuff (the closest I've come is Photoshop Elements), I was able to, on the first try, make a music video of my son's first christmas.
I was then able to convert an old videotape from the late 70's into a gleaming, groovy DVD.
The book is well laid out, easy to navigate and above all, usable.
It's a five-star manual, no doubt about it.

I bought this book as an afterthought when I started using I-Movie. At first, like most of us, I thought--hey, I can use I-movie intuitively without a manual...but after my Imovie 3.0 crashed and corrupted the movie I'd been working on for 100+ hours, I was eternally grateful to have it nearby. This manual is wonderfully organized, very easy-to-understand, and answers virtually every question you could have about I-Movie and I-DVD. It walks you through everything from how to shoot footage that is eye-appealing...to editing it to a work-of-art in I-movie...to converting it to a Quicktime video and/or burning it to DVD. It is honestly one of the best manuals I've ever used for anything---clear, concise, yet comprehensive. Thanksfully, you don't need to read the whole book in order to "get started" with I-movie; rather, it's a great tool to pick up on an "as needed" basis while you're editing. This book is definitely worth the small investment. It truly is "the missing manual" for I-movie. O'Reilley has done it again...great job!

I think children of all ages will love it!!

Kids are so cute and this book lets you know it. It's the cuttest book I've read in a long time. I'll be waiting for the next one to come out.

This is a truly funny book that never gets old and tired. nicely compiled and truley a great gift for anyone age 0-1,000. I couldn,t stop laughing. This book shows that Kids Are Really Punny

All profits from the sale of this book go to the ForAllKids Foundation dedicated to children's charities. If that isn't reason enough to purchase this wonderful book, just know that you and your children will have countless laughs because of it.

I have three girls myself, and they absolutely love this book. The whole family enjoys the countless hours of entertainment that it provides.

Over the years, Rosie O'Donnell has received an amazing amount of jokes that children all over the world sent to "The Rosie O'Donnell Show." In this hysterically cute book, O'Donnell compiles a bunch of her favorites that she guarantees to bring smiles and laughter to your day. Each page of this book is loaded with humorous jokes that children took the time to send in. The jokes are often complimented with funny drawings, that give the book a much needed personal touch.

This book is a real winner, and a must for any family with children. It will not dissappoint.

I have this book in my classroom and every student has read every joke. Your kids will love it! Tara Winslow

This is certainly the best book so far in this series. The action is non-stop, and the tension just keeps increasing. We get a first-hand look at the operation of First Nation-owned gambling casinos, and the effects both good and bad that these facilities have on the First Nation tribes that have them. They bring prosperity and money for programs for the people, but they can also bring unsavoury people and companies to the casino because these people want to take advantage of he money that is being made. This book runs two parallel stories as usual. Father John is trying to determine what happened to an Arapaho who has disappeared. This Arapaho is the pit boss at the casino on the Wind River Reserve. Vicky is working as a lawyer for the casino and uncovers many secrets and frauds that get her into a pack of trouble. And of course, there are dead bodies along the way. The plot eventually melds together, and we have the formidable pair of Father John and Vicky Holden working together to uncover evil, dishonesty and also to unmask a murderer. This series keeps on getting better and better.

Excellent book if you like Native American thrillers. We read a lot of the Thurlo books and Margaret Coel's books are a lot like those. The book keeps you on you seat and guessing all the time about the plot. You won't be able to put the book down once you start.

Margaret Coel casts the dice to spin another tightly plotted mystery on the Wind River Reservation. Lean times force Vicki Holden to do some legal work for the new casino on the reservation though she has doubts as to the easy money flowing to the tribe.
Vickie's path crosses Father John's and their feelings for each other still cloud their judgement despite their best efforts to ignore the regard.
With all mysteries a body turns up that demands justice. Father John and Vicki, both find questions that need answers around the casino. But a new man proves them wrong in their assessment of him, and finds a place in Vickie's heart.
Pages turn till the very end, which provides clues for the next installment in the fine series.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

Margaret Coel hits all the right notes in the latest book about Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden and the Wind River Reservation's priest, Father John. The discovery of a dead body at Double Dives brings Father John into an investigation, just as his friend Vicky is offered a job at the Indian reservation's gambling casino. Vicky has her doubts about the casino job, but she is convinced by Adam Lone Eagle, the other attorney at the casino that it would be beneficial to her people. Vicky has been barely making ends meet in her law practice, so she agrees to join Adam. As she learns more about the operation, Vicky becomes suspicious about the legality of some of its practices. The human side of gambling problems is revealed when one of Father John's employees becomes enmeshed in gambling debts. The delicate balancing act of Vicky and Father John's relationship is again addressed in this book, and the possibility of a new romance for Vicky causes them to face some issues that they have chosen to ignore in the past. The beautiful background of the Wyoming reservation, the well-defined characters, and the tightly-woven plot are all typical of this series.

This latests mystery was no exception. The plot involves a casino that has just opened on the Arapaho reservation in Wyoming. Vicki, an Arapaho lawyer, is desperate for work but not very excited when she gets offered some work by the casino -- she has some concerns about the place. In the meantime, Father John, Jesuit priest who runs the reservation mission, has been called on to say some prayers over a body that's been discovered. And that involvement leads to Father John's getting caught up in whatever is going on at the casino, as he attempts to locate someone who has gone missing. So -- you have both Father John and Vicki snooping around the casino, and since they have an unstated special regard for each other, you know their paths will cross -- and they do.

I don't know why I love Coel's mysteries so much, but it has to do with her portrayal of life on the reservation -- I feel like it's a place I know well, and that her fictional characters are real people I've met. The plotting is very good, but that's not why I read the books. My only complaints about her books are 1) enough of Vicki and Father John pining for each other -- Vicki needs to forget about him and find someone available; and 2) I don't like all the violence that usually marks the end of Coel's books -- this one being no exception.

For anyone who has experienced the loss of their mother at a young age -- a very important reminder that grief is not always a bad thing...

This book is a touching collection of poetry and personal stories that will move any reader. Through these women's specific stories, we get to our own personal feelings; the feelings are universal. Although my mother lived till she was 96, I can relate to the depth of emotion expressed by the writers, the poignancy of their observations, the sweetness or anger or loneliness of their images. A non-Catholic, I am deeply moved by Ann Murphy O'Fallon's essay, "Lilacs." She tells how it was when she was nine and the priest came to give her mother Extreme Unction, and they had to dress up for him. Her 13-year-old sister tells her, "It's because she is dying, don't you know anything?" Joanne Kelley ends her poem, "Missing," with the lines, "Imagine a winter so hard that no birds survive and nothing moves in the ice." Cindy Washabaugh writes in her poem, "For Pam, Who Can't Remember," "Grandma stood at the stove crying in the same small voice she laughed in, making Campbell's soup for everyone at 8:45 in the morning because, she said, soup makes you feel better."

Such a brave and often amazing collection--in these never sentimental, always eloquent poems and essays, daughters tell it like it is to have lost the most important person in your young life. And I'm grateful that before each writer speaks, the editors tell me in what way and how old the daughter was when her mother died. In a perfect world, a mother should live long enough to be a comfort and then a vexation and ultimately the wise (or unwise) woman she always was. These women had to make that journey all by themselves. It is a privilege to hear how they did it.

Get out a new hanky or get the tissue box ready. You'll need it!

In Kiss Me Good Night the editors compiled stories from 47 women who recall their mother's death (if they remember) or how they feel now.

The women, through prose or poetry, tell about their mothers and how certain sounds, smells, tastes and things like seeing a purse (like their mother had) trigger strong emotions of loss and longing--and remembrance.

This unique sisterhood opened their hearts and souls to us, and make us appreciate our mom more--if she's alive, or relieved we were not a young child when she left this earth.

Many women are from an era when people did not talk about death or dying to children, and that left them confused. Many times when the mother died, young children were dispersed to relatives, raised apart, because the father could not work and cope with raising children alone.

Who do you talk to? How do you understand?

Missing their mothers as mom and role model and feeling the loss of her nurturing, these women found that talking to others, even all these years later, was therapeutic. And writing allowed them to help many others.

My most lasting word image is one woman looking through a photo album of a mom she vaguely remembers and seeing a "Kodachrome vitality." Maybe that's a reminder to us to keep family pictures updated to capture our own vitality.

Armchair Interviews says: Powerful, powerful words and the emotions they bring. Kiss Me Goodnight is for those women who have already lost their mother--and those who cannot even bear to think about that happening to them.

I have vastly enjoyed this book of writings and poems by those who have
lost their mother. It moved me to tears and then to an urgent sense that
I must share this book. We need more beautiful places to grieve our
losses. Becoming whole is a life's work, and grieving fully and sharing
stories that break the spell is part of the process. "Kiss Me Goodnight"
gives one a haven to do so and serves this sacred process."
Marilyn Zimmerman, Associate Professor, Dept. of Art and Art History,
Wayne State University, photography/installation/performance artist
and curator

First time when I read this book nearly 15 years back, after the SSLC examiantion, I couldn't get more insight in to he life. The myths and other imaginatory things were above the ability of a 15 year old boy. After that during the past 15 years I read the book may be 1000 times. Each time when I read I had to think some thing more and more, still each and every time after reading I will be going in to the geometrical lights of the different sights of the diamond.

I still remember reading the original (Malayalam) version of the book as a teenager. My heart fills with unspeakable blend of sorrow and happiness whenever I re-read the book. In my humble opinion not even Vijayan could surpass this masterpiece of Malayalam literature even after all these years. I wonder how the translation went - since the original was virtually untranslatable. What a barrier is language - and how many such gems are still unfound. Peace and Love.

I read the malayalam version of this book "Khasakkinte Ithihasam".This book gave me a nostalgic experience.I belong to the Palakkad district in Kerala,India where the story is based.During one of my vacations I have travelled to that place and I could find all the images described in vijayan's novel there.It was so real.From the moment I arrived at the Thasrak[Khasak] I felt as if Vijayan's Ravi is walking with me and showing me all the places especially the village school.Ravi can be considered as a saint on a pilgrimage to understand the inner meanings of life.In vijayan's other novels also we can find such pilgrimages as Kunjunni in Gurusagaram{infinty of grace} and Chandran in "Thalamurakal"

Ever asked, without batting an eyelid, I would say that the best work in Malayalam Literature is O V Vijayan's `The Legends of Khasak'. The novel first published in 1969 and the subsequent editions came throughout the years. Through Khasak, Vijayan was not writing a novel, rather he was creating a new literary language which was till that time unknown to many Malayale readers. Still, in Malayalam literary field, critics find it's difficult to replace the novel with another piece of work. It took 19 years for Vijayan to complete the novel. What made it unique, as said by Vijayan himself, the novel took the energy from its own soil. He was not merely telling a story. He took the characters out of their commonness and wrapped them with his magical literary sense. The novel goes through a whirlpool of fantasy, myths and history. One could find stories, sub stories and the harmonization of nature, birth, death and rebirth.

Khasak is a rousing song. A journey to the lost ecosystem. A must read novel

I read the malayalam version of this book "Khasakkinte Ithihasam" 5 years ago .Reading this book gave me a nostalgic experience because the backdrop of this novel is quite near to the place where I belong in the Palakkad disrict of Kerala,India. During one of my vacations I travelled to "Thasrak$QAll the images depicted by Vijayan in the novel is still alive in the village.It was so real.From the moment I alighted the bus at the Koomankavu I felt as if Ravi is walking along with me.He lead me to the outhouse where he lived,the village school and the mosque of "allapichamollakka".The soothing experience of the novel laced with the flavour of my native village always makes me feel good.All the vijayan's novels narrates the story of pilgrimages.Ravi in "legends of Khasak",Kunjunni in the "infinity of grace" and Chandran in "generations"all these characters are pilgrims.