Owen Books

I picked up this book because I thought the cover was so beautiful. Now I'm in the middle of it and I am completely riveted. There are so many levels to the characters and to the story - that makes for a great read. I'm already buying it for friends.

This was an incredible novel, really. The storyline meanders at a measured pace towards the conclusion in what is a well-crafted modern tale of human weakness and repentance; the possibility of redemption is suggested in a subtle manner but still left ambigious enough not to browbeat one like a religious tract. Dostoyevsky is the only other novelist I know of who can pull this off so well.

The characters were complex and convincing...even the ones you think you have pegged as two-dimensional "types" will turn around later in the story and mildly surprise you. All of them come across as flawed, eliciting the reader's sympathy or disgust in turns but thereby gradually developing one's awareness that this is the human condition, warts and all; such a theme is 100% Jodo Shinshu Buddhism and could have come from the works of the founder Shinran himself, but Niwa has clearly made this worldview his own and skillfully evokes it in the hearts of his readers.

Naturally "The Buddha Tree" will appeal to anyone who loves a good novel, but those interested in Japanese Buddhism would also profit immensely by reading this, as it realistically portrays what real hometown down-to-earth Buddhism really is in modern Japan like nothing else I've seen.

Supposedly this guy has written a ton of other novels, stories, and essays. Why haven't these been translated? They need to be!

The literature of post-war Japan is relatively unknown in the U.S. with the exception of Kawabata and Mishima. This book is really a fine example from those years, and both it and its author deserve to be better known. The pace of the writing is unhurried, self-assured, and the sense of time, and place, is breathtaking. The setting is a Buddhist temple in a small town, and the illicit relationship between the priest and his domineering mother-in-law. By the time you finish reading it, you feel you know the people and the town like an insider. I feel like I can see the temple and feel the hush enclosed by its wooden floors and halls. If you've ever been to Japan and visited a temple, you'll recognize the feeling, and this book captures it as well as any I know.

This is an amazing book, set in a peaceful temple in rural japan this book surprises and delights as the reader is drawn into the torment of guilt the priest of the temple suffers because of his illicit relationship with his mother-in-law.

I have been taking care of my mother, who has Alzheimer's Disease, for a few years. More recently (6 mos ago) she has moved into my home. I laughed and cried when I read this book. I totally can related to each and every event. And yet, I feel privileged to be able to provide the care my mother needs at this time.

DEEPLY MOVING STORY ABOUT CARING FOR MOTHER WHO HAS DEMENTIA--FAST READING--ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE IN THIS SAME SITUATION.

This book is very true to life. Since I am in the eighth year of caring for my 98-year-old mom with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, I can definitely relate to many of the incidents written here. There are so many similarities to our past and present. I think it is a good book, especially for someone who is just beginning to care for their loved one. It helps with some of the unknowns "down the road."

Virginia Stem Owens's latest book is a tremendously valuable account of the author's intricate relationship with her elderly mother, ill with dementia. While it reads as an absorbing narrative--sometimes sad, sometimes funny, always keenly honest--it also offers a carefully observed and researched medical history, bound to be instructive to both older and younger readers.

When her mother's physical frailty became problematic and Owens left her Kansas home to stay nearby her parents in Texas, she had no idea the sojourn would span seven years. In that time, her mother's diagnosis moved from Parkinson's disease to Alzheimer's, and Owens watched what she calls the "slow dismantling" of the intelligent and capable person she had known all her life.

What distinguishes this book from other records of a similar kind is Owens's unfailing sense of irony. She takes no prisoners. No one, including herself or her mother, is spared her perceptive eye and subtle wit. Doctors and medical staff particularly, are depicted with total frankness--too busy, too hasty, forgetful, insensitive--including the psychiatrist who tells the patient chirpingly to "get out more" and "find a purpose in life."

Yet the book is fair and full of compassion and the tone throughout is exactly right, an unusual accomplishment when the topic itself runs the gamut of emotions and human idiosyncracies. This is a tough record to read, but hardly depressing, and a wise-spirited author helps you through.

i found out I was getting a dog I was so happy and excited. I learned basically everything I need to know from this book. If your getting a dog I think youll definetly need this book..

When most parents expect their babies, the more reponsible ones reach out for information, be that in books, magazines or from their own parents. The reality is you want to learn as much as you can to be prepared to be the best parent you can be.

Our family adopted a labrador from a rescue foundation. With the coordination of a wonderful rescue foundation (Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue) we were matched with a perfect labrador for our family.

This was my first dog. I have always had cats, so I knew I needed to quickly educate myself. I was fortunate to come across this book sponsored by Iams and found it to be highly informative. The book features the more popular breeds of dogs which I found very handy because dog owners attract dog owners, and your interest begins to expand with each new owner/dog you meet. It was helpful to understand which breeds are compatible with each other and how to introduce your dog to social situations.

I needed basic dog obediance guidelines to back up my classes with our dog, and I found their informtion to be very applicable. Not only did the book review nutrition and basic health care requirements, it provided information for grooming, exercise and a general overview of the responsibilities one must assume with ownership of these animals.

I realize it doesn't take a rocket scientist to state the obvious when it comes to raising and owning a dog, but when you present the above information with beautiful illustrations and practical advice, you serve to make the experience so much more positive for both dog and owner.

We used this book to help train our Dalmation puppy last year. The illustrations were helpful as were the easy to follow steps for housebreaking and obedience training. Some of the information was obvious, but it was good to be reminded.

When most parents expect their babies, the more reponsible ones reach out for information, be that in books, magazines or from their own parents. The reality is you want to learn as much as you can to be prepared to be the best parent you can be.

Our family adopted a labrador from a rescue foundation. With the coordination of a wonderful rescue foundation (Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue) we were matched with a perfect labrador for our family.

This was my first dog. I have always had cats, so I knew I needed to quickly educate myself. I was fortunate to come across this book sponsored by Iams and found it to be highly informative. The book features the more popular breeds of dogs which I found very handy because dog owners attract dog owners, and your interest begins to expand with each new owner/dog you meet. It was helpful to understand which breeds are compatible with each other and how to introduce your dog to social situations.

I needed basic dog obediance guidelines to back up my classes with our dog, and I found their informtion to be very applicable. Not only did the book review nutrition and basic health care requirements, it provided information for grooming, exercise and a general overview of the responsibilities one must assume with ownership of these animals.

I realize it doesn't take a rocket scientist to state the obvious when it comes to raising and owning a dog, but when you present the above information with beautiful illustrations and practical advice, you serve to make the experience so much more positive for both dog and owner.

An excellent publication of this Argentine Gaucho classic. The compelling story of the legendary quintessential Argentine gaucho, Don Segundo Sombra.

This is one of the greatest books in Argentine literature. I can remember reading it at the age of sixteen and the impression it made on me. It was as it was telling my own life and childhood in the countryside with the good men that I knew there. And how they all dissapeared facing a modern and much different world giving the word gaucho a more "typical" and superficial meaning. Very, very strange, it made on me the same effect than, lately and older, Islands in the Stream by Hemingway. I strongly recommend it, though my comment is very personal. (sorry about my awful English)

I am surprised by how few people know of this book. An excellent novel protraying the master/disciple relationship and questions of ones destiny. It is a pleasure to read.

Don Segundo Sombra is a classic that deserves to be re-issued. Elegantly written with superb images, the novel despicts not only the adventurous life of the gaucho but also the journey toward self-discovery.

This mystery held my interest throughout, both the evil guys and the good ones. After reading this book, I went out and bought the ealilier ones in the series which captureed the purity of life in West Virginia.

Plot overview: Transportation investigator Owen Allison recently left his lucrative consulting practice in California to help his mother back home in West Virginia in her fight against cancer. His ex-wife and current lover, Judith, is also back on the West Coast, and now that his mother has mostly recovered, he's itching to get back to his life, to stimulate both his portfolio and his love life.
But before he has a chance to leave his small hometown of Barkley, West Virginia, a local dam breaks, sending a black ribbon of coal sludge cascading miles and miles through the hollows across the region. Four people lose their lives in the accident, and the ambulance chasers gnash their teeth and formulate strategies for the inevitable lawsuits against big coal.
It turns out that Owen knows the owner of the coal mine, a good ol' boy from his high school class whose success has surprised everyone, even himself. What's more, the classmate knows that finding out why things fail is Owen's specialty, and he hires him on the spot to figure out just what went wrong. Judith and his California practice will have to wait, but Owen is only half-worried about letting those things slide. He's thrilled to be back in the thick of things, and readers will be, too, in another quirky, engaging installment in John Billheimer's unusual and winning series.

Failure analyst Owen Allison plans to return to Palo Alto to reconcile with his ex-wife Judith though he was delayed by his need to be with his mother in West Virginia when she underwent chemotherapy (see DISMAL MOUNTAIN). However, further problems in West Virginia postpone Owen's trip to the West Coast.

The dam by the Canaan II mine erupts, killing four and filling DRYBONE HOLLOW with coal sludge. Owner Anson Stoke hires Owen to persuade environmentalist Judge Carter Vereen that despite the toll, his operations remain safe and should stay open. Judge Vereen orders an investigation of all impoundment dams sitting on mines, which leads to state attorney general Hayes Boyer asking Owen to head the inquiry, but demanding a kickback of 15% of Owen's fee. Owen rejects the offer, but turns to his friend Sheriff Thad Reader to set a trap to expose those using fixed contracts, but the law enforcement official deals with a full plate already as a local has probably been abducted. So Owen plunges ahead knowing he will receive limited support from his buddy, but mine engineer Emily Kruk makes it worth while to stay in West Virginia a bit longer.

Though the "will he reconcile or not" becomes a bit annoying, readers will appreciate the latest Owen Allison investigative tale. Most of the audience will kick themselves when they see how obvious John Billheimer's plot solves the mystery as the clues are all provided, but so devilishly done that most fans (including this sore reviewer) will fail to see it. The cast is a delight with the hero at his best when he investigates.

Harriet Klausner

Another great Owen Alison book. As usual, we get to meet an array of quirky, well-drawn characters, including the larcenous Cable Stokes, his brother Anson, and mining engineer Emily Kruk. Billheimer's book are always a fun blend of humor and excitement--the book really races along.

One of the pleasures of this series is watching Owen's relationships with other characters deepen an grow as the books progress. Though you don't need to have read any of the other books to enjoy this one, if this is your first Owen Alison book you'll want to go back and read the others just to find out what's happened in the past. These books are one of my favorite mystery series.

Fans of John Billheimer's Owen Allison series will enjoy this latest episode. Billheimer's talent for dialog reveals more about the West Virginia psyche in this book than all the others combined. And the action is fast paced from beginning to end. I could not put it down. Especially interesting is the re-emergence of characters from earlier books who play a key role. Billheimer character development continues to an unexpected ending. You come away asking if there could be other scams this region of the country could suffer. I expect we will see this answers in upcoming books from this fine author.

Fr. Owens truly provides an outstanding work into Christian metaphysical thinking. While this book is titled an "Elementary" introduction and indeed it is, still the subject matter of metaphysics is not easy and hence this material is no cake walk. First time readers on metaphysics should probably read an easier primer, but after doing so they would do well to buy this work of Owens. It is very well done.

If you are a Christian and interested in philosophy, then this book is for you. Owens does an excellent job of introducing the student to the science of 'being as being.' However, it is not elementary as the title might suggest. There is a lot to digest, but the Christian intellectual will find a lot of answers to how a theist ought to do philosophy. The best feature are the footnotes. Owens directs the reader to other interesting pursuits. I cannot not recommend this book enough.

In his review of "An Elementary Christian Metaphysics" Todd B. Vick says: "Joseph Owens discusses one of, if not THE, most important aspects of Thomistic philosophy - Being (esse) and Existence (essence)." The wording is mistaken. The topic is the real distinction between being (verb), existence (esse) as act and essence (essentia) as potency. Esse and essentia are the ontological components of finite being (noun) (ens). Thank you

Unfortunately this book is not as popular as it should be. Don't let the title fool you, this is not a book about "basic" metaphysics. However, it also not so advanced that one's mind would have to be in the stratosphere to understand it. Joseph Owens discusses one of, if not THE, most important aspects of Thomistic philosophy - Being (esse) and Existence (essence). This is the crux of metaphysics and is the necessary starting point to actually do philosophy properly. Owens begins his work with a brief historical sketch of metaphysics, and then he launches into a full scale explanation of the applications and observations of metaphysics. Owens also delineates the fact that metaphysics is necessary in all realms of philosophy. Moreover, Owens discusses epistemology and the necessity of metaphysics for actually doing epistemology. Owens discusses the various types of knowledge and how they are applicable and useful in philosophical systems. While the book is not too simplistic, Owens totes that the intent of the text is to inform "new" students of the why and how of metaphysics in all aspects of philosophy and theology. Owens believes, and I agree, that a proper understanding of metaphysics formulates good habits of reasoning and assertions in the mind and philosophy of the philosopher. Furthermore, Owens places great emphasis on Etienne Gilson's teaching on the subject of metaphysics. Therefore, it also makes for a nice commentary to Gilson (for those who might find Gilson a little difficult to comprehend). I cannot recommend this book enough - especially for the Christian philosopher.

This was a great mystery -- kept me entertained all the way through. But I have one question for the author. She referred to the different colors of Monopoly playing pieces: "He sat in the chair that was usually his and placed two pieces on Go. Purple was his father's favorite. He took it for himself and gave his father the yellow." Isn't Monopoly played with the well-known "tokens" -- hat, dog, race car, etc.?

This is a good mystery which is very easy to read. My one dissapointment was Jesse Drake. I'm tired of reading about gorgeous women cops that all the fellow officers harass in some way. I still have to find one book about women on the force which weren't harassed in some ways by the male species. Very tiresome. Still, this book is worth a read.

A friend lent me this book, and thought I would enjoy the plot. I am, I admit, a lover of thrillers and read this in one day.

A strange killer is on the moves (pun intended), and a woman detective (Jessie Drake) must identify him before it is too late. Will Jessie save her sister's marriage, and will she find the Curare Killer before he strikes again... Romance can not be avoided, as in most thrillers, but it at least is plausible and believable. Of course, the inevitable happens, the plot does get a little predictable, nevertheless the suspense is there all the way. Definitely deserves five stars.

I ran across this book and decided to give it a shot even though I wasn't familiar with the author. I was not disappointed. The characters are wonderful and by the end of the book, you feel like you know them all as friends. There are nice twists throughout the book and it never bogs down. It's a great read. I highly recommend it.

This book is not as compelling as "Incest", but it's still Anais: still burning, still feeling, still wholly human, with all flaws and wishy-washiness included. But again, I warn away people who may not be down with heavily sexual content. If you are, though...

"This is not a lie. I was starting to tell lies and struck a truth! Very often I tell lies that are deeply true."
-Anais Nin, January 17, 1937

Diary opening with a visit to New York accompanying Dr Otto Rank. Searches for release from Rank. Back to Paris, Henry, Hugh, and to find Gonzalo More. Desriptions of interior worlds built for Hugh, Gonzalo, and Henry. Beautiful. Houseboat on the Seine, "Nanankepichu", Villa Seurat, Louveciennes.

As follower of Anais' Diaries (expurgated or not) and her novels I would like to express my admiration and my curiosity for her amazing literature and her rare personality, motivated again by "Fire". I believe that Anais was able to enjoy sex simultaneously with several men, each one of them however, playing an appropriate , no transferable, role: Hugh (husband),Joaquin Nin (father-lover),Eduardo Sanchez (cousin-brother), Henry Miller (friend-lover), Gonzalo More (lover-friend) and others. Occidental society usually attribute this promiscuous behavior only to men.As Anais shows, this may happen also among ladies, perhaps more often than accepted . Indeed, these "faults" may be heavily damned and punished by society when perpetrated by ladies. Probably Anais was the first woman , brave and courageous enough , to describe her own experiences and feelings about eroticism and sensuality written from a female point of view. Actually, looking at her inner mirror she describes herself with delicacy , ever avoiding disgusting pornography. I believe that Anais spent her life searching a Big One Love . As a result she found many "Love" and many Lovers . The sum of them never reached totality. Her Love was her fantasy and her invention, hence endless and inaccessible. On the other hand, in this and other books Anais masterly present unknown, almost domestic features and characteristic of the personality of several men and ladies who were outstanding representatives in art, literature, theatre, politics as Neruda, Alberti, Dali, Allendy, Rank, Gore and others.

Anais Nin was raised a devout Catholic and to earn her family's love she was expected to be demure, self-sacrificing, hard-working, and chaste. When her father abandoned the family she assumed, as children sometimes do, that he had left because she wasn't "good" enough. She played the role of "good girl" for twenty years in response. Then all hell broke loose.

What I believe is different about FIRE is that it reveals Anais's explorations and experiementation with her inner "bad girl" in a way that she had only just begun in HENRY AND JUNE and INCEST. In it she is still married to Hugh and involved with Henry Miller, but in FIRE she has a relationship with the famous analyst Otto Rank that takes some treacherous twists and turns. Her writing is as wonderful as ever. For the Nin fan, this diary is yet another must-read.

I got the books I ordered just in time. Also Amazon let me know every step what it was doing so I'll buy books or other things from Amezon again.

This book provides an excellent reference for those in food science/engr related areas. Though it can be quite dull, it's very comprehensive, and provides much more material than it's closest competitor.

This is an excellent reference book with a very poorly done index. Finding what you need often requires a bit of legwork. I've begun to note topic locations myself in the margins of the index. It drives me crazy.

I a great book for anyone that studies food technology or some related area, is a good reference and is well explain, and understable.

the book is very informative with beautiful photographs throughout.

A beautiful way to learn some Persian history and culture, and the role that wine has played.

I have been enjoying "New Food of Life" for the past several years, and when I saw "From Persia to Napa" for sale at a vineyard in Napa, I knew I had to have it. While "New Food of Life" is primarily a cookbook sprinkled with wonderful bits of history, culture, poems, fables and Persian art, "From Persia to Napa" is a love story about wine. In the first half of the book, Ms. Batmanglij covers the history of wine, the evolution of wine and culture in Iran, and includes a long discussion of the new Darioush Winery in Napa Valley, with many vivid photographs. The second half of the book are persian recipes that she has designed specifically to be paired with wine. The recipes are in general designed for high-end meals. Most are accompanied by photographs which make my mouth water! At the end of the book she includes suggested menus for persian meals at different times of the year. This is an aesthetically wonderful book as well as being fascinating reading, and she has elevated it to much more than a book of recipes matched with wine.

This author continues to bring us beautiful books, reliable recipes and now pairing this wonderful wine with the food. Couldn't get better.