Phillips Books

A real value. The book included in the pack is worth far more than the price of the entire pack. The ingeniuosly designed kit is a treasure for anyone, no matter where they live, and with any size, type or configuration of lot or land to place their plants, shrubs, trees, flowers, walkways, fences, -- whatever they wish to try or design or grow. And you can use the kit over and over, no matter where in the world you move, and to design as many gardens and yards and areas for yourself, your family and anyone else that you want to. We have a terraced hillside property, and we are really excited about using the kit. We have never seen so much comprehensive knowledge and information in one kit or book, certainly not at this price. And you get a soil test kit, too! We have not discovered such a value in a long, long time. Thanks for asking!

I have never come across such a fun tool for designing a garden. A flat picture in a book or on paper just isn't the same. There are 100's of punch out plants and garden fixtures, paper to cut for the pools, patios, walkways, etc. There are cutouts of fences etc. What fun! Combining this with any good quality gardening book with color photos and size information is a wonderful way to play in the garden even when it is raining. Great for those 'what-if' situations. I recommend it for anyone who is just starting out or even pros. It would really be helpful for clients who just don't seem to be able to visualize what they see on paper. Bravo!

Truly great writers oft are known to have troubled, tragic, or challenging lives. George MacDonald certainly walked a mile or two in everykind of worldly storm -- his theological beliefs, particularly, rocked the religious boat in his day. Independent thought, however, is the first of those characteristics which mark the great writers. Of course, it takes one to know one, and in this case Michael Phillips has certainly gotten to know his subject and proven himself the scholar capable of penning such a tremendous biography. George MacDonald: A Biography of Scotland's Beloved Storyteller, is a masterful piece of work. Phillips paints the whole portrait, not merely the man, but the man in his relationships personal, public, and professional with those around him. We get to know his family, and it sometimes seems as if Phillips stepped back in time and walked along with MacDonald, across the Scottish highlands, along the English and Mediterranian shores, and down the streets of MacDonald's very boyhood.

I am somewhat saddened that the works of George MacDonald were introduced to me as a young reader. Certainly his voice and his spiritual convictions that ingrained themselves so deeply, and positively, in the lives of the men and women of his generation could be the healing balm, or perhaps the catalyst for change, for this modern generation. Phillips shows us of MacDonald as man, as preacher, as scholar, as awestruck child of a living and powerful God who, despite the trials of life and the naysayers, persevered. I am happy, however, that introduction has finally been made, and I can think of no one better chosen for the task.

Michael Phillips' writing talent shines through in this rich and inspiring work. Readers will come away with the desire to know more of Mr. MacDonald's work -- not to mention wanting to read more of Mr. Phillips' other works as well.

Meet the man that C. S. Lewis and now Michael Phillips call their mentor. If you're wondering why you should take the time to become acquainted with a Scottish preacher, poet and novelist, perhaps the greatest endorsement of MacDonald comes from Lewis. Lewis expressed the thought that though MacDonald was not error-free, he knew of no writer who was so continually close to the Spirit of Christ. In his presentation of MacDonald's faith, Phillips makes the words of Lewis ring true.

Some of MacDonald's ideas are controversial but much of his thought gets at the core of what it means to follow Christ. His mystical side, which could see the hand of God in all of nature, and his emphasis on doing all that Christ said, remind one of St. Francis of Assisi.

MacDonald was a multi-faceted character and Phillips does a masterful job of fleshing out the person. Particularly fascinating is the glimpse we get of MacDonald's inward struggle to discover what God was really like. He had a difficult time reconciling God's nature with the stern Calvinism of his day that could leave a child in tears for failing to adequately learn his or her lessons about God. You see in his journey what led him toward the thought of universal redemption, an idea that circulated during his time.

MacDonald saw that for some Christians, hell was the greatest reality. But how does one reconcile the idea of eternal punishment for sin with a God that MacDonald came to believe was good and loving. His mystical side believed that even as the sun melts the snow; sin, death and even hell itself would eventually give way before the love of God.

One cannot help but be sympathetic, as Phillips is, to this remarkable account of one man's attempt to reconcile apparent opposing realities. On the other hand, some of his views are a little confusing and appear to contradict Scripture.

Those like MacDonald, who believe in a universal redemption, view the idea that some are lost forever as a defeat of God's ultimate plan and intention. They might say that to see it otherwise makes our sense of justice higher than God's. I don't think it necessarily follows that God has suffered a defeat because some are lost. God clearly states through the prophet Isaiah that we cannot fully fathom His thoughts and ways. We don't want to make the mistake of pronouncing as one thing what God sees as something else. We often see the death of a Christian as tragic, but for God it is something that is precious in His sight.

Our finite minds cannot always reconcile what seems to us contradictory. For example, many have tried to do that with the ideas of predestination and choice. That attempt has been a cause of error and a source of disagreement among Christians. On this particular issue, as in others, wisdom is found in acknowledging all that the Bible teaches while recognizing that from God's perspective, there is harmony.

Phillips portrays MacDonald as a seeker after the truth, and he does an excellent job of showing us where MacDonald's search led him. But it's still hard to understand how he could embrace the idea of universal redemption, when it's not clearly taught in Scripture. There's much more to MacDonald than this particular issue, but this book serves as a fascinating study of it.

I now understand why a Calvinist, one who among other things believes in a limited atonement--Christ died only for the elect, would want nothing to do with MacDonald. It's interesting to note that Calvinism is reportedly making a comeback today among the young. It's not the strict Calvinism of MacDonald's time, but the essential doctrines are the same. That Calvinism would begin to experience a renewal of sorts shows that a divide remains between Christians when it comes to the finer points of doctrine.

Whether it is in relation to disagreements, or one's views in general, some people make themselves almost despicable through their pettiness. MacDonald was the exact opposite. He was exceedingly broad-minded, a noble soul that inspired and elevated those he touched through his life and writings. He was, as he came to be known by friends, Mr. Greatheart of The Pilgrim's Progress. His thoughts were often grand, original and challenging.

We are the richer for this insightful glimpse into the heart of the man. I can't imagine a better book on MacDonald's inward journey, and I can't escape the conclusion that he was a strong believer in Christ. The majority of his thought is profound and valuable to any Christian. It's amazing to see how widely he is read and quoted even today.

Originally published in 1987, this revised and updated edition commemorates the 100th anniversary of MacDonald's death. It starts off slow because of the abundance of background information, but it's a great read for those who want to get to know a life that despite challenges and controversy was exceptionally noble.

This is the companion catalog to the O'Keeffe exhibition at the Phillips gallery in Washington, DC, and is a wonderful volume on O'Keeffe whether or not you were fortunate enough to see this exhibition. What impressed me most about the exhibition (and the book) is how intelligently it was put together. It examines O'Keeffe's development as an artist by tracking both her philosphy and her influences, and some rarely shown works were chosen to represent this in the exhibition (and are reproduced in the book). Of all the books on O'Keeffe that I've read, and of all the exhibitions I've seen of her work, this one by far does the best job of explaining both the artist and her work.

I sent this book as a gift, based on the glowing review on this page. My donee/friend wrote: "What a wonderful surprise and delight the O'Keefe book has brought me today! It is indeed something very special, with elegant color illustrations, plus many photos from various times of her life, and biographical details all through the text. There is a wonderful photo of her (by Ansel Adams) -- she wears a dark sweater, and is sitting, sketching, at the rocky entrance to what may be a cave --- and all of her design ideas seem to be there in the photo: her own interesting form, contrasts of dark and light, austerity yet beautiful rhythms....I had no idea what a pathfinder she was, going her own road by interpreting objects in an entirely personal way. Everything has her magic touch. The color plates are excellent." I have her permission to send these comments to you.

Okay I'll admit it--this was a structurally sublime piece. Perfect, actually. It was evocative of the prior successful work emblematic of a Phillip Margolin string of prose.

Like the drumbeat leading up to a full-on conflict of war (but in this case, it was narrative conflict), I was kept on the soft flexible edge of my rubber-ball's seat (for those in the back-addled category), wondering what was going to become of all this, and our voyeur-cum-Buck Rogers character.

Sure, my own heart was beating quickly. Just as the character's was in all of those opportune spots. Margolin just knows how to evoke these sorts of feelings. He's been doing it full-time for the past ten years. May we all be as fortunate.

Funny, it began to first strike me as somewhat odd when I didn't notice any mention of high-technology in this here piece. I became particularly intrigued from the highly noticeable absence of it, and especially when I spied mention of an "IBM Power Typewriter" somewhere around the middle of this 20 pager. I quickly thought to myself I was stuck in some kind of "period piece" time warp.

My suspicions were totally confirmed once I got to the end and realized that Mr. Margolin penned this in 1974! Oh my goodness (!!!)...his writing was JUST as evocative then as it seems to be today. Now ***that's*** what I call the mark of a superskilled craftsman. Staying power. A fifteen rounder.

It just goes to show you that some strands of work are timeless.

Admittedly, and it's probably because I live under a rock in today's modern-day Prague, Czech Republic -- I'd never heard of Mr. Margolin's work before.

He's a repeated New York Times' bestselling author, and here I am wondering why the heck ***I*** don't know about him--doesn't that make me feel a little on the weird side? Sjoe...

Pity though, because I'm positive I'd learn scads by rummaging through this man's discard pile--er...very much like our protagonist in this tale keeps tabs on the lovely Irene/Iris/Eileen Steward...or however she might like to be called...and how he grows as a person just learning about her many labyrithine ways.

Looking forward to reading more of Mr. Margolin's stuff very soon. Why he doesn't have more Shorts up on the 'zon zone remains as mysterious as the terrific yarns he spins for his new legions of fans.

Here's to hoping he posts some more.

-- ADM in Prague

The Amazon Shorts program allows swift, low cost indulgence - not that I'm a cheapie. Ok, perhaps a little. Once in a while I, nevertheless, experiment with writers new to me; once in a while they surprise me, thrill me. Phillip Margolin paints with words a memorable picture and a carefully entwined cast in The Girl in the Yellow Bikini. A watchers paradise dissolves into an outlandish ride. Tension builds soundly and rapidly to make this a noteworthy tale.
Eugen M. Bacon
Amazon Shorts Author, The Hybrid/ The Firemaker: A Hybrid story

This is very sincere, very emotional, informative and very useful page-turner. It is not easy to grasp Goffman - or is it for some? Thomas Scheff opened a whole new universe in micro sociology and sociology of emotions.

This is very sincere, very emotional, informative and very useful page-turner. It is not easy to grasp Goffman - or is it for some? Thomas Scheff opened a whole new universe in micro sociology and sociology of emotions.

A great book that helps "Swiffer" the junk and dust out of my life and leave behind what is real - following Jesus and His way for my life.

As a woman who lives in a world that strives toward perfection: the perfect weight, perfect body shape, perfect home, perfect career, perfect kids... I found Grab a Broom Lord to be a breath of fresh air. In her usual light and humorous style, Ms. Goodman teaches us that it's not only our nature to be free from perfections, but it's the wonderful way that our Creator made us. He never intended for us to be perfect-after all, he has a staff full of angels that do just that. He made us just the way we are for a reason.

As with Karon's other women's studies, Grab a Broom Lord is a short read but it's packed full of powerful insights-it may be little but it's loud! You'll learn how to overcome your need for perfection, deal with your past, live in the present, and embrace the future. But of course, without God's grace, none of this would be possible, would it? In fact, that's the lesson that I learned from this powerful little book. In my imperfections (and do I have a lot of them), God's love and power is manifested. Isn't that an amazing gift? Don't you want to learn more ways of glorifying Him?

You'll find yourself as I did, reading this book over and again. Each time, you'll discover a new truth, and with God's guidance, it'll be just the thing you need at the time to adjust your attitude and embrace God's wonderful plan for you.

Grayfox is a most fantastic book. Once I had started on it, I could hardly put it down. I read past midnight and did not want to sleep. Although it is kind of meant more for boys, I enjoyed it thoroughly. The book is not only interesting, but didactic too. Michael Phillips showed Zack Hollister's feelings as a rebellious kid very well. He had also illustrated Drummond's fatherly love very well. Hawk was a good teacher. The Indians and Indian tales that M.P. brought in enhanced the entire plot. The reconciliation at the last was a fitting end. I give this book full ratings. It is sound and promotes moral values, unlike many modern books with explicit details on sexuality and violence. Grayfox is none like this

Grayfox is a story of Zack Hollister's journey as he grew from being a boy into a man.
It covers his problems at home where he thinks that everyone regards him as a young boy not important to his family, and how he joins the new Pony Express to try to escape from his troubles. As he goes along, he begins to see things about himself and everyone around him through new eyes with the help of Hawk Trumbull, a God-fearing man that lived in the desert. During this time he constantly had close encounters, both unpleasant and pleasant, with the Paiute Indians, and finally came to a realisation that everyone was not against him.
I think this book is well worth reading as it tackles subjects relevant to everyone in a way that makes us think. Similarities are constantly apparent between Zack's problems and real problems we might have in our own lives, and helps us find a way to conquer these problems without directly striking against us which would make many people close their ears.
The story is very exciting with a lot of sudden plot twists that compel us to keep reading on, not wanting to put the book down. Each chapter in the book is very short so it dosen't seem like it's taking a long time to finish the book. This book can be read just as a story very well, or one can go deeper and study the underlying messages existing the whole way through the story.
The characters of the book are extremely life-like and it is easy to picture each one of them and relate them to people we know in life. The story is believable and seems like it could be an actual journal of somebody's life, which makes it easy for us to follow and relate to.
The book teaches us how to look at things carefully and deeply, and not to just take it at face- value. It also teaches us to learn from everything that we observe and try to find it's meaning, as everything has a reason for being there. If the thing we are observing is a problem, we are able to overcome it by studying it in this way.
A lesson we learn from this book is that the hardest thing to do for most people is to swallow one's pride and admit that they were wrong. Many people can act tough, and many people believe that those people are `men' but few of them have the courage to apologise or say that they were wrong.
The book shows us how important fatherhood is to a person, both in the actual relationship between the father and the son, as well as being a picture, no-matter how imperfect, of how God cares for us as our Heavenly Father.
I think that this is a superb book and would recommend it to anyone having problems with their family life, new Christians for general reading to help them get a better picture of God, as well as to anyone who is just looking for a good book to read.

After years of many different styles of devotional, this is by far the best kept secret in devotionals. The emphasis is on helping the reader understand the Bible story as a whole. Most stories have one page of scripture followed by an analogy that allows you to think the story through in the world we live in today. The next section is thoughts to ponder. Great way to have a conversation if more than one person is doing the devotion at the same time. To add even more beauty to the book, each story ends with a prayer specific to the reading or analogy. My husband and I do one devotional each evening. We both agree that this is one of the best devotionals on the market. It is especially great for those that are searching to truly learn more of God's Word along with their daily devotional time. We plan to give them as gifts in the future.

I just bought this devotional for my whole family (6 copies for Christmas).

The reason why I have enjoyed this devotional so much is because it actually has the Bible as it's main section. Many devotionals use one or two verses and then come up with their own thoughts/interpretations/beliefs. This devotional is probably 55%-60% straight Bible and then Phillip Patterson adds some solid food for thought. My one worry was that it would just have the stories and would miss out on the theology found in the prophets, and letters of Paul. But so far (note I'm only on day 22 so far) he has quoted probably 40 or so passages that connect with the story we read.

The one note I would say is he's goes right through the Bible. So many of the stories fall in Genesis and Exodus. Although Patterson does give insight to many different parts of the Bible during these sections, you may choose to jump around and do some of the 150 New Testament stories to shake it up. Either way, I fully recommend.

May God bless you as you read and learn more and more about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Webb

This biography digs deep into the early environmental campaigns between 1954 and 1973, when John P. Saylor (Republican of Pennsylvania) was a bold, unquenchable advocate for the environment in the United States Congress. He was out front on all the big ones: Dinosaur National Monument, the Wilderness Act, the Grand Canyon Dams, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, Redwoods National Park, Alaska national parks. I first met Mr. Saylor in 1965 when I was a beginning volunteer activist, playing a minor role in the campaign to defeat two proposed dams that would have been built in the Grand Canyon. The author uses archival sources to take us behind the scenes in Congress and tell parts of the story I never knew. (I knew the dam proponents didn't have the votes, but there's a lot more to it, and Professor Smith dug it up.)

While the importance of coal mining in his district may have helped kindle John Saylor's opposition to hydroelectric dams in the 1950s, it doesn't explain his consistent, tireless leadership in saving wild places over the 20 years that followed. From seeing him in action day after day on Capitol Hill, I know he believed in wilderness and loved fighting for it. Professor Smith's book captures John Saylor's passion, his brilliance and his wit.

In an era when conservative Republicans display outright hostility to environmentalism, and even Democrats at the national level are getting very little real environmental work done, it is surprising and heartening to learn about the great conservationist achievements and leadership of Republican congressman John Saylor. This generally straight-arrow Republican served a Western Pennsylvania district from 1949 to 1973 and had an immense impact on environmental protection across America. Saylor had a fierce and sincere lifetime love of the outdoors, and advanced a currently rare view of the natural environment as crucial to America's development and the culture of independence. In fact, this was a philosophy of "stewardship" that was descended from the likes of Teddy Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and even Sierra Club founder John Muir. While remaining typically conservative on other legislative matters, Saylor's work was indispensable in the passage of the Wilderness Act of 1964, which has resulted in the protection of more than a hundred million acres of untrammeled wilderness across the country. He was also a crucial player in the defeat of dam proposals in the Grand Canyon and Dinosaur National Monument, had a hand in the creation of several national parks, helped pass the National Scenic Trails Act, and was an important supporter of clean air and water legislation.

This authoritative biography by Thomas G. Smith mostly operates as a political history of all the conservation-oriented legislation in which Saylor was involved during his long Congressional career. Smith's intensive coverage of intricate legislative maneuvers makes the book tedious at times, though it is completely successful as a political biography, because Smith dispenses with any partisan judgments or complaints about modern Republicanism. Smith is not afraid to point out some of Saylor's flaws, especially his very stubborn and sometimes vindictive political style. Of special note is Smith's general view that Saylor's fierce opposition to large Western dam projects did not necessarily come from sincere environmentalism, but were actually attempts to block competition (in the form of publicly-subsidized power) for the coal companies back in Pennsylvania. Saylor's Republican views in non-environmental areas sometimes reached comical conservative Cold War paranoia, but for conservation he was immensely influential and achieved consistent bipartisan success. Without Saylor's 24 years of service for America's natural environment, we'd be living in a land much less beautiful and enjoyable. [~doomsdayer520~]

Wonderful,lyrical story spurs the imagination and creates vivid visual images. We read it aloud as a family over a holiday weekend, to the delight of one and all! We loved the dragon's variable personality as well as the fantastic tales and adventures he shares with 8 year old Sue.

An eight year old girl meets a friendly dragon while on a beach vacation in England, and he tells her stories about his past as one of the companions of King Arthur.

I first read this book and its sequels, The Dragon's Quest and Dragon in Danger, as a child and am now passing them on to my own children. I can't believe they are out of print - any publishers out there?!