R Books

This is the best New! Fear Street book ever. It's about a girl name Sondra who been hypnotized by her best friend and then it get's deadly. I highly recommend this book, ya'll.

The book had a very interesting twist to it.It's about a girl named Sondra who gets hypnotized and begins getting flashes of her past life,such as,answering to her name in the other life,and remembering certain places.This book just proves you never know who you can really trust.I really enjoyed it because I am very into past lives and the such.I recommend this book to any Fear Street fan--You'll be pleased.

Wow, it's been so long since i last read this book (I rented it from the library or else i'd read it again.) I reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller. You don't have to be 13-15 years of age to enjoy R.L Stine's fearstreet series. In fact, i'm 18 and i absolutely love him. I'll admit his writting is'nt as elaborate and detailed as other writers but that's what's so great about him. He gets to the point and in the process gives us a great story. The Step Brother is an absolute shocker. You'll be hooked from beginning to end. Especially the end. This book has got one of the best surprise endings ever (although with R.L Stine you usually come to expect surprises).

THE STEPBROTHER IS ABOUT A GIRL NAMED SONDRA WHO GETS HYPNOTIZED AND HAS A STRANGE VISION. LATER ON IN THE BOOK SHE GOES TO A HYPNOTIST AND FINDS OUT SHE IS REMEMBERING EVENTS FROM A PAST LIFE. IN HER PAST LIFE SONDRA LIVED AS PENNY HANSON BUT WAS MURDERED. REALLY THE ENDING DIDN'T SURPRISE ME BECAUSE I READ A LOT OF MYSTERY BOOK BUT IT WILL SURPRISE A LOT OF PEOPLE. R.L. STINE REALLY OUTDID HISSELF WITH THIS BOOK.

Ever since Sondra's stepbrother moved in, she's been having these nightmares. Nightmares about her death. But what she doesn't know is that the events Sondra is remembering is from a past life. And now she believes, with help from her friends and a psychic, that the person from the past is after her in this life. All fingers are pointing towards her stepbrother ... could it be him?

With a great plot and an ending that will surprise you, The Stepbrother is one of R.L. Stine's best novels in the Fear Street series.

Even though I'm 22 years old, I love the Fear Street series. There are even some that scare me to the bone (honestly). Hey, I know you're laughing at me! There are adults out there who do read the Fear Street books. Honest to god!!!

I have been a faithful FoxTrot reader for years. Roger, Andy and their kids Peter, Paige and Jason are always good for a reality check with a large dose of laughter. I've got two girls and let me tell you, I see a lot of my kids in Paige with, I believe, even a healthy dose of Jason thrown in. And they have Peter's bottomless stomach. Of course, they're faithful FoxTrot readers too. I used to read the strip to them, explain what was going on, but now they get it just fine and we three all laugh together. Then my girls try and explain the strip to their dad, who pretends he doesn't get it.

The FoxTrot folks are a great family, one we sort of got used to checking up on every day, so we took the news that Mr. Amend was going to cease daily distribution of his wonderfully funny people and turn his strip to Sunday only, with a bit of sadness. Still, we have these terrific FoxTrot books to keep us going with our FoxTrot fix. Mr. Amend is to be commended for his great gift to our culture and his great gift to so many lives. I truly believe a laugh a day, helps keep the blues away and the FoxTrot gang are always good for a laugh. Heck there are a lot of laughs in the FoxTrot books. I know, I have them all and I am, along with my girls and my hubby dear, eagerly awaiting the next one.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, we don't have an iguana, but my girls do have a pet gecko and, you guessed it, his name is Quincy.

I've been a Foxtrot reader for a long time and personally I think there is something suspiciously wrong with people who don't find Bill Amend's characters funny as all get out. If you want a good laugh, check out Bill in your local newspaper, or better yet, get one of the Foxtrot books. They are all great, really, they are.

Like many of Mr. Amend's fans I'm a bit disappointed he's switching his strip to Sunday-only, but fortunately I can still read him daily in the Foxtrot books. Get them one and all and you can keep right on a laughing.

You see the list on the side, and obviously, I am a FoxTrot fanatic & own all of the books. Just why would I own something that is dumb? Besides, if you haven't heard of FoxTrot, you either: don't look at the newspaper, or haven't visited the bookstore in about a year.

Among all of the halarious one-day strips, outrageous series include:
-Moby 2000
-Thanksgiving
-Jasoneezer Scrooge
-Christmas
-Jasonzonbayhoodotcom
-Paige vs. Red Orb Guardian
-Babysitting
-Baseball's suprising spectators
-Where's the coffee???
-Summer Dayz
-To Boonhurst...To the hospital...To Wall Street

Aren't intrigued yet to buy this book?

Admit it. We all have one or more family members that resemble the characters in the FoxTrot comic strip. Whether it's the tofu cooking mom, the morning-coffee addicted dad, the hollow leg older son, the self-absorbed daughter, or the geeky younger son, every family can relate.

"Think iFruity" is a collection of daily and Sunday FoxTrot comic strips. It starts with the dad, Roger, buying a Mobycom-2000 cell phone (think Titanic), and ends with Peter being disappointed with his Physics Lab. In between, the family gets their new "iFruit" computer (mango-kiwi, thank you), Roger goes a day without coffee (not a pretty sight), Paige fills her aquarium before taking it upstairs, and Jason kills off the Internet (makes the "I Love You" virus look like the sniffles).

The fun and hilarity never ends with the Fox Family. There's always some kind of chaos or mayhem going on--mainly created by the youngest, Jason Fox. If there hasn't been a problem that has confronted the Fox Family, just wait. They're always having to deal with a crisis that leads to hilarious results.

"Think iFruity" is yet another fabulous FoxTrot collection that is 127 pages of fun-filled comic antics from Roger (the father), Andy (the wife), Peter (the oldest son), Paige (the daughter), and Jason (the youngest son who has a pet iguana). One of the main story points that surrounds this collection is when the family must buy a new computer, and to Jason's absolute horror it is an "iFruity." How will the family cope with the change? Will Jason lose his mind and trash the computer himself? You'll have to wait and see what happens.

Other funny scenarios included in this fine collection:

*Roger's "Mobycom-2000"*
*Jasonezer Scrooge*
*Paige Defeats the Red Orb Guardian*
*Giving Up Coffee*
*Peter's Summer Gig ("Star Wars" Phobia)*
*The Paige Witch Project*
*Roger Quits Work (A Classic "Fox" Saga)*
...and more!

Bill Amend has never failed to get more than a few laughs out of me with his funny characters. The strips are topical, witty, clever and downright hilarious. He never runs out of ideas or storylines, and he always uses his characters to their full potential. This collection is just as funny as the previous ones, if not more. I am never bored when reading FoxTrot, and I was never bored during my reading of this particular collection. A job well done on all fronts.

"Think iFruity" is another hilarious FoxTrot chapter that definitely needs to be a part of your FoxTrot collection. And if you have not read FoxTrot, the more reason to check this out! If you're looking for an entertaining read that won't take up a lot of your time, this FoxTrot collection is just the fix for you. A great read that will have you laughing from the start. -Michael Crane

Can't go wrong with Spurgeon. I bought these volumes for a deeper study of the Psalms, and so far they have been amazing. There's more for each psalm that I can really get in to, but that which I do has been all that I could hope for: reinforcing lower view of self next to high view of God; the only kind of perspective that brings any real sense of hope and encouragement.

Spurgeon is still the best. This 3 volume set is essential for a deep and meaningful study of the Psalms. Great for teaching and preaching research. I'm happy to have purchased it and I recommend it highly.

While Spurgeon's magnum opus is neither technical nor devotional it can meet either of those needs. It is inconceivable that anyone would have an interest in the Psalms and not have these volumes on the shelves.

This writing has really opened the book of Psalms. The teaching of Spurgeon is just beyond words.

This is a great commentary series on the Psalms and has the same feel as Spurgeon's sermons. Great resource for any teacher and pastor to prepare in study for the Psalms. Very detailed, which I can't say the same for other commentaries done during this same time period.

The price once again shows how many people have lost interest in both commentaries and our past church saints.

If you are going to be going through the Psalms in your own study or teaching you should definitely have this at your disposal.

Dr. Misner does a good job of seperating fact from myth for those who use networking as a means to grow their business. While any business can benefit from networking the application is especially helpful for small companies and entrepreneurs. No one is a greater authority than Dr. Misner on the subject of networking. Whether you are an experienced networker or are just starting to build your network this book is an excellent guide to maximizing your efforts.

The authors of this book are experts in the field of Network Marketing. This is a short read full of information that you can refer to over and over. If you are a network marketer you owe it to yourself to purchase this book for your library.

Plenty of business books unilaterally promote networking as a key to business success: but how many delve into the basics of cultivating a networking relationship for maximum gains? TRUTH OR DELUSION? BUSTING NETWORKING'S BIGGEST MYTHS is key to understanding the pros and cons of networking capabilities - and is also the key to a well-rounded business library. Its chapters different networking truths from delusions, from fallacies in the concept of the Golden Rule to developing the right kind of information networks - which can even include parents. An important key to understanding exactly how and why the networking relationship works - or doesn't.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is a book for relationship marketing or networking for sales. However if you're looking for a broader book on networking in a professional arena then this is not the book for you. I purchased this book thinking the content would cover the later but I was sadly disappointed. Perhaps the term `networking' has other connotations in the US where many of the other reviews were written.

We all have very busy lives and to have a book that will clear up the BIGGEST MYTHS in networking in just 49 points....IT'S GREAT! Taking the quiz and scoring it before you read the book is a MUST! One thing I have learned directly from Dr. Misner is that "you don't know what you don't know!" Do any of us want to be out there networking incorrectly? NO....but what if we dont know if we are doing it right or not? This book is the solution! We can all learn something new, and this book wont let you down! Being involved in BNI and the Referral Institute, it has been great learning from Dr. Misner, Mike Macedonio, and Mike Garrison. This book is a collaboration on items that they teach all the time! It is a GOTTA HAVE IT, GOTTA LIVE IT, GOTTA GIVE IT TO MY NETWORK MEMBERS so they can do the same...type of book. Order it now, and dont forget some for your network too!

A quote from Isaiah sums this book up the best. "If you go the wrong way - to the right or to the left - you will hear a voice behind you saying. 'This is the right way. You should go this way.'" Isaiah 30:21

Integrity and Character are two of the milestones you will pass as you follow McManus' journey through "The Gauntlet". In this age of immediate gratification, McManus reminds us that our faith takes time. One of the biggest takeaways I got from the book, was how we view poverty and sufferring. Character and Integrity are forged in the furnace of suffering and trial. Yet it is not our suffering and trials that define us, it is that which is forged from them.

I recommend this book highly.

If you've attended church and read the Bible, you've heard all these ideas before. Uprising makes all the pieces fit nicely together to make all the religous concepts make sense as God intended, not as many churches have taught.

"In this daring book Erwin Raphael McManus points the way to a life overflowing with passion, freedom, destiny and human creativity-" (from the inside book cover).

So just what is this "way" that McManus points us to? And just how Biblical is his (and the publisher's) attempt to cash in on "The Purpose Driven Life" bonanza? After all, the book's inside flap begins with "...a life of passion and purpose is the cry of every human heart."

From my reading of the book (and from his own words), McManus' bottom line, in a sentence, is this: If we will seek to develop the qualities of honor, nobility and enlightenment (following the pattern set by Jesus), our lives will be changed from "imitation and mediocrity into [lives] of passion and character...that will forever change the world!"

Quite a tall order and quite a promised outcome!

In my opinion, Mr. McManus has simply given us another Christian self-help volume-in addition to the hundreds, if not thousands, already available on the Christian bookshelves of the world.

Please allow me to quote extensively from the book before commenting upon its shortcomings. I want to present an accurate picture of the author's thesis.

(From the book cover flap:) "...reach your fullest potential as a human being" "What would we look like if we became like Him?" "This is the ultimate destination to become the person God dreams of."

"God formed us in His image and then breathed life into us. His life in us is sustained by His character. When we lose the character of God, we lose the life of God in us. But to have His character, we must first die to ourselves, because to become like Him is what it means to really live." p 6

"...this book is a quest for life...a quest to regain what was lost in the fall." p 6

"Our quest is to have God's character formed in us..." p 9

"...course set before us offers the freedom that comes from a discipline of the soul." p 16

"...the pursuit of character." p 16

"...the cry of our own soul screaming, `I want to change!' " p 18

"What do you do when you can't stand the sight of yourself?...you can't escape who you are. ... But you can become someone else. ... One thing is certain-you need to change. ... Change into what? From who you are to who you can become only with Christ." p 19

"To want godly character is one thing; to know how to acquire it is quite another." ... This journey's course is set by none other than Jesus Christ. The path is unveiled by His footprints. To choose His way is to engage in three quests that will not leave us unchanged-a quest for honor, a quest for nobility, and a quest for enlightenment." p 20

"...you alone have to desire to change." p 29

"He (Jesus) promises that if you and I follow Him, we will become like Him at journey's end." p 34

"In the pages ahead we will walk a path marked by the footprints of Jesus." p 36

"You now stand before a gauntlet. The destination you seek requires that you pass through treacherous terrain...three quests: a quest for honor, a quest for nobility, and a quest for enlightenment." p 39

And so forty pages into his book, McManus sets about to convince us of the virtues of godly character development to attain our "fullest potential as a human being."

Is this truly what God wants for our lives? Is this God's solution to the sin problem-the sin of greed, self-centeredness, impatience, etc. Will this "quest" for honor, nobility and enlightenment change our lives from lives of "imitation and mediocrity into one of passion and character...that will forever change the world"??

Hogwash.

Let me be clear that this is not a personal attack on Mr. McManus. Instead it is an attack on a false and dead-end approach to the Christian life.

Let's start dissecting this unbiblical path to "the ultimate destination." From the book cover flap: "...reach your fullest potential as a human being" "What would we look like if we became like Him?"

This, dear reader, is the very same proclamation which was used in the garden of Eden to precipitate the fall of man!! "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God..." (Genesis 3:5). We are NOT to become "like God." We are to be expressers of the life of God through abiding as a branch in Him as the life of the Vine (John 15). This is a RESTING in Him rather than a "quest" for character traits which imitate His life.

On page six McManus says, "God formed us in His image and then breathed life into us. His life in us is sustained by His character. When we lose the character of God, we lose the life of God in us. But to have His character, we must first die to ourselves, because to become like Him is what it means to really live." "...this book is a quest for life...a quest to regain what was lost in the fall."

Hold on here. "His life is sustained by His character"?? I think not. Rather His character is sustained by His life!! His character is the outflowing of His life. There isn't something called "character" which is sustaining God's infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent life. McManus seems to imply that the presence of God's life in us is dependent upon godly character and godly behavior on our part. If we just "die to ourselves"-our ungodly character traits-we shall begin "to really live." McManus thinks that "what was lost in the fall" was godly character traits!! His quest for honor, nobility and enlightenment is a quest to regain what was lost in the fall.

Of course that is not what was fundamentally lost in the fall. It was "spiritual identity" which was lost in the fall. Adam and Eve accepted the belief of an independent selfhood and acted upon that lie. What is needed now is not a quest for godly character traits by fallen or even "saved" humanity, but a dying to the false sense of self (identification in Jesus' crucifixion) and a spiritual re-birth (identification in Jesus' resurrection). This exchanged life produces God's character in our lives-because it's HIS character-filled life rather than our false sense of life. Rather than a "getting" of godly character, it is a realization of the present fact of being "complete in Christ" already. There is a vast difference in these two approaches to true spirituality.

McManus reveals his lack of understanding of what is commonly known as "the exchanged life" in the following quote: "What do you do when you can't stand the sight of yourself?...you can't escape who you are. ... But you can become someone else. ... One thing is certain-you need to change. ... Change into what? From who you are to who you can become only with Christ." p 19

As I read this, McManus wants us to become godly with the help of Christ. But this approach to spirituality denies the new creation and Paul's revelation of "Christ Who is our life" and "I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Only Christ can live a godly life. The natural man cannot become godly. And "Christ Who is our life" need not go on a "quest" for honor, nobility and enlightenment-they are inherently a part of His life.

We are "complete in Christ" and the path to attaining "honor, nobility and enlightenment" is to be still and come into the realization of our oneness with God the Son and God the Father as the answer to Jesus' prayer recorded in John 17:21-23 "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;...."

No mention in this prayer of any "quest" in order to "forever change the world." Until Christians understand and experience the difference between the external "quest" for godliness and the inner realization of the truth which sanctifies and makes free, publishers like Thomas Nelson will continue to make money on self-help books like this one.

Every morning I read a chapter in my quiet time with God and was challenged. This book is thought provoking, causing you to look at your faith and who you are as a follower of Christ, and then to embrace that or change direction to gain greater insight.

It's a book that every believer should read. It's a book that every person seeking to know God should read.

T. Suzanne Eller, author and speaker

Erwin McManus is one of the most compelling Christian authors I've read in a long time. He shares his heart and is transparent about his strengths and weaknesses and how God is changing him. He has a vision for the church today, that we assess what it is we are doing, why, and what we could do to better serve Christ. But the church will only change as individual believers catch the vision and are transformed. Read this book if you are ready to grow!

This is probably one of the most life changing books I have ever read. I would highly recommend this book for any Christian and for any minister of the Word. It will change your life! Paul Tripp presents himself as vulnerable by revealing his own faults and failures and constant need of grace in Christ. He stands alongside of you as you see your own heart revealed and your ongoing need of change. I am a pastor and my ministry has changed drastically for the better because of this book. It is Christ centered and spiritual gold for the layman's book shelf. Anything from CCEF is gold. I thank God for these dear brothers. They have advanced the Biblical teaching of sanctification to great levels, literally getting to "the heart" of the matter.

This is a wonderful book. It explains clearly how our words are meant to honor God. A great resource book and a must read!

Paul Tripp gets right to the heart of the matter. With great skill he is able to reveal to the reader the ugly truth about the condition of their heart. Fortunately, he doesn't leave you there but shows how the power of the Gospel properly applied is the only real solution.

This is one the most helpful books I have ever read and I highly recommend it.

This book is scripturally based and is very helpful to everyone. The subtitle "Getting to the Heart of Your Comminication Struggles" should be "Getting the Heart of Your Struggles". So much of our sin comes from our words and attitudes and this book just drives that home consistently. I can't think of anyone who could not benefit from this book, believer or non-believer. I got on line actually to order four more books for friends of mine.

This is the best book I've ever read on how Christians should behave in terms of communicating with one other. Tripp points out the (not always so) obvious that Scripture clearly teaches that anger is a sin, and if we use anger in our communication, it means we are not trusting God who is sovereign over our lives and circumstances. He asks the pointed question: Are you willing to sin in order to get what you want, or, if you don't get what you want, do you then sin (out of anger, frustration, disappointment, etc.)? He also provides some excellence guidance on anger management. It is both biblical in its teaching and practical in its application.

Perhaps looking forward to this book raised my expectations. I thought the previous two in this series were simply some of the best space opera combined with social commentary scifi available. This book simply does not deliver.

First, there are continuity errors. In one page of the novel, literally, one page, prepackaged meals are called 'prepacks'; in the rest, they're suddenly 'preheats'. Huh?

Second, she changes POV character waaaay too often. You can't even really call this a Koscuisko novel because he appears in less than half of the scenes, and is very rarely the POV character. I don't mind multiple POV novels, but someone as accomplished as Matthews should know that readers need some kind of clue at the beginning of a section as to who is narrating that section. Even just some geographical locator "on board _ragnarok_" or some such would have been an immense help. Half the time I had to go back after a page, when I'd figured out where and who 'we' were, to realign that information in my brain. Sometimes I had to stop in the middle of a section and wonder if she'd changed POV character on me or just got her pronouns confused (which she did, at least twice).

The whole novel has a sloppy feel to it. There's no compelling plot for Andrej; one never feels an awful lot of empathy for Ivers, and even though the surface plot tensions are resolved at the end, the internal problems for Andrej or Ivers are never resolved. And I don't mean 'unresolved' in a way that screams 'sequel'. She wraps everything up pretty tightly, so that I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last novel in the series--everyone's off to a Brave New World, inside the Judiciary or not, and hope is in the air, and.... all the loose ends are just oh so conveniently tied up. (Except the rioting and bombing and looting and why have a prologue in a place that's never EVER mentioned again in the novel?) It's a fuzzy and unfocussed novel that actually at times was a chore to read. I loved her other Andrej novels, but this...well, I wish I could go back in time to a week or so ago and still have hopeful expectations for this novel.

I think Matthews is taking the Conan Doyle approach and chucking Holmes off the cliff in a hope to be done with the whole mess. A shame, really.

You should buy this book.

HOWEVER, I reccomend doing so only if you've read the other Jurisdiction novels-- Exchange of Hostages, Prisoner of Conscience, Hour of Judgement, and Devil and Deep Space. It's not that Warring States isn't a coherent tale on its own-- it is, and a good one. But you won't enjoy it as much if you don't know the context, especially since a fairly major plot in the book hinges on a conflict begun two books ago. Besides, these are all fine characters who deserve some getting to know.

To those who have read the others-- Warring States is a little different from what we've seen before. There's a little less focus on Andrej Koscuisko, and a little more on the workings of Jurisdiction. It isn't a bad thing. All the old themes are still there-- love, and sacrifice, and willful stupidity, and good intentions. And they're just as satisfying as they've ever been.

As in the previous books, the author demonstrates a really refreshing grasp of a universe that exists outside of her main protagonists. Conflicts do not arise in a void; they exist because of other characters-- whose point of view you also get to see things from. None of the characters in Warring States are just handy plot devices.

One of the really nice things about reading Susan Matthews' writing is that if a person is antagonistic, she does not tell you so. She shows you so, by letting you into their head and letting you see how they understand the world. Look, ma, they've got motivations! Ditto her protagonists, and she doesn't exactly attempt to gloss over their flaws, either. None of these people fell from Krypton to leap tall buildings in a single bound. They're just people-- like the villains-- doing what makes sense to them.

It's nice.

So she's got a bunch of great characters. And? And they exist in a well-planned world. There are well defined cultures and governments and it makes SENSE that thus-and-such a character came out of this-and-such a culture. It's all internally consistent, which means there's nothing to jar you out of what is really a fascinating universe.

In the end, Warring States is a compelling book (and we shouldn't expect anything less of this particular author) and a well written one (ditto) and a satisfying one (see previous).

Well, as satisfying as a cliffhanger could be.

Susan R. Matthews returns, after a long wait, with "Warring States," the latest in her "Judiciary" novels featuring Andrej Koscuisko. It's packaged well--a large-size paperback on good paper, and it solves the murder of First Secretary Verlaine that occurred at the end of "The Devil in Deep Space." This time Andrej, after setting one of the two plots in motion, becomes more or less tempest-tossed as the action switches to the doings of Bench Specialist Jils Ivers, who's part of a convocation assembled to pick the next First Judge (while also being a suspect in the murder).

Ms. Matthews tries hard to overcome the inherent clunkiness that she's set for herself by blending the two plots together, and if she doesn't quite succeed, she certainly fails honorably, and it's definitely worth your time. As before her sense of place is extraordinary (when Jils orders a meal in a luxury hotel suite, you'll almost taste the food; when she descends underground where the convocation is being held maybe you'll feel claustrophobic too), and her chilly prose is as lucid as ever. Unfortunately, Andrej, who's worked hard to overcome his sadomaschoism (he refuses to torture people anymore), is a crashing bore after the tempest starts tossing him about after that opening act of his--he seems to have no willpower, nor control over his own life, and his motivations seem principally to have become those which Ms. Matthews assigns him, rather than having grown organically from the story.

In short, the author probably would have been better off writing two novels instead of cramming two stories into this one.

Notes and asides: Bench Specialist Vogel, who used to be Garol Vogel has become Karol Vogel. The handsome cover, by Christian McGrath, depicts, almost certainly, Jils Ivers, but who the man in uniform is could be any one of several characters. That might just be the point.

This is a thoroughly enjoyble book! Especially if you've been reading Susan Matthews before, you'll like this one.

Why? I think that, in the previous 2, Susan couldn't make up her mind about giving Koscuisko a happy ending or getting him killed. The fact that she couldn't make up her mind, hurt those plots. Now she's made up her mind: not to kill him, not to give him a happy ending and nevertheless to change his entire universe. And that brings so much new freshness to this book...!

The plot? Warring states (I think) refers to colliding realities: the Judiciary order with its rules and regulations versus the chaos and turmoil because of the departure of its Enlightened ruler (the First Judge). Free individuals versus slaves. Loyalty to principles and people, versus loyalty to ambition and selfishness. In Koscuisko the warring states are guilt (over the anguish caused by his legal exercising of torture) versus eagerness to relive the thrill caused by the adrenaline rush provided in the act of torturing.

It's a good book in this series, on many levels. Sometimes it's a bit slow, because the dramatic tensions makes you want the action to speed up (skipping forward solved that problem for me).

You'll enjoy it.

The eagerly awaited next installment of The Life & Hard Times of Andrej Koscuisko is here! All major points having been covered in previous reviews, I'll just add my opinion that Susan has done it again. Our beloved favorite characters are all here (even Joslire through his family), including cameos from those we might have forgotten about. The emotions run just as high or higher than in previous books, despite the reformation of certain characters. Hints of what is yet to happen in this universe will keep you checking to see when the next novel is scheduled for release.

I will reiterate the warnings of previous posts, however. This is a volume of a series, so it's best to begin at the beginning with Exchange of Hostages. Otherwise, some of the shocking page-turners in this book just aren't as shocking.

I have read many self help books, but this one was the first that was written in a style for all to understand. I laughed, and cried with the personal stories these ladies shared. I have always thought that we all had to ability to grow and be more loving as a human race, and these ladies showed that in glowing colors. I appreciated their candor and honesty, with a flair for "telling it like it is." I am now smiling more, laughing more, and hugging more. Thank you for showing me that contributing to the human race is that simple.

I was deeply moved by these two courageous and funny ladies.
I bought the book for my mother thinking she would enjoy reading it, but got hooked on the first chapter. I read the book, then bought another for my mother, who could relate to many of the stories. I too, was molested at a very young age, and I am happy to see that a book can treat this topic with such sensitivity and candor.

I am an avid reader, especially anything in the self help department. I was drawn to this book by the cover, but the pages between the cover inspired me, invoked rage, admiration, and taught me that not every self help book has to be full of 75 cent words. I enjoyed the journey these two women took and admire the realistic way in which they shared their personal story. This book has changed my life and the way I view others.
Thank you Carol and Michelle, I can imagine it wasn't easy to write with such candor.

This book is awesome! I mean it is really awesome. I'm 23 years
old, engaged, I will get married in June of 2003. My fiancee made me read it. she didn't like hold a gun to my head, but she made me read it. I loved it. It is not a chick book, but it's about two awesome chicks who say it down and like it is.

My mother bought me this book for my birthday, because she said I have always been seeking acceptance, love, and happiness from others and never myself. I could relate to some of the stories in this book about loving everyone else in life but myself. However, I must say I have not been beat by my husband, or had my best friend molest my son, or run off with my husband. This book taught me that I am responsible for my own destiny, and choices that I make. I found the stories inspirational and then at the end of most chapters there were little things you can do to improve the quality of your life, and your image of yourself. I was blown away that a book has finally come out that deals with true life, and not someone preaching like they are above us all and we will never attain their level of consciousness. Kudos for Carol and Michelle to capture your attention and then show you how you can be just as together and happy without changing your life.

Very comprehensive. Lots of photos, very good history. It did come out a while ago so doesn't have anything about Entwistle's death. But it's a great history of the Who!

The definitive book to have on The Who. Loaded & re-loaded with amazing photographs & anecdotes from a friend of the band who isn't afraid to point out the bad in addition to the good.

I bought this book on its original release back in the 1980's; the updated section to review the years 1983-96 is most welcome. Hopefully, Richard Barnes will release yet another edition that takes into account the years 1997 to the present.

If you're a Who junkie, this book is a must. If you're a new fan, this volume is a fantastic primer into the history of the greatest band there ever was.

This book is an excellent resource for all fans of the classic rock band, The Who. Telling the band's story from their earliest days, the reader will find plenty of detail, interviews, and wonderful photographs to enhance this "amazing journey". The author takes a relatively unbiased stance, leaving out personal opinion in favor of simply stating "the facts".

If you are a fan of The Who, this is certainly a book that deserves a place in your library.

This book is really a great overview of the WHO's career. Starting out when the band started to meet as teenagers and spannig all the way to a few years after Keith's death, this book covers every single recording the WHO did.

Aside from just following the WHO through their career, this book is also jam-packed with those crazy Keith Moon anecdotes and interesting picures.

I really enjoyed this book, and enjoyed seein what one of my favorite bands was really like. I would definately recommend it to anyone who loves the WHO.

As a HUGE Who fan, I first picked up "Maximum R&B" in the late 80's, and recently dug into the updated version.

Richard Barnes was an old art school friend of Pete Townshend's, and remained close to him and the band over the decades. His history of the Who is detailed, mixed with intimiate remembrances, especially of the early days of the band.

Barnes for the most part tells the story with a straight-forward, unbiased eye. He details the tulmultuous relationship between the band members, especially Townshend and Roger Daltrey, and draws on numerous interviews and press articles (the press materials are classic--some very early pix of a very young Detours lineup are among the entertaining bits).

Barnes also examines the Mod movement of the 60's, which was so critical to exposing the Who (for a while the High Numbers) to a hardcore audience.

For Who fans like myself, you may find some minor errors, and Barnes doesn't go too deep into some of the band member's personal lives, except where he seems to have an in. Among these would be Townshend's fascination with Meher Baba, his later drug and alcohol problems, and his later struggles with trying to deal with the Who while establishing himself as a solo artist.

In any case, a fantastic document of the history of one of rock's greatest and most talented bands.

I was fortunate enough to be a student in Dr. Trimble's American Liturature class at the University of Texas in 1989. Before I took his class, my writing was poor and insincere. I did not know how to use my own voice in my work.

After reading his book several times--and finally "getting it", I improved my writing significantly. I am a more successful person because of this book.

Thank you Dr. Trimble.

I've read a lot of books on writing over the years, so many that I've reserved a spot on the corner of my desk for the very best of them so I can refer to them every so often. Only a few books are in this pile: they are the special ones. And one of them is Trimble's book. I discovered it many years ago when it was in its first edition, and have held it in high esteem ever since. Not only does Trimble give you a lot of useful information, he does, indeed , do it "with style." I enjoy both the information and the way he presents it. He covers all aspects of writing, including grammar, and usually when I see a section on grammar in such a book I skip over it, but not in this case. Even it is a delight.

You can read the book very quickly(2-3h) because it is written with great style(Trimble applies what he tells you,which makes the book a very good example to what he says). The advice is very practical, even the chapter on punctuation is useful-very useful i would say. Reading it once was enough for me to start using more expresive punctuation. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve his writing,whatever he may wish to write.

ps:this is the first book on writing i read. it might be that some/much of the advice from this book can be found in other books on writing.however, i think it's good to read this book, because it is short and nicely written;in the end it is a good idea to rehearse some things,sometime

If you only have time and money for one book on writing, get this one. But if you want two books, get this one and "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White.

This book was a required text in a writing class I had as an undergraduate and I actually enjoyed reading it. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I kept my copy instead of selling it back to the bookstore as a used copy at the end of the semester and I've used it for a reference ever since. It often comes in handy when I run up against obstacles in getting a writing project done.

As someone else pointed out, it's not as in depth as some other writing books. It is infinitely more readable and enjoyable, though. I know "enjoyable" is not a word that academics like since there seems to be an attitude of "it's only good if it's painful."

This book shows that good style and enjoyment aren't mutually exclusive. In fact it advises to turn your views and resources to best account to produce writing you'll be proud of. It also gives much more practical and understandable advice for inexperienced writers than anything else I've read.

This book should be a required yearly read for academic writers everywhere. It seems that many have forgotten the reason that they're writing--to communicate effectively--not simply to show off and get a publication under their belt.