R Books

Good book about the grace of God and salvation to everyone that believes in Christ Jesus.

We need to believe in the forgiveness of our sins. God gives us a new heart and a right Spirit through salvation.

Recommend to those that want to understand what salvation is all about.

As with all works done by Spurgeon, this is a timeless classic. First printing in 1894, it is still in print. Simple yet profoundly true, Spurgeon explains the true Grace of God with a heart desire that many will come to know Christ through this work. I actually bought a whole case of 120 of these in paperback to give away from Moody Press. The audio version is awesome. I loaded it onto my iPod to listen while on the go.

There are three great strengths of this book; 1)the ability to make the gospel so clear that even a child can understand, 2)it is written in modern english, and 3)the chapters are very short and to the point. Asking someone to read this is one of the easiest ways to introduce the subject of Christ. The book provides a basis of discussion and followup that many can not deny.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon is considered by many to be the greatest preacher of the 19th century. This book, subtitled, "An Earnest Word with Those Who Are Seeking Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ," is Spurgeon's great explanation of salvation and God's grace. He explains what God has done and why, and what we must do to be saved and to persevere in the faith.

This is a great book, showing the power and intelligence that form the bedrock of Spurgeon's reputation. But, even more, herein you really see his earnest concern for those who are unsaved and dying in their sins. I found this book to be enlightening and uplifting.

It's a truly wonderful book, a true classic of Christian literature - as much alive and relevant to today as it ever was. I highly recommend this book!

Spugeon once again goes into detail here about the grace of God and explains that it works obediance in the life of the believer. I loved most of all his writing on faith as the fountain of salvation and not the basis. Eph 2:8-10. God's grace is the source.....not self-generated faith, for there is no faith apart from God. Faith is simply trusting God and his Word. Trust Him to give you what He deems best, not what you think is best (they are not always the same). The "faith in faith" crowd should read this book. Just trust God, and don't use faith for a list of personal entitlements.

A self-described "working class intellectual" with a passion for collecting jazz records and a "flunky gig" as a file clerk in a VA hospital, Harvey Pekar pioneered the literary comic genre. His long-running series American Splendor portrays not caped superheroes with bulging muscles, but the everyday life of an ordinary guy in Cleveland. Pekar's autobiographical vignettes are introspective, honest, and often funny, candidly revealing his flaws and failures as he pushes on heroically in pursuit of love, companionship, and creative fulfillment.

Pekar's realistic dialogue (the characters speak in different dialects, which helps you "hear" them in your head) accompanies a wide range of art styles by a number of comic artists, from the quirkiness of R. Crumb to the stark realism of Greg Budgett and Gary Dumm and the meticulous, photographic detail of Gerry Shamray.

For me, this book was a great introduction to an addictive series. Chock full of amusing anecdotes and musings on everything from race relations in Cleveland to the joy of a good pair of shoes, it's a slice of life in comic book form.

I've been a fan of Harvey Pekar's work for over fifteen years. The first time I ever read his self-published comix, American Splendor, I was impressed by its examination of everyday life. His self-effacing humor grows on those who want more than mainstream comics starring spandex-clad teens with superpowers. Compared with Pekar, Spidey has it easy.

I was happy when this movie tie-in release of his early collected work was published. The everyday brilliance of the real life interactions between Pekar and his friends, co-workers and loved ones merit more attention by discerning readers. It would behoove anyone who cares about the comix medium to claim a copy for their personal reading enjoyment. This volume is not for collectors, but for fans of alternative graphic literature who want more meat and potatoes rather than the visual eye candy of more mainstream publishers.

Pekar has been described as a "working class intellectual" (The Comics Journal), and this label is respectfully accurate. He comes from a generation who grew up devouring a culture that had more respect for intelligence than is common today. Instead of just mourning this trend, Pekar rebels from it in true beatnik fashion. His long-time association with R. Crumb (who drew the very first American Splendor story, "The Harvey Pekar Name Story") attracted other artists within Cleveland as well as from other locations as the series has progressed.

The everyday heroism of Pekar working a civil service job in order to create his vision of the potential of graphic literature comes through in every page of this collection. I am glad that there are other collections and issues of American Splendor that are available. It would be grand if future generations of comix fans could gravitate around the work that Pekar has never tired from creating. Even at the worst of his lymphoma and chemo treatments, he has never quit observing and relating the drama of everyday life.

i own i think every american splendor collection book there is, and this one is my favorite. there's a few in particular that really blow me away (the one with pekar wondering around a park, reflecting on his past marriage, his present, and whether there is a God is spectacular). there are a wide variety of artists, from the goofy robert crumb drawings to more serious ones. there are certainly weak points IMO, but not as much as in the other collections. while "the quitter" is his most consistent i've read so far, there's no replacement for finding a really cool comic collection like this and reading through it, finding a bunch of random pekar stories and seeing which ones you enjoy best.

American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar is the largest published collection of the comic series, containing the complete text of American Splendor and More American Splendor. With an introduction by R. Crumb and art by Kevin Brown, Gregory Budgett, Sean Carroll, Sue Cavey, R. Crumb, Gary Drumm, Val Materick, and Gerry Shamray this is 320 pages of a classic American comic.

Pekar's work is a cerebral approach to the comic medium. Many of the panels have no dialog and only illustrate the external while the text reveals the thought stream of Pekar's mind. His ability to portray the inner workings of his thoughts, in a humorous and sympathetic manner, is the key to the success of his writings. The comic is a working class version of Seinfeld with a populist self-made intellectual as the leading character. Yet there is a Existentialist angst to this work that puts it in a class by itself.

This collection of Pekar writings from the 1970s and 80s was issued on the heels of the film "American Splendor," and it collects some of the best of Pekar's earlier work. Although not exclusively chronological, the presentation of the material gives a good idea of Pekar's life from his post-high school days through his meeting and marrying Joyce Brabner. (For a strictly chronological memoir, see Pekar's recent The Quitter.)

In the later Pekar work, the centerpiece of much of it is Pekar's obsessive-compulsive anxiety. But a lot of this work focuses on what might be described as Pekar's existential anxiety: his terrible loneliness, his anger and alienation, his dark reflections on the meaning of life, his desire for recognition, his regret over wasted opportunities and adolescent hubris, and his worries about future contingencies (financial security, illness and death, old age). The Pekar who comes through in these pages isn't the lovable crank of the film. Rather, the person who comes through is the outsider, a self-educated man, extremely knowledgeable in literature and music, who disdains a "normal" lifestyle and seeks freedom through nonconformity. Perhaps the finest single piece Pekar has ever written, "I'll be Forty-three on Friday (How I'm Living Now)" speaks to all this. The collection's lead story, "The Harvey Pekar Name Story," in which Pekar winds up asking "Who IS Harvey Pekar?" is a perfect set-up.

Of course, there are also lighter moments in this collection. Mr. Boats (wonderfully illustrated by R. Crumb) appears here a couple of times, and he's always good for a bit of gently funny homespun wisdom. "Mrs. Roosevelt and the Young Queen of Greece" and "On the Corner: A Sequel, June 1976" are touching pieces about the bittersweetness of memory. And the penultimate story in the collection, "Common Sense," would make even a dyed-in-the-wool misanthrope love humanity.

Highly recommended.

If more people took the time to educate themselves about horses and horsemanship in general and Xenophone's book in particular, perhaps we not see so many "show horses" of various popular breeds so physically manipulated by in breeding for only one or two specific traits rather than breeding for the whole horse. What was true in Ancient Greece is truer still today - without good feet, balance in the body and common sense a horse is worthless. Bravo to Amazon for bringing us this excellent book dirt cheap!

The material in this book is thousands of years old but amazing in how modern the approach is to horsemanship. Most of Xenophon's advice is timely even today. It shows how little has changed over the centuries.

This is a must if you are passionate about horses. It is so clear and to the essential point that it is a pleasure to read.

Xenophon covers several aspects of horsemanship, from grooming, leading, and choosing a horse, to mounting, riding, and training a war mount. Very, very interesting to see what is still applicable today. While this isn't a "training" or even a "horse care book," its a great historical reference from those interested in how horses we cared for and trained 2000 years ago. However, for those looking for a story or a book to teach riding skills, I suggest you look elsewhere. Those interested in dressage will find this worth-while, as it is considered the oldest text on the subject.

Xenophon's philosophy and many techniques, though tailored for the development of a war-horse, demonstrate the ageless capacity for human empathy toward the horse. The horse centered work makes the goal of a harmonious partnership attainable. The book interweaves aspects of barn management, riding technique, and early human psychological insights. The translation keeps this work relevant and vibrant. The overriding theme is one of responsibility for the education and wellbeing of the horse. It is, if nothing else, a comfort to read that some horses in the ancient world were treated humanely in the training process...even if under the unfortunate auspices of a warrior culture. Kurt Hartle, Reydon,Suffolk. UK

I just adopted my furry son Riley, and this book has been very helpful. I'm a novice cat owner and, although I'm familiar with cats, I was a bit nervous about deciphering behavior and making his transition easy on both of us. The Complete Guide to Cats is very practical and down to earth - every suggestion comes with several ways of implementing it. I found the guide to behavior and the section on feeding and litterbox selection to be particularly helpful. The section on breeds, while interesting, was a little overwhelming - my guy is an orange tabby of no particular breed and I got a little hung up on the various grooming requirements before I figured him out.

A well written and well informed book that would be a wonderful addition to the bookshelf of anyone who has a cat or is considering adding a cat to their household. Highly Recommended!

Whenever I have a question about my cat, I whip out this book and find my answer in seconds. It presents the information in in an easy-to-find, simple format. I would recommend this to any cat owner. I bought one for my mom when she got a cat.

As anyone who knows me knows, I have cats. I seem to attract them, well, like cats! I have cat joys and cat tragedies especially prominent in the past few years, with two outdoor disappearances and one indoor death, yet with wonderful new additions and the experience of sharing my home with seven new kittens born under my desk one summer, and five more from a different stray the next summer.

I had always considered cats low maintenance, essentially self-sufficient. This was a requirement to me, as I'm not home very often, and when I am, I can't spend too much time on cat duty. This was the reason I opted for cats over dogs. I was raised a dog person. But dogs require attention several times a day. Sorry, can't do it...

Well, with all that happened in the past year, I found that cats, while generally low-maintenance, have periods nonetheless in which they need special care and attention (even if, like Emma, they don't really want it). Thus, being a person in the education mode, I decided I needed to learn more. It just so happened that one of my book clubs was offering the ASPCA Complete Guide to Cats, so I ordered it.

This has been a gem of a book. It is complete, concise yet filled with information, well organised, colourful and picture-ful, durable (slick coating on the covers and a finish on the pages means the cats can walk across with dampened paws and not destroy the book, useful when it is opened when I attending their needs).

The first section discusses how and when to bring a cat home. It addresses such issues as cats and kids, preparing the home for a cat, your own readiness, and which kind is most appropriate for which environment. It also discusses what to do when welcoming your new friend into the home. Food, vet care, litter (to box or not to box, ah, that is a question!), and how to introduce new cats to other cats is discussed.

The second section is a reference guide to cat breeds. In addition to specific breeds organised alphabetically (Abyssinian to York Chocolate) it talks about coat palettes and patterns, colourations, paw and toe issues, and special needs. The breed section identifies special grooming and dietary needs, lap- and kid-friendly breeds, energy, and of course, wonderful photographs of representative cats for each breed.

Section three gives a bit of biological and physiological information, about cats, as well as (if it is possible!) some insight into the psychological functioning of cats. Are they really that smart? Are they really that clean? It addresses mating habits and catnip addictions, too!

The fourth section has been the most important to me, Taking care of your cat. It discusses briefly everyday feeding and care, but then has a good section on potential health concerns, what to do in the case of injury and illness, gives home nursing tips (important with Emma), and how to deal with both the beginning and end of the lifespan, which, with new kittens in the bedroom and a declining Emma in the living room, I was dealing with both ends of the spectrum.

This is an excellent one-volume reference to cats, useful for anyone who cares for cats. The appendices have glossaries, telephone numbers and resources, and recommended readings to continue a feline-related education.

But, if you just pick this one up for the pictures, it would be worth it for that too. And you might just learn something along the way--always a plus.

This was a really good book. The author did a good job at explaining the behaviors of cats. He also points out which breeds are good in which homes. The color pictures are just beautiful... and some are extremely funny. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has even a smidgen of interest in cats. There are so many breeds that I did not know even existed! He also shows pictures and descriptions of mixed breed cats and even points out the benefits of spaying and neutering! So full of information. It had me in awe and I thought I already knew alot. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

Anne Perry, the enormously popular writer of historical fiction, just recommended this ballad by G. K. Chesterton as one of five must read tales of historical fiction. (See the Wall Street Journal's online Opinion Page for April 21, 2007 in an article entitled "Past Tense.") Here's part of what she said:

"This is the story of the English King Alfred's desperate stand against invading Danes in 878. England is conquered, and Alfred is a fugitive when he sees a vision of the Virgin Mary that bids him call together the remnants of his people for a final battle. "The Ballad of the White Horse" is an epic poem of courage, passion and unsurpassable beauty."

If you'd like to read other tales and poems by Chesterton, you might want to get "The Ballad of the White Horse" as part of a collection of his poetry that I edited for not much more money. It's called G. K. Chesterton's Early Poetry and has "The Ballad of the White Horse," along with two other books of Chesterton poetry under one cover. That means you'll also get his best humorous poetry, "Greybeards at Play." No less a writer than George Orwell ranked Chesterton as one of the three best writers of funny poetry in twentieth century England. The poems are a riot of the ridiculous and are accompanied with equally funny sketches he did.

And although Anne Perry and I have the same last name, as far as I know we're not related. Her's is a pen name. Mine is a real name. I guess I'm not creative enough to invent a name for myself.

G. K. Chesterton's Early Poetry: Greybeards At Play, The Wild Knight And Other Poems, The Ballad Of The White Horse

Mr. Chesterton has a masterful skill with the pen; _Orthodoxy_ and _The Napoleon of Notting Hill_ are wonderful books--but _The Ballad of the White Horse_ is heartbreaking in its power, beauty, and nobility. With a stunning use of alliteration, rhythm, and imagery, Mr. Chesterton teaches the reader about true hearts, true faith, and true sacrifice. I have bought a few copies of this book to give as gifts to friends, and I eagerly recommend it to anyone who will listen. This book is a must-have for any individual interested in expanding their knowledge of great poetry!

Out of the thousand or so books I have read in my life, if I were to put the Bible aside (since the Bible speaks with a special authority to believers and cannot really be compared to other books), I have read no more than five or six books that I would call truly great. That means there are only five or six books I would rate at five stars. This is one. Yes, it is that good.

I have never read any author who could make the English language sing the way Chesterton does in this poem -- for over a hundred pages. In contrast to contemporary "poets" whose "poems" consist of a bunch of strange words scattered apparently at random on a page, whose meaning, if there is one, is far beyond obscurity, Chesterton had apparently unlimited ability to create rhyme and alliteration, and then he bound it all tightly in the sing-song ballad style that carries it all swiftly along. The words of this poem are glorious to hear, and really, this book should be read aloud, so that one might hear the music of the words.

And few have ever been able to match the way Chesterton paints pictures with words. I will quote one passage, and hope it is not to long, to illustrate this. The scene here is Alfred's army making one final charge against the Danish camp:

Then bursting all and blasting
Came Christendom like death,
Kicked of such catapults of will,
The staves shiver, the barrels spill,
The waggons waver and crash and kill
The waggoners beneath.

Barriers go backward, banners rend,
Great shields groan like a gong,
Horses like horns of nightmare
Neigh horribly and long.

Horses ramp and rock and boil
And break their golden reins,
And slide on carnage clamorously,
Down where the bitter blood doth lie,
Where Ogier went on foot to die
In the old way of the Danes.

It would be hard to imagine anyone anyone describing such a violent scene in so few words any better than Chesterton does in that passage. And this passage is but one of dozens of glorious word-pictures that Chesterton's poetry paints in this book.

Beyond its magnificent use of the English language, this book also contains much philosophical insight -- insight that, although first published in 1911, is directly and clearly applicable today. Chesterton expresses very clearly the way that Christianity has formed the heart of Western culture over the ages, and the way that Christian faith -- which seems all about self-denial and thus sadness -- leads to unconquerable joy.

The book, of course, is not perfect; no work of literature can be. There are places where it gets a bit too preachy for my taste. But the book's flaws are few and minor, while its good points are many and glorious.

How good is this book? I have read it at least 50 times in my life, and I still enjoy reading it. In my opinion it is one of the truly greatest works written in the English language. It is one of the few books I have read that truly deserves five stars.

I had read some of Chesterton's fictional books, most of which contain poems which he has written, and I very much enjoyed his poems, so I decided to get a book of his poetry. This too I really enjoyed, so I decided to get another book of his poetry, this time it was The Ballad of the White Horse, and this book simply blew away all of the rest of Chesterton's poems. In fact, it simply blows away most poems by anyone. I have read Dante's Divine Comedy, Milton' Paradise Lost, Eliot's Wasteland, Chaucer's Canturbury Tales, etc., but I can honestly say that I enjoyed this epic far more than any of them. I am not saying that it is a better written poem or that it should be ranked above these classics, but I am saying that it is much more exciting to read than the others. Somehow Chesterton makes his poem involving: you are drawn into it and cannot put the book down until you have finished the chapter. He wrote it in such a way that the verses beg to be read quickly, and as I read I found myself reading faster and faster, until I was stumbling over the words and had to slow down again. Chesterton, like no other poet whom I know of, paints a picture of glory, honor, bravery, and captures the true spirit of an idealized Medieval War. The poem resounds with the drums of doom, the cries of angels, the hordes of invading barbarians and great deeds of heroes of old. If I were to recommend owning one epic poem, this would be the one.

Overall grade: A+

A stirring epic poem with a message important for the future of western civilization...to act on hope when there is no longer any hope... The outcome is always, finally, in God's Providence. "The Ballad of the White Horse" should have great appeal for young men who can dream impossibilities because they are firmly grounded in the eternal verities. The battles scenes will fire the blood!

First off, Col. Bolger was a great battalion commander who gave NCOs and Officers who screwed up second chances, something that was unheard of in the 101st Airborne Division at the time. What we learned at JRTC is, a leader must adapt his training to the environment and this case, the environment is MILES or laser warfare. You can't tell me the OPFOR would run around behind small bushes when a rifle Platoons SAW's and 60's are blazing, it just wouldn't happen. The enemy would break contact if the weren't cut down in a wall of lead. But we learned to be effective in an environment where small groups of soldiers who carry butt packs, wear boonie caps, and spend every waking minute zeroing their MILES lasers is, you have to do the same...that's what good leaders do. So we spent months perfecting the art of MILES warfare and honed our call for fire skills and essentially turned the tables on the OPFOR. We coined the "system" earth pigs!

I've been through JRTC six times and the most effective units are the units who spread their units out, spend a lot of time zeroing their MILES, and have good casevac plans.

I was a team leader in Bravo Company and during the first rotation and like SSG Eric Bitzer said, the Company commander showed his incompetence by leaving our platoon in the open on the side of the hill after the initial assault. In leadership theory you learn about the emotional competency known as self regulation. I saw a company commander have a virtual breakdown on the objective after our platoon leader LIED on the radio about our location. Self regulation basically refers to your ability to regulate your own behaviour, speech, and emotions.

I served in units after where this kind of mistake would have led to the automatic relief of duty on the spot. Something the comapny commander in question liked to do with the soldiers under his charge. Didn't have your PVS7 on when it got dark? Automatic article 15, even if they didn't work. Great way to look out for your soldiers?

I think not.

If you want to see the deatils of a unit preparing for combat and the training involved, I recommend this book. Col. Bolger was one smart officer.

Daniel Bolger has done an excellent job explaining not only what goes on at the Joint Readiness Training Center, but he does much to explain how and why his first experience there was a bust and more importantly how he corrected his mistakes and performed outstandingly in a later opportunity. Excellent book on what goes into battlion level command.

I disagree with the reviewer complaining about jargon.If you are afraid of learning a little military jargon then you shouldn't be reading books about command and control. The small amount of jargon used in this book is easy to keep track of.

I am SSG Eric Bitzer I was there during this battle I was the Point Man for Bco 1/327inf when we hit the opfor the problem is not army doctrine but was in a decision that was made by the company commander of Bco 1/327 inf to stay on the objective after taking it instead of moving off the objective that all light units do. If we would have moved off the objective this battle would have been a total success. Remember that this book is from a Battialion commanders veiw not from a soldier that fought the battle Col. Bolger makes some great points and was also a great commander but the fault is not his it was with one of his company commanders.

This is another good book by COL Daniel Bolger, this time about his battalion's (101st ABN) rotations to JRTC in 1994 and 1995. Lots of great details and observations about JRTC and the OPFOR. Bolger's battalion was badly abused in its 1994 rotation and he decided to get even the next time, which was fortunately less than a year later. Bolger criticizes the Deliberate Decision Making Process (DDMP), big Tactical Operation Centers and suggests alternatives. Thought-provoking as always but I don't agree with everything he says. There is no doubt that the US Army's cumbersome DDMP is geared toward set-piece, short-term battles but Bolger's approach combines common sense with anti-staff bias to try and just avoid all that messy staff work. From the intelligence viewpoint, he is dead wrong because Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) does save lives and it does take time to do it right. Bolger's command instincts are good, particularly about nitty gritty items like reducing soldier loads, but there is bias here that detracts from his message. For example, sometimes he says erroneous things, like the S-2 (intelligence officer) is on the S-3's staff (the S-2 works for the commander, not the S-3). Maps are poor.

The Battle for Hunger Hill should force the US Army Infantry School as well as the gurus at Ft Leavenworth to seriously consider re-writing current doctrine for light infantry units (especially with regard to Low Intensity Conflict and OOTW). The 1-327 Infantry proves again and again throughout the text that the "cookbook solution" (i.e. doctrine applied as dogma) is often the surest way to ensure one's own defeat. Rather, HOW to think instead of WHAT to think is the surest way to secure victory.

Any soldier or leader concerned with mission accomplishment and force protection through the artistic application of Maneuver Warfare (Auftragstaktik) simply MUST read this book. It is highly entertaining as well as informative. Indeed, any commander whose unit is scheduled for a rotation to JRTC should require every officer and NCO to read this book no later than twelve months out (thirty-six months out for RC units). You may go without it...but only at your own peril.

This small book condenses many prayers and important words of the bible into an easy to read book. Absolutely incredible and well worth it.

This book is a very handy reference to answers in the Bible on whatever you are searching for. It is inspirational and very practical.

I ordered one of these books for each one of adult kids, neither of which is what would be called 'religious', but both of which appreciate this book. It quotes verses from the King James Version translation. There's quite a bit from the book of Proverbs. Everyone has things they have to deal with and work through in this live; and this is a nice, uplifting little book that could help.
I'm in agreement with some of the other reviewers that it would be good to drag out your Bible and read the verses in context. Merely picking out a verse or two from the Bible and basing your entire belief system on those really isn't going to cut it.

Beautfully bound! Perfect size for my purse. This is a wonderful collection of Bible promises for every need - comfort, anger, fear, pride, pain, loss, and all the other difficult encounters on earth, until we join Him in Heaven.

This is a great book to have. It would make a good stocking stuffer, and is just the right size to carry anywhere.

As a Director of Christian Education, I wish I would have had this CD sooner as a tool for Sunday School teachers and Confirmation guides. It provides a marvelous overview of the Bible, with detailed information about each book, its key themes and its key figures. I thought the images and maps were terrific--they help to provide a sense of place and a context for many of the Bible stories. The Tutor would be a great tool for self-study or for use with small groups. It would also be a nice reference for Bible study leaders--it would enable novice leaders to develop a sense of comfort with the Bible narrative.

I highly recommend the Bible Tutor for all levels....Sunday School, confirmation, seminary, adult eduction, or just a family project. It makes learning the facts fun.

This CD is a great overview of the Bible. It is easy to manuever. Self-test questions are cross-referenced with detailed information. Charts, pictures, test questions, and text provide a variety of methods for learning the material. Works on MAC or PC computers.

I am a seminary student serving as an intern this year and have been using this program as an additional learning tool in our Confirmation classes. There is often competion among the kids to see who can get the most right answers. This is a fun and easy way to refresh one's Biblical knowledge or to teach those new to Scripture in a non-threatening and interesting way. Older folks who have used the program feel challenged by the more advanced level. This program also inspires extra reading and research into the Bible and that has been the real reward for many who have used it in this parish.

The interactive cd allows the reader to learn about the Bible in a more in-depth manner than merely reading the text descriptions often found within. Links in the program allow you to see pictures of the locations (in modern times), learn more about the culture, or get an overall description of the individual books. Once you think you know the information, if you desire you can test your knowledge with the quizzes. It's a great tool for anyone, whether they are new to the Bible or a seasoned reader.

Who wants to diet the rest of their lives? I certainly don't and now with this book, I don't have to. I gotten more out of this one book than all the diet books I have ever read. Believe me, this is the last book I'll need to buy and I am sure you'll find that to be true, as well. You are given numerous choices of ways to loose weight, one that should fit your personality to a tee. Unless you are planning on changing your personality any time soon, once you decide what plan works for you, you'll find it will become a part of your every day lifestyle. You will learn to eat and exercise in a way that you can do forever. Not only do you discover alot about yourself in this book, but you'll find out about all aspects of your life to make it healthier. An investment in this book is pennies compared to the thousands of dollars in medical bills you may encounter if you don't get the weight off.

If someone says he or she can't find a plan in this book that allows them to be successful in losing weight, then I don't think they really want to lose weight. By finding out about my personality type, I was able to choose the plan that works best for my type. It makes it so easy because you don't have to use willpower to succeed. You just honor who you are and work with the strengths you have. Yet, there is so much more in this book. I learned a great deal about the essentials of good nutrition, what to look for in the grocery store, cooking tips, exercise ideas, and how to deal with stress. I realize that my lack of knowledge in some of these areas was part of the problem. No more. The best part of this book is that it's something I can stick with and not call a diet. It's just the new me!

Even though I was born after 1964, the year when the last of the boomers was born, I was curious to see what this book was about.  It was neat finding out what life was like when my parents were growing up as boomers.  Makes me realize how much I take for granted, such as the microwave oven and cell phone.   I discovered some great ways to lose weight.  What the author offers is as good for boomers as it is for all ages.  I learned things about nutrition that I never knew and will definitely use to get off these stubborn pounds to avoid the middle-aged spread that my parent's generation suffers from. 

Even though I was born after 1964, the year when the last of the boomers was born, I was curious to see what this book was about.  It was neat finding out what life was like when my parents were growing up as boomers.  Makes me realize how much I take for granted, such as the microwave oven and cell phone.   I discovered some great ways to lose weight.  What the author offers is as good for boomers as it is for all ages.  I learned things about nutrition that I never knew and will definitely use to get off these stubborn pounds to avoid the middle-aged spread that my parent's generation suffers from. 

I felt like I was taking a walk down memory lane as the author shared tales of how it was to grow up as a boomer ... from the diet products to the gizmos and gadgets that were used to lose weight. As I was growing up, I never heard anyone talking about how important it is to take into consideration who the dieter is - what his or her needs are -not just nutritionally, but mentally and emotionally, as well. Even though there is a great deal of nutrition information in these pages (all very well worth the reading), it's the appreciation that one diet approach doesn't work for all. With four different plans geared to the various different personality types, there's no question you'll find a way to be successful. I highly recommend this book and hope others have the success that I've been having. I no longer look at food as the enemy.

This story is every bit as poignant and masterful as most reviewers have said. This is only my 4th novel by Ms. Vine and although I thought the previous two I'd just finished were lackluster The Brimstone Wedding negates any disappointment I may have had.

I did not realize, really, how invested I was in the story of Genevieve Warner and Stella Newland until page 260 when I cried. Just very suddenly cried. I feel rather silly writing that now so I think I must explain. The sadness at that point in the story was overwhelming. It was as if I'd been right there in the midst of it; that all throughout I'd been alongside these women whose lives could not have been more different and yet so much alike. It must be a gift - when you can render your reader helpless so that he has no choice but to enmesh himself in your tale. And for this to happen so effectively that no emotion from him need be manufactured artificially. How well Ms. Rendell knows the human heart.

I make it sound melodramatic, but this novel isn't melodrama. It's a bona fide mystery. The suspense is edgy and you're constantly egged on by Stella's piecemeal revelations that you keep turning the pages and reading as fast as you can to get to your payoff. And I guarantee, the payoff is divine. Sad, yes, but divine.

What Barbara Vine (aka Ruth Rendell) does best is make us uneasy. You can never settle right in and accept the persons and scenes quite the way they are presented. "What a lovely girl --- and yet?" is a typical reaction. In "The Brimstone Wedding" Ms. Vine is at her best, right up there with "Dark Adapted Eye." The novel is beautifully crafted, the prose spare and the atmosphere of the Fen Country in East Anglia is perfect. Because The Fens are a series of islands based in the boggy soil, the foundations are forever shifting. Nothing changes, but nothing stays exactly the same which is an excellent setting for this haunting tale.

Jenny/Genevieve Warner is a care assistant at a luxurious home for the elderly where she has built a friendship with terminally ill, exquisitely turned out Mrs. Stella Newland. Two women could not be more different on the surface. Jenny is a modern, practical, hard working country girl who has never traveled and is a product of village life and education. Stella comes from the gentry, married very well and seems so sheltered as to have come from a different age all together. Yet the sparkling Jenny's humdrum marriage is teetering because she has discovered passion in the form of a married lover. Stella has some dark secrets she has lived with for over twenty years and wants to share them with Jenny. Stella believes in nothing, but would like redemption. Jenny believes in everything: omens, charms, and every passing happenstance has psychic meaning for her. Jenny is willing to work her way to better things; Stella is passive. But why does Stella own a house that no one knows about? And why is she afraid to even ride in automobiles when she once was considered a dashing driver? Why does she refuse to sit outside in the sunshine?

The author keeps us asking these questions and sends us down some strange paths to get the answers. We know we are heading for a nameless horrific climactic event in Stella's past that will somehow impact on Jenny's present, but what can it be? Ms. Vine never falls into a Gothic romance-type of trap. Her people and events are sharp edged. Stella smokes irritably in spite of the fact she is dying of lung cancer. When Jenny finally works up her courage to leave her husband, he will not take her seriously; so what should be a grand melodramatic episode degenerates into farce. "I'm leaving you Mike"----"Well take the washer and leave the car, there's a good lass."

The author builds the tension until we are wrought up for at least a tornado strike, and she doesn't disappoint. Then when we think we have taken quite enough for one day, she adds another zinger. A great well-done page-turner.

This was the best book I've read in a loooooooong time! I read alot and am quite particular that the books I read have some substance and make you think a bit. This was all that and more! The last page literally popped my jaw on the floor! What a great read.....I'm anxious to read some other books by the same author.

Driven by atmosphere and character, this novel by Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine, centers around two stories of infidelity and deception.

Genevieve, 32, a working-class caretaker at a private nursing home, confides her affair to her favorite patient, Stella, who is middle-class, educated, affluent and dying. Stella responds with the keys to a house none of her family knows she owns, a house no one has visited in 30 years. She asks Genevieve to report its condition.

Shocked that something so valuable could be simply abandoned -for whatever reason - Genevieve appropriates it as a trysting place, her curiosity only slightly piqued by the abandoned, burned car in the garage, the photographs hidden away, the food and champagne left in the refrigerator.

And so begins a story in tandem as Genevieve's stolen meetings alternate with Stella's story of her own doomed love. Character precipitates the events of the plot, and as we increasingly sympathize with Stella's shy dignity and Genevieve's fretful ardor, foreboding envelops the narrative like a London fog. Not to be missed.

Genevieve Warner, a young woman trapped in a hopeless affair and a loveless marriage, works at Middleton Hall, a home for the elderly. Most of the residents are pleasant enough, contentedly reminiscing about their lives to their carers, but Stella is different. Stella and Genevieve immediately form a bond, taking to one another, seeing little bits of their own personality and situation within the other. Unlike other residents, though, Stella is sharp, smart, and in control, and she does not share the memories of her past, so retains a definite air of mystery. But Stella is dying of lung-cancer, and now she feels a desperate need to tell someone the story of her eventful life, so that her secrets do not die with her, following her into the grave, unknown forever. Thus, she decides to tell her story to Genevieve, slowly unfolding a tale that is moving, powerful, and, ultimately, subtly horrific.

This, "The Brimstone Wedding", is yet another masterpiece of atmospheric fiction from Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell). Yet again she synthesises her twin storylines - one in the past, one in the present - brilliantly, and they eerily mirror each other down the generations. She builds the atmosphere brilliantly in both the time periods, and the suspense is continually ratcheted up, helped along by subtle and tantalising hints as to what exactly Stella's shocking secret could possibly be.

This time around, the characters are also more likeable than is the norm for a Vine novel, so it has a warmer, deceptively (and dangerously) cosy feel, which is juxtaposed with the usual chilly atmosphere and down-to-the-bones and wonderfully detached writing style. They're characters you are motivated to care deeply about, which serves to make this not only a powerful in places but also very moving. Certainly, there was one point when I even shed a few tears.

The story is told brilliantly, giving readers enough information to satisfy, but yet as little as possible, to ensure that they need continually to turn the page to find out more. It all culminates excellently with a shocking revelation about the true nature of Stella's secret. This revelation is not overblown and exaggerated, as some authors might make it, instead Vine underplays it, clearing it entirely of melodrama and simply telling things exactly as they were, which forces the reader to actually think about it, thus bringing huge power to the climax.

This, a masterpiece that is the sum of many excellent parts, is a complete triumph for Vine, matching up very equally with my previous favourite of hers, the erotic and chilling genius that is "No Night Is Too Long". Neither of these books should be passed over by any reader worth their salt.