Reed Books

I have enjoyed adding this newly released edition of Mary Reed Newland's work to my family library. The book walks readers through the liturgical calendar, suggesting activities, projects, devotional practices, and prayers to accompany Catholic families as they celebrate the course of the Catholic year from Advent through Thanksgiving. The book contains many wonderful ideas and traditions for celebrating the faith as a family.

Stanley Cornils in "Your Healing Journey Through Grief" writes to share with grieving people better ways of dealing with grief and to try to help them understand that what they are experiencing is normal, that it's okay to cry, to be angry and to experience bewilderment.

Conils, a retired minister, after years of observing and counseling grieving, hurting families, has developed a series of Grief recovery Seminars. This book represents the culmination of these efforts to help people who are struggling with the trauma of losing loved ones through death or divorce.

Written as a tool to help the grieving learn how to survive loss, Stanley Cornils believes a survivor can go on to lead a fulfilling life. The book is organized in a way to help the reader translate the knowledge gained into resourceful and constructive action to help work through a normal, natural mourning experience. I appreciated the practical lists of suggested activities in the chapter using letters of COPE to help the reader in assimilating these steps. Cornils provided suggestions for support groups available and a complete bibliography of additional books and resources for further reading and reference.

I personally found this book a comfort in my own recent journey through grief, after the loss of a family member in an unexpected tragedy. I plan to pass it along to others in the family to help them in their grief recovery process.

"Your Healing Journey Through Grief" is an excellent guide for individual readers or for support group facilitators.

Catholic writer Mary Reed Newland published this fascinating little book in 1970. It's a commentary on the youth revolution of the 1960s from an open-minded adult's perspective -- in this case, a specifically post-Vatican II Catholic perspective. And it provides a real flavor of the temper of the times, the philosophical & cultural questions in the air, providing insight into the hopes & fears of both parents & teenagers.

For anyone who wants to understand how the 1960s felt, why it was more than just the flashy, superficial stereotypes that pass as history today, a book like this is superb. The paperback originals that were published & then quickly forgotten remain the freshest, most immediate windows into a particular time. Newland is honest about her misgivings, her changes in attitude over the course of the decade, and her questions about the future in store for her children. The sacramental life she cherishes took on new forms then, but she delves beneath the period appearances & gets to the heart of it.

In short, here's a look at the sweeping changes & conflicts of the times from a personal viewpoint, one that looks at the local community & the reactions of ordinary people, rather than the famous names of the era. I hope someone is collecting this sort of material for an archive, because this is where the nitty gritty of history is to be found. Just excellent!

Suzuki was a brilliant writer who was able to put forth the foundations of Zen, as it pertained to the warrior, suberply and without flaw. He lightens the darkness of the Sword of Life and the Sword of Death and balances the full scope of the two, how the true warrior knows, through Zen training, when to weild either of them. A remarkable book! Invaluable to the serious Zen practitioner or the martial artist who values the worth of Zen in their training.

To be fair, I should mention up front that I did some of the proofreading on this book. Dr. Hardy was my professor for General Psych and we have kept in touch over the years. That being said, I believe I can still give a review that is as impartial as any other.

I have read a number of books on Zen and other eastern subjects. This one is up there with Watts' "The Way of Zen". It's a very user friendly introduction to Zen. Hardy spends a brief amount of time talking about the history and philosophy of Zen. He doesn't belabor this material but instead gives just enough to provide some context.

The book spends more time talking about the actual practice of meditating. Hardy gives instructions on how to begin and some of the pitfalls and milestones you may find along the way.

Hardy speaks from his own experience. He doesn't push any agenda or any specific way of viewing Zen. He leaves it up to the reader to find his or her own path. That is the essence of Zen.

This was a wonderful approach to writing business proposals. I thought it provided a holistic view of the writing process and very helpful pointers.

Orwell displays brilliance at every turn in this acclaimed work. The depth of social commentary, non-stop plot, rich characters and fluid sytle make this a classic in every sense. The aventures of Winston Smith, the main character, provide incisive, memorable insights into the nautre of human affairs. This book deserves all the praise it has received over the years. Highly recommended.

Twisted view of a future world, even more creepy looking at it from a time 20 years after this imaginary future... it is interesting to compare and contrast this book with reality...

This has to be one of the most important books in the modern era, never has a book changed the way I viewed government, and society as this book has. You'll be reflecting upon this book for days and even well after.

1984 is the kind of book that I admire more than like. I admire Orwell for how detailed and believable the world he builds is. For his efforts to set a dark and unsettling mood and for his detailed analysis of its politics.

The reasons I don't like it as much as so many other people? Well, it didn't do anything for me. I couldn't relate or feel anything for the characters. I didn't find the story haunting or particularly appealing. It didn't even make me think, when I was reading books like Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 or Camus' The Fall I had to close every few pages to think about it, because I couldn't hold my thoughts back, with 1984 this didn't happen at all.

Reading it's a subjective experience, no matter how good a book is, if you don't feel anything as a result of reading it, why then give it a high rating?
I wish I'd liked it better, or at least spotted any major reason for my dislike, but I didn't.

"1984" is George Orwell's warning of the dangers of a totalitarian society. The main character in the novel, Winston Smith, is a low-ranking member of the ruling Party in the country of Oceania. Winston and his fellow citizens are monitored everywhere they go, even in their own homes. Party members spy on everyone using ever-present telescreens, and pictures of "Big Brother," the Party's leader, are on display everywhere. The Party's main goal is to eliminate all forms of individual thought, which can lead to rebellion. In order to do that, the language of Newspeak is being integrated into society in hopes of eliminating 80% of all words and thus reducing the chances of a revolt. Sex is also another aspect of life considered taboo by the Party, and Winston eventually begins an affair with a woman named Julia with full knowledge of the fact that if they get caught, they could both be killed by the government. Winston ultimately finds himself fighting a dangerous battle with the Party, and it's a fight he cannot possibly hope to win.

This novel is as powerful now as it was when it was written in the late 1940s. Orwell's commentary about the dangers of totalitarianism coupled with an analysis of the powers of psychological manipulation are truly frightening. I can't say that this book is enjoyable to read because the subject matter is very disturbing, but "1984" is a well-crafted and thought-provoking book that should be ready by everyone.

Hands down one of the best books I have ever read. This books should be part of the high school curriculum. The style of writing is easy to read but very detailed and draws you in so deep, you don't want to put it down. You've never felt so proud of the brave men and women serving our great nation, nor have you ever felt so proud to be an American. This book had me crying like a baby by the end. A must read!

This is the true story of a band of brothers in Seal Team 10 and there final mssion in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan. Marcus Luttrell talks about his experiences going through Seal training the friens and family that he has and still remembers. There are many great "one liners" in this book. He shows a glimps of what the afghanies mainly "Pashtun" tribesmen are like. Especially th one's that give him "lokhay". Absolutely incredible, a must read. It will make you think about the U.S. situation for a long time! For man and woman alike.

One of the most phenomenal books I have ever read. It's almost hard to believe that it's real. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

I bought this book believing I would get into the heart and soul of a Navy SEAL and come to understand some of the subtleties of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Unfortunately, the book is so filled with bravado and testosterone that it offers almost no lens on the war and the challenges of being in a difficult strategic _and_ tactical battle situation.

If you want to hear about how many pull-ups a SEAL can do, buy this book.

If you want a well-rounded, thoughtful, open-minded analysis of the life of a SEAL in the morally tenuous wars we find ourselves in, take a pass.

Anyone who blindly kills on demand, is 100% loyal to the president regardless of the decisions that leader makes, and who cannot introspect about the situation at hand needs to reboot their hard drive and rediscover what it is to be human, humane, and a warrior at the same time.

Caveat: I only read the prologue, the first three chapters and the 6th and 7th chapters.

I am an avid reader of military history and greatly enjoy Mark Bowden and Anthony Beevor as my favourite military authors. I purchased "Lone Survivor" because of its favourable comparison to "Black Hawk Down".

I tried to read this during a long flight. But my stomach churned as a read the first part of the book. Not due to any thrilling narrative but due entirely to the extreme jingoism of the author. I can understand the author's point of view. After all, he is part of the story and watched his mates die in the field. However, for this reader, Mr. Luttrell's characterization of Iraqis and Afghani's as "terrorists", "fanatics" and "maniacs" is just too much. As I tried to read the book, I felt like Eddie Murphy's character in "48 Hours" as he walked into the cowboy bar. In other words, I felt entirely out of place and uncomfortable.

In frustration, I jumped ahead a few chapters hoping to concentrate on Mr. Luttrell's eyewitness account of the ill-fated SEAL mission. However, I was unable to avoid the author's political and social commentaries. The last straw for me was Mr. Luttrell's statement that the West was the "civilized half" of the world. Clearly, Mr. Luttrell is not aware of what happens in the housing projects or emergency wards of America or virtually any other Western nation. At this point, I closed this book and stuffed it deep into the airplane's seat pocket.

Mr. Luttrell clearly, and understandably, lives in a world of black and white where Americans are heroes and America's enemies are all cowards. If you share this belief, then you might enjoy this book. If you feel otherwise, then you might just leave this book on the plane as I did.

We loved this movie when it first came out. Our children never got tired of watching it. We recently decided to add the DVD version to our collection.

The DVD is excellent! Took me back to childhood when it first aired on TV.

This movie is the best Alice in Wonderland ever made it is for children as well as adults.

my kids watched this over and over on vhs, I just had to get the dvd, lots of famous movie stars acting silly.

I remembered waiting to see this on T.v. when it came out. I always wanted to see it again, so was so excited when I found it on DVD. It was as great as I remember. So many outstanding actors and some surprises. The songs are captivating and the costumes outstanding. It is a for T.V. program, in the 80's, and it looks that way. Still it doesn't take away from the quality and enjoyment of the program. It's dramatic and asks one to buyin to that type of show. All the kids I've shown this to, love it. Classic!

This story very much appealed to the role-playing game aficionado in me. The atmosphere felt both elaborate and decrepit with a tinge of ancient tradition. The period and location definitely played a major role in dressing the characters. As a consequence, they are left with no choice but to exhibit their true nature. Carefully planned but never felt contrived. Exquisite example of Eco handiwork.

The learned & scholarly author, Umberto Eco has heaped mystery upon mystery in this epic tale. This book may be considered esoteric, as it does take more of an effort to read. However, the reader shall be rewarded! The reader will learn the depravities of 14th century. He will also become apprised of examples of how the Catholic church warped the message of Jesus Christ. The book is a venerable deposit of knowledge that gives the mind a justified work-out.

As a mystery this book was just OK, if even that. I enjoyed Foucault's Pendulum because with that book you learned a lesson that I often think about. I was expecting something similar with this book but all I got was a book that was a pain in the rear to read and did not offer anything of substance for the effort.

This book reminds me of the line "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out." Apparently, there's a murder mystery to be found somewhere between the cover's 500 pages. The murder whodunit is actually a pretty good one if you can stand wading through the many, many -- did I say many -- arduous pages of jumbo that goes nowhere. I barely give this two stars because I realize the author does a nice job putting together the numerous philosophical conversations. My advice is to skip this book unless you're looking for an academic read and discussion.

After finally finishing the story I am happy to have read it. The ending was strong and wrapped up the story in its entirety well. It was hard for me to follow much of the very religious-based material that the author wrote about. This caused many longer passages throughout the story to be a bit lost on me and at times I admit I struggled to press on. I would happily read another Umberto Eco novel again however, although not in the near future for his novel's depth and the required commitment can be a little daunting. This book isn't for everyone but is of an astoundingly high quality in both the historical effect as well as the prose.