Richard Books

Fans of soul music will find Richard Younger's Get a Shot of Rhythm and Blues to be a fine biography of one Arthur Alexander, a singer/songwriter who may not be well known by name, but whose songs influenced the 1960s rock musicians. A fine coverage of his life and achievements is presented in a lively survey of soul and rock and roll music.

This is a great book that provides clear and concise insight into the life of Arthur Alexander. The story behind the singer, the songwriter and a true influence behind some of the greatest figures of rock and roll. This story should be made into a movie so everyone can learn about this unsung hero. Richard Younger has researched Arthur's life, the people he affected directly, and the soul of this talented man. READ THIS BOOK AND LEARN THE STORY OF A MAN WHO DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AND REMEMBERED!!!

After being a fan of Arthur Alexander in the early sixties he seemed to drop out of sight, occassional records but very little else seemed to appear, this book puts the record straight and fills in all those gaps. It also goes a long way to answering the reasons that he did not make it to the position in the music scene that his undoubted talent deserved. The book is very well written by Richard Younger who obviously felt very deeply about the subject, he deals with the problems that AA encountered in his music career and his private life. It was sad that at the very time that AA was begining to make a comeback and he was again showing the talent that was always there he was taken from us. He had become religious during the last few years and this seemed to have a calming effect on him and I am sure that he would have again had big selling records. Thank you Richard for an insight into the life of Arthur Alexander through the highs and lows.

Fans of soul music will find Richard Younger's Get A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues to be a fine biography of one Arthur Alexander, a singer/songwriter who may not be well known by name, but whose songs influenced the 1960s rock musicians. A fine coverage of his life and achievements is presented in a lively survey of soul and rock and roll music.

Arthur Alexander was always a mystery man - till now! Richard Younger's biography of one of the most distinctive and influential black singers of the 60s sheds sympathetic illumination upon the life, the music - and the demons - of this woefully underrated singer/songwriter (the only writer to have songs cut by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan). AA's hugely-satisfying vocals married to his distinctive soul-country arrangements (his reputation was founded on just four 1962 Dot-label singles) emerged moments before the UK beat boom swept the globe and was crucial in its influence on the Beatles and the Stones. Younger's book explains how it all came about, taking us on a roller-coaster ride through AA's life of musical and personal extremes. With a series of revealing interviews he transports us to the heart of the Alabama music scene and charts Arthur's role in the foundation of the Muscle Shoals/Fame recording empires. Whether you're a long-term Alexander devotee, a soul music buff, or simply a Sixties survivor, then you'll find this unputdown-able tome a tonic that'll have you listening with a fresh ear to those perennial Alexander classics.

If you'd rather spend most of your time on your creative work rather than wade through the government's articles and circulars on copyright issues, I can't recommend this book enough. Getting Permission not only addresses common misunderstandings about copyright issues, but it provides clear instructions for getting permission if in fact you need to. Before I purchased this book, I was under the impression that you always had to request permission, but that isn't the case. This is one of the most valuable references you can own if the topic of copyright seems overwhelming, and I highly recommend that you read it before creating your masterpiece.

I can't add much to the other reviews for this book, but I would like to add my two cents...

This book does an excellent job of describing when permission is necessary for copyright and trademark issues, and give sample agreements to obtain the necessary consents. The book is very clearly and intelligently written and gives readers a very good sense of when permissions are necessary from a legal perspective or highly advisable from a practical point of view (very different issues).

So many other books talk about how to protect your own intellectual property, or how you can get into trouble if you use someone else's material.

This is the ONLY book I've found that tells you how to go about using someone else's material legally. Its step-by-step approach makes it very straightforward, and eliminates the mystery about what to do and what to expect.

This has helped me obtain a merchandise license agreement to print and market posters of an author/artist I admire and enjoy. I would NOT have known where to start without this book (or finding a high-priced copyright attorney). I still use an attorney, but just to review a contract which I already understand on my own.

Where else could you find this information? Simply Great!

If you want to use copyrighted material for your own purposes, you need to get permission from the owners first. If you don't, you could find yourself stuck in a costly lawsuit. This book, Getting Permission, shows you how to get through the permissions process. This guide is very readable and will give you a basic introduction to the permissions process, the public domain or free stuff, how to figure out and find someone who owns a copyright, what constitutes fair use, how to get academic permissions, license and merchandise agreements, what a trademark is and how to use them, how to use a fictional character, website permissions, as well as forms and a CD rom. The book covers information on music, photos, text, characters, and much more. Nolo also gives helpful suggestions as to where to go for more information on a specific topic. I found that this guide was a great introduction to getting permission for just about anything. This book will be a wonderful resource guide for years because the information contained therein is easy to understand and reliable.

Regardless of whether you use the Internet or do traditional publishing work, you need to know how to get permission to use the work of others. On the Internet this increasingly important in view of the issues surrounding deep linking and related challenges in a world where a simple HTML tag to someone else's work can bring legal problems. This book provides expert guidance that covers how to obtain permission, copyright research, what constitutes fair use, and how to legally use trademarks.

The book also clarifies the definition of "public domain" and what needs to be in a license agreement.

What makes this book especially valuable is that it comes with 32 forms that range from standard photo use and test use permission to linking agreements, interview releases, art for hire and more.

Growing up nurtured in the many faces and realities of nature - and the beauties & dangers therein - provided a school of knowledge for Archie Fire Lame Deer. Along side of this, were the brutalities and horrors of another type of school; this school sought to shame, beat, and abuse the native spirit out of him. This place was one of the many much written about Christian Indian Schools. Within both settings were men who set examples for Archie of humans who realized they had to do nothing else but provide him with acceptance and kindness: his grandfather and a priest at the Indian School. Archie was sent to this school by his Grandfather for the knowledge to be gained there. Grandfather was a Shaman;he knew that Archie would be one someday,too. I think the real reason he sent him to that school was to expose him - first hand - to the ugliest parts of human nature that he knew about. Archie going to Indian School was tantamount to hurricane Katrina being stopped by the frivolous levy systems in New Orleans. Despite all this violence, Archie was able to learn...the kindly Priest at the school was there, right on time, to provide support when Archie needed it most. After freeing himself from this place, his journey was soaked by alcohol. It accompanied Archie everywhere: with lots of women; in lots of fights; in just as many jail cells. It then took him to Hollywood where he became a stuntman. Under all of this was his calling as a healer and a Shaman: this is a terrifying calling. The physical and emotional demands are overwhelming. Here are the facts: only someone willing to throw away, time and again, friends, relatives, jobs, and opportunites is fit for such a job. It seems that such a person would be a narcissist; on the contrary, this kind of person walks with death and loss every day. They have no ego; they have no feelings. We have called them sociopaths. The difference between a sociopath and someone who grabs THE GIFT OF POWER is simple; the former dies or goes insane, while the latter somehow recognizes the destruction in him/herself - and in the wake they cast - as only another possession to be tossed aside. Then that empty hole is filled with the GIFT OF POWER. Archie's natural Father died. In this dying he passed the gift on to his son. Archie was born and raised in the Badlands; but other lands were just as bad. There is beauty in the Badlands...you just have to recognize it. This book should be on all required reading lists.

Stepping Off the Edge: Learning & Living Spiritual Practice
Archie Fire Lame Deer is the son of John Fire Lame Deer and succeeded him as head of his spiritual lineage upon his father's death. A "modern" medicine man with an incredible life story. He's funny, charming, impactful, tells the truth. If I were making a list of "must meet" holy men, he'd be on it.

This is a first-person account of the life of a "medicine man," or Native-American shaman. The style is personal and engaging. This is a good introduction to the topic for the novice.

This book was totally amazing. Written in Archie Lame Deer's own words. Archie really takes us deep into the Lakota culture and brings us into the world of American Indian life. The style in which Archie teaches instills in the reader the importance of laughter to the American Indian people as a way of dealing with the horror dealt by the government and settlers throughout history.

If you like me, before I read this book, are naive to what true American Indian culture is all about (or maybe you won't realize how naive you are until you read the book), then this biography of Archie Fire Lame Deer, a Lakota Indian is definitely an excellent crash course to bring you up to date! Much of American Indian culture, especially their religion and intense beliefs about people, animals and our earth make a lot of sense to me. So many suppressed or simply not understood parts of this culture are clearly explained and described in fascinating detail. Though I don't plan to change my personal Christian beliefs, I'm moved by the depth and intensity of this culture; Archie Fire's descriptions moved me to intense shame regarding the many horrible things that were, and are still being done in the name of Christianity to this culturally rich, intelligent, colorful and generally peaceful people (Archie Fire Lame Deer, somewhat similarly, also expresses his shame of so many false medicine men promoting Indian religion & culture). And we claim to be a free country guaranteeing freedom of religion? As has become apparent to me, so many things that we believe to be a part of our white North American cultures are actually rooted in American Indian tradition. I say thanks very much to Archie Fire for recording this valuable, enlightening information for we, the unindoctrinated. I wish him and the American Indian people the realization of all of the wonderful dreams described here (as I wish to share in them also).

A first rate tale by Richard Swanson. Juicy intrigue in the desert with expensive, fast cars, pretty women & danger. I enjoyed this book very much. I found it to be well written & compelling. I also liked the setting, having spent a great deal of time in the Palm Springs area. Bravo, Richard! Write us another one!

Swanson has created a winner with an intricate but clever plot, interesting heroes and villains, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing about what will happen next. Swanson's writing style is reminicent of Sue Grafton with characters you care about and a story that keeps you reading.

The story takes place in the lap of luxury and extravagance, Palm Springs. The playground for the idle rich and powerful is the perfect backdrop for intrigue, murder, and true evil. The hero, Thomas Knight, has a bad feeling that something is wrong, terribly wrong, and must get to the bottom of it before ..... Susan Strong, the heroine, believes her father was murdered, but just by whom and how does she prove it. Between the two of them, Knight and Strong, sparks fly as they unwittingly work to the same conclusion.

Swanson has created a realistic and provocative story based in a setting he seems to know very well. He almost makes you wonder where the truth ends and his story begins.

The Golden Oasis is a well-conceived and enjoyable story. Hopefully, Swanson will give us more of Knight and Strong.

The more I read, the more I wanted to read--very exciting storyline. Can't wait for the next book to see what kind of trouble Thomas Knight and Susan Strong get into in Las Vegas.

this book is such and adventure from the very first chapter. It maintains a high level of interest all the way to the very end. The interesting turns in the plot have you guessing until the very end about what will happen to the "Golden Oasis" and what about the gold anyway? I can hardly wait until Vegas!

It is hard to believe that R.W. Swanson hasn't been published before.....this book has it all-mystery, intrigue, love, romance, and it makes you want to visit Palm Springs because you know the research is authentic! WOW!

This is a very informative, thoroughly researched book; from history to propagation, it has it all. The amateur will especially appreciate the succinct information to be found within its pages, without being too technical. If you've bought those plumeria cuttings at various fairs and garden shows, as I have, this is the book you need to really get those cuttings to produce healthy, blooming plants. The numerous colored photos throughout are a definite plus.

This is the bible on plumeria cultivation; there is no other work on the subject that even approaches its scope, thorough attention to detail, and even visual beauty. For twelve years it has been the source to which I have turned repeatedly for inspiration as I amassed my collection in New England; I have also referred scores of people to it for advice and given it as a gift several times. It's hard to imagine a more comprehensive treatment of the subject, from the overview of its history in cultivation, to the listings and descriptions of dozens of cultivars, to the step-by-step course in cultivating, propagating, and hybridizing plumerias. No detail is overlooked, and invaluable tips concerning every aspect of plumeria growing are given throughout. Along the way, the text is enlivened by views and comments on the plant through the eyes of mystics and poets both Eastern and Western. The abundant photographs by the authors are works of art in themselves. For any admirer of this extraordinary flower, this book is essential; by far the best and most beautiful work available on the subject.

For those having trouble locating a copy: see also plumeriasandoleanders.com, botanictreasures.com, and stokestropicals.com

(Addressing the issue of storage brought up by another reviewer: The method does indeed work, but I would perhaps not use it on first-year plants. It is important that a first-year cutting be kept growing as long as possible so that it can develop a very strong root system. After the first year, I prefer continuing to store the plants in their pots, watering very sparingly or not at all during the winter. The problem of stem rot is usually due to a soil mix which is too moisture-retentive. There is virtually no risk of stem rot if the following soil mix is used: 8 parts (by volume) soilless potting mix, 1 part coarse sand, and 1 part perlite. I have not lost one in ten years since I began using this formula).

This book is THE handbook for anyone interested in growing plumerias. It gives all the info you'll need to be a "plumeria farmer." Whether you have one tree or 200, you'll find all necessary info about the following topics (and many more): classification and naming of cultivars, historical data, plant types and descriptions, propagation of seeds, cuttings, grafting, soil mixes, planting and transplanting, sun requirements, watering, fertilizing, mulching, pruning, hybridizing, pests and diseases, problems and solutions, dormancy, cold tolerance, winter storage, growing plumerias indoors, landscaping, ETC. You can grow plumerias in any climate if you know how. This book makes it easy. It includes MANY color photographs, and the entire book is on glossy paper. The Eggenbergers are experts in plumeria culture, and their knowledge is poured into this book. Despite the plug for their Indian religion in the introduction, it is a VERY valuable book. It's paperback, and has 107 pages, but contains all you need to know about plumerias.

...see also plumeriasandoleanders.com, botanictreasures.com, and stokestropicals.com

Just about the only coprehensive book on this genus of tropical trees. As a frangipani/plumeria collector and grower it has been indispensable. It started me off (great for beginners ) and is still muy bible. It would be wonderful if a publisher would have the Eggenbergers write a coffee table styled book on their subject.

I have been in the healing arts (licensed Counselor)for 25 years. This volume of personal insights by healing professionals is without doubt one of the greatest contributions to the field. It is my wish that a copy of this book be put into the hands of every person working in the health & healing industries.

The Quimby Foundation

This book was for a class I was taking. It will be one that I will keep because of all the information that it has. Very inspirational. Everyone in the class loved it. Each chapter is from a different author and their beliefs on the roles that healer play and the impact they have on those that are ill or are despondent in many ways. Some just talk about the relationships of people and how each is affected. Should be requirement for any level of education. Doctor's could really benefit from this when dealing with patients to learn how to be compassionate. There are so many that are lacking and out of touch treating people like they are just another in the cattle to treat and dispose of. Really anyone who has a job dealing with clients in any career. Read it for real.

I can't say enough about this book! I have recommended to friends who are ill - I have recommended it to everyone! Read it!

In the foreword to this book, we are told that the word anthology "literally means a gathering of flowers." The editors of this remarkable collection of essays asked healers from various perspectives to share their ideas, in order to define and foster the "common denominator, or 'golden thread,' that unites all healers and healing methods of ancient, current, and future times."

Below are some representative insights (there are many more contributors -- and much more to each essay-- than are quoted below):

Bernie Siegel, M.D., F.A.C.S., founded the Exceptional Cancer Patients program and is author of Love, Medicine, and Miracles. He believes that his own role -- teaching people how to feel and express love -- succeeds only if he is able to show them that they are lovable.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D., is noted world-wide for her work in death, dying, and transition, her books including On Death and Dying and AIDS: The Ultimate Challenge. She believes that healing does not occur only at an individual level: "Because each individual is connected through a vast network of relationships to innumerable other people and creatures on the planet, the process of healing even one person has far-reaching ramifications."

Hugh Prather -- a crisis therapist, columnist, and minister who has written such books as I Touch the Earth/The Earth Touches Me -- has concluded that "all healing approaches heal the body in the identical way; the only difference is in how they limit their options." The "great mistaken assumption" is that healing necessarily means a physical improvement -- it is not up to us to prejudge the form in which the gift of healing is to be received for a given person.

Joan Borysenko, Ph.D. -- former director of the Mind/Body Clinic at New England Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School and author of Minding the Body, Mending the Mind -- writes very succinctly, "The message that underlies healing is simple yet radical: We are already whole... The work of healing is peeling away the barriers of fear that keep us unaware of our true nature of love, peace, and rich interconnection with the web of life. Healing is the rediscovery of who we are and who we have always been."

Jack Schwartz is a research pioneer and author in the field of voluntary control of mind-body processes. He sees disease as holding back energy that can be released if we align ourselves with the process of transformation. Even by using the label of "disease" we create an attitude that constricts our life energy's flow -- as if an enemy is attacking us from outside. He asks that healers be "mapmakers" or "guides" who walk alongside their clients, showing them how to release their own power, how to overcome the fear of change.

Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., F.A.A.P., who specializes in chronic and life-threatening illness, asks, "beyond all these techniques, what is it that truly fosters the healing process? I think it is the way we stand in relationship to each other that is most important." She offers a model for any healer with whom we might partner in our journey of healing: "...two people in a healing relationship are peers, both wounded and both with healing capacity... I don't believe that one person heals another. I believe that what we do is invite the other person into a healing relationship."

Richard Moss, M.D., founded a nonprofit organization for health and wholeness and is the author of The I That Is We: Awakening to Higher Energies through Unconditional Love and How Shall I Live? "When I was a traditional physician," he writes, "I was content to regard healing as the restoration of health. But today I know that healing is far more than a return to a former condition. True healing means drawing the circle of our being larger and becoming more inclusive, more capable of loving. In this sense, healing is not for the sick alone, but for all humankind."

Designed "to search for the common denominator......that unites all healers and healing methods", this book pulls together almost 40 relatively short essays by various authors noted for their work in healing body and soul. Because of this approach, some chapters have more relevance than others, depending on the interests of the reader. Reading the ideas of a particular author can spark a desire to read more by that person, so in that sense this is a nice overview course on the breadth of attitudes held by contemporary healers, both traditional and alternative. It probably should be included as required reading by all practitioners of the healing arts.

Psychotherapist and teacher Dale Goldstein, LCSW presents Heartwork: How to Get What You Really, Really Want, a blend of western psychological methodologies and eastern meditative techniques designed to help readers work through their most difficult psychological issues. Featuring professionally designed exercises and guided meditations in both the book and an accompanying audio CD, Heartwork offers a means to introspection and enlightenment. Singularly beautiful color photography by Richard Wehrman illustrates this gentle and encouraging transformational guide.

I read this book in preparation for a weekend intensive workshop with Dale. When I was in my late teens I was into personal development with a New Age slant, but ran screaming from it after a couple of years and gradually became a somewhat hardened cynic. Now in my late forties, I had begun running up against a serious dead end in some important personal relationships. I gave this book and the workshop a try. At first I was wary of the book because some of the language reminded me of those New Age books I'd read (well-intentioned, but abstract and ultimately not that helpful because the lessons didn't stick, and then I felt guilty for not being "good enough").

However, once I got into the exercises, it really had an effect. Of course, the first effect was grumpiness and anger, as I had to confront some realities about myself that I was not too happy with. However, as I moved through the book, I felt something shifting. It also helped that I see Dale in therapy. There I really was getting some help I had not gotten from other therapists. Opening up is the best way to describe it. The real opening came at the workshop, and I must say my life has been transformed. I have been split wide open, and I like the results: a greater sense of Presence.

Read this book with an open mind, be prepared to feel pain and then a greater awareness of the power of life within you, and if that's working for you and you want more, check out the Heartwork program. The only drawback of the book is that it, by necessity, is based in words (though the artwork that decorates almost every page is stunning), and words can't nearly capture the power of the experience. But they're a good start.

Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (9/07)

First of all, before even opening "Heartwork" the reader experiences an inner pull toward the book. The cover is beautiful, inspiring, and sensational. In this case, yes, you can judge the book by its cover because the words and pictures inside are also beautiful, inspiring, and sensational.

Combining various approaches from Western and Eastern philosophies, Goldstein gives a simple and effective process to work through personal issues and concerns one has. Delving into the inner self takes desire and commitment, as well as a course of action. Throughout the book Goldstein outlines this course by providing exercises and guided meditations on the accompanied CD. As well, Goldstein provides life stories from people that experienced transformation through using Heartwork principles. These stories are touching and readers could find themselves in any of the scenarios and relate to their own life experiences, knowing that with a little effort, healing can occur.

Personally I worked the exercises and used the meditations on the CD. I experienced levels of consciousness that I hadn't before. Being a seeker and a student of similar work, it takes specific efforts for me to accomplish what I did through Goldstein's exercises. I'm impressed these exercises were so effective.

That said, I believe because of the simplicity of the exercises in "Heartwork," one doesn't have to have any background in awareness work, but a desire is essential. Goldstein's skills in providing a path for inner work and his knowledge of systems that work makes inner work a simple task. Combining psychology and spirituality does work, when you work it through Heartwork.

I followed the instructions and did not skip ahead, which was definitely the smart thing to do. I set aside an entire afternoon to read Heartworks and do the exercises. I had a profound experience, I was able to unblock and clear out an old problem that had been festering inside me for 25 years. I feel like a new person. I highly recommend this book along with the cd. $40.00 is nothing compared to a $100.00 an hour therapist. I will continue to use Heartworks to work on myself. Thank you!

I've read this book several times now and I am really impressed by it. It doesn't present a "game plan" for "dealing" with your problems like a lot of Self-Help books, well-meaning as they are. It's not about strategy at all, which for me is this mirage of working out all your problems in your head. I've tried that for years! Aha, an epiphany! The answer to my hangups! The book really shows you how living free of sufferings, small and large, requires an incremental body awareness. As Eva Pierrakos puts it: "Through the gateway of feeling your weakness/Lies your strength." Dale Goldstein is a superb guide for feeling your weakness...for finding it! That's difficult in itself, we've erected so many barriers and false fronts and rationalizations. Where in our bodies are we holding those dark feelings we dont want to feel? Those thinking and feeling patterns that keep us sluggish, gaurded, doing "ok"---but not living. HEARTWORKS, more than any other method, has helped me experience my worst feelings (anxiety, shame, loss) in a way that I can emerge on the other side.--Chidsey Dickson

I purchase this book to read to my children. I also bought 6 more to give to friends to read to their children. I appreciate a book for children that has an endearing story complimented by beautiful artwork. Nancy Willard wrote a nostalgic tale about a mother and a daughter and a perplexed father. It's Mom's birthday. She doesn't want a fuss "no presents please" but wait, maybe there is something. She remembers something from her childhood, but no, that was too long ago to be able to reproduce. Her daughter goes on a hunt to find that special present from her mother's childhood memory while Dad goes off to the mall. It's a happy story with a delightful ending, sure to please.

I am an elementary school teacher and one of my students - an extremely thoughtful and insightful 7 year-old - gave me an angelfood cake (with this book) for an end-of-the-year gift. She told me to be careful when I eat the cake and to look for the surprise. I was finishing up my room cleaning and had a piece of the cake, but unfortunately, the rest of the cake went bad in the heat. I looked through the rest of the cake to find a thimble. Puzzled, I read the book and cried through the last part of it. For anyone who is wanting to show good wishes, love, luck, modern angels watching over you or just a TERRIBLY wonderful and sentimental gesture towards someone...Read this book, bake an angelfood cake with a thimble in it and give book and cake as a gift. My thimble is in my china cabinet next to my fine crystal and Hummell figurines - it has that much heartfelt value. If you are "angel phobic" or concerned about religious undertones - it really has none. No preaching involved, just simply a FEEL GOOD story.There's no rhyme or reason to the illustrations which are detailed, subtle, yet bright and the storyline is quite cleaver and unpredictable. But it is the meaning woven into the words and storyline that is honest, loving and genuine. One to treasure for generations!

When I was nine, my favorite teacher gave me this book to read. It was incredibly imaginative and it put a smile to my face on even the worst of days. For my mother's birthday, i used the exact recipe and directions for the The High Rise Glorious Skittle Skat Roarious Sky Pie Angel Food Cake to bake her the very best birthday surprise ever! Read it today!

What a perfect marriage of words and pictures! This is the story of a girl who wants to give her mother a birthday gift more precious than gold: something that blends love, nostalgia and magic with good cake. She is aided (and abetted) in this venture by her goofy, unwitting uncle, and a trio of the most endearing angels ever illustrated. (Check out how the oldest angel's socks don't match!) The finely drawn pictures are delightfully evocative and reward close inspection. The whole book soars with whimsy, glory, and love. A keepsake.

I was given The High Rise Glorious Skittle Skat Roarious Sky Pie Angel Food Cake for my seventh birthday (which was about eight years ago) and it still has a special place on my bookshelf. Every few months, I take it down, read, and find something new in it. The story is sweet, innocent and capivating all at the same time. The intricate pictures are beautiful beyond words; they represent a merging of the real and imaginary. Every one, child or adult, should own this book. It is happiness in paperback.

This is a wonderful book on an area so many people just drive through at 50 mile per hour, plus. That was far from possible in the era this book revisits. I have lived in the Santa Cruz mountains for 25 years, driving Highway 17 daily, and reading this book gave me a real appreciation for the changes it has undergone. A fun read for the daily commuter or the weekend visitor. Go exploring.

When I moved to the bay area I kept hearing about the dangerous highway 17 road to Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley. I became so interested I began researching the road and found this book here on Amazon. It is a great book, full of stories and imagery. I enjoyed reading about local history and then getting the chance to drive it. I have a new respect for pioneers that paved this road as well as the Cal Trans workers that have to maintain it now.
May I strongly suggest checking the website ...before you go. It has up to the minute traffic conditions and driving tips. The highway is dangerous and unforgiving.

First comprehensive history of the famous Santa Cruz, California road and surrounding area. Lots of interesting stories about early pioneers, ghost towns, road construction that started in the mid-1800s. Then onto the current political dilemna about increasing road capacity

When I was growing up, Highway 17 was called the "bloody highway". As I grew up and drove through HWY 17 to get to Santa Cruz, I understood the nick name. After reading this book, I was energized to drive through HWY 17 with the book at hand and found myself reliving the history of this wonderful road as I stopped at every historical location referenced in the book. I highly recommend this book and suggest taking the trip with the book to appreciate its beauty.

I have driven on highway 17 thousands of times, after reading Highway 17 by Richard Beal, I felt like I had just taken that road for the first time. The book is fascinating recounting of history, key locations, and local relevant events. The wonderful old pictures captured the history of the road brilliantly. This book is a must read for locals, old Highway 17 drivers, and the new drivers that will travel this road.

This is the best book on Biblical dating out there. It's also an excellent resource for married couples.

Well, I just finished Holding Hands, Holding Hearts and I'm still convinced it's by far the best book on Christian dating for adults that I've read so far. In fact, after I finished it I gathered up some of my other books on Christian dating and singleness along with their receipts to return them to the book store. This book offers sound advice based on Biblical principles with the much needed Christian love and wisdom.

The dating versus courtship arguments in my opinion, have largely fallen into two inadequate camps. Courtship (often) is defended as the preferable option because it was the norm in Biblical culture. Our modern context is usually written off while the cultural practice of the past becomes the normative Biblcal command for us now. I had trouble making that leap. And I found that many who "kissed dating good-bye" made it into a Biblical command, rather than what it is, a wise application of Biblical principles. The other side, who "gave dating a chance", often failed to wrestle significantly with the Biblical material and empahsized following Biblical principles within the flawed system of dating.

Thankfully, into this debate comes a third and welcome approach. Richard Phillips and Sharon Phillips are both aware of the modern context that singles live in, but also have attempted to create a thoroughly Biblical rationale for single males and females to follow as they "date". Holding Hands, Holding Hearts is all that a book on practical theology should be. It is grace-based, well thought out, Scripturally supported and developed, and it gives practical applications for its readers. (While I believe all theology is practical, many books fail to thoroughly examine the practical outworkings of theology in day-to-day life).

The book is divided into two parts. Part I is called A Biblical View of Dating and Relationships. In this half, the Phillips spend a significant time explaining why we are what we are and how that affects our relationships. It uses the classical set up of categories for mankind - Creation, Fall, and Redemption. All three need to be understood BEFORE a model of relationships is developed, and the Phillips do this in a clear, Biblical and understandable way. The second half is titled Biblical Wisdom for Dating and Relationships. It takes the Bibles teachings on marriage and works backwards from them. The patterns that God desires in marriage do not magically appear once one is married, and this book describes how a couple can and should learn, grow and prepare for the roles they are called to if the Lord calls them to marriage.

One highlight that I have not seen in any dating/courtship book before is the section on idolatry in our hearts. Here's a sample: "Different people have different idols as we saw in Genesis 3, the woman's idols will often be relationship-oriented; she desires to possess him as the key to her happiness....Similarly, Genesis 3 tells us that men will often be motivated by idols eternal to the relationship: money, power, excitement. Whatever they are, the point is that idols must be served, and the dating or marriage partner must be coerced into contributing to that service. This, by the way, is often what the world means by 'compatibility'. The key to a happy relationship, the experts tell us, is to find a companion who worships the same idols as you do, or whose idols are at least not in conflict with your own. This is a fool's paradise, for sin and idolatry never truly produce harmony but always strife." (pp. 61-62). This section, in addition to many others, has what many other Christian books on the subject lack, a proper understanding and focus on the heart, as well as practical guidlines for conduct based on that understanding. Pastor Phillips is definitely a shepherd, and a man who "has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15 ESV).

If you are a single adult, and want to have the best theological and practical undestanding of how to keep Christ at the center of your dating relationships (or your courtship relationships) - this is the book for you! It is easy to read, Christ-honoring, and very practical. It also is very pastoral, and has the benefit of both male and female input, and all this from two people who worked with hundreds of singles over the years.

As one final note, my girlfriend(now wife) and I read this together, and it was a great resource and catalyst for our thinking as we sought the Lord's will for our relationship. Check it out and buy a copy for a single friend!

A Biblically based/sound, well balanced book, full of Scripture references and applications, very enjoyable and funny, for anyone to read. It takes Biblical principles of a healthy marriage and work backwards to a healthy Biblical dating relationship. The foundations for a healthy, godly marriage begin while dating.

There's a final chapter, especially written for those who are not currently in a dating relationship. Some books or people describe singleness as a gift, just as marriage as a gift. Some people do have the gift of singleness: they don't think romantically about others of the opposite sex, and there is nothing wrong or perverse about them. They do not struggle with lust either. People with this gift, in the authors' experience, is usually someone called to a particular and intense ministry. But the authors describe singleness, which can last a long time, can be considered as being a trial, just as marriage as being a trial. We need to seek God's grace for this trial as with any other.

"Singleness involves loneliness, sexual frustration, and unfulfilled dreams. It is a difficult ordeal. But let's understand something about trials: everybody has them. Singleness may be a trial, but it is not the only trial. Married people have trials -- lots of them, in fact. Parents have lots of trials. When Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33) He was talking to us all."

It dwells on the Rare Jewel of Contentment (Phil. 4:11-13)...the product of a heart resting in God. They provided an unchanging rule for singles to remember, namely:

"if you cannot be contented in singleness, you will not be contented in marriage" .

"Singleness is not something that keeps us from contentment and joy. Rather, it is a trying circumstance in which we are to look in faith to God, submitting in His good and Sovereign will, and looking to Him for every blessing. But singleness is not the only such trying circumstance. Another is called marriage, as two sinners seek to live in harmony without killing each other. Yet another trying circumstance is called parenthood, in which two exhausted sinners who seldom speak to each other seek to live in harmony with each other and a whole pack of other little sinners. In all circumstances, the challenge is not to change the circumstances but to learn what Paul learned: "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can so all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:12-13)."

Reviewer's additional comments:
One Scripture reminder by one friend also rings true:

"I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord." - 1Cor 7:32 (NIV)

About the advantage of singles, being "free from concern", relative to the married.

As well as:

"But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this." - 1 Cor 7:28 (NIV)

About "those who marry will face many troubles in this life". And Paul's advice was to spare the singles of the troubles faced by those who are married. Since singles will already have their fair share of trouble in this life to face and deal with (whereas married people will have "double the trouble in this life" - their own and those of their spouse). There are advantages of course...having two people to face the many troubles in this life, rather than on your own.

In any case, concerning the book, it's Highly recommended!
Check it out and pass it on to others!

The title says it all. This book is Biblical, practical, and balanced.

As for being Biblical, the whole first half of the book is devoted to clearly and succinctly outlining and explaining the three Biblical perspectives for viewing everything, (including dating): Creation, the Fall, and Redemption. They discuss not only what these things mean, but what they mean for dating and/or marriage.

It offers solid advice from a couple who actually remembers what it was like to be single and has been working with young adults in the transition from dating to marriage for many years. As a result, this book is balanced. On the one hand, it avoids the extreme of simply slapping a Christian label on an otherwise worldly practice of just going with the flow without discipline, without any sense of commitment or purpose. And on the other hand, it avoids the extreme of telling Christians that the only way they can be godly is by adopting the cultural practices of the 18th century. (Some of the books out there make one seriously question whether the author is more concerned with Biblical principle or the cultural standards of an arbitrarily chosen time and place.)

Without reservation, I would recommend this book to any young person with dating/marriage on their mind.