Richards Books

I really like Derek Jeter, so I got the book to find out more information. I got all the info I wanted plus more!

I love this book. I am Derek's #1 fan. It is great. I have my room cover with pictures of him. I read the whole thing in like a day. Once you start reading it, you can't stop.

I am Derek's number 1 fan. My friend has the book too and we always read it. My room is filled with Derek pictures, and posters, and newspaper clippings. I love him to death and this book shows just how great he is! Go Derek! Take the Yanks to the series baby!

A compelling read, filled with rare insight and info on a great athlete and person. Don't pass this one up!

I'm a new Derek fan, and i was impressed about his look. I bought this book to know more about him. After reading it, i admire him. Really. I felt guilty by treated him like an object, when he is a great person.

I am a bridge designer and in the final semester of my Masters degree. I recently purchased this book based on the recommendation of my former mentor. It is a quality book with good insite.

My only complaint, and it is a big one, is that the examples are written in SI units. For applications in the US, this makes it very difficult to reference for quick design issues. Other than that, it's a quality book.

This book offers the bridge engineer a complete guide to the new LRFD specs in metric units. It is a great tool for both the new engineer, or the skeptical veteran, leery of LRFD. It offers a brief US bridge history in its introduction, and discusses aesthetics in the beginning: where it belongs. Next the development of LRFD and its advantages over ASD is discussed and should be read (and reread) carefully by the skeptics (excellent chapter). Influence lines follow, then system design, and finally concrete and steel bridge design and examples. This book is well suited to supplement the ASSHTO code or stand alone. Also, it is truly metric, no soft conversion at all. The book is quite long, however; it does command your undivided attention if it to be learned from. I highly recommend this book.

Our office found this to be the best, and most comprehensive reference on the new LRFD Specification available. The design examples set this book apart from other references. They are as complete as any we have found. While our interest sprang from our need to learn the LRFD specification, we found that the book is a valuable tool for bridge engineering in general. Most of the designers in our office at KDOT and many of the consulting firms who work with us have a copy of this book.

I am a bridge designer with three years of design experience. I purchased this textbook for Dr. Barker's (author's) bridge design graduate course in college. This textbook, unlike so many others on the subject of bridge design, delves into the real nuts-and-bolts calculations of structural engineering. The most in-depth sections are loads, analysis, steel bridges, and concrete bridges. The two examples in the steel and concrete sections are thorough treatments. No subject is simply glossed over in this book. This entire text seems to have been written with the goal of answering common questions from both designers and students. From why various code requirements came to be, to exactly the meaning of obscure variables, most everything in the 1st to 2nd Ed. of the LRFD code was addressed. My only complaint about the text is that there are several mistakes in the calculations (particularly in the lengthly examples). However, most of these appear to have been corrected in subsequent printings.

This book is a great desk reference for bridge designers. I cannot specifically recommend it as a study guide for the PE/SE, since those exams do not use the AASHTO LRFD specifications yet. However, for designing by the AASHTO LRFD, this book can be considered the commentary that space did not allow.

As a side note, the hardback book is a nicely bound edition. The sketches, tables, and diagrams are all clear, as well as the notations used (superscripts, subscripts, Greek, etc.).

As a Bridge Engineer trying to figure out the new LRFD Code, I found this book to be a necessity. It is comprehensive in applying the code to actual designs. The design examples are thorough, and the logic can be followed. In all, I would recommend this book to anyone trying to learn all the provisions of the new LRFD Code.

As of date, built the cedar lattice & pine bracket birdhouse illustrated on the cover. I enjoy working with cedar, using cheap cedar fencing which I put through a planner bringing out a smooth nice wood grain finish. A coat of Tung Oil further brings out the wood grain and seals the wood.
Electric tools I used were bandsaw, drill press, 12" planner and belt sander.
The instructions are easy to follow. All 20 birdhouses are of unique design and easy to make. I will probably make most of these just to add variety and color to my yard.

The adjective that leaped to mind when I firsst read Designer Birdhouses by Richard T. Banks was: impressive. This book is a visual phenomenon...with instuctions. Whether one is a master carpenter unequalled or a would-be carpenter challenged by a hammer and nail, Designer Birdhouses is unrivaled in its beautiful illustrations, ease of understanding as well as clarity of instructions. In a brief perusal of the book, it becomes readily apparent that Banks executed a brilliant accomplishment in his ability to tie together the relationship between birds and their nesting habits. This relationship is imbedded in the many birdhouse designs.
Banks is a professional architect, author and artist. There is some evidence in the pages of Designer Birdhouses that he has accepted Southern culture, language and some of the humor, e.g. in the design element called "Baffles" he wrote "it's from below that you need to thwart those clinbing critters." For the unfamiliar, "climbing critters" may be squirrels, possums or cats. Later on, in forgiving the would-be carpenter's faulty transgressions he wrote "birds are creatures of he wild...they don't go about measuring holes or potential nesting boxes. So, Mr. spprentice, stop worrying about your mistakes.
Designer Birdhouses covers all aspects of design, building and placement of the completed birdhouse. Note the clever idea of starting many of the designs with a "basic box". this concept would show the apprentice carpenter that he has the ability to recognize and build a "basic box" then move forward with various design embellishments. To assist the apprentice carpenter even further, Banks asks the question, "What makes a good birdhouse?" He answers that question in simple relevant terms. Wow! What more can one ask for in a specialty book such as Designer Birdhouses.
Designer Birdhouses sets a new standard and ranks in the summa cum laude category. It would make a wonderful gift for bird enthusiasts as well as do-it-yourselfers and other hobbyists.

I can't believe this book didn't come up as one of the first when I was looking for birdhouse building ideas. If you like contemporary innovative designs this is the book for you. The designer is an architect and it shows in the original designs. Colorful photos and detailed instructions. I highly recommend.

I recieved this book as a christmas present and I love it. It's really easy to follow, the pictures and diagrams are wonderful. My favorite birdhouse is the Board and Batton Shingle house. I recommend this book if you enjoy interesting and stylish birdhouses.

Great for grandparents to make a special project with grandchildren. You can premeasure & cut as needed depending on their age and ability. The houses are made with common materials which makes them very do-able. The designs and colors are fantastic. Inspirational for all!

I was referred to this book while searching out another "motorcycle author" Daniel Meyer. My personal favorites are books that inspire me to get out on the road and ride for days, if not weeks. La Plante delivered the motivation in spades. I found this story to be intriguing, as LaPlante rides cross country to Sturgis, set against the backdrop of his "real world" life experiences. This book is a page-turner, and I finished it while on a two day trip to pick up my newest bike in Reno. The 600 mile ride back home was the perfect ending to reading a great book about riding.

A man comes to terms with his life's decisions and puts them into perspective during his lone bike trip from East Hampton, NY, to Sturgis, South Dakota. Honest and without pretention, it will make you want to take a break from daily routine to prioritize and appreciate what we all take for granted. You do not need to be into motorcycles to enjoy this gem of a book.

INCREDIBLY AWESOME!! LaPlante has captured the very essence of what we all yearn for....IT! A search into the mirror for the true meaning of hardaches, joy, love, honesty, fellowship and sincere happiness. One doesn't need to be a motorcycle enthusiast to savor the rewards this adventure will salivate. His humorous style will leave you giddy but the real story lies between the Hamptons of New York and the hallowed ground of the Black Hills of South Dakota. His wit and outrageous cast of characters makes this wild ride a must read, all the way home. This true exploration will leave a reflection in the mirror. Destined to end up a classic!

Author Richard la Plante wanted to once live his American dream of attending the annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. However, the now fiftyish Richard knew his time to consummate his dream apparently passed and he always would be a couch potato wondering what he missed. With a young child and a pregnant wife and now fifty-three, Richard faced with economic worries and writer's block decided it is time to live his fantasy. Borrowing a bike, he begins his odyssey.

IN DETOURS: LIFE, DEATH, AND DIVORCE ON THE ROAD TO STURGIS, Richard, in his autobiography, concentrates mostly on the trek to the Dakotas, which serves as an allegory to life's journey from birth to death. This is a strong but quite different type of autobiography. Though some will say the author ignored his responsibilities to his family with this risky venture, many will agree this book is worth reading not only for the well-written morality tale, but also for encouraging individuals to sing "My Way".

Harriet Klausner

It's truly special how La Plante somehow takes one's own gritty reality of life, death and divorce, sends them off on a bike ride through time, space and climates, and ends up with a journey full of humor, sensitivity, hope and dreams. This book is a vacation for the soul complete with pit-stops for laughter, tears, and reflection.

Sure would love to let loose and really take such a trip but until then, I'll take my daily dose of Detours to remind me to keep the perspective by getting lost.

PS... I'm off to Ebay to buy a bike!

I was a student of his many years ago. The book is not nearly as great as the man. He was a rare professor.

On the book, it is well laid out, progresses well and a distinct asset to the language learner.

I received the book in three working days. Book was in great condition and the price was lower than I had expected to pay.

Mailed and recieved in the time they said. The book is in great condition, the price was even better.

The book is one of the "classics" of introductory level German. I used this book for a college level class and now find myself referencing it as I complete more advanced level classes and prepare to move to Germany. The authors do a great job of simplifying the grammatical points of the German language in clear everyday language. They also use many examples throughout the explanations to clearly illustrate the key grammar concept. I also appreciated the mini-review at the end of each chapter, as well as the list of the grammar concepts in the index. Finally, the list of valuable idiomatic expressions and relevant sayings is helpful to the student in many normal everyday situation whether it be in a classroom or in a normal everyday situation. All in all, it was and is a valuable learning tool!

I bought this book to use with my German 101 and 102 classes, and it was extremely helpful. The writing style was, if not absolutely gripping, easy to get through, and the information was plentiful and well laid out. The accompanying website was also useful. The only problem I have with this book is that at the beginning of each chapter are a few dialogues using grammar that hasn't yet been learned. It would've made more sense to put those dialogues at the end of the chapters, in my opinion. That's more annoying than anything, and doesn't hurt the content or student's learning rate at all. I'd recommend this to any beginning German student.

Dirty Little Drawings is a wonderful book full of erotic drawings featuring the male body in every concievable way. The erotic poses are wonderful! If you are considering buying some books of illustrations, some of the artists have books of their own, so you can kind of preview their work to see if you want more.

I would hardly call this a little book, as it weighs in at 322 pages! Also, as you turn the pages over a period of time, you seem to discover more and more little nasty things you missed the first time through...YUM!

When purchasing the book, I was not aware of the background of the process of how the artwork was created for a show. Turning the pages of the book is like walking through a gallery. A small portable gallery of Male Erotic Art.

The book DIRTY LITTLE DRAWINGS is an artwork in itself. Measuring about 6 1/2" by 6 1/2" it not only contains some superb art but it also serves as a catalogue for a project from a unique event that began in December 2000. Harvey Redding hired an adventuresome model and posed for a group of fourteen artists, each of whom sketched and drew from the model's input 'to expand the boundaries of academic nude figure drawing,' - 'full out, rock hard, unapologetic, sexual posing: nothing held back, nothing sacred.' The result was a collection of gay erotic art that became an exhibition of art works identically sized and priced. The exhibition and sale was so successful that there have been subsequent shows creating a collectors' dream and a new New York art scene.

This book may be small in size, but the artworks are vigorous, erotically charged and visually stunning. They range from simple head portraits to S and M influenced scenes, sex acts, and coupling and solitary pleasures. The variety of art types ranges form the hastily sketched pencil or crayon outline to fastidiously detailed drawings. The quality of the works may vary in degree of craftsmanship, but this selection of richly colorful works has one thing in common: the works are full of sensual energy.

The book and the concept are the work of Harvey Redding, Robert W. Richards, and Rob Hugh Rosen, the three directors of the Queer Men's Erotic Art Workshop in New York. The book is produced with finesse by Bruno Gmunder Verlag Gmbh. This is a fine art collection that started out to be a reaction to academic art. It is a superb little book! Grady Harp, December 07

Aficionados of male figurative art come in many shapes and sizes; Dirty Littly Drawings will appeal to all of them. For those tired of the same old insipid, slick, hackneyed photo spreads in the stroke mags, Dirty Little Drawings is a welcome departure: this little book will kick-start your libido like a juiced-up set of jumper cables. Even the looser, sketchier, more abstract pieces radiate an intense sexuality, the boldness of their lines and headiness of their colours imbuing the images with more sensuality than most photography can muster. Whether your fascination is for fine art in general, super-charged erotic imagery, or something to "hang over the sofa," this book has something for you.

One of the greatest assets of this collection is its enormous variety of subject matter, styles, and media. In its 320 pages, Dirty Little Drawings houses a stable of 291 images, created by 72 artists, ranging from delicate, slender, coming-of-age youths to improbably muscled and impossibly endowed muscle gods to down-and-dirty leather daddies and their slaves. Dirty Little Drawings also pulls no punches in the action its images depict, with vivid representations of just about every scene imaginable (the only acts missing are those of the yellow- and brown-stripe variety). Providing a point of context, some of the drawings even depict the models in situ, giving the viewer a privileged glimpse into both the Queer Men's Erotic Art Workshop's clandestine, underground lair and the process itself.

In terms of artistic styles, DLD contains a wide range: Max Ernst-ish pen-and-ink caricatures, Old Master-style charcoal and pencil studies, delicate French Academie/Prud'hon-like compositions, Fauvist crayon abstractions, Expressionist/Egon Schiele-inspired watercolours, and photorealistic coloured pencil pieces. Some funky images decorated with metallic ink scrawls even call to mind Keith Haring's work. Although very few of the pieces could be considered masterworks (limited primarily by their requisite small size), the general level of craftsmanship is high, and many of the artists are clearly at the top of their game here.

The majority of the pieces are done on coloured armatures, from delicately hued pastel papers to Bristol board laden with op art-intense acrylics, but the black-and-white images are no less striking. Tai Lin, the artist whose work graces the cover, achieves an incredibly striking, luminescent effect with an extremely limited chromatic palette of pastels on black paper, while Enrico Gomez creates works of sublime sensuality and ethereal vagueness using lines of graphite and charcoal smudges nibbled away by kneaded eraser on cream-coloured Strathmore paper. Other artists, such as Chuck Nitzberg, achieve an extraordinary effect by combing the two methods, working for the most part monochromatically, with a few accents of colour - bright orange cock heads, blazing-red nipples, etc. - to highlight the points of interest. Although oil paint as a medium is absent (canvas loaded with oil paint being too heavy for the exhibition's hanging requirements), some of the pastel images do attain a painterly quality in their play and blending of colour and looseness of strokes.

My only complaints would be that Tai Lin's hauntingly arresting portrait, which graces the cover, is not reproduced anywhere within the book - on the cover, it's obscured by the title and list of artists' names. It also would have been nice if the artists' names were reprinted in list form inside the book as well, along with contact information for purchasing and commissioning purposes - one can only get a complete listing of the artists by combing through the index pages in the back. Also, the lack of page numbers or artist names beneath the full-size images makes it difficult to find one's favourite pieces. While it is arguably preferable to have the reproductions cover the entire page as they do here, thereby increasing their immediacy, it does make it difficult to identify the pieces (an index at the back of the book reprints each as a thumbnail in the order it appears in the book, along with the artist's name, but since the pages are not numbered, the viewer can only approximate where in the book each piece appears based on its order in the index). Finally, while Dirty Little Drawings was clearly created with exceptionally high production values, with a heavy, rock-solid cover and thick, glossy paper stock, the slight sheen on the pages makes it a little difficult to get a clear view of the artwork - one has to tilt the book just so to minimize the glare.

Despite these minor flaws, though, Dirty Little Drawings is an incredibly eye- (and zipper-) opening treasure trove of newcomers to and icons in the gay erotic art scene that perfectly captures the phenomenon that is the Queer Men's Erotic Art Workshop. In purely sensual terms, the book has a satisfying heft to it, the relatively small size makes it feel personal, private, even covetable, the cover and pages have a sumptuous texture (almost naughty, like satin sheets), and the quality of construction and artwork contained therein make it feel like it's worth a good deal more than Amazon is currently charging for it. It makes a great gift...just make sure you get an extra copy to keep for yourself!

(Note: To keep this review short, I have appended it in the Comments section with detailed information about the physical aspects of the book, as well as a brief history of the Queer Men's Erotic Art Workshop and background information on the exhibit from which the book's images were drawn - hope it's of use!)

Don't let the compact dimensions of this erotic art book fool you. Inside, each individual page is filled with a stunning slice of erotic imagery. The whole concept of this book is wonderful and exciting in itself...when you look at this art, you can just imagine the atmosphere in the studio where real men posed in these explicit positions, surrounded by a group of artists who splashed across a page their own interpretations of the fantasies frozen before them.

Discovering The Maltese Falcon And Sam Spade is a tribute to the novel by Dashiell Hammett featuring the hardboiled detective Sam Spade and his involvement in the doomed quest for a mysterious artifact, as well as the three film noir movies based from it including the classic that made Humphrey Bogart a star. Chapters tell of Hammett's days as a detective, his publication in pulps, the making of the classic novel, critical views of the movies, the reverberations of The Maltese Falcon in popular culture, and much more. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, selections of Hammett's pre-publication material, copies of news articles and other primary sources, and much more, Discovering The Maltese Falcon And Sam Spade is a "must-read" for mystery movie trivia buffs and anyone else curious about the history behind a legendary 'hard boiled PI" adventure story.

DISCOVERING THE MALTESE FALCON AND SAM SPADE is the complete book for the fan of Sam Spade in both film and fiction. Fortunately, a very detailed index is provided which allows the reader to choose from among an array of tantalizing topics.The latter includes an account of Dashiell Hammett's days as a Pinkerton detective as well as his work for BLACK MASK. The author also gives us much information about THE MALTESE FALCON in the movies and on stage and radio.The book represents an admirable effort by Layman and it will be enjoyed by anyone captivated by the lure of this enduring tale.

I love the story of THE MALTESE FALCON, not only as it is told in Hammett's novel but also as it is portrayed in John Huston's movie. I can never read enough about Dashiell Hammett, Joseph Shaw, Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Gladys George, Sydney Greenstreet, Elisha Cook Jr., Mary Astor, Barton MacLane, Robert and William Pinkerton, John Huston, Lillian Hellman, the Knights of Malta, BLACK MASK, San Francisco after World War I and Raymond Chandler.

This book has enough anecdotes and background material to satisfy even the most ardent enthusiast. My own favorite piece is an account by Mary Astor of her experiences while filming for her role as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in the 1941 version of THE MALTESE FALCON.

Dashiel Hammett is one of my favorite authors, I have all of his stories, including a couple of biographies. I'm also a fan of Noir stories and movies. This is a great book to add to my collection.

"Discovering the Maltese Falcon and Sam Spade" is an amazing collection of materials related to Dashiell Hammett, his greatest novel "The Maltese Falcon", the film adaptations of the book, and other spin-offs assembled by Hammett biographer Richard Layman. Layman states in his introduction, "The purpose of this volume is to provide researchers basic materials useful in studying 'The Maltese Falcon'." Not everything ever written about "The Maltese Falcon" is here, but the contents of this book are remarkably varied. The collection is probably too dense for casual fans of "The Maltese Falcon", but it's indispensable for Hammett scholars and aficionados. The only fault I find is that reproductions of newspaper and other type-written materials are sometimes poor and would have benefited from enhancement.

The book is organized into five parts. The first part, "Detective Days", provides biographical information on Dashiell Hammett, a history of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, an interview with a colleague of Hammett's at Pinkerton, excerpts from books on criminal investigation that Hammett studied, and some non-fiction pieces that Hammett wrote about his detective days. The second section, "The Pulps and the Making of the Novel", includes a history of "Black Mask" magazine, the historical basis for the Maltese Falcon statuette, comments by "Black Mask" editor Joseph T. Shaw, some reviews of Hammett's mystery fiction, and many excerpts from Hammett's stories that later inspired characters and events in "The Maltese Falcon".

"Magazine and Book Publication" begins with a copy of Hammett's book contract with Knopf and correspondence with publisher Harry Block. There are covers of "Black Mask" issues that serialized "The Maltese Falcon", examples of text that was revised between magazine publication and book publication, early book jackets, many favorable reviews of the book, Dorothy Parker's tepid review of "The Glass Key", articles about Cecil Henderson's plagiarism, and sales data for the novel. The forth section, "Critical Views of 'The Maltese Falcon'", is seven pieces of relatively recent literary criticism that explore American individualism, Sam Spade's vernacular, the novel as introverted romance, as allegory of international politics between the wars, and the pursuit of tangible wealth, among other themes.

The last section, "Movies, Stage, and Radio: Hammett's Novel in Popular Culture", follows Hammett's life after the publication of the novel, followed by discussions of the script, budget, and reviews for the first film adaptation at Warner Brothers in 1931. More letters from Warner Brothers, title suggestions, correspondence with the Breen Office, and reviews of the second movie adaptation, "Satan Met a Lady", in 1936. For John Huston's 1941 adaptation, there is a letter from Joseph Breen citing Production Code violations in the script, a budget, letters about filming, Mary Astor's recollections of the film, 3 movie reviews, and 4 critical analyses. There is a bit about an abortive stage play and the legal challenges over "The Adventures of Sam Spade" radio show. There is a list of selected publications of "The Maltese Falcon" in the back of the book as well as an index.

is it a painfully telling portrait of american domesticity gone awry. it is a book you read from begining to end with as few breaks as possible.

This is the story of John C. Wilder and his descent into insanity. Wilder is a highly strung hard drinking affluent salesman, a husband and father. He tries to hide his low self-esteem which stems from a mild dyslexia and being somewhat short in stature. He seeks to fill the void in his life through drinking and women.

At one point, all of Wilder's ambitions seem within his grasp. He falls in love with a woman who encourages him to pursue his dream of producing films, and it seems he has a real talent for it. However, the seeds of insanity are sown within him. Time after time, he reaches out for help, to his family, to psychiatry, to AA, looking for understanding and support, but every reed breaks at his grasp. It is a disturbing novel. We are left doubting if anything could have averted his fate.

Yates always gets everything right. The dialogue, speech cadences, observations, structure: his writing is a beautiful thing to observe. He is never simplistic. Yates has a reputation for being a devasting chronicler of American suburbia. He is that, but in this novel he shows that he can deliniate urban angst and despair as well.

This novel, by one of my favorite late 20th century writers, is a compellingly realistic story of the downward spiral of an alcoholic. It's power comes from the exacting insights into the mundane existence of the characters trying to survive and thrive in modern society; along a view into the mind of a man making a step-by-step descent into a private hell. As Yates draws you into Wilder's mind, you find yourself,like the main character, unable to see the bottom, until you have made the slow descent into insanity.

I found the book incredibly insightful, with accurate representations of the madness of addiction. The book never descends to the level of moralizing or sermonizing, and that makes it all the more powerful. Yates creates an empathy between reader and character, and that makes the outcome all the more gripping.

Some have said this is Yates' weakest work, and I suppose it might be, but I think credit has to be given to Yates for even managing to pull this off. This is a tough story to write, a man's journey from sanity to insanity. Yates stays in his usual third person narration all the way, even when the main character goes completely nuts, so his delusions become our delusions.

It's not a pleasant experience by any stretch of the imagination - we see get a no-holds-barred view into Bellevue and the complete breakdown of the protagonist. There isn't a likeable character in the entire novel, which isn't that different from Yates' other works, but the problem here is that it's very tough to have any sympathy for the main character, John Wilder. In Yates' more successful books, no matter how nasty the characters, we can't help but to feel for their faults. Not so here.

Disturbing the Peace may not have the amazing pace of The Easter Parade or the driving power of Revolutionary Road, but it's still a pretty good read. It's a tough book to find nowadays, so if you can get your hands on it, pick it up.

In his writing classes, Richard Yates said that the most important thing to him, as a writer, was "telling the truth." He wasn't interested in pyrotechnics. He was interested in technique as an instrument to be used in "telling the truth." He had us read "In Our Time" and "Nine Stories." He respected accuracy, economy, the telling detail. He had no interest in the fancy, the glib. He was obviously deeply influenced by Hemingway. For my money, Yates is better. This masterpiece will tell you what it's like to crack up. No Hollywood, nothing fancy, no self-pity. Just "telling the truth." Read this, then read the rest of Yates. You won't be sorry. The guy knew what he was talking about.

Wow, I am sold! I just wish that I could buy the movie rights, as this could be academy an award potential. I travel extensively in buisness, and I read many a ook on jets and waitng at airports. Some of my likes are Tom Clancy, Steven King, John Grisham, Michael Crichton, and I hev absically read all of their books. I picked this book up by a flook recently,and I am glad that I did. This book gave put me on an emotional journey, and it made me think all of the way about events in my own past life, and I could on and on, but I will not. All that I can say is that the author has been able to grasp the essential secret of writing that will make me yearn for more of his works, such as I do for the above named authors! Truly, a qualuity pice of work, and yes, I believe that it would meake a great movie!

Enjoy the many facets of human kind, and marvel at the interaction between each characters own narcissisms. Join the family and feel the pain and joy of childbirth. The short-lived happiness of Frank, as he learns the one thing he desired above all else is less than perfect. The helplessness of Catherine, that having so much responsibility causes her to overlook one thing, and in doing so, hurt what was most precious to her family. The responsibility undertaken by Frances so the family can survive. The strength and self-destruction of all the characters, and how they deal with each other. The patience and acceptance of Johnny by Andre after time, who when he's least expecting it realizes his true feelings.
The hope that by reading Don't Cry Johnny, you will think about how you wish to be treated, and treat others in kind. As you internalize and wonder if you would treat Johnny any different, you need to see him for what he is. He is just a child that wants so badly to be accepted and loved, which is what so many of us want. Why then is it so hard to realize that even though people may look different, we all have feelings and wish to be treated with respect and kindness.
If you are looking for an intriguing book that will allow you to escape your own reality, Don't Cry Johnny will deliver. In the end be prepared to contemplate the complexities of life and wonder if you were any one of these characters, who would you be? Would you make the same decisions they made? Will you aspire to treat people differently? One thing is for sure, you will want to know more about what happens to the characters once you have finished Don't Cry Johnny.

It's amazing all the power, emotions and feelings packed into one book. Instantly, one of my all time favorites. You actually get so involved that you start to talk to people about a story they have never read. Everyone should read this book!

This book brings out every emotion possible.
It is a story that is so intense and heart felt that I hated to put it down and couldn't wait to pick it back up!
It's amazing how someone so different can bring out the best and the worst in people. I was fascinated with how the author captured real human feelings. It made you laugh, it made you cry, and it DEFINITELY made you think.
This book is so powerful. It is a "must read" book that I recommend to everyone.
Richard Schotts has done an incredible job.
Beautifully written. Makes you actually feel like you are in the story. A definite must!

Enjoy the many facets of human kind, and marvel at the interaction between each characters own narcissisms. Join the family and feel the pain and joy of childbirth. The short-lived happiness of Frank, as he learns the one thing he desired above all else is less than perfect. The helplessness of Catherine, that having so much responsibility causes her to overlook one thing, and in doing so, hurt what was most precious to her family. The responsibility undertaken by Frances so the family can survive. The strength and self-destruction of all the characters, and how they deal with each other. The patience and acceptance of Johnny by Andre after time, who when he's least expecting it realizes his true feelings.
The hope that by reading Don't Cry Johnny, you will think about how you wish to be treated, and treat others in kind. As you internalize and wonder if you would treat Johnny any different, you need to see him for what he is. He is just a child that wants so badly to be accepted and loved, which is what so many of us want. Why then is it so hard to realize that even though people may look different, we all have feelings and wish to be treated with respect and kindness.
If you are looking for an intriguing book that will allow you to escape your own reality, Don't Cry Johnny will deliver. In the end be prepared to contemplate the complexities of life and wonder if you were any one of these characters, who would you be? Would you make the same decisions they made? Will you aspire to treat people differently? One thing is for sure, you will want to know more about what happens to the characters once you have finished Don't Cry Johnny.

In conversation with a life-long friend, Dr. Eugene McAfee, I learned that a retired Episcopal bishop was identified with the parish he had served, namely, St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland. His name is Richard Holloway and he is the mentor of John Shelby Spong. My friend suggested that I should read some of his writings and I chose "Doubts and Loves: What Is Left of Christianity."

I hadn't even finished reading the "preface" before his observations lay hold of me. "It is tragic," he wrote, "that the religion that grew round the remembrance of Jesus of Nazareth should have become the vehicle of such hatred and intolerance." This book was written in order to contribute to "the task of constructing a new understanding of Christianity for our time." So there was no escape -- I had to read it!

His contribution is potent! Holloway's determination to "rebuild the ruins" of Christianity and to express the old in new terms is helpful. Some chapter titles demonstrate what I mean. "Blaming Eve" (original sin), "Heart of Darkness" (hell), "Get Out of Jail Free" (justification) and "The Big Bang" (resurrection) are fresh interpretations of the old.

But he is at his best when he constructs a new vision. He writes, "There has always been a theology of life that emphasised the goodness of creation, rather than its fallen state, and the fact that God chose to dwell in its midst and taste its bitter-sweet joys." His book calls us to courageous action against all that spoils the joy of life and the sacredness of creation. Another reviewer called this book a work of "blinding sincerity." What better way to commend this book to you than to underline that comment? Read it and profit from his insights!

It wasn't long after the Resurrection that followers of Jesus split into factions, each claiming absolute truth and demanding absolute power over religious belief. That power struggle continues and thrives today, even though it is entirely antithetical to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Bishop Holloway makes a brilliant case for putting what Jesus taught and God requires ahead of our human lust for religious dominance. What a breath of fresh air!

Richard Holloway writes a very compassionate and air-tight case for dragging Christianity kicking and screaming into the modern world. Holloway recently stood down as Bishop of Edinburgh, but he has not forgotten all that he has experienced as one of the most outspoken and best-loved figures in the modern church. I believe this book is another of his many attempts to get religion back on the right track. And, it was a natural to pick this up after reading his last book, Godless Morality.

In this book, Holloway successfully argues that Christians must reclaim the spirit of Jesus that: challenges tyrannous absolutes, the angry pity and endless challenge of social hope, and the incredible capacity for forgiveness. These three elements are what remain of a Christianity that is of use to the modern human enterprise. The conclusion Holloway reaches about why he wrote this book is that: "a liberating truth underlies it. I have come to believe passionately that we should treat a belief as a 'habit of action' rather than as an accurate representation of metaphysical reality, to quote Charles Sanders Peirce." This pragmatic approach to Christianity allows for a world view that is lest dogmatic, violent, and judgmental. It is refreshing to say the least.

There are, I think, many of us - Christians or other faiths or even non-believers - who will applaud Holloway's conclusion that even though it is a bit late to have discovered it, there is still time to dismantle all the judgmental and hateful words we have built for Christ and simply tried to follow him, preferably in silence. AMEN.

A sweeping generalization, but true none-the-less, is that Christians are locked in a theological view absent of metaphor. Even Christians who have chosen the cafeteria style of picking and choosing in the aisle of moral considerations are locked into fundamental beliefs vis a vis dogma, and those beliefs promote anxiety rather than life. The more-or-less progressive brethren have abandoned Creationism for evolution, but still struggle with the virgin birth, resurrection, loaves and fishes, body and blood, and etc. In "Doubts and Loves: What is Left of Christianity," Richard Holloway offers a reasoned approach that relieves dogma of the weight of institutional politics and survival, and presents a much more robust approach to Christianity. The approach isn't new, but it is presented in an intelligent, heart-felt, and easily readable style that I found quite appealing. Richard Holloway does not subvert the beauty and worth of Christianity. He preaches "orthopraxis," rather than "orthodoxy," and gives new life to faith. I recommend this book as a fresh way to approach the mysteries, and as a breath of fresh air in the musty cellars of Christian thought.

John Spong often likes to claim Richard Holloway as his mentor. Actually the two retired bishops are not even in the same league. Spong recycles ideas familiar to anyone who has studied theology; Holloway is an original thinker who is not afraid to ask new and difficult questions and feels no need to find easy answers.

Holloway realizes that although God is eternal and unchanging, humans are not. We learn and grow and change, and so does the world we inhabit. The assumptions that used to drive the Christian church - that everyone was or should be Christian, that the church was essential to the life of every decent person, that all humanity must be converted to Christianity to save countless souls from the torments of hell - no longer seem tenable. Religion simply doesn't matter to the majority of the inhabitants of Europe and North America; Christianity is irrelevant. And this may be a good thing.

Holloway believes that the only important contribution the Christian faith can make to our world today is to teach us how to live. A Christian is someone who dares to attempt to live like the penniless, powerless Galilean peasant who suffered and died for his God 2000 years ago. Christianity calls us to a life of risk and powerlessness, not a life of self-righteous justification. The faith will survive, but not with all its certainties intact.