Richardson Books

I checked this book out of the library last month, but just a few pages into I knew I had to own it! I was so inspired I almost started planting mid-winter! It is packed full of fun ideas like planting a pizza shaped garden with all the ingredients for your kid's favorite pizza. You'll also learn how to surprise you kids with pumpkins that grow with their names on them. The book covers everything you need to know, for everyone from beginners to experts. Everything you need to know; soil, sun, what to plant, how to plant and where to plant it. The pictures are charming. Read with caution - you'll want to get started immediately!

This book is really Gardening 101 with the addition of cute pictures of kids. It's all about good, solid, nature-based gardening, the way an experienced gardener might explain it to new gardeners, whether they were children or not. I can't fault the gardening advice - everything is sound and sensible. It covers garden planning, soil basics, organic gardening, composting, planting garden maintenance and a chapter on making gardening fun for children.

The flaw in the book to me was that it was all learning by doing and not enough hanging out and wondering. There is so much a child can learn by just hanging out in a garden and watching. They can watch, for example, a spider trussing his catch or ants herding aphids and learn how this garden world works, not to mention producing teachable moments galore. There is so much to ask about ("Why is this flower blue"?) It's great if adults have answers, or the means to research answers but it's even better if we can enter a child's world of imagination for a while and share his approach to a garden, rather than imposing our own.

Another failing was that the children in the photographs (all clean and healthy-looking, no dirty or disabled kids here) are all in their tidy, bright clothes and carefully posed as directed, digging, let's say, or gazing in wonder at a seedling. If only that were real life!

This would be a useful book in the household of a young family who are faced with coping with a new garden and children who would like to help with it. But be warned - they might get dirty!

This book is really Gardening 101 with the addition of cute pictures of kids. It�s all about good, solid, nature-based gardening, the way an experienced gardener might explain it to new gardeners, whether they were children or not. I can�t fault the gardening advice - everything is sound and sensible. It covers garden planning, soil basics, organic gardening, composting, planting garden maintenance and a chapter on making gardening fun for children.

The flaw in the book to me was that it was all learning by doing and not enough hanging out and wondering. There is so much a child can learn by just hanging out in a garden and watching. They can watch, for example, a spider trussing his catch or ants herding aphids and learn how this garden world works, not to mention producing teachable moments galore. There is so much to ask about (�Why is this flower blue�?) It�s great if adults have answers, or the means to research answers but it�s even better if we can enter a child�s world of imagination for a while and share his approach to a garden, rather than imposing our own.

Another failing was that the children in the photographs (all clean and healthy-looking, no dirty or disabled kids here) are all in their tidy, bright clothes and carefully posed as directed, digging, let�s say, or gazing in wonder at a seedling. If only that were real life!

This would be a useful book in the household of a young family who are faced with coping with a new garden and children who would like to help with it. But be warned - they might get dirty!

I checked this book out of the library last month, but just a few pages into I knew I had to own it! I was so inspired I almost started planting mid-winter! It is packed full of fun ideas like planting a pizza shaped garden with all the ingredients for your kid's favorite pizza. You'll also learn how to surprise you kids with pumpkins that grow with their names on them. The book covers everything you need to know, for everyone from beginners to experts. Everything you need to know; soil, sun, what to plant, how to plant and where to plant it. The pictures are charming. Read with caution - you'll want to get started immediately!

This is a wonderful, Christo-centric look at the issue of racial issues in the church. By recognizing that reconciliation begins with a personal relationship with Jesus, the authors avoid many of the oft-tried and oft-failed attempts at racial justice. Christ Jesus, who reconciles us to the Father, is the one who reconciles us with each other. It is candid and refreshing, a call to unity in the body challenges the stereotypes of different races. We are forced to look at ourselves as God views us, as people created to reflect his glory in our salvation through Christ. The only concern is some questionable exegesis, in which the authors draw out of the text things which I do not believe are there. But the conclusions they come to are biblical. I would suggest this book to all, and it is suitable for small group discussion.

This is a perfect book for people who just want to read about bible study and do jack diddly. There isn't a whole lot of openmindedness... just .. be reasonable.. see it my way... the only way... the X-tian way.

Brenda Salter McNeil has written a ground-breaking book on racial reconciliation. The subtitle alone speaks volumes about the core change needed: soul change. Only when the individual is changed by the infinite love of Christ can society then even begin to be changed. Writing with wit and wisdom, experience and truth, and speaking the truth in love, "The Heart of Racial Justice" offers a stirring, practical model for positive racial change and reconciliation.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.

The Heart of Racial Justice is most definately a must have, this is a book that keeps you searching to find out whats next. This book gives direction for life changes within a mixed community. The book is a powerful tool for healing. The book is easy reading and straight forward. The Heart of Racial Justice will force you to do some self-evaluation. I love it!! the book is very rich in wisdom. Reading this book will cause you to express several emotions. The Heart of Racial Justice Is well written, this book stirs your thinking to invoke change. Change starts with one individual. Dr. Brenda I believe is a Trend-setter to this generation and to those to come. Rev Rick along with Dr Brenda are an awesome team. All I can say is get the book, get the book, get the book!!

Any scholarship dealing with the Herods has to begin with a proper understanding of the genealogy, otherwise, the historical record in this text cannot account for subsequent history. This book is inaccurate as to why and how the united kingdom of Palestine subsequently got divided into tetrarchies (tetra, of course, meaning four). From the get go, there is an inaccurate, incomplete time line which dates the birth of only three of Herod the Great's sons which includes the eldest, Antipater, and the youngest, Philip. Archelaus (5th in the line of succession) is also included. While there is mention of Alexander, Aristobulus, and Herod Antipas (2nd, 3rd & 6th) their birth dates are not given. However, Herod Philip, the 4th eldest, has no mention at all in the text while the vast majority of modern scholars on the subject of the Herods includes him in the genealogy & history of Herod the Great. To understand how and why the country was divided after Herod the Great's death, one has to understand there were four and not three surviving sons in the line of succession. Herod's first will had designated his eldest son, Antipater, as heir of a united Palestine. But when he died, Herod's second will (submitted long before Herod's death) called for the kingdom to be broken up between his remaining four surviving sons, i.e. Herod Philip, Archelaus, Herod Antipas, and Philip. The younger Philip is often confused with his older brother because the latter never served as a ruler having abdicated upon the death of his father. Thus, the second will, was never implemented as designed. The Romans compensated by consolidating Herod Philip's intended tetrarchy into his brother Archelaus' tetrarchy thus making Archelaus an "ethnarch" over the combined territories. Subsequent history shows that Herod Philip was the divorced first husband of Herodias (daughter of his brother Aristobulus, & subsequent wife of his brother Antipas) and father of the notorious Salome of the John the Baptist story. Eventually, Salome, like her mother, married a paternal uncle (legal under Herodian rule), i.e. Philip the Tetrarch. But if Herod Philip and Philip the Tetrarch had been the same person, the marriage would have ended up being a completely incestuous, illegal, marriage between father and daughter; which would be the result of this text having failed to accurately account for the family history of Herod the Great.

The introduction and the first two chapters captured my attention, the book begins with Herod's death and comments on the internal (tragic) family matters. The author displays his impressive knowledge of archeology, ancient and biblical history to present to us a believable portrait of Herod.

Herod has long suffered from the taint of infanticide and his associations with the birth of Christ, as portrayed in the Bible. Peter Richardson's book dispells the myths that have grown up around Herod, and make him a living, breath ing, interesting character in the period of Roman rule of Palestine, and the int ertestamental period of religious history. Herod the builder, Herod the supporte r of the Jewish diaspora and the Olympian games, Herod the master politician - e ach of these aspects of his character are brought vividly to life, and make clea r his very important position in the pre-Christian life of Palestine. This book provides important insights into the life of Herod, his skills as architect and administrator, and uncanny ability to read the political situation and shift all egiance in order to remain in power. An excellent book well worth the effort to read.

In Peter Richardson's new book, 'Herod: King of the Jews and Friend of the Romans', we are given a much fuller account of the king who has graduated to being an archtype, almost mythical character who is the embodiment of evil.

'Herod the Great, as he is usually called, was much like Henry VIII, Catherine the Great, of Peter the Great: talented, vigourous, lusty, skillful, charismatic, attractive, decisive, influential--but a disaster in his personal life. Like them, Herod changed his nation's history.'

In a biographical study an author need not like the subject, but it helps if there is something to admire. Herod's personality is not attractive; had I been a contemporary I should not have wanted to spend much time with him.

This having been said, Richardson does find much of interest and intrigue in the character and the deeds of Herod the Great.

Herod was king of the Jews by virtue of his assistance to the Romans who were, during the 50-year period preceding the birth of Jesus and the beginning of the common/Christian era, consolidating power throughout much of the eastern Mediterranean lands. Herod married many times for increasing political and social purposes (a trend that would continue in the Herodian line -- John the Baptist was beheaded primarily for pointing out the marriage difficulties with a later Herod).

Herod the Great, founder of the line that would last and be an influence in Roman and Christian development for some two hundred years, died in 4 BCE, in Jericho, not long after the events that would have created the first Christian martyrs -- the slaying of the newborns of Bethlehem. The timing of his death in Jericho makes it appear to be divine justice, but independent verification of the Biblical story has never been found.

Richardson approaches the historical subject in a somewhat backwards fashion, examining the details of the death of Herod and the aftermath his will and the will of Rome in shaping his legacy to their ends. Using close sources such as Josephus, Richardson then proceeds to examine earlier, less well-documented periods in Herod's life, including his early service to Rome and his attempts at consolidation of power at different points. Shortly before key events that would bring him the favour of the Romans, Herod himself was on trial in Jerusalem for his possible usurpation of power that was not rightfully his -- this bravado, however, found favour with the Romans who followed his career with interest ever after.

Richardson also explores Herod's influence in the building up of Jerusalem into a great city as well as outside projects (major fortresses, palaces, religious and cultural buildings, commercial construction and infrastructure), as well as his support of and rivalry with various religious factions in Jerusalem and surrounding Judea. Herod's relationship with the Temple and priestly elite had ramifications throughout the religious fabric of Judaism of the time, which in various factions held differing beliefs about the appropriate constitution of the priestly officials and the practices these should perform. Herod incurred the disfavour of Sadducees, Pharisees, Esssenes, Herodians, Brigands, and others at different points in turn.

In the final chapters, Richardson turns to examine the role of Herod and his descendants in Christianity. He examines in detail the likelihood of Herod ordering the death of the newborns (or even knowing of the birth of a potential rival king). He examines also the role of Herod Antipas in the death of John and Jesus. Josephus confirms John the Baptist's death at the hands of Antipas, though recounts somewhat differently from gospel accounts. The gospels relate two independent traditions regarding the relationship of Jesus and Herod Antipas.

In all, this is a fascinating history that brings up great detail and context with which to read the gospel stories, the Roman history in the Middle East, and the Dead Sea Scrolls in a new context.

It's a major drawback for publishers that Amazon's system links the reviews and promotional material for all versions of a book indiscriminately, so that an old, flawed, bowdlerized, and misleading translation such as this one from 1919 by Hanna Astrup Larsen is allowed to profit from the comments made for the new translation by Tiina Nunnally published by Fjord Press in 1990. With Fjord's demise this definitive and superior translation is now available from Penguin Classics -- buy it instead!

This was the book more fantastic that I had read!!!!! This tell us about how a soul fell itself when your love is not recompensed. It makes a psycological interpretation of your mind in these so sad and difficult situation. It is a sensitive book for sensitive people!

This 2007 release seems to be a reprint of Tina Nunnally's translation. I prefer the old fashioned Larsen translation, though I'm not told it has inaccuracies. Nunnally's prose is clunky, while the Larsen sings. For the best novel ever written, you'd think someone would find a middle ground.

This is not a reprint, but a new translation by acclaimed translator and author Tiina Nunnally of arguably the finest novel ever to come out of Scandinavia. It had a huge influence on European writers, especially in Germany, where teenage boys would carry around a Danish dictionary in the vain hope of reading Jacobsen in the original, according to Stefan Zweig, and where the novel has been translated at least 6 times. Read it and see where Thomas Mann got his ideas for "Tonio Kröger." Jacobsen, who was a botanist as well as the translator of Darwin into Danish, fills the novel with flowers and plants, and he knows whereof he speaks. Dive headlong into this examination of creativity vs. lethargy, atheism vs. faith, and the seemingly infinite ability of the hero to misunderstand women!

This is an engaging story, although a bit long. My daughter loved the book and it has a heartwarming and perfect story book ending that every Princess (and Prince) will love. The illustrations are gorgeous!

I love this book it has beautiful illustrations and an engaging story to tell.

Since this was the same author, illustrator team that gave us The Faerie's Gift I thought this will be another "must have" book for my library. With great anticipation I read the story and studied the art on the pages. I thought a couple of times that I had missed something as I was reading, yet I decided that if I kept reading, that surely the questions that I had, would clear up. Unfortunately they did not. The story rambles along. It clearly needs some good editing. It's way too long. You don't feel close to the characters. The time lines are too long for a child to comprehend. In the end, it's basically a nothing story, it's not something that I would ever want to read again nor even give as a gift. As a last ditch effort to "fix" the story the author tells the reader that she has woven three tales together and even the explanation gets very long winded. Still at that point re-reading what I already labored through isn't something that interested me again. I was so disappointed. Save your money, seek out The Faerie's Gift instead .... leave this book behind.

The Princess And The White Bear King is an impressive retelling by Tanya Robun Batt of an old fairytale. Enhanced with the superlative artistry of Nicoletta Ceccoli, young readers are provided with the picturebook story of a princess who has a strange encounter with a great white bear, who takes her to live in his castle. Yet when she fails to pay attention to a warning, disaster strikes, and she must set out on a journey east of the sun and west of the moon in hopes of restoring her chance at happiness and love. A truly imaginative and uplifting fantasy.

Love this book! Contains some great insights into the early careers of some of my favorite artists. There should be more books like this!

I returned it.
If you are an artist looking for inspiration, you won't find it here.
The only fresh thing about this book is the title.

Photos are bland. It is more academic without the kick or good design in
"Live Through This."
The content would only be of historical interest.

I ordered this book because Amazon stated
" Customers who bought "Live through This" also bought this book.
I imagine they are getting a lot of returns.

This book gives you a look at what it was like from the people who were there. I only went to a few shows but these people lived there. McGee, Kilgallen, Campbell, Gonzalez and more. Photos of the shows and behind the scenes of life and work at the gallery. Plus great interviews with dozens of artists and people who were there telling how they found out about it and there wildest alleged experiences. Great book, every city in the world needs an alleged gallery, I know mine does.

I have been waiting for this book for a long time. Although I wasn't a regular when the gallery was open, over the years I have become a big fan of the art and artists that were exhibiting there. This book is filled with interesting photos and anecdotes about the struggles of being an independent artist and gallery in an increasingly more corporate world. New York is not the same now. This book reminds me that one mustn't have to sell out to make a mark.

Frederick Louis Richardson's debut novel includes evil versus good, African vampires, and governmental paid killings across the globe. The story begins in 1750 as the William George slave ship transports its load across the Atlantic. A distant relative of the slaves slips onboard to wreak havoc on the all-European crew. Siata Quattarra brutally kills several crewmembers, which leads to freeing of the slaves stored below. The horror that unfolds eventually leads to the ships demise as it shipwrecks on the outskirts of an island in the Caribbean. The sole survivor is a vampire who eventually begins to reside in Washington, D.C.

Fast-forward 100 years; Henry Cheeks masterminds the blood and plasma industry in Africa. This blood cartel is equal to drug trafficking in Cuba. In Africa, the locals discuss vampire activity but nothing is confirmed until an American journalist stumbles upon the truth. The vampires are in for the fight of their life with Isaish "Black Rush" Zacharias as their leader. Black Rush, Night, Netty Boo, and Aisha function much like a gang as they stalk the streets and suck the blood out of unsuspecting Americans. They are producing horror and hundreds of unexplained deaths in our nation's capital. They have a way of enticing individuals into escapades of sex and love that end in bloodletting and death for the human.

Richardson truly impressed me with this rendition of vampires living among humans. He carefully adds his African American heritage in this tale of vampires, witchcraft, and threat to America's blood supply. He uses vivid descriptions, which produces a story that is somewhat believable. It had me looking over my shoulder and checking the teeth of my neighbor. This is definitely one to read especially if you are a lover of vampire stories.

Reviewed by Monique Bruner of Loose Leaves Book Review

In his first novel, Frederick Louis Richardson takes us on a journey that spans more than two hundred years in BLACK RUSH. The journey begins in 1750 on a slave ship crossing the Atlantic that shipwrecks on an island in the Caribbean. The only survivor would continue a bloodline that eventually comes to reside in the United States. The Zacharias family, now living in Washington, DC is a very close-knit and unique family. They carry a disease called porphyria, which is a blood disorder that could cause them to bleed to death. They are also a clan of vampires living and feeding in the Nation's capitol. They can turn a simple act of love into a truly painful and final experience. As scientists and industrialists are trying to harvest their blood for further study and possible ill gain, the clergy wants good to prevail over evil and the government wants all traces of them extinguished. There are also those from the Caribbean that want the whole race eradicated, but for other reasons. In a fight for their very survival, Isaiah "Black Rush" Zacharias is leading the children of darkness to rid them of all their enemies. Who will triumph in the end?

In this classic tale of good versus evil, Richardson has put a different spin on vampire stories in this horror yarn. He blends a story about black vampires from Africa, a tale of cornering the market on the world's blood supply and witchcraft with a governmental cover-up to produce a story with some remarkable believability in some parts. In others, it was a little far-fetched. Although I had an issue with some of the editing, this is one to read for all you lovers of vampire stories.

Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Black Rush is one of the best Horror books that I've read in a long time. I'm an avid fan of Stephen King, and Mr. Richardson has impressed me by his work immensely. I can't wait for his next book!

Cooking With the Seasons is an excellent book filled with delicious recipes as well as snippets of the author's memories of growing up in France. The variations listed at the end of most recipes give the everyday cook the opportunity to adapt to what is on hand. Monique's tips, which are scattered throughout the book, are useful bits of information to aid the cook with common delimmas.

I was disappointed to learn that the recipes had already been adapted to what is available in America. This is useful to those who live in the US, but to those of us anticipating a move to France or those who wish to create a truly authentic French dish, it is less than ideal.

Nevertheless, it is a beautifully done book with wonderful recipes, delightful memories, and great tips. It is a book that deserves a place of honor in any cook's kitchen.

A lovely book with charming snippets of memories from the author's childhood in France, this cookbook takes you through a year, month by month, using the ingredients in season and readily available to create wonderful, everyday meals. The recipes are well written, and offer tips for variations and substitutions. A feature I found very useful was "Monique's Tips". They offer practical answers for kitchen delimmas.

I was disappointed in the fact that the recipes were adapted to suit the ingredients most commonly found in the United States, rather than those found in France. This makes it great for creating dishes with a French flair in the States, but makes it less useful for someone who plans to use it as a cornerstone cookbook when moving to France.

All in all, this is a cookbook worth buying. The lessons Monique Hooker teaches about using what is on hand and experimenting with herbs and spices are just as useful in any country, with any style of cooking. Add to this the memories of childhood in France, and you have a book you will return to again and again.

I find this cookbook to be wonderfully readable, whether for cooking or for curling up by the fireplace to read on a Sunday afternoon. I am not a very experienced French cook, I am just learning. However, I visited France for a period of time, staying with a French family. I find the recipes here to be much the same as the home cooking I recieved while in France. It may not be fancy Parisian fare with elaborate sauces, but it is not intended to be that. It seems to be written as a book for French (Brittany to be specific) country home cooking. True French cusine focuses on the freshest local ingrediants available, beautifully prepared, and that is just what is in this book.

For over a century, Country Life magazine has been documenting the great houses and gardens in England. Their photographic library consists of over 10,000 images - this book presents 200 of them, beginning with the formal bedding gardens of Victorian England and progressing through the Arts and Crafts gardens of the Edwardian era as well as modernist gardens, artists gardens, wild gardens and cottage gardens. The emphasis is on the Arts and Crafts gardens and the influence that Gertrude Jeckyll and Edward Lutyens had on garden design. An entire chapter is devoted to Jeckyll - other chapters cover landscape architects who were influenced by Jeckyll and Lutyens, the popularity of borders, Sissinghurst and Hidcote, the Modernist Garden, Romance and Restraint (following World War II), From Smart to Art (Artist's Gardens) and the final chapter "Making it Over" which discusses how some of the major estate gardens have been saved and restored. The prose is very interesting and informative (although the author can be very opinionated) but the highlight of the book are the remarkable photographs. Most of them are black and white with the exception of a few duotones (of Jeckyll's gardens) and color photos in the last chapter. The book is beautiful, printed on heavy glossy paper and any garden lover will love it.

I find this book fascinating. It's not a typical coffee table book or a how-to-book. Rather it's a book about the history of English landscaping in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The black and white photos are period pictures that are being used to illustrate points made by the author about gardens as they were once (not as they are now, if they even still exist.) The pictures are not just being used as eye candy. Mind you I love books filled with beautiful pictures. (Oh, I really do!), but that is not the purpose of this book. This is the book to read *after* you have looked at the picture books, and you find yourself yearning for more. Look at the picture books...then read this one.

I am learning a lot about the design of the great gardens of England and even some of my personal tastes in garden from this book. Worse yet, it has started me redesigning (in my own mind) a couple of the local historic gardens near me.

I read the glowing reviews and purchased the book - it is a shame that no one mentioned the fact that 75% of the images used to illustrate the book are black and white photos. The book concerns gardens of the 20th century, and was published in the 21st century - someone needs to let the author know that photographic techniques have advanced quite a bit. At the very least it would have been nice to know that the book I was purchasing with over "200 superb photographs" were mostly low contrast black and white images. I suppose I should have paid more attention to the "printed on thick, glossy paper" part of the review as a warning.

Don't let the cover of this book fool you. The lovely cover makes this book look like a high school or college text, but upon opening it you will find it appeals to a younger crowd. Their are lovely pictures and illustrations. The text is succinct and relatively easy to read. There are many pictures to keep the reader engaged. If your upper elementary to middle school age child finds ancient history a little boring, give this book a try. It is fact-filled but well-illustrated and to-the-point. A great addition to your library if you homeschool; great to flesh out your history lesson if you use MOH or TOG.

I read this book with my 9-year old son, and he liked it quite a bit. He loves reading and learning about India, and this was a great introduction to Ancient Indian history. The book explains complex ideas like reincarnation, karma, nirvana etc quite accurately in simple words. My son understood those concepts in the first reading!

The book talks about Harappan and Aryan civilizations, almost concurrently, and on one ocassion he got confused between them.

This is a social history of life in ancient India targeted at late elementary schoolers.

It is organized into 14 two-page, thematic spreads that follow a general chronological progression (from the Harrappan civilizations through the Aryan conquest, Mauryan Age, and and the rise of Buddhism) but have a way-of-life emphasis. The packaging, full of drawings, artifacts, and photographs of people and places, is very well done, and the text is clear.

The only drawback is that the presentation is rather dry and textbook-like. However, it is still a very good introduction to an area that is rarely covered by books of this level.