Robertson Books

A philosophical enquiry into the origin of our ideas of the sublime and beautiful, 1759

Burke points out the things all around us that we take for granted but which really are absolutely amazing in his discourse on the sublime. A galloping stead, the expanse of a starry night, or a range of towering, snow-capped mountains. Burke points out these awe-some sights which in themselves provoke us to ask of their origins.

This book can be repetitious as Burke attempts to make, especially on taste, his point absolutely clear (I've got one of the later editions - 1772.).

Additionally, some of the lines in the book are near-timeless and are good to have around to reference from.

Edmund Burke's 1757 treatise, "A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful," is a clearly written, well-argued, and variously inflected work of philosophy. Coming out of and contending with the traditions of philosophies of passion, understanding, and aesthetics from Aristotle and Longinus to Descartes, Hobbes to Locke, and Shaftesbury to Hume, Burke would seem to be taking on a world of difficulty at the tender age of 28. However, Burke manages to maintain control and exercise great wit in his treatise by confining his "Enquiry" to the ways we interact with the physical world, and how in this interaction, we formulate our aesthetic ideas of sublimity and beauty.

Burke's "Enquiry" is divided into five parts, with an introduction. The introduction is perhaps his most witty segment, as he tries, as Shaftesbury, Addison, and Hume before him, to formulate a standard of Taste, a popular subject of conjecture in the 18th century. Physically, and not without some irony, he chooses to speak of Taste primarily as a feature of eating. In response to his predecessors, though, he does say that since our attitudes toward the world come from our senses, that the majority of people can see (sight being very important) and react; thus all people are capable of some degree of Taste. Education and experience, he must admit, though, do refine Taste. In Part One, Burke examines the individual and social causes which arouse our sense of the sublime and the beautiful, those being the primal feelings of terror/pain and love/pleasure, respectively. Throughout the "Enquiry," Burke insists that these are not opposites strictly speaking - that pain and pleasure are mediated by a neutral state of indifference, which is the natural state of man. (Compare that idea to Hobbes and Locke!)

Parts Two, Three, and Four find Burke explaining his notion of the passions in relation to his basis of the physical world. Grandeur, potential threat, darkness, and ignorance for Burke excite our nerves and produce the sublime, a feeling of terror which is simultaneously delightful as long as it does not cause immediate pain. These he finds both in the physical world and in tragedies of literature and history. Smallness, softness, clarity, and weakness delimit the beautiful, which produces affection and sympathy. The contrasts and interventions that Burke makes throughout the "Enquiry" on these bases are variously inflected with issues of anxiety over gender roles, race, and power. Burke's politics give the work a joyful and troubling complexity to the literary minded.

Part Five, then, is a look at the effect that words, language, and poetry can have in influencing our affect in regards to the sublime and the beautiful. In it, he gathers together statements he sprinkles throughout the treatise on the nature of poetry - that its emphasis on representation of emotion, rather than imitation of objects, gives it a power that is perhaps unequalled even by nature. In Burke's "Enquiry," one can see a nascent fascination with landscape, mystery, and sensation that would find its flowering in the Gothic and Romantic movements of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His insistent break with earlier philosphers who combined aesthetics and morality is a serious challenge to moral philosophy with regard to art and Taste. His physical descriptions of emotional response prefigures Freud's psychological ponderings in "Three Essays on Sexuality" and "Beyond the Pleasure Principle," as well as linguistic theory. In all, a fascinating and complicated work for being as short as it is.

This review is dedicated to the memory of Vernon Lau. Unfortunately, Burke did not deal in the "Enquiry" with the pain or terror of immediate personal loss. One can only wonder if Burke's obsession with philosophical distance between people and fear wasn't motivated by a loss of his own.

Burke's Enquiry is a surprising and remarkable little work. If you expect the Burke who fits your stereotype of the conservative Tory politician, that is not what you will find here at all--but rather a clear and insightful discussion of our feelings and emotions of awe and beauty in nature and in art, and especially poetry.

Based on self-observation and reflection, Burke takes a scientific, almost Newtonian approach to the fascinating question of what it is that makes us feel the presence of the sublime and the beautiful.

These are amazing observations for a 28-year-old--remarkable as well because they were written in 1757. Consistent with the 18th Century outlook, he refers to the emotions as "the passions," and it's obvious he's done a good deal of thinking about them.

The sublime, for Burke, is generated by passions connected to self preservation and which "turn on pain and danger. They are simply painful when their causes immediately affect us. They are delightful when we have an idea of pain or danger without being actually in such circumstances. This delight I have not called pleasure because it is different enough from any idea of positive pleasure. Whatever excites this delight, I call sublime."

By beauty, Burke means the quality or qualities in bodies by which they cause love or some passion similar to it. He makes sure to distinguish love from lust or desire. This is quite a different view than the Platonic view of beauty as resonant with eternal forms and ideas.

Burke identifies specific qualities that generate beauty: to be comparatively small, smooth, having parts not angular but melted into one another. He cites the example of a dove as a creature having this beauty.

There is a big difference between admiration and love. The sublime, which is the cause of the former, always dwells on great objects and terror; the latter on small ones and pleasing.

Burke's Enquiry refers almost exclusively to the physical and emotional properties, and he provides many examples of shapes and forms which do or do not evoke the sublime and beautiful--so that we can be clear about what he is talking about. This work is concrete--not at all abstract as one might expect of a philosophical work.

Will today's readers find Burke's work interesting? It's a good bet that many will. The idea of the sublime seems a bit dated, yet it is still with us in great natural scenery, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, etc. And something very much in evidence, for example in the popular photography of Ansel Adams. The concept of beauty in today's popular culture has become so watered down (there's now a beauty "industry," complete with beauty "products") that it should do the contemporary reader good to consider Burke's idea of what true beauty is. There's good reason to hope the idea of beauty in art and poetry may make a comeback--and not be viewed as elitist or aristocratic snobbery.

Oxford's good little edition contains the Introduction on Taste, which Burke added after 1757, and a good chronology and textual notes.

Remember taste? That is something people used to strive to possess. In the tastelessness of this postmodern world, a little consideration of taste would do us all some good.

If one travels to Brenda Robertson Stewart's home town of Bloomington, Indiana, one will find sinkholes, snakes, and some very peculiar religious practices. Ms. Stewart earned a B.A. in English from Indiana University. Along with her obvious writing skills, she is also a forensic artist specializing in facial reconstruction, which gives her a very special perspective on forensic investigations and the art of doll artistry. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and several doll artist organizations.

POWER IN THE BLOOD is the first Lettie Sue Wolfe mystery. Lettie Sue is a widow who has come back to Indiana to rest after the death of her husband and to work on her hobby reconstructing faces from skulls. Her home town is happy that she has returned until one of her reconstructions turns out to be her best friend Sassy's long disappeared sister Marty. Lettie Sue becomes an instant celebrity, and odd things begin to happen. Her special relationship with her elderly neighbors, Aunt Mattie and Uncle Jim, who constantly worry about her and warn her of a wolf that Uncle Jim keeps hearing, enables her to begin to build her life. But the murderer has other ideas:

"Suddenly I heard violent barking from downstairs. I sneaked downstairs and peeked around the curtain. The security light was out. After my eyes adjusted to the dark, I saw movement just behind the old maple tree. Bailey began to bark hysterically again. I sneaked over to the phone, but it was dead. Thank goodness I had a backup for the security system. It wouldn't be so easily disabled."

Ms. Stewart's first Lettie Sue mystery is a barn-storming page turner! She uses the naturally sinister topography of her home town to cook up a plot that is as compelling as her relationship with her elderly neighbors and animals is sweet. This mystery is the best kind of cozy that is appropriate for virtually any age group, and is as entertaining as it can be. Lettie Sue is a likable character with talent, character, and is just nosy enough to constantly get herself into a pickle. Ms. Stewart adds obvious regional oddballs to give an already excellent tale more credence. POWER IN THE BLOOD is a good, old fashioned story with love, religious fanaticism, family togetherness, and healing after the loss of a loved one. Lettie Sue is just getting started.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

Lettie Sue Wolfe is a forensic sculptor, but most of the town is unaware of her profession. When local children find a human skull in a sinkhole, Lettie is asked to reconstruct the face.

Lettie is shocked to find the face of her childhood friend's sister's face staring at her when she finished. The sister had been missing for thirty years. She decides to try to discover what happened to her friend's sister. She uncovers information people would rather not be made public. She finds herself in some sticky and dangerous situations

She hires a distant friend who is a private investigator to help her discover the truth. But can they find the truth without becoming the killer's next victims?

I really enjoyed this story. I found it difficult to put the book down. There was enough suspense to keep me guessing. It's a great cozy suspense. I found the forensic matter to enhance the story, and the author did a great job of not going into too much detail. It was just enough.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

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If one travels to Brenda Robertson Stewart's home town of Bloomington, Indiana, one will find sinkholes, snakes, and some very peculiar religious practices. Ms. Stewart earned a B.A. in English from Indiana University. Along with her obvious writing skills, she is also a forensic artist specializing in facial reconstruction, which gives her a very special perspective on forensic investigations and the art of doll artistry. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and several doll artist organizations.

POWER IN THE BLOOD is the first Lettie Sue Wolfe mystery. Lettie Sue is a widow who has come back to Indiana to rest after the death of her husband and to work on her hobby reconstructing faces from skulls. Her home town is happy that she has returned until one of her reconstructions turns out to be her best friend Sassy's long disappeared sister Marty. Lettie Sue becomes an instant celebrity, and odd things begin to happen. Her special relationship with her elderly neighbors, Aunt Mattie and Uncle Jim, who constantly worry about her and warn her of a wolf that Uncle Jim keeps hearing, enables her to begin to build her life. But the murderer has other ideas:

"Suddenly I heard violent barking from downstairs. I sneaked downstairs and peeked around the curtain. The security light was out. After my eyes adjusted to the dark, I saw movement just behind the old maple tree. Bailey began to bark hysterically again. I sneaked over to the phone, but it was dead. Thank goodness I had a backup for the security system. It wouldn't be so easily disabled."

Ms. Stewart's first Lettie Sue mystery is a barn-storming page turner! She uses the naturally sinister topography of her home town to cook up a plot that is as compelling as her relationship with her elderly neighbors and animals is sweet. This mystery is the best kind of cozy that is appropriate for virtually any age group, and is as entertaining as it can be. Lettie Sue is a likable character with talent, character, and is just nosy enough to constantly get herself into a pickle. Ms. Stewart adds obvious regional oddballs to give an already excellent tale more credence. POWER IN THE BLOOD is a good, old fashioned story with love, religious fanaticism, family togetherness, and healing after the loss of a loved one. Lettie Sue is just getting started.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

If one travels to Brenda Robertson Stewart's home town of Bloomington, Indiana, one will find sinkholes, snakes, and some very peculiar religious practices. Ms. Stewart earned a B.A. in English from Indiana University. Along with her obvious writing skills, she is also a forensic artist specializing in facial reconstruction, which gives her a very special perspective on forensic investigations and the art of doll artistry. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and several doll artist organizations.

POWER IN THE BLOOD is the first Lettie Sue Wolfe mystery. Lettie Sue is a widow who has come back to Indiana to rest after the death of her husband and to work on her hobby reconstructing faces from skulls. Her home town is happy that she has returned until one of her reconstructions turns out to be her best friend Sassy's long disappeared sister Marty. Lettie Sue becomes an instant celebrity, and odd things begin to happen. Her special relationship with her elderly neighbors, Aunt Mattie and Uncle Jim, who constantly worry about her and warn her of a wolf that Uncle Jim keeps hearing, enables her to begin to build her life. But the murderer has other ideas:

"Suddenly I heard violent barking from downstairs. I sneaked downstairs and peeked around the curtain. The security light was out. After my eyes adjusted to the dark, I saw movement just behind the old maple tree. Bailey began to bark hysterically again. I sneaked over to the phone, but it was dead. Thank goodness I had a backup for the security system. It wouldn't be so easily disabled."

Ms. Stewart's first Lettie Sue mystery is a barn-storming page turner! She uses the naturally sinister topography of her home town to cook up a plot that is as compelling as her relationship with her elderly neighbors and animals is sweet. This mystery is the best kind of cozy that is appropriate for virtually any age group, and is as entertaining as it can be. Lettie Sue is a likable character with talent, character, and is just nosy enough to constantly get herself into a pickle. Ms. Stewart adds obvious regional oddballs to give an already excellent tale more credence. POWER IN THE BLOOD is a good, old fashioned story with love, religious fanaticism, family togetherness, and healing after the loss of a loved one. Lettie Sue is just getting started.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

This is one of my all time favorites. Being raised on a cotton farm in Texas in the depression, I can relate to it entirely. It showed me the close relationship of all southern people and the common heritage even though our farms were a 1,000 miles apart. Many of Ben's relatives were just like mine. And cotton was King. It was the main topic of conversation all year.

An English professor I had in college once berated me at a poker game for recommending this book. He had never heard of it. I gave him a copy. I can only imagine the sardonic moment in which he finally picked it up. He loved it. The book was given to me by a Capitol Hill policeman from North Carolina. This is the sort of book that will help Yankee's (like me)to understand the Old South; a truly liberal and enlightened view. This is one of those books, whose author was struck down early in life, that makes you wonder what might have come from his pen had he lived. These are memoirs, memoirs of the old folks that made up the backbone of the South after the Civil War up to the Great Depression, real, living people whom, thorough these pages, become a delight to get acquainted with.

From a member of the next generation with recollections and experiences of a similar nature, I can assure you that this book gives a highly accurate account of what it was like growing up in the rural South. The next best book of this nature, and one similar to it is "Run With the Horsemen", by Ferol Sams. Although "Run With the Horsemen" is classed as a novel, it accurately portrays life in the rural South during the Great Depression. Please don't miss reading either of these great books concerning events that occured at a special time and in a very special place.

My first contact with "Red Hills and Cotton" was in 1973; I was 4 years old, and my mother had been given the book as a birthday present by my aunt. When I was old enough, I read the book for myself. Ben Robertson is buried in my hometown, and I recognized much of the geography of which he writes. I also recognize much of the human spirit about which he writes - the spirit of the Southern small farmer.

Although many of the circumstances of the South have changed since this writing (in the early 1940s), the nature of the people has not changed to a great extent. We may not work the fields each day, but our love of God, family, homeland, adventure, loyalty -- all these things remain close to our hearts and lives. Ben Robertson would still have reason to be proud. Would that he had lived longer and written more!

Very helpful discussion of basics and some advanced issues regarding compliance for RIA's.

I can't imagine any RIA firm, particularly those with CFP designees on staff that wouldn't be interested in this book. It is both well written and well organized. I intend to keep this book as a permanent resource. Opportunity to earn 20 hours CFP CE credit gives it great value as well.

I was quite "blown away" by the amount of accurate information in this book. In all of my years in this industry I have never seen it contained in one place so comprehensively. It is also quite easy to read and to find what you're looking for. I recommend this book as a guidepost to everyone in the investment advisory business.

Any area involving government regulations is destined to be very complex and very confusing. This is particularly true with securities and the SEC and state regulatory requirements. Ms. Demby's book provides a guide through the regulatory maze.
I am just beginning my journey into the financial planning profession, and this book will always be within easy reach.


James Dupree, CPA

Reviewed by Lisa Kisner for Reader Views (7/08)

It sounds pretty simple. A road is proposed to connect two remote towns. The road will make the commute between the towns easier and bring together the communities, allowing change and growth. The road provides endless ways to transform their towns and create new business opportunities and a wider customer base. However, not everyone wants change. As the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors prepares to make their final vote on the proposed road, the county is divided into two sides -- those for and those against the road. Neighbors, friends and family members turn on each other as the vote looms ever closer. Questions arise as it comes to light that there are people outside the county intent on building the road for their own purposes. As confrontations escalate the townspeople are faced with another question: Would someone kill for the road?

When you begin reading this book you enter the realm of small town politics. Decisions that appear to be simple take on a whole new meaning when people you know are directly impacted. This book is told from the point of view of the five supervisors. It gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the thoughts and motivations of the people who must decide whether or not to allow the road to be built. In the beginning, the reader may become confused as you rocket from one point of view to another, with only a space between paragraphs announcing the change. However, the reader will soon adapt to this shifting easily as the characters become familiar. The multiple points of view end up enhancing the story rather than detracting from it. The main characters are well-developed and realistic. In the end you feel as if you know them well. It was very interesting to see each of them wrestle what is best for the town and what is best for their own personal interests.

Embedded in the politics of the story is a finely-crafted mystery surrounding the death of a board member. The author, Paul Robertson, throws out multiple red herrings in "Road to Nowhere" that succeed in keeping the reader guessing until the end on the motivation and identity of the killer. Readers of fiction and mystery alike will enjoy this thriller about what happens when big changes are proposed for small towns.

Road to Nowhere

You know someone is a talented author when he can write a novel about a road and make it a page-turner. Paul Robertson has done just that.

A small county made up of small towns, mere blips on the state map, situated miles from everywhere else suddenly receives the possibility of a chance to connect, change and grow. A road. This opportunity lands in the lap of the county government members and the folks in their jurisdiction soon make their wishes and demands known.

Who is behind the road? Does someone feel strongly enough about it to kill? What is the right decision?

I read this novel with the same sense of wonder I felt watching the interactions of the 12 Angry Men. Road to Nowhere is a fascinating glimpse into the thoughts and triggers and behaviors of people caught up in a cause. It is also a finely crafted novel nothing like his other impressive work, The Heir.

On Jan 2 in North Carolina, the Jefferson County North Carolina Board of Supervisors meets with the new Chair Joe Esterhouse who just replaced the recently deceased Mort Walker. Joe reads a document from Raleigh for the county to apply for a grant and if they succeed in obtaining the money determine whether they want a road to bring the Gold River Highway over a mountain to Wardsville. They vote in the affirmative. However the county residents split in two between supporters and dissenters.

The people of Gold Valley with expensive homes want the highway to cut down on their commute. A developer Charlie Richer wants it done so he begins bribing folks to vote for the highway and Selectman Wade Morris is killed when his car goes off an embankment. Joe thinks some one murdered both men and another selectman was shot so he works behind the scenes trying to uncover who has taken the debate to a lethal level.

From the onset when he makes his proposal Joe knows the locals will be polarized into two camps, but believes the highway is the right thing for the county. However, he never anticipated how violent and ultimately deadly the argument turned as neighbors and families turn on each other and the selectmen. Thus readers obtain a regional drama with a whodunit wrapped inside it.

Harriet Klausner

Paul Robertson has created a great tale. I was caught up after reading the first page of 'Road To Nowhere' and could hardly put it down.

It is a wonderful story of a small town at perhaps it's best and most assuredly at it's worst.

Who would have thought that a simple plan to build a road could destroy a town before the bulldozers even get started! Or even get a man killed?

'Road To Nowhere' is told from the point of view of each of the city board members. We get to see the various sides of the story as it unfolds and it unfolds at a rapid pace.

I am glad to have read this and will be looking up more of Paul Robertson's work.

A poignant and touching story woven together from journals and notes. It speaks of true Christian faith, love of family and sacrifice for others. It is rich in desription and brings back many memories of living in a small town and attending a local Methodist church.

This book offers the reader hope, understanding, and how the Robertson's faith saw them through so many hardships. The Robertson's suffered pain, sorrow, and adversity, but their steadfast love and abiding faith in the Lord always prevailed throughout the turmoil in their lives. Even though it was a simpler era of time, the hardships that they endured then is still prevelent today. I would strongly suggest that anyone suffering these adversities to read this book in order to gain a stronger appreciation for what we have and to gain faith and understanding for tomorrow.

Shadow Dawn is a one-year diary/journal kept by a pioneer "steel magnolia" during the mid-thirties. Mary Adelaide Webb and her Methodist minister husband, Doctor Webb, take the reader on a journey of faith of the shadows before miracle drugs or bypass surgery as well as the joys of their "holy vow" kept throughout a forty-year Christian marriage. The reader is swept up in the optimism Mrs. Webb exhibits even under dire circumstances and the grace she imparts through her thoughts and actions. I wish I could have known Mary Webb; what an inspiration she is!

This is a truly inspirational book and extremely well written. It focuses on the life of two people after the Civil War and the struggles they endured and gives the reader hope and encouragement for a better tomorrow in the world we live. Those principles applied at that time as well as today. The book is a comfort to the hurting in today's world.

I had vaguely heard of Space Beaver when I started reading Transmetropolitan. Enjoying the super-detailed art of Darick Robertson, I wondered if I would enjoy Space Beaver as well. Let me tell you, after reading both volumes, I love Space Beaver! The characters are believeable, with real emotion. It is also a wonderful thing to witness Darick's artistic progression from the somewhat cartoon-like beginning of the book, to the sharply detailed, and realistic end. Violent, funny, sad: these things describe Space Beaver. It's not Shakespear, but what do you expect from a bunch of talking animals, shooting lasers at each other!? Buy Space Beaver, it's totally fun, and totally legal!

This is the best comic about a Beaver in Space that I have ever read! It's really interesting to see how a 17 year old nobody started his career with this stuff! If you like Transmetropolitan, you should read Space Beaver. Not that they're anything alike, but Warren Ellis wrote something in both titles, and Darick Robertson drew them both. Every story has a beginning and this is Darick Robertson's. And hey, even THIS is better than Phantom Menace.

I have never read it, but I love it!

In 1946, while attempting to invent a cure for being vaporized by a detonated atomic warhead, researchers unexpectedly discovered the universe could essentially be broken down into two fundamental categories; those which are Space Beaver, and those which fail miserably to be Space Beaver. The only thing remaining was for Space Beaver to be invented, and in 1986 Darick Robertson did just that.

Whether or not Darick would ever have become the comic artist he is today if he hadn't tried to draw comics, we may never know. But we definitely wouldn't have Space Beaver, as well as some other stuff like Transmetropolitan, and I think he does some work for Marvel or something. Or maybe I'm thinking of Arby's. No, I'm almost positive it's Marvel.

But more recent, high-profile works aside, Space Beaver is something you absolutely must have. Why? Name three other things that have anything to do with a beaver in outer space. You probably don't even have one thing with a beaver from space in it. What kind of person are you? Obviously you are lacking in Space Beaver-related things. Besides, it's a good book; a juxtaposition of words and pictures as a means of relating a story. A storytelling medium invented entirely by Darick himself (unconfirmed). But the important thing that you should know is those words and pictures are pretty damn good ones. And there's lots of them too.

But don't take my word for it, or even Darick Robertson's (who's endorsement is inherently implied, by the way). Consider the words of Abraham Lincoln himself, who said "No matter how much cats fight, there always seem to be plenty of kittens." And there certainly are.

Robertson should be castigated for only one thing, the sequel he promises in his afterword has never eventuated.

Being a historical recreationist, I am fairly picky about any books that deal with history- and besides the accents (which the author later says he made up in order to make the story more real to the reader, from the main characters' point of view), I found the culture and many events to be very accurate, from what we know. As far as imagined events- I happen to be Wiccan, so naturally I was drawn to the book for the title- and I was not disappointed on the magic side of the story. The land of fairie is very accurately represented from the Celtic folktales I've read- there's an encounter with the Wild Hunt, an interesting take on Clan symbolism, and of course, the occasional fun conjure. When there were sex scenes in the book, I found them to be quite in keeping with the story and not gratuitous.
The fear of torture, real to any woman who's studied the time period, was portrayed very well also.
Go for it- the only thing you'll be sorry about is that there is no sequel! Although the story does indeed come 'full circle' at the end, you'll want to read more about this magical world.

I cryed when I found that there was no more. I will never know what else befalls our heroin. Please I begg of you, right the promised sequil!!!

It was so enchanting, that I never put it down. I read the hole book in two days. When I came to the end and was teased by the promise of more, I was over joyed. I ran right out to the book store to buy the sequil. I will be clinging to the lost hope that some day our beloved author will come to his senses and right our long awaited sequal.

I was in here looking for more books by the author because I loved this books so much. Somehow he struck the right balance in an ever shifting world our heroine travels through, and still making it all balance and ring 'true'. I was glued to the book until I came to the end. One of the things I love, character development, was handled extremely well. Though the ending came 'full circle' and fit in perfectly, i was still mystified and wishing to take another journey to gather more data in. Alas, there is no sequel. I mourn.

Steve has done it again with another coming of age page turner. Having worked with middle schoolers for
years, and being an avid fisherman himself, he uses both experiences to create a memorable young adult
book that is suitable for all ages. I liked Sandy because he showed a depth of character that isn't always apparent in other YA books. The book doesn't get bogged down in details, but manages to put you
directly into the story from the first page. I have recommended this to many of my middle school readers,
and every one of them has come back with positive remarks.

The Stream

Good stories are, by nature, meant to entertain; but, what can make a story great is the added bonus a reader gets when the tale teaches a reader something new; The Stream is a great story. What, you may wonder, did I learn from reading this great tale? I must admit that initially, it was with a little trepidation that I approached this novel. Fishing? What do I know about fishing? I thought. It is neither a hobby of mine and really, I could not very well identify with a story about a youth who gets lost at sea when he goes out fishing. But, I was wrong and in for a treat.

I was hooked from the moment I completed reading the Prologue. The main protagonist, Sandy, is in some form of danger and I found that I immediately wanted to know what happened. This desire to know what happened was sustained throughout the tale and is testament to Mr. Robertson's craftsmanship. The remaining chapters chronicle the events of Sandy's life and experiences in the two weeks prior to this incident. It is an honest, heart-warming and yet funny account of this teenager's life in the sea-side town of Mayport, Florida.

In this story, Mr. Robertson has introduced various themes from the preservation of family values, teenage romance, boy-growing up and a rescue mission. To his credit, Mr. Robertson has managed to intertwine all of these themes and the end result is a tale which is seamless and flows beautifully. The language is neither too flowery nor is it too simple - indeed, Mr. Robertson has struck a balance to ensure that the tale is told with great aplomb. There is much humor in this story and it comes across in the many descriptions that Mr. Robertson has given to the characters and places. For instance, `Watermelon-on-legs' and `Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum' immediately create images that makes any further description of these people superfluous. Also, what was intriguing was that Mr. Robertson has succeeded in writing dialogue that is so true and original that it was refreshing.

It is often said of novels that words should be enough to sufficiently convey a tale. When illustrations are included, something does not seem right and more often than not, a reader may become frustrated with the fact that the illustrations do not eventually tally with the description in the book. However, in the case of The Stream, it is the exact opposite for Mr. Robertson's words already conjure up images that are most vivid and when the strategically placed illustrations presented themselves, I found myself thinking, "that's exactly how I saw it"- indeed, the illustrations are beautiful and they add to rather than detract from the tale told.

As I started with the idea that readers should learn something new when reading a tale, I think it fitting that I end this piece with what I've learned about fishing by quoting what is my favorite passage in the book:

Actually, Sandy already knew that the tide would be low because he kept up with the charts. Good fishermen always considered several natural occurrences when fishing. The tide was one. Sandy liked an incoming tide. The temperature of the water was significant, the phase and location of the moon was another factor. The presence and location of baitfish in an area was also important. The moon would be setting about the time the sun rose, which was perfect. The water was very warm around the inshore reefs and there were lots of baitfish swimming there.

You don't exist!
The book doesn't exist!
The chair you are sitting in doesn't exist!
All that exists is the story and you are in it!

You become the kid, Sandy, as he makes the
same mistakes you made when you were his age.
Difference is, his mistakes may cost him his life.

The beauty of this book is... it takes you away
from your life and brings you into the story
where you become one with the kid...
and you are very affraid to turn the next page.

This is one of what I've come to think of as Robertson's "coming of age" series, and in a sense it is the typical young-man-on-a-quest story. It's more than that, though. The author weaves his love of the sea and fishing, his encyclopedic knowledge of both, and -- most importantly -- his deep understanding of young men from his years as a teacher and coach, into a tale that is reminiscent of Conrad and Hemingway but that is, in the end, pure Steve Robertson. A good read for all ages.

We so often talk about the Holy Spirit, but we have no idea who he is. This book thoroughly introduces us to the person on the Holy Spirit, and it goes carefully through the different functions of the Holy Spirit, the gifts, and a variety of other things. A great study to do with a friend.

We so often talk about the Holy Spirit, but we have no idea who he is. This book thoroughly introduces us to the person on the Holy Spirit, and it goes carefully through the different functions of the Holy Spirit, the gifts, and a variety of other things. A great study to do with a friend.

The Supernatural Church is an owner's manual for every believer. It is designed to teach and equip a person for power in life and ministry. It will help you grow in spiritual sensitivity, and you will learn how to be used by the Spirit effectively.

Confused about the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, anything to do with the Holy Spirit, then this book is a must read. My only advice, don't rush through it! It takes you through scripture step by step, laying out who the Spirit is and goes on from there. This book is nothing but pure, biblical truth. I highly recomend it for any believer who wants to know more about the Spirit!