Smith Books

This is a book to be savored. Ralph Smith examines the profound implications of the doctrine of the Trinity by going beyond proof-texts and historical argument to the heart of the doctrine. The thesis is that the Trinity both implies and defines a complete Christian worldview, and Rev. Smith goes straight to the bottom line, explaining the significance of the Trinity for virutually every aspect of Christian life and doctrine. Smith has enough ideas for many volumes, but he honors the reader laying down the outlines of his ideas in a bare in a minimum of space. I have already read this book twice, and I can foresee see many more readings to come. Read it and marvel at the glory of God.

From our earliest years in Sunday School, we learn that God is one Being but three Persons. Unfortunately, that is as far as most Christians go in their understanding of the Trinity, the best known but least understood doctrine of the Christian faith. Thanks to Ralph Smith, there is now an introduction to the Trinity that is readable and accessible to the average lay person.

In Trinity & Reality, Smith shows how the truths behind the Trinity affect our understanding of God, ourselves, our families, and our communities, and how these truths shape our overall view and understanding of the world, even though most of us are totally unaware of how the reality of the Trinity affects us. Smith peels away our layers of ignorance to help us see that faith in the revealed truth of the Bible is the basis for judging everything we know. And the central truth of the Bible is that God is Three in One.

Although written for a popular audience, T&R will stretch the mind in places as, for example, when Smith discusses the philosophical problem of the "one and the many," or delves into the deeper implications of cosmogony and cosmology. Smith even takes us on a journey through comparative religion and opposing worldviews to show us the more excellent way of the Christian faith. This book also shocks with its graphic description of the reality of hell. We can be thankful, however, that Smith follows this harrowing account with a beautiful depiction of the trinitarian meaning of heaven.

Ralph Smith has written an excellent book on the basic foundations of trinitarian thought and understanding. You should buy this book and read it if you want to know why the world is the way it is.

Trinity and Reality is helpful because it shows the meaning of the doctrine of the Trinity for the Christian life. Smith not only explains what the Trinity is, but how it is important for a Christian day by day. Now I know how many different doctrines in the Christian faith are related to the Trinity and how much of my daily life and worship is influenced by this wonderful truth.

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Messiah, of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Messiah may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Messiah, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."

The book under review is a partial answer to Paul's prayer. Ralph Smith's "Trinity and Reality: An Introduction to the Christian Faith" (Amazon's current subtitle, "An Introduction to the Christian Worldview," is incorrect but nevertheless accurate as a description) deserves high praise as an introduction to the Christian faith and its fullest expression in trinitarian covenantal theology. Although Trinity and Reality (T&R) breaks no truly new ground theologically (and that should be reassuring, considering that the Christian faith has been self-consciously founded on trinitarian belief for the past 2000 years), it performs a valuable service in helping us to see important (albeit heretofore woefully neglected) connections among, and profound implications deriving from, 1) God's eternal trinitarian existence, 2) the eternal covenantal (love) bond of the Persons of the Godhead, and 3) our covenantal existence as God's image-bearers in both time and eternity.

Despite its relative brevity and popular presentation (most teenagers could read it profitably), I found T&R to be, in a certain sense, a "revolutionary" work, because it transformed the way I think about myself, my world, and my God. To my surprise, it turned out to be one of the most awe-inspiring books I have ever read. Smith's overriding aim is for lucidity and I have never thought of him as a particularly "moving" writer. But for any Christian reader, the gaining of new theological insights is always inherently exciting, especially when they pertain directly to our understanding of God Himself. In the Bible, ever since the fall, whenever people were confronted with the glory of God's immediate presence, their first reaction was instantaneous prostration in fear: even God's covenant people are utterly overwhelmed by the Divine presence. ("Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me and live.") I have been an eager student of theology and the Bible since becoming a Christian 20 years ago, and the fact that this little "introduction" to the Christian faith could leave me feeling awe-struck testifies to the fact that it succeeds (as far as it goes) in accurately describing the Trinity and in drawing out the implications of covenantal life in our Triune God's universe. I still see through a glass darkly, but a good deal less darkly than before thanks to having read this book. I wish to emphasize, however, that part of what I now see more clearly is the fact that God transcends our comprehension. The things that I have been enabled to comprehend by faith lead me to joyfully accept and confess the truth that remains beyond human comprehension.

T&R could be a powerful tool for Christian apologetics. On the one hand, although Smith is a Protestant, T&R should appeal equally to Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, since the doctrine of the Trinity is perhaps the most fundamental, core doctrine of all Christendom. On the other hand, it is common today for Christian apologists to put forward arguments that are not distinctively trinitarian -- similar arguments could often be made just as easily by proponents of non-Christian monotheistic perspectives. This is a problem, because as Christians contending for the faith in a neopagan culture, we are only interested in converting people to the trinitarian faith, not to Judaism, Islam, quasi-Christian cults, or any other non-trinitarian religious perspective. Smith deftly pulls the rug out from under everything that fails to confess the Trinity. He shows how the universe as it exists could only have come into being through the creative act of the Bible's Triune God, and could neither have resulted from a monadal deity such as that postulated by Judaism and Islam, nor from a pan-deity, many deities, or no deity. Similarly, divine revelation is shown to be possible only for the Triune God of the Bible, and love in human relationships and the very nature of human society can be accounted for only from a trinitarian perspective. By the sheer lucidity of its arguments, T&R serves to remind us that the jihads of the world are no match for the sword that Christ wields with His mouth. If George Bush is really serious about fighting the war on terror, one of his most powerful weapons might be an Arabic translation of T&R, to be distributed online and hopefully read wherever sword evangelism is preached.

T&R is powerful medicine against not only other religious systems, but also against the tenets of post-enlightenment secular humanism. Now that Antony Flew is convinced of the correctness of intelligent design theory, someone should send him a copy of T&R. The first time I read Behe's outstanding "Darwin's Black Box," I remember being struck by the ridiculousness of Behe's notion that the intelligent designer could conceivably be anything other than the Triune God of the Bible, and although T&R doesn't discuss intelligent design theory as such, it makes a good complement to intelligent design arguments against Darwinian macroevolutionary theory. This is because it shows, over and against the claims of post-enlightenment "autonomous" epistemologies (of which Darwinism is one) that only creation by the Triune God of the Bible can adequately account for reality.

In short, because the relationship of "Trinity" to "reality" is something that has received far too little attention in the past, T&R fills an important need. I think many will be seeing through new eyes after reading this book.

In his book Trinity & Reality, Ralph Smith ably accomplishes the purpose he set for himself from the beginning: "In this book we will explore the meaning of the doctrine of the Trinity for the Christian worldview, aiming at an exposition of the Christian understanding of the world that is both biblical and God-centered, and also ... clear and practical, with strong implications for the Christian life" (xiii). Besides one's understanding of the world, Smith uses the word "worldview" to signify a "way of life," "the story of the world" and of God's people, "aesthetics," "religious sensibility," and "attitude on life" (xiii). Thus, for Smith, the doctrine of the Trinity is not just a doctrine; it is a truth that encompasses all aspects of reality.

Smith begins by outlining the basics of the biblical teaching of the Trinity. Perhaps more than any other doctrine, the Trinity is universally affirmed by all branches of Christ's church. Thus, this book may be profitably read by Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant Christians. Smith states that the Trinity may be established from Scripture by proving the following five propositions: "there is one God; the Father is God; the Son is God; the Spirit is God; and the Father, Son, and Spirit are distinguishable persons in relationship with one another" (3). The doctrine of the Trinity must be discovered in Scripture and believed by faith rather than arrived at by reason. Scripture, therefore, is the key. "God's revelation in His Word is our ultimate standard for judging all that we know and learn, while it presupposes that God is revealing Himself in every thing that He created and in the process of history as well" (14).

Based upon his brief introduction to the biblical basis of the Trinity, Smith spends the rest of book exploring its implications in every realm of truth. Though the doctrine of the Trinity may seem difficult or even contradictory, "truth is an entirely rational and perfect system, for God cannot contradict Himself" (17). God as Trinity is a personal God, interacting in fellowship within Himself. Christianity is the only religion whose God is not only absolute but also personal. Thus, God Himself is the ground of all personal virtues like righteousness, faithfulness, and goodness. For instance, "righteousness for the triune God means that each of the persons respects and preserves the boundaries of the others" (19).

Probably the best portion of Smith's book is in Chapters 3, in which he explores the truth that "what God does in history reveals who He is in eternity" (31). The nature of God is the foundation of all earthly relationships. In God, the essence or bond of the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is love. "God's covenant love for His people reflects something deeper and more wonderful: the eternal self-denying love that each of the Persons of the Trinity has for the others" (38). Men who live in a covenant relationship with God indwell within God and God within them. "God in His saving grace brings His people into that same covenantal love that is shared by the Persons of the Trinity" (45). Also, highly significant in this regard is Smith's work on the essence of a worldview, which I would categorize into metaphysics (transcendence), priority (hierarchy), ethics (commandments), epistemology (sanctions), and teleology (succession).

Throughout the rest of the book Smith discusses many issues that may be traced directly to one's worldview. He demonstrates the superiority of the Christian view of the origin of the world over the Big Bang theory. His view of Christian cosmogony is essentially covenantal. "The covenantal meaning of the world, then, is that the world is the love gift of the Father through the Spirit to the Son. It is an expression of the covenantal fellowship of love in the Trinity, an aspect of their mutual enjoyment of one another" (58). This understanding also establishes a symbolic view of reality. Furthermore, Smith discusses God's purpose for creation, His revelation of Himself to creation, and God's work in history-including the "problem" of evil, miracles, the incarnation, the gospel, the kingdom of God, and the great commission. Each of these issues is properly understood only within a Christian, Trinitarian world.

Smith continues by describing the significance of the Trinity to an individual's role in society. He answers questions that concern the relationship between an individual and the society in which he lives. He states, "our self-who we are-is determined by our relationships, just as the three Persons of the Trinity are who they are in their mutual relationships" (163). He speaks of the covenantal institutions that God has established in the family, the church, and the state. To end, Smith deals with the issues concerning eternity: hell, heaven, and eschatology. Only as the Christian understands these topics in relation to the Trinity can he adequately live consistently with the biblical teaching. Our understanding of who God is and our relationship with God as Father, Son, and Spirit guide us in our expectation of heaven and the end of time. "The enjoyment of God includes the enjoyment of all the things He created and of every gift He gives. ... Every biblical expression that points to the fullness of our salvation leads us to contemplate the greatness and wonder of God Himself. In order for us to enjoy and glorify Him as we should, Paul tells us that we will be made like Him" (201).

Without a doubt this book is foundational to a completely and distinctively biblical worldview. Especially for those who are not yet familiar with thinking in presuppositional or worldview terms, Trinity & Reality demonstrates that everything a Christian knows and does finds its source in our God. Highly recommended for Christians from all traditions!

This Book is great!!! The workouts are designed to be completed during the commercials of your favorite television show. A 1 hour show has 4 commercial breaks of about 4 minutes each. Accordingly, each exercise block takes about 4 minutes to complete. For example, during the first commercial break you may do a few stretches; the second, do a few pushups or water bottle curls, the third some squats, and the fourth, some ab exercises.
Often workout books are so overwhelming (and written for people already moderately fit). The workouts Stew presents are quite reasonable for any couch potato; and for everyone who complains they don't have time, NO MORE EXCUSES! Stew shows a creative flair here and this book proves once and for all that you don't need a lot of time to get some choice exercising done. Imagine workouts around tv commercials! A real nice feature of this book lacking in so many health fitness books is that there are pictures of Stew doing the exercises, so you don't run the risk of injury or bad form.
It's really quite ingenious and requires no equipment--just a chair to do some dips and a water bottle or light weights.
If you're dissatisfied with your physical fitness level, don't have the money or time for a gym, and are ready to get serious about things, get this book. It's the best money you could spend on Amazon!

This is a great book for the completely sedentary. I orignally bought this book for my sister-in-law who has three small children and never has time to exercise. I have since given the copy to my younger sister also who I couldn't persuade to do anything else.

The workouts are designed to be completed during the commercials of your favorite television show. A 1 hour show has 4 commercial breaks of about 4 minutes each. Accordingly, each exercise block takes about 4 minutes to complete. For example, during the first commercial break you may do a few stretches; the second, do a few pushups or water bottle curls, the third some squats, and the fourth, some ab exercises.
It's really quite ingenious and requires no equipment--just a chair to do some dips and a water bottle or light weights.

If you are already in shape, of course this book isn't for you, but I bought it for my family that isn't in shape. "What can I do," they say, "with no time or energy?" Now you can introduce to them Stew Smith. Even better, offer them his online PT club. www.stewsmith.com

Alright, the title intrigued me at the bookstore. Often workout books are so overwhelming (and written for people already moderately fit). The workouts Stew presents are quite reasonable for any couch potato; and for everyone who complains they don't have time, NO MORE EXCUSES! Stew shows a creative flair here and this book proves once and for all that you don't need a lot of time to get some choice exercising done. Imagine workouts around tv commercials! A real nice feature of this book lacking in so many health fitness books is that there are pictures of Stew doing the exercises, so you don't run the risk of injury or bad form. Stew might be a former Navy SEAL, but he looks like a regular guy. Getting healthy doesn't have to be intimidating. Anybody can do these exercises. Do yourself and your body a favor, get the book even if you are an athlete. You will be surprised at the ideas inside. The small anecdotes - the one I liked most was the note Stew's wife wrote about trying to lose weight after the birth of their daughter- add a nice dimension to the book. The book was written by Stew for his parents (respected couch potatoes). You almost want to hug this guy. Seriously, the pictures, the sense of humor (the idea of this book alone), and the creativity Stew offers is why I ranked this with a 5 star rating.

A year ago I was in a size 18 dress. Today, as I write this review, I am wearing a pair of size 1 jeans, and it's entirely because of Stew and his dedication to helping people become as healthy and strong as they can be. I have, at this point, bought and given away over a dozen copies of this excellent book. It was a great starting point for me in my quest for physical fitness. I went from there to joining his Online PT Club and he was beside me, and, at times, behind me, when I needed to be pushed over the hump -- every step of the way. If you're dissatisfied with your physical fitness level, don't have the money or time for a gym, and are ready to get serious about things, get this book. It's the best money you could spend on Amazon!

Alright, the title intrigued me at the bookstore. Often workout books are so overwhelming (and written for people already moderately fit). The workouts Stew presents are quite reasonable for any couch potato; and for everyone who complains they don't have time, NO MORE EXCUSES! Stew shows a creative flair here and this book proves once and for all that you don't need a lot of time to get some choice exercising done. Imagine workouts around tv commercials! A real nice feature of this book lacking in so many health fitness books is that there are pictures of Stew doing the exercises, so you don't run the risk of injury or bad form. Stew might be a former Navy SEAL, but he looks like a regular guy. Getting healthy doesn't have to be intimidating. Anybody can do these exercises. Do yourself and your body a favor, get the book even if you are an athlete. You will be surprised at the ideas inside. The small anecdotes - the one I liked most was the note Stew's wife wrote about trying to lose weight after the birth of their daughter- add a nice dimension to the book. The book was written by Stew for his parents (respected couch potatoes). You almost want to hug this guy. Seriously, the pictures, the sense of humor (the idea of this book alone), and the creativity Stew offers is why I ranked this with a 5 star rating.

This is a fantastic book that should be in every household. Its full of easily accessable, researched information that every person should read. It also comes with over a 100 great recipies.

This book is so incredible! It is chock full of well-researched yet easily understood nutrition information. And the recipes--well, they are to die for! I'm so glad to have a whole chapter on salmon recipes (since we're supposed to be eating it every week!). I have tried out many, many of these recipes and there hasn't been a single one I didn't like so far. And many of them have already become family favorites. At first I was a little disappointed because I thought the number of recipes was a little low, but now I see that the authors have simply left out the "filler" and included only the to-die for ones, so I don't have to waste my time. Worth every penny.

My sister-in-law sent me this book and I have not been able to put it down since then. I have purchased several copies for my friends and relatives. I have just sent one out to my girlfriend in Calgary.

This book is the "ultimate" -- all those questions you've had nagging at you for some time -- butter vs. margarine -- are eggs ok? -- how to read a label -- which fish has the most/best omega oils -- what vitamins should you take and what should you not take -- what is one serving of fruit, vegetables, etc? -- which nuts are good/best for you and how many? -- even which spices are good for you! Not to mention the interesting information about research results across the world. I love, love, love this book! It's fun to read and certainly is down to earth, easy to understand and straightforward!

I especially enjoyed the chapter about chocolate. The sections are informative and easy to understand. I'm trying some of the recipes because they sound good (and healthy).

Double chocolate muffins are actually good for you! This recipe was worth the price of the book - I would recommend this book for everyone that cares about their health. There are wonderful healthy recipes that even the kids like.

I recently threw a surprise party for my wife with an 80's theme. One of the games we played was 80's trivia. I was surprised at how many questions and answers were used from The Ultimate Soul Music Trivia Book. Many people participated and the book was a great source to pull information from. It really took us back and we all had fun!

I am a devoted fan of oldies but goodies and Motown ,be it books ,articles ,conversation, watching a live concert in person ,or on T.V. or listening to my own collection of music. I found this book very informative. People I showed the book enjoyed being asked questions to test their skill and helped them remininsce the good old days of Motown.I would highly recommend this book to keep this part of history alive and well and for just plain fun.

Fun, fun, fun! Open this book to any page, there's something worth knowing/recalling. Only one thing...where's the sequel?

I'm a Music Trivia Buff and this book is alot of fun.so many interesting facts.I Love Reading About Black Music History.the Influences&Many Different Eras and styles.alot of fun&Facts.I call this Book the Soul Jeoprady.

This trivia book is a must for all lovers of Soul/R&B music. My friends and I have had a ball trying to answer the questions in all the various decades. It is a must for a party, great way to get everyone invovled in a fun journey through the music.

A beautifully crafted and moving novel, a generously funny latter-day bildungsroman for a young teacher coming to terms with some decidedly difficult friends. The action is compressed into a single week, and so strongly plotted that each day advances--and sometimes twists--the plot into new dimensions. But mostly it is the writing that sings, balancing insight and action, grace and humor.

An Unadorned Life is a perfect mix of suspense, humor, and literary fiction.

An Unadorned Life is a literary thriller written with a unique engergy and sense of style. The characters are wonderfully alive, and their story pulls you along on a breathless, breakneck pace to the very last page. The reviews on the back cover are right -- An Unadorned Life is the type of book that sticks with you long after you've read it.

Not too many books can combine the more serious elements of literary fiction with humor the way this book does. An Unadorned Life follows a young man through eight days of incredible highs and heartbreaking lows, a journey in which he finds not only love but also a bit of meaning in his less-than-perfect life. The prose is energetic and fresh.

I found this a riveting novel --characters are extemely well written. I couldn't wait to find out what happened to them. I am looking forward to a second novel by this author!!

I love this book for many reasons, but perhaps most of all for the way the watercolors capture the light inside a Metro station and the texture of the concrete. It is the finest artistic representation of Metro I have seen.

I bought this book for my 2 year old daughter and her playgroup friends for Christmas. Each and every child has loved this book and has read it over and over again (we just bought another copy since we've worn one out). The descriptions of DC's Metro are very accurate and the poetic text make it memorable, especially when adding in the "rrrrumm whoooosh" sounds. My daughter now loves riding on the Metro and likes to bring this book along. This book is a must for city kids -- especially DC residents.

My daughter, Isabel, and I live in DC at the metro stop that Quattlebaum describes in "Underground Train," and we love this book. The language is poetic, the story easy to identify with, and the illustrations nicely fit the action. I heartily recommend "Underground Train" to families with train-riding kids everywhere.

Mary Quattlebaum's book evokes the sights and sounds of Washington, D.C., and especially of the D.C. subway system. The writing is downright poetic and is illustrated with beautiful, charming, and accurate depictions of the city. The day I bought this book, my two-year-old wanted it read to him again and again. I didn't mind; I love it too! The book is out of print and may be hard to find, but it's worth the trouble.

My son (age 4) has this book on his frequent reading request list! I like it too, but not as well as he does. He gets very confused by the parts of the book that are set above the ground, and I find them sort of needless---especially since on some pages there is no picture at all of the train underground. My son asks every time we are on those pages---"where's the train?". But that small flaw in our eyes is not enough to make him not like this book very much! His favorite part is the descriptive writing of how the train sounds! If you have a young train or subway lover, I would get this one!

Usagi Yojimbo is the kind of quality work that transcends time, genres, demographics, and even age groups. It crafts a delicate and beautiful balance between honor and savagery, cute innocence and dark brutality, simple heart-warming stories and multi-part epics that shape a dense continuity. Whether or not you've ever been a fan of feudal Japanese culture, furry anthro characters, or independent, non-superhero comics, Usagi Yojimbo is a comic that can't help but impress even the harshest critic.

Prior to this volume, Usagi was a fantastic character. Yet, as a seemingly flawless samurai both in spirit and in combat, I always found him a bit hard to relate to. Usagi always did what was right, and he always won. This is perhaps exhibited best in "The Bridge," the first story in this volume. It's my absolute favorite of the early Usagi stories in which he faces an impossible antagonist and not only wins, but wins with great dignity.

However, the four part "Circles" storyline, which begins part way into this volume, blows all of this out of the water. It begins with Usagi, whose premise has always been centered on his warrior's pilgrimage, deciding to finally go home. In attempting to do so, so much of what we've known of Usagi and his back story begins to shatter. From the return of his long lost sensei to a jaw dropping reunion with Mariko and, most importantly, a ground shaking revelation that has its roots in a mistake Usagi made years earlier, it becomes clear that Usagi will never be the same again. Once this volume concludes, he is a far different, more flawed, and far more human protagonist -- the kind of character you can root for while profoundly empathizing with him at the same time. In "Circles," the character of Miyamoto Usagi finally finds his soul.

Additionally, the introduction of Jotoro and the profoundly disturbing return of Jei add to an already thoroughly compelling story while building upon the Usagi Yojimbo universe at the same time. These are two of Sakai's greatest characters, and those qualities shine brightly even in this early adventure.

While Usagi Yojimbo is a title that continually gets stronger through the years, "Circles" is perhaps the earliest adventure that I return to on a regular basis, still absolutely holding its own in comparison to all the amazing stories and developments that came after.

If you ask me, anything touched by Stan Sakai is good, Usagi Yojimbo is my favorite comic, because of the consistency and depth in Stan's story telling. Don't be scared off by the animorphic animals, it just sets the book apart. This is a genuinly good comic, just like every usagi Yojimbo book.

I think this volume is one of the most important turning points in Usagi's universe. You can miss some others but not this one as it says many important things about long-eared ronin. And much, much more..
Stories in this volume evolve about the symbol of homecoming when "heroes meet their past and see how far did they go". Each story is excellent. But the one that stands above others is "Duel" - maybe for the fact that it is absolutely believable story. "Duel" in some whiles overshadows even the ending of this volume where sadness of almost inevitable decision moves my heart every time I read it.
I highly recommend this volume. It is compact with atmosphere, it is foundation of later story arcs and it is truly masterpiece.

To this point, (Shrouded Moon was just published) this is my favourite in the series. Not only are the stories strong, but the book provides a good look at where Usagi has come from and where he is going. Other than beginning the series at Book 1, this is the best introduction you could have to Usagi's world.

There are stories about characters that figure large in Usagi's life. His sensei Katsuichi, his love Mariko, his rival Kenichi, Kenichi's son Jotaro and Usagi's nemesis Jei (what is with Jei!?). There are also a couple nice stories that stand alone well, including "The Duel" which I think is one of the most poignant stories I've seen in comic format. It doesn't include anything about Gen, Usagi's friend and sometime companion, but to make up for that, the next book is called "Gen's Story" and deals almost entirely with him.

Sakai does a masterful job as usual and the stories will have you turning pages as fast as you can read until the end. I stumbled across this book at the library a while back and now I own a complete set. If you can't find Book 1 easily (no surprise, it's been out of print for quite a while), this may be the best way to check whether this series is for you before spending all that time looking for the out-of-print books.

Of all the collections of "Usagi Yojimbo" I have, this one is my favorite, second to volume four (which includes the "Samurai!" storyline). Volume Six has everything that makes Usagi great: tales of derring-do and honor, stories about ghosts and demons, and the return of Mariko, Usagi's long lost love. Stan Sakai's art and scripting can't be any better as he spins an epic tale of a Japan that never was, but really should have been. Plus, it's got bunnies with swords. How can you go wrong?

Used by my college bound daughter in her move to NYC. She says she has found some great vegetarian restaurants with this book

When I first started exploring NYC, I got a Zagat guide that listed only a handful of veg-friendly restaurants. Rather than curse the darkness, I bought this handy guide and use it all the time. I've used the book to find some truly unique vegetarian places.

As a falafel junkie, I liked the Top Ten Falafel list that the author gives. I think the guide could improve with a diversity of viewpoints (the Zagat method), but I imagine that will come with future editions.

Bottom Line: It's a well written and researched vegetarian guide to NYC. What more can you really ask for?

I'm a life-long omnivore but my boyfriend recently became vegan, I thought we would never be able to find a restaurant to suit both our tastes. Recently I came across this book and it is wonderful. Who knew there were so many vegetarian/vegan restaurants in New York City? The listings break down restaurants to their most minute details and make them approachable even to those who know very little about vegetarian/vegan cuisine. In addition to the ample information this book contains pull-out maps that make planning a trip even easier. I seriously recommend it for any vegetarian New Yorker, or for those dating one. Enjoy!

I have now bought a few copies of this book -- one for my office and three as gifts. It's super useful (even if you're not a full-on vegetarian): the author includes a lot of restaurants that serve a "full menu with vegetarian choices" as well as strictly vegetarian and vegan establishments. It's organized by neighborhood and offers highly-detailed reviews. Really terrific.

This book is part of a new series of vegetarian guides to major cities. The pocket or purse-sized guide is packed full of reviews and information about restaurants around New York-Manhattan and the five boroughs. The guide is organized by neighborhood, and includes a nice map of all the locations listed in the book. Within the neighborhood section, the locations are listed alphabetically, but there is an index by cuisine at the back of the book.

Each Restaurant is rated for quality and price and has a key to whether the location is vegetarian, vegan, or a conventional menu with vegetarian choices. There's a short description for each restaurant which provides useful information about the location, sometimes describing favorite dishes. Because the book was written by one person, Justin Schwartz, who reviewed all the restaurants himself (!), it is useful to read the introduction to get a feel for his style and what he likes and doesn't like. (For instance, he loves falafel, so there are endless choices of great places to find it all over the city).

There are many fantastic restaurants listed in Veg Out that I wouldn't have heard of otherwise, but the author also spends a lot of time describing one or no-star restaurants, when I think he simply could have listed the location with a caveat to stay away. The size, convenience and well-stocked pages of this guide make it a great book to carry on your next trip to the city. --Amy O'Neill Houck

Read and take with you to Thailand. This book covers it all. By no means is it a travel guidebook. It is more of an informational book with bright colorful pictures and indepth cultural information.

I finally finished Very Thai and I enjoyed it very much. If you have been to Thailand a time or two it certainly helps explain a lot of things you wondered about.

The book is basically organized like a series of magazine articles on all sorts of topics. The tiny font takes some getting used to. Of course some articles are more interesting than others and there is a bit of repetition between and among some of the articles. The book is well-organized, thoroughly sourced, and lavishly illustrated with tons of photos.

I see there are some copies available now that are quite reasonably priced. I paid a ton more for this book, but I certainly don't regret. If you love Thailand and wished you could better understand the Thais and the things they do this book is essential.

great value, an asset for the home or the classroom as it shows daily living with the ordinary and the spectacular

This book contains many explanations of the apparent vagaries of Thai pop culture, and is profusely illustrated with superb photographs. I have been living here for 7-8 years and have grown accustomed to a lot of this -- and I find a lot of it delightful.

For example, when I moved back to Thailand in 2002 ("Bye Bye Internet Bubble!") I was intrigued to find out that the room out in front of my house was being used as a make-up central and staging ground for Thai ladyboys who were going off to compete in beauty contests! Sometimes the "utterly bizarre" occurred -- a friend or a sister would appear with an urgent problem, and this teenage Thai boy would rush outside to consult, wearing nothing but his underwear and a fully-made up Thai female head!

What may take the cake, for some lingering Puritans, is that some of these "lady-boy beauty contests" took place at temple fairs. In the grounds of Buddhist temples.

Well, when the good folks in Austin, Texas begin holding such beauty contests for the Church Fair, I guess we will have reached some sort of parity! Right now it seems a little hard to imagine. (I don't think the Pope would like it, either. :-) )

But I digress...or do I? One of the salient facts about Thailand is that it seems to be a country which is entirely free of homophobia, at least among Thai families. The Chinese-Thai are a different story. But in Thailand, and in Burma, there is just NOTHING in the culture which is homophobic. I learn from the book under review that the monk celebrated for sculpting phallic amulets (!) recommended carrying the amulet in the right pocket when going to visit a female, and in the left pocket when going to visit a male. (I may have reported that backwards, sorry!)

But other piercing questions are answered: why are those little tiny napkins in restaurants -- why are they so tiny, and why are they always pink? You''ll have to read the book to find out!

Basically, the book is just a feast for people who love Thailand. Lots of details on the Big Bird (Garuda) -- wingspan 12,800 kilometers! Lots of details about Thai hawker food, pop stars, the high-society crowd, and all the other Thai people who make this country such a fascinating place!

Highest possible recommendation!

I have been living and working in Bangkok for nearly three years.

I bought the Very Thai book 6 months ago and was amazed and delighted to find clear and helpful explanations for the sights and sounds I encounter almost every day. What a great book! I helped me to gain a greater appreciation for Thai culture and in particular for the Thai people. The better understanding of Thai culture and people added new enjoyment to my life in Thailand.

I now recommed the book to all my family and friends who plan to visit Thailand in the hope that it will make their visit more interesting and enjoyable. It has worked so far for my American visiors.

This was a great book for any Vince Carter fan. It was extremely easy reading and I enjoyed greatly. Great pictures for those who do not enjoy reading. High flying fun.

The book Fast Breaks:The Vince Carter Story by Doug Smith is jam-packed with awesome facts and eight crazy photos of Carter in action.This book is for all basketball and Carter fans because it talks about Carter's struggles and accomplishments throughout his NBA career.I really enjoyed this book becuse it has everything you need to know about Vince Carter,up to how many contests he has won like the famous Slam Dunk Contest when he shocked everyone with three outstanding dunks and where he got the nickname Halfman-Halfamazing.I really admired Vince after reading this book because he's a good player,and he loves his family and friends.I really recommend this book to all basketball fans out there.

The book Fast Breaks:The Vince Carter Story by Doug Smith is jam-packed with awesome facts and eight crazy photos of Carter in action.This book is for all basketball and Carter fans because it talks about Carter's struggles and accomplishments throughout his NBA career.I really enjoyed this book becuse it has everything you need to know about Vince Carter,up to how many contests he has won like the famous Slam Dunk Contest when he shocked everyone with three outstanding dunks and where he got the nickname Halfman-Halfamazing.I really admired Vince after reading this book because he's a good player,and he loves his family and friends.I really recommend this book to all basketball fans out there.

This was a great book for any Vince Carter fan. It was extremely easy reading and I enjoyed greatly. Great pictures for those who do not enjoy reading. High flying fun.

I think the Vince Carter story is a very cool book, because I learned a lot about my favorite player. Also, there are lots of good pictures of him. I never really like to read before, but this book motivated me to pick up a book, and start reading. I would have a good review for this book, because it was easy to read for my grade level. However, any person who loves Vince Carter (like a fan, of course) would definitely love The Vince Carter Story. I myself enjoyed it very much, because of its informational content and facinating photos of Vince's dunks.