Spencer Books

When I started out reading this book, I was very skeptical, and I did not want to read something, that was set in the 1800's. I was pleasantly surprised though, because of what I learned about those times. I loved the characters and thought that they just fit together, especially Lorna and Jens. The book was romantic, but definitely had tragic and horrible moments, as well. This was a great novel, with an expected ending, but I really did enjoy this book a lot.

and this book proves she is at the top! I enjoyed this book even though it was a tear jerker.

Levyrle Spencer can just make you feel what her characters are feeling so effortlessly that you laugh and cry with them and almost forget that they are not real.
Lorna and Jens are one of her most real characters and their situation is also so real. The way they are helpless against their attraction to each other even after knowing it would be disastrous was so beautifully written that you could feel the sexual tension yourself whenever they were together.
Lorna was a rich girl but not spoilt at all. And Jens was poor but too ambitious and proud to become one of the servents in house for Lorna. Their attraction, like it always happens in Levyrle Spencer's romances, grew with each of their meetings to an extent that it was almost unbearable for me(and i suppose all the readers). It became something too strong and inevitable to ignore anymore. I especially liked the scene when Lorna asked Jens if he was ever going to kiss her, "I have considered ordering you to, but it didn't work before." How sweet!
People like Lorna's parents could make something so beautiful and rare into something cheap and dirty. Her mother was so convincing that she made Lorna question her own feelings. Her mother used her shame and guilt as a weapon against her love for Jens and made her give up hope. Jens was angry with her for giving up and i don't blame him.
The ending was Great! It warmed my heart to see Lorna stand up for her love and her child without any shame or guilt.
This is one of those books that you have got to read again and i definately will.

I LOVED this book!!! It is the love story of Lorna, a rich girl (though not spoiled at all), living in the high society of Minnesota in the late 1800s, and Jens, the kitchen handyman, hired by her father to build him the fastest boat possible. The characters come to life in this book - LaVyrle Spencer at her best, so very well written that you can feel their pain, etc. Heartwrenching and very romantic. Reminds me of "Titanic" with the whole upper class/lower class theme. I can't say enough about this book. I just couldn't put it down, it is really that good!!! It is definitely one of my favorites and I recommend it to everyone!!!

The setting of November of the Heart is Minnesota, 1895. Lorna Barnett, the central figure, is the beautiful eighteen-year-old daughter of Commodore Gideon Barnett, a proud man who's a member of the White Bear Yacht Club. The Barnetts are high on the social ladder, and the Barnetts expect Lorna to marry the handsome, well-off Taylor DuVal. However, one summer at their lake house, Lorna unexpectedly falls in love with the kitchenhand, twenty-five-year-old Jens Harkens, the Norweigan, and they begin a passionate, risky relationship. They both know that if they are discovered, Jens will be banished from the lakehouse. Gideon Barnett is passionate about racing boats, and after bitterly losing a race, Jens suggests that he knows how to build a better boat (after all, he is a Norweigan), so he is commissioned to build a boat for the next race. However, his tenure is cut short as his and Lorna's relationship is exposed, and Lorna's life is almost ruined with scandal.

A poignant, passionate read that deals with love at its cruelest and at its heartwarming best, but a lot of times, I felt like the plot was too stagnant and uninteresting. There are not a lot of driving moments/action that make the plot move forward, and the ending is resolved a little too neatly. However, if one does not mind the verbiage and the intense sexual scenes (if one is not comfortable with these kinds of things), then one can enjoy this cute "coming of age" novel for Lorna Barnett and her undying love for her Norweigan.

Advanced Selling Strategies: The Proven System of Sales Ideas, Methods, and Techniques Used by Top Salespeople is far and away the one book I would recommend to anyone involved in sales or interested in learning more about the sales profession. I always recommend this book to everyone who asks me how they can become better at sales and anyone who wants to make more money and to take control of their lives.

This hard cover book is available for what? $0.35 used here on Amazon. If you can't invest $0.35 in your life and career you are hopeless. Buy this book, study it and put it into practice. You career and your finances will take off.

What else can I say, I lOVE this book. Dog-eared and underlined it holds a prominent place in my professional library.

This is one of the most in-depth and well written books on the entire sales process I have ever read. Brian Tracy knows what he is talking about.

The chapters cover all aspects of sales,

1). The Psychology Of Selling
2). The Development Of Personal Power
3). Personal Strategic Planning For the Sales Professional
4). The Heart Of The Sale
5). The Profession Of Selling
6). Motivating People To Buy
7). Influencing The Buying Decision
8). Prospecting: Filling Your Sales Pipeline
9). How To Make Powerful Presentations
10). Closing The Sale: The Endgame Of Selling

If you read and understand this book and then use what Brian is teaching you, you will have a much better chance at being successful in the sales world.

two other sales book I highly recommend you also read are Zig Ziglar's Secrets of Closing the Sale and How to Master the Art of Selling

I recommend this book to any person who is interested on reaching difficult customers and closing important deals. Brian Tracy brings with simplicity and profound knowledge a path which facilitates the prospecting stage and brings more confidence to the closing stage.

If you are going to buy one book on sales, this ought to be it. Tracy manages to pack in an amazing amount of material with first rate practical suggestions and excellent, clear writing. Unlike many sales and marketing books, there is almost no self-serving fluff in here, and he covers all the bases.

For my personal preferences, there are two acknowledged masters of sales. The first is Zig Ziglar, the second is Brian Tracy. While I find great value in the works of Jeffrey Gitomer, Frank Rumbauskas, Tim Connor and others, all roads eventually lead back to Zig and Brian (as well as Napoleon Hill...see below).

Tracy's "The Psychology of Selling" is one of the few books I honestly classify as "essential," and I do so without reservation. Like Ziglar, Tracy wants salespeople to see the craft of selling as a series of relationships, not drive-bys. You have to learn how to sell. The biggest challenge is "un-learning" the garbage you've been fed by snake oil peddlers.

The title "Advanced Selling Strategies" is important, because "strategy" is what's often lacking. You have to do your homework. You have to build a relationship. You have to create a sense of buying urgency. You have to know when it is time to close the sale, and when that time comes, you have to know how to do it.

And you have to do this uniquely for EVERY client you sign up. Forget the "Sales Scripts That Close EVERY Sale" books. They're garbage. If you're dealing with a prospect who's not bright enough to spot a script a mile away, that prospect should not become one of your clients.

That said, here are the chapters in "Advanced Selling Strategies."

1). The Psychology Of Selling
2). The Development Of Personal Power
3). Personal Strategic Planning For the Sales Professional
4). The Heart Of The Sale
5). The Profession Of Selling
6). Motivating People To Buy
7). Influencing The Buying Decision
8). Prospecting: Filling Your Sales Pipeline
9). How To Make Powerful Presentations
10). Closing The Sale: The Endgame Of Selling

Those are the "bones" of the book, and trust me...there's plenty of meat on each of them.

If you're serious about sales...serious about being the best, serious about challenging yourself and being an achiever instead of someone who makes excuses for limited achievement...I recommend the following:

1). "The Psychology of Selling" by Brian Tract
2). "Advanced Selling Strategies" by Brian Tracy
3). "Secrets of Closing The Sale" (2003 Updated Edition) by Zig Ziglar
4). "Over The Top: Moving From Survival To Stability, From Stability To Success, From Success To Significance" by Zig Ziglar
5). "The Law Of Success In Sixteen Lessons Complete" by Napoleon Hill

Happy selling!

well this is the first book i read on winston churchill . bought it in 1983 . the foreword is unforgettable but historical mistakes in it makes this work not the very best on the luife of sir winston. great prose nevetheless.same can be said of book number two.

This is a truly *massive* work, equal parts scholarship and artistry. Though volume one runs close to a thousand pages (counting notes, sources, etc.), I finished reading it this afternoon after an off-and-on reading of about two weeks, and it just flew by. Manchester crafted this with such precision care that I fell into the narrative from page one.

The greatest strength of the book itself-- aside from it's subject-- is Manchester's gift of narrative. WC was the quintessential Victorian, as Manchester points out time and again throughout both volumes. It is only appropriate, then, that the author should give some feel of what it was like to live in the British Empire at the time of Queen Victoria. Some of the very best passages, in my opinion, deal with life during the last quarter-century of Victoria's reign. These are not mere digressions. These fascinating glimpses into WC's era help the reader to better understand Churchill himself, who was born a Victorian and remained one to his dying day.

Manchester provides insight into British colonial administration, life in the British Raj at the end of the 19th century, and the upper class's attitudes toward sexuality and marriage. While this is fascinating in itself, Manchester goes even further and weaves a vivid tapestry of politics, history, and culture through his use of personal correspondence. It is his exhaustive use of personal correspondence-- between WC and his parents, WC and his wife and children, WC and Members of Parliament, and between all sorts of people talking about Churchill and the events in which he was caught up--- that this gives Manchester's work the feeling, not of history or even biography, but of a life too large to have been lived by one man.

Manchester is one of those writers who appears unable to disappoint. This is a book to be read and savored. For years, it sat on my shelf - I saw as a large undertaking that I wanted to do right.

The book has a very interesting structure. First, it begins with a kind of interpretive introduction to the man, vividly characterizing him while also evaluating his strengths as a man of history and his glaring weaknesses. You see him, worts and all, and it is both funny and enlightening. The psychological depth is virtually unprecedented in any other bio I have read. Second, you get a view both into his milieu - as an aristocrat of talent and privilege in Victorian Britain - and a biography of both of his parents. This is crucially important, as we come to see Churchill as an anachronism, but also as a boy neglected by narcissistic parents. (Interestingly, the absence of one or both parents is a common trait in extraordinary achievers.) Third, you get his life story, more from the events he was involved in than as an intimate portrait, though much of his personal life is covered. Indeed, he used action as the most effective tonic against depression.

The man that emerges is flawed and complex, but evidently a political genius. In my view, the key to his character is that he remained a Victorian gentleman, who viewed martial valor as the greatest source of meaning and glory in life. This suited him to titanic struggles, such as the one he faced with Hitler that places him in the ranks of the greatest historical figures. As an egotist, he always wanted to place himself at the center of events and yet did so with courage and tenacity in spite of his physical weaknesses. When out of power, he exercised other gifts, such as writing, with equal talent and energy.

Nonetheless, Manchester proves that Churchill was not a politician deeply in touch with his constituency: he never developed a typical base of power and often his views did not synch with the mainstream. Without Hitler, his hour might never have arrived: this duality is a theme that runs through the entire book.

If there is any flaw here, it is that Manchester includes a plethora of detail, not only about world events but in Churchill's political maneuverings. Normally, I delight in these details, if I know there is a purpose to all of it, which I did not always sense in this book. (Here a comparison with Robert Caro is instructive: you always know where he is going and why.) Others may see it differently, of course. Also, many of the historical details I already knew, so did not need Manchester's wordy introductions, but they were useful in the many cases of which I was ignorant.

All in all, this is one of the most engrossing and fascinating bios I have ever read. Warmly recommended.

Winston Churchill was not a likable or even an admirable man.He was dishonest,childish,ruthless and disloyal.Perhaps worst of all,he was a megalomaniac-he knew that he was a Great Man,and that some day he would fulfill a magnificent destiny. But when war and catastrophe came to England he was perhaps the only politician psycholigically capable of inspiring continued resistence and defiance to Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich.Given that England had already lost the war,that was a breathtaking achievement.

James Boswell's "Life of Samuel Johnson",published in 1791,is generally considered the finest biography produced in the English language.However,Manchester's work is perhaps superior. Boswell was of Johnson's world and therefore conveyed it to his reader only incidently;that is,he naturally assumed that his reader would be familiar with the things and events with which he was familiar.Manchester,writing of the past,appreciated the necessity of re-creating Churchill's world for the reader.He was brilliantly successful.The world which Churchill inhabited would have been amazing even to most of his contemporaries because of his social class.As Manchester points out,in over 90 years of life Churchill never drew his own bath;one of his relatives,visiting friends without his valet,sent down word that he was having trouble getting his toothpaste to "froth properly".He'd never applied toothpaste to a toothbrush himself.It isn't just the story of Churchill's life that is so engrossing.It is the wonderful recreation of Churchill's world,of the people he knew and the conversations he had,the events which occurred and the way that Churchill and his friends and enemies reacted to the events.

As Boswell loved Johnson,Manchester worshipped Churchill.Indeed,Churchill was in some ways a lovable man.He was devoted to his wife and family(happily married for almost 60 years-how many men can say that?) He revered his father (a syphlitic,who depised him,)and he was loyal to his country and the Empire it ruled.Personally,I doubt that I'd have been able to spend more than ten minutes in a room with Churchill.But this book is one of the finest I've ever read.I was honestly sorry to read the last of its almost 900 pages and I'm opening the second volume tonight.In the forward to the second volume Manchester quotes a definition of biographer.The biographer is judged "by his ability to suggest the sweep of chronology and yet to highlight the major patterns of behavior that give a life its shape and meaning."Boswell did that. Manchester,I believe,did it better.

This is William Manchester at his best. This is fascinating reading and fascinating writing. Of course Winston Churchill was quite a character but to be honest I didn't know that fact until I read this book and its companion volume.
After reading this book I put it to my mind that I would read everything that Manchester wrote. I've got a couple more to go. You can't miss with this purchase. A great story, great writing, and good history. What more could you ask for?

Momfidence was an enjoyable read if you agree with Paula's child rearing theories -- which I do. But, I can imagine that people who don't agree, like the one's that Paula calls "Mompetition" would find it either offensive or that Paula is just a really slacker mom.

I agree with Paula's thoughts that parenting should be fun and we need to just chill out and not be so uptight about things. (If you saw my living room, you would know that I agree with that!) But, at the very beginning of the book, Paula states that being a parent is not hard. I do disagree with that. I do sweat, I do get exhausted, I do get bruises -- sometimes being a mom is very, very hard!

But, the stories were pretty funny. And it made me feel like I was a pretty good mom, because Paula represents herself as such a slacker mom, that I'm thinking, "Hey, compared to her, I rule!"

It's an enjoyable book that doesn't take many brain cells to read -- which is what I need at the end of the day!

I bought this book for all four of my sisters-in-law, I loved it so much. There are so many sources of guilt for today's mom: am I doing what's best for my children, am I involved enough, am I keeping up with other moms and what they are doing? Paula Spencer's answer is, don't worry about what other people think you should be doing. Do what works for your kids, and what works for you. Life was much simpler when we were growing up. Why does child rearing have to be so complicated now? Let the kids play. Let their imaginations lead how they spend their time. Spend less time carting kids around, to and from various activities, and just be a family. At home. With free time.

I too was one of those first time Mom's that had every book, every magazine and every website bookmarked on how to be the best parent. I counted the books once, 28! I had 28 books on how to be a better Mom.

I wish I had found Momfidence a long time ago. In the day and age of information at our finger tips, I do believe too much information can hurt. I wonder how much I missed because I was too wrapped up in what the other Mom's were doing or reading about the next hot parenting tip.

I threw the 28 books away and trusted my gut. God gave us instinct for a reason. We need to listen to it. Give your child structure, give them discipline, be consistent and they will feel safe and loved.

Girlfriends that are now pregnant with thier first child ask me, "What's the hardest part of being a parent?" Consistency. Be as consitent as you can. Sit back, relax, eat a cookie and enjoy the parenting ride. They'll be in college before we know it.

I had just purchased a slew of parenting books from Amazon but happened to read this one first. At first it seemed that I should have read it last but it gave some great perspective with which to tackle the remaining titles. Cut yourself some slack, don't get caught up and take what works for you and throw the rest out with the trash! And don't forget to ENJOY the journey.

Did Paula live inside my head as she wrote this? THE BEST CHILD-RELATED BOOK I HAVE READ...and I've read a lot. I have ten-month old son and a whole lot of anxiety about being a good mom to him. This book healed my anxious soul. I don't know how else to put it. A MUST-READ.

As a teacher with my first child, I wanted to be sure to know the best techniques for simulating my little one's mind and helping him through the developmental stages. This book combines research with practical suggestions for developing attention, bonding (for emotional stability and security), and communication. It is written in parent friendly language and the activities are easy to implement. Many of them come naturally to parents and it is great to know that you are already doing the right things to help your child. Reassuring and informative!

I had checked the book out from the library, read it, and enjoyed it. I later decided I wanted to have it on hand as a reference as my daughter grew, so I purchased it. It is full of information about brain development and how you can help your child grow. Do not mistake this for a "how to build a Superbaby" book. The key word in the title is "nurture".

As a new mom and a kindergarten teacher, I love this book!! I really wanted to know how to take every opportunity to interact with my little one in ways that were beneficial to his development. The book is very reassuring in that as parents we do most of these things already. As an educator, the science information is facinating! I also love that this book is not about teaching your child to read (not a pre-requisite for kindergarten...), but it is about cultivating your child so that they can make the most of their future learning experiences.

Simply put -- this is a fabulous book. It has the perfect mix of scientific research and practical easy-to-use suggestions. The author also brings to the book her experiences of a parent to a special needs daughter, providing a compassionate and insightful touch. (Not to fear -- she does not delve into overly personal and sappy anecdotes -- but rather gives the reader further evidence that she really does know of what she speaks.)

There is a lot here for parents of infants to take away. And as someone who is very interested in how the brain learns and develops, I was definitely not disappointed. The book is well researched and the science is explained in a way that is interesting and easy to understand. The organization of the book also makes it a quick reference for those that just want to know "what" to do (and not necessarily all of the "why"'s behind the activities). There are plenty of charts and tables that get right to point and offer quick reminders for parents. A very valuable resource all-around!

From the point of view of a new and inexperienced parent, this book is a fabulous find. Some other books espouse the writers opinion on what's best for your child, this one is based on scientific findings on how the brain develops and delivers this information in a very user-friendly and entertaining manner. It's just very well done.

A bit out there, I enjoy fantasy more then SF and the basis of this series is a bit difficult for me to believe, but the writer is so good, that I have read the entire series and found I could not put any of these books down... A Great Read..!

The latest in the Ikiah Oregon series maintains the standards of the series; lots of action, mystery, humor, blood and a little sex on the side. Now we find the DEA entering the action. Nice character development with the addition of Atticus and Ru, a real charmer.

Three "Ukiah Oregon" books ago, Wen Spencer was a new novelist with an engaging character and some new novelist faux pas under her belt. I still read "Alien Taste" in one sitting and went out and got the next two books. "Bitter Water" is the toughest read of the group, but every one of them is enjoyable and pulls you through the story.

The first thing I will say about Book Four is you don't need the first three books to read and understand it. But, I believe you will be so engaged by Ukiah Oregon's story that you will WANT them.

In this novel, Ukiah Oregon discovers he has a big brother. While the feeling of not being the only one is good, neither brother can trust the other.

Strongly recommend you read this book when you have several hours to devote to it. You will not want to put it down.

Atticus Steele and his friends always knew he was strange with the abillity to heal from things that kill other people but finding a man who apart from looking younger could be his twin was a shock. The story he is told when the man who is his brother heals is more of one and what he can find out about him makes him wonder weather to trust him at all.
The story only gets faster and more complex after that a good read. I read it in one day.

Spencer introduces Atticus Steele and friends in this latest novel following the trials and tribulations of Ukiah Oregon.

Atticus and his partner discover Ukiah dead in a trunk of a car surrounded by mice. Obviously something they have seen before. Apparently, Atticus had more than his share of run-ins with death and mice. Not to mentioned this "kid" looked exactly like him. So, of course they decide to save him.

I like the fact Spencer decides to add a new character and for much of the book, the story is told from Atticus' view point. The reader also dicovers Atticus' love interest is different from Ukiah, also. Which continues the homosexual theme that began with Ukiah's moms. It also gives the Dog Warriors reason to leave another "breeder" alone. The action is nonstop and the reader can't help but feel for these characters. I really enjoyed all the books from this series.

The reason I chose to give it four stars instead of the usual five is that I felt Spencer should have explained situations more fully. For example, in this novel she shows the cult as trying to save mankind. Yet, they know by know that the sex drug is lethal to humans (many of their own have died from it) and does absolutely nothing to the "demons." Still they continue to manufactor it and sell it the the people. This completely goes against their agenda. There were several other things I found that were a contradiction to the character's or group belief.

Still, if you can overlook these things, I'm sure you will enjoy this novel.

This book is a great reference guide for those who are considering the low-carb lifestyle and want to compare various plans and their pros and cons. He gives insight into the history of low-carb dieting and writes in a clear, pleasant to read format. It is a nice break from many diet books which seem to offer a gloom and doom approach to dieting. He is concise and informative. I really enjoyed this book

I am an average stay at home mom who needs to lose about 30-40 lbs. I recently started the Atkins diet and was immediately fascinated that for the first time in my life, my cravings were under control. It was amazing. In the past few weeks I have become somewhat obsessed with the low carb lifestyle. I was at a large bookstore the other day looking for a low carb cookbook when I stumbled across this book. I am so glad that I did. This book explains so much of how low carb works and how it affects our bodies. The author is a fantastic writer and he does not seem biased when he reviews many of the popular low carb plans. That is one thing I was worried about and was somewhat skeptical to buy this book for that reason.

My favorite thing about this book is that it helps you pick and choose the best parts of each low carb plan to put together the ultimate plan FOR ME. I do enjoy the current plan I am on but I love that I can add aspects of other LC plans to my lifestyle. This book will also help you set yourself up for success. There are many tips on how to be successful and answers to many questions that you may have regarding low carb eating. This book is well rounded and covers all of the bases. Plus you can't beat the low price.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1H00BCVNZLHNH *****
This book reviews 14 different low carbohydrate eating plans, and gives you the tools to put together an eating plan that is right for you. In this video I share about the book, the plans, and how it helped me. It is my hope that it will give you the information you need to decide if this excellent book is for you.
*****

I can't believe I bought this book and left it in my bookshelf for almost a year. This is an exceptionally well written book.
Don't let Jonny Bowden's picture drive you away from the book. The back cover shows a man that seems too strong to be smart. Yet Jonny has the gift of writing. All his book is well-referenced, interesting, and a pleasure to read.
Bowden certainly did his homework. Before writing his book, he read everything there is to read. When he quotes or criticizes a book, he does it with knowledge, authority and style.
I noticed that some Amazon reviewers behave as if they were book salesmen. I won't do that. I believe this book is not for everyone. This book has a wealthy of information that might intimidate superficial readers. But if you are serious about lowcarb diet, or if you want to be educated about it, this book is a treasure.

Overweight people, parents, folks with auto-immune diseases, EVERYONE should read this book! It's an easy read and witty, not muddied down at all with too much jargon, but written clearly with plenty of scientific facts and studies to back up Jonny's advice on eating. Too Americans are either fat or unhealthy or both and we need help. I switched to this low-carb way of eating a month and a half ago and have dropped two sizes (hoping to drop 1 or 2 more to reach goal weight). NOTHING else worked for me. It is all SO CLEAR now why it is impossible to stick to a healthy diet while eating the typical 400 grams of carbs a day that Americans eat, when we should all be eating 60-90 carbs a day instead. I am finding this way of eating so satisfying and feel better than I ever have. My kids and hubby are going to be weaned from all the processed sugary junk, too and I hope I can help them not be future diabetics, among other things.

I love how the book can be easily used as a resource. It's quite different from Dr. Phil or any other diet book! You will love it and be grateful for it. Trust me.

A friend recommended this to me when I expressed the desire to read a little more about elephants (after reading Philosophy Made Simple and Water for Elephants). It makes sense... elephants and the circus go together, yes?

In this collection, Cathy Day plays with the structures of stories. Each is constructed a little differently than the last, but all interweave to paint a portrait of a small town with a unique past and a distinctly midwestern present. Experimental structures can fall flat as easily as they work. I don't require a linear narrative, but I do require that a story be told. This book tells one.

True to the title, the circus performers are mostly shown during the downtime, weathering winter and waiting to get back on the train. The way that their lives butt up to the lives of ordinary folks is interesting to read about. Several stories deal with the ways in which men do not comprehend the longings of women, and Day handles this theme beautifully and without accusation, especially in The King and His Court and the very tragic The Lone Star Cowboy.

It's a beautiful book. But...

(spoilers)

...the elephants are only shown dying. I can't stand it. Their deep eyes, their hairy hides, their questing trunks, and then they die.

Since the stories are called "exhibits," the question of human oddity ("born" and "made") is called into question. Well, this was part of the circus. One of the stories deals with a young man who has dwarfism, and how he happily accepts the role of town mascot, and what happens when that role is inexplicably (to him) withdrawn. I've read too many stories in which a little person comes in to serve as a metaphor, a symbol, as if somehow a person who has dwarfism is not a person, just the condition that makes him short. Day does a nice job of portraying a person. He is an innocent boy, then a clueless young man, and then an angry young man. He is more than the sum of his bones.

Very highly recommended.

I've never liked the circus. But this book made me want to learn more about people who live a life tied to it. Day paints beautiful and poignant images of her characters and she weaves a mighty beautiful web in the process.

The first stories in this collection are small masterpieces. Cathy Day can take us deep into the secret, hidden hearts of her characters. There were passages that I read, over and over, just to enjoy the beauty of her writing.

It was close to perfect.

I was worried that a 'circus story' would be all about the freaks and geeks. Instead, it was about real people struggling against the loneliness of midwestern winters, coping with broken dreams, the constraints of small town lives, and the endless allure of life on the road.

Sadly, the seams started to show towards the end of the collection. There was nothing bad, so much as a sense of that, in a few of the later stories, she was repeating her best stories (or giving us an early, less polished version of them). One story could have been dropped with no loss ("Jungle Boolah Boy" didn't feel very integrated with the rest of the stories), and another ("Boss Man") felt a bit strained although it did help to tie some of the themes and characters together.

This is a wonderful,short book that I really enjoyed.
The author brings you into the world of circus folks. Sometimes funny,sometimes sad but always interesting. She gives us the story many different ways,which at times can be trying.

Her characters are well fleshed out making you want to know more. She carries thru with this by bringing you from the past to the future and back. A good fun read!

This book of interconnected short stories related to residents of the old circus town of Lima, Indiana (it's real life counterpart is Peru, Indiana) is just excellent. Great writing, great characterizations and great stories that seem like they could have really happened. Do yourself a favor and read THE CIRCUS IN WINTER instead of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS which is more romance novel than literature but for some unknown reason is reaping a lot of positive buzz.

This book was awesome. I couldn't put it down. We should never forget what happened on 9/11/01.

Excellent account of what happened that fateful day. Lynn Spencer takes you into the cockpits of the airplanes, into the minds of the air traffic controllers, the fighter pilots, and the government officials and personnel making desparate, spur of the moment decisions. Absolutely riveting; you won't be able to put in down!

Outstanding account of what really happened on 9/11. This book takes you inside the cockpits, air traffic control centers, and headquarters of avilation / military agencies that managed the 9/11 attacks. I was unable to put this book down which resulted in a couple of sleepless nights. Some of the stories brought me to tears. This book is a must read and brings into perspective the power of courage and the human spirit despite incredible odds and circumstances that were beyond our imagination.

Incredible book!

absolutely a riveting read. I opened it and I finished it upon rising at 5 A.M. the following morning. TOUCHING HISTORY cannot be put down because you "need to know" what happens next. Masterly suspenseful and I learned so much about 9-11 that I will never forget the day America went to war.

On the morning of 9-11, our little Cessna was one of the thousands of dots on the radar screens of America, so as I later watched the horrific events in New York and Washington DC unfold, I couldn't help but wonder what other pilots were feeling and thinking as they were told, without explanation, to get their plane on the ground NOW. This book gives an insight into the thoughts of some of those pilots -- some who were "escorted" down by fighter jets, some who could see the towers burning in the distance, some whose friends were in the cockpits of those doomed airplanes. It is rather frightening to read of the incompetence and lack of coordination among government agencies, but it is very encouraging to read of the quick thinking and heroism of ordinary people called upon to do something they could not possibly have trained for. In moments of crisis, it's impossible to predict who will fall to pieces and who will step up and be a hero. This was a fascinating book -- well researched and well written, and with lessons to be learned before we are called upon again to respond to the unthinkable.

Very rarely do you find a book that leaves you desiring more of God. However, this one provokes a yearning in you to give yourself more to God in prayer, worship and time in the Word. It pulls you into God. An easy read, short in length and well written, Matt Redman does a great job of pulling your attention away from whatever or whoever and pushing you to concentrate on the Lord. The book provides a healthy Godly perspective on worship, provides principles that one can easily understand and apply to their lives and mix a few of Redman's personal stories in to lift you to a higher place of worship. I highly recommend to anyone who needs another boost toward God! If you're struggling at this season in your life to keep God the main thing, this is for you. If you're at a place where you just want more of Him, this is for you! No matter where you are, this is for you! Enjoy~

This book was recommended to me by a fellow marathoner. It reads quickly, and you will want to read in a single sitting. It speaks well of the heart and relentless desire of the worshipper of Jesus, to give Him endless and countless praise and worship for His work on the cross. It's also penned by a dude with amazing musical gifts. I will probably re-read many times,as it validates one's desire to worship even in the midst of the storms of life..........

I'm a worship leader in NJ and I've require all our musicians and vocalists to read this book. My philosophy is that everyone doing worship during a service is leading the congregation in worship. Not just the one who may talk or sing the most. This book by Matt Redman is a valuable help to everyone involved with a worship team or seeking to understand what worship is all about in a deeper way. Do yourself a favor and read this wonderful devotional type book by a very experienced composer and worship leader. It will enhance your own time with the Lord and make you a better worship leader for your church.

Ever feel like no one else gets it? Like you sometimes can't connect with other people who although share your faith, seem to have a different taste for God than you do?

In my opinion this is the book for you. I found myself finishing this book in a short time because not only did I feel challenged, but I realized that I'm not a complete failure simply because I struggle in my focus on my God.

Matt lays out a very profound and understandable set of lessons that will help you understand what life long/ eternity long worship really is.

This isn't the gospel according to Matt or any book of vague ideas. It's a great devotional on intamacy and thirst for our God.

As a worship pastor/ youth pastor of a church I can't tell you what a blessing this reading really is.

We were taken back to the Heart of Worship!!!!