Spencer Books

I have recently read the book "June's Flour Power Baking" by June Spencer. As a Nurse Practitioner I frequently advise people who need to make dietary changes due to Diabetes, High Cholesterol and Allergies. With out a doubt, the greatest resistance I receive is on the issue of baked goods. I am delighted to now have a resource to offer these patients. As a health educator for my local church, I often teach classes on healthful cooking. In that setting, I always have a display of recommended cook books. Obviously, this new book will be prominently displayed. Thank you for publishing such a valuable reference.

Betty A. Bennett, ARNP

Having been born in Malaysia this book was immediately attractive to me. I was impressed by Colonel Chapman's attention to detail and at the same time, successfully managing to curb the "typical" authors' poetic licence to embelish certain aspects of the story to entice readers' interest. The story is fast and accurate with black and white photographs providing additional interest and serves to engage the reader. An excellent book for people who appreciate non-fictional war stories from a historical perspective. Highly recommended.

Wow, how did this guy manage to find so many rare interviews with Kate Hepburn and her family and friends? What a well researched, beautifully recorded audio-biography of one of Hollywood's brightest stars and an inspiration to people everywhere. Hats off to Random House Audio for this highly original work!

As far as Shakespeare's tragedies go, I have some respect for "Romeo and Juliet." I think "Timon of Athens" and "Coriolanus" are really underrated. I do not like "Othello" at all. I really like "Macbeth." And along with "Julius Caesar" and "Hamlet," "King Lear" is one of my favorite tragedies. The play starts with an aged King Lear displaying poor judgement by announcing his retirement and leaving his power to his 2 overly ambitious daughters (Goneril and Regan) while banishing the daughter (Cordelia) who IS worthy of his trust. (Cordelia ends up getting married to the French king and thus becoming Queen of France.) (King Lear also banishes his loyal servant Kent whom he should trust as well.) In a subplot, the good hearted Gloucester is unhappy with the king's decision, but ironically he falls into the same trap of declaring war on his son (Edgar) whom he should trust, and placing trust and reliance on his monstrously evil son Edmund. By the end of the first act, the ever loyal Kent disguises himself and King Lear allows him to be in his employ. At first, Shakespeare leaves it ambiguous as to who we should like. (King Lear was not so likable, and his questionable at best sanity makes us like him even less.) But by the end of the second act, Shakespeare shows us that Regan, her husband Cornwall, and Goneril would do Satan proud. And Edmund may outdo even these three! And once Shakespeare shifts our sympathy to King Lear, he DOES NOT allow it to slack for a moment. In fact, it will intensify throughout the story. While we don't see much of Goneril's virutous and honorable husband Albany, other characters speak of his growing contempt for the diabolical Duke of Cornwall, and we are prepared for his sudden entrance in the 4th act. This helps build suspense as well as the French invasion Cordelia is planning on behalf of her father. (Talk about forgiving someone really fast!) Meanwhile, Kent, Cordelia, and Edgar are quite Christ like. Kent never abandons the king, Cordelia never lost her love for her father, and Edgar continues to love his father. (This is prevalent when Gloucester suffers a horrible fate at the end of the 3rd act, and Edgar does everything humanly possible for him.) The diabolical Cornwall may have been killed, but sadly, the harm is done. It is interesting that Kent and Edgar both continue to love and serve the one who mistreated them, even to the point of wearing a disguise. Well, moving on, Lear is eventually reunited with Cordelia, and the scene where Cordelia forgives him is one of Shakespeare's most beautiful scenes. But Shakespeare does not stop here. Lear's two wicked daughters both want the affection of the evil Edmund, and Goneril plots to have her benevolent husband Albany killed. To complicate matters further, Cordelia launches the French invasion on behalf of her father, and while Albany shares her views, he really does have an obligation to protect the land: "For this business, it touches us as France invades our land." In an almost Easter fashion, Edgar reappears to challenge his wicked brother in trial by combat. (It is interesting that on an audio version, Robert Powell who is famous for playing Jesus in "Jesus of Nazareth" does the voice of the Christ like Edgar.) But even as Albany, Edgar, and Kent gain control of the situation, Shakespeare has one of his saddest endings waiting for us. This play is the perfect cure for Hollywood's movies that tend to glorify war. "King Lear" is arguably Shakespeare's most brutal play, but the violence is most disturbing even when the virtuous characters are triumphant. The story actually DOES need the violence, but Shakespeare seems to know quite well that war and violence are disturbing and should be portrayed so. Furthermore, the death of one's enemies may NOT exactly lead to a happy ending!

This book covers all type of knitting machine basics. Although the machines are older (1970's),it gives a great description of what is occurring with the needles to form the various fabrics and stitches. I particularly like the hosiery machine chapters. It describes the double cylinder knitting machine action in easy to understand, clear, consise terms. I have used this book a lot as a great reference on basic knitting.

Back cover reads:
"Lady be mine!"
These were the last words Melody Worth ever expected to hear from James Logan's lips. She happened to be very wealthy, which had never been a problem till now...and James seemed to despise her because of her money. That Melody liked helping other people, including James's father, had no effect on James. In fact, he accused her of interfering!
Melody didn't know how to cope with obstinate, infuriating James...Then it suddenly hit her! She was in love with James, but he insisted they had no future together. Melody would simply have to change his mind.

This book captures a strange and unique 'dream-sense', reminding the reader of the sensation of dreams; a rare quality in writing. It is highly imaginative, a little New-Agey if you're into that, but even if you're not (like myself) it is a most enjoyable voyage into a world of adventure and fantasy. The reader experiences the sense of a great many spiritual philosophies that underly Anne Spencer Parry's writing, and regardless of the reader's convictions, they enrich the book with thought provoking and highly thrilling material.

7/25/08

I have just finishd reading The Language of Cells, and am putting the book aside with sadness that this glimpse in the thoughts of a compassionate pathologist has come to an end. I lived with this doctor for the last few days and with his patients. Spencer Nadler uses the language of a poet and through the pages flows his compassion and human understanding of the interrelatedness of the smallest of cells to the complex body of man. There is much the layman can learn from reading this book, how these cell structures support life or herald death. The book begins with a patient viewing her cancer cells on a screen, and she describes them as a painter would a most mysterious landscape. A while later we meet Mehli Mehta, and Dr. Nadler describes the concert this ninety-two year old suffering from heart disease conducts, a micro chip implanted in his chest jolts his heart elctronically when his pulse rate races away from him. In these paragraphs I learned how the stress on the heart of conducting a strenuous symphonic piece, or running a mile, varies physically from the stress created by anguish or sorrow. Though in both scenarios the heart rate may go up to the same unhealthy level, the physical footprint on the heart would look different. There is a remedy for stress. Let me quote Nadler: "If my mind's stress has my heart racing and pulse waves pound my body's shores, I close my eyes and deepen my breath. Transferring the rhythm of my heartbeat into a drumbeat, I let the rhythm of my music begin..." In these words speaks a poet, not a doctor-writer.
Nadler is equally eloquent when discussing Sickle Cell Anemia, Alzheimers, Leukemia, Paraplegia and in the last chapter he discusses dying and the acceptance of death by the patient.
This book should be read by all who have an ill spouse, child or are ill themselves. It should be read by doctors and caregivers to show over again the great positive influence a kind and understanding doctor will have, so important in our increasingly robotic world.

at the same time. Churchill was already regarded as one of the greatest men of his time. This was due in no small part to his great sucess as a writer. Yet he was out of step, the times being what they were: a nation being led by craven, small brained men concerned only with the bottom line. I found myself talking back to the tape (in essence, talking to myself) at the fools running H.M.G. & the Foreign Office in the 1930's. It is as if Churchill is the only person of stature who knew Hitler & what his intentions were.But he is on the outside looking in. This was the "peace at ANY price decade" & not one for which England can be proud. Every country in Europe was sold out as the Greater Reich swallowed The Rhineland, Austria, The Sudetenland & Czechslovakia & threatened the rest including France. His fall from grace was in part his own fault. His obstinacy on India's Status & his support of Edward VIII, the future Duke of Windsor past the point of reason did not help him at all. His integrity, honesty & vast output of writing in books & articles kept him in the public eye, until as we know, he was called to his finest hour.

All schools should adopt the principles and rules so clearly discussed in this book. The simplicity of the "Healthy Play" program is its beauty and the reason for its success. Mr. Steffens and Mr. Gorin present valid arguments why schools should change from aggressive and competitive game-playing to activities that promote sharing, caring and compromise. Almost every game found in this book that I have tried out on my students has been met with enthusiasm. Their faces and giggles and body language have told me that the game provided a balance of challenge and enjoyment. The index is organized so that appropriate games can easily be found no matter the goal desired. As a teacher who deals with some very aggressive and angry children, I would like to personally thank these two gentlemen for a very useful plan that has allowed my students and I to experience positive community building.