Spencer Books

This book is filled with beautiful full color photographs of complete gardens and individual plants. It is divided into six chapters: 1 - The Shady Environment (which allows you to determine what category your garden spot is in) 2 - Types of Shade Gardens (i.e along a wall, a fence, a rock garden, etc - all types well covered) 3 - Elements of Design (Putting the different plants together perfectly taking into account plant types, colors, size, needs, etc. 4 - Plants for Shade Gardens (this is what I needed - pictures of the plants and a complete description of their requirements) 5 - Starting the Garden (preparing the land, the plants, etc) 6 - Maintaining the Gardening (keeping up what you just spent so much time making) And (7) is the index. This book would be a TEN, if the author could guarantee that my Garden will look like the pictures in the book (someday).

Daniel Spencer's book is a thoughtful treatment of the issue ofecological justice in dialogue with several different methods ofreligious/ethical inquiry and a number of important authors who have also written on this issue. It connects (I think rightly) issues about the body, sexuality, erotic relationships, and various components of social justice in their relationship with one another and the question of solicitude for the planet and its creatures. I wouldn't have believed such a project could hold together if I hadn't seen it done with Daniel Spencer's competence and concern.

It not only articulates the urgency of the issues it addresses, but provides a step-by-step, multi-dimensional, full-bodied approach to ethical reasoning in general. A book about how to think ethically -- not a partisan book about what to think about when one thinks ethically -- but still forceful and prophetic in presenting its claims. Excellent work.

As the author, I should share what this book contains in a further review here. Written as one who left an organization called "The Way International", I have written a book, perhaps one of THE books debating much of their doctrine and recommend it to those who are considering joining or who have left. The book begins by trying to find the REAL reason behind the Fall of Man, take on the extreme-reaching theory of the "Seed of the Serpent" in which some believe the devil can also make people "born again" of himself, and discuss the Unforgivable Sin. It continues to debate why I believe born-again Christians cannot be possessed by the devil or demons, discusses the Foreknowledge of God, time travel, and debates the name of Lucifer being attached to the devil, and reasons why the Lucifer in the Bible is actually referring to something else. The book continues to explain what the "Lake of Fire" really is historically and debates why Hell is different from our own perceived ideas and theology. The Wise Men are discussed and explained how they came to know the "star" of Jesus Christ. The term "cherubim" is explained and ancient ways of looking at the heavens and how they pertained to scripture are revealed. So-called biblical "contradictions" are explained in the records of those crucified with Christ, where and when Peter did his denials and the time of those denials, and discusses the Woman Caught in Adultery and why it is out of context in John, yet really is a true story. Finally, the Da Vinci Code is debated and the term "Lamb of the First Year" is explained, which puts the Da Vinci Code to nothing other than fiction. With scriptural and subject indexes to aid in your search for subject and verse material, you may use the Reference Index for a quality search for excellent material.

From the cover: Theodore Gentilz (1820 - 1906), a Parisian trained in the disciplined draftsmanship of French academic tradition, played a significant role in the French colonization of the wilderness beyond San Antonio. Painter, draftsman, and engineer, he was engaged in 1843 by Henri Castro, the French entrepreneur, to serve as surveyor, artist, and promotional agent for Castro's projected colony in Texas. Gentilz carried his paining gear and surveying instruments on trails from the western reaches of El Paso del Norte to the Gulf Coast and deep into Mexico. He focused his artistic vision on the indigenous cultures of the Southwest: nomadic Indians, Mexican ranchers and villagers, street scenes, Spanish missions and other historic buildings. His work illuminated events, characters, customs, urban and rural landscapes, architectural and sculptural detail, flora and fauna of early Texas.

What a provocative title! Paxton's book is not about evolutionary psychology, but the relationship between Spencer and Eliot laid the groundwork for much of what came about in the twentieth century focus on the place of biology in determining relations between man and woman, the individual and society, and the role that evolutionary theory plays in helping people to determine the paramaters. Actually, that is just what I looked for when I picked this book up. Paxton has an excellent grasp on these issues and her knowledge of Eliot and Spencer is remarkable. I could not put this book down because reading Paxton's writings is like sitting in front of her. She commands your attention by her sheer brilliance in controlling the topic.

I was happy not to find too much parroting of current literary trends and her focus on the texts of Spencer and Eliot are genuine. Some may not like her for that reason, but an honest person looking for an unbiased treatment of poor Spencer will find plenty to think about. This is the best book on the relationship between Eliot and Spencer, and the only one to treat it with the care and civility it deserves.

It seems James Parish churns out far too many books. However, his series of books dealing with films and stars of the Golden period of Hollywood are absolutely indispensible for movie buffs.

Anyone old enough to remember the old (now defunct) film magazine, ''Films in Review'', will recall the magazine's monthly career article on stars which covered their films in detail. The article was followed by a filmography and many photos.

The Glamour Girls is in similar vein. It covers the careers of female stars who were known for their beauty and glamour - stars like Joan Bennett, Yvonne De Carlo, Rita Hayworth, Audrey Hepburn, Jennifer Jones, Maria Montez, Kin Novak, Merle Oberon and Vera Ralston.

The great thing about this book is that all of the stars' films are covered in detail along with details about their personal lives (each chapter is like a mini book). At the end is a detailed filmography and a section on photos.

Anyone interested in old stars should immediately add this great book to their library.

This book features solid glass animal figurines, animal boxes, bookends, decanters, vases, and lamp bases. There are also a large number of non-animal items, notably figural flower holders (nude and draped ladies, & geishas), glass Buddhas, and sundry mermaids and madonnas. Where appropriate, the authors note reissues. Companies featured in this book include: American Glass Co., Cambridge, Co-Operative Flint Glass, Duncan, Fenton, Fostoria, K.R. Haley, Heisey, Imperial, Indiana, New Martinsville, Paden City, L.E. Smith, Tiffin, Viking, and Westmoreland. And what glass book would be complete without the ever-popular "mystery section?" There are lots of Cambridge swans, Heisey horses, Imperial slag animals. (There is a dizzying array of glass horses: rearing fillies, kicking colts, Clydesdales, Plug Horses, and so on.) Some of the items are actually post-Depression: for example, Viking's colorful Epic line, which was issued in the 50's, 60's, and again in the 80's.

This is a truly charming book, and I have obtained a lot of pleasure from it. It is filled with both black & white, and full color photos, as well as a few original ads from magazines. Many of the items are true collector pieces, and high-end, from hundreds to thousands of dollars: for example, Heisey's large amber "Flying Mare," which books at $2,200-$3,000, and L.E. Smith's green King Fish Aquarium, an enormous fish-shaped container valued at several hundred dollars (a shipping nightmare, I imagine!). Some pieces, such as Tiffin's crystal pheasant paperweight with controlled bubbles, are so rare that the authors are at a loss to put a price on them. Nevertheless, some of the smaller animal figurines are still widely available at inexpensive prices. This book is currently out of print, but available secondhand. The authors have done a fabulous job, and it is a must for collectors of collectible glass figurines.

God's Little Devotional Book "For Couples" is one of those, that you can cuddle up with your husband\wife and in a short amount of time be encouraged, finding new ways of improving your relationship! The stories you can really relate with...I can't even count how many times we've had a rough day, and sit down to read this book & it gives a perfect example of what we were facing! I compare it to the sweet tales of "Chicken Soup For The Soul" books...It's a great gift for newlywed's, and new parents! My favorite quote out of the book is: "A happy marriage, is the union of two good forgivers"!

Detective Chief Inspector Charlie Woodend is booted out of Scotland Yard and sent to the 'provinces' where he is immediately assigned the case of a murdered policeman. Determined not to give the outsider with the reputation for being difficult any advantages, Woodend's new boss saddles him with a female Detective Sergeant determined to interpret anything he says as a sexual advance, and a staff of detectives willing to subvert the hunt for justice in order to protect the reputation of the fallen cop.

Woodend, along with Blonde bombshell Detective Sergeant Monika Paniatowski, descend into the English tourist destination of Blackpool with its barkers, tame girlie shows, lame comic routines, and close-knit carney community and find themselves cut off from effective work. If Woodend doesn't find a way to overcome Paniatowski's predjudices against all superiors, and to get effective work from the resentful local detectives, he'll fail.

Author Sally Spencer does a powerful job describing 1960s England, from its smokers, its transition from the war years and the coal/textiles-based industrial economy to a modern service economy, and the provincialism that remained in the north of England. At the same time, she has created two fully dimensioned characters in Paniatowski and Woodend. It's a joy to watch them step through initial distrust to achieve something akin to a partnership.

I could have done with a few fewer descriptions of Woodend's cigarette of choice (Capstan Full Strength), and found the first chapter a little distracting but once I got into this story, I couldn't put it down.

Highly Recommended

As an avid collector of Florida postcards, I was delighted to add this book to my collection. It was a great way to find out about postcards I still needed to locate -- always one of collector's biggest challenges! The ilustrations are good considering that most are of linens. More color would have been nice, but it would probably have increased the price a great deal. I recommend this book to Florida postcard collectors and anyone interested in Florida in earlier times.