Stanley Books

This is the book I carry everywhere I go!
Full of peace, useful tools and more.

Rev. Lee Poepping's story is a testament to Love and healing. It witnesses to the miracles born from the practice of faith and genuine trust. His willingness can give us all the inspiration to heal our minds and lives no matter what our circumstance. Here we see through his eyes beyond all personal shadows. Not only do we come to learn the grand gift that A Course In Miracles and Spirit offers us all, but we come to find how indeed it works if we work it. I would not recommend any other book more highly for those who can relate to the story of healing through addictions. In fact, I have recommended this book to several clients I treat within the field of substance abuse recovery. Furthermore, as a student of A Course In Miracles, I am personally gifted to know Lee and see how he continues to genuinely minister his light to all, no exceptions.

... I would order a copy of this book for each of them.

I like this book the same way that I like hearing someone tell the story of how he got sober.

I like Silent Miracles because it it is so honest and real. I know that the author lived the experiences that he writes about in Silent Miracles, because the experiences that he describes are so much like what I have experienced on my path, though I never was in a life-threatening collision, nor have I ever been thrown from an overturning camper. I guess that I did not need that heavy of a cosmic 2 x 4 laid along side my head in order to get my attention. Almost though. But that is MY story.

One of the things that the author does in this book is to show how alike some of the ideas in A Course in Miracles are to teachings of the Tao te Ching. As it says somewhere, a universal religion is not possible, but a universal experience is both possible and necessary, and we know that that A Course in Miracles is only one explication of a universal curriculum.

Certainly the Tao is another such path, and a student of one path (be it the Course or Taoism or Buddhism or any path of enlightenment) can recognize the common threads that run through these hallowed traditions. Truth is true, no matter the source.

Lee Poepping's "Silent Miracles" is a beautiful and powerful wake-up call into a new paradigm--one in which fear, judgment, suffering, and separation is transformed into trust, love, hope, and faith. At a time in our human history when so much "wrong" seems to be happening, a book like "Silent Miracles" is a much-needed "right". We are all very fortunate that Lee has come forth with this extraordinary book now.

Allan, host of the international spiritual talk show, "Bridging Heaven & Earth" ( www.HeavenToEarth.com )

This book contains a simple and well thought out spiritual plan that helps us change the way we look at life and overcome the fear that keeps us from realizing our real goals. I highly recommend it!

This was one of the best books I have read. There is such simple wisdom written within this book. You are sure to discover many Awe ha moments while reading it. So many friends have barrowed my book, that it is now falling apart. Even though I have read the book three times, I plan on buying a new one. Because the glue just isn't holding up anymore. There is magic all around us, if you wish there to be.

My dad gave me this book when I was 13, and our family was just getting ready for our first major move. That was in 1966. I read the book with great interest, and in some ways it seemed to be like an initiation to my first active pursuit of spiritual things. I read the book several times in the four years I had it, before it was lost when I was 17, and there were subtle shifts in my understanding over those years. Over the many years since then, I've gone through periods where I've either appreciated or depreciated the book, but as time passes, I have become more and more sure in my belief that this book has something important to say... something that, among all the many religious, spiritual, philosophical and metaphysical books I've read over the years, it stands alone in making some of its main points clearly known.

Another more famous book by a more famous author (Alan Watts), "The Book : On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are", also touches on some of the things "Three Magic Words" gets into, but "Three Magic Words" is bolder, and seems to take the "taboo" more in its stride. That being said, "The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are" (which is more readilly available) actually makes a good companion volume for "Three Magic Words". I recommend them both.

There's no doubt about it, as far as I'm concerned, "Three Magic Words" is the kind of book people will either love or hate. I have just recently come across the it again, and I feel very fortunate that I am getting to read this material now, after such a varied course in learning. It is much easier now to recognize that the author offers this information out of love, and, although it may be presented in a way that can overcome the spirit and possibly cause some trepidation, I think the reader might be encouraged by these words from the Beatles: "I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together". "Three Magic Words" will show you some things about God and yourself and life. If your heart is open to it, you can find the power of positive change within its pages.

I came across this book by accident, it has been my "Bible" ever since. If you want to be a more "Spiritual" person, this book points you in the right direction. Just read the first chapter "The Lock". If you don't like it or it doesn't make sense, just put it down and don't read it. However keep it handy, maybe your just not ready for it. One day you will pick it up again and start reading and everything will finally click. It may be a month from now or it may be years from now. When that time comes, that is when you will really appreciate this book. If your looking to be one step closer to God, then this book is for you.

I had the good fortune to run across this book about 27 yrs ago. It started my spiritual quest. I will always be grateful for its existence. Now I have a 17 yr old with whom I want to share this book and I can't find it as it is out of print.

I am an entertainer. I read my first copy of Three Magic Words when I was 22 years old and I've never stopped reading and learning from it. Now I am 40. This book has given meaning to my whole existence because it has taught me that life is a beautiful and fantastic journey that we have all chosen to make. Whatever mistakes we make are all a part of a perfect plan to lead us forward on our journey towards our oneness with God. We are so dearly loved! We are truly free!

Taylor is one of the most competent gun writers I have ever read. He has tremendous practical experience with almost every large calibre rifle of his time, including the spell bounding numbers like 600, 577s, 500s, 450s, 450/400, 375 etc., with a nostalgic term of Nitro Express..! When discussing a calibre, he talks of taking literally hundreds of elephant, buffalo & other big game with it. So who can question his authority on African rifles. He has also covered every possible aspect of sporting rifle, which can be questioned, with respect of African hunting, e.g., doubles versus magazines, barrel length, weight, sights, triggers, ejectors/non-ejectors, etc. A must read book for the person who wants to know about large calibres, double rifles and nitro / black powder express. Excellent drawing of each cartridge is also given with details i.e., bullet weight, powder charge and pressure.

For most of us, the dream of going to Africa and hunting with the classics of the past will always remain that. However, if one has hankering for the great guns of the past and a by gone era, this book will fill that niche. If you are lucky enough to ever be able to travel to Africa, this book would be essentual reading as knowledge- practocal knowledge - of the big guns is very hard to find and full of misconceptions.

If you fall into the latter catagory, Taylor had several lifetimes of practical hunting experince, and his knowledge shines.

For most of us, there are very few hunters and shooters who have not dreamed of owning a Purdy, Holland and Holland and others of the past, in such lovely calibers as 375 H&H, and .600 Nitro. This is a book to own and dream with.

Incidentaly, despite its comparative age, much in here is still current, although much more recent calibers are not really discussed.

Grade: A+

Timeless writing! A treasure trove of literary delights for anyone interested in the ambience of a bygone era of action and adventure ala Hemingway, Selous and Bell. Something for everyone, whether an enthusiast of shooting, safari, classic cartridges and rifles of legend (doubles and single action sporters) or a mere naturalist. John Pondoro Taylor was clearly a genius in his given profession, albeit politically incorrect for his time.

If you love hunting- and african hunting in particular- you MUST have this book! It is the classic by which all others should be judged. I read my first copy so often- and referred to it when reading other African hunting books- that it started to fall apart. I bought another to read and loan, plus one bound in leather to keep for good in mint, unread condition.
Believe me, you will love this book if you are a hunter!

John Taylor's masterpiece - the definitive work on African hunting from a technical perspective. And even though his experience is nearly 100 years old now, it's still as fresh as yesterday, because the rifles and cartridges really haven't changed much. Craig Boddington's important work on the same subject is truly current, but you won't miss a beat if you just go by what Old Pondoro says.

But that's not the book's real glory - anyone can publish ballistic data and shooting tips. What Taylor does is to back up his opinions with some of the most exciting hunting literature ever jotted down by lantern light. He's a wonderful writer, with an easy flowing style that grabs you and takes you along. He saw and did things that noone else will ever again do or see, and in a sense saw the last of the old Africa pre WW2, and brings it alive. He tells you that the .577 NE is just the perfect thing for elephant, and has a couple of tales to prove it. Or how about the .375 H&H as a long range caliber? Well, did he ever tell you about the time that... It sounds contrived, but it isn't.

I can't put this book down, and approach it with caution because I know if I crack it open it'll be like saying "Jumanji" 3 times - the next thing you know hours have passed and there's a lion in your kitchen, licking the butter. Absolutely a desert island book, and one of the first to go in the lifeboat.

Robert Wilson and Stanley Marcus have created a highly informative as well as a thoroughly entertaining book in which they briefly discuss 81 different examples of "great" contributions to the development of American culture. Here are the first five: Tom Paine's "Common Sense" which helped to establish and then nourish a patriotic fervor without which the War for Independence probably could not have been won.; Charles Kettering's invention of the automobile self-starter which eliminated the need for a hand crank which had broken many arms; barbed wire ("the devil's hatband") which protected property as well as livestock and thus helped to tame the frontier; Alexander Joy Cartwright's design of the baseball diamond (in 1846) for a variation of the English game of "rounders," a design which established the same infield configuration wherever the game is played; and Harry S Truman's commitment to the Berlin Airlift during the Cold War ("We stay in Berlin, period."). Other subjects include the Coca-Cola formula, Coney Island, the Duke Ellington orchestra, the G.I. Bill of Rights, N.C. Wyeth's illustrations for Stevenson's Treasure Island, the New Yorker magazine, the Pony Express, tabasco sauce, the Underground Railway, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. All of the illustrations are superb. Several of the brief commentaries were written by various contributors such as Allen Barra (Black Baseball), David McCullough (The Brooklyn Bridge), Kevin Baker (FDR's Fireside Chats), and David Douglas Duncan (LIFE Magazine). This volume's size and appearance may suggest that it is just another "coffee table book." In fact, what editors Wilson, Marcus, and various contributors share attracts and rewards the attention of those, especially young people, who have little (if any) understanding of why each of the 81 subjects is so important to the society in which they now live. Ours continues to be an abundant and diverse culture. Hopefully it will continue to produce other American "greats" to join those which Wilson, Marcus, and their distinguished associates so brilliantly celebrate.

This beautiful book occupies a place of prominence in my living room. The collected essays cover a wide variety of interesting topics that represent all aspects of American life and history. The photography is exceptional. I'm looking forward to "American Greats" part II.

There is just too much from the Nation which we take for granted, and this book reminds up of just a tiny percentage of some of the innovations which helped shape our society.

Sure, when we see the Brooklyn Bridge, we marvel at its timeless beauty. We probably don't give barbed wire a second thought, though. Those old enough to recall FDR tell of the inspiration of his Fireside Chats, and the rest of us can compare (through this work) them to the Gettysburg Address. But this work takes us so much farther. The courage of Mohawk Steel Workers walking across the sky, the Tuskeegee Airmen bringing back every bomber they escorted and the inscrutable creativity of Navajo Code Talkers are all admirably chronicled.

Everyone, from fans of the Vette to those who prefer the Smithsonian; afficionadoes of Duke Ellington vs. Sun Records (or both) will find something here to contemplate and treasure.

This is an extraordinary compilation of the innovations, idiosyncracies, and icons of which this country should be proud. The editors exhibited incredible creativity and sense of adventure in choosing the "Great" items. I can't think of any book that comes close to giving Americans and others a terrific and positive view of this country's uniqueness.

American Greats is absolutely fanastic. The reader learns about historical figures in American history in a really fun way. This book is a must for every elementary, middle and high school.

I had not come across this author before, so I was intrigued when a friend who has put me onto other good reads suggested this one. His advice was excellent and I expect that I will now have to go back and read some of Pottinger's other efforts as well.

This novel has most of the ingredients for a good pot boiler,i.e., big oil, big money, scheming, sex, intrigue, ironic twists, sex (did I already mention that?) and revenge. Lots of revenge.

The characters live Texas large and the story rolls along at a fasten your seatbelt pace, all of which makes for a fine winter read if you are watching the snow pile up outside your windows or a good beach read if you have had the good sense to spend some time in a warmer climate.

This one is fun.

I have never been disappointed with any of Stan Pottinger's previous novels. You always get a good, engrossing story. This is one of those.
The protagonists seemed real as they wound there way through this suspenseful and entertaining novel. I very much look forward to his next novel.

In Houston, not even forty years old, Jack "Spin" Patterson has worked his way up the ladder of success leaving behind many a corpse as he reaches the acme of Gulf-Tex Oil, the company he inherited from his late father-in-law. This expert at exploiting others is affluent with money, power, and women. Spin also has a past that now that he is part of the Texas in crowd her prefers hidden. However, his empire teeters when his wife Audrey has had it with his neglect at his best or scorn as his norm; she not only plans to divorce him, but threatens his seat as THE BOSS.

Oil runs in Max McLennon's veins though he knows the down side as his father died by a rig and his brother is disfigured. He worships his hero Spin until he begins to observe the dark side that would allow Gulf-Tex Oil employees and stockholders to lose everything just because his former idol has become too big for his britches as he refuses to negotiate with Audrey. Max decides to spin a different ending for the amoral Patterson because now he knows Jack.

Readers will see the obvious connections to the TV show Dallas as THE BOSS is a spicy Texas thriller that in some ways satires the Hagman drama by lampooning the "bigness" belief of elite natives. Spin steals the show with his supersize ego that enables him not only to step on people including his wife and to a lesser degree his mistress Tacoma Reed, but also allows him to believe he never makes mistakes as he is above human frailty. Max becomes his adversary as the statue falls from pedestal. Stanley Pottinger provides a fascinating look at the biggest of the big Texans.

Harriet Klausner

Max McLennon is part of billionaire Spin Patterson's inner circle. The oil business is in Max's blood, and he has stood by Spin throughout the development of a promising new technology. "Black Eyes" will change the world--if Spin's teams can get it to work.

Tragedy strikes just before the demonstration critical to Black Eyes' success. The lead genius on the project dies at sea, and the prototype goes down with him. Now Spin's corporation is certain to fold, which will destroy the hundreds of employees depending on its success for their survival.

Max's loyalties are torn between Spin, the woman both men love, and the everyday people who made the corporation work. Nothing is what it seems to be, and Max will be forced to make horrendous decisions that could cost lives.

Pottinger offers another suspenseful adventure in the tradition of cautionary tales. Larger than life characters pepper the pages with unexpected twists that keep readers guessing. Pottinger's diligent research adds credibility to an intoxicating plot, immersing the reader in the big-business world of oil exploration.

Suspense fans will find a great deal to enjoy about this novel. Be sure to set aside a few hours of free time, because once you start reading, you won't want to stop. Long live THE BOSS!

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
11/20/2006

4½-BOOKS for WUAT; 5-Stars on Amazon

Stan Pottinger never disappoints. His books are infused with a realism that makes them larger than fiction, a rare quality that belies the fact that THE BOSS, his latest novel, is only his fourth. In many ways it is also his best.

THE BOSS is set within the oil industry, arguably the most important element of our modern world. Spin Patterson runs Gulf-Tex Oil, a company that he inherited from his father-in-law and has transformed into a major oil industry player with a combination of brains, cunning and unscrupulousness. Max McLennon, a second-generation employee at Gulf-Tex, is Patterson's protégé and almost his greatest admirer. McLennon is staking everything and everyone on the development of Black Eyes, a tool that has the potential to transform the world by giving oil companies the ability to detect oil far below the earth's surface rather than engaging in the costly and often futile practice of drilling where they think oil may be had.

Patterson is a high roller with nerves of steel and a ruthless drive who will roll over anything or anyone that gets in his way. McLennon is the opposite of Patterson, an upright individual who can sympathize with the working man but who has the tendency to freeze under pressure. The presence of Tacoma Reed, the intelligent and exotic legal for Gulf-Tex, complicates matters for both men, as Patterson attempts to beat the odds and revitalize Gulf-Tex from a major setback --- even as his actions may result in the sacrifice of everything and everyone he holds dear.

Meanwhile, McLennon is given the opportunity to make things right for the people Patterson has damaged. It soon becomes clear though that he is playing a high-stakes game for which he is outclassed. Help arrives at the last moment from two unexpected sources, but it may be too late --- even as THE BOSS races toward an exciting and explosive conclusion.

Pottinger could have phoned in a tale of greed and corruption that would have played well with the masses and conformed to the popular, if simplistic, worldview of the oil industry. Instead, he has chosen at least in part to put a human face on a difficult enterprise. Yes, there are billions of dollars to be made in the oil industry, but there are also billions upon billions of dollars to be lost. The process of finding oil is extremely difficult; extracting it is all the more so. It is a dangerous and dirty business, the essence of which Pottinger captures well on all levels, explaining complicated concepts in an understandable manner without dumbing them down. I submit that one will not be able to read THE BOSS without thinking of the book the next time one fills up the tank.

Pottinger also does a magnificent job with characterization here. Patterson and McLennon are excellent protagonists. Though flawed in different ways, they are believable, each having detracting and sympathetic traits that ultimately result in a highly ironic ending for both.

THE BOSS is as readable a work as any that you'll encounter this year.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

I had never purchased a book of poetry before but this was recommended to me and I am very glad I bought it. The collection is superb.

I heartily recommend this book of poems, and I especially recommend it to the reader who never or rarely ever reads poetry. What a treat is in store for you.

Never can I match Shalom Freedman of 1500+ Reviews and 60 in two weeks of July! Completing most of THE WILD BRAID, I browsed thru other Collections of Sir Stanley...He hooked me early in the midst of his neatly arranged Reflections! Since my getting stung by hearing him read, "The Layers" on NPR's Infinite Mind, I felt urged to get to writing my Oft' Postponed Autobio Reflections!

Whenever I meditate early each Morn on his infinitely inspiring poems I start with THE LAYERS from 6th Group of Reflections by the same Name! Goodies under that title: The KNOT; Words For The Unknown Makers: "To A Slave Named Job; "Girl With Sampler; "A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath; "A Blessing of Women." THese 16pp proceed quite neatly into his Awesome, Consuming, though much Longer: "The Lincoln Relics" and "The Meditations on Death!"

Unless it be too hasty to add: I have named these as Best of his Poems to be found in The LAYERS! This 6th Group of Reflections fall into the dates of 1928-1978

In Summary: Three sections of Longer + Numerous Poems lie within THIS GARLAND, DANGER in SELECTED POEMS of 1928-1958 (4th Group) and THE TESTING-TREE of 1971 (5th Group) When I choose my great Favorites of his shorter Poems: VITA NUOVA; SOTTO VOCE; SUMMER SOLSTICE.. They combine varied length of lines, 2-3 verses, are both rhymed and free-style; SUMMER SOLSTICE is like Prose with a bit of punctuation. SOTTO VOCE has no punctuation, yet simpler and more personally focused!

Regardless from each perspective, anyone looking into Stanley's Poetry, may find he becomes less & less an Enigma! Exactly as stated in THE LAYERS of 1978: "and I am not who I WAS! My caps & my ending conclusion. Mit great Adoration--Retired 75yr old, Chap Fred W Hood

This is a great collection of poems. I recommend the book

These 'Collected Poems of Stanley Kunitz' were put together when the poet was ninety- five years old. He now is approaching one - hundred and his birthday will be celebrated this year, also with another collection of his poetry.
There are many reasons for wanting to read such a collection. First of all, it is interesting to see what a person has done in the course of a lifetime of work. As I understand it Kunitz evolved in style from a complex Blakean kind of writing to a more mature and simple style in which personal elements and reflections play a stronger part. Secondly, it is interesting to understand the accumulated ' wisdom' not simply in relation to his own literary craft but also about life and love in general. It is also interesting to see the kind of universes and worlds a person explores in their lifetime, in Kunitz's case these are of course many of the giants of English poetry, but his interests are also in activities like gardening,Jewish mystics, Russian poets of this century, and of course the passions of romantic love.
I think that there is something also here which is especially admirable. Faithfulness to the task, the dedication and the ability to work through many years, is a triumph of the human spirit.
This gives an added dimension to the enjoyment of the poetry.

This is so incredibly enlightening, world changing, life changing, you name it. Everybody should know about this book, like the last reviewer I am surprised that they don't. Knocks spots of Byron katie and all that, much more sensible, practical and applicable, but it has the potential to enable the reader to access the most spiritual of realms.

As I was reading this book, a constant thought I had was why this book was not as well-known as many others on self-improvement or stress management. Maybe the idea of achieving peace of mind through thought labelling and paying attention to one's senses sounds too simplistic. Maybe the idea that the solution to transforming one's life lies within oneself sounds too good to be true. This book deserves to be read by more people who are in need of an answer to life's many seemingly unsolvable issues. Give this book, more importantly yourself, a chance by picking up a copy of it.

I found this book very informative and like the simple step by step explanations.

Important for all doctors, of medicine and chiropractic, or whichever, is the fact that the mind and thought are the origin of some forms of illness and physical dysfunction. It is a difficult thing to reverse thoughts, or stop them in their destructive tracks. This book is a tool on how to do it. Mr J. Krishnamurti's writings uncovered thought as a destructive thing for me many years ago. Dr and Mrs Block's book puts a practical, doable slant on thought related disease and deceit of the true self. The best ten bucks you'll ever spend.

This book has been like a miracle for me. It tells you HOW to
reach that beautiful spiritual place so many of us have strived
for with little or no success. It's so simple! I can't thank Dr. Block enough for quite literally changing my life. I hope to
get a chance to meet him in person one day. By the way, this is the first book I've ever written a review on.

received fast and in great condition - awesome book! A must for SK fans.

The Complete Stephen King Universe: A Guide to the Worlds of Stephen King
The perfect book to read for every constant reader, this book examines all of the works of Stephen King (up to the time of publishing) and details the continuity and discrepancies between the worlds Stephen King has created. Truly a must for those which Stephen King refers to as constant reader.

This is a great book for everyone interested in Stephen King's works. I have read a great deal of his work, so I imagine that I am one of those that falls under the 'Constant Reader' title, and this book had me noting that I had missed some of the overlaps and complexity of his many books. I look forward to reading his books again, and catching even more, thanks to this book.

However, this is also good for the more casual Stephen King reader, as it guides you through his worlds and his books. The authors give very good analyses of each book and each world, sorting through the myriad of characters and ideas that Stephen King uses (quite deftly, in my opinion).

This is the most helpful book I have read regarding writing. This information has everything from first write to the way to get it published.

The only thing I found missing was a word/page index.

This is a book I would recommend to others.

Many fantasists or fantasy authors create their own parallel universes, which stand as back drops for their stories. H. P. Lovecraft did this with his Cthulhu Mythos, creating a pantheon of dark gods who have the ability to slip into our universe from time to time and sunder reality. Cthulhu's theme is to eradicate all humankind from the face of the earth.

Stephen King's parallel universe, however, appears to be a multitude of intertwining dimensions comprising malefic and beneficial cross-over characters and deities whose conflicts influence these various dimensions for good or for evil. According to authors Hank Wagner, Christopher Golden, and Stanley Wiater, in this, their definitive reference entitled THE COMPLETE STEPHEN KING UNIVERSE: A GUIDE TO THE WORLDS OF STEPHEN KING, Mr. King's DARK TOWER series stands as the central and unifying dimension from which his parallel universe emerges and ultimately returns. CSKU defines and describes all of Mr. King's stories and novels to date, tying events and people together in each of the over-lapping tales--but the fun does not stop there, readers. At the end of every chapter, the authors reveal interesting trivia about the characters and events that make-up Stephen King's world, sometimes pointing out that people in our so-called "reality" also have a share in his universe, the most obvious person being author Peter Straub, co-author of THE TALISMAN, one of my favorite novels of all time. (Speaking of Peter Straub, an interesting observation is the creepy character in his novel MR. X, who seems to make a brief appearance--at least in this reader's opinion--in Mr. King's novel FROM A BUICK 8, when he delivers the vintage Buick, then disappears behind the gas station where he abandons the car.)

If you are a fan of Stephen King's work, and the author himself, you will enjoy reading THE COMPLETE STEPHEN KING UNIVERSE. This fascinating and literate guide brought many details of Mr. King's overall work to my attention, details I was not aware of before reading CSKU, and has inspired me to read his stories and novels over again. (No mean feat, I would like to add; although a pleasurable one!) One of the more interesting pieces of information in THE COMPLETE STEPHEN KING UNIVERSE involved the accident in which a drunk driver struck and nearly killed Mr. King in 1999, while he was out jogging alongside a country road near his summer home in Maine--bizarre stuff, life imitating art.

THE COMPLETE STEPHEN KING UNIVERSE is highly recommended reading!

Great book. Easy read. Ideal or high schooler reader, seems to be written more for that audience. Nonetheless, and excellant story of bravery and heroism, I'd recommend everyone to read this.

I loved this book. Part of the reason i did was because Stanley Edwards Jr. actually came into our 8th grade class to talk to us. He was the father of our World History teacher. His story on paper is great but hearing him in person was even more amazing. The book i dont think says this, but he died last year right before or right after the book was finished. At least his story will live on.

From an entertainment-value prospective, this book is about as good as it gets. Edwards' story is so gripping, so exciting, I was hooked immediately and was sorry when I came to the end. Phend organizes Edwards' story into a readable, novel-like book while seeming to preserve much of the language he used describing it to her. Meanwhile, I also managed to learn a few things about the war, D-Day, and the plight of Americans in occupied France.

This book tells a great story of "how it really was" for a young pilot shot down on D-Day. You get an intimate sense of the adventure, exhilaration, and teror that accompanied WWII soldiers every step of the way. The story of Stan Edward's repeated captures and excapes from Germans as he tries to get to the American lines is both exciting and realistic. This is a great read for all ages!

This book is very well written and easy to read! It brings perspective to those of us who have never been to war, and who have certainly not been a POW. A great story about survival. Julie Phend did a wonderful job capturing the mood and details of Stanley's experiences.

this is a very helpful tool for anyone wanting to learn the history of what took place during the NT. this background setting is simple yet vital. i am a student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary this is how i learned of this book. i enjoyed it so much i purchased one.

I like it. I Used it for most of my papers in the NT Cultural Backgrounds class that I took.

Like the other three volumes in this series (Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, Dictionary of the Later New Testament), Dictionary of New Testament Background is an excellent compendium of generally moderate to conservative scholarship on just about every major topic touching on the New Testament. The articles do a good job integrating the material with the New Testament. For example, the article "Circuses and Games" has a valuable discussion of Paul's use of athletic metaphors.

This work is 1300 pages and so is an excellent value for the money. (The bibliography for each article tends to be a bit lengthy. I don't imagine the typical reader will have access to many of the books and articles cited.)

The 'Dictionary of New Testament Background' is actually the fourth volume in a series that includes:

'Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels'
'Dictionary of Paul and His Letters'
'Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments'

While part of a series, each volume (including this one) is largely adequate as a stand-alone reference. This volume has taken a much different approach to the subject matter than previous volumes. 'It attempts to situation the New Testament and early Christianity in its literary, historical, social and religious context. This volume is concerned with archaeology, geography, numismatics, related writings, various historical figures, political institutions, historical events, peoples and culture. It is not tied to specific writings of the New Testament, as is the case with the three previous dictionaries.'

Taking full advantage of major strides in research, particularly in the areas of archaeology, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and linguistic and cultural studies, this work incorporates essays every major topic, and most minor topics, that have to do with formulating a greater understanding of the cultural, societal, economic, religious, linguistic, and historical background of New Testament times. This is a pivotal time in the history of the world, regardless of one's religious interest or orientation, and this dictionary covers topics that will be of interest to the scholar without theological interest as well as those who are looking to increase their background knowledge for purposes of reading the New Testament.

The editors are Craig Evans, professor of religious studies and director of the graduate programme in biblical studies at Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia, and Stanley Porter, research professor in New Testament at the University of Surrey Roehampton, London. Together these editors bring a background of scholars from Jewish and early Christian studies , as well as classical history and scriptural/textual studies. These editors led the team of over 200 scholars from around the world to put together this 1300+ page collection of essays and articles.

The articles range in length -- some no longer than 500 words to others of 10,000 words or more. The length is determined based upon the complexity of the subject and/or the relevance for New Testament research. Each article includes bibliographic information for further research, and most are cross-referenced for further reading within this volume.

Perhaps the best use of this text is in addition to bible study or education planning -- this is not a narrative, sit-down-and-read-it kind of text, although I have found myself many times picking it up for a quick reference, only to find myself an hour later still reading through the links to other topics.

Because this is part of a multi-volume set, the reader may be disappointed occasionally if one looks for certain topics (for instance, 'Gospel') and finds there is no such listing. This would be because the topic is covered in other volumes.

I would have argued for a bit different organisation -- inclusion of non-canonical writings under their titles, for instance, just as Dead Sea Scolls are included (for instance, there is an article of general introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls, but also some 36 other articles on specific Dead Sea Scrolls included under their title names, whereas the article on 'Apocryphal Gospels' includes reference to many of these gospels, but none merits its own article later).

This is a very minor criticism, however, of a generally excellent book.

This valuable work of reference, which is a product of assiduous and serious Biblical scolarship presents itself as an indispensible tool for any advanced student,teacher and pastor in understanding and interpretting the message of the New Testament, in its proper context.
What one can appreciate in this work is the objectivity of handling topics without prejudice.It has also at the same time,avoided dealing with sensitive issues that could harm religious suceptibilities and inter-religious harmony.

Its integral approach to the study of the New TestamentBackground, involving Greco-Roman,Rabbinic,Intertestamental,socio-political and archaeological material is praise-worthy.Hence the topics dealt with tend to be comprehensive so that one could save time and energy, in a quick reference,without having to look for material in several sourses.

Dr.Henry Silva