Stevens Books

What I like best about the book is the way in which it traces the historical development of calligraphy. The author's Japan bias matches my own (I got into calligraphy in Japan) and so I didn't particularly mind the heavy Japan slant. What I found frustrating was the lack of a pronunciation guide, especially for the Sanskrit. Given the diacritics in use, I would have liked to have known how to pronounce the dotted consonants, etc. It would be nice to learn more about Khmer and Thai calligraphy also, but I turn to other books...

Two years ago, at a Zen retreat, I needed something to relax my mind. The priest who headed the retreat had, at his house, an assortment of books from which to choose. I didn't want something cerebral. I fingered his library and came upon John Steven's "Sacred Calligraphy of the East." It was perfect! It offered pictures from which I was able to relax and study the historical progress of Eastern calligraphic forms. Since then, I have bought the book for myself and I continually refer to it when in need. That may seem rather odd: I don't really know why the book relaxes me and gives me solice, but I am quite grateful to John Stevens for his contribution to the art and to my life.

Sacred Calligraphy of the East takes you through the scripts used in the sacred writings of religions and nations of East Asia. If the book would have just been a wide collection of calligraphic examples, this would have been a good enough reason to get the book. But the book is more than this: It actually teaches you to draw these characters. It's a wonderful book.

Honestly I bought the book out of pure intuition. I didn't know what to expect except for a very interesting index. It was a wonderful surprise. Leading a meditation workshop based on western calligraphy technique, I had a keen personal interest on reading this book. Extraordinary in its coverage of background, theory, examples and exercises, it sure is an excellent addition to any artist or person interested in finding a creative and trascendental outlet for his creativity. Although a little technical knowledge goes a long way here, it is also easy for beginners to start. Recommended whole-heartedly.

I stumbled upon Steven Havill's books by perusing Amazon's amazing resources. Though I write books for young readers (www.grahamsalisbury.com), I read mysteries for R&R, and am always thrilled when I discover great new (to me) writers. Steven Havill is the best of the best, in my opinion. His Posadas County series is as comfortable as a snapping fire in January. What makes it great is the chracterization. Bill Gastner and Estelle Reyes Guzman are endearing in every way, making Steven Havill one of my all-time favorite authors. The greatest mystery of all is why Steven Havill is not as widely loved as such fine authors as James Lee Burke, or Tony Hillerman. He's every bit as superb as they are. Try a Posadas County Mystery. You'll love it. And want more. Promise.

It was with some trepidation that I started reading Steven Havill's latest book, SCAVENGERS, knowing that it was the start of a new direction in one of my favorite series. Bill Gastner has retired as Undersheriff of Posadas County, and Estelle Reyes-Guzman, his young protegee, is taking over. Havill is about as good at bringing the small world of a Southern New Mexico town to life as anyone could be. My fears were soon set to rest as I was reassured that he can also write well and convincingly from the point of view of a female, and a Latina at that. SCAVENGERS is just as sound in its police work, real in its evocation of the desert, and touching in its portrait of one busy woman in a small town. The U.S.-Mexico Border has many facets, but this series realistically portrays one of them, where the mixing of cultures is constant and taken for granted. A sound detective story in an endlessly fascinating setting.

Billed on the front cover as "A Posadas County Mystery" this reader was immediately alerted that after nine Undersheriff Gastner novels, this was not the tenth. It has been a great run and while I was hoping for a tenth, I expected due to the way the character has developed that there would not be a tenth. Unfortunately, my expectation proved correct, but while different from the Gastner series, this book still retains the flavor and color of the previous novels. However, since it is not Gastner it does take some adjustment to get used to the new style and tone of the series.

As the book opens, Gastner has been regulated to the sidelines in his role as Livestock Inspector. While he appears briefly a couple of times, the main action involves Estelle Reyes-Guzman. Long a fixture of the series she is now front and center and has her hands full. Along with her mother and her failing health, she has children who currently have the flu bug and her husband, a local doctor. Her boss, the newly elected Sheriff Bobby Torrez, is off at Quantico taking a course. As Undersheriff, she is in charge with all the usual problems that brings in running a department and then the bodies start showing up.

The first is found out on the prairie and has had half of his head blown off. The lower part of his face is shattered and according to the corner, he thinks it happened after the man was killed by the headshot. While the body is clothed, there are no personal effects and thanks to the weather and the assorted wildlife, roughly three weeks after the person was killed, there is not much to identify. As they start to work the case, within a couple of days, a second body is found. Certain clues with that body lead Estelle to believe that the bodies were killed by the same killer or killers and the hunt begins.

There are several secondary stories as well, but to explain them would violate the golden rule of a book review-don't reveal too much. Especially for those new to the series, the explanation of several of the secondary stories would render the reading of those books all but pointless.

While this is not a Gastner book, it does come awfully close. The stark beauty of Posadas County comes through once again along with all the colorful characters that make this imaginary piece of New Mexico landscape home. Fortunately, while the author did move Gastner to the sidelines, he wisely did not change the other characters that populate his books. So, while somewhat different, there is enough of the earlier books in this one to make it work once again.

Posedas County is a wide-open range between New Mexico and the Mexican border and for the most part it is a quiet place. There are some areas that are patrolled rarely because there is nothing there. One day a pilot flies over the area and sees what she thinks is a body. She returns to base and the local authorities are on the scene almost immediately. A man is lying in the dirt, his faced so smashed in that they can't obtain dental plates.

Now that Bill Gastner is retired and the newly elected sheriff Robert Torrez is in Virginia taking a law enforcement course, the case is headed up by Under Sheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman. Even with her ailing and aging mother and her son down with the flu, Estelle copes with the investigation just fine until they find a second body buried in a shallow grave located a few miles near the first. Estelle thinks the two deaths are tied to together and Eurelio Scener, a person who acts like he knows more than he is telling, might have some answers but he has disappeared, perhaps involuntarily.

Anyone who likes to see an investigation played out from the beginning to the end will definitely like SCAVENGERS, a police procedural that has heart. Watching the Under Sheriff balance her home life with her work gives the audience an appreciation for the police performing duties that sometimes can be at the expense of their own families. Steven F. Havill continues to write excellent crime thrillers as his series keeps evolving with a true time line.

Harriet Klausner

This title is the most comprehensive Catholic Apologetics source I have ever encountered. I highly recommend it to all. I got it from a priest a few years ago when I began doing internet apologetics and it has been, by far, the most useful of all my apologetics sources.

When moving back from college, I had believed that I had lost it. I immediatly realized that, although this wasn't my most expensive book, it was by far my most valuable.

---This is an excerpt borrowed with permission of a review of the book in the December issue of Lay Witness, p. 37, by Mr. Chris Spiller. A FREE of this magazine may be received by calling 1-800-693-2484 while supplies last.---- "I first encountered Scriptural Catholicism as a web page on the Internet. I found the whole idea of defending Catholic teachings from a purely scriptural point of view highly intriguing. I soon found that the web page had been made into a book for those without access to the Internet (and those like myself who still have a prejudice toward having something you can actually hold in your hands while reading). ---To my surprise and delight, the format had been enlarged and improved. The book takes six dozen distinctively Catholic teachings and demonstrates that all of them are firmly rooted in Scripture. While there seems to be something of a renaissance in apologetical works, Scriptural Catholicism stands out not only in quality but format as well. It is clearly written and easy to understand. The real novelty about it, however, is the fact that it is written to defend Church teachings exclusively from the Bible.--- This volume steers clear of becoming a mere collection of proof-texts by giving every conceivable place in the Bible that Catholic teaching is seen, from both the Old and New Testaments, as well as a limited amount of exegesis on the author's part. For example, the section that deals with birth control cites 18 separate scriptural passages showing the connection between sex and procreation and children as a gift from God.--- There is also an essay that discusses the origin of the canon of Scripture. This is a history lesson that all Christians-Catholic and non-Catholic would do well to read. Mr. Kellmeyer put his master's degree in history to good use in composing it. ---A veritable one-stop guide to Catholic doctrines, Scriptural Catholicism serves to put the mind at ease. I remember meeting several fundamentalist Christians in college. Their knowledge of the Bible, to put it mildly, was amazing. There were things that they said that really challenged me to study the Bible (thankfully!). Kellmeyer's book would be a welcome addition to the library of anyone who is similarly challenged in his Catholic faith or who wants to know more about how the truths of the faith naturally flow from the Bible.--- It can also help clergy deliver solid, Scripture-based homilies. Deacon Bill Steltemeier, president of EWTN, recently acquired a copy of this volume." by Chris Spiller

The book contains the vast majority of Scripture references ever used to support over six-dozen Roman Catholic teachings. It is intended for those making inquiries about the Catholic faith, for RCIA programs, for catechetics, and for apologetics. Full-text excerpts from the Revised Standard Version of Scripture are presented and are interspersed with short exegetical remarks intended to provide the reader with an understanding of how the various Scriptures provided support the teaching. In addition, several short essays on the relationship between the Church and Scripture, the nature of God's covenant, Scripture translations, how the canon of Scripture was established, and how the Church has historically interpreted Scripture are presented.

It is structurally somewhat similar to "Scripture By Topic" and "Faith of the Early Fathers," although it is unlike the two previous books in that it contains commentary to assist in understanding. Commentary is kept to a minimum - roughly 60-70% of the book is simply Scripture, organized by topic. There is some, though very little, reference to non-Scriptural early Christian authorities and to Magisterial documents. It is designed to be a one-stop shopping resource for answering over 90% of the objections which sola scriptura Christians have concerning Roman Catholic doctrine. With this book, you can sit down with a friend and walk with them straight through the Scriptural background on any topic, or sit down and discover on your own exactly how rich Catholic Scriptural teaching is.

Topics covered include: Authority (Apostolic Succession, Church authority, Papal authority, Tradition), Christian Unity (the need for unity, the Mass, etc.), Sacramentals (statues, ashes, incense, holy water) Sacraments (all 7 sacraments, both in their Old Testament prefigurements and their New Testament fulfillments, including ancillary topics like contraception, abortion, divorce, calling a priest "Father," celibacy, and the reason for it all - ! divinization), Saints (The communion of saints, Christ: the one mediator, etc.) Mary (all Marian doctrines and dogmas, including perpetual virginity, sinlessness, mediatrix of all graces, co-redemptrix, assumption, queen of heaven and more) Prayer (the Scriptural basis for the Rosary, litanies, the Hail Mary, the sign of the Cross, the Memorare, the Hail, Holy Queen, the Sub Tuum Praesiduum), Scripture (private interpretation, sola scriptura, the official Roman Catholic interpretation for ALL Scripture passages which have an official Roman Catholic interpretation, and the Church's view of Scripture, obtained by quoting official Church documents, etc.), Salvation (once saved, always saved, salvation by faith alone, imputed righteousness, salvation by works, purgatory, indulgences, hell, mortal and venial sin, etc.) The Trinity (Holy Spirit is God, Procession, equality, Christ: fully human, fully Divine, brothers of Christ, etc.)

All this and more besides. Orthodox Catholic content, adhering as closely to the Magisterium as I know how. The author (me) is a graduate student in theology, catechetics emphasis, at Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH.

I have found that this book is a wonderful resource to use when you are trying to use the Bible to explain Catholic teachings, whether to other Catholics or to Protestants. The subject matter is well-organized, and contains far more depth and detail than one might guess on a number of subjects. It is a favorite gift for my friends (well, not more than one copy per...) :-)

good chronological account of Early's 1864 campaign many interesting side notes to a little studied Confederate actio

Mr. Judge does history a great justice by writing the history of the Invasion of Washington from its inception. He covers the early phase from a confederate defeat at Cloyds Mountain in Pulaski County just south of Blacksburg (VA. Tech), takes you to Lynchburg and Early's arrival and the subsequent journey to Washington D.C. Gives the reader the complete field of study of the campaign. Wonderful description of future Baltimore Police Chief Harry Gilmore who was a colorful confederate calavary leader as well as a vivid description of the hidden valley of the Shennodoah, Fort Valley.

This book is must reading for anyone interested in Civil War history or who lives in the areas between Monocacy Junction and Washington, D. C. where this action occurred. The book provides a detailed synopsis of the action and is loaded with details of the local history, much of which remains intact for anyone interested in retracing the course of Early's raid.

Season of Fire proves to be a well written and well researched book on Confederacy's last effort to do something meaningful by trying to attacked Washington DC. Led by General Jubal Early, the Confederate forces came pretty close to success and the authors were correct in saying that even if the occupation of Union capitol would only be momentary, the political and morale cost would be devastating for the north. While hindsight make this campaign almost a sideshow, the book revealed how close it really was to being a main event.

secretes of aikido contained the photographs the would make o'sensei very proud.It had the tradition and the information that will help the beginner to the advanced student I enjoyed the book immencly Ed Gonzales

This book allows you to understand more about yourself no matter what style you study. All styles have simularities in their fundimental purposes, and this book brings this out.

The best book I've read. I practise Aikido for four years and I never knew of the conexions of Aikido with the gods untill I read this book. Not only it talks about Yin and Yang, but it talks about the way of Aiki. Very, very spiritual. For somebody who's not sure of which book to buy, I strongly advise to buy this one. It changed my Aikido life radically.

There are no hidden secrets in Aikido - Morihei Ueshiba.
But some day he gathered his students to show them his "hidden secrets", the spiritual basis on which he founded aikido. If you want to understand the spiritual depth of Aikido, and you can't understand Aikido without it, you should read this book.

If and when you go to Shiloh, they have a marked battlefield tour that includes 14 stops, but all they do is catch the highlights of the battle. They do not have chronology in mind. But this book does. It presents the action according to day, because it was a two day battle, as well as according to time. Then it divided the battle into its east and west campaigns, which successfully portrays the battle in its entirety. Without this book, I would not have known what I had missed out on. I am extremely happy I used this book and highly recommend it. Also, check out this series on Chickamauga (I bet it is good also).

I have walked much ground that was fought over by the men who fought the Civil War, but one field I have yet to reach rests in southwestern Tennessee, in the countryside near a little chapel called Shiloh Church. There one of the Confederacy's stars, Albert Sydney Johnston, fell like a hawk on the unsuspecting army of Ulysses S. Grant on the morning of April 6, 1862. What followed was the first massive struggle of the war. Dead and wounded were counted in the tens of thousands rather than in the hundreds. There Grant's quality of coolness under fire first showed itself, as on that first day it appeared that Johnston's men might push the Federals back into the Tennessee River. Instead, Johnston suffered a mortal wound, Don Carlos Buell landed with a huge reserve of additional Union soldiers, and on the next day Grant swept back across all the ground he had lost.
The University of Nebraska Press has undertaken the publication of a series of excellent battlefield guides, of which the two noted authors of this volume are editors. Each has contributed to at least one other book in what is now a five volume series.
When I get to Shiloh, I will have this guide at my side. It provides an excellent overview of the battle and a very logical plan to see and understand the events of both days. The maps, prepared by Christopher Brest, are numerous and clear. The illustrations, nearly all taken directly from the original four-volume printing of Battles and Leaders of the Civil War are both nostalgic and crisp. They use both battlefield sketches and portraits of many of the principal actors. Only William Tecumseh Sherman, whose Battles and Leaders image was one of him long after the war, festooned with medals and sash, seems a little out of place.
According to the authors, if I use this guide, and if I take all the time I need to take at all the stops they plan, I will spend most of a day on the field. I know it will be a day well spent for everyone who picks up this book before setting off on that tour.

I used the "Battlefield Guide" May 18-19 while touring Shiloh, and could not have been more pleased with it. I re-read Sword, Daniel, and McDonough first, and used the Guide in conjunction with the Trailhead Graphics map of the battlefield. The tour stops were aptly detailed and quick & easy to read. I strongly recommend the Guide for anyone planning a walking tour of the Shiloh park.

I've been a fan of _Gettysburg: A Battlefield Guide_ since its publication in 1999. When I saw that Mark Grimsley and Steven E. Woodworth had teamed to co-write a guide to Shiloh, I was excited. Grimsley and his co-author on the Gettysburg guide, Brooks Simpson, did a great job (see the several Amazon reviews, which give it 5 stars). Woodworth is one of the most knowledgeable historians of the western theater. His new book, _Nothing But Victory_, on the Union Army of the Tennessee, tells the story of an army that was more or less born at Shiloh.

I haven't yet had the chance to use the Shiloh guide on the battlefield, but it looks very promising. They had the Shiloh park historian vet the guide (the historian, Stacy D. Allen, is a well-regarded authority on the battle), and they created an ingenious two-axis tour, so that instead of constantly zig zagging back and forth to follow the action, you choose to follow the battle's progression first on the Confederate right or left flank, and then on the other. This keeps the action clear.

The narrative, analysis, and vignettes follow the pattern of earlier guides (Chickamauga as well as Gettysburg.) The discussion of the confused Confederate command arrangement is especially good. It is justifiably critical but never scornful and tries to be as understanding of the Confederate high command's predicment as possible.

I'm glad spring is here, because it's time for a road trip to Shiloh!

iza trapani is the best. she's got wonderful imagination. every page is beautifully painted to take little minds and hearts out of this world. my son loves and remembers all her rhyme books since he was 3.

My 2 1/2-year-old daughter really likes this book. We've read it numerous times, and she doesn't get tired of it. All of the pages are written to the song "Shoo, Fly! Don't Bother Me." A fly is bothering the mouse, who tries everything from telling it to go away, to hiding from it, to spraying it with water. In the end, the mouse goes to bed exhausted. The pictures are funny and cute. My 6-year-old has fun "singing" the words to the book.

My daughter is 5 and autistic. She has major bug phobias and panics when a fly is around. As you can imagine, that is often and there is no peace until the fly/bug is gone. After reading this book over and over, she is still afraid of bugs, but tells them to "shoo fly" and you can see she feels stronger with these words. There's no more panic or screaming. I am so glad to have found this book for her and what a relief for me too. She also laughs and thinks its funny. Love it!

As an Early Childhood Education major at Clemson University, I was given the task to review this book for my Children's Literature class. This picture book, written and illustrated by Iza Trapani, is a playful account of a song that everyone is familiar with, Shoo Fly. By the use of many characteristics such as language, illustrations, and overall appeal to young readers, Trapani has written a book that is very marketable for success. First of all, the language in Shoo Fly! is developed throughout the book as being like that of a "sing song" tone. The words are simple and can be easily comprehended. They also flow together being that they are written in a form of meter. An example of this is, "I think the coast is clear - no more buzzing in my ear." It is very important for a young reader to be able to easily grasp what is being presented in any book. North quotes Dorothy Butler in her article as saying, "If children are to love poetry later, they need to discover early the satisfaction, which comes from experiencing form in language." This holds true with Trapani's work because she captures the attention of the readers with her use of fluid language and the form in which she writes. Another facet of the book that allows for comprehension and peaked interest is the illustrations. Trapani uses very vivid colors to depict background scenes where the main character, a mouse, is bothered by a pesky fly that is plaguing him. The images have very soft color schemes and are rounded. These round images allow the reader to have a better grasp of the playful tone of the book. North states in her article that it has been proven that children who are introduced to books in their preschool years, the assumed audience for Shoo Fly!, have a greater advantage than those children who do not have such a literary background. In order to capture the attention of an age group such as that a book must be pleasing and of interest. Trapani succeeds in this manner with the way in which she presents her work. Most importantly, Shoo Fly! does indeed appeal to young readers. This book was taken to a community center and read to children of a preschool age. They enjoyed it and seemed to comprehend what was being said. As North cited, children need to be introduced to these literary works at a young age so that they can further their intellectual base as they get older. Books such as Trapani's help in this quest because in order to introduce the literature to children, such as preschoolers, you must first capture their attention. Through language, illustrations, and overall appeal, Iza Trapani has written a very successful book. She has picked out what appeals to children and elaborated on those areas throughout her work. Attention can be easily given to book that provides humor and effect to adults, but many things have to go into the process of gaining the interest of a child. Shoo Fly! Exemplifies Sue North's principles of introducing books at an early age will benefit the children later.

A wonderfully written and illustrated book about Santa and his wife Tiemma whom "with the help from the magic of children" and fairies play a central role in Christmas. The illustrations are beautiful and mystically realistic. I think Santa and Tiemma must really look like that. Just fabulous.

This story is fabulous - A little girl learns of the power of children and that magic is everywhere, all you need to do is look. A couple of Snow Fairies tell the story of Tiemma Claus, Santa's wife, and how she, with the help of children, help Santa's growing problem of getting to all the world's children in one night. Tiemma is the star, and she is a beautiful, white haired, thoughful, woman full of love, insight, and inspiration. Empowering of the female role in a traditionally male story - without downplaying the importance of Santa's role. Christmas takes on an ancient pagan element as the north polers celebrate the Winter Solstice, magic is conjured, and joy abounds. Magical illustrations... Thank you Ms. Gaffington!!

This is a magical story. The illustrations are gorgeous, and the story is both fun and meaningful. It's a traditional story of Santa's yearly gift-giving trip, but it's focus is on Tiemma Claus, Santa's wife, who finds a special and magical solution to Santa's growing problem of reaching all the children in one night. There are elves, raindeer, children and snow fairies. Compassion, clear and deep thinking, and love and joy abound. I came looking for other books by the author, and am sad to find this is the only offering so far. Definitely an author (and illustrator) going on my "Watch for new books" list.

This story is fabulous - A little girl learns of the power of children and that magic is everywhere, all you need to do is look. A couple of Snow Fairies tell the story of Tiemma Claus, Santa's wife, and how she, with the help of children, help Santa's growing problem of getting to all the world's children in one night. Tiemma is the star, and she is a beautiful, white haired, thoughful, woman full of love, insight, and inspiration. Empowering of the female role in a traditionally male story - without downplaying the importance of Santa's role. Christmas takes on an ancient pagan element as the north polers celebrate the Winter Solstice, magic is conjured, and joy abounds. Magical illustrations... Thank you Ms. Gaffington!!

The two main ingredients necessary for a good book are 1) skill with the craft and 2) having something to say. Whatever Fehrenbach may lack in finesse (frequent misspellings, clumsy syntax, etc.), he makes up for by most definitely having something to say. Rather than being a drawback, his lack of sophistication soon becomes endearing and creates a real feeling of authenticity.

This 430-page, no-frills account of Fehrenbach's 1969 tour of duty in Vietnam is both harrowing and insightful, his memory for detail, astonishing and unflinching.

Simply stated, this is the best book on the Vietnam conflict I've ever read.

This book should be mandatory reading for any course, high school or college, that deals with the subject of the Viet Nam conflict. Steven tells it like was ... day by day, hour by hour and, in some cases, minute by minute. The good, the bad, the ugly. Do yourself a favor and read this book.

This book captures the essence of a very tumultuous time in a young American's life- his tour of duty in Vietnam- in a way it has never been told before. The author speaks clearly and concisely, without bogging down the reader with flowery language. In a Steinbeck-esque manner, Fehrenbach matter-of-factly approaches his experiences as a foot soldier in a war, complete with all the banalities of war and the sometimes repugnant, sometimes benevolent nature of the human race.
I highly recommend this book- Steven R. Fehrenbach is perhaps the best story teller of his generation.

This book grabs you and doesn't let you go. I could not put it down once I started reading it. As good or better than anything on the recent best seller lists. Mr. Fehrenbach's unique story telling ability conveys the story of his tour in Vietnam directly to you. Five Stars!!*****

Three cheers for Morgan and Stevens! When you place value on your volunteers, you marshal the full resources of your staff, the board, the budget and all the other management buckets to ensure volunteerism success. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well.

"It is easy to get lost in the micro-purpose of the ministry and forget the macro-vision of the organization," write Tony Morgan and Tim Stevens in their incredibly practical book (99 quick volunteer ideas).

Is your volunteer program in alignment with your organization's mission? Do you have a run-away program (led by volunteers, perhaps) that is no longer aligned with the macro-vision of your organization? Do your programs flow out of your mission statement and your Big Holy Audacious Goal? When they do, blast off with every gun blazing. Remember, your unpaid volunteers and paid volunteers are on the same team! (That would be Jesus' team.)

The Volunteer Bucket is one of 20 buckets in my book, Mastering The Management Buckets: 20 Critical Competencies for Leading Your Business or Non-profit, and you must integrate all the buckets. Everyone who works with volunteers needs their own copy of Simply Strategic Volunteers.

An excellent and practical book. Easy reading and definitely a tool for increasing your volunteer staff. Anyone who buys it will not be disappointed!

Tim Stevens and Tony Morgan understand volunteers. Beyond volunteers, they understand leadership of volunteers. In concise, snappy, story-loaded chapters, these hands-on authors offer practical, usable principles that will help you motivate, empower and create champions of the volunteers who make up your church (or any organization). This should be in your library and the library of every leader in your church. Highly recommended!

Tony Morgan and Tim Steven truly opened my eyes to how valuable the volunteers are in my church. The way I do ministry will never be the same.