Stevens Books

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.

I've bought de book Space and Place, by Yi-Fu Tuan. I live in Brazil and the book got here in the best shape, carefully raped, and earlyer tha promissed.

This is a seminal text which offers insight into how we are awakened as children to the complex world which exists around, how we navigate, read and atribute meaning to the abstract spaces and places within which we exist. It opens a door to the genetic knowledge which is embedded in everything which exists around and how through our senses even the preception of time and space can be warped by experience.

"The aspects of things that are
most important for us are hidden
because of their simplicity and
familiarity"
L. Wittgenstein


As a thesis [here I stand] it is a delight, fundamental and engaging. It illuminates a wide and fertile field critical to an understanding how we are rooted to place and space.

There are books you read, then there are those which - live with you - you keep them close and consult them often.

In "Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience," Tuan provides a descriptive account of the concepts "space" and "place," drawing on the work of phenomenologists, anthropologists, psychologists, geographers, and others. He grounds his analysis in a structuralist framework, using anthropological research to illustrate how our experiences of space and place can "transcend cultural particularities" (Tuan 1977, p. 5). Tuan provides an original and intriguing discussion of a wide range of topics, such as the relationship between space and place, on the one hand, and myths, architecture, time, religion, and cognition, on the other. I would highly recommend this work to anyone interested in human geography, cultural geography, urban geography, urban studies, and to anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of the importance of space and place for our lives.

This book was one of several books I studied to better understand the role of place in architecture and interior design. It helped me understand the importance of working with clients to understand the meanings they infer from the environment around them. In the book, Tuan highlights the importance of meaning and an insider's view. He describes place as humanized space. The contrast of open space with enclosed, comforting areas enhances both. As a person's emotional bond to a space increases, so do familiarity, comfort, and the sense of insideness. Without personal control over space, this emotional bond is slow to develop. To create place, Tuan suggests that memorable architecture should strenghen our memories, enhance the self, and provide layers of meaning to a space.

Unfortunately, the doorman made a mistake (he didn't tell me that I have received the book) and he sent it back.
I will definitely buy this book in future.

First and foremost, this is an anthology. As such it has something to offer across a wide scope, but not all of it may be of interest to any given reader. Nota Bene: I am evaluating the areas in which I am inexpert by the depth and detail provided for those weapons or matters that I do understand.
The features include articles on historical fencing from Spain, Italy and England.(Not my forte, pun intended.) There is an excellent article on the use of various large shields from 600BC to 1300AD. Some of the material that Wagner and Hand covered in their Medieval Sword And Shield (from the 13th C MS I.33) is developed further and corrected. I was particularly impressed by the study of historical and modern wounds. (Not for the squeemish.)The piece on partisans, most of which could be applied to any polearm, was fascinating; I was glad to see what I have been doing right and intrigued by moves I had not considered.
If you are new to the study of Western historical martial arts, or if your experience has been within a single weapon or tradition, I recommend Spada 2 for your consideration of the kinds of material available.

I did historical reenactment armored combat in groups like the SCA and ROC for about fifteen years before deciding to focus solely on traditional Asian martial arts yet I still have a keen interest in the art of European swordsmanship. Editor Stephen Hand has gathered together some extraordinary historians and medieval/renaissance fight experts to create this fascinating collection. Authors include Gary Chelak, Tom Leoni, Linda McCollum, Paul Wagner, and more. The book covers everything from the medical implications of historical wounds to realistic sword/shield combat to fencing and even broadsword work. Very well researched, interestingly written, and nicely done. A worthy follow-up to the original SPADA anthology that should be appreciated by reenacters, fencers, and martial artists alike. Huzzah!

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

This anthology, SPADA, is a collection of very fine articles. I confess a bias in that I have met most of the authors and am generally enchanted with Western Martial Arts (WMA) aka Historical European Swordsmanship (HES).

Although these fighting arts have been without a living tradition for centuries, the magnificent work of the people contributing to SPADA is laying a foundation which can be build upon by researchers, historians and martial artists.

Every article in here is subject to critical peer review. Research is constant, and interpretations of the historical material are changing all the time, but the reliance on the original material does not. I cannot recommend SPADA highly enough.

Whatever your past experiences or beliefs with spirituality, the anecdotes of the Rogats' work with earthbound spirits are truly inspiring. Our scientific, modern era values fact and "proof" over heart and soul experience, but all of us can relate experiences where we "knew" someone or something was present beyond scientific explanation. Therefore these ghost stories will speak to many people who seek to understand our purpose on this planet and the next phase of our journeys.

Even if you cannot stomach the idea of ghosts, spirits, and an afterlife, keep this in mind: there has to be a loved one or even a hated one who has "passed on"...and the question to us as readers is, Have they forgiven themselves, and have we forgiven them?

This book helps us in the journey of reconciliation so deeply needed in our age.

I have been searching for answers to so many questions, not only about the spiritual world, but myself. "Spirit Journeys" not only answered questions but gave me hope. It opened my eyes to something new, something too long ignored. There is no force to believe anything, each person is entitled to take the words and percieve them as they will. I felt a real connection and some emotion was evoked. I highly recommend this book, I could not put it down.

As a spiritual seeker, the stories and experiences the authors share in this book were extremely helpful. After a few tears of joy from realizing I am not alone in my journey, I was able to understand more fully my own spiritual path and life purpose.

Reading this book was truely a unique experience for me. I extreemly enjoyed the exciting yet comforting mood throughout the book. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in the highly spiritual process of freeing their soul or just wants an absolutely original book for a good read.

This is a quick grabbing suspenseful story that is extremely readable. That being said, this is not a lightweight work. Characters are well developed and intriguing, the language is descriptive and seductive, and the action not predictable. We read this book during a power outage- it made the time literally fly by

I just finished this book - or more accurately, this book grabbed both sides of my brain and galloped me off on this wild, roller coaster. There were many times I couldn't read fast enough. And simultaneous with that feeling, I wanted to save it for later because I didn't want it to end. If only it was 1,000 pages. But I couldn't pull away from the books engaging power and enchantment - responsibilities cast aside as pages kept turning. I don't recall being that absorbed and possesed by a book , though maybe some of Tom Robbins' stuff now that I think about it more. I can't wait until Steven Forrest's next novel. Bravo!

There's a chill in the air, and it's not from the weather.

What if someone near and dear to you had been murdered and the main suspect was also someone near and dear to you? The police aren't likely to believe you, so your only hope is to catch the killer yourself, with a little help from a friend.

Steven Forrest turns in a fine debut novel in this page-turner of a mystery. And if you don't think astrology has any practical applications, you're in for a surprise...

The story hangs together well, and Forrest keeps things moving. He knows how to grab and hold a reader from the opening page to tne very end. If you're a murder mystery aficionado, buy this book -- you won't be disappointed.

As a professional astrologer, and great fan of Steven Forrests non-fiction work, I found this book thoroughly enjoyable. Gracefully and articulately he has combined the art/science of astrology authentically and convincingly with fictional mystery, and in a way that will be easily understandable even to someone with no astrological background. Through this his first novel Steven Forrest is, to my knowledge at least, the first person to ever apply astrology this creatively in a fictional context.

And the astrology is only one small aspect of the book, it has all of the ingredients necessary to keep the reader engaged. It is an entertaining, sensitive and humorous story, plus the psychological insights and undercurrents are profound and will be clear to all who are that way inclined.

I for one am looking forward to reading Steven Forrests next novel!

What a fun and easy to read book!! It's romantic in a creative and entertaining way. Steve is innovative and wacky in his ideas on romance. A guy many women would love to date. And a guy, many guys would like to be like.

Steve's Tiny Book gives readers sooo many great ideas of "things to do" in the world of dating. A world too many people are afraid of or bored with.

I highly suggest you read the book for entertainment and enlightenment on the subject of love. Then, take a risk and try some of Steve's charming ideas on your loved one.

Enjoy being romantic.

Steve has ideas to make EVERY situation you might find yourself in romantic... A fast, fun read!

that so many helpful tips could fit into such a Tiny Book? After reading Steve's book, I felt ready for any romantic situation. And now I even know how to Scrump Dance! What a bargain!!!

...and Steve knows romance. You must read this book to find out all of his hilarious secrets.

Steven Spielberg: Interviews is a great book on many levels. It's probably one of the only books about Spielberg that shows his more personal side and manner of speaking. The interviews give us a different different perspective of the man and show that he is not what everyone (or me at least) envisioned him to be.

Interesting, information, and with its own of sense of humor, this is definitely a must-read for Spielberg fans, filmmakers, and people period.

Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly the greatest movie director of our times. ALL his movies have been box-office hits. He is brilliant and dedicated to his craft! And people adore him! He's way cool ...

That's why it's so exciting to read a book by him, describing the last 25 years of his life. Awesome material!

Can't wait to see more of his movies! Many reviewers are saying that my TOONIES book would make a great movie ... a la Spielberg. I should be so lucky, but was lucky enough to meet and pose with Clint Eastwood many moons ago, so perhaps I'll get lucky again. Hint! Hint!

With all his fame and fortune and he still remains a very "nice, dear, down-to-earth" man. More of the actors should emulate his example.

Go, Steven!

There's a lot of really good stuff in here.

First, the interviews span some 25 years, so you get a sense how he's matured and yet how he's stayed the same.

Second, Spielberg is very candid, so interviews with him tend to reveal more than many others.

Third, there's just a lot of good stuff in here, some of which you may have heard and some not. For instance, I had never heard the story of how, as an awkward 12 year old, he and a mentally retarded boy were dead last in a school race and their peers cheered the retarded boy to beat young Spielberg. Spielberg describes how he knew he had to let the boy with without him realizing it and did just that. And then he describes how after the race, after the others carried the retarded boy on their shoulders, Spielberg was both devastatingly happy and sad.

Or there's the anecdote about his encounter with Stanley Kubrick -- how the master was not as stand-offish as one might think, and yet how he sized up Spielberg with "his probing, questioning eyes, always looking at you to see if you're true or falso. To see what you're made of, to see what you have upstairs. His chess player's eyes. Real surgeon's eyes."

There's lots of other examples I can bring but if you have any interest in Spielberg or movies just go out and get the book. It's a great read about a fascinating man whose own character arc and maturity as a movie-maker is the stuff great stories are made of.

I've been waiting a long time for a book like this. Populist filmmakers like Steven Spielberg are too often ignored by publishers who would rather print in-depth literature on the likes of Coppola or Scorsese, so it's nice to see a meaty tome such as this on the bookshelves. Spielberg lets rip on all the stuff you often wondered about whilst watching his films, and proves himself to be rather adept at delivering hilarious anecdotes. Unlike the George Lucas Interviews book, Spielberg isn't shy when it comes to discussing his private life. All in all, an enlightening read. Jolly good.

Steve has done it again with another coming of age page turner. Having worked with middle schoolers for
years, and being an avid fisherman himself, he uses both experiences to create a memorable young adult
book that is suitable for all ages. I liked Sandy because he showed a depth of character that isn't always apparent in other YA books. The book doesn't get bogged down in details, but manages to put you
directly into the story from the first page. I have recommended this to many of my middle school readers,
and every one of them has come back with positive remarks.

The Stream

Good stories are, by nature, meant to entertain; but, what can make a story great is the added bonus a reader gets when the tale teaches a reader something new; The Stream is a great story. What, you may wonder, did I learn from reading this great tale? I must admit that initially, it was with a little trepidation that I approached this novel. Fishing? What do I know about fishing? I thought. It is neither a hobby of mine and really, I could not very well identify with a story about a youth who gets lost at sea when he goes out fishing. But, I was wrong and in for a treat.

I was hooked from the moment I completed reading the Prologue. The main protagonist, Sandy, is in some form of danger and I found that I immediately wanted to know what happened. This desire to know what happened was sustained throughout the tale and is testament to Mr. Robertson's craftsmanship. The remaining chapters chronicle the events of Sandy's life and experiences in the two weeks prior to this incident. It is an honest, heart-warming and yet funny account of this teenager's life in the sea-side town of Mayport, Florida.

In this story, Mr. Robertson has introduced various themes from the preservation of family values, teenage romance, boy-growing up and a rescue mission. To his credit, Mr. Robertson has managed to intertwine all of these themes and the end result is a tale which is seamless and flows beautifully. The language is neither too flowery nor is it too simple - indeed, Mr. Robertson has struck a balance to ensure that the tale is told with great aplomb. There is much humor in this story and it comes across in the many descriptions that Mr. Robertson has given to the characters and places. For instance, `Watermelon-on-legs' and `Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum' immediately create images that makes any further description of these people superfluous. Also, what was intriguing was that Mr. Robertson has succeeded in writing dialogue that is so true and original that it was refreshing.

It is often said of novels that words should be enough to sufficiently convey a tale. When illustrations are included, something does not seem right and more often than not, a reader may become frustrated with the fact that the illustrations do not eventually tally with the description in the book. However, in the case of The Stream, it is the exact opposite for Mr. Robertson's words already conjure up images that are most vivid and when the strategically placed illustrations presented themselves, I found myself thinking, "that's exactly how I saw it"- indeed, the illustrations are beautiful and they add to rather than detract from the tale told.

As I started with the idea that readers should learn something new when reading a tale, I think it fitting that I end this piece with what I've learned about fishing by quoting what is my favorite passage in the book:

Actually, Sandy already knew that the tide would be low because he kept up with the charts. Good fishermen always considered several natural occurrences when fishing. The tide was one. Sandy liked an incoming tide. The temperature of the water was significant, the phase and location of the moon was another factor. The presence and location of baitfish in an area was also important. The moon would be setting about the time the sun rose, which was perfect. The water was very warm around the inshore reefs and there were lots of baitfish swimming there.

You don't exist!
The book doesn't exist!
The chair you are sitting in doesn't exist!
All that exists is the story and you are in it!

You become the kid, Sandy, as he makes the
same mistakes you made when you were his age.
Difference is, his mistakes may cost him his life.

The beauty of this book is... it takes you away
from your life and brings you into the story
where you become one with the kid...
and you are very affraid to turn the next page.

This is one of what I've come to think of as Robertson's "coming of age" series, and in a sense it is the typical young-man-on-a-quest story. It's more than that, though. The author weaves his love of the sea and fishing, his encyclopedic knowledge of both, and -- most importantly -- his deep understanding of young men from his years as a teacher and coach, into a tale that is reminiscent of Conrad and Hemingway but that is, in the end, pure Steve Robertson. A good read for all ages.

R.T. Stevens has done an absolutely wonderful job of this fictional novel of the Imperial Family! The main characters are John Kirby, a British officer, and Grand Duchess Olga Nicolaevna, the eldest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna. The Summer Day Is Done is such a charming book and so difficult to put down - it makes you want to smile, and yet at the same time, so tragic that it is quite easy to find yourself in tears. The portrayal of the Imperial Family in this book, I find, is much better than a lot of other books on the family (fiction or non-fiction).

Overall, The Summer Day Is Done is definitely worth a read and one to treasure for a lifetime.

The Summer Day is Done is one of three superb books I have read in my lifetime. It moved me to tears, an unusual response from me while reading. I read it over twenty years ago and only two other books since then have touched me so deeply: The Clan of the Cavebear, and The Time Traveler's Wife. There are "must-reads" that I purchase and enjoy, such as the Harry Potter books and James Patterson books. But this book has stayed with me for a lifetime.

This is my favourite book ever! The love between Grand Duchess Olga and Mr. Kirby is very sweet and touching, even though it is a very unlikely match. I also loved the Imperial Family because they were all so united and loving. The end is very sad though, because we know that the Romanovs were murdered in 1918. But still, the love continues in the heart, even though Olga's life ended so early and tragically. But overall, this book is excellent and I recommend it for EVERYONE.

This is a historical novel. Granted. But it is much more.
The author, Robert Tyler Stevens, grasps the heart of what REAL Russian people are about, as well as the classic British persona with its keen, clever humour.
But there is more afoot in this novel. Stevens gives the reader a highly believable peek into the very english-speaking and english-living lives of the Nicholas Romanov family--even though they were technically Russian. The children: Olga, Tatiana, Marie, Anastasia and Aleksey all make the reader laugh and cry with equal intensity. This is a huge work with very very reslistic glimpses of a wonderful family, who were totally devoted to themselves and to Russia. Utterly Superb!

Several years ago a friend of mine recommended that I buy one of Steven Schnur's books for my Reading Lab. When the book (Summer) arrived, I was impressed with the beautiful illustrations and the simple, creative acrostic poems. I now own two or three of the seasons covered by these lovely Alphabet Acrostic books. Since acrostic poetry is something that can be taught to even young writers-the poetry included in Schnur's books is a wonderful model for all ages. In each book, the author celebrates things that are special to the season that is focused on. I hope soon to include all four of the seasons in my library.

I used this with middle schoolers and they really love the structure, the challenge of topical poems and using the acrostic device to write good poems. The books in this series are handsome enough that even high school kids would be intrigued with the challenge. Writing is hard enough--why not make it attractive, too?

Steven Schnur's Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic is one of a series addressing the four seasons, with acrostic poems for each letter of the alphabet. Each letter has its own page, with a brief impressionistic poem addressing a subject that starts with that letter. So, "D" is about a daisy; "M" about mosquitoes; "V" about vegetables. However, the subject of the poem is never mentioned directly, instead the word spelled out in acrostic form by the first letters of the first lines of the poems:

Green clusters, soon to be
Red
And
Purple,
Entwine the
Stairs.

Despite the rigid format, the poems never feel forced and are almost haiku-like in their simple rhythms and tones. As the poems move from A to Z, they also form a kind of narrative, progressing from the early spring-like days of summer with the first day at the beach and to the late autumn-like summer days with stacks of chopped firewood. Leslie Evans' woodblock prints feature rich colors, bold lines, and chunky shapes capturing the scenes described from a variety of perspectives, such as a narrow focus on a dragonfly sitting on a daisy to a sweeping orchard landscape. This sophisticated book will impress children who know their letters with the power and elegance of language.

I love it when someone takes a tired old poetry exercise and breathes a little life into it! These acrostics are a lot of fun, and not like the old classroom language arts ditties: Lisa is my friend/I like her/So would you/Amen. When I teach poetry to kids, I try to get them out of this kind of blah thinking, and into more imaginative word play. These acrostics are not only fun and imaginative, but they are also in alphabetical order, using all kinds of summer words, such as "Beach", "Hike", "Idle", "Keel", "Mosquito".
Fun poems, great illustrations, a nice romp through the season!
(see also the book,"Poetry Everywhere", by Collom/Noethe, for more "higher level" acrostics)