Stewart Books

I really enjoyed this book. It is a great coffee table book - something that can be read like a story, or something that you could simply open up to a random page, and get your thought for the day. It is a quick read, but each time I read over a passage I pull more out of it, or have a completely different view on the thought.

A great book for discussion groups or book clubs, because there are so many questions and answers within the book. . .you read the book on two levels, one as a step by step, and another that sparks a higher level of thinking within you. Like hearing a great song, the music takes you one place and the words will lead you to another.

I got several to give out as gifts - perfect for people who travel for business or someone who might be overextended. I gave one to a friend who is consumed with work, and she really appreciated it!

Like rain in the desert....When I first read A Commuter's Guide to Enlightenment, I found it to be both pleasant and enjoyable. It wasn't until sometime later that I began to appreciate the subtle and profound teachings contained in its pages. Are there really people who can reflect the Light to others? Can one really attain enlightenment while commuting on the Major Deegan Expressway? The answer is, yes! But just like rain in the desert, it may take a little time for one to become more fully aware of the resulting beauty and nourishment engendered by this fascinating book. For the person willing to ride along with Dr. Bitkiff, the commute is definitely worth the effort.

Dr. Bitkoff has written a very unique and creative book about spiritual growth, inner peace, and maturity. He uses ancient Sufi wisdom, filled with metaphor and parables, to help understand ourselves.
Dr.Bitkoff was a commuter on a busy, frustrating highway for many years.In the book, we accompany him on his journey. The goal is enlightenment. We learn that by observing ourselves, our thoughts and feelings, we can attain a state of peacefulness in an otherwise hectic world. He makes us aware of the inner connection to all of the external world.
The book is easy to read, fun, well crafted, and truly enlightening.

Take a journey like no other. It is the trip of a lifetime with an exceptional tour guide. He has visited all the important sites, knows their history and significance, and can tell you where to look to get the best view. The journey is nothing less than your life and the trip is your everyday life experience. In this unique travel guide, Dr. Bitkoff teaches the basics of spiritual growth using allegory, metaphor, narrative and common sense. While life passes all around us, we are taught that our attitudes and beliefs help determine what we see, hear and feel. Dr. Bitkoff helps us to become aware of the relationship between our external environment and internal response. He helps us approach the twists and turns in life by providing intellectual, emotional and spiritual choices that we either never learned or simply failed to pay attention to.

Finding one's center in the midst of heavy traffic is no easy feat, but as Dr. Bitkoff points out, our life rarely travels in a straight path. We often go through the motions in life as if blinded by sun glare; we are forced to slow down or change our direction. In Sufi parlance by remembering who we are, not only does our worldview change, we change as well. Life may be illusion, but the road is real. Let Dr. Bitkoff be your driving instructor.

A Commuter's Guide to Enlightenment
BY Stewart Bitkoff Ed. D.


A Review by Rev. Charles T. Weatherford CtH, OM


Dr. Bitkoff has presented us with a plan for entering into the world of Spirit even when engaged in as frustrating an activity as a daily commute on crowded roads. The book is a delightful reminder that Spirit is always present in the moment. Disappointment, grief, surprise, joy, depression and even, horror are woven together into a tapestry of the daily commute and yet, each moment serves as a doorway through which one catches glimpses of the magnificent sacredness which lies just behind the physical world. It is up to the traveler to decide which doors to open.

The book tells us that the doorways are everywhere and all the time and as long as we remain in the "Now" we are ever in the presence of Spirit. If we spend too much time remembering the past or worrying about the future, we waste our opportunities.
Dr. Bitkoff's instructions are detailed and insightful. The Commuters Guide to Enlightenment reminds us that changing ones attitude can change ones whole life.

For anyone considering a spiritual path this book is an excellent guide. The author shares insights and memories which are valuable resources for the journey. One can always benefit from the advice of a traveler who has already passed along the way ahead.

Finally, a clearly written, comprehensive book packed full of information to help women (and men) develop a business that will generate the kind of income all networkers dream of earning. Thank you Cynthia Stewart-Copier for writing such a helpful book!

"Cynthia Stewart-Copier has identified and outlined a pattern for success, that if followed, will give women the opportunity to break the chains of mediocrity and experience a life beyond their woldest dreams."

I loved this book! Cynthia has a great way of presenting information clearly, and at the same time motivating readers and helping us understand that it is possible to build up a substantial income through network marketing. Good job!

Copier has hit the nail on the head with Dream Big! Finally a comprehesive, no fluff book that deals with the specific issues women face while trying to manage a job, care for a family, and develop a business. Copier has outlined simple steps, when if followed with propell the reader to the heights of success that we all dream about when we first start out in network marketing. She has also included motivational stories from other successful women in the industry, proving once again, that there is room at the top for women in network marketing. Great book, for beginners and veterans alike.

The only thing wrong with this book is the title! It is definately NOT just for women. In fact, I took notes! Dream Big was a pleasure to read. From cover to cover it just flowed. The information that seemed primary at first, developed into a wealth of knowledge and easy to follow steps to launch the reader into success in network marketing. I really enjoyed the way Cynthia mixed the success stories with the tips, making this book fun to read.

the Edge Chronicles books are definetly one of my all time favorite books, there one of the most Creative books iv'e ever read, i relly hope that some one make this series into a move. these books are definetly better then the goldan compass and even better harry potter and definetly better then eragon.


joshua.b

THE WINTER KNIGHTS, telling of a giant city home to the Edgeworld's academics and headed by the Knights Academy where the best come to study. Student Quint, son of a sky pirate, faces his first year and the cold of winter: when disaster strikes, a band of friends joins forces to prevent trouble in this riveting adventure. Both will prove popular picks with their eye-catching covers and fantasy-based action.

The Winter Nights (Edge Chronicles #8) is another great installation to the series. What I love about this book and the rest of the series is that each book could easily stand on its own or be read in any order, but when you put them all together, details from one or another book come out, showing the in depth connection of everything that happens in life.

As an adult I would definatly recommend this book to other adults as well as children.

I actually ordered this book from Amazon.uk-- couldn't wait for the latest installment in the Edge Chronicles to be released in the USA.

I thought this was one of the best Edge books. A caution-- these books aren't appropriate for very young children. Older kids will really enjoy them. (Adults, too!)

"The Winter Knights" is another must-read installment of the amazing series "The Edge Chronicles". Picking up the story from the end of The Curse of the Gloamglozer (The Edge Chronicles, Book 4), this penultimate book of the Quint Saga covers the apprenticeship of young Quintinius Verginix at the prestigious Knights Academy, where he is chosen to continue his studies as the protégé of the Professor of Light.

Separated from his friend Maris and also from his father, Quint makes some new friends, and at least one bitter and dangerous enemy. The first part of the book deals with normal school endeavors such as prowlgrin rearing, skycraft model making and home room, but the Knights Academy is also riddled with intrigue, corruption and deceit, with conspirators lurking around every corner.

Winter has settled on Sanctaphrax, and the Hall Master of High Cloud is predicting the arrival of a Great Storm. Unfortunately, it's been a long time coming, and the cold is taking its toll on the floating rock. One after the other, the brave Knights Academic set off in their ships to retrieve precious stormphrax, without which the great rock would break loose of its moorings and float off to Open Sky.

It's soon up to Quint and his friends, the so-called "Winter Knights" to save the day, and the second part of the story is the most gripping, action-packed and bloody of the series so far. Murder, mayhem and treachery mixed with fierce battles and monster hunting lead to a cliff-hanger ending. If you're a fan of The Edge Chronicles, this is not one to be missed.


Amanda Richards, March 18, 2007


The Curse of the Gloamglozer (The Edge Chronicles, Book 4)

I agree with all preious reviews and can only add that I have a copy of this, have given 2 copies as gifts, and just purchased another for my daughter...Anyone who browses through it while in my kitchen learns something!!!

A very thorough and dependable guide to foods and spices, complete with preparation how-to's and recipes. A great system of cross referencing saves time and beautifully detailed photos make this a must-have book.

My Girlfriend gave this book to me as a gift and i can't thank her enough. I'm doing a Chef Course here in Venezuela and it's a great help in classes because it talks about everything you need to know on picking any kind of food and how to cook it. This type of books are really hard to findSimply Great!

This book is a complete compilation of ingredients and food we eat. I borrowed this book from the library with the intention of knowing names of food I usually purchased but do not want what it's called. The pictures in this book allow you to acknowledge them. It is a good resource to help me in using recipes that I read from magazines & cookbooks. This book does not delve into the nutritional aspect of the food but focus on how each food is usually prepared. The glossary on every page brings you to related pages of the food. The book is well organized and the pictures are clear and sharp. I bought this book eventually after returning the library's copy.

This would be the PERFECT gift for a friend who likes to cook. It's a great reference on ingredients, explaining the difference between similar foods, when to use what, what can be used as a substitute... The pictures are terrific, the recipes I've tried are excellent, and most not too complicated to try for the first time on a weeknight. It's a great book if you like to READ cook books. The best part? They place page references to recipes on the ingredient pages and where to find the write up on the ingredients on the recipe pages. It's 100% enjoyable, right down to the heavy paper on which it's printed.

Kayak Reef by Bradley Stewart, reviewed by Seth Kerin.

Right from the start Kayak Reef by Bradley Stewart is one of the more original novels I have read. The setting alone, taking in a people and culture that is little known by most, make the novel worth reading. Stewart does a fine job blending interesting bits of Inuit culture and legends and weaving the information - mostly necessary information - seamlessly into the story.

There are many themes in the novel, from adventure and romance to the environment and almost supernatural legends, and those themes are tightly bound throughout. There are, of course, coming-of-age themes as well, as the protagonist and his friend work to find their way in a world that is somewhere between the modern world and the old ways of their people.

There are times when the storytelling veers off into explanations of things that seem a bit unnecessary (albeit often interesting), or when there is a time jump that seems to be a bit off, potentially confusing some readers - however these minor issues aren't enough to take away from the overall experience of the novel, nor do they detract from the book's message. It's a message that is deep on many levels, and a careful read will lead to the best understanding.

In particular the main character's conversations with his mother are fascinating, bordering on fortune telling, yet always seeming to fall back to the casual and loving relationship of mother and son. The mother seems to enjoy doling out wisdom in her own peculiar style, and this draws the reader further into the story.

Kayak Reef succeeds on many levels, whether you are reading for pure enjoyment or whether you hope to get something more from the story, any reader will find something to their liking in this novel.

Within a few pages of this book, you realize this tale of two boys is building a subplot. Pages later on the edge of your seat, the story rewinds a hundred years and Myauka's world on the Arctic, comes to life. Suddenly I was inside a legend that would rival Walt Disney's best.

The closely weaved double story of Myauka's past, and the boys, developed as if two books were inside. I especially liked Geoff's talks with his mother. I was impressed by the author's description of how the universe was made. The vivid scenes were structured, and then a theme of putting others first was rippling in.

This adventure brings to surface the harrowing events that strike in the path of poachers on the hunt. From the youth's growth and elements of fate, came two teens galvanized with inner strength. The theme matured, and paralleling this, a love story entered.

Protecting wildlife and kayaking in such severe conditions, gave these boys extremely potent senses. It is this supernatural nature in the tale which allows the reader to experience the enchanted story in real time. Excitement, love, pain and joy, brings this metamorphic tale, which provokes with such diversity, together as it heads for an emotionally uplifting close. I didn't want it to end.

Chris V.

With so many cliff-hanging moments in this adventure fantasy, and wild developments, digressions, whip-sawing transitions from the present to the past and back again, back and forth, shifting point-of -view focussing first on the present day teenaged hero and his extended family and then the spirit/ghost/legend of a long-lost Eskimo girl (and her remarkable pet, a rather intelligent penguin named Louie), the book reads like a stream-of-consciousness coming-of-age tale (reminding me of some surreal foreign novel I read in school ages ago?) pitting the good and noble native cultures and traditions against the "civilized" hunters. The words tumble on to the page with passion, evoking sorrow, pain, and happiness - and sometimes wit, as when the "golf ball machine" rained down hailstones, and I felt like running for cover and simultaneously reading on to see what could possibly happen next.... What a ride! This would make a great movie!

Excellent read! I really enjoyed this book so very much. The typical beginning of a mother and two toddlers opening the story in conversation is a clincher. The main character, Geoff, lives in a world like any other boy; never mind things are familiar. His life is anything but normal.

The author, Bradley Stewart has really captured my imagination with his innovative writing characteristics. I love when a book carries you away to thoughts and places in your own mind that aren't visited often enough, and Kayak Reef certainly does so! This heartfelt tale is full of adventure and fantasy. I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as I did!

This book is relevant to what is happening to the wildlife on our planet. It is very spiritual and life changing. It's more than an adventure, a mystery or a romance it keeps the reader rivetet with twists and turns. In the end of this book good prevails over evil.

Excellent character development and realistic dialogue. A terrific read.
My kids (age 9 and 11) devoured the Mysterious Benedict Society as well.

Flood Summer was terrific. Mr. Stewart is a writer of the first order. His character development is impeccable. This is not the type of novel with some definite plot that needs to be resolved in the end. It is a finely written story of characters who struggle to understand themselves as they stumble through life. The prose is subtle yet deeply meaningful. This is the best and most memorable novel I have read in 3 years.

It seems silly to say that a book is for those who enjoy reading, but the distinction that I would draw is that this book is not merely a work transit time-filler. The reader who takes true enjoyment out of consuming good literature is the reader who will most appreciate this literary novel. Stewart has a large quantity of whatever it is that allows good writers to articulate cleanly the observations that we all make casually, unconsciously, every day. There is a feeling of victory when reading an author who describes something where the reader can say "Yes! Yes, it's exactly like that, I just never knew how to say so myself."

Beyond being just that, of course, the book contains a collection of compelling characters and situations that widely affect the reader, invoking sensations ranging from joy to betrayal, from heartbreak to hope, from humor to emotional (and even physical!) weariness.

I gave this book out to several friends for the holidays and have already (three days later) started hearing very positive feedback. If you truly enjoy reading and you are looking for your next book, consider this one.

Set in small town Arkansas in the mid-90s, this book is replete with rain, mud, even a prodigious flood, snakes, nasty rednecks, trailers, and Southern bimbos. The author's intent is not to disparage rural Southern life. He creates two very sympathetic characters who are attempting to find themselves in this environment and the debris of their experiences.

Twenty-something Abe, working as a roofer, is a thoughtful type who didn't adjust well to college and now lives alone in a trailer with his books and cats. However, it is a devastating summer flood in which he nearly drowns attempting to save another that disturbs his uncomplicated life. On the other hand, twenty-year-old Marie was literally abandoned at age ten by her drug running mother because she was late for a delivery. Marie returns to her hometown after essentially being on the run for all those years to assist her father in a bookstore, but maintains an impenetrable toughness that belies her striking beauty.

A chance meeting with Marie's childhood friend Lainey results in her meeting Abe at a local swimming hole. The attraction is immediate, but Marie's wariness is a constant issue. The book is basically an observant examination of two tentative people feeling their way to some point that neither really can define. In addition, both Abe and Marie must cope with their families - fathers mostly. The author has a great talent for the dialog of those trying to understand their lives and connections to others. The Southern vernacular and way of life is a constant backdrop, captured most perfectly by the character Lainey. The ending is perhaps not all that could be expected, but there seems to be promise.

Unable to put Trenton Lee Stewart's feast of a debut novel down, I devoured it in three sittings. Rather than summarize Flood Summer's menu of events, I'd like to rave about the book impressionistically.

During its initial chapters, in a scene inside a neck-deep flooded house in the country, the image of a poisonous water moccasin swimming toward the main male character Abe, with its head raised like a frog's, is just one of Stewart's dozens of creepy forget-me-nots. The sheer length and audacity of Stewart's suspenseful description of Abe's swimming, slipping, and sliding around, trying to avoid snakes and free his best friend's mother from where she's wedged, drowning between her car and a tree -- this section is absolutely spellbinding. Afterward of course the novel must go on. But Flood Summer refuses to "dry up," thanks in large part to Abe, a larger than life yet one-hundred-percent three-dimensional Arkansan. Bookish, a lone wolf, he lends the novel Biblical/Lincolnian stature.

In his Appalachian Gothic thriller-cum-love story Stewart gives us Abe's parents and working-crew buddies all rendered with the sculptor Duane Hanson's tough loving care. Then, too, there's the dark, exotic newcomer in Hot Springs, Marie, equally sculpted, complete with her train of characters, including the unforgettable waitress/newlywed Laine. I was especially taken with Stewart's portrait of Marie's "single" mother, also named Marie, who has now disappeared but was once totally under the thumb of a sleazy drug dealer who had set both mother and daughter on a wild car trip to pick up moonshine from a blind treacherous redneck, "Uncle Brady." Given "chick lit" and the preponderance of strong female characters in this decade, Stewart's portrait of Mama Marie as a vulnerable woman is extraordinary. She is one of the most enigmatic, disturbing loose cannons I've encountered in current American fiction. As a lost "damsel in distress" minus the sappy connotations, she represents a negative capability her hard-as-nails orphan daughter must find and understand before committing herself to her own true love Abe.

Thankfully, Stewart avoids an obvious sappy ending, with Abe and Marie tying the knot. Yet the novel's end is exhilarating, with its suggestion that a flood of feelings will eventually sweep all characters upstream.

The only serious current American writer who can match Stewart in the Nail-biting Suspense Department is Donna Tarrt in The Little Friend, which gives us chapter after chapter of controlled plot-driven mayhem. All the while we know what's ultimately going to happen, but moment by moment Stewart and Tarrt pull wondrous wool over our eyes.

Five cheers to Trent Stewart! Flood Summer is a first-rate first novel, the best thing that happened to Arkansas -- and to this reviewer -- since Noah rained Bill Clinton down on our heads!

My sister got this book the other day, and I've pretty much taken it into my own. Ive been dating someone for a while now, and even so, I've been able to employ the VERY useful tactics spelled out in this book. This book can be best described as a no-nonsense manual on how to present yourself as attractive as possible; not just with the dating scene, but in any type of social situation, like work, school, interviews, etc. Definitely pick it up if your yearning for a date, want to improve your attractiveness factor, or just a good laugh.

Great book, my #1 choice, go out and buy it and meet some people! And these doctors are just so funny! I saw them on TV and they just crack me up! These guys should get their own show!

I followed the program in this book and I actually met a nice normal guy. Wow, a dating book that actually works. It required a bit of work, but it was well worth it. The book is easy to read and the pictures are funny. I gave this book to one of my friends and she liked it as well.

This book was right on the mark. It delivered 100%. It was enjoyable, easy and the assignments got you in the game. The book was written in a format that is easy to understand. Most of the chapters are very funny. I have met two girls in the last week alone. I highly recommend this book to people who are tired of dating services and clubs.

I read this wonderful book and the results were more than I could have even hope for. This book is very informative and funny. The writers should be praised.

An absolutly great book! The text is lyrical making it easy to read over and over again. The illustrations are colorful and fun. With each reading, your child (and you) will notice more fantastic details. The antics are zany, but Harriet's feelings are real and ones we can all relate to. This book will quickly become a family favorite!

Harriet's Horrible Hair Day is not only for the young girl whose hair won't behave, it's for the young boy who can't get that unruly cowlick to stay down. When Harriet's cinnamon-colored curl pops out of her braid, her brother is quick to tell her she looks weird. This single remark sets into motion a series of remedies that her siblings apply. Their antics are somewhat reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's "The Cat in the Hat". Creative, wild, and crazy, the cure is worse than the curl. As illustrated in the following text, Harriet's siblings are determined: "Harriet's sister plopped a colandar on Harriet's head, and her brother pulled the curls through the holes." Ms. Stewart's amusingly phonetic text will please all children, and Michael P. White's appropiate illustrations will catch their eyes. Without a doubt, this is a book a child will clutch close to his or her chest. No wonder it has sold out at our local bookstore.

A delightful story, complete with detail-rich, amazingly fun illustrations, makes this book a sure hit with children, and their parents. I can't wait for more releases from Ms. Stewart!

Every child with hair that won't behave or who has siblings that are too helpful, will delight in reading the trials put upon Harriet by her brother and sister all because of a wayward curl! The vocabulary is age appropriate and the illustrations are delightful.

Kindergarten to fifth graders enjoyed this wild tale. I am an elementary school librarian and my students loved this story and its zany illustrations. They couldn't wait to see what Harriet's creative siblings had in store for her on every page. They also loved watching the dog's and cat's antics throughout the book. As we say in Texas..."This book is a hoot!"

Even if you live in a climate that will never allow you to build a backyard rink, this wonderful little book should be read. In a age where youth sports are increasingly dominated by organization and structure and where the attraction of video games keeps kids inside on even the nicest of days, this book takes us to a place where play is unstructured, where one can lose themself in the early morning hours or under the stars, where family and friends can gather to play, skate and even sometimes compete, where the rituals of building, maintaining and disassembling the rink mark the passage of time.

Ultimately this book is as much about a family and a bond between them as is it about ice skating or hockey. Read, enjoy and take something away from the experience.

A good easy read. A must have for hockey fans in New England and for builders of backyard hockey rinks. Not a big reader, but I couldn't put this on down. Very well written.

WE took our rink down a few weeks ago, I cant wait for next years ice. In the mean time I will read this again for about the 50th time!

I have been enchanted by this book. A newcomer to hockey, as both fan and player, I have been soaking up information and lore eagerly. This book satisfies both the urge to learn about hockey, and my wish to experience more of the true joy of the game. Taken out of the huge arenas with the expensive nachos and plentiful beer, there is a game that generations have loved to play and perfect. There are kids playing here, and adults, men and women. There are friends who help shovel the backyard rink, and those who show up later. And there are stories of other backyard rinks, of ponds, and of pros. If you like hockey, I don't see how you could go wrong with this book.

I have to say in my 28 years of being alive I can count on one hand the amount of books I have read on my own. But I recieved this book from my wife for christmas this year. I guess she had hopes on me reading more. Well she was right. I picked up the book thrusday morning about 11:00 am and finished it that afternoon. I really enjoyed reading this book. It actually took me back to when I was really young and skated on a small lake my grandparents lived on in Kinston Ontario. I feel almost compelled to build my own rink in my back yard this winter. I won't but it would be great to do it.
Thanks

We took this book on a long car trip and took turns reading it aloud to the kids. I wish it had been a book on tape, because we couldn't put it down. We even read it in restaurants. Way wacky and zany, it is laugh out loud funny. That dragon -- Madam Yang -- sure is hot stuff!

This book is a winner. The author captures the real-life worries and joys of her young hero, and authentically portrays the scene in Tucson, Arizona. Like the runaway best sellers in the Harry Potter series, this book puts imaginative adventure in a totally believeable context. Young readers, like my grandchildren, are going to want to read more about Rick and his adventures.

Do you like dragons? You'll love Madam Yang, who serves as a quasi-fairy godmother (the kind who breathes fire down your shorts) to Rick. This is a zany fantasy book, chockfull of adventures and humor. A great gift book for a reluctant reader -- hard to put down. The book is set in my hometown, Tucson, AZ, lots of wild, wild west.

There has never been a dragon like Madam Yang, and I can't believe there ever will be again. Such verve, such attitude, such sense of humor (even when she's overdosed on toasted marshmellows!) She has to be the most believable and likeable dragon in storytelling history.

There's more going on in this book, too. Rick, who has lost his dad, has to move from San Diego to Tucson, Arizona, and make a place for himself in the desert. This is a book that honors those tough transitions, and recognizes that a little bit of magic makes them easier. Bedtime reading or car trips, this is a don't-miss. Five Stars!

At 47, I'm a little out of the age bracket of this book, but I still thought it was fun. Having lived in Tucson for 13 years and loved every minute of it, the references to living the local life there were very pleasant. Plus, the author is a good storyteller, and the characters were well drawn, especially the "green" one.

If not for the "Tucson" purchase circle, I would have never found this book, but I'm certainly glad I did. I notice the title has been high on the Tucson favorites list for quite a while. I think I will order some for my nephews back east.