Stone Books

This well written, well thought out book uses the archetypes of mythology (Campbell, Jung, etc) and uses them to help us understand the importance of myths as they apply to the modern world. Stone's films are some of the best examples of modern mythology and have a heightened sense of realism. This approach contributes to a new and maybe better understanding of his movies. I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates mythology or the films of Oliver Stone. I think he is one of our finest modern-day storytellers.

Ms. Mackey-Kallis apparently comes from an academic perspective, as she weaves a variety of interdisciplinary theories (mass communication theory, film studies, etc.) while still drawing from imagery that is understandable to non-academics. If you want to understand the theory behind the creativity of Oliver Stone, you'll want to read this book.

I found that i couldn't put this book down, from the first few words i was hooked. Nina has a passion and talent that can grab in her readers and make them crave every last word.

I LOVED this book and could hardly put it down. I can't wait until Ms. Stone comes out with more. Definitely worth the purchase. I will be ordering several more for friends and family. A great addition to any library.

During my first reading this gem of John's own Journey of Hope, I had totally missed seeing contrasting pictures of his Seminary struggle with mine. Sharing Seminary years of 1955-58 struggles between trustees & faculty, deprived us of the influence of such Baptist giants as Dale Moody, T D Price, the great white Father, T C Smith, Clyde Francisco, Morris Ashcraft and 7 others.

All those 12 were asked to resign giving blows to many students. John and I served on a committee of Protestors sent to President McCall, with no avail!

In his earlier perspective he referred to experience of seminary years, as "in the community of grades," I admit mine were much more of a community of grace! We took longer routes of gaining our degrees as teaching fellows. While a student in the halls of Theology, John called that his time of professional turmoil: "we needed to see with new eyes." He was called to a large campus pastorate, when I was sent home to greater change in perspective of teaching Math! After a few years, our contacts were renewed through hearing his sermons and reading his books.

Re-reading "Opening Blind Eyes" I saw dramatic changes in John's life during his loss of Laura Lue and in his divorce. Both of us moved from large churches to smaller ones; his in Jackson, Miss. and mine in Huntsville, AL. About 10 years later when we resumed a relationship while doing CPE, we found another parallel.

After John's retirement from St Luke's in Birmingham, we shared new interests. "New in my Sense" of spending time in his classes of McAfee School of Theology. That became our shared acceptance of "Life as Gift" from mutual journeys of Hope! I hope to never tire of hearing John's stories on his experientially continuing quests--especially in these days of grieving his Absence. May it become true "that Despair is Presumptous!"

With great gratitude & deeper Joy, Semi-Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

Claypool, once a learned and respected Baptist pastor and seminarian gives us his faith journey into sacramental, liturgical Christianity, becoming an Episcopal priest. It is his frank, open story of his 'awakening' as a person loved by God, with once blind eyes, so much like all of us, who once thought 'doing' equals 'being' but who solidly met the mysterious true God of grace in learning that to 'be' and not to 'do' is the most important thing you can do in this thing called living. The 'rat-race' of modern American 'Christian ministry' has sapped and zapped many of us, but, unlike most modern Christian ministry 'experts'...to be somebody does NOT mean competing and achieving. It means letting God work through, flow in, flow out of and bless you--then you bless others--pressing on and passing on His Light and Love. As he says in the book, "The challenge is to become aware of what is already inside by grace...and to learn to bring that fullness out through generous and sacrificial service to the whole of creation." I hope someone reprints this excellent book and gives it a wider audience. Also, along these same lines, read Eugene H. Peterson's excellent 'The Contemplative Pastor.'

I highly recommend this book. I found the characters to be real and dynamic. It was difficult to put it down because I was anxious to know what was going to happen next.

Very enjoyable read. I found myself so caught up in the story(ies) that I felt breathless. I want to read more of Gretchen Stone's writings!

Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose are at it again.
Only this time they are in New York City.
There has been a priceless work of art stolen right from Dink's Uncle Warren's apartment!
Will they find the art work or will this crafty crook get away?

An art theif is on the loose!
Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are visiting Dink's Uncle Warren in New York City when a painting is stolen from his apartment.
A trail of orange peels and an orange hair are the only signs that someone was there.
Do the kids have enough clues to catch this crafty- and hungry- crook?

Stone does not make the assumption, as so many writers about Oriental rugs do, that he knows what the reader wants. Instead, he provides an exhaustive, impartial spectrum of places, conditions, qualities, methods, and types affiliated with Oriental rugs, from earliest known times to the present. Stone manages to keep his work from being dull by interlarding it with astringent observations and keeping his entries brutally essential. Whoever did the layout of this work deserves kudos, too-- it is easy to access, each entry is set off from the others so as to be memorable to those of us who are visual, and there is generous, attractive use of clearly-labeled graphics. I genuinely appreciate this matrix-like, non-linear expert treatment of Oriental rugs, and find myself reading it up like a novel. The only thing I have found lacking so far is an entry on arbash.

In the rug world there is almost a constant competition of scholarship. Very rarely does one person so dominate his field as to be the indisputable authority. One of those rare exceptions is Peter Stone. One rug restoration expert told me that there will never be another major book on rug repair in my life time because "Oriental Carpet Repair" by Peter Stone says it all. Stone's new book the "Oriental Rug Lexicon" may well exceed "Oriental Carpet Repair" as a scholarly triumph. If you are at all serious about collecting or if your rugs are anything more than floor coverings to you, you need this book.

The Definative Guide To Rugs, Carpets, and Trappings What Stone has done is to make one large dictionary of rug terms. He has identified and defined them in an interesting and informative manner. As soon as I received the Lexicon I decided to put it to use. The first job was to decipher a page of notes I had made on dyes and dye sources used in oriental carpets that someone had given me. To have a source where I can double check the difference between a flavenol and a luteolin is invaluable. Other questions are solved just as easily such as what is a Medici Mamaluk versus a regular Mamaluk. Rug books have so many alternate spellings that it is nice to have a source that confirms that a Khorjin, Kharjin, Khordjin, and a Khurdzhin, are all the same thing. The book is designed like a dictionary and it is easy to look up individual words. It is not designed to be read cover to cover but as I spot-checked the definitions I found some thing interesting and fun on virtually every page. As long as I am mentioning spot-checking let me say that I spotted no errors. If, indeed, there are no errors, inaccuracies or mistakes, I will be astounded. There is to be found a wealth of rug terms with all the common alternative spellings including some that I have not encountered until now. All in all, it is an amazing resource.

The layout of the book is superb. It is packed with informati! on without being crowded. There are many more color pictures than I would have expected with a book of this type and there is an abundance of helpful sketches and line art to illustrate and illuminate Stone's points. Just this week a good friend who has a world class rug collection told me I "have" to buy three books if I want to keep up with things. The total for all three is over $1000 US. I mention this only to make the point that at a list price of $29.95 (US currency for softcover edition, $60 for hardcover edition) Stone's book is about as close to free we are likely to see for a serious rug book. Let me sum up my opinion in just three words: BUY THIS BOOK!

Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose have done it again!
Only this time someone or something has captured poor Winnie, the zoo's main attraction and it's up to someone to find these thieves.
The kidnapper wants 1 million dollars or Green Lawn will never see Winnie again.

Will Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose be able to find the kidnapper or will they be too late to save her?

Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are at it again. There are theives who stole baby pandas. This book was great. I give it five stars. It was good, really good. I am an eight year old boy.

The authors allow the readers to take a close look into the history of electoral socialism....Highly recomended to political science students & others who wish to know more aboute the intriding world of politics.

The authors allow the readers to take a close look into the history of electoral socialism....Highly recomended to political science students & others who wish to know more aboute the intriding world of politics.

"Insomnia" by Kira Stone

Sanders L. Mann, a Sandman in the service of Morpheus, can't keep a relationship going. Being around him literally puts every guy he's ever met to sleep. At his boss' suggestion, he joins the Paranormal Mates Society, where he is attracted to the picture of a very sexy god. When Pe-Ben, the Abenaki God of Spring, gets Sandy's email, he is not sure whether they should meet at first. He's concerned that his ability to put people to sleep with his voice could be a problem. Can Sandy and Pe-Ben be together without putting each other to sleep?

I enjoyed "Insomnia," in part because it was funny. Sandy is so frustrated he often resorts to porn and toys, which leads to a couple of embarrassing situations. I wasn't as fond of Pe-Ben at first. He seemed standoffish, but later he started to grow on me. Part of the conflict in the story didn't strike me as entirely necessary, but overall I thought "Insomnia" was a cute, hot, and fun story.

"O Positive" by Ann Jacobs

Erica Stone is a newly made vampire, and a submissive. Since she was turned, she can't find a Master who isn't scared of her fangs. When she stumbles upon the Paranormal Mates Society, she figures it can't hurt to put up a profile. Dominant vamp Anthony Wilder sees her profile when he calls to complain about the service and the manager of PMS steers him to it. As soon as they meet, sparks fly. Have Erica and Tony finally found what they need in each other?

Although "O Positive" is a scorchingly hot story, I just couldn't get into it. I admit BDSM isn't my favorite thing anyway, and in this story Erica went crazy for Tony the second she saw him just because he was a vampire dom. There wasn't much getting-to-know-you involved for either of them. While it was easy to believe they were compatible sexually, I didn't buy the love at all because they barely knew each other.

"Loving Fury" by Amelia Elias

As the Fury in charge of natural disasters, Thera doesn't get many dates. In fact, men are terrified of her. She is ecstatic when she joins the Paranormal Mates Society and gets an invitation to dinner from a sensitive water sprite. When she arrives for the date, however, she's horrified to discover that she's been tricked. Her date is actually Ares, the God of War, and he's equally unhappy to see her. What happens when two immortals are given the opposite of what they think they want?

"Loving Fury" was without a doubt my favorite story in this anthology. Thera is a great character. Amelia Elias did a wonderful job of making her both powerful and very vulnerable emotionally. The first-person narration drew me in right away, making it impossible for me not to root for Thera. Ares turned out to be just the match for her--strong, sexy, and tender. "Loving Fury" is a fabulous story that's hot, sweet, and immensely satisfying!

"Playing with Matches" by Cat Marsters

Nymph Nerissa is so busy running the Paranormal Mates Society website she doesn't have time for anything more than porn and sex toys. Unfortunately, someone has hacked the site, making the perfect matches suddenly not-so-perfect, and now her bosses are mad. When she confronts the guilty party, the satyr Ceyx, he tries to make it up to her. Sex won't fix everything, though. Can Ceyx put aside his need for chaos to fix the problems he caused before it's too late for Nerissa?

"Playing with Matches" is a very spicy story, including multiple partners, exhibitionism, and more. I liked watching the trouble-making Ceyx trying to reform (at least a little) for Nerissa. If you're in the mood for a fun romp with a lot of interesting mythological characters, "Playing with Matches" fits the bill nicely.

"The Midnight Hour" by Isabella Jordan

Werewolf Spencer Kingston is wearying of his wild sex life. Even the threesomes with his cousin and his cousin's wife are not as exciting as they used to be. That's why when he spots the sexy redhead spying on them, he's intrigued. Helen Slade has her own agenda, but she gets distracted by an unexpected attraction to Spencer. She's determined not to let him keep her from her mission, however. Is there any way they can both get what they want?

"The Midnight Hour" was a hot but very rushed story. I felt like I was jumping into the middle of something that never got fully explained. I wanted to understand the intrigue surrounding Spencer, his cousin, and his wife, but there wasn't enough background information for me to do so. I have a feeling this one would make more sense if I had first read Isabella Jordan's other Paranormal Mates Society Story.

Overall, Paranormal Mates Society Vol. 3 is a fun and interesting way to read about different paranormal creatures and try some new authors. A couple of the stories were standout--"Loving Fury" alone makes this anthology a worthwhile read.

Cassie
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

This is the third and final five stories in Changeling Press's Paranormal Mates Society Series. Each story is a stand alone but they are set in a shared world, that even has it's own website! LOL And a few of the stories share characters too.

Insomnia by Kira Stone: Sanders Mann manages an inn, but his real job is giving sending them off to sleep, Pete Benjamin brings winter to his people and also puts people to sleep, could this be the perfect match? Insomnia is funny, hot and a great story!

O Positive by Ann Jacobs: Erica Stone is not happy about becoming a vampire, she's a submissive and wants a paranormal man. Anthony Wilder is an older aristocratic vamp and thinks that Erica could be the woman of his dreams...but they have a few issues to work out first. O Positive is another wonderful and erotic bdsm story by Ann Jacobs.

Loving Fury by Amelia Elias: When a satyr hacks into the Paranormal Mates Society computer to make trouble, Ares (the God of war!) ends up matched with a fury named Thera. Will they make love, or war? A very funny and sexy story!

Playing with Matches by Cat Marsters: This is the story of Ceyx, the trouble making satyr from the previous story and Nerissa, a former nymph who runs the Paranormal Mates Society. Nerissa is pissed that someone has hacked into her system and is determined to find out who it was. When they meet up (again!) the sparks and sex starts to fly. A terrific, hysterical and very erotic story!

The Midnight Hour by Isabella Jordan: Helen Slader is sent by her agency to spy on Grace Shaw and her werewolf husband. She had no idea her job would include watching them, and Spencer a cousin of Grace's husband having hot, erotic, ménage sex. Spencer knows that Helen is watching and he wants her....and there's a murder to be solved. A hot sexy werewolf story!

The final volume in a terrific series with something for every species. :-)

I wouldn't have thought it possible to laugh out loud while simultaneously horrified to relive some of the most bizarre quotes actually uttered in public. Stone's illustrations, revealing more subtle yet brilliant detail upon each viewing, underscore the surreal nature of Pat Robertson's belief systems, our country's fascination with public figures, and our bewilderment at other nations' perceptions of American culture. This seemingly whimsical book is a rare gem, more insightful than its dog-eared coloring-book appearance would suggest.

The second laugh-out-loud-for-its-satire coloring book from Garrett County Press-- the first was devoted to the current President Bush although he makes a cameo appearance here as a "friend of Pat" or FOP--is devoted to the Reverend Pat Robertson-- and his other friends, consisting of Ann Coulter, Jerry Falwell, Daniel Henninger, Bill O'Reilly and Barbara Bush. The format is the same as in the previous publication. The artist-- in this instance-- Kevin Stone-- illustrates some of Mr. Robertson's most ridiculous public statements with appropriate drawings suitable for "Prayolas." Also included are an essay by Mackie Blanton and "Notes on the Quotes" that list both the dates and occasions of the stupid statements. The outside back cover includes a "Pat Robertson paper doll," along with a space suit (for Robertson to wear after the Millennnium comes), and a coat and tie, boxer shorts but no pants! Additionally Cobb County, Georgia Board of Education's statement approved on March 28, 2002 on the teaching of evolution in public schools rounds out this circus act.

Although it is difficult to select the Robertson quotation most offensive as the entire field is ripe for harvesting, his outrageous statement of August 22, 2005 is certainly in the running: "If he [Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez] thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war." Then there is "Dr. Robertson's" opinion that about 75 to 80 percent of the illnesses in the United States are psychosomatic." Apparently he is not an emergency room physician. He isn't very effective as a weather forecaster either: "If I heard the Lord right (but you didn't, Pat) about 2006, the coasts of America will be lashed by storms. There well may be something as bad as a tsunami in the pacific Northwest." (January 22, 1995.) Robertson's most chilling statement (January 14, 1991), however, is his diatribe against other church folks who don't sing in his choir: "You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense, I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist." That comment is just plain scary. Of the opinions spewed out by Friends Of Pat, Falwell's on Teletubbies, the color purple and triangles is the silliest; but Barbara Bush's (March 18, 2003) is the saddest: "But why should we hear about body bags and deaths . . . Or, I mean, it's, it's not relevant. So, why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?"

As you can imagine, the artist has his work cut out for him if he is to illustrate such drivel; but he does it admirably. My favorite drawing is of Robertson, Jesus (in a tux) and Satan at a roulette wheel to illustrate "I heard Satan say, 'Jesus is playing you for a sucker, Robertson.'"

With the roasting of George and Pat, surely the skewering of Cheney cannot be far behind.