Thomas Books

Alabaster's Song is a story that you should own, even if you don't have a child. It is warm and sweet, and brings you back to the place where the child inside each one of us still lives.

As always, Max Lucado has the gift of reaching down into the depths of your heart and soul, and touching you, drawing you closer to God.

Make this book part of your library, part of your Christmas traditions. I read it each year to my "babies", who are now 19, 17, and 13. It is a tradition I will carry on with my grandchildren.

This is a fabulous book that brings to mind the wonder of Christmas through a child's eyes. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is timeless and unforgettable! I read this story to my children, ages 11, 8, and 4, each year around Christmas. I even read it to my MOPS group as a Christmas reading last year. Thank you, Max Lucado, for another wonderful children's book!

Very cute story about a little boy whose Christmas Tree angel comes to life to sing sweet songs to him. Gorgeous artwork brings the story to life with brilliance. I loved that the story repeated itself once the little boy grew up and had a son of his own who hears the angels music.

This is one of the most beautifully illustrated, delightful stories I have had the good fortune to encouter. Alabaster, the spirited little angel, touches the life a boy with positive results. The message in this gentle story is that when good is done, pass it on. It is so lovely, so moving that it might make one misty eyed. This book is a real treasure. Max Lucado and the illustrator have used their talents to enrich the lives of others.

As a Preschool Teacher of 4 and 5 year olds, I have read many books about the Christmas Story. This book is by far, the childrens' favorite. It is both touching and exciting. I have never read one of Max Lucado's books that I was not absolutely thrilled with.

A very comprehensive book, it brought back a lot of memories of All-Star Squadron. Well worth the money I paid for it.

I have always been a huge fan of the JSA. In my younger days, I collected every issue of All Star Squadron. As I got older and married, I sold my collection to younger enthusiasts. Now, I can revisit my former passion in this book that describes all the issues of All-Star Squadron as well as interesting articles about the history of All-Star Comics and the JSA. If you are interested in greater understanding of the history of JSA, I heartily recommend this book.

This book follows up on the All Star Companion, Volume One, and is a collection of articles and recollections of DC's golden age heroes (namely the Justice Society of America, and The All-Star Squadron). There are some unique insights and interesting stories about these classic characters, and the book is filled with some rare and intriguing art. The wrap-around cover by Carlos Pacheco is fantastic.

For me, the most interesting feature was a complete synopsis (issue by issue) of the All-Star Squadron comics, complete with cover reproductions and background notes. There were also supposed to be notes on the Young All-Stars comic, but space constraints pushed this material out of the book (though it will appear in volume three). This is nothing short of a phenomenal read for fans of comicdom's golden age.

Collections strong in comic book artists and art will find this history of the Justice Society of America and friends to be moving: it provides more secrets of the comic characters from the 1940s through the 1980s, surveying major issues and events, providing black and white reproductions of pages, and detailing behind-the-scenes influences on adventures and character appearances. An excellent companion for any who have followed the strip and seek more information on historical progression.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

If you liked All-Star Companion vol.1, you'll enjoy vol.2. More info on the Justice Society, plus an issue by issue review of The All-Star Squadron. I'm looking forward to vol.3!

The Lost Cause Tradition revolves around Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. Most of books written on Civil War history are about battles that occur in the Eastern Theater. This was the case during the war and has not improved in the years since. If the Confederacy had a chance to win, if they had heroic figures they were in the battles and leaders of the AoNV. From 1861 to the end of the war, a second army fought and died for the South. These men gave as much as the men in the East without inspiring leadership. Time after time, they saw victory taken from them. Often they endured forced marches to save themselves only to repeat the cycle of defeat. Their story is largely ignored or told as the "other army" in histories of Union armies. The was the Confederate States of America's Army of Tennessee, brave men badly lead who saw the war through.
Army of the Heartland, first published in 1967, is the history of the building the army. Isham Harris, the CSA governor of Tennessee delivers an army to hold his state. Jefferson Davis sent Albert Sidney Johnston, his best general, to lead it. However, the army was not much more than an unarmed semi drilled mob. Johnston was unequal to the task and Leonidas Polk demonstrated a willingness to do his own thing. Facing them was an unknown Union General named U.S. Grant. This is the story of Grant's move to Corinth Mississippi as seen by the army he defeated. After Johnston's death, Braxton Bragg assumes command. Bragg is a close personal friend of Jeff Davis, who has great confidence in him. However, Davis is even closer to Leonidas Polk and has great confidence in William J. Hardee. Add in an endemic of "Kentucky Fever" and we have the Perryville Campaign.
Autumn of Glory, published in 1971, takes us from Perryville to Nashville. While the AoT still existed after Nashville, it was no longer an army. The author covers this time but rightly considers the survivors to be more a collection of veteran units than an army. This is the years when they fight and lose central Tennessee under Bragg. The Georgia campaign under Joe Johnston and the return home under Hood. 1862 to 1865 are the years of the big battles and the political infighting that paralyze this army. No American army was ever as poorly lead or suffered government indifference on this scale. Richmond was paralyzed unable to choose between pro and anti Bragg factions. Unable to consider removing either faction, Davis dithered, as Tennessee was lost. This is a hard book to read as the army is doubly damned for not winning and for losing its' supply base. In the end, John Bell Hood leads this army to death in the largest charge of the war at Franklin and destruction at Nashville.
Connelly wrote these books years ago. The maps are not great and they are not highly detailed. They are one of the most readable army histories ever written. Classic is a very over used word and one we see often. This is one of the few times that it applies and should be used. On publication, these were seen to be special and needed books. That has not changed and shows no sign of changing. The only improvement would be to publish them as one book. You can do that with a single purchase and reading one after the other. Enjoy them; they are a great and informative read.

This book is not for beginners. You definitely need to have a working knowledge of the battles that the Army of Tennessee was engaged in.

The focus is on the political and ego wranglings between Bragg (later Johnston and Hood) and his staff, and then the wranglings with Richmond and key political figures.

In other words, you don't get a lot of such and such regiment moved here and such and such regiment moved there. It is more a critique of the leadership decisions. There are some battle details, but you're best off having a good understanding before you undertake this book.

The treatment is very fair to Bragg, I felt overly so, but Connely does back up his opinions. He comes down on Johnston and Hood for lack of a clear plan.

This is not a book about the overall war in the west. Just as the title says, it's specifically about the AOT. You hardly ever hear about Vicksburg, Mobile, Iuka, etc. other than to note troop concentrations and shufflings.

In short, an excellent read for the more advanced civil war student. I'll confess I probably read this and Army of the Heartland a little prematurely and much of the information went over my head. I will re-read once I feel up to par with the high quality level of information.

The merits of this volume are well documented. Connelly's research is excellent, and his judgments are sound. His prose, however, is as dry as a parched north Georgia dirt road during a June draught. This is, to a certain extent, to be expected, as most military history written during the late 1960s and 1970s tends to be dusty and academic. However, Connelly's descriptions of unit movements, particularly before Chickamauga, make for difficult reading, in part due to the volume's lack of good maps. But, again, this is a fault shared with lots of academic military history, and has more to do with publishing concerns and limitations than anything else, one imagines. So read this with a good set of maps at your side. Also, for a different prose style, one may wish to read this volume along with Stanley F. Horn's older book.

Caveats aside, the book is worth four stars for its discussions of Confederate command disputes and problems. But the reader who skips the campaign recaps and unit movements can be forgiven. And remember, the Polks, Braggs and Hoods were just symptoms--the disease was Jeff Davis.

The author picks up where he left off in, Army of the Heartland: The Army of Tennessee, 1861-1862. This volume begins in 1862 and closes with the surrender of the army in April, 1865.
If your interested in the War Between the States (Civil War) in the Western Theatre and the primary Confederate army of the West then this is a must read. Both of my great-great grandfathers served in the Army of Tennessee so this was particularly interesting to me.
The book deals primarly with the political issues between army commanders and Richmond. It is unfortunate that there was so much jealousy and grudges between all parties as this servely effected the objectives of the army. The Army of Tennessee didn't have a General Lee.
Campaigns and battles are analyzed. There is not lengthy discussion of the battles as this is not in the scope of the book. I found it very helpful to have the campaigns and battles laid in order. I have read books describing the diffferent battles but a more complete understanding of why and how the battles came about is accomplished in reading this book first. After this book, read accounts of the battles of the army from other sources.
There could more detailed maps included. However, this is informative and excellent historical reading.

Since other reviewers have covered the contexts of this monumental book in detail, I guess I'll have to be content just to list a few of the most important ideas that I learned from reading it. 1) The whole command structure of the Confederate army in the West from Davis down, was ineffective, nearly hopeless, and this book chronicles its sad demise about as well as it can be chronicled. 2)Bragg, who got reasonably high grades for his impressive but ultimately pointless invasion of Kentucky, becomes a pathetic, bitter general in charge of a nearly mutinous army. The fact that Davis could not or would not replace him until after Chattanooga says volumes as to why the South ultimately lost the war. 3)Joe Johnston, who I always rather admired, becomes The General Who Always Ran Away. And Connelly proves it. Talk about a change of attitude. He also gets alot of the blame for failing to relieve Vicksburg. 4) The famous cavalry commanders like Wheeler, Hunt, and Forrest did little to nothing to stop Sherman from marching on Atlanta and are therefore completely overrated, despite their often specacular tactical successes. If you have to read one book on the Confederate effort in West, read this one. It's eye opening.

I highly recommend the Black Dog opera books. They're the perfect way to learn about an opera: They include cd's of the opera by outstanding singers, photos of performances, historical and critical commentary, a scene-by-scene summary of the plot, and the complete libretto in both English and the original language, so you can play around with the translation if you're interested. They can't be beat.

This is a wonderful study score to Rossini's wonderful masterpiece. The story of a Barber named Figaro, who is the person that everyone comes to seeking advice.
It's easy to read and the size is standard (9in x 12in). It lies easily on a music stand or desk. It's low price is great for the starving music student. I highly reccommend this for professionals and opera-goers alike.

Be aware that the book shown when you take a "Look Inside" is NOT the book you get. What they show is a bound copy of the musical score with the libretto added. What you get is the libretto described in the written review, no musical score. That having been said, the book you get is useful and of interest, and the CD is a great recording.

One of Rossini's best operas, the Barber of Seville, is immortalized here in another one of Dover's fine scores. From the fast-paced overture to the "Figaro" aria (both made famous in old Bugs Bunny cartoons), this opera is nonstop greatness.

As usual, Dover has provided us with a book of the highest quality: they sew their books instead of gluing them so as for them to stay bound and be flexible, and they print legibly. Unfortunately, legible print is becoming disappointingly rare in modern scores, but Dover is the exception.

For a great score of a great opera at a great price, you can't go wrong with Rossini's Barber of Seville.

This book and CD set are the perfect combination for those who are new to the world of opera and not fluent in foreign language. Better than just a synopsis, the libretto in English lets you read every word so you won't miss the humor or pathos. As a homeschooling mom, I really appreciated this set as a teaching tool. I hope to increase my collection of The Black Dog Opera Library series.

What a great read! Thomas breezes us through a year in the life of an unstoppable single mom, as seen through the lens of a novice beekeeper. She braves the vicissitudes of her first year of beekeeping with pathos, humor, intelligence and grace. As she interweaves her care and tending of the bees and their hives with the care and tending of her daughter, herself and their memorable home, I turned page after page with an ever-widening smile. Many thanks to the author for granting me a glimpse into her personal and universal world.

I love this book!!! It is sweet, funny, touching
and completely charming. (also inspiring: makes you
want to keep bees and appreciate them more.)
This is a "keeper" for the personal favorites library.
It is the gift I want to give my favorite friends and
relatives. The only thing possibly better than reading
this story would be to see Sandra Bullock make this into
a movie!
******Sandra Bullock please make this into a movie...
it is PERFECT for you!!!!!****************************

What a deeply satisfying book, rich in character, witty and warm, reflective without being ponderous, a marvellous read that holds your attention. Recounting her troubles and travails as a novice beekeeper and single mother in a quaint New England town, Rosanne Thomas creates a vivid collection of characters full of quirks yet helpful and kind as she struggles to juggle the challenges of three buzzing hives, a number of unsuitable suitors and the vagaries of nature with the needs of her sensitive, bright young daughter. In the process she paints a panorama of life and death, courage and perseverance with such intelligence, humor and charm and renders the beauty of nature with such deft but delicate strokes that I laughed, spilt a tear, and will never again spread honey on my toast without acknowledging the painstacking labor of love it takes to produce. Beeing offers us by example the gift of true being.

I love reading books about someone passionately engaged in something new, and this book is exactly that. Author Rosanne Daryl Thomas tells a tale of becoming a beekeeper almost on a whim, but it goes deeper than that. Clearly, there was something that drew her to the bees. It simply took circumstance to bring it forward. More importantly, she triumphs over the setbacks that occur with an honesty that seems missing in many books today. Reading this story was like listening to her tell it over coffee in her honey-covered kitchen.

Thomas' tales of learning the beekeeping trade from the bottom up are humorous, enlightening and presented in a conversational tone that kept me turning the pages. So much so that I finished the book in 1 day! She also throws in a few lessons about life and love, without being heavy handed or bogging down the story.

Even as someone who knew a little bit about beekeeping, I learned new stuff about the processes involved. For the gardener in me, it is great to learn a little more about how my garden helps bees to survive and thrive. My neighbor has a single hive on top of his garden shed and I can sit in my garden swing, watching their comings and goings. He makes sure we get some honey each year, too. Tasty! Even more so since part of it arose from my garden.

Several of my favorite books are based around the cycle of the year's passage. I think growing up on a farm certainly plays a part in this, but we all instinctively relate to the passing of the seasons in some way.

While most of us give a wide berth to stinging insects, memoirist Roseanne Daryl Thomas cozies up to bees, affectionately calling them "my girls." - quite an about face for one whose prior knowledge of apian life consisted of "They buzzed. They stung. They were yellow."

Following a divorce Ms. Thomas, her then 7-year-old daughter, August, and Ruffy, a geriatric cat, sought new life in a small New England community populated by 3,000 inquisitive souls.

There she met Farmer Tom; farmer being an unlikely sobriquet for a man with clean fingernails and a business card. Another unlikelihood was Ms. Thomas's out-of-nowhere comment that she might like to keep bees. At this, her daughter smiled, and Farmer Tom offered his land.

Smitten with the idea of having a mother who was a bee keeper, August "danced jubilantly about the house, composing beekeeping songs, drawing beekeeping pictures." Not wishing to disappoint her daughter, and just a little enthralled by the idea herself, Ms. Thomas began a task about which she knew "a teaspoonful more than absolutely nothing."

She visited a master beekeeper who introduced her to a hive body or deep super where bees live. Inside the deep super would be wax covered moveable frames where honey is made. . To her chagrin these did not come ready made, but had to be assembled - a daunting task for one who was not sure she owned a hammer. She bought three unassembled hives.

Another necessity was "The Outfit," first of all, gloves, elbow length cotton covered with yellow latex. Gloves did not come in a 7 ½; the smallest size in the white beesuit was a men's 42 regular. Finally, the hat. She was hoping for something in "a pale gold closely woven straw." Instead, she was handed "a hard white plastic pith helmet with ventilation grates at the temples."

There was no time for second thoughts as she had also ordered six living pounds of Italian honeybees. (According to the Bee Master Italian honeybees had the best dispositions). After many bruised fingers, considerable help from a friend, and countless visits to True Value, the hives were ready. Named Har, Jafenhar, and Thridi for the mythic trio who guard Valhalla, they were placed on Farmer Tom's land.

Weeks passed as Ms. Thomas tended her bees, sloshing through the field in Wellingtons bearing Ball jars of sugar water and toting other necessities in a lavender Bergdorf's shopping bag. With each visit she felt a deepening affinity for that spot of earth. Her respect for the natural world grew as she observed a blue heron seeking sustenance, and heavily laden black ants climbing ant mountains.

After a year the author had survived numerous stings and slings of fortune. She harvested her first crop with the observation that she had learned much but not enough.
Readers will find that they have learned much about bee keeping but not enough about Rosanne Daryl Thomas. "Beeing" is a memoir oddly lacking in emotional intimacy. Her marriage is dismissed with several lines, and there is scant reference to personal feelings. As "Motherhood" is found in the subtitle, one wonders what August's response was to the breakup of her home, and moving to a new community. Did Ms. Thomas ever address these issues with her daughter?

Practical matters also prove puzzling. With no apparent income how does one undertake a costly hobby that requires full time attention? Questions remain unanswered.

Nonetheless, "Being" is fluidly penned, at times lyric in descriptions of the changing seasons. And, there are lessons to be learned in this memoir, not the least of which is, "If you want to get honey, you have to be prepared to get stung."

There's no question at all about that.

- Gail Cooke

This is a very encouraging book for whatever you face in life. I keep it at my bedside and have ordered many extra copies to give as gifts. You really cant go wrong with Spurgeon. This book is a blessing and conveys basic tenets of the Christian faith arranged in biblical order with lots of wisdom and insight. Rest for the weary. An uplifting and soothing balm for the soul. Thanks be to God for Spurgeon and the writings he left us! We are truly "more than conquerors" as "all things work to the good according to His purpose." Romans 8

Besides the Bible, it makes a thoughtful & timeless gift to those in need of comfort and encouragement whether for someone who is ill, or going through difficult times, for the loss of a loved one, or for everyday reassurance that the Lord is with us always. Spurgeon eloquently puts scripture together with the emotions one may experience in their lives. I have made it part of my Church Library and Home Library.

I bought this book in 2003 and my mother loved it. It was a good gift and it was a welcomed edition to the books she re-reads often.

For several years I have given this book to those who were experiencing various trials--mourning the loss of a loved one mostly, but I now have occasion to use it myself as I mourn the loss of my own dear loved one.
Charles Spurgeon is able to speak to my heart and point me 'outward and upward' instead of allowing me to linger 'inward and downward'.
It is a wonderful resource to provide hope and encouragement as we walk through our lives and dark times attempting to give glory to God.

Every person living will at some time face trouble. Outside the Bible, this book is great help during such time.

The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings, edited by Jim Joyce (Satya House Publications: Hardwick, MA, 2007), is a delightful compilation of short essays on cycling (some humorous, some inspirational, some amazing) and cartoons. Whether you have just a few minutes (before someone else arrives at your cycling meet point, perhaps?) or a full hour to devote to reading (how many folks won't look for an excuse to get out of detailing the bike for one more day?), this book can provide a pleasant distraction from our hum-drum everyday lives, and place us right back on the saddle.

Joyce covers a fun gambit, from how cycling is the fountain of youth (Law 6 in Gianna Bellofatto's "An Invitation to the Open Road & the Laws of Cycling"; "The Next 30 Years? How about the Next 50?" by Chip Haynes), to helpful mechanic hints ("Bits and Bolts from Ask the Mechanic," by Andy Wallen), and everything in between.

Then there are the cartoons, decorating the pages like your favorite bike accessories. You'll find yourself laughing at which sign of the cycling zodiac would represent you (Neal Skorpen's "The Cyclist's Zodiac"), or picturing bicycles for other animals than those captured (Skorpen's "Bikes of the Animal Kingdom" and "More Bikes of the Animal Kingdom")--of course the lemur's bike doesn't have any brakes; what does that say about our fixie crowd?, or even the cycling crest (Skorpen's "Human Power"). You'll laugh at how Bonkerz describes the cycling bank bandit (Bonkerz is Bob LaDrew's character who appears in the Delaware Valley Bicycle Club newsletter).

The book ends with some inspirational tales of wandering on the bike--ever think about riding across the Sahara? John Stuart Clark and his wife have done it ("Saharan Margins"). Riding Across the USA? I know some of you have done that. Check out Rhonda & Dave Fritsch's "Cross Country Tandem Trip: A Journal." Or, for the most vivid images I've had evoked by words in a long time, surrounding a storm the author could not outrace, check out Clark's "Desert Storm."

The editor, Joyce, also authors some pieces in here, in the "Wanderings" section. Who hasn't survived a ride because of a mentor's wisdom? ("Remembering Hank") Or gotten help exactly when you needed it? (brother Bill Joyce contributes "California Angel") Joyce was a TOSRV vendor this year, and I enjoyed jawing with him as I made my purchase. Hmm, I wonder where my piece on night-of-TOSRV repair jobs would fit in this book?

Please note, Joyce plans to donate 15% of his royalties to several worthwhile organizations: League of American Bicyclists; SoldierRide.com; and the United States Association of Blind Athletes.

Jim Joyce's "The Bike Book--Wit, Wisdom and Wanderings" is for gearheads, travel loggers, illustrator illumines, comic junkies, physics freaks, folksy fanatics, Garrison Keller cheerleaders, economics evangelicals, humor twirlers, news "nosies", philosophical philanders, "roadie" raconteurs, and commuter commodores.

The perfections and imperfections; the certainties and uncertainties; the knowns and the unknowns possess real life metaphors expressed through the eyes of these essay cyclists. No matter if you are a recreationalist or a hardcore dirt-ragster, there is something in this collection of essays written with two-wheelers in mind. As Gianna Bellofatto (a great name for a bike frame), a contributor to this book, says, "Life is a Bike". Damn right there!

It can be read in an afternoon when the wind is too strong and the rain too hard. When finished, you will feel like the sun came out, the sky opened up, and a light breeze blew in from the South.

This book is a Stocking Stuffer for yourself, and a relaxing point-to-point ride from your easy chair!

Gianna Bellofatto, a friend of a friend, turned me on to Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings, a collection of cycling stories, articles and cartoons, edited by Jim Joyce. I knew from Gianna that she was contributing to this book and I was happy to read her articles and discover many new ones.

First, let me say that it is a relatively small book, 149 pages, but it is packed with interesting material. So interesting that, although small in size, I have not yet worked my way through all of it -- preferring instead to parcel it out in small doses to make it last longer!

I recommend this book to all of you, for yourselves or as a gift to a fellow cyclist. It's a celebration of the bicycle by people who love to ride, packed with original stories and illustrations from a talented group of writers and cartoonists. One cartoonist I was already familiar with was Bob Ladrew, whose work has always amused me in the monthly magazine of the Delaware Valley Bicycle Club.

Gianna's essay series, "Life is a Bike," is described in one review as ever clever, pleasantly quirky, and always an American original. I certainly agree and especially enjoyed "Romancing the Bike".

There are articles to satisfy the "gear heads" amongst us and a very interesting interview with Coach Chris Carmichael. There are also a number of articles I look forward to in anticipation, having not yet gotten to because, as I said above, I don't want the fun of reading it to end too soon.

The editor, Jim Joyce, is the founder and editor of the online magazine, The Bicycle Exchange ([...]), and also a contributor of articles to the book. He plans to donate fifteen percent of his royalties from this book, divided equally amongst the League of American Bicyclists, [...] (a program providing cycling tours for wounded soldiers) and the United States Association of Blind Athletes.

To me, this book sounds like an ideal gift. Buy one for yourself and one for a friend.

This book is one of the best $14.95 investments I've ever made, full of wonderful essays and cartoons, such as:

--John Stuart Clark, a Scotsman who describes riding through a violent storm in Wyoming and then his adventures riding with his wife through the Sahara.

--Ella Lawrence's observations of the various multinational fans attending the Amstel Gold Bike Race in the Netherlands.

--Gianna Bellofatto's "Life is a Bike" series on life, love, and bicycling.

--Rhona & Dave Fritsch's account of their 3710-mile cross-country tandem journey from Washington State to Ocean City, NJ.

The Delaware County Bicycle Club's "Bonkers" cartoon character's two-wheeled adventures (and misadventures).

"The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings" is a must for any bicyclist's library!

Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings is a collection of stories, cartoons, essays and interviews that address all aspects of bike riding. It surely belongs in the collection of everybody who ever set foot to pedal.

The wit in the title is abundantly demonstrated in six essays by Gianna Bellofatto (aka Joan Reid, Feature Editor of The Nyack Villager) and author of the column, Life Is a Bike. In one of her essays she hands down the Laws of Cycling: "Fourth Law: You can never get lost while riding a bike; your ride is merely extended. ... Sixth Law: You always look younger on a bicycle."

Other contributions include sports writer Scott Roberts' interview wth Lance Armstrong's coach, a husband and wife's journal of their tandem bike ride from Washington State to New Jersey (3,710 miles accomplished in forty-seven days), Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas Hylton, with his thoughts on bicycle-friendly communities. There are predictions on the future of bicycling and thoughtful commentary on the sport and pastime--even tidbits for non-bikers; we learn that cyclists affectionately refer to their bikes as wire donkeys and each other as gear heads.

This book is a treasure for the cyclists on your holiday gift list.The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings

colson's books are always challenging and inspirational. the body is no different. usually, i find stories and anecdotes superfluous. however, colson cleverly combines his stories with hard-hitting commentary. this book is an insightful commentary on the chruch's misdirection that provides useful suggestions and emboldenment necessary to reverse the downward spiral.

I read this book based on a recommendation and am really glad that I did. In this book, Chuck Colson takes a very detailed look at the Christian Church (The Body). He discusses its history, purpose, and current state. Based on a lot or research and interviews, the authors gave me a lot to think about and really opened my eyes to what the Chrisitan Church is all about.

Overall, I was particularly impressed with three points that the author discusses: unity (tolerance) within the Body of Christ, active faith, and regular church attendance. First, I think that Chuck Colson "calls it like it is" when he describes the petty arguments that have decided Christianity for years. It is a shame that many who call Jesus lord, cannot get along with other denominations. While we squabble over doctrine, more people become lost, and miss the greatest gift that God has to offer. The books call for unity is well founded and supported.

Secondly, Mr. Colson challenges today's church and its members to display the kind of active faith that marked Jesus during his time on earth and the early church. I totally agree with him that if the Church is to fulfill its purpose, Christians need to "get plugged in". Make a difference and bring light into the darkness that surrounds us everyday. This call to action really challenged me to rethink my role in society as a Christian, and how I can help further God's kingdom.

Thirdly, this book gives the best explanation of why regular church attendance is required that I have read. The authors point out that the Church is God's chosen instrument to spread his Gospel, save the lost, and further His Kingdom. As stated in the book "Christianity is about more than just you and your relationship with God". I have fallen into this trap, and heard this argument from many Christians. This book helped remind me that I have a much greater responsiblity than just my own salvation.

Lastly, this book does an excellent job of weaving in numerous stories to put a human face on the concepts he discusses. Despite the heavy subjects that it covers, it is actually a pretty easy read. I enjoyed this style, and learned a tremendous amount of things about Christianity that I did not know before reading this book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a detailed analysis of the Christian Church. If you have ever had questions (or heard comments) about why it is important to attend a church, how can the Church be more effective in today's society, what has worked in the past, and what will work in the future, then you should read this book.

I came upon Charles Colson's book The Body by accident. I have never considered myself much of a theologian, but I was a person who was content with my Christianity. After reading this amazing book, I have seen the true purpose of Christianity in the world, and I know just how poor of an example of Jesus I actually am. This book will open the eyes of anyone who is longing for the answer of "am I doing everything that Christ wants of me?" The Body is riveting reading, and you will be completely convicted by it. I highly recommend this work for anyone who is seeking the true nature of "church" and "Christianity"

Colson has written an excellent challenge to Christians to be of one mind and realize that all true Christians are on the same team.

The book consists of about 450 pages, 28 chapters and 3 main sections:

1. What is the Church?
2. The Church vs. The World.
3. The Church in the World.

The book is an excellent challenge written in a style like only Colson can. One particularly thought-provoking chapter focused on why Christians have had such little impact on society.

Read, enjoy, and be prepared to think and be challenged!

This is THE book on the role of church in our world. It has dramtic stories of what the faithful can do in living their faith combined with thoughtful insight from a great author. I stumbled across the book and I have not felt the same since. A must read.

This is a wonderful picture of the small Illinois town where my mother was born. It was a treat to see the mention of some of my family members. My great-grandfather was the owner of the Williams Mortuary. This was a treat!!

This accurate and off the beaten path history read like a murder mystery and showed me the various stages in the growth and death of a small town It also showed "what the simple folks did" to get get their booze during the depression era

MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS IN TOWN WHEN THE BOOTLEGGER WAS SHOT AND KNEW HIM. THIS BOOK SHOWS THE TRUE LIFE AND STRUGGLES OF LIFE NOT JUST IN SMALL TOWNS BUT ACROSS AMERICA. EXCELLENT HISTORY LESSON OF SURVIVAL AND WHAT GENERATIONS BEFORE US DID TO GIVE US WHAT WE HAVE.

This is definitely a page turner--rare in nonfiction. Mr. Hallwas combines the suspense of a murder mystery and the facts of a history lesson and makes it all fascinating! I was born in the area and my family's surnames are mentioned throughout the book. Most of my family members have read the book and have SO enjoyed it! In fact it may have solved a generations-old family mystery of a missing relative! A must read for anyone with family roots in small town America!

This book is excellent. Definitely a "can't put down" book. Hard to imagine the quiet, sleepy town of Colchester was once involved with Al Capone, Shoeless Joe Jackson, bombings of homes of law enforcement agents, and murders, bootlegging and crimes of this nature!

This was a required reading for a graduate humanities class. Carl Becker expertly researched the events leading up to the birth of the Declaration. Carl L. Becker's research on the philosophical influences on the Declaration of Independence is some of the best scholarship on the subject. Becker notes that a by product of the Enlightenment is that "In the eighteenth century as never before, `Nature' had stepped in between man and God; so that there was no longer any way to know God's will except by discovering the `laws' of nature." Not only are the force of the ideas, such as pleas to natural law important, but also how the words sounded to the ear would become equally important for the Declaration to move people to rebellion.

John Locke, Algernon Sidney, and Charles de Montesquieu helped form Jefferson's political and philosophical ideas towards government, public service, and leadership. The Declaration is replete with the Natural Law philosophy of John Locke (1632-1704). David Lundberg and Henry F. May conducted a study of the 92 existing library records from before the revolution, to determine which authors colonists were reading. Their research found that John Locke was by far the most read philosopher in their study. Becker postulated that Locke's ideas had made a significant impression on Jefferson, since he found that the general tenor and phraseology of the Declaration closely followed key sentences from Locke's Second Treatise of Government. Jefferson must have read Locke's work several times to be able to borrow so liberally from them, and to be able to mirror his language so accurately. To illustrate the point, the following is an example of Locke's writing showing just how closely some of the phrases match from his Second Treatise of Government, and the Declaration of Independence.

The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges
every one; and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind who
will consult it that, being all equal and independent, no one ought
to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions; for men
being all workmanship of one omnipotent and infinitely wise Maker.

Jefferson's original draft reads.

We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable; that all men are
created equal & independent; that from that equal creation they
derive in rights inherent & inalienable among which are the
preservation of life, & liberty, & the pursuit of happiness.

The "self evident truths" of the Natural Law philosophy espoused by Locke and enumerated in the Preamble of the Declaration, and found that both, essentially, declared that no person should be subordinated to another because of birth or class standing. In addition, people choose to leave the state of nature on their own free will and consent to be governed by a government of their choosing. Locke's specific concern is, "Men being, as has been said, by nature, all free, equal and independent, no one can be put out of his estate, and subjugated to the political power of another, without his own consent." Algernon Sidney (1623-1683), a contemporary of Locke's and a political theorist who Jefferson reads, writes in his book, Discourses Concerning Government, "That man is actually free; that he cannot justly be deprived of that liberty without cause, and that he doth not resign it, or any part of it, unless it be in consideration of a greater good." The Declaration's wording is, "that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." These "self evident truths," that government is by consent of the governed, is the beginning of a political reasoning that all British subjects on both sides of the Atlantic came to understand was their right after the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 in Britain, which was the inspiration for Locke's political philosophy.
The other reason for Jefferson to turn to Locke's writings, is his well-known ideas among the colonists regarding the rights and duties of citizens to overthrow an existing government when it ceases to provide for the proper welfare of its citizens. Locke, near the end of his treatise writes:
But if a long train of abuses, prevarications, and artifices, all
tending the same way, make the design visible to the people,
and they cannot but feel what they lie under and see whither
they are going, it is not to be wondered that they should then
rouse themselves and endeavor to put the rule into such hands
which may secure to them the ends for which government was
at first erected.


Jefferson, in the second paragraph of the Preamble to the Declaration takes Locke's words and constructs them thusly:
But when a long train of abuses & usurpations, begun at a
distinguished period, & pursuing invariably the same object,
evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it
is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government &
to provide new guards for their future security.

To prove to the world that rebellion was finally justifiable within the framework of Natural Law, Jefferson included a list of twenty-seven "abuses and usurpations" by the king in the Declaration.
The list of abuses by King George III, are an integral part of the Declaration, which proves that the king has, "in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over the States." Becker wrote that the list not only delineates the continued abuses by the king against the colonists, but it also "comprises a list of American political commitments." The next few sentences are a few examples of the twenty-seven charges leveled against the king, and the political commitments that the delegates enacted during their tenure in the Continental Congress. The king was accused of impeding and disrupting the legislative process, and in some cases, dissolving them in the first six charges. These charges are especially important to the colonists, considering their penchant for legislative authority above any other branch of government. The eighth and ninth accusations charge the king with not protecting the judiciary from the interference by the executive branch of government. This idea of a separate judicial branch of government was an idea that was picked up from the French philosopher, Charles de Montesquieu (1689-1755), and would be incorporated in the U. S. Constitution. The king was accused of forcing the colonists to quarter British soldiers in their homes and with disbanding the local militias. Both of these acts were so egregious to the colonists, that they would not soon be forgotten, and a prohibition on quartering soldiers and supporting the militias would become a part of the U. S. Constitution. One can easily see that reading through the list of grievances reveals that it also reads like a bill of rights, which the Continental Congress is declaring to the patriots as values that it will protect. The Declaration also takes umbrage with the king for disregarding the years of legal pleas made to him by the colonists to prevent this long train of abuses from causing such drastic actions as breaking away from the mother country. Becker astutely notes that nowhere in the Declaration is the word Parliament mentioned. All of the grievances listed are blamed on the king, even though they refer to laws enacted by Parliament. This important omission proves that the colonists were never given representation in Parliament. They created their own legislatures in the colonies, since they believed it was the natural right of any group of British subjects under British law to do so. Therefore, on July 4, 1776, after adopting the Declaration unanimously, congress resolves that the title read "The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America," and that every member of Congress sign it. Thus, this summary or compact of the eighteenth century American political mind and Enlightenment ideals burst into the world screaming for attention.

As a graduate student in philosophy and history, I heartily recommend this timeless classic to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.

Carl L. Becker's book on the Declaration of Independence first appeared nearly eighty years ago, and yet it is still a valuable and stimulating study of its subject. It is dated now, for two large reasons:

First, Becker wrote before the revolution in studying the history of ideas, and thus unavoidably predates the close-focus examination of the controversy between Great Britain and her American colonies in the years from 1765 to 1776. Two recent books should be read alongside Becker's monograph -- Pauline Maier's AMERICAN SCRIPTURE: MAKING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (New York: Knopf, 1997; Vintage paperback, 1998), and John Phillip Reid, CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, abridged ed. (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1995).

Second, Becker focuses on Jefferson as *the* author of the Declaration, neglecting that he was actually the draftsman selected by the Continental Congress and his colleagues within the drafting committee. Thus, the Declaration -- no matter what Jefferson said about it in later life -- was not primarily a window into his own thinking about natural rights and democracy, but rather the final statement by Congress as to the reasons for breaking ties with Britain. To be sure, later generations have read it as an expression of Jefferson's mind -- rather than of "the American mind," as he put it. But, as Maier shows in AMERICAN SCRIPTURE, Jefferson's thinking was nowhere near as unique or advanced on these subjects as later hero-worshipping biographers have suggested.

In particular, as Maier has shown, the age-old dispute about whether Jefferson was or was not influenced by Locke is somewhat beside the point. Even so, Becker's fine book is indispensable for deciding whether we should read the Declaration through Lockean or Jeffersonian lenses, and whether we should regard it as a codification of American aspirations or as a hypocritical catalogue of principles we cannot live up to.

R. B. Bernstein, adjunct professor of law, New York Law School

I have read this book, off and on, several times. It never ceases to amaze me. I tend to be a controversialist and rely upon this book often to help those who seem convinced that the Founding Fathers were of a particular religious persuasion. While foundationally on a personal level this may be true, in general they bowed down to a higher power: Reason. Yet this was not new to them nor were their political theories. Their roots came from somewhere else and that somewhere else was from the European soil they had left.

Becker does an awesome job dissecting the Declaration and its influences primarily from Jefferson through Locke. The natural rights philosophy chapter is awesome. This book is over seventy five years old and its arguments have been revisited and even countered but the book is still foundationally necessary for anyone who seeks to study the Declaration of Independence. In terms of studying the Declaration, there is before Becker's book and there is after.

There are many revealing insights and oddities that appear when Becker displays the lines that have been cut from the original draft (e.g. notice there is no mention of slavery in the final version; the reasons for its excision are included in the book). These little tidbits opened my eyes a bit to the relatively benign history of this document that I had been taught. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing so have a little fun and check this book out.

In high school, kids spend time reviewing the Declaration of Independence and learning its meaning. This book goes well beyond that to inspect the thoughts and ideas that were prevalent in the late 18th century and how they influenced the document. Becker goes into great detail about natural rights theory according to John Locke and explores the ins and outs of its implications. This to me was the strongest and most enjoyable part of the book. He also explores the thoughts and ideas that were circulating Britain at the time.

Building on this foundation, he weaves a tale as to why certain things were worded as they were (like Britain being run as a ruthless tyrant), and why certain things were left out altogether (like slavery). He also closely examines the changes that took place in the drafts and attributes them to individuals who proofread Jefferson's draft. I really could have done without his granularity in this area.

In all, this was a fascinating read. For those of you who want to extend your knowledge beyond the simple presentation of the document you received in high school, I highly recommend buying this book!

This easy to read book disects the wording and phrases in all the various drafts of the declaration. It explores the origins of the ideas and phrasing used, and discusses why individual words or complete phrases were changed, added or removed as they were debated first in committee and later by the Continental Congress. This book is commonly cited by other authors. As an example, it serves both as a source for and wonderful companion to Bernard Bailyn's book "The Ideological Origins to the American Revolution"