Wagner Books

" 'I can't do it anymore,' he [Buyer's then husband] says. 'Not the physical work. I could still cripple by with that. It's just the mental work, the worry, and the stress. I just can't do it anymore.'

" 'I know' is all I can think to say. When he adds nothing further, I say, 'I'll help you. Whatever you need to do.'

"I do not try to hug him or touch him or console him. I know better. He prefers being alone with his own suffering."

Ranch life is dirt, labor, wind, drought, deaths, births, wants, sacrifices, uncertainty, exhaustion. Why choose it? Because it is also stars, peace, calves, kittens, satisfaction, love, spring--"a meadowlark trills notes as sweet and soft as homemade ice cream. The song breaks my heart and then mends it back."

Read SPRING'S EDGE. Experience the poetry of ranch existence.

Laurie Wagner Buyer's memoir about one key spring when her life and marriage were on a precipice and yet the calves kept being born and the snow kept falling is beautiful and affecting. Her powerful feel for the legacy of the past, her keen observation about the color of the sky or the dimension of the stars, and even her desire to create art by keeping notebooks full of the details of days that seem never to change, yet must; all this adds up to a book you won't want to put down. This would be a perfect book club selection--plenty of material to discuss, cry over, and rejoice in. University of New Mexico Press should be commended for bringing this book to life.

Sometimes a story wraps itself around you and won't let you go. For me, Laurie Wagner Buyer's memoir, Spring's Edge, is one of those stories. Her book offers a rare insight into her life as a rancher's wife, a way of living that is at once remarkably sturdy and frighteningly fragile.

Buyer and her husband Mick--he in his mid-sixties, she some twenty years younger--raised cattle on six hundred acres in the mountains of Colorado. It's a tough life, made more difficult for Buyer by the realization that her husband is fast reaching the point where he can no longer manage the physical work. Since he intends to leave the ranch to the children of his first marriage, she has essentially no stake in the ranch to which she has contributed so much. What will she do--what will they do--when her husband can no longer live the life on the land that keeps him going? What will happen to their marriage if their work on the ranch no longer holds it together? On top of this, Buyer's father develops cancer. It is a situation that would bring most of us--those used to more comfortable, more predictable circumstances--to the brink.

But the Buyers soldier on, doing every day what must be done to keep the ranch going, the new calves alive, their fragile relationship in one piece. Buyer's journal of four difficult months in 1997 is a quietly compelling story of a doomed marriage and a ranch life under pressure from rising land taxes and encroaching developments. "We're on top of the mountain looking down at the wreckage of the times," she writes. "Age, inability, financial impossibilities, an anti-ag attitude in the community..." As local ranchers sell out, hay prices rise, and local agricultural businesses fail, the people who stay on the land demonstrate a tenacious heroism, although they pay a very high personal price.

Through all these challenges, it is the land itself that sustains and endures. Buyer's lyrical descriptions of the earth's coming alive with spring are full of hope and promise. "More snow, some rain, lots of sun, and our world will dance a greening jig," she writes. Later: "Snipe song ripples through the sky. Spring comes again fresh-faced and welcoming." Still later: "I sense the atmosphere hanging on life's balanced scale, ready to tip into full spring with the weight of one more robin, one more blooming pasqueflower."

But while winter is long ("A remember-winter wind cartwheels off the peaks with chilled intent"), the people are strong, and Buyer revels in their strengths. Her husband is "a man born to the land, bonded to earth by his birthright and by his stubborn, even zealous, dedication to a way of life." Her friend Gail loses her front teeth when she's helping check cows for pregnancy: "The fiftieth cow flung her massive head and hit Gail smack in the face. Teeth and hat went flying...[S]he grabbed her hat, stuffed a couple of tissues in her mouth, and went back to work because there were still ten cows to go." It is as if these men and women both draw their strength from the land and develop it in opposition to the land's brutal hardships.

A prizewinning poet, Buyer tells her story skillfully, working from journal notes (sixteen legal tablets) gathered, assembled, and polished. She focuses on the present, but also gives us intriguing glimpses of a puzzling past, enough to give us a sense of the development of this marriage but not enough to answer all our questions. (A remark on her website, that she "came west from Chicago as a mail order bride," compounds the mystery.) The book's epilogue, written some ten years after the events documented in the journal, brings the reader up to date with events in the Buyers' lives.

Spring's Edge tells a remarkable story. I won't forget it, and I don't think you will, either.

by Susan Wittig Albert
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

The book is very interesting. The characters are Xanantos, Demona, Goliath, Hudson, Broadway, Bronx, Brooklyn, Lexington, and Elisa. I'de rate it at 20! You'll love it. Read read read. Get a used copy.

This is a great book about the hit TV Disney series "Gargoyles". It's not the usual Disney tone which makes it more unique and fascinating. They are defenders of the night waking up in Manhattan after being in stone sleep for a millenium. You definitely should read this book.

From medievel Scotland to modern-day America a clan of Gargoyles learns a new way of life, one that is completely different from the one they left and hard to comprehend. With the help of their human friend, Eliza Masa, they learn to adapt. The book is faithful to the tv cartoon series, as are the illustrations depicting the Gargoyle clan.

If you're a quilter who always wanted to try machine applique, this book is a must. Easy reading instructions that give immediate, perfect results. It's a winner. I carry it to work with me just to be able to read through it when I have a few minutes free time. I wish I had found it years ago. Debra Wagner is a precious find. I will certainly be ordering her other books.

Debra starts a chapter on binding with the sentence "I adore piped bindings". Thanks to the well-written instructions & great illustrations, I do too! She covers more than piping - making it easy to try some of the other techniques that can change an ordinary quilt into a WOW quilt. This book is definitely a MUST-HAVE for me.

In machine-technique workshops, Ricky Tims refers to this book as his "Bible." Crammed with great techniques, and many are EASIER ways to do things that look NICER than what you've been taught to do. From the cover it looks like a book about applique, but it caused a big reduction in my cursing about binding and finishing.

I had the pleasure of working with Martha for a short time. She touched my heart daily and the book is true to her spirit. I always admired her greatly and after reading her book has become one of my heroes, a role model for all those caring for those unable to care for themselves.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. I started it last night and couldn't put it down. I'll admit I cried a little,... but mostly I was inspired by the love and caring that is exhibited on each page of this book. These stories motivated me to go out and help others in any way I can. Always remember: little things certainly do mean alot and can change the lives of those around you!

Also recommended: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

This warm rememberance of this wonderful woman's days as a nurse kept me captivated and wanting to move on to the next treasured memory. What a wonderful gift for a nurse or any person who enjoys uplifting stories about special people who make a difference to those in need.

A reverent examination of the artistic utilization of wood in classic cars. This book ventures beyond the American woodie, and includes the 1933 'Tulipwood' Hispano-Suiza, a 1926 Rolls Royce clad entirely in wood, Labourdette's skiffs and examples of fine woodworking in conventionally bodied vehicles. But I wish it was longer - the fine photography and extraordinary cars whetted my appetite for more.

A reverent examination of the artistic utilization of wood in classic cars. This book ventures beyond the American woodie, and includes the 1933 'Tulipwood' Hispano-Suiza, a 1926 Rolls Royce clad entirely in wood, Labourdette's skiffs and examples of fine woodworking in conventionally bodied vehicles. But I wish it was longer - the fine photography and extraordinary cars whetted my appetite for more.

A reverent examination of the artistic utilization of wood in classic cars. This book ventures beyond the American woodie, and includes the 1933 'Tulipwood' Hispano-Suiza, a 1926 Rolls Royce clad entirely in wood, Labourdette's skiffs and examples of fine woodworking in conventionally bodied vehicles. But I wish it was longer - the fine photography and extraordinary cars whetted my appetite for more.

I've ordered several books to better understand my daughter's OCD but since she is not the traditional "hand-washer" the books didn't help. This book does. It explores so many facets of OCD that I didn't see (nor did her psychologist) before. It has helped me look at my daughter's behaviors in a new way and see the disease manifest itself in ways I never thought of before. I would highly recommend this easy-to-read book to anyone who has a child with OCD and/or anxiety problems. It was exactly what I needed.

WORRIED NO MORE by Dr. Aureen Pinto Wagner is a very comprehensive and informative book designed to help parents, school personnel and mental health professionals deal with anxious children and adolescents. The second edition has a completely new look making it even more reader friendly, practical and easy to use. Dr. Wagner uses her vast knowledge of and empathy toward anxious children to provide specific strategies as well as forms and tools for decreasing and managing anxiety. I have found these strategies to be highly effective. I often use her forms and tools when I treat anxious youth (and adults). I highly recommend this book to mental health professionals, school personnel and parents of anxious children.
Martha Spital, LCSW-R New York, New York

Dr. Wagner's expertise comes alive in this practical guidebook for anyone who is trying to help an anxious child get up and over the "worry hill." The techniques are incredibly empowering for children of all ages and I have successfully used her step-by-step guidelines and easy to use forms. The children have really enjoyed the approaches and it has been a moving experience to watch them overcome their worse fears. I highly highly recommend this workbook and you will not be disappointed.

This book was an eye-opener for me.The authors really give a lot of information about the different forces encountered in spiritual warfare.
The experiences of missionaries abroad with territorial spirits is one example.
Possession and exorcism are touched upon.
The origins of demons was quite interesting and 3 Scripture-based theories are listed:
1-"Disembodied spirits of inhabitants of the pre-Adamic Age."
2-"The offspring of angels and antedeluvian women."
3-"Fallen angels."

The layout of "Wrestling with Dark Angels" is simple.There is a response to each chapter.
The power evangelism topic wasn't interesting to me.
The value of this book is in spiritual warfare and understanding how the enemy works.This book covers that area well!

I borrowed it from a friend for my first reading, but found there was too much essential stuff here. This book is for the more mature Christian who is interested in exporting the deeper aspects of spiritual warfare.

How can a book with such an ominous title raise one's spirit to praise as this one does? The 13 chapters (nine of them with responses) read like a Marine Corps recruiter's call to join the action. Taking just three chapters as examples, the authors declare that "We Are At War" (Dr. Ed Murphy), that we must reckon with "Deception: Satan's Chief Tactic" (Dr. Timothy M. Warner), but that we may rejoice by "Finding Freedom in Christ" (Dr. Neil Anderson). The authors and respondents offer well-reasoned, helpful insights into the very real battle that has to be fought if we are to fulfill the Great Commission. The contributors do not live in a side eddy of the evangelical church, but serve in such respected institutions as Seattle Pacific University, Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL., Church of God School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, Canadian Theological Seminary, Talbot theological Seminary, and others. Like its theme, this is a powerful book.

I don't think they could pack much more info into one book. It has refernces and shows how the author backs up his information. If you have people willing to really make thier church grow this book will help.

This book is perfect for those members of the church body who want to help but aren't sure where to begin. It's also perfect for pastors who want to teach on spiritual gifting, and also encourage church members to exercise their spiritual gifts with benefit to the church.

Wagner's writing is succinct, humorous, and clear. This book sheds light not only on different spiritual gifts, but theories surrounding them (the book draws from several lists in the Bible, none of which completely mention every spiritual gift), common misconceptions, as well as a test in the back of the book to help each person begin to get a sense of what his or her spiritual gifts might be.

The book is geared toward using spiritual gifts to help the church grow, and therefore focuses on some spiritual gifts more than others (to my disappointment, the ones barely touched upon seemed more relevant to me than the ones greatly expounded upon -- ah well, another book perhaps). I appreciated Wagner's candor and openness to other scholar's theories about spiritual giftings, as well as his standpoints on misuses of spiritual gifts.

This book is highly recommended as a place to begin your studies on spiritual giftings, especially in the context of gifts within the church body.

Having taught many seminars over the past seven years on Spiritual Gifts and having helped hundreds of people to find thier unique call to ministry through their giftedness, I found this little book to be a treasure of information. It succinctly describes the value of helping church members discover thier gifts and function out of them, leading to fulfilling and enthusiastic service for the Kingdom of God. Church leaders who have read this book in our setting have stopped looking for just "warm breathing bodies" to fill a position, but instead look for a person whose giftedness qualifies them for it and therefore classic burn-out is kept at a minnimum. Peter Wagner is easy to read and speaks clearly to the lay person.

Mr. Wagner has a wonderful ministry and a wonderful way with words. He's an excellent teacher, and it shows in this easy-reading book about the Holy Land. It's broken down in such a way that you can read a fact a day or a chapter a day and enjoy it either way. He gives an excellent exposition of God's promises concerning the Land, and interesting facts about the uniqueness of Israel.

Even after traveling to the Holy Land late last year, reading through this book was very helpful and insighful in providing interesting facts about the wonderful land of the Bible. It covers information on a broad range of topics, both current and historical. I would consider this book to be an excellent starting point or refresher course for anyone who cares about the land that our Creator God Himself deeded to Abraham and his descendents. Enjoy!

Laurie Buyer has an impeccable ear and voice. The poems are gripping. Selling Guns is a long poem you can't stop reading. This is poetry reborn into something that matters and something we need in our everyday lives. Her new memoir, Spring's Edge, covers some of the subject matter in these poems at more length and in prose, beautifully done. Her struggles with ranch life and the Colorado climate and a disentigrating marriage is high drama. Buyer is one of the great voices of the modern West.

I invite any book browser to read the opening lines of the first poem in this book, "Selling Guns," and witness the work of the greatest poet of the American West working today. Laurie Buyer's work -- poetry and prose -- is unforgettable.