Warren Books

It is the time of the Russian revolution where anyone connected with the royal family is no longer safe. Anton has been trusted with command by the tsar to take two servant girls from the royal house into safety. He soon falls in love with one of the girls, Oksana who seems to be hiding a secret from him. The two are constantly at odds but Anton has vowed to keep her safe. When he finds out her secret, will he still keep his promise to her or will he betray her trust?

I was afraid when reading this book I would be lost because I hadn't read the 2nd and 3rd book in the series. I had read the first book, Ekaterina, and had enjoyed it very much. However this book reads as a novel by itself although reading the other books will probably help to connect the complete storyline. I'm a huge fan of Russian history especially when dealing with the Russian royal family. I have always found the rise and fall of the last Tsar of Russia and his family fascinating. This story weaves historical fact with fiction beautifully. It's a really good story too, with lots of suspense and romance. What I also enjoyed about this story is that while most stories during this time period focus on Anastasia, this one was mainly about Olga. It was nice to read about a different perspective. It was obvious lots of research went into writing this book. I could almost imagine I was part of the story myself, trying to get into disguise and running for my life. Even though I haven't read the two books in between I can see how the first book and the last book tie into together with lots of clues finally being revealed. Excellent historical fiction and highly recommended.

"Oksana", the fourth and final book in the Heirs of Anton series, is by far the best of them all! "Oksana" delivers a monumental punch within the first few chapters that, despite some dragging parts in the middle of the book, will keep you entranced until the very end. The romantic element in this novel also feels more authentic than in the previous novels, even if it is far-fetched. "Oksana" ties up all the loose ends and questions of the Heirs of Anton books in some unexpected ways, and delivers a fantastic and genius ending to the series.

I'd say more, but chances are, if you have been reading the series, you already love it, and already plan to read the final book. If you have not read the previous three novels, I encourage you to read them as they were designed to be read, in reverse-chronological order ("Ekaterina" first, then "Nadia", then "Marina", and finally, "Oksana").

After finishing "Ekaterina", the first book of the Heirs of Anton series, I wondered why on earth I would want to read the next three novels, when the mystery had been solved in the first one? Sure, a few questions lingered, but not enough to really hook me. But somehow I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I bought the rest of the series - and I am SO GLAD that I did! Each book in this series has been a joy to read, each complex in and of itself, and yet also contributing to the underlying plot that is woven throughout all four novels. This is, without a doubt one of the best fiction series I have ever had the pleasure of reading!
(I don't give out 5 star ratings very often or easily, so i truly recommend this series!)

Grade: A

This final book in the "Hiers of Anton" series was superbly written and I enjoyed it so much. Downs and Warren have done an excellent job in this book, as well as the series as a whole, in telling the story of this Russian family and how they discover who God has called them to be. The story grips you from the beginning and the ending is awesome! This series was written backwards, starting with the most current family members and ending with the oldest. I look forward to reading the series again, only in reverse! Downs and Warren have won a fan in me!

Just before the Royal House of Romanov in Russia is forced into house arrest by the Revolutionists, Imperial Tsar Nikolai Romanov entrusts one his most precious belongings to a young Mennonite, Anton Klassen. Agreeing to protect and escort two of the Tsar's servants to safety, Anton travels to the palace to retrieve Oksana and Yulia.

Oksana, however, carries many secrets with her as Anton takes her away, including the fact she is not who she claims to be. Originally born Olga Nikolaeva Romanov, Grand Duchess of Russia, she uses the name of the faithful chambermaid who exchanged places with Olga in the palace. Trained to be her body double, the real Oksana chose of her own free will to remain behind to save Olga. Now under a borrowed name, Olga will have to learn to cope with a new life, even as she waits to be reunited with her family.

I find it very interesting that the books in this series have been done backwards as it were, with each book in the series going further into history instead of forward. Oksana is probably the best book in the Heirs of Anton series, aside from the first one, Ekaterina. Downs and Warren have written a wonderful romance combined with suspense. Oksana was a very well done novel.

OSWALD CHAMBERS, THE BEST FROM ALL HIS BOOKS, was published in 1987, seventy years after his death. He was primarily a preacher who spoke what God led him to say.

The book has a portrait of Chambers on the dust cover. He had an intense face with sharp, but kind features. There is a brief foreword by his daughter Kathleen and an informative introduction by Virginia Verploegh Steinmetz. The book has been edited by Harry Verploegh. There is a system of notations that tell where the selections were previously written, and an easty-to-follow key of the sources. It is a book filled with much wirting. There are 398 pages printed in a small type face.

Chambers was born in Scotland in 1874. His father was a preacher, and his mother was influenced by the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon. As a young man, he planned to be an artist, but he felt the call to the ministry in his twenties.

He became an evangelist with an international ministry. That the work of Oswald Chambers is preserved is a miracle. During World War I, he moved with his family to Egypt, where he established YMCA desert camps. During the two years he spent there, he kept a diary, and some of his thoughts were preserved on paper. He died in 1917 at the age of forty-three.

He preached without interest in writing. His wife Gertrude had a personal system of shorthand, and she went around taking notes because she realized the remarkable value of his God-annointed words. His writing helps Christians seeking the will and mind of God.

His classic, My Utmost for His Highest: Selections for Everyday, is also a valuable book to read. It provides the reader an opportunity to do some serious soul searching leading to a closer daily walk with God. THE BEST FROM ALL HIS BOOKS is easier to read because it is arranged in topics in alphabetical order. Perhaps it provides an easier way to cut one's teeth on the profound and very richly inspired thought processes of this remarkable man. It keeps the reader from having to dig through a massive amount of material to find thoughts on a certain subject.

Sometimes one can pick up the book and read a selection that is very short, maybe just a sentence. Here is an example: "God does not expect us to work for Him, but to work with Him." Here is one more: "Purity is not a question of doing things rightly, but of the doer on the inside being right."

There are also lengthy essays on various subjects. Reading and meditating on these can provide spiritual growth, comfort, and joy.

"The Best From All His Books" is an excellent compilation of some of Oswald Chambers' more profound yet simple statements from his various titles.

Included are comments from the areas of "Abandonment" to "Zeal" and a bunch of categories in between. While I have read Utmost for His Highest and a couple of other books, the quotes come from several books I have yet to read.

Read and enjoy wise sayings from a true man of God whom God still uses to minister to many people today! Highly recommended.

Oswald Chambers was an anointed man of God who had a lot of spiritual depth to share. This volume serves as a handy reference to anyone's library. Such a rich legacy illustrates that a person's suffering is not in vain. In addition to what it does in developing that person's character, it also encourages fellow travelers in our journey with God.

Harry Verploegh is to be commended for compiling this collection. It hits its intended target. Gifted communicators are gifts of God who enrich the lives of all of us as we gain glimpses of what've they've learned.

The writings of Oswald Chambers have long made me a dedicated reader and student of the black and white simplicity of his understanding of how God works in our lives. This second gathering of the best of all his books is yet another example of just how deeply in-tune Oswald was to his path...and offers a reminder with every subject listed. "You can never give another person that which you have found," Chambers wrote, "but you can make him homesick for what you have." You will definitely want this. Shelia...Fendersac@AOL.com

I couldn't believe such a complex issue was presented in such a simple manner. I think it should be required reading for all of Corporate America as diversity goes way beyond black and white. How about women, Christians, non-Christians, degreed, non-degreed, conservatives, liberals, moderates, etc? The list is endless. Excellent reading!

I finally got around to reading this bestseller and now understand why it's sold so many copies. The beauty of this little book is that it gets at important diversity issues that are often emotionally "loaded" for people, but without making people defensive. I find that many people have set up psychological fences around their attitudes toward race, gender and ethnicity. They've been admonished often enough on these topics that they find it hard to listen anymore. By presenting a charming fable about a peacock and penguins, Hately and Schmidt avoid those fences and get directly and powerfully at the essence of the experience of being different--and about the ways that people respond to differences. This second edition contains the 111-page fable from the first edition, plus 15 additional pages of guidance and resources on how to deal with differences. Even with the additional material, it is a very quick read. Reading carefully, it only took me about 45 minutes to read the fable, and another 10 or 15 minutes to get through the new material. This book would be a perfect pre-work assignment for a workshop on diversity.

Peef and the Baby Sister is a children's picturebook about a young boy, a multicolored teddy bear, and the boy's baby sister - as told from the teddy bear's point of view! Peef the teddy bear is used to having fun with the boy, his Best Friend; when the baby sister enters their lives, they enjoy making her laugh with their magic tricks and shows. But when baby sister doesn't feel well due to the stress of teething, Peef and his Best Friend find a way the one way to make her feel better - by giving her Peef to have, hold, and keep. A delightful story with an important lesson about sharing joy through selfless giving, Peef and the Baby Sister is highly recommended.

First, last, and always, Tom Hegg is a teacher. Here, he revisits the lesson he first taught in PEEF The Christmas Bear; loving someone, or something, means letting go so potential is fulfilled. Funny, poignant, and beautifully true to all that PEEF has become, this is a story that perhaps provides a missing link in the story of the multi-colored Christmas bear.

It's a children's book that I love. I ordered it because I wanted a copy - just to have. I believe this is the book that I had a mix-up over. The sending company was absolutely wonderful about it and actually gave me a complete refund and had me keep the incorrect book that they had sent to me. I would do business again with them in a heart beat.

The PEEF series of books is one of my all-time favorites. The stories have a strong message, yet are entertaining and the illustrations are simply delicious.

PEEF and the Baby Sister is about loving, sharing and sacrifice. It's a happy but poignant story (especially if you've read the series).

PEEF and his Best Friend have lived a childhood of exciting adventures. And as the Best Friend has grown, his friendship with PEEF has matured. When the Best Friend's sister arrived, the duo makes her laugh with all their antics. But when Baby Sister isn't feeling well (she's teething) nothing PEEF and Best Friend do can make her happy.

PEEF and Best Friend discuss the situation and make a sacrifice that brings joy to Baby Sister.

Sometimes the biggest and best gifts cost nothing in terms of dollars, but cost a great deal in loving sacrifice. PEEF and Best Friend are true heroes who love Baby Sister enough to give her a gift that will give her great joy.

Armchair Interviews says: Another great addition to the PEEF series.

My eight year old daughter and I took turns reading this book out loud. we loved it, and we can't stop thinking about it. We loved following this family through their ups and downs. This is a great book for all ages.

Shelby 8- I found this book very inspiring. My great great great grandmother Traveled west as part of a wagon train. We love to read about pioneers and this was the best book we have read. I loved learning about Grace McCance Snyder.

I read this book on a whim and thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing is first-rate, and the story of this amazing woman is inspirational. The book does an excellent job of describing what pioneer life was like. Great book for kids, but I enjoyed it, too.

This is the story of a real pioneer girl, Grace McCane. When Grace was just three years old, she moved with her parents and two sisters to Nebraska to homestead a claim on the lonely prairie. Grace grew up on the prairie, and she loved her life, although it was hard. If you liked the Little House on the Prairie Books, you will love Grace's story - the story of a girl and her family striving to make their dream come true despite innumerable hardships.

According to my 11-year-old daughter, this is a classic case of "Don't judge a book by its cover." "I thought it would be boring, since there is only grass on the cover, but it was the best book I ever read," she said. She was fascinated by the details about the nitty-gritty of prairie life, by the size of the families and the constancy of the chores. She's looking forward to reading Warren's book, "Orphan Train Rider," and wants the author to hurry up and write more.

PDL provides a means to stay focused on life's purpose especially when life gets muddled with career, work, family, relationships, etc. It brings you back to the core and provides clarity.

A friend gave me this book when I was going through a difficult time in my life and it was more than a great gift. I felt the book was very eye-opening without being overly religious. You can be a Christian and follow what the book is saying and get a very deep meaning out of it if you allow yourself to. I read it at the right time and was very open to what it had to say and therefore feel that it changed me. I still think back to that time being one of the catalysts for where I am at today and the book is a large part of that. I think we all struggle at some point of wanting to know why we are here so it's a common dilemna when nothing seems to be going right in your life to want to ask GOD. This book seems to be full of the questions you would ask and gives the answers that come from the Bible. It did get me through a rough time and very much has become the basis of my core today. I feel that I have found my purpose in life and no longer struggle with that inner pain of "what am I doing here?"

This is a great book to help you realize who you are and what your purpose in life is. There is a master plan.

Very pleased with the book I received. It was in the condition that was advertised--very good condition. Thank you.

This book is one that everyone must read in their life time. And the sooner the better. This book, and watching, The Passion of the Christ, changed my life. The book presented answers to the questions we all seek. The movie showed me in a whole new light, what Jesus went through for us. How could one not respond, but to seek out what Gods purpose for them is.

Thanks be to God, I am one of the fortunate ones that have found my purpose in life. I have a passion for the prison ministry and live my life in a way that I know could only come from above.

From a devoted Christian, please read this book. It will catapult you into a Christ Centered Christian.

'Recipe for Love' is a great anthology filled with many wonderful stories and recipes. I rarely ever have time to sit down and read a novel, so it was great to read a story completely in one setting. I loved the theme and all of the stories are enjoyable, but my personal favorites were 'Birthday Blues', 'Suspicious Minds' and 'The Man Has a Sweet Tooth'.

Suspicious Minds by Leanne Burroughs touch the heart in away all New Mothers can understand.and people who have Losted love ones.the the recipe as well.The story A Spaghetti kind of love well how can you go wrong with a story that has spagheetti in it's Title her Great Grandma red sauce looks super.A Heart's hunger is out standing Wonderful Pot Roast recipe. Kissing Kate is Super.A super Peach Cobbler recipe.Birthday Blues we all had that at one time the story just great.the recipe is so to the point Sweet'n Simple.Clam Chowder For the Soul a the story is fun the recipe look great.The Trouble with Belgian Waffles What a very unstanding lady in this story Cops and Firefigters lifes are most of the time in the air she show in this story how much and makes it fun the recipe for the Waffles super.Keeping Hannah Safe.Agood story the recipe looks out standing with is story. Recipe For Disaster very good story and recipe.Soup d' Amour,super stoy and the Cream of Mushroom Soup wonderful.OK this one I loved the title of Sweet Sauerkraut a sweet story great recipe.The Man Has A Swwet Tooth good story easy fun recipe.Yhe Pumpkin Pie Murder a very good story. Great Pumpkin Pie recipe.Cicken What Du Hell Bubba the Cat a hoot the story was so much fun just the best. THAT CAT IS TOTALLY COOL.

I enjoyed the entire book, Recipe For Love. The concept is so sweet and the recipes are just delightful. But one of the stories that really stood out for me was Anne Elizabeth's, A Heart's Hunger. It was like the wonderful pot roast recipe at the end of it - tasty and satisfying. You'll want to spend time with Carolyn and Bennett and all the characters of this heart warming story of coming full circle to find what's important.

Anne Elizabeth is a feast that can be savored over and over again. Enjoy her story and then try her recipe. I did and loved them both.

SUSPICIOUS MINDS - Leanne Burroughs - With her whole world coming down around her Darcy Sanders knew she had to keep it together, for the tiny babe her sister Janna's death had left in her care. With baby Emma's dad a casualty of the Iraq war and now her mom's death, Auntie Darcy was all the babe had left. On top of that Darcy had promised Janna to keep her dream restaurant Beale Street alive -- only Darcy had no idea how to cook. More than anything, Darcy needed someone to lean on and when Ross Grayson, owner of the building, stopped by to fix a minor problem, he became more than just Mr. Fix-it, but a stalwart friend with an impressive shoulder to lean on.

Burroughs starts this impressive anthology off to a great start with her SUSPECIOUS MINDS story. In combining all the elements needed for an emotional, passionate story, with a wee dram of humor in special moments when lines from Elvis Presley songs would mysteriously pop out of a spooky juke box at the precise moment needed to keep everyone on track. Darcy had an immense amount of stress to deal with including a broken heart for trusting the wrong man. Only Ross knew she was perfection personified, from the first moment he met her and wanted nothing more than to lift the world off her shoulders and her pert little body into his bed for the rest of his life. A truly delicious start to this anthology with a bonus recipe at the end of this story for Butterscotch Squares looking awfully yummy too!

A SPAGHETTI KIND OF LOVE - Michelle McGinnis - Dave Cipelli and Meggin had a brief romance, but when it got too comfortable, Dave called it off. Meggin after crying her eyes out for over a month was finally free of the big dumb lug and ready to start living life on her own, and part of that way to new life was to take up cooking classes.

Mama Mia, or better yet Great Grandma Carmella's red sauce; you have to admit if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, shouldn't women have equal rights too? Well it wasn't just for Dave's grandmother's sauce recipe, but I loved the pure honesty of how Dave went about showing and telling Meggin how much she meant to him and how he wanted their future to progress. This one was short, sweet story complete with a beautifully romantic declaration of love.

A HEART'S HUNGER - Anne Elizabeth - Carolyn left to pursue her dreams leaving behind the only family she had and a plethora of angry friends. In San Francisco she achieved career advancement and financial success, but for all her success, true happiness eludes her. With a missive from Aunt Polly to visit she returns home and along with best gal pal Tina, she recalled old memories and news of those left behind while putting together a family dinner. Special were the memories and updates on Bennett, the boy she'd left behind, made her realize what was truly missing in her life.

Memories are like stealthy fun loving puppies, biting you on your heels to remind you to remember what is best not forgotten. The author uses this vehicle with Carolyn and her friend Tina as she and her best friend chat over shared memories as well as sharing the chores of putting together a family meal. The reader sees how no matter how much Carolyn wanted to forget her roots, they were always there, especially when every prospective male she met was measured up against Bennett and they all fell short of expectation. This was a sweet story, with a lovely romance stirred into the pot.

KISSING KATE - Jaquelin Lorin - When Nick Ballard surprisingly showed up at the Minerva / Ballard family gathering, Kate suspected that his grandmother had a hand in it. After leaving ten years ago, abruptly letting Kate know he wasn't interested, her sixteen year old heart had broken. Now he was back, successful and gorgeous as ever and Kate wasn't about to let him trample her heart again.

While this is a very common plot line where the boy runs away from home to seek fame and fortune leaving behind a trail of broken hearts, the authors puts a very sentimental and heart tugging emotional spin on it to reveal facts of the true reasons why Nick left and what events led him to stay away. She revealed Kate's inner turmoil over still loving him so much, in such a way that this reader shed tears as if I were the one left behind who didn't want to get hurt again. This was a perfectly lovely story, and I can't wait to try out Kate's `peach cobbler' recipe!

BIRTHDAY BLUES - Amy Blizzard - Claudia Mackay fought her way to her front door while almost being run over by children hanging dearly onto birthday balloons when she remembered it was her birthday too. It was also a day she'd like to forget, but her best friend Dawn wasn't about to let her. Dawn had sent her a private chef to cook her up a special birthday dinner. Unfortunately, she neglected to tell him that Claudia was a vegetarian; or was her friend trying to cook something else up besides Claudia's dinner?

This was a very sweet, witty and clever story. Claudia was an extremely up-tight and suspicious woman who was surprised at her door by a very handsome dude who could have been a molester or burglar and her reactions to him were completely plausible. Nick, the chef, wasn't quite sure what he'd gotten himself into by doing a favor for her friend Dawn but when Claudia let her air down, he was ready to prepare any dish she wanted. The dialogs were yummy as is the recipe for Sweet N Simple Fruit Salad.

CLAM CHOWDER FOR SAMANTHA'S SOUL - by Jill and Julia - It was not the most auspicious event when Mitch Whitaker met Samantha and he accused her of stealing clams, from HIS private beach. It also didn't help that he assumed she was just another one of his playboy neighbor's gold-digging lovers. It would take several more insults added to injury before `Lola' a `gnome chick' set him straight and on the right path to redeeming himself.

Well, I'm not sure about the recipe for `Whitaker's Clam Chowder' recipe at the end of this delightful short story, but the story itself was mighty tasty. Admittedly, Mitch acted like a real ass when he assumed all the wrong things about Samantha, but thankfully the introduction of a delightful wise-cracking gnome-chick by the name of Lola, gave him the inspiration to save his butt and not let Samantha, the next best thing to ice cream get away!

THE TROUBLE WITH BELGIAN WAFFLES - Kristi Ahlers - Since the divinely handsome detective Drake Hunter moved into the apartment across the hall, Claire had made several attempts to cook up something wonderful as a housewarming gift. This was not a great idea - Claire was a disaster in the kitchen! Knowing it was now or never, Claire bought a food basket and screwed up her courage to knock on the door to see if the way to a man's heart was really through his stomach.

I so enjoyed this story! Not only was the author able to make you laugh out loud with Claire's disastrous attempts in the culinary arts, but you had to love her klutziness as well. Detective Drake definitely noticed his neighbor, obviously not for her culinary talents, but as one very sexy looking young woman he would really like to taste. The pacing was just right in this, the dialogs were lovely and the obvious attraction both felt for one another was `smoking' - just like Claire's attempts at cooking! Loved the proposal and had a tear in my eye. Superb!

KEEPING HANNAH SAFE - Billie Warren Chai -
If you never learned how to cook like our heroine, then it's a good thing you live next door to a fireman who turns out to more of a hero than one could imagine. Brian got turned on and off very quickly by Hannah, but after an initially bumpy start, he came through to save not only the day, but captured Hannah's heart.

In one short story this author managed to grab hold of your attention with a very funny kitchen disaster, spark it up with a wild attraction, toss in a twist or two with a little bit of suspense and have it all come together in one totally enjoyable and heady romance. Excellent characterizations and with so much going on in this tale, I'd love to have seen this as a full length story!

RECIPE FOR DISASTER - Bobbi Dumas - Chef Jason is on the cover of a popular magazine, declared the most eligible hot bachelor who mentions a special someone he's in love with. Sara has guilt enough over having inheriting half of the house Jason and she now share, but is she now screwing up his lovelife?

The author paints Jason as all that is kind, considerate and loving - anyone's ideal of a special person in their life. She also paints a complex guilt ridden heroine who has loved Jason from childhood and relished her summer vacations to visit. This was very good, sweet and emotionally touching story where the author explained and showed the guilt parents could load up on a young child. Thank goodness for happy and wonderfully romantic endings.

SOUP d'AMOUR - M.J. Sager - When an inheritance comes through giving Maximilian Conner Tristam a building; Conner - as he's known to friends - goes to check it out. What he did not expect to see was a thriving community center and at its head a woman whose very presence seemed a balm to his soul!

Both the Connor and Layla were very well defined and giving Layla a gift of sight where she immediately saw herself married and making love to this stranger made this short story all the more enjoyable. What Connor's matchmaking Uncle Leo couldn't do in his life was to arrange to have the two people he knew were soul-mates to get together once and for all after his death. Well-written, humorous and sensual with a wonderful recipe for my favorite soup!

SWEET SAUERKRAUT - Gerri Bowen - At a gathering at White's Nicholas, Viscount Wharnecliffe and his war-time comrades were discussing how Nick should find a wife with a large dowry, but that might be impossible when she found out he was raising five nephews, who were out of control. Discovering that Major Reese's sister Elizabeth (Beth) had a large dowry and loved to cook, Nick was tempted to make a proposal - sight unseen - before she laid eyes on his nephews, that is!

There's nothing more I like than a sweet Regency tale and though this was short and sweet it combined all the elements I look for in a historical read with humor and a little bit of silliness to toss in the pot. The idea of a Regency lady wanting to cook was clever and original. During that period, it was one thing to cook privately in the home, but to enter a contest where the judges would be from the upper echelons of society, now that is original! Very well done, but just can't say I have a fondness for sauerkraut, sweetened or otherwise!

THE MAN HAS A SWEET TOOTH - Diane Davis White - Sadie the Shady Angel and her mentor Pricilla are back into the swing of things to help two strangers make a match. How they take the two diverse personalities of sweets loving Joe Spellings and Leonora Cullpepper, a complete health food addict makes for a sweet tasting morsel of a story!

Bottom line on this story is that the author has a marvelous sense of humor and though not the leads in this story, the reader is definitely going to remember Sadie the Shady Angel and Pricilla as these two angels argue over how to get Joe and Leonora together! The dialogs are witty, and the sexual attraction is strong making the reader smile from start to finish and the recipe for Easy Raspberry Brownies sounds positively decadent!

THE PUMPKIN PIE MURDER - Victoria Houseman - As a detective in the Charleston, S.C. homicide department, Sara Stone was sent to question the owner of the bakery, where a supposedly mob hit had occurred. Sara had heard Silas Edwards was the baker of the stars for his incredible wedding cakes and petit fours, but what Sara wasn't expecting was to have him look as gorgeous as the creamy concoctions set out in his display cases!

Shall I say this was sweet, with all the beautifully described pastries that came in only second to this "love at first sight" story? Well, it was sweet, and the old cliché of `love at first sight' was beautifully played out under this author's well-written hand. Both characters were very well fleshed out and with a tad bit of humor added into the pot, you couldn't ask for more - except maybe one of Silas's pastries!

CHICKEN WHAT DU HELL - DeborahAnne MacGillivray - Remy (aka Royce Torqhill Remington Kinross, the 13th Marquis of Dunmoor and Seafeld) and his cat Bubba were not scoring points with the gifts Bubba was dropping off at their beautiful neighbor Catonia's house. Although Bubba, who kept bumping his head in adoration of Catonia's beautiful boob seemed to be getting a lot further along in the romance department than his master; Remy was bound and determined to change that right quick!

What a wonderful story Ms. MacGillivray submitted to end this beautiful collection of short stories all featuring some fabulous recipes. I absolutely adored Bubba the cat, whom Remy thought could have been a rogue in another life and been turned into a cat by a jealous witch - he seemed so human and was getting all those booby caresses! Remy when he turned on his Cajun accent was a sensual delight, with his wonderfully delicious `pick-up' lines. All the characters were well-developed and this short story was simmering with sensuality.

All in all, I don't think the reader will find a better compilation of mouth watering short romantic love stories than in RECIPE FOR LOVE! This is a highly recommended volume - perfect for beaches, doctor's offices, or anywhere you've a few minutes to read.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization

I seeked this book out for my mother (class of 78) and i found myself amazed at all the coverage the book had about her century. Each chapter was writen about each year and within those chapters you were filled with pictures quotes (from the people who lived the time) as well a time line (breaking down each current event within that year)!! It was so great i was caught on the train reading it and i was stopped by people who were breath taken from the pictures.

Its funny how the wheels where turned. I not only gave the book to my mother but i bought one for myself. At the moment i am still on the quest for searching more books like this, but ofcourse this time in my decade (90's)

The wild, disillusioning, violent, and tragic face of the 1970's is covered in seventy (how apropos!) essays ranging from writers, entertainers, journalists, people connected with the entertainment industry, and more. Together, they bring about an exhaustively covered retrospective composite of that decade.

Self-expression and the alarming gung-hoism of the US is recounted by Chrissie Hynde, who was a freshman at Kent State on that fateful day in 1970. To her, it was "inexperienced people put in chrage of events they didn't know how to handle," but she lists Sinead O'Connor being booed by Dylan fans for her political slap at the pope on TV, realizing how self-expression has become suppressed in the name of patriotism.

The redemption of the South is told in essays about the resurgence of Southern rock, e.g. the Allman Brothers, and Jimmy Carter's winning the Oval Office. His advisor Hamilton Jordan defends Carter by his tackling tough issues Nixon or Ford refused to touch, such as the Panama Canal treaty, SALT, and the Middle East peace process, but was sunk by bad luck (the price of oil, the shah's ouster).

Nothing new is revealed in Dan Rather's essay on Watergate. Yes, that scandal fostered a deep cynicism and skepticism in journalism and among the people in politics. It was the American people who decided Nixon's fate, but the legacy of that is what do people do when confronted with similar guilt from a politician or celebrity? Do they want objective truth, or do they want something splashed out sensationalistically, with a "gate" suffix attached?

The music acts/artists covered here are David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Eagles, and Fleetwood Mac. The portion covering the Eagles is an interview with Don Henley and Glenn Frey, and something Henley said struck me as embodying what the 70's was. Henley lists the 70's as an attitude of disillusionment that the love-one-another ideal of the 60's didn't pan out and how a self-centered, self-concerned, materialistic mindset arose from the late 70's. Still, Glenn Frey does argue that the 70's gave some great names in music.

Fleetwood Mac carved their name into rock legend status with Rumours, and the essay on them is written by Mick Fleetwood's ex-wife Jenny Boyd, who writes about the breakups and affairs that were going on during the making of the album and how they affected her personally.

The essay that really drew me was Mikal Gilmore on his reaction to his brother Gary Gilmore, who became the first men executed after the Supreme Court made capital punishment constitutional after years of review, and the ethics of life and death in the Karen Ann Quinlan case. And disabled veteran Ron Kovic's quote on Vietnam rings true today: "a war ain't over until you don't have to live with it anymore."

Film critic Peter Travers says he hates what Star Wars led to: the spate of sequelitis, cross-merchandise marketing, and soulless sci-fi movies like Starship Troopers. SW also rode the crest during a brief time (1976-1978) when it looked like things would be better, as Don Henley also thought. But it was also an escapist thriller, something needed after Vietnam and Watergate, something simpler, exciting, and yet innovative.

There's also a chronological timeline by day listed in the margins, listing events as groundbreaking as Nixon's resignation to what song and album were at the top of the Billboard charts and what were the year's biggest movies, albums, and books. Mostly a pop culture stance on the Me Decade, but with asides to issues still relevant today.

Rolling Stone the Seventies by Kahn et al. admirably distills the current and past thoughts of many of the influential 70s writers, and a range of participants from politicians to musicians. It is too bad there is no accompanying CD or CD-ROM to go along with the book.

The collection -- mostly essays and pictures, places the 70s in a nicely printed coffee table book. Marginal notes including timeline reference the dramatic movement through the decade. As a reference or a momentary revival of the period, the book provides content and layout that no other book contains.

I'd had about as much ironic 70's redux as I could take; maybe that's why this book was such a pleasure to read. That and the fact that it exceeded all expectations that the Rolling Stone imprimatur conferred. This is a collection of essays by people who were there and have something to say about what they saw. The perspective is intimate but the observations-- especially if you were a teenager then as I was-- are universal. Patty Hearst, Ali, Nam, Zep, Nixon, Evel Knievel, disco, Dr. J., it all came jumping off the page. Many of the decade's Who's Who-- Dan Rather, Chrissie Hynde (present at Kent State!), John Milius, Hamilton Jordan, Joan Baez-- are not just subjects; they're essayists! Oh and by the way, the photos alone are worth the price of the entire book.

As informative as anything I read as an Ivy League history major and as good company as my high school party pals. If you lived it or if you want to find out how we got where we are then you must read this book.

While I am not sure the metaphor of the rhinoceros to describe quality leaders is apt, that really is a small point in the accuracy of the overall big picture. Rhinos are nearly blind, physically powerful, are not terribly bright, are extremely thick-skinned and will charge when they feel threatened. Successful leaders must have a vision beyond the horizon, be intelligent, their physical prowess is largely irrelevant, thin-skinned when it comes to absorbing relevant information and be the leader of a hierarchical herd. Charging without thought in the face of a perceived threat is also the last thing a quality leader will do. Furthermore, they must also be willing to accept and promote people with the capability to challenge their leadership.
These good qualities are stated and restated in this book, often within altered contexts. As so much of the latest business and economic news has made clear, the leadership class in the Unites States appears to be more of a hindrance than a benefit. The broad spectrum of faults runs from outright criminal behavior to general stupidity, with greed somewhere in between. While no sensible person would say that if the leaders were more like Warren's "rhinos" the current economic crisis would not have happened, there is no question it would have been lessened in severity.
The leadership lessons Warren puts forward in this book are sound, appropriate, realistic and worthy of study. While a fearless leader is a foolish leader, the person who understands the terrain and manages the fear that it presents will be successful. This is a point that Warren understands and drives home with the force of a charging rhino.

Running with the Rhinos is one of the best leadership books I have ever read! I would recommend it to anyone that wants to become a better leader in all areas of their life.

As a master leadership strategist, Mr. Warren has made a lasting impact in my life and has helped me raise my leadership effectiveness to a whole new level.

RUN! Don't walk, to buy this book!

If you like John Maxwell you will love this book. It's leadership priciples are well illustrated and easy to put into action. This book is going to help me become the leader I have always known I was destine to become.

This book is an insightful and inspiring book about leadership, success and overcoming obstacles. Particularly Warren's take on how failure can empower leadership as well as how to transform not only your career but your work/life balance as well are powerful and actionable for anyone who is ready to embrace leadership to the fullest.

If you enjoy John Maxwell or Jim Collins' books then this book will serve as a great addition to your bookshelf.

This is a re-issue of the 2nd edition in more modern form. There's no need to talk about the content and importance of this book to value-investor. But some reminder concerning this edition: 1) It is an abridged edition of the original 2nd edition (published in 1940). A total of 10 chapters have been deleted. 2) The Appendix Notes was also deleted. That's why the publisher could keep the pages at around 700+ something. 3) In compensation for the missing chapters, the publisher has attached a CD which contained the pdf format of the original 2nd edition (with 52 complete chapters as well as the Notes). I think that's really the most valuable part of this edition. That why I commented that it's a more convenient version of the 2nd edition.

Security Analysis is a definitive and clear guide to understanding value investing, and conducting thorough fundamental analysis on a stock of your choice, allowing for an informed investment decision.

The insights you can draw from this book are directly and immediately applicable to the real world of common stock selection. At the very least, Security Analysis will provide you with:
- A framework/guidelines you can use to capitalize on opportunities in secondary issues
- A process for understanding balance and income sheets
- Perspective on corporate governance and stockholder-management relations

This classic is the best and the most thorough read in its class. Without a doubt, it also provides clear insight into the mind of a genius, Benjamin Graham. That said, this is not an easy read, a bit on a dry side, and does not allow you to "breeze through" its roughly 740 pages (appendix including) without understanding and building on the information in previous chapters.

What makes this 6th Edition worth the money (in case you already own the classic 1951 edition) are the additional essays and entries that are selected specifically for their relevance to today's changing world and the exuberant market conditions.

Security Analysis Sixth Edition, Foreword by Warren Buffett (Security Analysis Prior Editions)

and there is good reason for it. This is the book that can make you wealthy. The added essays for this edition are fabulous and well worth many times the price of the book.
More than technique value investing is an attitude and a logical thinking pattern. Benjamin Graham was so well rounded (Greek, English and Math majors at Columbia) in his background that he could write a book that is full of ever-lasting principles. (There is even a discussion about the dangers of investing in low-quality mortgages and how they could be packaged to look enticing - how's that for something written almost 70 years ago?)
If you are a serious investor, you'll want to read this book.

This book is a must-read for every investor; that said, it's a very difficult read. This edition contains essays that make the timeless lessons clearer for today's investors.

With Mr. Market currently having a fit, this book is as important as ever.