Way Books

Stepping Off the Edge: Learning & Living Spiritual Practice

We've known author Verne Albright for years as the affable and articulate announcer at our Peruvian Paso horse shows. And yes, we knew that he rode two Peruvian Paso horses from Peru to the United States in the 1960's. But we didn't know the whole story. Braving vampire bats! Cholera! Typhoid! Malaria! Bubonic plague! Crossing the Matacaballo (Horsekiller) Desert. Or the Andes! The Peak of Death where weather is so extreme that people often freeze to death standing up. And the human problems. The revolution in Nicaragua. Anarchy in Colombia. Banditos. Trying to find food for his horses where there wasn't any. Also horse shoes and vets. (Though he did find a witch doctor. Who cured the horse.) Verne rides from Peru to California, surpassing one obstacle after another after another until the reader feels like tearing his/her hair out and murdering most of the officials in South America! I was anxious the entire time I read this book-- which fortunately wasn't very long: I couldn't put it down. What a tale!

Why did he do this? He was a young guy in his 20's. He wanted to promote the Peruvian Paso breed. And also, the ride seemed like a good way to condition one of the mares for the Tevis Cup (the 100 mile endurance race) in Auburn. Yeah. Riding her from Peru should do it.

Although the book is non-fiction, it reads like fiction. His story is so vivid that I feel like I'm right there with Verne experiencing his adventure. There is always something happening that keeps you turning pages. The previous reviewers pretty well cover what the book is about. I think, as an author, it is well written and Vern is a talented writer. As a reader I know both adventure lovers and horse lovers will enjoy this book.

If you ever wanted to take an adventure, "Start Here"! It's fun, stimulating, wonderfully illustrated, and beautifully presented. It's a "Genuine" adventure! It will keep you on the edge of your seat, as you climb up and down each page. When you reach the end of the last chapter, you will want to go back to the beginning and start the journey again. If you have the spirit of adventure in you, "This is too good to miss"! Climb on your horse, your adventure is waiting!

Mr Albright is a long-term authority on Peruvian Paso horses and has done a great deal to promote the breed in the United States and to see that it receives the respect it deserves. The journey he made as a young man was a mission with this purpose. I'm not a horse expert, but I was truly gripped by his story. He writes in a highly readable style and describes the many people he met, good and bad, with great gentleness and humour. The quality which is foremost in my mind after reading it is persistence. Considering the formidable obstacles he met with daily on his trek - harsh climate, lack of suitable feed, bureaucrats and bandits, he overcomes all of these by enormous dedication, strength of will and courage. This book deserves a much wider audience. I found it truly uplifting.

NOT ONLY THAT, IT WOULD MAKE A KILLER ACTION FLICK OR TV MOVIE! We've known author Verne Albright for years as the affable and articulate announcer at our Peruvian Paso horse shows. And yes, we knew that he rode two Peruvian Paso horses from Peru to the United States in the 1960's. But we didn't know the whole story. What it was REALLY like. Braving vampire bats! Cholera! Typhoid! Malaria! Bubonic plague! Crossing the Matacaballo (Horsekiller) Desert. Or the Andes! The Peak of Death, where the weather is so extreme that people often freeze to death standing up. And the little human problems: The revolution in Nicaragua. Normal anarchy in Colombia. The ever present banditos. Border guards. Logistics: Trying to find food for his horses where there wasn't any. Also horse shoes and vets. (Though he did find a witch doctor. Who cured the horse.) Verne keeps traveling, surpassing one obstacle after another after another until the reader feels like tearing his/her hair out and murdering most of the officials in South America! My God! I was in a state of anxiety the entire time I read this book-- which fortunately wasn't very long. I couldn't put it down. What a tale! Even has a bit of romance. Verne Albright should be a nationally known action hero. Why did he do this? A good question. He was a young guy in his 20's. Seemed like a good idea. He wanted to promote the Peruvian Paso breed. And also, the ride seemed like a good way to condition one of the mares for the Tevis Cup (the 100 mile endurance race) in Auburn. Yeah. Riding her from Peru should do it. If you like horses, horse stories, adventure yarns, tales of bureaucratic despair, and romances, this is the book for you. It's better than most action fiction out there.

From CHOICE

As political, social, and economic factors cause the world to shrink, people of many diverse cultures find themselves interacting with each other. Americans no longer view the world with "ethnocentric" glasses, but are learning to value diversity. This new book comes at just the right time, showing through a compilation of works from authors around the world that sign languages from various nations, while different, can be a significantly unifying factor to the worldwide Deaf community. Not only does this work present surprisingly parallel stories of the different struggles and successes of the Deaf community throughout the world, it suggests that in compiling the material for their work, the researchers may have inadvertently set the stage for a more general understanding of world cultures and for valuing diversity. If the Deaf communities of the world can value each other, perhaps we all can. Recommended. All levels and collections.

-- J. A. LeClair, SUNY Oswego

An article from the Deaf Base website (www.deafbase.com/article473.html)

"The challenges faced by deaf people in Sweden are quite different from those in Nicaragua and are set on a common global stage," explain Leila Monaghan and Constanze Schmaling, two of the contributors of Many Ways to Be Deaf: International Variation in Deaf Communities edited by Monaghan, Schmaling, Karen Nakamura, and Graham H. Turner. In this volume, twenty-four international scholars have contributed their findings from studying Deaf communities in Japan, Thailand, Viet Nam, Taiwan, Russia, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Great Britain, Ireland, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Nicaragua, and the United States. Sixteen chapters consider the various antecedents of each country's native signed language, taking into account the historical background for their development and also the effects of foreign influences and changes in philosophies by the larger, dominant hearing societies.

"Key themes of this volume include how Deaf communities have survived despite opposition by those who thought and think that Deaf people should not be allowed to have their own separate communities outside of hearing cultures, how forms of education interact with and are reflections of larger sociocultural processes, and how signed languages are crucial parts of Deaf communities everywhere." The diversity of background and training among the contributors to Many Ways to Be Deaf distinguishes it as a genuine and unique multicultural examination of the myriad manifestations of being Deaf in a diverse world.

CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
New Scholarly Books
9/13/2003, A17
COMMUNICATION
Many Ways to be Deaf: International Variation in Deaf Communities, edited by Leila Monaghan and others (Gallaudet University Press; 326 pages; $69.95) Research on sign language in Austria, Brazil, Britain, Ireland, Japan, Nicaragua, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States.

A book notice from the Foundation for Endangered Languages:
OGMIOS Newsletter 2.9 (#21): Summer - 31 July 2003 (www.ogmios.org/2111.htm).

Many Ways to Be Deaf: International Variation in Deaf Communities: Leila Monaghan, Constanze Schmaling, Karen Nakamura, and Graham H. Turner, Editors

The recent explosion of sociocultural, linguistic, and historical research on signed languages throughout the world has culminated in Many Ways to Be Deaf, an unmatched collection of in-depth articles about linguistic diversity in Deaf communities on five continents. Twenty-four international scholars have contributed their findings from studying Deaf communities in Japan, Thailand, Viet Nam, Taiwan, Russia, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Great Britain, Ireland, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Nicaragua, and the United States. Sixteen chapters consider the various antecedents of each country's native signed language, taking into account the historical background for their development and also the effects of foreign influences and changes in philosophies by the larger, dominant hearing societies.

The topics covered include, inter alia: the evolution of British finger-spelling traced back to the 17th century; the comparison of Swiss German Sign Language with Rhaeto-Romansch, another Swiss minority language; the analysis of seven signed languages described in Thailand and how they differ in relation to their distance from isolated Deaf communities to Bangkok and other urban centers; and the vaulting development of a nascent sign language in Nicaragua. ISBN 1-56368-135-8, 7 x 10 casebound, 288 pages, glossary, references, index, $69.95s

Collaboratively compiled and edited by Leila Monaghan (Lecturer in the Department of Communication and Cultural at Indiana University, Bloomington); Constanze Schmaling (Linguist at the Institute of German Sign Language at Hamburg University, Germany); Karen Nakamura (Professor of Anthropology at Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota); and Graham H. Turner (Senior Lecturer in the Deaf Studies Program at the University of Central Lancashire, Great Britain), Many Ways To Be Deaf: Internal Variation In Deaf Communities is a compendium of scholarly assessments of deaf communities and sign languages worldwide, ranging from Swiss German Sign Language; to the developing sign language of Nicaragua; the conflicts of hearing culture and deaf culture in various nations; some national tendencies to view the hearing improvements of cochlear implants as motive sufficient to dismiss the importance of sign language, and much, much more. An exhaustively researched and critically insightful resource, Many Ways To Be Deaf is an impressive work of scholarship and a ground breaking contribution to Deaf Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Mapping the Dharma is a wonderful guide for those just beginning the path of Buddhism, as well as for those who have been traveling for a while. The book is at once simplistic and rich, easy to read and thought provoking.

Often times, followers become frustrated and confused at the many layers that make up Buddhism, and find that the lists - The Ten Perfections, The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, and The Eight Fold Path, to name three - are just too daunting. Happily, those issues end here.

Mr. Gerheard has done a marvelous job in structuring Mapping the Dharma so that learning about Buddhism is easy, referencing is a breeze and, in short, the vast body of information is instantly accessible.

Highly recommended.

I've assigned this indispensable, easy-to-follow, and well-designed primer for the university class I teach on the history and philosophy of Buddhism. It's all right there in the book -- all the lists and concepts, cross-referenced and presented in a VERY reader-friendly format. Of all the books I've used for this class, I think this will be of the most immediate usefulness to my students as they work through the (ultimately infinitely rewarding) thicket of concepts that the Buddha laid out for our benefit.

Just a wonderful job, Mr. Gerhards. I wish all my texts could be such an easy decision!

Mapping the Dharma is an engaging reference for those of us with an active practice and an articulate description for those beginning to explore it.
It is also a perfect book to loan to family and friends who have questions about your practice. The format makes it easy to follow and the clarity of Mr. Gerhards' explanations make it easy to understand.
Mapping the Dharma is a welcome and useful addition to my library.

Mapping the Dharma: A Concise Guide to the Middle Way of the Buddha is an easy-to-use atlas of nearly one hundred key concepts of Buddhism. Accessible to Buddhist practitioners and curious lay readers alike, Mapping the Dharma offers straightforward explanations of concepts such as "The Eightfold Path", "The Ten Perfections", "The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination", and much more. Simple diagrams and page cross-references further enhance the ease with which Mapping the Dharma can quickly be internalized. An invaluable "Cliff's Notes"-style primer enthusiastically recommended for novice students, scholars, and practitioners of the Middle Way.

I've been reading Buddhist writings for about three years, but I've struggled with the endless lists... Eightfold Path, Five Precepts, Four Noble Truths, Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Five Hindrances etc.

I have struggled keeping all of these things straight at times. This fantastic book maps it all out.

I've been working my way through some great books, web sites and some of the original (Pali) Suttas, but I've felt there needed to be a great reference source to kind of step back from it all and see how it's connected... this book provides exactly that. I'm really impressed with the hard work.

If I could only keep a handful of books on the Dharma this would be one of the first I grabbed... I really recommend it to people just starting out in their interest in Buddhism, and I think that those who've been studying the Dharma for a while would benefit as well.

Mary's Way: Romantic Love As a Path to God is a presentation of DIVINE TRUTH given for a world filled with illusions!! While absorbing the words in each line, my spine tingled with recognition of realities I had always known at a very deep level in my own soul. What a joy and comfort to see it verbalized! In the book, she reveals the way and the armor we all need for our souls to survive in the materialism and sexism of our modern society. After reading this book, it was clear to me that Mrs. Hennelly had produced this work from her deep concern, compassion, and love for all of humanity. A truly inspirational and moving work!!

This is an excellent book and provides vast insight into the uses of sexual energy. For anyone on a spiritual path, this book is a must read!

WHAT A TREASURE! Through love, The Divine Goddess (Mary) gives invaluable insights, information, explanations and direction. These teachings are applicable to every day life and can be referenced easily. This is one of my favorite books I return to again and again to answer questions and find solutions. We are all deeply fortunate to receive such a gift. Thank you Michelle and Kevin for your work on this outstanding contribution and in helping me understand Truth and my personal path. I can only tell you that if you want a view that can only come from the vast Divine perspective from which this book has been written, then I strongly recommend you get Mary's Way: Romantic Love As A Path To God. This book brings colossal insights, which will help you and all of humanity in more ways than I can describe. IN-JOY!

Visionary and healer Michelle Rios Rice Hennelly teams up with former psychotherapist R. Kevin Hennelly to present Mary's Way: Romantic Love As A Path To God, a revelation of the Divine Mother's wisdom concerning new ways to see ourselves and others in relationships as humanity moves toward the Age of Light. From the sacred energies of love-making; to the power of living a holy life and letting go of all that is not love; to the power that truth and freedom can bring when following the way of the goddess, Mary's Way is a movingly emotional and deeply spiritual revelation for self-improvement and growth.

This is the kind of book more people should be aware of especially in 21st century America where commercial interests work to sexualize our every idea but where the power of human sexuality to transform and ennoble is forgotten. Ms. Hennelly writes intelligently and with a heartfelt investment in sharing with us the holiness of our relationships.

Rather than slick "self-help" cliches, Ms. Hennelly writes with passion and vision bringing the truth she sees into our purview. You can read it and weep for what we're losing but you can also read it and learn what you can do to create a richer, more sacred life.

This is a work to keep close at hand during those child rearing years. the Mentoring Mom is a book to be turned to often as parents face the day to day struggle, confusion and struggle that is so much a part of raising a family. The writer leads the reader into understanding that raising kids is a big job, is not an insurmountable job and is a job to be savored.

The reader is offered suggestions for letting others and God do some leading in our own lives, an important quote I especially liked was added "Parents of good kids take too much credit and parents of struggling kids take too much blame" is offered. While I didn't have the quote when my own children were teens, the notion was well entrenched and carried me through those years with a minimum of upset.

the Mentoring Mom will be a welcome addition to parental personal reading list, the therapist shelf, school and public library and for all who hope to make a positive difference in the lives of another. the Mentoring Mom is a book to be read in entirety and then kept close at hand for study during times of particular need or situation.

Over the years, Hollywood movies have stamped on the layman's mind an image of a typical American family as a rubber band stretched by stressors of self-centeredness and unbridled individualism. This stamp is particularly lasting in case of teen folk. As we read Jackie Kendall's The Mentoring Mom (New Hope Publishers, Alabama, 2006), the Hollywood's stamp is washed away and the American family appears in a new light-that of love, care, and trust. Surely you would need a mentoring mom.

Jackie Kendall addresses caring mothers in her book, sharing the eleven images (what she calls stamps) she imprinted on her children's lives-images that model Christ- to help them grow up in God's image. Kendall tells simple, true nonfiction stories from her own family life and asks the readers `Questions for Reflection' at the end of each chapter. It is her excellent writing style, lively humor, and prodigy of construing thoughts in the most beautiful sentences that makes her book a wonderful gift to moms and everyone else.

The Mentoring Mom carries invaluable lessons: loving the Lord by way of loving fellow human beings, the difference between mere learning the word `God' and knowing God intimately, and above all, the true spirit of a real family. An indelible lesson of the book, of course, is the vitality of `wholesome grief'. In Kendall's words: tears do not bring back the one who has died, but tears do bring us back to the life that must be lived without the ones who have died.

As an author Jackie Kendall's words work wonders. The reason is not hard to figure: you can actually feel the persons, she tells of, in their own voices as if the author has a miraculous force by which she transforms herself into the soul of the one she is talking about. You can identify your life's instances with Kendall family's history of love and benevolence. This is indeed an achievement.

Jackie Kendall's book is a must read because we all need Kendall's wisdom's light to arrive safely at our destiny of peace.

The next best thing to living next door to Jackie Kendall is reading her books. The Mentoring Mom is written from one mother's heart to yours with an abundant dose of grace.

"In what ways do you want your children to grow up to be like you?" Kendall asked. "Is mom modeling for her daughter the significance of a consistent, daily growing relationship with Jesus through God's word?" Are we more concerned about the condition of our aging bodies than the care of our souls?

Button-popping proud mother of two grown children and president of Power To Grow Ministries, Kendall recommends mothers stamp eleven images on their children including a love for God, a praying woman, a student of God's Word, your soul's emotional health, loving people to Christ, your heart's passion, a noble life purpose, your teachability, your perseverance, reckless abandon to God, and the image of an adapting spouse.

The Mentoring Mom encourages readers with doable steps like spending seven minutes daily with God. "Do you know how many seven-minute increments we've got in a day? Every day you have 205 chances for seven minutes with God," Kendall said.

Journaling has been essential for Kendall. Through journal entries, each chapter in The Mentoring Mom shares generous glimpses of her victories and struggles over the past two decades of her own parenting. Chapters end with questions for reflection.

"I am often amazed that parents can be so thorough in teaching their children about hygiene but neglect the hygiene of the soul," Kendall penned. She writes that a soul is cleansed by confession and forgiveness. Kendall is a good forgiver. The power of her ministry comes from her personal journey. Growing up in an abusive family, Kendall was a teen when she became a Christian. She has done the brave work of facing her issues, allowing God to heal her wounded heart, and learning how to forgive the unforgivable.

Kendall has the best teaching on forgiveness I've encountered. An exuberant and genuine speaker, her tapes are available from her website, Power To Grow. Her video, "How to Avoid a Bozo" is a must see for parents and teens. Based on Kendall's intensive study of the book of Ruth, this video outlines the difference between a Bozo and a Boaz. Teaching your boys to be a Boaz and your girls to avoid a Bozo is a vital part of being a Mentoring Mom. - PeggySue Wells, Christian Book Previews.com

Full Disclosure: I did not read this book, my wife did. After all, she's the one who really wants to be a mentoring mom. What follows is gleaned from her thorough reading of the book:

You're a mom and you wish to produce more than just the average good kid-you wish to pass the slippery torch of faith to your next generation. Well, if that's your goal, then Jackie Kendall, author of Lady in Waiting, has produced a wonderful tool to help you get that done.

Mentoring Moms offers 11 concrete areas of life in which Moms can thoroughly train their children to love God. Dad's have a role, too, but Mom's have a unique calling and a special gift in passing down the legacy of faith.

Jackie is both biblical and practical. Her words don't induce pangs of guilt and shame, but rather encourage and uplift with practical tidbits of wisdom. She gently sprinkles the Scriptures over everday life situations.

No matter what stage of life your child is in, Mentoring Moms can help you grow in your most important responsiblity: mothering. I would buy this book for yourself and for the important moms in your life.

In this work by author Jackie Kendall we are gently guided to improve the most important job of our lives, being a mom. The author encourages all mothers to open their hearts to be mentored by God who in turn will give to them inward wisdom to help them mentor their young, and I believe it works.
Ms. Kendall gives us 11 principals to guide us, and as the author explains, as we use these principals we are 'stamping healthy imprints' on our children as they grow.
Her words are, "children learn best by examples." Certainly a truth we all need to remember. Her principals are Scriptural and wise.
A few examples of her 11 principals are:
The Stamp of Teachability; The Stamp of Passion in our Daily Lives, and my favorite, The Stamp of Perseverance." Carefully she takes her time to explain the meaning of each, their importance in you and your children's lives and how you may implement them to help you and your child. In her explanation of these we find wonderful stories, examples and Scripture.
If you hunger to make a positive impression on your children, leave them a lasting legacy they will carry with them all their lives; this work is for you. Well written, informative and enjoyable.

I will not do justice to this book by reviewing it. All I can say is, if you seek, this book will lay it down so that you may find. Be cynical as I am, be critical as I was, be hesitant as you should be. Buy this book, read it, understand it, internalize it. I did not have the luxury to learn from it. I learned elsewhere and at great cost. This book will save you decades, and impart wisdom if you are able and willing to receive it.
If you know what I am talking about, buy it as a gift for those in your life who can learn, and act, and alter the future.

All blessings from bill at logicalmetaphysics dot com

The author writes about the Kaballah, a jewish mystic, as about her own experiences in very clear and beautiful language. I read and reread the book and still enjoy reading it very much. When reading it is as if I may join in the spiritual experiences of the author, which are very normal day to day experiences of deep stillnes. In ten chapters Shoni Labowitz describes the 10 sephirot of the tree of life and each chapter is devided again in paragraphs in which she describes aspects of the sephirot. These paragraphs are like meditations, in simple and very beautiful language. And when reading I notice that each sephira can be a part of my daily life. That's the beauty of the book for me: spiritual experience is not out of reach and holy and only for very spiritual people, but living day by day with both feet on the ground, enjoying life in many facets.

I have read this book and loved it so much that I've taken notes and returned to it over and again.

Based on teachings from the Kabbalah's Tree of Life and the ten branches (Heavenly Gates) that are said to be touched by a particular power of God. Each chapter is devoted to a 'branch' of the Tree.

I enjoy studying the RWS Tarot, and have found that through reading this, it has given new meaning and understanding to the images in the cards that never occurred to me before. Reading certain things here would remind me of a scene on a particular card and I would think: "That is SO what that means!" Supposedly tarot cards have a history that is connected to/from Kabbalah so it makes sense that principles from this "Tree" would correlate so perfectly with the cards.

Reading this is like a tool to help you grow and explore more deeply in your spirituality and your life. So much good information on how to live.

To begin with this book is a life journey kind of book. I am Catholic and have found this book has given me such depths of spirituality that I read and reread entire parts of it and read them again with new eyes. It has a brand new lesson in each reading. Something I might have missed suddenly comes to mind.

I am currently buying my eighth copy of this book. Not saying that I give it away lightly but I know I want to have one handy when I meet someone who is seeking their Godspark.

Rabbie Labowitz has written a spiritual guide that leads the reader on a wonderful journey of discovery. Each page brings new insights into the awareness of the reader and shows the reader the paths available in the journey we call life.

Miraculous Living beautifully describes the Kabbalah's 10 gates of the Tree of Life and the TAO. The commonalities of the two ancient and important works unfold before the readers eyes. Each gate includes a meditation that supports and enhances the message.

While written in very different sytes, I found that the truths of Miraculous Living are the foundation of books such as "Simple Abundance" and wonderful companions to books such as "Anatomy of the Spirit".

Take time to savor Miraulous Living and you will be on the Journey of a lifetime

Don't disdain this marvelous book. Julie Sahni teaches you how to cook Indian food in the microwave, with flair and flavor. In the process, you learn things about microwave cooking you never knew. The microwave really can make "real" food, and Julie Sahni shows you how. The recipes need the quantity of spices increased in some cases, but this book is an endless delight and resource. Wonderful for summer months when you crave the flavor of that luscious curry but want to beat the heat in the kitchen, or just for any time when speed and ease seem the way to go! I love this book. I own over 30 Indian cookbooks, but I return to this often.

I just made the Rogan Josh for dinner tonight. It was outstanding. Amazing authentic tasting Indian food that is almost laughably easy to make. When I remember my Indian friends working for hours on what now takes 45 minutes, well, lets just say, these days we are eating a lot more Indian food. The caramelized rice pudding (Banrasi Kheer) is to die for. Remember that to make this the old fashioned way you had to cook it hours just below boiling to be careful not to burn the milk. Not so in a microwave! You just zap it for about 30 minutes (yes that is an insane length of time for microwave, but you need to just trust her).

The only problem is that a lot of the recipies will boil over, so plan on setting aside some time to clean up the microwave.

I received this cookbook as a gift from a friend who had served me several delicious meals from it. I had the book probably two years before I was brave enough to try using it but once I did haven't stopped. The recipes are well written, easy to follow, and delicious; they keep, store and reheat well. Julie Sahni really demystifies the spices, ingredients and cooking methods. My copy of this book is falling apart, I've used it so much. I can't praise this book highly enough.

I tried several of her recipes after watching Ms. Sahni on the Frugal Gourmet a few years ago.
The dishes I prepared were a hit with family and friends. I would especially recommend making the Indian sweets using her microwave methods. The results were quick and delicious!

This is the first time I've ever read a cook-book that actually gives you real step-by-step recipies that work really well. The directions are obvious, even for a initiate like myself, and at least 95% of the ingredients are the off-the-shelf variety. I also love the way Julie Sahni "narrates" her recipies, giving me just enough outside information to add some depth to the dish, and yet not so much as to detract from the recipies themselves. What else can I say except that my copy is used almost every weekend, and it's already dog-eared and well worn. I just hope she comes out with a follow-on at some point...

Always tell a good book by the unavailability. Find it and keep it. Anthropology at its best... plus a little philosophy. Full of the sexual animal and his ultimate motivations...he understands Darwin and the human experience...few books do.

Wright has done an exceptional job surveying the science, and weaving into it a fascinating biographical sketch of Darwin himself. If you want to begin to get a grasp on why men and women are truly different, and in what ways, you have to start from the biology. Though, of course, you don't have to end there. Wright is a weaker philosopher than he is a reporter; don't let it stop you from reading this astounding book and doing some thinking for yourself.

Wright argues that human nature is carefully adapted towards maximizing the success and proliferation of our progeny. The moral and sexual behaviors of humans, he notes, can be explained by considering how these adaptations might have improved the success of our ancestors. He shows us how much of what we call humanity -- our rationality, our morality and our seeming transcendence above animals -- is the manifestation of the very "animal" motives which we criticize as selfish and inhumane. The true irony, as the title of the book suggests, is that we are oblivious to our own baser motives.

Mr. Wright's book should be considered required reading for anyone seeking insight into human (and animal) behavior. The Moral Animal begins with the increasingly popular theory that human evolution and behavior can be explained at the quantum level as well as, if not better than the macro-definable explanations with which we are all familiar. Additionally, the author provides excellent argument to support assertions that human behavior can be explained by evolutionary (or rather, co-evolutionary) forces.

The neo-Darwinian model presented accounts for differences in general gender behavior and provides a format for policies that could work to solve some of our social problems. The explanations of "sex" wars, and why males and females have different life strategies are clear and strongly argued. The book offers an understandable explanation of where we came from, an insight on where we might be heading and reasons for why we are (historically) where we are now.

Having a real weakness for broad inter-disciplinary sweeps that leave a lot of conventional thinking whimpering in the dust (as one finds in the work of Camille Paglia and John Ralston Saul), I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I must admit that my ignorance of a lot of the scientific material dealt with in this book leaves me vulnerable to an ornate argument. Still, Wright's pitch is aimed at the non-expert and I never felt in over my head. His back and forth between thesis and Darwin's life functions both to iluminate his argument and provide a breather between bouts of research and speculation. Stylistically, Wright is diligent and at times wry. I was initially attracted to the book by a blurb by Steven Pinker author of The Language Instinct. Philosophically, one can see their attraction but stylistically, Wright lacks Pinker's glee. A bit of term-paper drudgery seeps through the prose. As for the argument itself, Wright is General Grant, winning by dogged force and determination. At times, he squeezes a lot of juice from simple primate studies, but he has the wisdom to label specualtion as such. The seemingly circular logic of evolutionary psychology in which everything is interpreted through that paradigm and what doesn't fit awaits future clarification smells a bit of dogma and faith, but, again, Wright senses the objection and makes a good faith effort to explain it away, appealing to the difficulties inherent in asking for an evolutionary hypothesis capable of interpreting every bit of anthropoligical, archeological and genetic evidence. In any case, much of his argument seems quite availbale for disproof. Finally, Wright should be congratulated for going the whole route. Clearly, this new paradigm has profound political and philosophical implications which are not shied away from. Wright is not a philosopher but he lives up to the obligations of his argument and provides a utilitarian framework for us to ponder ethics for the newly self-aware species.

GREAT STUFF! This book is a must for any supervisor in a call center. Real hands-on techniques that keep the staff motivated and reaching higher levels of performance. Dave, keep 'm coming!

Dave Worman should be a cult hero for the motivating industry. His energy level and excitement is felt throughout the book. He has great ideas that after you read them, you say, "What a great idea, I can't wait to try it." If you need motivation, Worman has the stuff.

AFTER READING THE BOOK, I COULDN'T WAIT TO IMPLEMENT DAVE'S TECHNIQUES AND IDEAS WITH THE AGENTS. EASY TO DO CONTESTS THAT BENEFIT NOT ONLY THE AGENTS' MORALE BUT THE COMPANY AS WELL. YOU'LL BE ASKING YOURSELF WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT.

Dave Worman has a unique understanding of how to motivate employees so that they give outstanding effort. This book provides great ideas on how to inexpensively motivate employees; and the ideas can be utilized by all levels of management. Dave's ideas can most definetly be used in the telephone sales industry, but some of his concepts definetly have the ability to transcend to most all industries. If you have employees working for you, this book is a must read !

"I bought copies of Motivating Without Money as a gift for the management staff in our outbound lead generation department. It's a gift that will benefit everyone in the department. I would encourage everyone to consider this gem of a book. It's mandatory reading if you're serious about your business." Robert Ripley

My Journey In Karate: The Sabaki Way is a in depth book about Kancho Ninomiya's Journey though Karate. It describes how he won the All Japan Tournment and started the Enshin Karate Style. I am a Student of Enshin and Recommend the book to anyone who wants to read a great book about Karate. Two Thumbs up!

Anyone who has been a serious martial artist will throughly enjoy reading the inspiring story of Grand Master of Enshin Karate Joko Ninomiya. Anyone who has been serious about the martial arts for a significant amount of time can relate to Ninomiya's life story.

Before beginning his study of kyokushin karate at the age of 15, Ninomiya practiced judo. After making the transition to karate, Ninomiya never turned back and had the dream of becoming a karate champion. The book explains how he would go to different karate schools in Japan and challenge the top students to improve his skills. He challenged different schools in a dignified way, he never used bully tactics. After hearing about the all-Japan karate tournement, Ninomiya practiced diligently for years until he was able to win first place. In the book, he talks about his training and preparation, his fights and the people who helped him become better as a martial artist and as a person.

I like the way Ninomiya emphasizes that karate is not about winning tournaments and beating people up, it's about confronting yourself and pushing beyond what you are today. Master Ninomiya admits that he did not realize the true meaning of karate until after he had accomplished one of his goals. Sometimes that's what it takes because after we win something or accomplish something big, we often ask ourselves "now what?" and become complacent. We should fight against this complacency because it will only make things harder in the long run.

Towards the end of the book, Ninomiya gives his opinion of "no holds barred" fighting contests. I agree with Ninomiya that "no holds barred" contests appeal to a morbid curiosity. People often watch these types of contests and are happy to see someone lying flat on their back at the end of a match or seriously hurt in some way. Ninomiya founded The Sabaki Challenge which is a real karate tournament, but he has a point system that emphasizes technique to minimize injuries.

I have been a martial artist for most of my life, and so have always been attracted to stories that outline other martial artists journeys. Joko Ninomiya has written a "must read" for anyone whose chosen path is the Way of the Warrior. He has done an outstanding job of outlining the highs and lows of a life dedicated to the "eight Fold Path". I was also moved by his love and respect for his Sensei and for his father. This book was much more than I expected and a wonderful addition to everyone's library.

Kancho Ninomiya is not only a world class champion, he writes with a certain gift; one that captures the essence of a lesson one could only get from training with him... and make no mistake, this may make for an inspiring read but reading it without training in any martial art is as hollow as reading Shakespeare and never seeing it performed... I began studying karate very seriously as an adult under Sensei Kishi, one of Kancho Ninomiya's teachers and best friends, as well as a collaborator on this book... this text captures the true spirit of martial arts training, something that is very difficult by nature of the difference between the written word and the life of martial arts training. Osu.

Rarely in the martial arts world are biographies rich with insight about both the individual and the training. Normally, -except a couple bio accounts of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris' auto-bio account- the books are very dry and not very telling. Sometimes it is the writing and often it is because the reader is never really let under the skin of the martial artist. In this book - that has changed.

Ninomiya graciously allows the reader to travel in his mind and spirit as he grows from an unfocused (though hardworking)martial artist and somewhat immature teen into a higly skilled and mature warrior.

The reader travels and sees when Ninomiya, through several events and a couple of key mentors, understands himself and his journey through karate. Unlike most auto-biographical accounts, I never felt Ninomiya was boasting about his success. Instead, he shows where his failures and determined manner leads to success beyond winning a "trophy."

An excellent book. I learned much from this extra-ordinary man.