Guides Books

The author raises several intersting perspectives in this book. In today's hectic stressed-out world, it is sometimes helpful to stop and reflect upon what one is trying to accomplish, and how one is going about it. This book helps in that regard. A good read.

I found it very inspirational, and it will make me take a closer look at my `ways of life' as they are today. I couldn't read the book fast enough ... was sorry when it ended! Family and friends are key - I wouldn't be where I am without them! What seemed so important before, will probably be questionable in the future.

Go make a circle ... I can now relate!

Brown's work is entertaining, instructive, and coldly honest all at once. He makes the very salient recommendation to find those things most important in life, i.e. work, family, friends, and play, and integrate them as soon as you possibly can in the name of Venn Efficiency, and personal satisfaction. The book caused some introspection as to the integration of the spheres in my own life, and the choices that I have made, and continue to make. And as Tony points out, I own my choices, so to ignore the above, is at my expense, while also MY fault.

I cant wait to get to the next fork in my road.

Instead of waiting for the movie, I did have the opportunity to read Mr. Brown's book on the train ride into work. As I took in the thought provoking verses and awesome photo's (would love a copy of the GG Bridge one)I looked around at my fellow commuters and thought...how many of these people spend the time to think about Venn Diagrams and intersections in life. Great book that I plan to pass around to other family and friends as required reading. Looking forward to the movie - I see Owen Wilson in the lead.

I finished Happy Guide last night...and I loved it! I grew up in rural NC and can identify with just about everything in this quick read. I just watched a close friend die after a two year battle with cancer. And Brown's prediction was bang on - my friend didn't change; in fact, his characteristics were more obvious than ever. This and so many other similar experiences have told me that we aren't promised tomorrow, so I have learned to live each and every day as if it might be my last. I have tried hard to tell everyone who means anything to me exactly how I feel about them...all the time. No words should go unsaid. My mom died when I was 13, she actually committed suicide. There are many words I wish I had said to her, but didn't. Just one of my life lessons. Anyway, in the spirit of Al Gore, I would say Brown's 'Happy Guide to a Short Life' is full of 'inconvenient truisms', which made me laugh and think. My wife was trying to watch TV and I kept busting out laughing and reading sections to her. She finally said, "That book sounds great - stop reading to me - I want to read it myself." Mr. Brown's book, IMHO, is much better than Ms. Quindlen's!

Great book & well worth the money. Christopher not only explains how, but why. I now see movies in a different light which helps in understanding why certain movies appeal to the masses and most importantly, why others don't. If you have a story in your head, this book will explain how to coax it out for all to enjoy. It's been a tremendous help in guiding my stories from imagination to page.

The name Keane might not jump out at you as "major Hollywood screenwriter" but after reading over the first few sections of this book it is obvious that he knows what he is writing about. Honest and straight forward, this book takes you from stage one (you have an idea) all the way through the proper way to write your script to how to sell it (stubborness is the key!). The best part is that the author has one of his complete screenplays at the end of the book. It comes with annotations and is a big help for a visual learner like myself.

I highly recommend this book. It has helped write the Different Flags screenplay. Eugenia RenskoffDifferent Flags

So far the best and complete guide for screenplay that I've read. Very useful for those who wants to start writing a screenplay. I recommend it.

This books is very well written and has loads of information for the beginning screen writer such as myself. The author takes a chronological step by step approach as to how to get started and the proper format for a screenplay. The only thing I'm sort of ad odds with is that the author doesn't say much as to how in the world you get an agent to just read your script, let alone representing you. He sort of glosses over that problem and a real problem it is. I personally have been sending out query letters since February of this year and have received only "polite" rejection form letters or no responses at all. I've even sent out "follow up" queries and still no responses. I assume that agents need postage stamps, they've obviously kept the ones that I've included for return postage, or that in order to get ANYTHING read and actually produced, you have to know someone personally in the business. Don't quit your day jobs and think that you're going to sell a story. It's next impossible, as I've unfortunately realized. You would assume that it's not really that difficult given all the "schlock" that IS produced. Case in point: an independent film maker made a film this last year about zombies attacking a small town and it cost him about $30,000 to make. He released it and it made over $35,000,000 in one weekend! Out grossing the three main stream releases put together! Go figure. Never the less, this book is a good fundamental but just don't depend on it too much as gospel. Keep writing, keep looking for an agent but also keep/find a regular job in the meantime.

I'm maybe a third of the way through the book and I just had to write a review: this book is absolutely amazing! It had me in tears by the second chapter. It is unbelievable just how wonderfully intricate we are and I commend Ms. Rose for outlining this and gently guiding the reader to shed the negativity and create his/her own dream life.

The key is, it's all WITHIN us and within OUR OWN POWER to make these fundamental changes for the better, which will indubitably improve and enlighten our lives.

Thanks for writing such a meaningful, wonderful book! I will purchase a few more copies for my friends.

I purchased this book because a phrase was mentioned in my daily meditation. I was so moved to further my inquizative, hungry mind & soul. I was very excited to receive the book and begin it imediately, as i did. I was not dissapointed as it kept me at my edge. I wanted to read more as i digested all the wonderful, hearty visions and fueling words and messages. This book lead me to my next and then to another and i realized i was on a journey of no return. Thank you both the author for providing me with the resources to feel whole and motivated and complete. :) Penny

In "Know Yourself" Barbara Rose did an outstanding job of bringing insight where I previously had confusion or uncertainty. There is a chapter covering abuse that helped me un-do more hurt from the past than I thought it would, and for that I am grateful.

I wanted to quote directly from the book from page 98 because I feel this can help anyone, which is the purpose of this great book.

"Letting Go of Criticism
Another part of cherishing others is to, with loving compassion, let go of any criticisms made of you; blame the criticisms on illusions the people had at the time; for had they had healthy and pure minds, they would not have taken anything out on you. Instead of blaming them, cherish them for being your teachers--and for teaching you how to feel self-value despite anything they may have said or done.

Do not ever take to heart hurtful comments others make. Do not make them a part of your being. Know yourself and you will know truth.

Know who you are. What you believe in. What feels right and true for you.
If you dream of changing your career because of the passion you feel for a new field, enjoy the process; never let anyone stop you with their illusions of so-called failure or impossibilities.
Nothing is impossible.

I learned this saying: "Whether you believe you can or you believe you can't, you're right!"

If your heart is pulling you in a certain direction, then this is a part of your truth, and you must honor it.

This is where a solid sense of self comes from. It comes from knowing your truth. You can be sixty-five years old and decide you want to go back to school to become a doctor because you have always really wanted to help people. Go back to school!

Don't ever let chronological age hold you back. Many people, both men and women, have uplifted countless lives and have achieved their greatest self-actualization later in life.

Wisdom is the hallmark of a life lived from the heart, without judgment, and with compassion for all others.

No matter what it is you want to do, do it because it is a true expression of who you are. The joy you will experience by honoring what your heart and soul came into this life for will far outweigh the pain and disappointment you will feel if you don't honor your truth."

There is much more that I can quote from, much more that has helped me.

While doing the written exercises, simply and clearly spelled out in the beginning of the book, I experienced what many people call "A-Ha" moments. Each one brought more about what was holding my back into my awareness, and then following the guidance in the book I was able to un-do the old, and replace it with truth that feels much better!

I read this book twice so far, and am now re-reading it again. It's an excellent book for anyone male or female!

Make no mistake about it, Know Yourself is one of the best I've ever read because it covers it all. Each stage of life, what's been missing inside ourselves, how to regain what we feel we've somehow lost inside, and the chapter on abuse is right on target. That would only apply if you've been abused and the nagging effects of it can make you feel that you're not worth much at all until you discover you are.

One of my favorite passages comes from page 46 during the written exercise part of the book. It says in quotes:
"The choice of what to put on your list is all yours. No one on this earth can create your life. No one other than you knows exactly what you love, what brings you joy, and what fills your entire being with passion. What you are about to write is the real you that lays beneath should's, societal expectations, cultural attitudes, and what you have been taught that opposes what you feel is true for you. Now, it's writing time to bring the real you to up to the surface on the following pages."

Know Yourself taught me how to turn my attitude about myself around. It did its job and then some. It has been a gift to me that I'm sharing with friends.

I'm sorry but I found this book extremely unhelpful. It was very disjointed. It wasn't even clear what you were supposed to be writing in the workbook pages. It just seemed like a stream of consciousness of trite phrases like "everything happens for a reason". Maybe it's helpful to people who have never thought beyond their nose for their entire life. I don't know. I couldn't find anything redeeming in the entire thing. I ended up just skimming the second half so maybe there was something redeeming in there.

In this day and age there are a lot of books on the shelves that have been written to aid people going through certain stages in their life. Perhaps one of the stages that have remained nearly untapped, or unaided, is that of the high school graduate on through the mid-twenties. Nicholas Aretakis has come to relieve the youth with his book, No More Ramen: The 20-Something's Real World Survival Guide. Aretakis writes with a clear and level-headed pen, engaging his young readers with schooling, employment, money, and still more. Aretakis has gathered information from hundreds of young men and women, 20-somethings as he so aptly names them, and not only lays out simple directions for many of the youth's questions but brings about those answers in a personal way by drawing upon comparisons of his own life as a 20-something 20-some odd years ago. Aretakis answers questions like what readers should look for in an employer, how business traveling schedules should be broken down between work and play, how to boost credit scores, and even tips on remembering fellow workers' names for those initial anxiety-filled times at a new job. Whether stuck in a rut or getting out into the blinding lights of the adult world, No More Ramen is an essential read for every 20-something looking for a bit of guidance.

After reading No More Ramen: The 20-something's Real World Survival Guide, by Nicholas Aretakis, my advice to prospective readers of this book is: do not be misled by the title; you do not have to be living off Ramen noodles to benefit from this book! ANYONE from the ages of 14 to 50, maybe 60, will find the information in here useful, because it covers such a wide range of topics that focus on advancing one's career as efficiently as possible. One topic I found particularly useful was about planning: analyzing what exactly your goals are and then developing a clear, direct path to achieve that goal. There is an abundance of useful information, resources and exercises squeezed into about 230 pages, but it's not repetitive and you don't need to memorize; the topics within the chapters are divided nicely, making it easy to use the book as a reference. If you are confused about what your goals are, I highly suggest you read this book, because it will help you put your life into proper perspective. Before I read this book, I was confused about what I really wanted to do in life, and about internships, graduate school, everything else that you hear about in college, and reading this book has helped me decide what I want to do in life, along with what steps I should take in order to achieve that. I feel more secure and confident about where I am now in life because I know I am doing what I should be doing. No More Ramen is an essential read, and the sooner you read it, the better.

Tiffany Chang
Junior, 20 years old
New York University

Like the typical Entitlement Generation-er, I've always considered the future as a puzzle that would work itself out, the world as my very friendly oyster, and success to fall easily at my feet. Lo and behold, we face the real world and realize, oh my goodness--we are in way over our heads. Nicholas Aretakis's No More Ramen is a great read for those who suffer similar revelations and need guidance...and actually to anybody who THINKS they don't need guidance--because you'll be surprised at what you don't know about the real world.

This self-proclaimed "real world survival guide" is exactly that--a manual for figuring out the little details of the work place and personal obstacles, and just how to be a personal success in life. Aretakis's book is a casual, conversational read, privileging readers with forgotten tips like what to say in a conference, what to look for in a job, and how to translate academic success to professional success. For all of you out there who have heard too often the clichéd schpiels about dressing to impress, running over portfolio pitches or simply following your heart to that perfect job that seems nonexistent, Aretakis gives you a little bit of that--and then blows you out of the water with the more important specifics.

From personal rating charts, goal sheets and answers about everything from sick days to tax forms to housing plans, No More Ramen is a clear shot of a book at giving you success in life in a nutshell. I recommend this book to all 20-somethings, and even those younger, and definitely to parents. Everyone must take a bite out of this delicious No More Ramen--the solutions offered are answers to questions you never even thought to ask! Guaranteed this is not just a guide, but a 20-something's key to avoiding regretful hindsight and future panic attacks.

Nicole Walker
Senior, 20 years old
Pennsylvania State University

I have to say, I was a little skeptical in reading a book entitled "No More Ramen". It wasn't exactly seeming like it would be very informative but boy was I wrong. I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. It was extremely insightful and surprised me with how true everything in the book was. Nicholas Aretakis takes complicated subjects that are plaguing all of us college age students such as budgets, graduation, work, interviews, co-workers, investing and other topics that most of us are clueless about, and gives advice on how to handle it. The book is also written so it's very easy to read. It's written in a no B.S. style and he really tells it how it is. It includes numerous charts and spreadsheets that will help you map out your goals and plans and even sample charts on how to set up a budget and start investing. He provides answers to questions such as: "How can I get what I want out of life? How do I balance work, family, and fun? How do I gain financial independence? How do I keep myself on track? Why does it feel so overwhelming to be a 20 something heading out into the real world?" These questions and many more are all answered in this book and I really gained valuable insight.

As a graduating senior I'm in the process of looking for a job, planning my future, figuring out how to pay for everything, and planning to live on my own which can be a scary thing but this book definitely give some good guidelines to help get you started so you don't flounder once you leave the safety net world of college. I know I have a ton of questions that I'm sure I wont know the answer to until I actually have to experience them but this book definitely gave me a head's up on how to handle those situations.

Even though this book is geared to 20 something's, I really believe a person of any age could benefit from this book because it speaks to a lot of different topics and concerns that even some 30 and 40 year olds haven't quite gotten the hang of yet. Nicholas Aretakis went cross country and interviews thousands of 20 something's and compiled and analyzed all the data and turned it into this book in an easy to understand format. It really lets you know that you're not the only one panicking and having problems but that a majority of the rest of the youth of the country has the same worries and anxieties that you have. At the end of the book there is the chapter entitled "My 11 Must knows" where he gives a sweeping overview of the book and his last words of advice and he does a fantastic job condensing all the information. He says that there are 4 qualities that make up a happy and balanced life: Freedom, Accomplishment, Money, and Enjoyment. Nicholas Aretakis takes them 4 pillars and explains ways throughout the book on how to achieve them. I very highly recommend this to be on every 20 something's bookshelf and maybe even their parents' bookshelves because it truly is a very useful and insightful book to read. Well done Mr. Aretakis.

You can see a pattern in the ratigs' posting dates: very often it's two reviews per each particular day, then they wait a week to post two more. Fake reviews.

I had the pleasure of hearing Sam speak at a recent convention, where she excerpted this marvelous collection of IMMEDIATELY ACTIONABLE tools and techniques for producing breakthrough creative ideas on demand. I bought the book and now it never leaves my desk. Never again struggle for brilliant branding ideas, terrific taglines or compelling copy...use Sam's simple techniques to make yourself, your writing, your product or your brand unforgettable to your audience.

Sam Rocks!

I saw Sam speak at Mark Victor Hansen's Mega Speaking Event and I can tell you, she knows how to captivate an audience. Sam has a genuine style that comes across as sincere, professional, and experienced.

If you've never seen her speak, you're missing out. Sam delivers on content, humor, and info that each of us wants. She helps people re-evaluate their thinking in order to connect in a personal way with your audience by re-creating statements for personal branding.

Sam will teach you how to be creative in away that's practical. Pop is not about hype, it's about bringing your message to your people in a way that is unique and powerful at the same time.

I found that POP is for anyone who wants an edge over the competition because it's not about cheesy tactics to woo people, it's more about reaching people with the essence of who you are and transforming it in a punchy way in order to attract people to what you are selling/marketing.

I recommend it because it's valuable for people wanting to cut to the chase and grab the gems.

Need something different, something special to kick your business into overdrive? You'll find it in POP. When Sam Horn says you can stand out in any crowd, believe her! Rather than just talking about it, Sam Horn shows you how to make your own business "pop."

Like a cookbook, POP is filled with recipes to inspire your imagination with fresh ideas and fun exercises. Start anywhere. Keep going until you arrive at your own unique inspiration.

Way out of the ordinary . . . step out of the mundane and become extraordinary! Innovate with Sam Horn! This book can help you get there.

Five Stars and then some!

This is an amazing book! Sam shares with her readers new ways to grab our audience's interest and attention. She really does know how to help people get noticed in a crowd. This book has shown me how to positively inspire others to read my book, LifeChimes: A Collection of Simple TruthsLifeChimes: A Collection of Simple Truths, when they are looking for simple ways to stop zapping their energy. Because of Sam Horn's book, my work as an author and a motivational speaker has been made so much easier. Thanks Sam!

An awesome book for jazzing up your writing and speaking. Sam Horn crams so many ideas for creating buzz and imprinting your message and brand in the minds of listeners and readers that I found myself making checklists as I ran through the draft of my last book trying to find places I could use her principles and ideas. It's not all about marketing either. She has great ideas on the use of stories and quotes in your writing, how to create memorable content using lists and alliteration, and plenty of other techniques to make your writing come alive.

It's easy and fun to read as Sam is very clearly one of her own best students. Her writing is tight and wonderfully informative with no filler. The ideas are things nearly anyone that has to communicate (verbally or in writing) can use right away.

I felt a little bit self conscious rating this 5 stars: every other reviewer thus far has given it 5 stars as well. But 5 stars it is! I'd say that's a pretty clear message about the strength of the material.

It's the best marketing lesson you can buy for $15.

This workbook is a unique tool in explaining anxiety to children and a means for coping with it. The book creatively teaches the process of externalizing worries so they are not all consuming. Although written for children, it is good in concept for adults as well.

This book literally changed my 10 year old daughter's life. She had a tendency to worry about things that "might" happen. This book is an interactive tool that allows your child (or even an adult!) to work through anxiety, stress and worry. She completed the book six months ago and has not needed again - but I will keep it just in case! A wonderful book and useful tool to help your little one rationalize, prioritize and categorize real worries from irrational fears.

My five year old son has been very anxious since starting Kindergarten last month. He had separation anxiety and would cry several times a day at school. I knew he was adjusting to his new routine, but then he started getting anxious about going to school and would ask, "Mommy, what if I cry? I don't want to cry at school." So I found this book on Amazon and was 'sold' when I saw all of the wonderful reviews. I started reading it to my son the day I received it. My son couldn't believe that this book was describing exactly how he'd been feeling. As I read it, I noticed he was hanging on my every word. There are wonderful ideas and he's so excited to start using them. This morning before school he even said, "Mommy, I don't think I'm going to cry today." So, I highly recommend this book. I know how heart-wrenching it is to watch your little one suffer with anxiety. Best of luck!

This book has helped us discuss worrying too much with our ten year old son. I think it has really helped him to understand how worrying too much hurts him and it gives him tools to worry less.

I sat down on my porch and read this through yesterday upon receiving it. It is a wonderful, LARGE book (8.5 X 11) with large type, easy to read and easy on the eyes. Our son who just turned 7 has had struggles with anxiety off and on for years. This book is 'right up his alley'! He is an imaginative boy, and draws to express what is in his mind. This book is full of pages where the anxious child can draw the topic or idea discussed. One idea I had (don't think it's a copyright issue if I own the book) is to xerox the drawing pages and let my son use the copies. So when he gets in an anxious period again, and we redo this process with another worry, he'll have fresh pages to use.

The explanations and reading level seem just perfect for any 6 to 10 year old, maybe even some five year olds. If your child is in elementary school, this book is for them.

I agree with the other reviewer that did not appreciate labeling sufferers as "weak people". It was in reference to a 'worry bully' picking on the child. A couple other places the text refers to the worry bully SEEING the child as weak, but this one place where the child is LABELED a "weak person" did concern me. I just took out my Sharpie, marked over the word 'weak' and left it that bullies like to pick on people, period. This one tiny sentence did not ruin an otherwise terrific book, for me!!

Overall a wonderful resource for a school age child. The illustrations are terrific, also!

I love this book. It's a wonderful addition to Volumn I and II. All the pictures are in beautiful color. The discriptions are detailed. I look forward to the next edition.
These books are a must have for all Vintage Barbie Collectors.

What would vintage Barbie lovers and collectors do without this and the other 2 books by Sarah Sink Eames? Without a doubt her books are the best on the market for identifying all the wonderful vintage outfits for Barbie and her family. Beautifully presented, detailed and comprehensive information. Each outfit is presented by name, stock number and years made, as well as detailed descriptions of the fabrics used and the accessories accompanying the outfits. Original outifts that came with the dolls are also shown and described. A trip down memory lane and the next best thing to owning all the wonderful outfits.

I must admit, I'm not as crazy about this book like everyone else seems to be. I gave it four stars for the beautiful photos, and descriptions.
But I think some things could be improved. The index lists everything by page number, which is fine if you're just leisurely looking through the book. But if you're looking for one particular outfit, it would be much more convenient to have an alphebetical listing. I wouldn't mind seeing the price guide broken down to include each individual accessory, since many people put together a complete set, piece by piece. But the thing that REALLY bugs me is that she almost always adds the word 'doll' after their names. For example, 'On weekends, Ken doll liked to take Barbie doll for a drive...', or 'Francie doll was excited about...'. Very annoying, to me, anyway. But, overall, it's a very good book to have.

To say something about this book is so so easy - this is THE Barbie collection book. Great photos, great describtions of all the outfits year by year.
You don't need any other book besides this

Another great book by Sarah Sink Eames!-Great outfits and pictures-easy to see values-Fun to see how Barbie and friends followed current fashion trends for the late 60's and early 70's-very helpful to any vintage collector!!

My copy of the Dune Encyclopedia is from 1985 and I remember seeing it on the shelf at the bookstore and purchasing it without even looking at it first!

It gives excellent detail about the technology written about in the series and insight that really adds to the Dune experience.

If you can find a copy of this book it is well worth the read. I am just amazed it is selling for $50.00+ (I paid $10 for mine in 1985) It would be nice to see this come back into print so more people can enjoy an in depth exploration into this wonderful series.

An overview of the places, people and technology in the Dune universe. This explains a lot of the detail of things that Herbert just mentions in passing, such as the scientists that invented shields, or space travel, or things like that.

It is very useful to gain a better understanding of all those finer points.

The first time I ran into the Dune Encyclopedia was purely by accident. I was on Morpheus (a P2P downloading site) and I typed down "DUNE" on the search bar, on the generated list was "The Dune Encyclopedia".

It took days for it to download because only one person was sharing it... meaning that not many people knew it existed and not many people have a digital ebook copy of this book.

Once it was finally on my computer I read as much as I could -- sadly my computer was experiencing many problems and crashed.

Sinse then, I've never been able to find another digital copy. I've resorted to purchasing a $30 one here on good ol' Amazon, however, sinse it's out of print and no publishing house is making any money off of it anymore, I say we as fans should force it back into print as an ebook.

This, and the six Dune books by Frank Herbert are the true books of the Dune universe. Period.

Ignore the tripe by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson. Disregard their works as fanfiction, and badly written at that. If you want to know more about Dune, this is the book for you.

Just recently I found a good condition copy of The Dune Encyclopedia at a local used book dealer. I was completely shocked to have found it on the "recent arrivals" shelf in the Sci-Fi section. I grabbed it up and leafed through it to verify its existence. It was real alright. The fact that I bought it for only $4.50 is more extraordinary. Yes, $4.50 !!! They must not have realized what a treasure they had.
So keep looking everyone, there are still hidden treasures out there to be found.

A must have for every exquisite diva with magick up her sleeve! Gloriously inspiring & delicious!

These cards are not only extremely beautiful, but inspring and entertaining as well, with interesting information about the various deities depicted on the cards. Definitely recommendable.

I bought this deck primarily to use for learning about various Goddesses and having a form for calling in their energy in ritual (I am pagan BTW) rather than as an oracle. I have several Tarot decks I use for divination and am quite happy using them for that.

I have found images on the cards lovely and quite worthy of ritual use. However, the guidebook is written purely as an oracle deck. For each card it has a message and possible interpretations, but only a few sentences per card about the Goddess herself.

As an oracle is useful, but as a healing type oracle rather than a descriptive one. The interpretations are largely suggestions to improve a particular energy flow, rather than a description of current or future situations. For example, some interpretations are "slow, steady progress is best right now", "make time to rest", and "release guilt about receiving". I'm not saying this is good or bad, just pointing out that it is quite different from a tarot type oracle.

Love the cards. I read regular Tarot - and now after i read for someone, i pull these cards out and have the client pick a card. So far - what they pick totally relates to the reading i just gave them. Awesome! Beautiful colors, feel very spiritual to me.

I've been a fan of Doreen Virture's work for a long time now. I love her meditation CDs, books and oracle cards. Her messages are very loving, peaceful, beautiful, relaxing, and help me connect with the Divine Source. She uses positive archetypes such as angels, saints, fairies, etc. Her Chakra Clearing Meditation CD is my all-time favorite meditation CD.

I've tried one of her oracle cards and several by other authors, but Doreen's Goddess Guidance cards are by far the most beautiful, accurate and inspiring I've ever come across. And I've also found this deck at the right time when I'm getting into Goddess spirituality more. Goddesses seem to resonate with me probably because I'm a woman and also because they're more human, less intimidating and less mythical than other archetypes. I am in the process of reclaiming my feminine power, which is not the same as power in the masculine sense or in the negative connotation of the word.

These cards I found have been the most accurate and useful oracle cards I've ever tried for myself. They seem to speak to me directly and are in tune with who I am and where I am in my life. I find that I get very helpful guidance and insight about myself and about other people that is just so right on. I really do feel like I'm getting clear and correct messages from the Universe when I use these cards.

I also like that Goddesses from different cultures around the world are represented. There are, of course, more of the more well-known Western Goddesses and there are lots of Celtic goddesses in the deck. But it's nice to see Pele and some other Polynesian as well as Egyptian and Asian Goddesses. I'm surprised not to see that many Graeco-Roman Goddesses, though. I would have like to see more of those. I'm also a little surprised to see Guinevere and Isolt as Goddesses, I don't think I would have ever thought of them as such until I saw them included in this deck. It's great to see Mother Mary and Mary Magdelene as well. Being a New Age Catholic, I like being able to integrate my religion of origin with my current, more eclectic and wider-ranging beliefs.

All in all, I am very happy with The Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards. The artwork by different artists is just amazingly beautiful, and there are so many messages that you can find in each one. The cover artwork of the Goddess Dana is what originally drew me to this deck. It really captures the essence of a strong, grand, beautiful, powerful and serene Goddess. The gilt edges on the card make the deck feel very sacred, which they are. The words on the cards and in the guidebook are very positive and nurturing as well. I intend on using these oracle cards for years to come.

This book is a great tool for anyone, pastor or lay person, who wants to enhance their methods for studying the Bible. Even if you fell like you already know all there is to know about Bible study, you are sure to find some valuable techniques within the nearly 400 pages of study discipline that this book presents.

I'm not a member of any church and I don't consider myself religious but I've always been interested in what the bible says. However, I found it hard to make a start reading the bible when I really know nothing about it. I found this book invaluable in helping me get the most out of my bible reading. It taught me lessons that I can use not only with my study of the bible but with study of other literature as well.
My only problem with the book is that the authors sometimes fail to distinguish thier dogmatic beliefs from what the bible really teaches but, thankfully, the indepth lessons they include in the book will help anyone to see these errors for themselves.
I also didn't like the "one interpretation, many applications" rule. Some of the scriptures quoted in the book and then interpreted by Hendricks ended in conclusions I just could not comprehend. I think the bible can be interpreted many different ways and it's up to us to be able to discern the true message of what we're reading. With the interpretations I didn't agree with I just completed my own study following the rules set out by Hendricks and it gave me a whole new light on what can be found in one simple verse - and what can be lost if even one word is misinterpreted.
I can honestly say that this book is essential to anyone wanting to learn more about what is really in the bible. And it would also make a valuable contribution to any student wanting to get more from their everyday reading.

Living By the Book: The Art and Science of Reading the Bible -- At Last! Someone who knows how to read the bible and is willing to reveal his secrets to us. Why don't church bible studies start with this book? This book should be the first book of the bible study curriculum. I praise God for finally leading me to Howard Hendricks book.

Howard Hendricks is outstanding at revealing how exciting reading the Bible can be, but even more important was how he explains how to accurately determine what the writers were saying to the original hears, but also to us now. His directions reveal tried and true methods to "rightly divide the Word of God" that many other books on how to read the Bible just never see. I have been reading the Bible for more than 30 years and have seen truths that I missed over and over, just like when Sherlock Holmes looks a crime scene and understands all kinds of details that the untrained just can't see.
Reading this will open up the Bible and God's revelation like never before.

The many reviews on this book are already excellent, but I would like to add my own experience both with the book and with Prof Hendricks. I remember reading this book a few years back then had the privilege of having Prof in class last Fall in 2007. He teaches just like the book he wrote with his son, Bill. In a time when the majority of books simply tend to give you content or fluff, this book not only gives you foundational methods, but gives you priceless examples of how to put these methods into a consistent practice. Prof supplies us with biblical passages to test out these methods for doing personal bible study, which is three-fold: observation, interpretation, and application.

I cannot fully explain what it is like to learn from a man of the Word who has taught bible method and exposition for more than 50 years. The command he has over the subject, the illustrations and examples he conjures up, the accessibility he gives the listener/reader to the scripture is priceless over and over again. In a school like DTS, where it is easy to get caught up with everything BUT theological method and life applications, Dr. Hendricks shows how invaluable bible study method is for every Christian, whether a professional minister/pastor, a layman, a scholar, etc. This is something we were all meant to do and to be engaged in. Growth is accomplished by learning how, through the power and filling of the Holy Spirit, to engage in the foundational bible study methods of observation and interpretation, which are then to be lived out through daily application. This is a must-read for every Christian to grow and mature in their faith.