Education Books

Find a copy of this book if you are seperated or divorced. It is a powerful book with a wonderful message.

Find a Fresh Start retreat you can attend also. You will not be disapointed.

I bought this book so I could get some emotional help as I go through my current divorce..... I have had it for a couple weeks now and a near 6 year marriage ended 2 months ago..... If anyone is in any type of situation like this,, I recommend this book.. Questions such as: How did you know when the relationship was 'really' over? Who all are you angry at right now? What did your spouse do? What have you done to contribute to the current situation? How have you tried to keep the relationship together even when you knew it was over....... basically, questions that make you admit the truth to yourself so you can heal and grow from this and go on to enjoy your life... During the lonely days and nights, and times I don't want to answer the phone, this book is a Godsend!

My own divorce hit me like an earthquake: my whole world shook apart and then collapsed. I was left to raise two sons on my own.

I found this book soon after the divorce and was immediately comforted by the well-organized approach to the problems I was facing. This book helped me structure my life and gradually, get back on track.

Well-written, very practical, this book takes you step-by-step through the major things you are already dealing with --- or soon will be.

Barbara Sheldon, M.S.W.
Single Mom with two sons
I also highly recommend: Moving Forward After Divorce: Practical Steps to * Healing Your Hurts * Finding Fresh Perspective * Managing Your New Life

Let's face it: divorce often catches us by surprise, and it always changes many things about our daily life. More than just the loss of a partner, we find ourselves confronting brand-new challenges and dealing with things we never expected. For some of us, it's just too much: we can't handle it.

This author (not the radio host Jim Burns) is a minister who himself went through the experience of divorce. Out of that experience he gathered some of the most useful ideas and successful strategies that helped him and have helped others also. The result is a highly readable book.

You'll find good help here, especially if you're struggling to keep things together and trying to figure out what your priorities should be. Well-written and helpful.

Dr. David Frisbie
The Center for Marriage & Family Studies
Author of Moving Forward After Divorce: Practical Steps to * Healing Your Hurts * Finding Fresh Perspective * Managing Your New Life

This book has helped me through one of the most difficult times in my life. Things that made me feel like I was going crazy, I realized are just part of the proccess. I realize now that I will get through this and I am not going crazy.

Very similar to the Alice books by Phyllis Naylor. Gert doesn't get into quite as much "I Love Lucy" trouble as Alice.

Those of you prudes who dislike the Alice series because of the explicitness, won't like Butt Cheek. (I suppose the title would give you a clue to that.)

As in one of the Alice books, Gert's health ed teacher gives the class homework of using a mirror to get acquainted with their bodies. Gert slow-dances with a boy and realizes that he is really up about dancing with her. She dresses as a mermaid on the homecoming float in October and wishes her bikini top was thicker. All sweet, innocent stuff but not for religiously uptight parents.

I think I actually got into the world of a real teenager! Gert is clever with words, witty, smart, and has honest convictions and opinions. I even laughed out loud! And I'm not a teenager; I'm a grandmother who read this book in preparation for a teen granddaughter. I can't recommend this book enough.

It would have been nice to know I wasn't the only one struggling with issues as a teen. Gert tells it like only she can, and I had a lot of LOL moments and even a few ROFL. Great read. Highly recommend to any age.

Reviewed by Tabytha Joy (age 15) For Reader Views (11/07)

"One Butt Cheek at a Time" is a book referring to the phrase "Take it one step at a time." The philosophy is that not everyone has feet, and even those that do, some cannot use them. But everyone has a butt. Therefore, saying "Take it one butt cheek at a time" would apply to everyone.

"One Butt Cheek at a Time" is about a girl who goes through life learning new things. Gert hates her name, but learns to live with it. Her best friend, Adam, is gay. They have been friends for many years. Well, Adam ends up with a boyfriend, and soon starts to neglect his friendship with Gert. Gert soon has to find a way to win her best friend back. She tries talking to Adam, but he doesn't seem to understand. Gert ends up meeting new friends when she gets assigned to a group project with her worst enemy, Jenny.

Throughout the story, Gert learns new things about her body. As a class homework assignment, Gert has to look at her private parts, using a mirror. This is so that the female can recognize if something has changed. Well, Gert decides to name hers...

Overall, I would say that this book was very interesting--in a good way, of course. I say this because I've learned some new things by reading "Gert Garibaldi's Rants and Raves: One Butt Cheek at a Time." I really liked how the author chose to use phrases like "Holy-Mother-Of-Fake-Butter" instead of curse words. This book would be best for females fourteen and older.

Gert Garibaldi's Rants and Raves: One Butt Cheek at a Time should be on every parent of a teenager as well as every teenager's reading list. Amber Kizer takes us into the head of a teenager -- for real! Today's American teenagers have more in front of them than ever before in our country's young history. Kizer delightfully tours us through a few critical months in Gert Garibaldi's 15-soon-to-be-16 life, keeping a steady stream of humor without losing that corner of reality. If you're a parent and want to know why your kids act the way they do; or are a teen and need to feel like someone else has been where you are sitting: you need to read this book. Oh and if you're reading it on the bus, be prepared for folks to stare when you laugh out loud. Be advised it deals with mature subject matter. That said, every teenager is already dealing with mature subjects. Can't wait for the next installment!

Clark Howard's goal is to show you how to "save more, spend less, and avoid getting ripped off." This book is very effective in helping readers to achieve that. He offers a wide range of advice on insurance, investing, real estate, car repair/purchasing, travel planning, and common scams. If you have any decisions pending in any of these areas it is well worth consulting his advice in this book.

Clark Howard should be regarded as a scholar and classified as "required reading" for everyone after the 10th grade. I don't always agree with everything he says and he does come off as a little goofy sometimes as well as unnecessarily cheap (at a salary of over $2M a year, Clark, you can "Super Size" your lunch- it's okay!) but the man knows how to make money and- most importantly- keep money.

Unlike most other wealthy business-savvy professionals, Clark's not pretentious and does not mind sharing his beliefs, experiences, and advice for the rest of us. The man has experiences in just about all areas of consumerism- he knows his stuff and these books are more like reference books than "nighttime reading". I always refer to Clark when beginning a financial transaction and have been very thankful I have more than once!

This book is awesome. It should be required reading for consumers prior to considering autos, homes, investing, insurance, warranties, long distance, cell phones, travel and many other topics. This is the kind of information a parent would want their child to be armed with before leaving home and learning the hard way. I feel like I owe the author more money because the price of the book was so low compared to the thousands of dollars I will save in the upcoming years. Would make a great gift for any friend and especially someone who struggles with finances.

Without a doubt this is the best consumer information book on the bookshelf today. Clark Howard presents a no nonsense, straight to the point look at what everybody should already know before you go out into the marketplace. I sincerely wish that I had this book before I left my parents house to start out on my own. If universities were really interested in informing the average student, this book would be a required class at schools across America. PLEASE GIVE THIS BOOK TO ANY RELATIVE WHO IS GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL. IT WOULD BE THE BEST PRESENT THEY COULD GET

I've been listening to this guy for a couple weeks on his talk radio show. I have to say that the common principles of personal finance and consumer rights presented in this book are invaluable lessons that we were never taught in high school or college (at least I wasn't). So, if you 're interested at all, check it out--you won't be dissapointed.

I looked for this book for many years. I originally ordered GET TOUGH :The U S Special Forces Physical Conditioning Program from a book club. I never received my order because it went out of print. GET TOUGH is a 1985 publication written by Tom Fitzgerald. The program is 3 parts: stretching, total body strength building using your own body weight, and running. The format is actually based on the U S Navy SEALS workout and is not necessarily U S Army Special Forces based. Regardless, this program is a 12 week (5 days a week) workout that requires nothing more of the use of a pull-up/chin-up bar. It is a very challenging workout that involves working muscle groups on a daily basis. A guide chart is included, as well as targeted performance levels from beginning to end. The dietary guide in the introduction is dated and better information is now available. This book is an older version of the newer U S Navy SEALS workout books by Mark De Lisle, but not as intense as the latter. Overall a very solid workout program and well worth the wait. 163 pp hardback

I know why they call this a program you will love, because it is not hard. I enjoy the exercises and will continue to perform them, but I am not making this my primary workout. Instead I will adapt it for use three days a week on my easy days, as this is a perfect complimentary workout. I consider myself in good shape, but not great, and I was easily able to jump in and do the 12th week workouts precisely how Fitzgerald specified, boots and all. There were only several out of the 46 total exercises that I could not perform easily. The only way someone could say that it is deceptively hard is that a few exercises are nearly impossible. I found those are strictly for the abs though however and not any other part of my body feels a workout. I am not sore or exhausted, and the cals are the only valuable part to me as the running in week 12 was not that advanced- anyone can tell you to run for two 20 odd minute intervals with 5 minute walking breaks. The ab work is good, but other than that it is not challenging for someone who has some flexibility and performs cals regularly as I had. I have no doubt that these are valuable exercises, but this is far from the billing that I was reading on everyone else's review about what a workout you'll get from it. If you want a challenging workout buy something from Stew Smith and adapt this workout to include all the exercises for the off, or easy, days. It deserves four stars because this is probably good for most people who don't stretch enough and/or want to ease into a workout. All the supporters of this book must forgive me for making it sound so bad, it is a quality purchase, this just doesn't seem like the ultimate workout.

The workout programme described in this book is deceptively difficult! Having read many of the recent titles which detail Navy SEAL workout regimens, I have found this one to be the most practical and time efficient. Some of the exercises would be considered obsolete by many, but once you get down to the nitty gritty this is a hardcore training programme (As one would expect from a former Navy frogman!). The instructions are very clear and presented with wry humour. The weekly and daily schedules are particularly effective as you can monitor your progress daily which is very motivating. It is also interesting to note that this book was first published in 1985! If you can find a copy, Buy it!

This is the most amazing exercise book I've EVER read. It's literally a crime they don't publish it anymore. Fitzgerald's exercise regimen is guaranteed to give you unbelievably "cut" muscles in a short time. His regimen will also force you to dig deep inside yourself for stamina, willpower, and endurance. Sound familiar? It should: Fitzgerald is ex-UDT.

For lower body conditioning, nothing I've seen compares to Fitzgerald's book. However, readers should add the upper-body and cross-training exercises found in the recent publications by Caracci, Helvenston, DeLisle, Smith, and other Navy SEALs.

This book is designed to put the reader through two workout programmes simultaneously. There is a Calisthenics programme, and a Running programme. This is a 12-week cycle; as Fitzgerald says, special forces are always changing and adapting, so there is no 'official' cycle that remains constant forever. Thus, this is flexible here, too. This book is all the reader needs except his own muscles and desire to succeed. No special equipment to buy or anything else. The back cover says this is not for the timid or the lazy. This is like being in the military. No excuses - just do it!

The author is a former Navy frogman named Tom Fitzgerald. He continues his fitness goals by running in the Boston Marathon and other such events. Fitzgerald promises better self-esteem, better motivation, and better accomplishment for those who will complete this programme.

The conditioning programme targets five different body parts with 46 different exercises. The running involves running and rapid walking with some intervals of sprinting. There is also a good deal of stretching involved. If you cannot give this one or two hours a day every day for 12 weeks then maybe this is not the book for you. But one could still get it and look at the exercises that have good descriptions and are useful, even if not following the programme.

Stretching
There is stretching prior to each session. This helps prevent muscle injury and makes one limber. Stretching after also helps healing faster, too.

Diet
This book does not go too much into diet since there are other books ready for that, but it gives some general rules. Vitamins and supplements are discussed and basic common sense like not drinking alcohol or too much sugar or caffeine before a workout. Their advice is humourous: 'If you're looking around for a mate, consider marrying a nutritionist.'

Other general instructions
This section deals with sore muscles, shoe and foot care (very important for the heavy running schedule). Keeping count and keeping at it is important too! At the end of the book is a record for keeping track of progress.

The Stretching Programme
There are 14 stretches in this, and each of them are done both before and after the calisthenics and running programmes. An important note is that this stretching routine was developed at a university training programme and not by the Navy. The chart at the end of the section shows what you should do, including how much time this should take. The opening stretches should take 5 minutes, and the final stretches should take 2 minutes.

The Calisthenics Programme
There are 46 exercises that are done over the course of the week that will exercise ever muscle in your body. There are five main categories.

General Warm-up
There are 10 exercises in the general warm up, and these exercises work to prepare the whole body for work.

Abdominal Exercises
There are 11 exercises in the abdominal section, and they work to strengthen and stretch the abs and your lower back.

The Side and Obliques
There aren't too many exercises in this part -- only 5, but they are important. These are really tough exercises beyond the usual stuff for sides and obliques.

Leg and Groin Exercises
There are 12 exercises in this section and legs are one of the major muscle groups in the body and often get overlooked. People think of abs and arms for fitness, but the legs carry the body weight all day long.

Arm Chest and Shoulder Exercises
There are 8 exercises in this final section for the upper body. The book said no special equipment is needed, but once will need a place to do pull-ups.

At the end of this section is the 12-week chart for how many exercises need to be done. Out of the 46 exercises you will do about half of them each day. Some things like leg stretchers are done almost every day. Some things like the one-legged push-up are done less often.

SEAL training calls running programmes 'conditioning hikes'. These involve running, walking double-time, and sprints in a programme on varying terrain, mostly on sand, which goes from being soft to hard-packed to ridged to in the water, often done in boots. The book makes recommendations for running in boots, and running with ankle weights or other kinds of terrain variations.

The first week involves running two miles in 15 minutes and makes progress up to eight miles at a maximum for the rest of the programme.

The exercises are described in good form each with pictures of each step. All exercises can be done by males or females. The pictures are basic black-and-white and sometimes a little grainy.

One drawback is that this is a tough workout programme from the very beginnin, and some people not be able to tolerate the stress and muscle effort from the outset. A Week Zero or prep conditioning programme would probably be a good idea to add if the book is ever reprinted.

The last part of this book involves setting out the schedule in a good format. There are also pages are for recording a personal record of progress and that can be motivating.

This book by Mr Hubbard helped me to help my child with this sometimes troubling subject of Grammar. He enjoyed it very much.

I remember the horrors of English 101 when I was in school before this book was written. I use this book while tutoring my students and used it when I was homeschooling my own child. Wow, when kids understand what grammar is and how to use it, do they start to write and communicate! And this goes for adults, as well! My students whose second language was English loved this book because the simple and clearly illustrated examples make it possible to show an idea without words. This is THE grammar book to own and use!

This has helped my son get grades level and above all of his class mates. He is now able to read when before he would not even touch a book! It has also helped me and I am a school teacher!!! Get for the benifit of your child.

This book is a wonderful example of how a complicated subject can be made simple and fan to learn. I would highly recommend it not only for children, but for adult as well! Adults, this one can really improve your communication skills!

This is a very good basic grammar book. I used it to refresh my memory, and the children in my home are learning their grammar in conjunction with Grammar House Rock. Photocopy a few pages, and kids will have a fun coloring in the black and white pictures. My only problem with this book is L. Ron Hubbard pads this book with ideas from scientology. This is only so in the beginning and end of the book. Parents, if you do not want your children to learn Scientology, find some scissors and cut those parts out. It is a great grammar book. The illustrations are beautiful, and the characters are diverse. It has pictures of Black, Latino children, and disabled children. There is also an overweight child.

Do not think this book is some kind of odd cult thing. It simplifies grammar, and children will like it because of the pictures. Just avoid the beginning and end parts of the book if you object Scientology. Get your children Grammar House Rock too. Remember to be an active part to your children's education.

I am a bass player, and learned advanced music theory in the class room and on the bass. This book really helped me apply my knowledge from the bass to the guitar. I also teach, and this is a great guide to teaching music theory. However, it is not for beginners. Like other reviews said, this is not a casual read. Be prepared to play the examples, write out the exercises and play through them. But after all is said and done, this book contains a ton of useful, practical information, and is a great addition to any teachers books.

I bought this for my husband and he says it's wonderful. The cheat sheets are extremely helpful and the layout is very user friendly.

This 54 page (including covers) booklet contains more information that other books many times its size. This is not a casual read book, and could be somewhat overwhelming for someone just starting out. However, it's a treasure trove of useful information for someone willing to study it. The Cheat Sheets are loaded with information. Spend some time with them. The more I study them, the more I see. Helpful for learning the fretboard, scales and chords.

Guitar players seem to fall into two categories. Those who can read notation and those who can't. So why is learning to play music such a killer?

For the biginning guitarist reading notation is like learning geometry. For the advanced player its learning Einstein's "Theory of Relativity.

But, it doesn't have to be that way. As mentioned in previous reviews this book takes the reader visually into the world of note theory without the usual dragged out chapters written in "Latin Text" which is associated with most books written about music theory.

For beginning guitar players this book helps to bridge the communication gap sometimes left at the end of a lesson between student and teacher. To quote an old adage "Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words".

For the advanced and re-entry level player this book is filled with instant visual information showing scale definitions, transposing, cord spelling, intervals, cycle of 5th diagrams, arpeggios, voice patterns and fingerboard layout relationships that are essential to becoming a better guitar player.

The bottom line is this book will open up a new world to your musical abilities. But, you will still need to devote time and effort to reach your full potential as a guitarist.

I am an avid reader and since I got back into music last year, I have purchased at least a hundred books on guitar playing. Since I underline everything, I wanted to go back and take notes from my reading so I could have all the important information in one place. Thanks to Robert Frazier and his Guitar Oriented Condensed Music Theory book - I don't need to bother. He has taken literally every critical highlight out there and put it all together for me. He's also added a few pieces that I didn't find elsewhere and/or made sense of things I'd seen before. In my opinion, you could spend a whole day just unpacking a single page from this material (it's that loaded). I recently took a trip to Croatia with my guitar in hand and had very limited luggage space to spare - this was one of three books that I brought with me. It's not packaged in a fancy way, it's just full of great content. I highly recommend it.

David Albert does a superb job of inspiring the reader to embrace learning and living fully! His style of curriculum is looser than the homeschooling our family uses, however the joy and potential he embraces in everyday lessons are amazing. I was thinking how wonderful it would be for all families, homeschooled or not, to think about Mr. Albert's lessons.

One of the most dynamic and prolific homeschooling writers today is David Albert, homeschooling father of two, popular speaker at conferences across the nation, regular columnist for two major homeschooling publications, and author of two of the most highly acclaimed homeschooling books ever published - And the Skylark Sings With Me and Homeschooling and the Voyage of Self-Discovery. Now David has written a book he titles, in a very no-nonsense manner, Have Fun. Learn Stuff. Grow. Homeschooling and the Curriculum of Love.

The title says it all. Almost. David doesn't just write about homeschooling your children. He pokes and prods and questions and insists that you join him in analyzing the whys and wherefores of what you and your kids are doing every day. He wraps his writing in a warm sense of humor and adds plenty of his own life experiences, and somewhere in the middle of reading one of his books you start wondering why it feels as though you are reading the writings of an old friend. It's a comfortable feeling; encouraging, reassuring. Words have power, and David Albert knows how to harness that power and use it to help you help your children become who they are meant to be.

"Have Fun. Learn Stuff. Grow." You'll do all three with David's newest book on homeschooling.

-- Helen Hegener, Editor and Publisher, Home Education Magazine

David Albert is without a doubt, one of the most refreshing voices in the alternative education movement. He shows you what is possible in educating our children; and does it with infectious joy and good humor. Life should be fun! Learning should be fun! Why do we make such a drudgery out of it? Why do we torture our children so? I am speaking mostly to myself here, lest anyone take offense. David's book are the first ones I grab off the shelf when I am having a drag out the workbooks and sample tests kind of day. I just pray that I will have the courage to keep fighting against (and it is a fight) the old tired ways of doing things that I was subjected to. I hated it; and David's books help me remember that. I am lending, and/or buying copies for all my homeschooling friends. God Bless you David.

When I recently decided to take my 12-yr-old out of school, I hit the book stores. I combed the homeschooling sections only to become more and more frustrated. Surely there was someone to inspire me that wouldn't assume that I was a fundamentalist Christian who asserts that a belief in evolution is a pathway to Hell! Surely there was someone who would not say things like, "Step One: Find an area in your house to use exclusively for homeschooling and clean the area thoroughly. Get on your work clothes and grab a bucket of soapy water......" Are you kidding me?!?

Then along came Mr. Albert. What a relief! I was sitting cross-legged in the aisle unable to put the book down.

I think that this book should be the first of David's that one reads. While it's not a "how to" (nor should it be) it's more stripped down to his fundamentals, if you will. The others are equally masterful but they seem to crescendo after this one, regardless of the order in which they were written. I'm inspired to subscribe to Home Education Magazine just to be sure I won't miss anything he has to say!

As if channeled from the highest archangel, David Albert's new book Have Fun. Learn Stuff. Grow offers a fresh, crystal-clear look at the very essence of love and learning, and the critical importance of love for nurturing learning. Insightful, unique, and perceptive, this book is a gift for all homeschooling families and those considering it for the first time.

Jan Hunt, Author, The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart and A Gift for Baby

This book provides wise, loving, Biblical counsel to parents who are searching for direction. Reading this book requires concentration, but it is well worth it. Mr. Trumbull writes with maturity, experience, and kindness. His love for children is profound. This is an encouraging and helpful book. It is more of a philosophy than a "quick fix." A mainstay in our home library.

I came across this book in the 1990's, I was familiar with Elizabeth Elliot, H.Clay Trumbull's great grand daughter, and had great respect for her. I always wonder, about what the parents were like, of a person like Elizabeth Elliot. I was also looking for something fresh on Child Teaching and Training. I wanted a biblical perspecitve but was frustrated for years with the status quo "christian based" parenting books.
Our own family at the time, consisting of 4 sons, one in particular so very strong willed, while the children were doing well and respectful, I wanted more. I wanted to do better as a parent, and to gain new insight.
Now that we have 3 younger daughters, I am enjoying reading this book once again.
It always seemed that the "christian parenting" books were more about how to "control" than disciple.
This book is so refreshing. It is about discipling little ones. It is compassionate, caring and not a "how to" book. I am so thankful for that.
Trumbull makes you look at yourself, are you being tender? compassionate? Understanding? Are you depending upon the Lord for HIS wisdom for your little one? When your child goes to bed, are the lasts words they hear from you harsh or loving?
I cannot say enough positive things about this book.
And I just love, that he dispells the assumptions of modern day parents that in the "olden days" every parent was harsh and beat their children. It couldn't be further from the truth.

Of over a dozen child training books I have read, this is the best. Not only that it is full of Bible-centered wisdom, it actually put convictions in my heart on how to be a parent as God originally designed us to be. This is a God-send, so well-rounded in the areas of child training it covers. It does not just rest on the side of discplines nor does it just emphasizes on the role of love. It shows both the loving and righteous sides of our God in a good balance.

This is not a book for Christian believers only. Any parents seeking hard for good philosophy and practical tips about parenting will found it helpful. I read it many times already and everytime I get new insight and revelation from it. It calms me down when facing parenting issues and it provides hope. We all love our children, but a lot of times we are doing it in such a wrong way that we in reality push our children away and become negative forces in their development. That's why this book so stands out amongst all parenting books because the author's love for children and his profound wisdom on parenting is so evident throughout the book. He was so humble in his tone of writing that you don't feel condemned or pressured but just wanted to read on, read again and again and wish you could listen to him talk...

This book is the epitome of biblical wisdom, and humility. Henry Clay Trumbull is undoubtedly an expert in his field. He was a father, an educator, an author, and an evangelist. This book is not the "know-it-all" rantings of a new father, but the humble wisdom of an experienced father. The original book was written in 1890, when Trumbull was 60 years old.

In the preface he relates an encounter with a friend who questioned him on his theory of child training...

"`Theory?' I responded. `I have no theory in that matter. I had lots of theories before I had any children; but now I do, with fear and trembling, in every case just that which seems to be the better thing for the hour, whether it agrees with any of my old theories or not.'"

In a world where everyone views themselves as an authority on every subject under the sun, it is refreshing to see one, so worthy of the title, admit with humility that he does not deserve it.

This book is a collection of "hints" from one who has been down this path before. These hints are not presented as a fool-proof method for raising a godly child. They are practical tips, deeply rooted in biblical truth, and proven over time in the lives of this man's children and grandchildren. (He is the great-grandfather of Elisabeth Elliot!)

This book starts off by defining the terms used. So often the idea of "training" a child is used interchangeably with the idea of "teaching" a child. As it is used in the context of this book, "the training of a child is the shaping, the developing, and the controlling of his personal faculties and powers; while the teaching of a child is the securing to him of knowledge from beyond himself." (pg. 1) He quickly points out that although both are a necessity in the upbringing of each child, training is a possibility long before teaching is. In fact, he says, the training is begun much earlier than is the teaching.

Chapter 2 - The Duty of Training Children:
This chapter, in my opinion, is right on target. He starts off by saying, "It is the mistake of many parents to suppose that their chief duty is in loving and counseling their children, rather than in loving and training them; that they are faithfully to show their children what they ought to do, rather than to make them do it." (pg. 5)

He carefully explains how it is both a privilege and a duty of parents to train their children to do and be what they should. Just because a child has natural tendencies in one direction or another, does not mean that he or she cannot be trained to restrain themselves in certain areas, or to develop proper interests in another. He offers a reminder to parents that "there are no absolutely perfect children in this world. All of them need restraining in some things and stimulating in others." (pg. 7)

Chapter 5 - Will-Training, Rather Than Will-Breaking:
I found this chapter particularly interesting for two reasons. I have a stubborn little girl. I often find myself engaged in a "battle of wills" with her over one thing or another. I have always heard that it is sometimes necessary to break a child's will in order to get them to do what is right, even, or especially, if they have no desire to do so. But, Trumbull suggests a different approach:
"To break a child's will is to crush out for the time being, and so far to destroy, the child's privilege of free choice; it is to force him to an action against his choice, instead of inducing him to choose in the right direction." (pg. 20)

As parents, we have to remember that the final choice, and the consequences associated with it, belong to the child, not the parent. It is our responsibility, as parents, to see to it that his will is strong towards right choices, and to guide them in that.

Chapter 11 - Training A Child Not To Tease:
I often read with a yellow highlighter in hand, which I use to mark thoughts, sentences, or quotes that stand out as particularly educational or inspiring. I like to be able to easily reference these portions when I return to the book at a later date. This chapter is exactly why!

It begins by saying that "a child who never `teases' is a rarity." In this chapter more than the others, it is important to remember that this book was written over 100 years ago. "Teasing" is not what we might think of when we hear that word used today. He defines it as "to pull, to tug, to drag, to vex (or carry) with importunity. A child teases when he wants something from his parents, and fails to get it at the first asking." (pg. 57)

He is referring to what we today commonly call "whining!" The practicality of this book is clearly seen in this chapter. He simply states that, "If a child never secured anything through teasing, he would not come into the habit of teasing; for there would be no inducement to him to tease." (pg. 57)

For one reason or another most parents to give in to their child's request after some amount of whining. But, no child should be under the (mistaken) impression that his parents decision was based on his teasing (whining), rather than their own understanding of what is best for the child in a given situation. If a child knows that he can eventually get what he wants by teasing (whining), the parent does not have that child's respect.

It is difficult for parents to refuse to give in to a child's teasing (whining), without exception. But, in this chapter, we are wisely encouraged to give careful thought to our child's request before giving an answer. A quick, or thoughtless reply will only result in furthering a child's belief that he can push just a little farther to get what he wants. A parent's answer should be final, and the child needs to be trained to accept it as such.

Chapter 14 - Training a Child's Faith:
Faith is instinctual in a child. But, the "knowledge of the One on whom his faith can rest with ultimate confidence is not innate." He clearly sees the responsibility of the parents in training a child in a knowledge and understanding of God - a concept that a child is capable of grasping.

"...Children...can receive the profoundest truths of the Bible without any explanation. When they are older, they will be better fitted to grapple with the difficulties of the elementary religious teachings. The idea that a child must have a knowledge of the outline of the Bible story before he knows the central truth that Jesus Christ is his loving Savior, is as unreasonable as it would be to suppose that a child must know the anatomy of the human frame before he is able to believe in his mother's love for him." (pg. 77)

This is unquestionably the most important duty that rests on a parent in the area of child training.

Chapter 30 - Good-Night Words:
Thirty chapters make up this book. It ends, appropriately, with a chapter about saying "good night" to your children. He emphasizes the need for these last words of the day between parent and child to be pleasant, encouraging, gentle words of affection. This is not the time for sharp rebuke. He closes this chapter, and the book, with this gentle admonition to parents:
"Let, then, the good-night words of parents to their children be always those words by which the parents would be glad to be remembered when their voices are forever hushed; and which they themselves can recall gladly if their children's ears are never again open to good-night words from them." (pg. 181)

We would all be wise to carefully consider the words in this book, and "take a hint!"

The Holistic Handbook of Sauna Therapy was truly a delight to read. Dr. Sylver has a gifted ability to do comprehensive research, perceive the technical information that is available to the analytical mind, and then transform it into an enjoyably readable book for globally minded random thinkers such as myself.

Having read Dr. Sylver's previous book The Handbook of Rife Frequency Healing, I expected the comprehensive writing skill and outstanding layout of her quality work. That was all present in this new book, but I was also pleasantly surprised at how much I learned about saunas, and how important they are for detoxification. Indeed, I was able to see that in some cases saunas may be the only therapy that can eliminate drugs, chemicals, and heavy metals especially in a rapid time frame.

Dr. Sylver begins by reviewing historically documented evidence of the long history of sauna usage, construction, and cultural and social aspects of the sauna. She explains, in incredible detail, how and why the body produces sweat, and the positive benefits of deliberately inducing sweating.

As in all of Dr. Sylver's work, she goes above and beyond the subject at hand by giving an expansive education of all complementary aspects of the subject. For instance, in discussing the many types of saunas and the benefits and weaknesses of different types of sauna construction, she touches on the FIR (far infrared) saunas, and gives a comprehensive education on the electromagnetic spectrum, complete with wonderful graphic charts, to make wavelengths and cycles per second theory very understandable to lay persons. She goes on to discuss the heat spectrums of visible and infrared (invisible) spectrums of light. All this comes into play in FIR saunas. As I've said, she puts so much more into her books than just the topic of the book, and this makes it so enjoyable to learn.

Another thing that was so interesting was her discussion of toxins that we all come in contact with, and how each of these are directly and indirectly responsible for allergies, syndromes, disease -- in fact, all kinds of chemical and hormonal problems that we might not ever suspect are responsible for our diseased states. Even for nerve diseases that we think of as incurable in the medical world, she give evidence of significant measurable relief of symptoms directly due to the elimination of chemicals and heavy metals. The detoxification is so noticeable that it shows up in pre-program vs. post-program tests. For instance, Dr. Sylver shows conclusively that in test subjects having central nervous system afflictions as well as autoimmune diseases, in a specified program of 50 days sauna therapy gave a 99% reduction of symptoms. While we may not be able to say that medically this person was "cured," we can say it sure made a measurable difference in the quality of this person's life.

I must say that I was totally impressed. My own husband is in construction. He is constantly exposed to various chemicals in building products, paint, thinners, etc. He and I also live in an agricultural community where crop dusting goes on for days several times a year, so we are constantly exposed to abnormally large amounts of chemicals. After reading Dr. Sylver's case for how these various chemicals affect different systems, including neurological and endocrine, I was convinced that finding a sauna soon was not just a luxury to experience, but a necessity for achieving a healthy life -- free of toxic symptoms. Dr. Sylver states her case most eloquently.

This book is truly a must have resource. I really enjoyed it, and learned more than I ever anticipated. Very well done!

Health, Hope, Joy & Healing :
May you Prosper, even as your Soul Prospers 3John 2

Jennifer Ruby

http://www.rubysemporium.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SymphonicHealth

Many alternative health books are written haphazardly. Nenah Sylver's books are written professionally. Simply stated, her books speak to years of dedicated study and hundreds of hours of diligent research. Dr. Sylver's incredible resources have quickly become the standard reference guidebooks for sauna therapy and rife treatment. In fact, without Dr. Sylver's books, much of the information related to these topics would be unknown and unpublished to the public in the U.S. and abroad.

I highly recommend Nenah Sylver's books. They have contributed greatly to my healing journey, my writing, and my big-picture knowledge of alternative health treatment options.

If you haven't already, check out Nenah's other book: "The Handbook of Rife Frequency Healing: Holistic Technology for Cancer and Other Diseases."

Bryan Rosner
Author, "The Top 10 Lyme Disease Treatments" and
"Lyme Disease and Rife Machines"

This book is easy to sum up: without doubt, the most well-researched and comprehensive book on the topic in the English language.

As a physician and author myself, I was absolutely impressed with Dr. Sylver's thorough research and writing style. It is rare to find someone who can write about complex medical and scientific topics in such a clear, even fun way.

This book is a presentation of what is one of the two or three best techniques anyone can use for getting and staying well. Saunas -- applying heat to the body to induce sweating -- has been in continuous use as a healing method for tens of thousands of years. It is applied today in virtually every therapeutic approach to treatment of a wide range of conditions, ailments and diseases. Saunas are affordable enough to be part of everyone's home regimen for health.

I recommend this book to everyone interested in discovering one of the best healing methods available, anywhere, at any price.

Hakim Chishti, ND
http://www.unani.com
author of
Traditional Healers Handbook &
Book of Sufi Healing
(both available of Amazon.com)

Sweat it out: Book outlines how and why of sauna
Dr. Nenah Sylver says on her website that when she was first invited to write about sauna therapy, she thought she'd be writing a pamphlet. Applying her inquiring mind to the subject of sweat, she soon realized there was far, far more to say than she had realized.
Modern medicine seems to be gradually coming to terms with what traditional cultures from China to Europe to Peru and beyond have long known about disease: It's the toxins, silly. Toxins in our food and in our environment build up in our bodies, resulting in a host of maladies from the annoying to the life threatening. Modern life, of course, exposes us to toxins our ancestors never dreampt of
Those same cultures, as Sylver makes plain in an early chapter, understand the value of simple sweating- brought on by heating the body- as a way to flush those toxins out and leave room for health to happen. And although saunas may have caught on as an essential component of the modern American health spa or club, it's doubtful that most people really understand the depth and breadth of benefits they can realize by making sauna therapy a regular part of their health regimen, as the Finns have done for generations.
The Holistic Handbook of Sauna Therapy aims to correct that situation, and does so admirably, with chapters on sauna history, how and why we sweat, what's in sweat and why our bodies need to get rid of it- and goes on to discuss heat types, sauna construction, various health conditions that may benefit from sauna therapy and a few that rule it out or require modifications, how to sweat properly, overall detoxification problems, and where to find the nearest sauna or get one of your very own.
The author's intelligence and depth of research are formidable; thankfully, her writing style is not. She manages to be both in-depth and conversational, not to mention extremely convincing- her enthusiasm is backed by exhaustive study, which she clearly enjoyed, and the sense of enjoyment shines through in the text. Sylver has found out something good to share with the rest of us, and does so with panache, sincerity and sensitivity.
Should you read this book? Do you inhabit a human body? (If you don't, and are currently reading this, please contact the Bluestone Press for a feature story.) Would you like to regain or maintain health and vitality for the rest of your years, without relying on the pharmaceutical industry and the wizards of managed care?
The book is available at www.NenahSylver.com, along with a host of other intriguing stuff. Check it out. Enjoy.

A few years back, I purchased a FIR sauna after becoming aware of their value from readings on the Internet. After my purchase, I decided that it might be good to buy a book on the topic of saunas to ensure that I was properly using the sauna. I guess that I was a little backwards in my thinking. I should have purchased the book first and then the sauna. Anyway, I am glad that I purchased the book as it did shed light on the proper way to use a sauna. It is important to replenish lost minerals from the sweating process. I can tell you that I have experienced what I consider to be a miracle from my sauna. I was experiencing what I can only imagine was arthritis in my hands and wrist. The pain was excruciating. I was afraid to open a jar for fear of the searing pain that might accompany it. After dedicated use of the sauna, the pain is gone. I also know that I am sweating out toxins and actually enjoy the time in the sauna. Nenahs book was a smart buy. I would also like to share my experience with my order of her book. My order was late to the point that I was convinced that the book was lost in transit. I called Nenah and was apologized to and assured that a second book would be sent. I received the book a short time after the phone call. I also was sent a second book by her(The Handbook of Rife Frequency Healing) as a gesture of an apology. This was way beyond anything that I expected. I know that the first book lost in transit, was not her fault. I am sure a lot of merchandise gets inadvertantly lost just due to the shear bulk of items mailed. When I received this book, it held little interest to me due to my ignorance on the topic. Well, this book blew my mind with the introduction to Royal Raymond Rife and his amazing invention. It is an incredible invention and book. Is there an actual alternative cure for cancer? Did Royal Raymond Rife invent it? I believe it. Buy this book also. It is amazing. If you, or anyone you know is ill, with any type of serious affliction, check this book out. The information in it could save your life. This has become much longer than I intended. I only meant to write to thank Nenah for her great books and to write to tell people who might be interested in their health, to consider purchasing her books. Thanks Nenah\Nina.

This book is not really a book about "homemaking" in the sense of housekeeping. This is a deeply lovely book about what the experience of living in a happy home should be like. This book was written years ago, when people still had the idea that the home and the people in it should be a haven for each other, and a beacon to those in the world. This is a book that calls husbands and wives, siblings, sons and daughters, to a higher vision of a home. It reminds that all are part of this goal.

This is not just a book for moms, though, despite the picture on the cover. One of the most intimate nights my newlywed husband and I have experienced was when I read aloud to him the chapter on Husbands. Just thinking about how we can love each other better and the deep responsibility that is was very meaningful for us.

I highly recommend this book -- the language alone is lovely to read. The style of the book is peaceful and lyrical. This is not a typical self-help book; this is a peaceful, worshipful book.

A MUST for newlyweds, or anyone who wants to be intentional and biblical about their marriage and family life.

I am very much in love with this beautiful work. Many of the passages left me in tears. A call to arms for all Christians. My huband and I decided to give this book as wedding and baby shower gifts from now on. Stirring and well writen...read it, read it again, and again.

I think this book would be great for Newly Married couples. Dont let the girly looking cover fool you. Its packed full of examples on how to treat others. In the intro it said "the aim is to mark out duties and responsibilities of each member of the household..." I really enjoyed it and will have my children read it too.

This is probably one of the best books I have ever read. Despite the title, it is not just for housewives, it speaks intimately to each of the various roles within a home. To the husband, the wife, the parents, the children, brothers and sisters. Encouraging each member of the family to work together to make their home blessed retreat. Practical and poetic, it simultaneously presses my nose to the grindstone and sends my heart soaring with joy. A must read for the serious Christian family!

This book succinctly describes the beauty of the role of each member in the biblical family. It has been a source of hope and encouragement, in my walk as a Christian mother. Homemaking dwells on the importance of raising a godly family today, to reap the blessings therein, tomorrow.