Reference Books

Fantastic book for experienced diarist or beginners. Beautifully written and easy to read, I will use this book for reference purposes in the future. I can't praise this book enough!

This was wonderful. I didn't think it was possible to unlock the writer's block I had with regards to my personal journalling but this book was a tool that helped me to do this. It really delivered what it said it would and I was able to go deeper in my writing after each suggestion. The one on exploring envy was particularly powerful for me. I highly recommend this.

Journaling has enjoyed a sort of renaissance of late. The availability and popularity of pocket notebooks such as the Moleskine and the advent of the blog have brought this simple, valuable tool into 21st century with a vengeance. I have saved thousands in therapy bills from just keeping a journal, but I couldn't have done this on my own. As personal and spontaneous as a journal is, the ability to gain any productive benefit from the practice (i.e., not merely creating a written record of your existential angst or wallowing in your own sorrows) requires a mature, informed approach. For this, Tristine Rainer's classic "The New Diary" has been indispensable. It is a sensitive, practical, and insightful guide to approaching journaling in a whole new way.

The book itself has enjoyed some popularity since its publication in 1978, although it's not nearly as well-known as it ought to be. Over the years, I've read countless books on the subject and new ones keep appearing each year. This is simply the most comprehensive book out there. Rainer has thought of pretty much everything, and writes in a compassionate yet grounded voice that inspires one to write. Instead of merely bombarding the reader with a series of boring writing prompts, Rainer frees the diarist to begin writing immediately whatever he feels needs writing at this point in his life. Her simple advice for a productive initial writing session: "Write fast, write everything, include everything, write from your feelings, write from your body, accept whatever comes."

The next part of the book is devoted to specific diary devices. These include four basic devices: cathartic writing (writing for emotional release), free-intuitive writing (stream of consciousness writing, also called free-association), descriptive writing (describing the situations, people, places, circumstances of your life), and reflection (thinking about your life in a mature, open way). She describes these techniques from all angles and includes many helpful examples from her own journals and those of her students. The next chapter outines seven "special" devices. These are creative ways of circumventing the impulse to censor yourself and offer a sort of "back door" approach to insight. These include more specialized approaches such as dialogues (both with people and with aspects of your life), lists, portraits, the unsent letter, as well as some more unusual techniques such as maps of consciousness (essentially the drawing equivalent of free-intuitive writing), altered point of view (writing about yourself as "he" or "she" istead of "I", or taking the viewpoint of others) and guided imagery (essentially writing out a daydream).

These eleven techniques comprise the core of the diarists arsenal, and they are pretty much everything you could possibly need. Rainer herself admits slight surprise that no new diary devices had emerged since the books publication in the introduction to the revised edition.

In the remaining chapters, Rainer offers her own insight into specific problems such as anger, fear, loneliness, depression, apathy, and jealousy. I have found this an invaluable reference. Rainer has a nuanced and informed understanding of psychology and quotes excerpts from her students' journals as well as famous diaries (mostly Anais Nin, with whom she was friends). I have never read the book straight through from cover to cover. Instead, I read up through the chapters outlining the diary devices, and started my journal from there. I then used the rest of the book as a reference whenever I needed. Other invaluable chapters include "The Diary as a Time Machine" (revisiting your past and charting your future) and "Expanding Creativity."

One chapter that delves into a topic that no other book on the subject dares to touch in much detail is that on "Eroticism." Initially, I avoided this chapter because I never felt I had any need for it. In fact, the first five years I owen the book, I never touched it. However, out of curiosity, I happened to read it one night and was thrilled and surprised by what I read. It is full of refreshing, exciting perspectives on working with sex in the diary. One refreshingly astute observation Rainer makes is that modern society dehumanizes sexuality and estranges it from our larger personality. Many of us are carrying around a sexual vocabulary that (because it is either too clinical or too loaded) isn't ours and doesn't reflect how we really feel towards our bodies and what we find erotic. Rainer encourages the diarist to create his own vocabulary and thus facilitate a reconnection with one's erotic life that can be extremely informative. This chapter opened a whole new dimension to my journaling.

One last chapters merits mentioning: "Discovering Joy." Journals can often be rather maudlin, angry places if one is not careful. Many people throw old journals away because they are embarrassed at how one-dimensional they are: they may come across as a perpetually frustrated, depressed or miserable person. Scientists are now becoming more and more aware of the huge benefits and implications of expressing gratitude, engagement, forgiveness and awareness in life on stress, success, depression and even physical health. This chapter is one I return to often because it produces such satisfying writing. As Rainer herself says, your joy will tell you more about yourself than your unhappiness (which can often become the focus of journaling). Using the techniques in this chapter has helped me rediscover the joy inherent in my life.

This new revised edition preserves most of the material from the first edition, with a few stray updates here and there - in particular references to computers and the advent of the internet. That there is very little truly new material speaks to the timelessness of the book itself. While many other books on journaling have appeared since, I've found this consistently the most complete and accommodating to all kinds of people, temperaments and life situations.

Only one regret... I bought this book very late!
It is the best one I read about journaling. I'm gonna sell every others books I have about the subject. All you need is there.

This book by Tristene Rainer is reccommended reading for this U 3 A course and although I have not completed my reading it is very helpful with good advice and pracices to do I would highly reccommend it to anybody beginning a Diary or journalling.

All you Latinists out there, you need this dictionary. I bought a copy because I got tired of not finding enough words in my Collins Concise Latin Dictionary. Not only does OLD contain every word I've ever tried to look up (my scope isn't as scholarly as some people here), it lists every single variation in meaning, however slight, of the word, citing example sentences from Classical Literature. This came in handy when I was reading Petronius, whose vocabulary is often obscure and unique to himself. OLD shows the general meaning and the specific meaning. This becomes especially important in very compact, "general" words like "ago, agere", "facio, facere", etc. Collins Concise listed "facio" with a couple of different "generalized" definitions followed by idiomatic expressions of the word. OLD spans two pages for that entry with just about every single way you can use it. Pretty comprehensive. I don't use any other dictionary besides OLD now, except when I need to look up an English word to translate into Latin. Even then, I have to make a heavy reference to OLD for what context to use words, like the difference between "celeritas" and "velocitas". A pocket dictionary might list the two words under "speed" but this is not very helpful if you're about to write accurate Latin prose. Furthermore, OLD is very readable. I can't tell you how many times I just open up a page in the middle and start memorizing as many words as I can for pleasure. Every budding Latin scholar should make heavy use of this dictionary.

For depth and scope of reference, the OLD remains the criterion by which all others in it's field may be ranked.

it's definitions are clear and comprehensive, though limited to classical Latin from the beginning of the language to approximately the end of the second century AD.

within each section words are defined in their earliest known contexts,
with changes in meanings listed in chronological order, as in the OED.

drawbacks:
(1) print is small, (2) book is ponderous;
(3) it's scope ends as the Christian Era begins.

mitigating factors:
(A) the print, though small, is clear - a magnifying-lens solves the problem.

(B) the tome was intended to be a comprehensive, single-volume reference
to classical Latin, an objective which it achieves;
if it's print were expanded to 12-point type, it would occupy a shelf,
and

(C) if the OLD treated the Christian era with the same thoroughness as the classical, it's volumes would fill a room; so much for portability.

all things considered the OLD remains best in it's field,
at least until it's published in digital format on CD.

I think editors of this book have the unchallenged right to boast the Chinese cliche" SHEWOQISHUI" (who can be counted for except me). You are to suffer a disgrace of depriving your bookshelf of this big reference book if you are a Latinist. Buy it now, linen cover and solid binding assures its endurance.
As a dictionary aiming at Latin language in its classical period, OLD traces every word in its actual appearance in classical texts with full provision of detailed nuances of various usages as well as etymology. Rare words even have their statistics indicated(it will tell you how many times it appears under whom......).
When using this dictionary you should adapt to something whimscal, such as using "i""u" as consonantal "j""v", thus you will see "iugum""ueritas"......Anyway we are going Romans.....

Two caveats before I talk about why I love this dictionary:

1) If you have a passing interest in Latin, or are a student of Latin in your first few years, you do not need this dictionary. For such audiences the OLD is not a good value, as it goes far beyond what a beginner or a causal enthusiast requires and you may be overwhelmed with an excess of information. A more concise volume is much better suited to beginners and there are many such dictionaries available. For example, when I started studying Latin, I happily used the Bantam New College Latin & English Dictionary for several years, and I still use it when I need a dictionary I can toss into my laptop case.

2) This dictionary is for classical Latinists. If you are primarily working with medieval/Christian Latin, or even authors from the later empire (post 200ish A.D.) you are better off with Lewis & Short.

Neither of the above two points applies to me, and I truly adore this dictionary. If you belong to its target audience, I imagine you will too. This is one of the most beloved books in my library and I seldom go a day without using it.

On a practical level, I appreciate the clarity of presentation and the readability of the type face. The quality of the printing is important, too: the pages are thin but sufficiently opaque, and there is no sickening chemical 'inky' smell to give me a headache, as with so many other modern books.

From a scholarly perspective the book is even more worthwhile. The meanings given are accurate and precise. As for usage, the ability to quickly see the usage of each sense of each word in literary context via author excerpts is invaluable. I cannot count the number of times I have discovered a previously unknown point on etymology or an interesting parallel in usage because of this dictionary. The specificity and thoroughness of this dictionary are in all senses excellent.

The price *is* hard to swallow, and I wanted this dictionary for a good while before I actually bought it. However, given the use I have gotten out of this dictionary and the time it has saved me, I cannot imagine I would regret owning it even at three times the price.

The Oxford Latin dictionary is the most beautiful book I own. Just the fact that so much information has been so succinctly and painstakingly collected for a language so old and currently unspoken is amazing. I agree with the other reviewers that the text is extremely well-organized and presented. Each word and its definition is given its own space making it plain and clear what definition belongs to what word. Any true Latin nerd is not living until they possess this dictionary. I am so glad I spent the money and bought it.

After reading some of the description and raves about this cookbook, I expected some nifty new recipes, and was excited to get it for Christmas. Instead, I found trite, one-special-ingredient differences from Betty Crocker, or recipes based on something from the Pillsbury section of the grocery store. Examples - onion rolls made from a can of biscuits plus minced onion, or desserts based on Cool Whip. I even found recipes calling for MSG - yuck. I suspect many of the recipes derived from big cafeteria cooking, which might explain the bias towards speed and efficiency over more ingredients and longer cooking. This may be good down-home cooking, but it's not gourmet fare or even terribly original.

I also found numerous typos and simply poor writing that drove me crazy. I note that the publisher protected themselves from this obviously self-published book by saying "the author insisted on the work being published verbatim with no editing".

I appreciate the pride the authors take in their family's line of cooks. For some people, this may be a helpful cookbook. However, the overblown descriptions and excerpts misguided me for sure. Be aware of what this one gives you, and unless you like what I've described, I'd skip it.

There is something delicious for everyone to chow-down on. The recipes are easy to follow and the finished dish is wonderful. I absolutely love this book and keep it handy so I don't have to panic if a family member or friend suddenly decides to visit without notice. Most of my family members and friends are usually starving when they drop by. Now thanks to the Taylor family of men chefs I don't have to worry about what I'll make them to eat...No More Panic For Me! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!!!

As a birthday gift this year a friend through me a huge party and used a few of the recipes in this fun cookbook including the drink recipes...my one word response was simply WOW! Thanks to the men cooks in this family my party was a real winner. As a second birthday gift my friend gave me a copy of this book. Needless to say I was thrilled! Now, I can hardly wait to through my own dinner party with all the trimings! (I highly recommend this cookbook, it's the best!)

In his quarterly newsletter, Robert Stanek, author of "The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches" and many other books for young people, regularly features the books of new and upcoming authors as well as his favorite established authors. He's done this for the past four years. In his October/Fall newsletter, Mr. Stanek features three upcoming authors and one was Victoria Taylor Murray.

While I wasn't sure if Ms. Murray's Lambert series was right for me (her other ones are mystery/romance), I knew at once "Passed Down Through 4 Generations: Victoria Taylor Murray's Favorite Family Recipes: How it all Began" was my kind of book, and equally as important, it was a book my wife would enjoy as well.

As the name implies ""Passed Down Through 4 Generations," has great history behind the recipes. Ms. Murray wrote this book with her brother Joseph. Having tried the recipes, I can say there are many great ones, and more than a few that have become new favorites. I enjoy cooking, and I enjoyed this book. Recommended for any chef or chef to be.

I'm a kind of glitzy girl who loves to dress up and be glamourous, so it's a surprise to people who first meet me that I really know my way around a kitchen. As my hubby always says, "That girl can cook anything ... from gourmet to Southern." And I'm proud to admit that I truly enjoy cooking. Always have ...

Another thing I dearly love is my family and I'm very sentimental about family connections. The title of this cookbook intrigued me because of the family involvement, but then when I read that the author's brother is a chef who joined her in this venture, I just HAD to buy it.

I'm glad I did. I've already prepared some of the fine dishes and they smelled so good, my hubby couldn't wait to sit down to dinner. He's raving to all the neighbors about this cookbook too.

Thanks to both Taylors for the fine dining experiences. We look forward to many more, and I'm baking several of the yummy pastries for our church brunch on Father's Day.

was the book this expensive when it came out? I am sure its worth 100+ but these are all being sold by others sellers and not amazon. I wish the publisher would print a new edition, I am sure its not this expensive and people are trying to take advantage of people.

So many books show us just how unsustainable our societies are, and leave us feeling hopeless and powerless. This book, as a foundation of Permaculture Design, does just the opposite. There are many challenges in the world today, but there are also many solutions...if only we begin applying them. This book provides a framework to begin understanding the natural processes around us, and lays out principles of design that anyone can apply to redesign the way we interface with this world. We are each powerful enough to bring forth needed change.
We begin to understand the movement of the sun; the changes of climate; trees and plants and their interaction with their surrounding environment. Grow in your understanding of water and its role, how to store it and clean it and reuse it again and again; Increase your understanding of soil and its role in creating and maintaining life. Learn to design with consideration of the elements, begin to see the natural patterns which make up the world, utilize the resources already around us to meet the demands and needs that exist.
The most exciting part about Permaculture is how it can be applied anyplace, without big budgets, beginning today. Yet it is also relevant on a much broader and grander scale.

Mollison must be credited with promotion of the concept of Permaculture and this book is a world-wide view with enough examples to stimulate the thinking of a designer in any climate. It would be the bible for anyone working as an ecological designer on a worldwide scale. This tome includes not only a wealth of information but Mollison's personal views are given at every opportunity as well. With the breadth of his knowledge it can sometimes be helpful. That said, it is not an easy read. Mollison assumes familiarity with terminology from many disciplines, but with a scientific background it makes it all the more credible.

However, since its publication, there are other books for specific climate types that provide more detail. For those living in temperate climates, particularly the NE US, Dave Jacke/Eric Toensmeier's Edible Forest Gardens is more focused. If you live and plan to practice permaculture in only such climates, it should be sufficient. For the tropics, see [...] for a manual.

Bill Mollison represents the most successful attempt to mainstream practical home-scale sustainable design principles. I found myself needing to do an enormous amount of supplementary research to actually understand what bill was talking about, but to explain them in depth here would have taken away from the thrust of the book - which is mainly to show you example after example (many on every page) at sustainable principles of design put into practice.

The book remains the best book on sustainability written to date. There are some aspects of his system that are lacking that I will briefly draw attention to. Understand that I deeply appreciate his genius, but I want to just mention that these other things need to be integrated into his system to be fully fully sustainable.

1) He doesn't pay enough attention to seed saving and plant breeding. A loss of seed diversity and a re-invigoration of seed savers is essential to truly sustainable self-sufficient design.

See:
Seed to Seed - by Suzanne Ashworth and Kent Whealy
Breed your own Vegetable Varieties - by Carol Deppe

2) He very rarely mentions the role mushrooms and fungi can play in sustainability.

See:
Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World by Paul Stamets

3) He doesn't stress the science behind it enough, which is fine, but leaves you asking sometimes... how do we know this is really ecologically sound? How can I NOT imitate mr. mollison but still create an ecologically sound system? Basically, Mollison's proscriptions are incredibly scientifically informed but not always scientifically explicit.

See:
Plant Ecophysiological Ecology
New Dimensions in Agro-Ecology
Smallholders, Householders: farm families and the ecology of intensive sustainable agriculture - by Rober Netting

4) In relation to the first point, he also doesn't stress the role that evolution plays in sustainability. This is a very complicated problem, see book.

See:
Evolutionary Conservation Biology.

These are not really criticism so much as signs of slight conceptual anal retentiveness on my part... Also please don't forget mollison's OTHER books which are incredible as well, especially the permaculture book of ferment and human nutrition.

I bought this book many years ago and still find myself going back and re-reading it over and over. If you're new to the Permaculture thought process you will be knocked off your horse with the common-sense, integrated approach to gardening and farming systems. I attribute this book and the thoughts provoked by it as the catalyst in seeking integrations and aggregation on many different fronts. This will always be one of the books I will treasure. I wore off the cover and have punched holes in all the pages and keep it in a three-ring binder.

I like Mr. Lester R. Brown! I liked this well written book which was very interesting. He's a good writer. You don't have to struggle to get to the end of this book. I read books like these because I am concerning about what type of world my children will live in in 2035-2050, long, long, after I am gone. Some of the Author's warm and fuzzy ideas I don't agree with. When I was born, there were only 150 million Americans and 2.5 billion people on the earth. Now there are 300 million Americans and 6.5 billion people on the earth. Life will not be warm and fuzzy when there are 400 million Americans and 9 billion people on the earth. I think the outcome will be war and sickness. This book is a very, very good read! Regards, Keith Renick, Peachtree City, Ga.

Read first copy I bought. This 2nd, 3rd & 4th are for my grandkids. They're are the ones inheriting the problems and, I hope, they will be living toward solutions. I especially like from p. 123 on, when Brown begins proposing solutions. Astounded that we humans, globally subsidize nonrenewables by &700 Billion ANNUALLY. Love the idea of carbon taxes rather than cumbersome regulation & enforcement. Kathryn Russell

Plan B. 2.0 is the most comprehensive book I've found yet on the converging crises that we are facing in the world today. In Part I of the book, Lester R. Brown lays out each crisis, explaining the causes, and then goes on in Parts II and III, lays out a rational, well-thought-out,practical solution to the problems at hand. I gave my husband a copy of it to use for part of the Critical Issues for Law Enforcement class he's teaching at our local university. As far as I'm concerned, every American ought to have a copy and read it often and thoroughly. We need to be aware of what we're doing to ourselves and others. The frosting on this cake is that he gives us the tools we need to remedy the situation...if we act now.

If you care about this planet and our journey upon it, this book is essential reading for the millennium ahead. I just wanted to add my five stars. Please read the other reviews for the overview of "Plan B: 2.0"

I bought this book after much reading about the overall resource strain our planet has been facing though wanted to read all about it in one place. This book is an excellent resource for this purpose. I treasure this book because every now and then I can keep pulling out some impressive statistics and data and even helps me choose a direction to look for when thinking about my own family's future.

However, I take away one star because the 'solutions' offered are not indepth. A majority of the book only focuses on talking about issues. The last chapter with the solutions leaves something desired.

This is my first review on Amazon, or anywhere else for that matter. I have been interested in spiritual growth for quite some time, beginning with my undergraduate major in Philosophy in the late 60's/early 70's. As I later discovered, I was not so much interested in the subject as in finding my OWN philosophy. Through the years I have spent much time investigating and learning about different belief systems and practices. The most useful to me were those originating in the East, primarily meditation (which I now teach) and yoga. The beauty of those systems is that they provide you with a systematic path towards what some call 'enlightenment,' or Christ consciousness, depending on your orientation. I am NOT talking about having intellectual 'knowledge' about spirituality, I am talking about the DIRECT EXPERIENCE of yourself as an aspect of God and as ONE with the universe.

But this is not to say that knowledge is unimportant, because that is certainly not the case. Knowledge supports and can hasten the spiritual growth that some of us are aiming towards. What Joel Goldsmith does is to present spiritual truth from a VERY high level of consciousness that, IMO, accurately reflects the 'letter of truth' of metaphysics. His interpretations of, among other things, the Bible and Jesus's sayings, can be challenging and a stretch but are spot on. I have found that the contemplation (which is different from meditation) of his writings has done quite a bit to speed up my spiritual growth, and I would HIGHLY recommend this book to any seeker (altho 'seeking' is unnecessary - we already know where the "Kingdom of Heaven" is - it's "within us" - we just need to clear out all that is keeping us from living there full-time). To follow-up on what another reviewer said, if I had to spend some time on a desert island and could only pick one book, THIS would be the one.

This is the simplest, most direct book I've ever read on how to apply spiritual principles in a functional, working, demonstrable manner. Within 3 days of seeing god as my supply, I was bumped into a promotion for more pay and easier work. When I noticed it was difficult to forgive as a cashier I was sent to do standing-work, where I just had to say hi all day and see people as infinite beings to further my yogic studies. When I was grateful that my real home and supply is already with me and I'm just unable to see it, I received a large sum of money the next morning. And finally, when I followed a feeling of freedom when deciding to give away my possessions I was given good health and no longer had to maintain my stuff costing me more than I had. I now have more than I need, and give without a thought.

This book helped me put into practice these ideas, and gave me working principles I could see in my life. He was the first step, but his teacher was the next. Ernest Holmes.

Anyone who is seriously on the spiritual path must read this book. If you are readers of E. Tolle and follow his principles you will appreciate reading this and all of Joel Goldsmith's books.

The heritage of my exploration of Goldsmith stems from Walter Starcke's book, "It's All God" and/or Tolle's book, "The Power of Now". Seeking contact with God is what all people are attempting to do. This book is one more in a series that places you in the emphasis of God's Realm spread out before us, touching the water and touching the wave, spiritually, metaphysically and within the context of psychic transformation.

To live in the Presence of God one must create a practice. This small book is a wonderful guide. It matters not your religious tradition for this Presence is universal and a constant vibration of Goodness. To live in the Presence of Goodness is to live in comfort and Joy. Everyone deserves this opportunity. Allow yourSelf to move from belief to experience. Come and join all who have had this experience. As a poet and conscious traveler, I consider this small book a gem. Blessings upon your pathway.

I've witnessed the phenomenon of bright people falling for propaganda, hook, line, and sinker, on numerous occasions. I'm sure I'm taken in by much of it as well, but even I can't be fooled all the time.

Still, the answer is not to simply give up. On a few topics, I actually am well enough informed so that (while I still may be susceptible to propaganda myself) I can recognize the symptoms of others falling for it. And this is definitely a phenomenon one ought to look for in others if one wants to cure oneself! I do think we ought to try to become so informed about at least a few topics that we can recognize nonsense. On these topics, we ought to listen, but we also ought to be unafraid to state facts and make judgments. On other topics, we ought to be much more careful.

Perhaps the most dramatic examples for me have been some truly amazing statements about the Arab war on Israel made by some rather well-educated and generally skeptical people. It makes me wonder why those who are ready to challenge all sorts of claims in so many other areas accept some extremely dubious, afactual, and illogical nonsense about this topic without question, and repeat it to me. Are they unaware that they are making statements that may well be false? Are they unable to discuss this issue without making very controversial comments as if they were not only accepted and indisputable facts, but relevant facts as well?

On one occasion, when I suggested to a colleague that I happened to know quite a bit about the Arab war against Israel, hoping to politely give him a way to defer to me, temporarily, on a couple of facts, I merely got an outraged reply. Was I not aware that my colleague was a highly intelligent and well-informed person? What made me think that I knew something he didn't? I was more than a little surprised by such a reaction: normally if a person claims to know something better than we do, we listen, even if we disagree.

This book, written over four decades ago, helps explain a little of what is going on. It shows how intellectuals can be so horribly susceptible to propaganda. As both the book and Konrad Kellen's preface to it state, intellectuals absorb a great deal of second-hand and unverifiable information. They often feel a need to have an opinion about such information. In addition, they consider themselves so smart that they can "judge for themselves." And they seriously underestimate their susceptibility to propaganda given that they can see mere idiots reject some of it with ease.

The truth, as Ellul explains, is that high intelligence, a broad culture, constant use of critical faculties, and access to and use of sources of information are indeed the best weapons against propaganda. They simply aren't used often enough.

Ellul shows how propaganda can have a powerful effect if one is saturated with it. It is useful, he explains, to have someone from one's own frame of reference come up with it. The German National Socialists were careful to put Englishmen on their radio. Anti-Zionists, by the way, are very proud to have Jews state their case, although we should all know that there is no objective reason to trust every Jew, any more than there is to trust every person.

We readers see how propaganda is most useful when it reinforces earlier biases and misconceptions. And how it becomes extremely powerful once a person makes an active commitment to a cause: that person finds it very tough to recant.

The book also shows how propaganda gets one to come up with strange ideas about what is relevant material to support one's arguments. That has the effect of precluding dialog with those who disagree with you. That's why my colleague "knew" better than to take anything I said seriously or reply to it coherently. And it is why careful and cautious statements on my part sounded not merely like admissions that truth was fiction, and vice-versa, but evidence that I was hopelessly biased, impervious to reason, and hooked on rather wild propaganda myself.

This book is fascinating. It made me realize that propaganda is indeed more effective than most of us might realize. And that it is dangerous. Ellul implies that propaganda may well be the most serious threat we humans face. And I think we ought to treat it as such.

Ellul's masterpiece is required reading for anyone who wishes to fully comprehend the toxic combination of technology and mass media as it seeks to manipulate the human mind. To his credit, the author anticipates techniques and practices that are more relevant today, 43 years after this book was published.

If you THINK you understand propaganda, you MUST read this book -- maybe twice -- to fully understand the sinister nature of this art of "manipulating TO manipulate."

This is not a 'how-to' book. If you're looking to acquire knowledge from the dark side, read Bernays.

If your intention is to insulate and protect yourself as well as educate others, THIS IS the book for you.

This is a must read for critical thinkers in these troubled times.

Ellul's study still stands out as one of the greatest achievements in the history of the study of propaganda, in terms of how it is practiced, how/why it is effective and how it is inescapable and tied to the very nature of democratic society. Ellul's picture is not a pretty one. He views propaganda as ultimately dehumanizing, necessary and inevitable at the same time. Propaganda, ANY propaganda, regardless of motives or veracity, serves to reduce the individual to function as a meaningless syphon. Whether one agrees with his conclusions or not, it is still a well-argued, compelling and frightening look and modern societies.

The biggest drawback is that the book published today is the same as that published in 1965 (Ellul died in 1994 and no real updated edition was ever produced), and the cases analyzed may seem obsolete, in that he focuses primarily on National Socialist, Maoist, Soviet and US cold war propaganda. But the analysis of is still second to none. For those familiar with the study of propaganda, Ellul's work was by far the most comprehensive and penetrating study of propaganda to that point. It was a HUGE and monumental advance from the previous research into propaganda of Bernays, Lambert, or Fraser. This book ought to be required reading for anyone who wishes to consider themselves even remotely literate or intelligent. Although one may not agree with all his conclusions, it nonetheless provides a compelling argument and portrait of modern man and how frighteningly easy it is to systematically 'persuade' him. Any thinking person cannot but attempt to be cognizant of how we are influenced.
This book is relevant for several reasons. 1) The student of history will appreciate the Ellul's examples. 2) The book analyzes what are, essentially, the beginnings of modern propaganda making it important for anyone studying the phenomenon. 3) Ellul breaks the phenomenon down into easily understood categories and places them in the context of the modern 'technological', urbanized society and what Ellul calls the predicament of modern man. 4) The research and sources that went into writing this book are as comprehensive as they could have been. 5) It provides an excellent explanation of much of 'modern life'. 6) Ellul was also an interesting writer and individual (simultaneously an Evangelist and Anarchist).


Again, the only real drawback is that some might find the examples obsolete and there are more recent studies of modern propaganda techniques, which have naturally advanced since from those used during the cold war. One would also be well served to read the more recent studies of propaganda by Chomsky, Cialdini (a more psychological approach), Jowett or Cunningham. I would still give Ellul's book more than 5 stars if I could.

If one has read George Orwell's 1984 1984 (Signet Classics) you will have an idea of how powerful propaganda, or mind control, can be. An updated version of that is when one listens to or reads the daily news and the Orwellian doublethink that currently comes out of Washington (war is peace, etc). In his work, Propaganda, Ellul's analysis of propaganda as a tool of government control is unmatched, with the possible exception of Bernays' Propaganda Propaganda.

Ellul is a French writer and theorist, therefore verbose. However, if you get past that and think in terms of his analysis, a bleak picture of how the public is treated like so many cattle, can be drawn. We are inundated with information at an increasing and alarming rate on a daily basis. What is truth, what are lies and what is propaganda? As Ellul points out, propaganda is often a thinly veiled "story" - a combination of both truth and lies, about what some entity, whether it be government, advertising companies, the media, etc., want us to believe.

The story of bending minds to a single will is as old as history. We don't have to look much further than today to see it in action. Hitler, Stalin and Mao were masters of mind control. War makes it an absolute necessity for control over the populace. The problem is, as Ellul saw, that increasing technology makes it easier for the "controller", or propagandist, to do his or her work, which, as several have noted previously, obviously undermines the very basis of democracy.

This was one of the books I used when working on my Master's thesis in political science. However, I have read it since and it actually makes even more sense today. Read it, be afraid, but above all, be aware of what is going on in your name.

Ellul has written a marvelous volume on the topic of propaganda. He has covered every aspect of this political socialization machine that has been impregnating, manipulating, and corrupting our society with pseudo-ideologies, education, and attitudes in order to perpetuate complete control over the people by the elites and the propaganda masters.
Individualism, ideology, myth, literacy, and technology make the essence of this powerful and successful propaganda that brainwashes every recipient that is exposed to it. Ellul's book is mesmerizing as well as enlightening and would leave you spellbound and flabbergasted.
I would strongly recommend this book for every reader who is interested in comprehending the dynamics that mobilize our society and the strategies that form our attitudes.

Great study about the prophets of the Hebrew bible/Torah. This is a psychological view of how each prophet personally communicates the divine will of the Almighty/Hashem to his intended audience.
It is full of deep concepts and needs to be read with great concentration in order to absorb the information being presented. This is not a light read.
Well worth the time if you are looking for a deeper understanding about the biblical prophets of Israel.
PS: One problem, this edition is small in size. Therefore the print is small also. Need to have those reading glasses ready!

Heschel aimed at illuminating the consciousness of the Israelite prophets, explaining their uniqueness in history and establishing the fundamental attitudes of prophetic religion. He identifies their major trait as a profound sensitivity to evil. This means complete intolerance to injustice and indifference, often expressed in harsh language. The soul of the prophet resonated to a frequency that heard the cry of the afflicted. He protested vehemently, driven by compassion.

In addition, the prophets fiercely repudiated mankind's subservience to might. They held up the moral law in the place of force. This was rare for their time - a view of violence as obscene and an insistence on sympathy and care for the weak. The theme that might is not right is inherent in their message. Unlike the lofty metaphysicians they focused on the everyday, the way people treat one another.

Heschel looks at individual prophets like Amos, who in his concern for Israel's neighbors showed that God cared for all people. Hosea proclaimed that Israel is God's consort, the first Isaiah warned against foreign alliances while denouncing obstinacy and pride, while Micah distilled the essence of true worship: do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with the Divine.

Gentle by nature, Jeremiah's anguish becomes clear as he had to convey messages of anger and suffering. The first Isaiah and Habbakuk spoke of ultimate redemption through an outpouring of the Spirit whilst the second Isaiah emphasized God's eternal love for Israel, His concern for all mankind and the concept of Israel as a light to the nations.

The author shows that the prophets were torn in anguish between compassion for mankind and sympathy for God, acting as advocate for the one to the other. They constantly intervened, imploring mercy for the people whilst warning the powerful in explosive language against their abuse of power, and admonishing the whole nation for its lack of empathy. To quote Heschel: `The opposite of freedom is not determinism, but hardness of heart.'

It emerges that judgment is never final, that the gate of repentance remains open and that there is sorrow in the anger of the Lord. History is where justice suffers defeat but the prophets predicted future peace and salvation. Over and over they emphasized that kindness took precedence over wisdom, wealth or might. More than strict justice only, righteousness encompasses loving concern. The prophets proclaimed the divine pathos, revealing that the great judge is our Father too.

This captivating and completely unique work succeeds in making many things clear, on both a mental and emotional level. Written in graceful prose, the concepts are easy to understand while Heschel's words speak to the heart. The Prophets is one of the most moving and comforting books I have ever read.

The Prophets is a classic & has been of great benefit to a class I'm taking on the subject.

Wow! This is the best book I have read in years! When I read books, I try to take notes, but books like that almost make me feel like I have copy large portions and portions of the book in my notebook for later reference. A while back I read F. B. Meyer on some of the characters of the Old Testament. I was turned off. Christian Fundamentalists don't help the situation either for me. They keep talking about judgement and anger and all these words that remind me of the god of Islam called Allah. But as I have come to read Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, I have come to rejoice in the God of the Old Testament and his judgement and be at peace when I hear about his anger. If I was still a Muslim and heard Rabbi Heschel and what he had to say about the Lord in the Hebrew Bible, I would have converted to Judaism right away. He reads the legacy of his Jewish mindset and not like those who read fragmented, mutilated passages here and there in order to justify their self-righteous "fire and brimstone" version of faith. On p. 21 Rabbi Heschel introduces us to the prophet. In my mind as a Muslim, the prophet was just a messenger. And in the Baptist seminary they taught us that the prophet is just "telling forth" what he hears from God. To me this sounds more like a mouthpiece, not too far from the Muslim concept of a prophet. In the Hebrew Bible the prophet claims to be far more than a messenger. He is a person who stands in the presence of God ( Jer. 15: 19), who stands "in the council of the Lord" ( Jer. 23: 18), who is a participant, as it were, in the council of God, not a bearer of dispatches whose function is being limited to sent on errands. He is a counselor as well as a messenger. In Amos 3: 7, we read "Surely the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets". In Islam, the prophet is nothing more than a mouthpiece who conveys what is told to him verbatim, mechanical dictation. Never is it so in the Hebrew Bible. That is why people make huge mistakes when they say that the God of Islam is the same as the God of the Old Testament or that Mohammad functioned like any prophet in the Hebrew Bible. Not really. They can just wish all they want. This secret of the Lord that the Lord is dying to reveal to His servants to the prophets, as Amos has already told us, is one of awe. Yet the prophet does not hesitate to challenge the intention of the Lord, something that never happens in Islam. Yet here the prophet says to the Lord, "Oh Lord God, forgive I beseech Thee! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!". When the lives of others are at stake, the prophet does not say "Thy will be done" but rather "Thy will be changed". in Amos 7: 3, the prophets reports that he had a way with God and "The Lord repented concerning this; It shall not be, said the Lord". Rabbi Heschel assures us the that the prophet does not prove anything. He is not in the business of arguing his message. He is merely a witness. As a witness, the the prophet is more than a messenger... and as a messenger he bears witness that the Lord is divine. Mohammad used to argue and curse those who will not agree with his message of Islam and made it a divine mandate to curse those who will not be subjugated to his religion. This is called mubahalah in Islam. Read Family of Imran verse 61. Essentially it is, if we don't reach an agreement and you don't convert to a Muslim as a result of the debate, let us raise our hands to the sky and vehemently curse those who refuse to convert to Islam. On the other hand, the prophet in Hebrew Bible is not interest in the least to argue or prove anything to you. He is just a witness. He bears witness to the message he received from his Lord. The thought he has to convey is more than the language can contain. Divine power bursts in the words. The authority of the prophet is in the Presence His words reveal. You just have to hear his words and sense the power coming from the Presence behind them and they are to cut to the core of our hearts. This prophet didn't have to worry about Richard Dawkins or worry himself about giving proofs for anything. The prophet had the right concept: there are no proofs for the existence of the God of Abraham. There are only witnesses. The greatness of the prophet lies not in the ideas expressed, but also in the moments he experienced. As a witness, he experienced his moments with the Lord he has been with, and his words are a testimony to that- to God's power and judgement, to His justice and mercy. If we look for prophetic coherence, it won't be in what the prophet says but of WHOM he speaks. Indeed, not even the word of God is the ultimate object and the theme of his consciousness. The ultimate object and theme of his consciousness is God, of Whom the prophet knows that above his judgement and above his anger stands His mercy. On p. 24 Rabbi Heschel states that the attitude that the prophet takes to the tension that obtains between God and the people is characterized by dichotomy. In the presence of God he takes the part of the people. In the presence of the people he takes the part of God. On p. 25, he says that the conception of the prophet as nothing but mouthpieces, the assumption that their hearts remain unaffected, would almost compel us to apply to them the words that Jeremiah used of the people in chapter 12 verse 2, "Thou art near in their mouth, and far from their heart". The prophet is not a mouthpiece, but a person; not an instrument, but a partner, an associate of God.
In chapter 2, Rabbi Heschel deals with concept that we all know, Israel being the chosen people of God. He explains that from the beginnings of the Israelite religion the belief that God had chosen this particular people to carry out his mission has been both a cornerstone of Hebrew faith and a refuge in moments of distress. What Rabbi Heschel is so important for Muslims to hear, especially Palestinian Muslims who chose Atheism as they accuse the God of the Old Testament of being a racist god. Rabbi Heschel says, the prophet had to remind the people that chosenness must not be mistaken as divine favoritism or immunity from chastisement, but, on the contrary, that it meant being more seriously exposed to divine judgement and chastisement. In Amos 3: 1-2, he says,

1 Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt: 2 "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Does chosenness mean that God is exclusively concerned with Israel? Does the Exodus from Egypt imply that God is involved only in the history of Israel and is oblivious of the fate of other nations? Amos 9: 7 has the answer:

"Are you not like the Ethiopians to me, O people of Israel?" says the LORD. "Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir? 8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the surface of the ground; except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob," says the LORD. 9 "For lo, I will command, and shake the house of Israel among all the nations as one shakes with a sieve, but no pebble shall fall upon the earth. 10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, 'Evil shall not overtake or meet us.'

The nations chosen for this comparison were not distinguished for might and prestige- countries such as Egypt and Assyria- but rather, nations which were despised and disliked. The color of the Ethiopian is black and in those days many of them were sold on the slave markets. The Philistines were the arch enemies of Israel, and the Syrians continued to be a menace to the Northern Kingdom. The God of Israel is the God of all nations, and all men's history is is His concern.

On p. 46 Rabbi Heschel discloses an important concept to us about the God we meet in the Hebrew Bible: He is a God of pathos. No matter how angry he is, he is always on the side of his people and is seeking every means to show his redemption to them and restore them to Himself. His anger simply means he responds to how we act and his not without emotion or passive or uncaring. But as we speak about his anger we have to instantly mention his compassion. The two go hand in hand inseparably. All prophets felt the pathos of God even in the midst of his anger. That anger of the Lord did not express all that God felt about the people. Intense is His anger, but profound is his compassion. It is as if there were a dramatic tension in God. Rabbi Heschel puts is so beautifully when he says, God is conceived, not as the self-detached Ruler, but as the sensitive Consort to Whom deception comes and Who nevertheless goes on pleading for loyalty, uttering a longing for reunion, a passionate desire for reconciliation. Of all prophets, only Jeremiah has sensed a wider scale of personal relations, a more intense subjectivity. Hosea has given us a supreme expression of the vision of the subjective God so typical for prophetic awareness (please read Hosea chapter 11: 8-9). On p. 83, Rabbi Heschel presents with a beautiful concept that didn't cross my mind before. The prophets were moved by sympathy for God. Isaiah is animated by a sense of dread and the awareness of the transcendent mystery and exclusiveness of God and only secondarily by a sense of intimacy, sympathy, and involvement in the divine situation. Isaiah's sympathy for God comes to expression in a parable describing the crisis in the relationship between God and Israel(Isaiah 5: 1- 7):

Let me sing for my beloved
a love song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.

Here Isaiah knows how his beloved feels. He sings about it. He feels the pain of his beloved. He is fully sympathetic. He is telling the people, Look at how the Lord feels, see where He is, see what you did and how that is making him feel. Feel for him. What intimacy!

This book is very intense and detailed. It takes complete concentration to stay with the author. I have not finished it as yet but need to take my time to understand all that is written. Word by word. Sentence by sentence. It is a wonderful awe inspiring book. That is why I bought it even though I am not Jewish. All Christians and non-christians should read and understand what is being taught.

One of the great pleasures of the Rifleman Sharpe series, at least for me, is the attention the author gives to explaining -- always in context, never lecturing -- exactly what was going on in the Napoleonic world and what the relevant military strategies and tactics were, and why. This installment end with such a lesson. It was settled wisdom that cavalry could not defeat infantry formed in a square. A square could be broken by artillery (obviously) or by other infantry units, but not by a bunch of big guys on horseback, and Cornwell showed us exactly why that was the case in _Sharpe's Battle_ (written later but chronologically earlier). But war, like life generally, is full of surprises and his careful depiction of the German Legion's "impossible" victory at Garcia Hernandez is not only jaw-dropping but absolutely factual. The main plot this time, however, is less about the battlefield and more about the quiet little espionage war that went on behind the scenes between the agents of both sides. Here the conflict is set in Salamanca and, again, it's true to history. Sharpe, married or not, has one of his periodic love affairs and gets caught up in that quiet but very dirty war -- and nearly dies as a result. The Sharpe novels are frequently driven at least partly by revenge and this one is no exception. Pretty good, though. By the way, because Cornwell is so careful with his history and his descriptions, it's fun to go to Google Earth after finishing one of his books and examining what the towns and battle sites are like today.

Cornwell really hit his stride with Sharpe's Sword. It has everything that has earned Cornwell his reputation as perhaps the top historical fiction writer today: a gripping plot, snappy dialogue, great characters, and, of course, a village that becomes "a killing ground ... spawned in a dark night of thunder, betrayal, and love." (Sigh.) In this novel, Sharpe is caught in a web of intrigue. His mission is to find and capture Leroux, a sadistic French officer whose knowledge of the names of British spies puts Wellington's campaign against Napoleon in jeopardy. Sharpe's obsession with a stunningly beautiful Marquesa adds extra spice to this novel, as does the mystery of the true identity of "El Mirador," Britains' top spy. High adventure, murder, obsession, betrayal ... it doesn't get much better than this.

As much as I praised the television version of Sharpe's Sword, the 1983 novel from Bernard Cornwell hails an honest, superior story full of espionage and adultery.

The television producers backed themselves into a corner when they filmed Sharpe's Honour before Sword. The written Sword comes before the written Honour, so the premature introduction of La Marquesa necessitated the role of the mute Lass. It's a charming role onscreen, but naturally one with little weight beyond bedding Sharpe. In the Sword novel, however, we are treated to the true and intriguing build up of La Marquesa. Her affair with Sharpe amid the cat and mouse games of Salamanca is full of twists and turns that are both weighed heavily and yet dismissed by the married Sharpe.

Sharpe's recuperation in the Sword novel is also longer than the understandably contrived film. More dedication is given to Harper's care of Sharpe, and Patrick's woman in the novels-named Isabella not Ramona as in the TV series-gives as much love and care to Richard. It's a fascinating read to see Sharpe so tricked, deceived, and yes played by superior officers, the French, and La Marquesa. The Sword movie may have its ups and downs, but Sharpe always comes out on top. In the novel, the heroic end is not a foregone conclusion.

Sharpe's Sword is a decent film full of adoration, fun, and action, but the novel gives much more depth to Salamanca, La Marquesa, and Richard Sharpe.

I've noticed Cornwell's novels and their Hornblower precursors are often placed in a `Men's novels' or `action and adventure' section of stores and libraries. Fans of military fiction no doubt would love Sharpe's Sword- Cornwell's attention to detail and research for the Salamanca campaign is extensive. Of course, many ladies tune into the series for Sean Bean or have no interest in the written books. That's fine, but even if you read only the Sharpe novels that have been turned into films, the maturity and experience is so abundantly superior. I love the show, I really do. In fact, I appreciate it more now that I've read the excellent source material. Pick up Sharpe's Sword at your bookstore today.

Having been boxed up in Portugal for several years, only now are the British trying to get some real traction against the French, thrusting into Spain. And they're losing. Marshal Marmont, commander of just one of five huge armies Napoleon has put in Spain, is pushing Wellington back. The English take Salamanca, but only because Marmont pulls out tactically, seeking a better place for the battle he knows will destroy the English. Marmont threatens to retake the city, but the major battle never materializes. Wellington chases him east, but then his army must retreat to avoid being cut off from its Portuguese redoubt by the French.

Sharpe fights both the large war and a smaller, more private one. French assassin Colonel Leroux kills ruthlessly, hideously and often as he tries to break up an English spy ring and save his own hide. Caught by the British but escaping, he kills Sharpe's commanding and junior officers. Sharpe vows to catch him. Sharpe's pal, the intelligence chief Major Hogan, and Wellington both need him caught. Meanwhile they worry about intelligence leaks; the French have a spy too close to the high command.

Sharpe and every other British officer swoons when meeting the dazzling Marquesa who dominates Salamanca society, and we all know which officer the Marquesa will take a shine to, despite his poverty and lack of polish. And when Sharpe and Leroux cross swords, as they do, and do again, we know what kind of sparks will fly.

As always, I encourage you to read the books in this series in the order of the chronology they describe rather than by publication date. Mr. Cornwell has come back again and again to "fill in" between books with other books. You'll enjoy the series more in a logical order.

At the current time, this is the 14th book in the chronological series.

After the desperate battles to throw the French out of Portugal and to enter Spain by breaching two fortresses, the British and their Portuguese and Spanish allies are near Salamanca looking to set up a battle that they can win decisively against the larger French forces.

As the book opens, the dangerous French Colonel Laroux has extracted some important information about a British spy ring through torture. But he's made a mistake and taken too long. He's at risk to be captured. Being a capable dissembler, Laroux soon has most of the British fooled . . . but not Sharpe. Laroux soon shows his true colors and the British realize it's essential that they contain Laroux's information before their spies are killed.

In the process, Sharpe becomes fascinated by Laroux's sword and begins to wish it were his. You'll begin to wonder how that might occur.

Next, Wellington has the relatively simple task of seizing three forts against far from extreme opposition after the main French army retreats. But it proves to be more difficult than expected. Someone has tipped off the French about when and where the attack will come.

Sharpe meanwhile is drawn into the party life of the Spanish aristocracy, finding himself drawn to the alluring La Marquesa despite being a newly married man. Is she also interested?

Sharpe is now asked to solely focus on Laroux, and a fascinating sequence of unexpected events ensues.

In the second half of the book, you'll find many more surprises than most Sharpe novels contain. As the historical note at the end indicates, many of these surprises follow the facts of the real history pretty closely. Within that framework, Mr. Cornwell has added his magic touch to weave some imaginary plots involving fictional characters that work seamlessly together. It's very nice!

Although the battle writing cannot be nearly as engaging as usual because the nature of the battles here provide a less interesting factual basis for the descriptions, there are still some pretty neat touches in giving us a sense of how Wellington won the day against the crafty and determined marshal Marmont.

A fantastic meditation on the power of storytelling and storycatching. Well written and very poetic. Easy to read and not boring like some books on storytelling. Various personal stories are weaved throughout the text. This is not a how-to book even though Christina provides questions to start you on your journey. Stories touch every aspect of our lives. Read the book and then attend one of her workshops. It will change your life and put you on the road to telling your story.

This profoundly moving book, Storycatcher, by Christina Baldwin has recently been released in paperback. It is a masterful opus about the awakening power of story to shape, and reshape, human experience and destiny. It inspires us as writers and storytellers with creative guidelines and evocative questions. But even more so, Storycatcher is itself a story: one that places language as the sacred foundation of being human and connects us to the joy within ourselves and each other, our past, and our future.

Storycatcher is an exceptional tale that weaves the heart of personal story with the universal, human story. As Baldwin says, "we literally cannot think without words, but it is the feelings words evoke that gives story its power...the voice of story is calling us to remember our true selves."

This book entrances readers with its poignant narratives and dazzles with insight into the unbroken stream of human existence that story--both the written and oral tradition--inspires. Storycatcher helps us make sense of our lives and helps us to make sense of the world and our place in it. This is an outstanding book that will rouse your heart and open your eyes.

Author Christina Baldwin is one of the founders of the personal writing movement that emerged during the 70s. For more than thirty years her life's work has been writing, teaching, and inspiring people to have heartfelt dialogues and authentic conversations. Storycatcher is a fascinating interweaving of narrative worthy of her accumulated wisdom and maturity, and a timely gift that builds bridges of connection to personal and collective meaning.

Review by Julie Clayton

The author has reflected deeply on what it means to be a storyteller in the age of the Internet. This book affirms the relevance of the universal to the personal and expands the idea of global consciousness into new and uncharted regions of human history. Many of the references will resonate especially for baby boomers. As a story writer, it gave me much to think about. . .

As an author, teacher, and concerned world citizen, I am awed by the depth and compassion woven into this highly-readable anecdotal book. Don't let the stories fool you, though. This book will enhance your interactions with others. If we practiced Storycatching, Christina-style, there would be so much more joy and justice in our world.

"We are the story-making creatures," says Christina Baldwin, and she goes on to inspire readers to locate, articulate, and celebrate their story-making process. Storycatcher is deeply informed by her rich experience as a writer and a teacher of writing. She weaves personal story into collective story seamlessly and beautifully--pointing the way for writers of all stripes. Whether your interest is essay, memoir, novel, genealogy, short story or poetry, there are prompts a plenty. Above all, this book is a companion--the best kind--wise, kind, honest and fun. What a gift to all readers and writers!