Lifestyle Books

The book, "Ministry of Healing" is not only a book which helps to cure sicknesses, but it prevents sickness. This book is clearly an inspired book which centers on spiritual sources of power for all healing. This book is the first, alternative to the bare New Age healers. This book centers on God as the sole source for power, and offers a 100% guarantee that all problems will be cured if taken to God. That guarantee in the book has urged many readers to read the other books by E.G.White. Her books are excellent sources of strength. All of her books are available at Amazon.Com

This book is the most practical layman's book on health I have ever read. It's not a silly home remedies book. Nor is it a hard to understand technical manual. It gives plain and simple advice on how to live a healthy life. Everything from how to care for yourself and others when ill to what simple steps you can take to keep from getting ill to what kind of diet is best to how to take care of yourself when you're pregnant.

Examples: Did you know it is best not to mix fruits and vegetables in a single meal? Do you know what difference in diets manual laborers and mental laborers should be for optimum results?

Whomever you are, whether a searcher for physical health, mental health, or spiritual health, you will find this book both fascinating and easily applicable to your life. This book even contains practical advice for medical doctors!

I've used this 19th Century book in a health seminar. It is a pioneering work, and its truths have been adopted with little credit given by the wholistic health movement in general. Ellen G. White was one of wholistic health's earliest proponents. This book is still modern; nothing in it is out of date. Kloss cites the Author Ellen G. White as a major influence, in his book Back to Eden. Ministry of Healing presents a wholistic approach to health, emphasizing a simple lifestyle and fundamental health habits. Ellen White, the author, is a good wordsmith. She avoids tangents, and sticks to the basics that provide 99 percent of what is necessary to live a healthy, fruitful life. She presents clear discussions of family values, community approaches that preserve community health, exercise, whole vegetarian foods, food preparation that preserves food values, avoidance of vices including alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and stimulating foods like black pepper and mustard, avoidance of unnecessary medicine, simple layman healing methods (she pioneered the use of water, hot and cold and sunlight as an adjunct to healing), and she searches the scriptures to find clear modern-day applications to health issues. You can heal yourself with the truths in this book. There is a health institute, Weimar Institute in California, that is based on the teachings of this book. As you read this book you'll experience an atmosphere of incredible light, both spiritually and physically. Her writing style is excellent, and very loving. She's helped me with my health, and I've passed on the truths she taught to many others.

My son who is 6 years old says, "You should get it!".

This beautiful story has inspired my son to listen for music in the city as we go through our day. He often wonders aloud how Mozart would use a certain sound(like say for instance, our city bus) if Mozart was composing a new piece of music. We love this story.

I love this book and so do my kids. It has a clever and charming storyline that weaves in a child's first look at a musical score, a few landmarks of 18th century Vienna, the excitement of a musical premiere, the effort of creating and composing. But mostly it's a fun tale beautifully illustrated with an affectionate characterization of Mozart that completely delights children. It is a wonderful book in every respect. I wish there were a whole series from this author/illustrator bringing other composers to life for this age group.

Wolfgang Mozart must compose a new tune that will be heard in the famous Burgtheater in Vienna by Saturday evening. But poor Mozart can't think of any notes to write. Alas, he is suffering from writer's block. Until his hungry pet starling, Miss Bimms, sings a melody and gets his brain flowing. However, before he can begin writing the notes down on paper, Miss Bimms escapes through the window, and Mozart begins searching the town for the little starling. On his short trip through Vienna, Mozart begins to realize that his little town is filled with inspiring sounds, and is able to set to work on his composition once and for all.

Stephen Costanza's new children book is nothing short of enchanting. The wonderful prose contained within the pages is lovely, and flows much like a melody itself. While his gorgeous illustrations contained on every page couldn't be better. This is a wonderful book for all, whether you're a Mozart fan or not.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

My nieces have loved this book forever and always laugh when I call them Mucky Pups too.

My three and five year old daughters love this book! The puppy talks to different animals (horse, cat, rooster) and each tells him that he is "nothing but a mucky pup" and they won't play with him. In the end, he finds a friend, who is just as "mucky" as he is. The illustrations are wonderful, too!

My two year old loves this story. He knows all the words. It's so cute to hear him say "mucky pup." Good farm animal pictures.

The Munched-Up Flower Garden is a humorous story about Liz,a little girl who grows beautiful flowers. She's hoping to win a blue ribbon for the best flower garden, but much to her dismay, another little girl, Sallie, comes by to brag about winning the blue ribbon the last four years. To make matters worse, a goat destroys Liz's garden. A twist to the ending keeping children turning the pages. This book extols the virtues of hard work in a fun-filled adventure that's sure to please. Richly-colored illustrations add to the delicious flavor of the book

What a great book! It's a charming story, well-illustrated, and it's impossible not to fall in love with young Lizzie the aspiring gardener. Her voice is really done well. Nancy Kelly Allen is really onto something with this book. Children will love it. I'm rating it 5 stars.

Thanks for a fun read.
-Jay

A Troublesome Creek Kids Story: The Munched-Up Flower Garden by Nancy Kelly Allen and featuring illustrations by K. Michael Crawford is the lively story of Liz Reilly and her seemingly endless attempts to build up an award winning garden for the Troublesome Creek Picnic. Carrying young readers through the tale of Lizzie and her young friends and rivals, The Munched-Up Flower Garden follows the young girl with her many efforts to maintain her garden despite relentless annoyances from goats, chickens, neighbors, and the evil Sallie Young. Original and entertaining, and available for school and community libraries in a hardcover edition (1933176-040, $16.95), The Munched-Up Flower Garden is very highly recommended as an inspiring example of persistence, bravery, and spirit for all young readers.

I loved this book! It was nice to see a character who was from Puerto Rico and Ezra Jack Keats really included a lot of diversity in this book. A must have!

This is a very cute story that children will love. I also highly recommend two other books by latino authors: Drum, Chavi, Drum! (by Mayra L. Dole) and Trinos Choice (by Diane Gonzales Bertrand).

I vividly remember this book from my childhood -- and I vividly remember the Spanish words and phrases I learned from it. Very practical and engaging.

I am the webower of Mental Health Today.

This book includes the latest information on depression: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, latest treatments - medication, complementary & alternative. Families, children, work, suicide prevention, new hope through research and much more.

I highly recommend this book to consumers and families if you are looking for facts needed in order to recover.

Speaking as a former board member of a community psychiatric center, I recommend this book as a worthwhile reference for understanding the problems associated with depression. This book deals realistically with the kinds of situations that confront people with depression and their families. This book answers important questions regarding the problems and the hope now available. There are so many more resources available than there were in the past. A good buy.

This book is written without bias.It is intended to bring the many facets of clinical depression and its treatments to the attention of those experiencing this common, human, and misery producing condition, and/or to those with more than a passing interest in it.
It is a fair( today so necessary)and impartial exposition of the many notions concerning perpetuating and precipitating forces that impinge on people from within and without.
The author emphasizes that "chemical imbalances"occur within living,breathing, and feeling people who are more than a collection of synapses and what passes between them ; hence, there are no quick fixes(e.g."take this TV advertized happy pill") This should help people to appreciate that there are many approaches to treatment rather than just a pill .
This book should be read as well by medical students,primary care physicians,and specialists.It would help them remember that patients are people("bio-psycho-socially" based)and hence capable of active and broad (e.g.psychotherapy)participation in their own treatment programs.This would help avoid patients' being encouraged, however non-verbally,to become passive participants in treatment and thus more impersonalized(feeling impotent-read hopeless/helpless)than they are already feel.It would also add to the interest physicians could have in treating people rather than symptoms.As importantly it would then lessen the burden that physicians so often feel to be totally responsible for treatment formulations and their delivery.

This is by far our favorite book for the Fall season; the words perfectly enhance the beautiful pictures. We especially love the picture of the sun setting behind the hickory tree and pumpkin patch. This will make anyone want to pack their bags and move to the country.

[...] Although the text may not be appropriate for a 1 or even 2 year old, as a Kindergarten teacher, I find this book very useful to help the children imagine the breeze blowing against their cheek and to imagine hearing the sounds of the story. They like it! The pictures are so beautiful, but I have read this book just as a listening exercize, pausing after each page to see if they "felt" what was described in beautiful imagery. It's a great book to bolster the imagination and vocabulary of a child.

This book is a great before bed book. The art is beautiful, and the words are full of imagery. Excellent for any child.

We borrowed this book form the library, but may buy it. The first night I read it, my 26 month old asked for it to be read three times in a row. He is fascinated with it and already repeats lines. He also thoroughly enjoys pointing out each of the different types of construction vehicles.

My 3 year old son loves this book. I learned of this author / illustrator team reading "Close your eyes," another good bedtime book. I came across this one on Amazon and noted that it is one of relatively few books that focus on children and their fathers. Mom's feature prominently in most childrens' books. As a divorced fatherwho doesn't get to spend nearly enough time with his little boy, I wanted to find some that focus on kids spending time with Dad. The illustrations are simple but evocative, and the words seem to transport a child into the world of a busy city at night.

I highly recommend this, especially for fathers and sons.

Every night, Papa kisses Alex good night, puts him to bed and then goes off to work. He's an engineer at a construction site and a night worker. While everyone else is home and in bed, sleeping, Papa is at work, doing his job. One special night, Papa gives Alex his own hard hat and together they go out into the night to Papa's job..... Kate Banks has written a gentle, endearing story full of imagery and magic that turns the quiet night into an unimagined busy place...full of street sweepers, delivery men, heavy machinery and cranes that dig holes, move earth, pour concrete and lift steel. Her simple easy to read text is complimented by Georg Hallensleben's wonderful, subdued artwork that will transport youngsters right to the job site, surrounding them with the sights, sounds and construction activity as the night workers go about their work. And as day begins to break, all is quiet and little Alex has gone to sleep, dreaming of becoming a night worker, too, when he grows up.

Once again Crist-Evans has dealt sensitively with a difficult topic. His beautiful words and keen understanding take us on a young boy's journey through loss and rediscovery of family and self. Crist-Evans makes poetry accessible to young adults in a way few others are able to.

My 14-year old daughter couldn't put it down. The neighbor's boy snagged it before my 21-year old son could get his mitts on it. My wife and I both read it. It's moving and compelling and reads like the wind.

Between poetry and prose, this book not only gives voice to the deepest, most personal feelings about abandonment, but also introduces young readers to poetry that talks to them about real things that can happen in life. Just as Crist-Evans did in Moon Over Tennessee, he has made poetry accessible to contemporary young readers.

This book has amazing drawings in it. Carol Jones is very talented. I rarely write reviews for books but this one has definitely impressed me. Not only are the pictures breathtaking, but many of the pages have a circular hole cut out of the middle so you get a peek at the next animal coming up in the tale, and when you look back at the previous page from the other side, you see Old MacDonald. This is truly a gem of a book. My highest praises to the illustrator!

My daughters loved it they go around asking for their E-I-E-I-O book all day long. They even ask to take it to bed. Many fights have been waged between my twins over who will get the honors.

I like the little windows on the pages which give a little away, but not too much, of the animal that is on the farm. Nicely illustrated!

A simple premise for a book...a familiar nursery rhyme song, but Carol Jones has given it a new life with her strikingly detailed illustrations. My son (4) really loves discovering the minute touches she added...a great book to sit and look through together. Definitely one we'll keep!