California Books

I learned a lot about publicity, things I never even heard of. If you have a book to promote, this is your best investment.It more than pays for itself.

As an author, I'm always on the lookout for books that can help with publicity, marketing, and promoting. This book was a pure gem.

This book is worth the purchase price just for Chapter 11 (E-mail Blasts) alone. With tips for propelling your book to the top of the bestseller lists by e-mail marketing, this chapter takes you by the hand and leads you through the process step by step in a quick and painless way.

This book doesn't just tell you how to promote and publicize your book; it shows you with sample letters and action steps.

If you're ready to pump up your promotion and get your book noticed, then this book should be on your list of must-haves!

Author 101 Bestselling Book Publicity is what every author needs to promote themselves and their book. This is a very practical, easy to follow and affordable handbook. Get it now! You're missing sales!

While I own all four of the "Author 101" books by Rick Frishman and Robyn Spizman, I feel this one is the most valuable. In fact, I wish I had it BEFORE I started writing my first book. The information and helpful tips included from these industry insiders is worth a hundred-times the price of the book. I have met and spoken with both Rick and Robyn, and I will attest that what they tell you in this book is gospel truth.
After you read this book, you will gain insight into how best to plan the marketing and publicity of your book even before you write it. This is key information whether you are using a traditional publisher, or if you are self-publishing. In fact, if you are self-publishing, READ and MEMORIZE chapter 8 on Interviews -- this will be the primary source of your income.
I highly recommend this and the other three books in the "Author 101" series.

Happy reading and successful writing,

Stuart Gustafson, Author
www.stuartgustafson.com

As a fellow book publicist it's imperative for me to keep up with all of the great books and magazine articles being published about the book business. I've read dozens and dozens of such books and can recommend this book without hesitation.

One thing about the book marketing and book promotion business is that there are so many nice people in the business. I rank Rick Frishman as one of the top publicists in the U.S. not to mention he's a nice guy too!

His book, co-authored by Robyn Freedman Spizman and Mark Steisel, offers advice and insight about every stage of the publishing world. Using testimonials and commentary, this book lets authors, agents, and publishers alike show you the things you should and shouldn't do in promoting your book.

Scott Lorenz
President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in book marketing and author publicity.
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I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated this cookbook. It's a great cookbook for weekend chef's like myself who enjoy good food and entertaining good friends. I appreciated the way the author gave background on the locale and seasons the dishes were inspired from. I now know how to make paella :)

Reading Bay Wolf Restaurant Cookbook is almost like taking a trip to this exceptional restaurant. The photographs and commemorative menus are stunning and the recipes are terrific, but it is the warm, generous personality of the staff, particularly Michael Wild that are expressed in the text that impresses me most of all. You'll want to share this treasure.

I am not an advanced cook, and found most, if not all, of the recipes to be manageable. And the best part is that there are numerous pictures which will help you visualize the dish (important for plating). I compared this with my chez panisse book and found that I consulted the Bay Wolf recipe book again and again. I love Alice Waters and Chez Panisse but her book is just too hard to use (not enough photographs, recipes run over onto the next page, directions not clear or allow for multiple interpretations - very scary for a novice cook). I got the Bay Wolf recipe book from my Mother in Law and I love it! It is a great find and I highly recommend it. All the ingredients can be found at your local supermarket, so even though the end product may look exotic, the recipes are not too difficult. This book is very meat-driven (pork, fish, poultry), so I wouldn't get this for the vegetarian. Over all, though, well done! One of my favorite cookbooks to date.

The book is informative as well as easy reading and, even at age 82, I am interested in trying the recipes because they look and sound so good and emphasize fresh ingredients such as the fruits and vegetables (tomatoes, quince, figs, beets and fava beans) that we grow in our own Bay Area backyard.

I have several criteria when looking for a book on food - and guess what? This one has it all and then some! First, it is an excellent, user friendly cookbook. No sticky-fingered turning of pages - all recipes are complete on facing pages. And it lies flat to preserve the spine. The photos are beautiful and mouth watering. Then ... the fun part. The writer, Adele Novelli Crady, has created great sidebars and editorials about the food, eating, and enjoyment of life in general. These alone make the book worth reading! A great book - make sure to also buy one for a best friend - like the great food, it is best shared.

I adore this series by Mindy Starns Clark. I read this whole book in one sitting because I absolutely HAD to see how it ended! Jo and Danny are such lovable characters. Read it!!

Mindy Starns Clark's Blind Dates Can Be Murder was a fun read. Mindy has a way of putting the reader into the characters' minds--disconcerting when the character is a sociopath.

Also disconcerting is the way she ends this page-turner. Who in their right mind wants a cliff hanger ending to a suspense novel? Sure, a sequel is in the works, but do I have to wait and see where it's going? 'Tain't fair!

This book was so good. I can't wait until the next one comes out. I'll have to buy the other series of Clark's. She has me hooked on her books now.

Blind Dates Can be Murder. Just from the title alone you can tell you're in for a good read. I found the second installment in the Smart Chick Mystery series to be better than the first. Though, the story still drags a bit in the beginning, the pace quickens earlier. Plus Danny is planning on telling Jo that he loves her!! Danny is such a sweet and endearing character; my favorite parts in the story are when he's together with Jo. Even though you're just reading the words- the extent of his love is very obvious, it brings out the sappy smiles. Awww...

The mystery is also a little more developed here than in Trouble with Tulip. Jo has her own household tips website and is answering questions and chronicling her days in her blog. Her agent has decided that it would be good publicity for her to try a dating service and relate her experience to her readers. Her first (and only) blind date turns into a big disaster and a possible murder. Jo, of course, becomes Nancy Drew/Martha Stewart again, using household clues to try and solve the mystery.

Overall a good read; it's hard to put down once you're at the halfway mark. You want to make sure everything works out in the case and if Jo loves Danny too. It ends on a cliffhanger, so make sure to have the final installment, Elementary, Dear Watkins ready and waiting!

After finally getting over being left at the alter Jo has decided to move on by joining a blind dating service. Her first date isn't at all what she expected him to be and then even worse: he dies during their date! Suddenly Jo finds that she's the target of kidnapping, stalking, and death threats. She has no idea why but clues seem to lead back to her deceased date. Along with best friend Danny (who is now hopelessly in love with Jo) the two set out to find out why Jo is being victimized.

Once again Mindy Starns Clark has written a winner. I absolutely adore Jo, she is one of the best recent female characters I have read. Just like in Trouble With Tulip, you can find household hints sprinkled throughout the book (now in email format!) and which also help to solve the mystery. I'm really glad that Danny was able to talk to Jo, now the ball's in her court. It'll be interesting to see how all that happens. I found the blind dating service to be very interesting since I have never used one before. I was really chilled and frightened while reading this book. Especially near the end, I couldn't put the book down because I feared so much for Jo. It was totally like watching a movie: mystery, action, romance, suspense, drama, characters you hate- such a well developed story line. Actually I really think they should make this series into a TV show, you could learn household tips and be entertained at the same time. Sort of Heloise meets Alias type of deal. This was such an excellent book, I thought it was even better than the first one in the series. And with the cliffhanger at the end of this book, I can't wait to get started on the third which is in my TBR pile. VERY highly recommended.

BLOSSOM RIVER DRIVE is a multi-level literary masterwork that can be appreciated by everyone from mid-readers to James Joyce scholars. Now I read that it is being banned by California schools. Incredible! Why do we always run from what we really need?

Banned in California schools because ultra-conservative parents are afraid of having their children discuss its marginally erotic contents, this novel deserves to be read and re-read. One way I evaluate the value of a book is by its ability to tolerate multiple readings. This one does--for any one serious about discovering childhood's unspoken secrets or serious about literature that dares to shed light on areas where fiction has not previously been permitted to go.

A great novel about childhood secrets, love, life, identity, and heartbreak. This one will last as long as books are treasured as inroads into the otherwise hidden forest of human truth.

The author of the controversial novel BLOODROCK has done it again. BLOSSOM RIVER DRIVE is, as the current ad in Atlantic Monthly says, the one novel of the year you have to read. I found it irresistible, devouring it at one sitting and then going through it again to savor everything I'd missed. Read it NOW--you won't be disappointed.

This book boldly leaps into the heart of childhood secrets that the culture tells as are taboo, untouchable. Childhood is the time of grave danger and unthinkable exploration; anything is possible, including sex. This book explores these ideas in an extraordinarily direct and honest manner. It is indispensible and should be #1 on everyone's bestseller list.

This book is beautifully illustrated and very comprehensive. I know I'll be using it for many years to come. It is a cut above the others.

A beautifully written and edited book that is a must have for the avid gardener. Possibly the 'Bible' of California native plants. I keep it close by for reference or when heading out to do my buying.

I bought this book several weeks ago and am very happy with it! Lots of helpful and useful information...and great photos too. This book is definitely a great resource if you are interested in landscaping with California native plants.

In additon to a wonderful collection of native plant profile which you'd expect from a book of this kind, this book also provides plant selection recommendation for different function or desired feature which I found to be most practical. You also get a list of nurseries for purchasing, botanic gardens or similar for learning native plants. That's not all. The short yet informational introduction of the history, design and care of native plant is educational. It's a great book for an out-of-state person like me, native plant beginners, or even professionals.

This is one of two must have books if you are interested in gardening with native California plants. This book is definitely the 'guidebook' half of that collection (the other being Designing California Native Gardens). It does an excellent job of getting you acquainted with all the different plants you may be wanting to bring into your garden, and in giving you actual photographs of the plants! One giant peeve of mine in gardening books and guidebooks is the use of hand done illustrations- in other contexts they are charming but you really can't get a feel for a plant unless you are looking at its' actual picture. It just gives you a much better feeling for the plant- the texture of it's leaves, the weediness of its' growth habit, that kind of thing. This is a book you will find yourself using as a reference again and again. Five stars are given enthusiastically.

This is simply the best Tex Mex /authentic recipe cookbook out there. I have made a number of recipes already and find the recipes to be true and as good as described. I even bought one for my Aussie cousin who visited for Xmas. Buy it now

I checked this out from my library and just had to get my own copy. McMahan spends a lot of time telling stories about her family history and the food memories particular to her California upbringing. The recipes themselves are straightforward, simple, tried-and-true, and delicious. I recently tried the recipe for spicy chicken at a barbecue and got great reviews--the chicken was moist, the preparation was simple, and the flavor was complex and satisfying. One of my favorite cookbooks of all time.

In my 30+ years of cooking and buying cookbooks, this is the first cookbook I have found that every recipe is perfect. Want to have a successful dinner party where every guest goes home thinking you are the best cook ever? Then buy this book. Not only are the recipes fantastic, but you will find yourself completely mesmerized by the splendid history of the Californios and their small, but amazing, time period in California history.

What a great book. I moved from the east coast to California about 6 years ago and I have been wanting to cook more californian. What a great resource this is to learn not only the recipes but the history of each dish. The stories are interesting, the recipes look relatively easy. I can't wait to start experimenting. I am especially looking foward to homemade tortillas. The only reason I didn't give this a five star rating is because a lot of the recipes are deep fried.

Cookbooks have a critical audience. A five-star book must not only have recipes that produce great dishes, but recipes that read well, producing in the reader's mind a dish that the reader can virtually see and taste. A great cookbook is also more than just a listing of recipes grouped by beef, chicken, and desserts. California Rancho Cooking hits on all these points. Through these recipes we get a glimpse into an early Californio family and through them into early Californio history and life. An additional benefit is that the author lets you in on how she modifies recipes into something new and different. As a cook myself, I know that this is how you really advance in your understanding of the art of cooking... and the fun of cooking.

Two recipes especially piqued my interest in this regard: Chilena Pie and the old stand-by and oft poorly made, Chiles Rellenos Con Queso. Her (family's) Chilena Pie makes me ache to get started. In addition, I've already got thoughts on how to (hopefully) make improvements. For those who are similarly inclined, always make the base version first so you really understand the baseline, be careful you do not overuse a individual spice, and never try out your new creation with company first.

For me, Chiles Rellenos in gringo-style restaurants are awful; the coating is reminiscent of white bread and then the poor things are covered in a bland ranchero sauce. McMahan's basic version is akin to mine, but her variations of wrapping them in tortilla is great, and I love the idea of the breadcrumbs. What great ideas. All I can add is to consider that you have other stuffing options than cheese. Oh, her Chiles Rellenos Con Queso are on page 125; it is listed in the index under cheese, not chiles, not rellenos.

The only areas where I could suggest an improvement are:
- Some of the recopies expect the reader to have the author's understanding of the technique to be used. This expectation should not bother most readers, but a new cook could experience some frustration.
- As one who must watch his intake of fats, especially saturated fat, I appreciate it when the nutritional information is provided. This is really de rigueur for modern cookbooks.
- To roast chiles/peppers, many cooks recommend rinsing the charred chiles under running water. McMahan's technique is to place the charred chiles under a wet paper towel to steam and then to wipe off the charred skin. Both techniques are fast and easy, but I prefer to steam them in a small paper bag or a small covered bowl and use the back of a knife or a spoon to remove the charred bits. It is more labor intensive but there is a lot of flavor in the liquid left over from the steaming that I am loath to loose.

These are very minor points, and I really enjoyed this book.

This book is jam packed with great information! As the parent of child actors, I wanted to get the scoop on what casting directors are thinking. On auditions, parents wait in the reception area while their kids meet with casting directors in a separate area. Most of the time, the parents do not meet the casting director at all. So I never really get to see how the process works.

By reading "Casting Qs", I got all of my questions answered, without having to nag my kids for info! The best part is that even after reading the book from cover to cover, I can go back use the book as a reference if my kids have a meeting with one of the CDs interviewed. I think that this book is a MUST READ for any parent of a child actor, seasoned, or just starting out. I wish that I had read it even sooner!

With all the research that has been done for me in this book I've been saved a lifetime. I've just started utilizing some of the words of wisdom gathered and have a new perspective and energy on the industry because of it.

Bonnie Gillespie's "Casting Qs: A Collection of Casting Director Interviews" is the most important book to have on hand if you are an aspiring actor in the entertainment industry. This book has been referred to numerously by myself and my daughter, a child actor. Bonnie's format is non evasive yet to the point - a perfect blend of insight for a new person to this business or a seasoned professional. This book should be in the hands of everyone with a true passion for "making it". Each Casting Director that is featured offers an enormous amount of hits and misses to their daily grind. Anyone wishing to embark on this business would be a fool to ignore the straightforward words from these top casting directors....I give it two thumbs up...but if you ask our whole family (immediate and who have read it) WE give it 10 thumbs up!!!

Bonnie Gillespie's book "Casting Qs" is a totally invaluable resource if you're an actor in LA. Every actor needs a leg up and every casting director is different - how great to have a resource that allows you to differentiate yourself while appealing to the Casting Director's own sensibilities! I go to this book every time I read for a new casting director, and also for ideas on how to gain access to casting directors I don't know yet. It's not what you know, it's who you know - so why not learn how to know the people you need to know? This book helps you do that. One casting director says flat out to send in your headshot with Casting Qs on the outside of the envelope, he'll know you know a little bit about him and he'll take a look at you. I took him up on the offer, and he's serious! But you'll have to buy the book to find out who.

The most fascinating book on auditioning that I've ever read. Nearly 100 casting directors share their thoughts on what they like, hate, and everything else that falls inbetween. The most incredible aspect of it all is how often the casting directors say the same things.

I learned things in this book I wouldn't (and couldn't) have possibly learned without it.

While I was lucky enough to live in Berkeley, the Cheeseboard was a legend in every sense of the word. The Cheeseboard is THE place by which I judge all other breads and baked goods. I made the scones and they were declared "f@%*ing amazing" by people who normally eschew "dry, brittle" scones. Next, I made my own sourdough starter and it's awesome. Afraid I'd screw it up, I emailed the coop to see if I could buy some of the Cheeseboard starter the next time I was in town. Their reply: "We offer starter as a neighbor would offer a cup of sugar." This is more than a business, it's a community project. These people are Berkeley at it's best. I never made it back to the Bay Area, but I did start my own as per their directions and it's really, really, really good. This book is awesome and everything I've made (scones, sourdough, focaccia) has exceeded expectations. It's well-written and contains excellent instructions for fool-proof bread. The only time my bread failed is when I struck out on my own. I make the City Bread on weekends and enjoy a slice every morning with some butter and jam. It is moist and lasts about 5 days without losing too much texture. The older it gets, the longer I toast it. I actually get cranky when I miss out on it. My thanks to Cheeseboard for writing this great book for those of us who are no longer able to walk to the "Gourmet Ghetto" but keep a place for it in our hearts.. and stomachs!

I bought this book at the original Cheeseboard while on vacation. It was an impulse purchase, but I one I'm glad I made. I've had a lot of failures with bread, but the directions and observations in this book have vastly improved my baking skills. The recipes seem to be fool-proof, and the results are excellent. Bread making is now a relaxing and enjoyable hobby.

This is an excellent source for beginning bakers. Making stellar bread isn't that difficult, and is actually a lot of fun. No more bread machine for me.

As someone who grew up in Berkeley and now only gets to visit a few times a year, I use this book whenever I get homesick for Cheeseboard goodness. Not only do I get raves for every single recipe from non-Berkeley-ites, but the recipes are dead-on in replicating the scones and breads I grew up with.

I love this book. I have been searching for the perfect scones for 25 years. I have found them in the Cheese Board's new book, along with myriad other phenomenal recipes (brioche, shortbread, pizza, etc.). The humor and affection of the bakers/writers for each other and the subject matter are also infectious.

I spent 6 years in Berkeley and I still go back occasionally. The one stop I always make is the Cheeseboard. Not only are they famous for wide cheese and olive selection, but their bakery is out of this world. I remember the days where I would get Brioche and munch on it on the way to class. Or getting the fresh baked sourdough baguettes on the way home from the market. This cookbook describes in detail how to work with the dough, measure out ingredients, and how to bake bread properly. I learned a great deal about baking from this book. I have made a few things (such as the shortbread, sourdough baguette, brioche, muffins, etc) from the book and was very satisfied. Now, this is not for the beginner bakers, I don't think. Also, this is not a speed baking book. I would rate this book as a medium skill book, but with a help of Kitchen Aid mixer and patience, you will be able to get the same great products you find at the Cheeseboard Collective. Definitely recommended for anybody and everybody.

Gioacchino (Jack) Giampapa's Cherish The Magic: A Novel Of Uncompromising Honor is the engaging story of Gianni Giancarlo, a Fort Lauderdale teen who enlists in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, hoping that by doing so he can preempt being drafted into Army and thereby avoid worst of the bloodletting. His hopes are dashed as he must endure a terrifying ordeal of the brutal transition to manhood in this solidly written, attention gripping saga of survival against the background of grime war time realities.

It takes a lot to hook me on a book!!! When I read the cover, I wasn't overly excited but after the first page, I couldn't put the book down. It's a book about war that the average female can appreciate. Finally, a book was been written that helped me understand, and have true compassion for the struggles encountered during a war. This book opened many doors to understanding. It's like the first history book I've ever enjoyed reading. Jack opened my eyes to a world I did not know exhisted. Now, just 3 months after reading his book, we have another war on our hands. I'm sure glad I read CHERISH THE MAGIC because this time I'm more sympathetic to the struggles and pains of the people who are out there protecting our country.This book has definitely made a better American out of me!!!! I'd say it's a book for men that women will love as well.You will laugh and cry your way through it. Buy a box of kleenex before you ever start to read! It's wonderful!!!

I had the pleasure of reading this book. The writer takes you into a world unfamiliar to most of us, and shows it to us in a way we can understand. He gives us the life of this boy, Gianni Giancarlo, bringing him to life for us as he grows from boyhood to manhood in war. With Gianni we learn about the horrors of war, as well as the good things that can come from such an unforgivable situation, like lasting friendships.
The story takes you to Vietnam, and shows you the horrors our young children faced there. It gives you hope and takes it away as you experience first hand what it was like to walk through the jungles of Cambodia. It is an action packed, intense novel that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat with anticipation.
Then there is the dog, the unsung hero, showing us the true meaning behind the words `man's best friend'. This story gives us a new appreciation for search and rescue dogs. You'll care as much about the dog as you will the other members of `the squad'.
As a mother, this story gave me an insight into something very few mothers get to see. Through this story we learned what our young men face when they go to fight for our freedom. We learn why this is so important to many of our young men. It is more than a duty to them, it is an honour.
To use an old cliche' this is a must read book. It is gripping from the first page to the last. I thoroughly enjoyed it and believe others will too.

As a result of the 9-11-01 tradgedy I have just completed rereading Cherish The Magic. This book is probably the closest portrayal of what life was like for many of our combat troops,and what they went through during the Vietnam era. I served in the Combat Engineers in Korea during the capture of the Pueblo. Although I did not serve in Vietnam I worked with many of the troops who were wounded there and had to finish their 13 month hardship tour in Korea. I heard many recollections by these soldiers of the bravery and dedication of the handlers and their dogs. There were many military people besides flyers that were saved as a result of the efforts of these teams. This was an extraordinary mission accomplished with little knowledge or recognition by those stateside. Mr. Giampapa not only brings back vividly the trepidation we all felt during that terrible period ie; the worry of parents , leaving girl friends and especially the long airplane ride to a strange culture. Although Mr. Giampapa was a handler in the Air Force it is obvious that a great amount of research was done to so accuratly to desribe the conditions, army lingo, logistics, weaponry, and tactics used by the infantry soldier. Hats off to a superb book, and thank you Mr. Giampapa. This book needs to be on screen.
Gerry Pytko, formerly SGT E5, Camp Stanley,I Corps,Repulic Of Korea
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"Cherish the Magic" is a vivid story of survival and canine companionship in the jungles of Vietnam. Giampapa brings alive the lost story of canines and their important role in small force combat during the Vietnam War. The book also delves into the psyche of a true patiot. We learn that there are some things out there that just need to be taken care of in order to complete one's path of destiny.

In a time when anything is possible and nothing is certain, we desperately need maps of the new territory that is emerging through an evolutionary shift in consciousness. This shift, beautifully described years ago by visionary Willis Harman in his prescient book, Global Mind Shift, is accelerating at precisely the same time that it appears humans are on the brink of committing ecocide.

Andrew Beath, the visionary founder of EarthWays Foundation, an umbrella non-profit, has worked tirelessly for social justice and ecological sanity for many years. Andrew was not always an activist. He began his career in real estate and through overhearing a conversation about the destruction development can cause began a quest for the true north of his soul's trajectory by traveling the world and learning many life lessons. In sharing his journey with us, we are offered powerful landmarks we can use to grow past arbitrary self-imposed and societal limits.

Throughout the book, Andrew shares the ideas and processes that helped liberate him from the shadow of his psyche and can help us do the same. Without this introspective work, we may hear a great teacher and be inspired by his or her ideas but we will not apply them and like an addict, need to return time after time for more or seek another teacher with different ideas that fit our comfort zone.. We often see this in people who do serial workshops for years, talk a good game, and yet never change. As more and more people come to do this inner work and reconnect with nature as Andrew has, our chances for social transformation multiply. As someone once said, "enlightenment is an inside job."

Andrew is a wonderful and wise guide and mentor. In his chapter on Introspection for Self Discovery, he says, "When we practice a liberation pathway of personal exploration and expression, the form of expression working in conjunction with the imagination can find ways around the egos constraints and subvert its control."

This is not a time to insulate our feelings through more escapist entertainment and cultural diversions but rather a moment in which our ability to look within and our creative problems solving skills must be exercised as never before if we are to overcome the cascading challenges humanity faces. Andrews deeply felt applied philosophy and the ideas of the many social activists he interviewed help the reader grasp the complexity, depth and urgent need for introspection and action.

As he says, "these accounts show us how to liberate the human spirit from addiction to a production-consumption ethic so that we may rejoin the community of life as contributors instead of destroyers." He points out that our ancestors lived embedded in nature and that most of us live divorced and alienated from it driven by science and consumption which creates isolation and meaninglessness in our lives.

Andrews mission in both this book and his life is to help illuminate another way of seeing and being; one that can reconnect us with our souls, restore the earth and result in our collective health and survival. Our other option is to continue our disconnected ways with no regard for the earth and its life support systems and suffer increasing systemic breakdown.

As Andrew says, "there are reasons for alarm and grounds for optimism. I am optimistic because my experience tells me that the necessary wisdom is available to inform changes in human behavior and the processes to bring about personal and social transformation are also at hand."

Andrew's historical perspective provides a useful context for how, when and where we became divorced from nature and the role men, women, the agrarian movement, writing and literacy, the Roman Empire and Catholic Church, domination and the accumulation and worship of wealth and power, The Scientific Revolution and the Industrial Age all played in this evolutionary process. Moving from ego to eco-centric and moving our consciousness into action, Andrew believes, is the path we must take if we are to restore our sanity and the earth's systems.

He effectively weaves his story using interviews with individuals who he deeply respects and whose ideas take us on a reflective journey through our collective wisdom, passion and brilliance. In his telling, we are greatly informed and benefitted. On the pages of Compassion in Action you'll meet progressive leaders like rainforest activist John Seed, environmental philosopher Joanna Macy, activist Mark Gerzon, teacher and psychologist Lorin Lindner, and many other conscious activits.

Just as Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" was a clarion call to action against pesticides, Andrew's book is a call to oo-create a sustainable world for future generations. Will we be able to overcome the momentum of a society that has become fixated on the idea of "new" and "more" supported by advertising that creates false needs? Only by first becoming aware of its destructive effects, learning to ground practices that move us into compassionate action.

The old paradigm idea that business should maximize profits without considering consequences is short sighted and dangerous. The government's support of unencumbered growth and laws that support it is like supporting cancer in the body but the body is earth. We have sadly become a cancer on the earth spewing toxins from the industrial process on the soil in which we grow our foods, in the water we drink, and in the air we breathe. Diminishing environmental quality means increasing assaults to our immune systems and more dis-ease.

As more and more evidence surfaces about the true condition of life on earth, the disruptive nature of global warming, toxic waste, increasing clusters of highly dangerous hurricanes, the threats posed by arrogance and terrorism and the shock of children killing other children, we are coming face to face with the consequences of a dysfunctional system that places money before life. We must be willing to face the truth of the root causes of our problems, no matter how uncomfortable, if we are to have any chance of solving them. Andrew believes these problems are, in fact, the evolutionary drivers that can propel us into a more conscious and liberating time.

Fortunately, there are many visionaries who understand the nature of both the problems and their solutions and are, in fact, creating alternatives that form an evolutionary, inclusive and living paradigm of hope. Whether this movement will be able to turn the ship in time to avoid meltdown is a major question with no clear answer. However, its is clear that for intelligent and compassionate people the only activity that makes sense is trying every day to make the world a little bit better place through offering their piece of the puzzle.

In this gem of a book, Andrew provides a much needed dose of reality, opportunity and hope. If you are exploring how you might best contribute and serve in this evolutionary moment, this is a book written for you. If you are an active member of an evolutionary organization, you will receive hope, inspiration and empowerment from its contents. And, if you have been asleep or insulated and this book has come into your hands, take the time to read it and thank the person who gave it to you for they just may have performed a life saving deed for you and all of us.

In CIA, you'll learn Andrew's seven attributes of conscious activism; non-violence, not knowing, introspection, eros, no enemy, vision and being joyful. And you'll learn from a wise activist and his friends what it takes to step up, reclaim your power and serve the earth and life itself. You'll gain the courage to face your shadow and that of the collective shadow, explore denial as a strategy of avoidance, feel the suffering of those in need and what it takes to transform yourself and restore balance to our world. As Pema Chodron puts it, at the core of this process is constantly coming up against big challenges and then learning to soften and open of our hearts to life rather than hardening more and refusing once again to allow them to touch you.

Writing on Creative Self-Awareness, Andrew says, " Our creations are rooted in a desire to be known to ourselves." His desire and tools for self-reflection are our gifts. In the Liberating Pathways section, we discover approaches Andrew and others have found useful in freeing them from their egocentric dramas and self-limiting beliefs. By learning and practicing these skills, we too can become aware of the deeper beauty in life and connect with the larger community in which we are embedded. On anger, Andrew writes, "For me, anger has its place, but in the long run it's a drain that consumes my creativity. Alternatively, Eros is an inexhaustible energy source that transforms anger into compassion and nurtures long-term engagement. I find nourishment in loving and being loved." And Joanna Macy writing on fear says, 'it is not to be anesthetized... kiss the demon and it is transformed."

In a moving interview Andrew conducted with Julia Butterfly Hill, the young woman who lived 24/7 in a redwood she called Luna for 738 days to save it from destruction, she says, " It's one thing to learn it (transformation and joy) and another to become a shining example of the divine as much as possible, in every moment of the day." Clearly, she, Andrew, and the conscious activists who share their insights on the 280 pages of this book are inspiring examples of that attempt.

Consciousness in Action belongs on the shelves of all thinking, feeling and caring individuals, businesses, institutions of learning and government offices. Read it, give it, and enjoy its possibilities for personal and collective release from destructive, ego-based living in these crisis filled times. It may be useful to remember that in Chinese, the symbol of crisis also means opportunity This book and its lessons and techniques offer a rare opportunity to move towards personal and global crisis resolution.

We are invited to join Andrew and a rapidly increasing number of concerned and committed activists and organizations in becoming conscious, connected, and serving in what is arguably the most important process of our lives: creating a sane, life sustaining, and healthy world for all. The time is now. The place is here and we have the power to choose wisely. As Andrew suggests, "Our epoch has its mystical calling, In Jesus time it was to learn to love one's neighbor. Today, it is to recognize that the Earth's entire community of life is our neighbor." Consciousness in Action offers a well drawn map of the territory that may effectively and lovingly guide us on our way to clarification, liberation and a more creative and empathetic world.

JH

Consciousness in Action: The Power of Beauty, Love and Courage in a Violent Time is a treatise calling for a turn away from the scientific-production-consumption worldview of the previous several centuries and toward an emerging state of consciousness in which Gaia, the living planet, is the central focus. Author Andrew Beath has honed his awareness through decades of social and environmental activism; now he draws insight from the inspirational stories of progressive leaders such as Joanna Macy, Ralph Metzner and many more to offer paths to global transformation. Consciousness in Action especially focuses upon seven attributes that have proven viable in activism and across time and cultures: Nonviolence, Not Knowing, Introspection, Eros, there is No Enemy in a co-created world, Vision, and Being Joyful. An invigorating, passionate, and uplifting positive message.

Reading Andrew Beath's book is like listening to good music on a dark day--it soothes and assures me in the midst of an onslaught of daily news announcing a world gone seriously beserk. I am comforted by Beath's calm and reasoned tone (and by the many other wise voices woven throughout the text), suggesting that my own aspirations--my spiritual development--are consistent with, and even necessary for, the social change and environmental protection that is so sorely needed at this time. And--as if in a sane and loving conversation with the author himself--I am assured that any one of us who believe in the power of consciousness can in fact take the personal, developmental steps neccesary for restoring social and environmental integrity. Beath offers clear guidance in the form of the seven critical "attributes of consciousness," and then nudges us down the path, or more accurately, down "the liberation pathways." Ultimatley, I suppose, my assurance comes from knowing that the path he points to is based in perennial wisdom, and trusting that we would all be better off if we simply do what our human spirits most want us to do. Beath has certainly offered a clear and accessible description of a spiritual path, and very good, practical reason for taking it.

Andrew Beath has collected some of the leading thinkers and activists at the growing edge of the environmental movement. He clearly demonstrates how consciousness and spirituality translate into action and right livelihood, moving the world forward toward a desirable future, at a time when such action and clarity is most critically needed. The chapters of the book are beautifully laced together with his reflections and caring. thank you, Andrew!

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A beautiful book. Andrew Beath touches powerfully upon the profound truth that the most positive and lasting social change begins at home, within ourselves. He addresses the nonduality of reality, in that what we experience in the external world is truly not separate from what we experience internally. Mr. Beath gives 7 concrete steps for creating an environment of compassion and sustainability that will nurture our planet and all the beings that live upon it.