General Practice Books

Excellent explanations of the symbolic meanings withen icons. I liked it.
Marguerite Culhane
Eagle River AK

Wonderful book. One those you can't put down. Great art. And i hope he does more on the subject. Just a great book. A+

A beautiful and helpful book. I'm glad I bought it. It is not a primer, but rather a middle school book.

An excellent book for those interested in iconography.Set at a level for both the experianced writer, who wants to refresh their knowledge and yet also for the novice who would like to investigate this area.The explanations of the icons are wonderful,while the prayers from the eastern orthodox church illustrate the deep comtemplative spirit of this media.

I read "The Language of Icons" with the intention of learning more about the mode of religious art most characteristic of Eastern Christianity. The book far exceeded my expectations. I learned more about icons than I ever would have hoped. The reproductions of representative icons were beautiful and luminous. Moreover, the text was deeply spiritual and inspiring. The reader is drawn to meditate on the Christian message that the icons symbolize. There are books that are informative and books that are inspiring. This book manages to be both.

After reading the book "On Becoming a Survivor", I found it very overwhelming to imagine what two people had to endure to survive physically and mentally. As a practical nurse and secretary, I would recommend the book to anyone who has been a victim of a violent crime or know of anyone who has been victimized.
In reading this book a victim can learn how Dr. Reister was able to work through this ordeal, which in turn can help others learn how to work through their own victimization.

I found Dr. Reister's book to be a moving account of his ordeal and his insights about the recovery process. Since he and I have known each other for many years both as former colleagues at Boston College and as friends, I appreciate his desire to share his difficult journey for the benefit of others.

As a psycholotherapist, I recommend this book to victims of personal violence.

Bravo, Barry!

Dr. Barry Reister recounts the story of his girl friend's rape while their two attackers took turns holding a gun to his head. For reasons they still do not understand, the attackers let them go after two hours of horror. The attack took place in Los Angeles while Dr. Reister was Assistant Dean for Counseling and Health Services at Loyola Marymount University.
Dr. Reister, whose Ph.D. is from Indiana University, is a psychologist now in private counseling practice. He has been a member of the counseling staffs of a number of colleges and universities. After recounting his brush with violent crime, his slim volume walks the reader through the steps to emotional recovery from such an experience. After the traumatized stage, healthy recovery should move to reconstruction. He tells us how to let other people help us-"Calling in the troops," as he says. This includes taking others with you for your day in court to face your attacker. He gives us principles for staying safe, and, finally, how to resume life with a new perspective. This 40-page volume closes with a useful listing by states of the various coalitions against domestic violence and their telephone numbers. The book is recommended for anyone struggling to recover from a violent crime.

Barry Reister's graphic account of his personal experience as a victim of violent crime make the guidance he gives other victims all the more credible. Dr. Reister provides a detailed description of his frightening journey that will resonate with those who have suffered fron violence at the hands of others. From his initial account of the chilling and brutal crime; through the psychological damage he suffered; to his fears and trepidations in the courtroom when his facing his tormentors, Dr. Reister provides insight and healing advice to victims who have been traumatized by violence.
This little book is not "preachy" or overly academic. It provides help to anyone who has been victimized or is working with victims of violent crime, by conveying his message in a very personal, empathic and useful way. It is short, yet covers the important ground that is part of this type of traumatic event.
Dr, Reister's "healing" book will be greatly appreciated by his fellow travelers who have been on this terrible journey. In the end,he provides the steps to recovery and the hope of a new beginning.

This is a book about courage....the courage to face your demons and the courage to do something about them.

As a survivor of a traumatic event Dr. Reister puts his personal and emotional journey into words that are both disturbing on one level and instructive, informative, hopeful, and encouraging on another. As a psychologist he has the knowledge and skill to articulate nurturing and practical guidelines for others.

It is a wonderful resource for both survivors and healers looking for ways to turn helplessness into action and empowerment.

I like this book because it reads easily. It's very relatable and written in a more personal, less formal way than my other textbooks.

I begin graduate school this fall to become a therapist and this was my best summer read thus far on therapy. It's very well written and very honest.

My human sexuality professor recommended this book. She stated it helped her when she was beginning to practice. I am an LAPC and when I began to read this book, I could not put it down. It normalizes so many feelings that beginning therapists have. Please get this book, I am re-reading it!!

I really enjoy this book. I like the way the author is so blunt and frank about the pros and cons of psychotherapy. Gives a realistic view of what I will most likely encounter later in my career.

Absolutely the best book to read for a therapist, whether beginner or well experienced in the field. It's so honest, with a hint of humor, and laid out so organized. The progression from introducing the concepts to applying in day to day therapist work is very well thought out and written. It doesn't pathologize any real personal feelings that a therapist can have during and about their work, but instead it accepts it as it is, and then tries to help one understand where it's coming from. When I read this book, it helped me feel so validated about my own frustrations with my work, and also helps me reflect my own part in it, and what I can do next. I've taken a more self-awareness and directive approach in pursuing my career as a therapist after reading this. It is not pretentious at all, yet so very precise and well-supported by discussions of what it means to be a therapist. I think every therapist should read this to be an ethical therapist in the field, and also for own personal self-care in our profession. I'm in love with this book.

This book shows how close we are to the spiritual world and how we can stay in tune with the spirits.

I first heard a part of this story from my Mother when I was young. I found it again later in life, read the whole story, and fell in love with Blaine's story all over again.

Miracles are all around us if we just open our eyes and SEE all that God has revealed to make man's life better!

One Tattered angel is a very great witness that miracles do happen and God is the God of all..... even the little ones.

This awesomely well-written little book is one of the most inspiring and humbling books I have read in a long time. I have given several as gifts and will give more. My sister's comments were that it "should be required reading for everyone." That pretty well sums it up. Highly recommended.

i was on the island of st. martin recently, staying at a small hotel on the beach; to pass some time, i'd noticed they had "used" books on the shelf in the lobby to borrow and saw this little book called "one tattered angel". i started reading it and couldn't put it down. it affected the rest of my trip & my outlook on things, especially the power of prayer. i wanted to take the book with me - i was going to ask the hotel if i could buy it, just in case i couldn't find it anywhere. however, i noticed that it was signed by the author! i realized that the book needed to be left right there, so someone else could have the pleasure of reading it, like i did.

This book touched and inspired me so much that we named our daughter Charity after the subject of this book. This book helps us to better understand what our Heavenly Father expects of us, how very much he loves us and how he compensates for the weaknesses we have been given. There are blessings, even in the toughest of trials. Don't hesitate to buy this book. It may (and should) change your life.

This book gives a very clear and understandable explanation of many Buddhist as well as psychotherapeutic concepts. It is serious reading, but not too difficult; it is not necessary to be an expert in either subject. I read it twice and gained considerable insights. I have bought several copies to give to my children and grandchildren (college-age), and I recommend it without reservation.

Although the title of this text implies that this is a work best suited to professionals, I was delighted to find just the opposite. This is a book clearly presents some of the most basic aspects of Zen meditation written from a personal and inspiring perspective. It makes it possible for even the beginner to understand the rewards and challenges of just sitting meditation.
As a previous reviewer said ..."this is not just an intellectual polemic. Using a combination of honest examples from his own life, the wisdom of the Zen koan, and not least of all, humor, he repeatedly returns to how these issues inform our everyday life as we live it."
In addition this work includes a nicely written index making it possible to revisit those areas that made you think on your first read.

Don't let the title of this book fool you into thinking that this is solely a precise academic discourse on the relationship of Zen and psychotherapy.

This is a solid, discerning book of Zen for everyday life. Barry Magid has a warm, gentle, no BS style like his own teacher, the loved Charlotte Joko Beck. He has the capability to take big wisdom and intelligently share it with his readers in an accessible, heartfelt and encouraging way:

"..this is like looking into a mirror: without any effort, our face naturally appears. Whatever we experience, whatever doubt or difficulty we feel, is simply who and what we are in that moment"

This is one of those books that does not leave the spot next to the bed. I find myself reading this over and over and am softer and kinder for it. This book shines!

This book is one of the most engaging books on Zen that I have had the good luck to discover. In addition to providing a concise discussion of the relationship between the foundational notions of modern psychoanalysis and the day-to-day work of Zen practice, Magid provides a lively discussion of twelve famous koans. Not only does Magid use his experience as a psychoanalyst to inform his view of Zen practice, he uses his experience of Zen practice to elucidate concepts in psychoanalysis. Best of all, he has written a book that is intelligent, engaging, and practical!

Soto Zen teacher/psychoanalyst Magid compares Soto Zen with Freudian, Self, Object Relations, & Intersubjectivity psychologies. His thesis is that p. 8: "documented case after case of experienced meditators whose core conflicts & deficits have not only been inadequately addressed through their practice, but for whom meditation itself served to reinforce defensive patterns" which have led to a number of scandals for Zen leaders due to "Zen transference" & that Zen & psychotherapy can be mutually supportive/beneficial. He is very oriented towards gradualism: Soto vs. Rinzai Zen, pro-bottom up vs. top-down approach, & thinks peak experiences are chimeras-despite Richard Bucke's famous book, "Cosmic Consciousness" which describes how such experiences have markedly changed numerous people's lives. His view seems Extroverted (object relations, intersubjectivity, etc.) & Sensate (bottom-up/gradualist). He does provide nice concise descriptions of Self Psychology etc. but makes no attempt to integrate them into extant models (e.g. Jung). His Intersubjectivity appears to be an interpretation of Knowledge Management social network analysis using Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. The book has interesting explications of Zen koans & astute observations on important, often misunderstood, Buddhist doctrines: p. 95: quoting Aitkin Roshi--"The self is still present-but it is not self-preoccupied," p. 141: "Suzuki Roshi once said that detachment doesn't mean giving up the things of the world, but accepting that they go away," & p. 142: "Detachment means non-self-centered responsiveness to a situation...all detachment precludes is increasing the suffering of others in order to minimize your own." However, he seems to think p. 58: emptiness is perfection & Buddhahood is emptiness. He virtually ignores Buddha nature, stating that: p. 162: "It is only through the skillful use of forms, discipline, & the relationship that liberating change can occur. This is as true for psychoanalysis as it is for Zen." IMHO, this is not true for everyone--e.g. people have differing personality types per the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Thus, "doing by being" is comparable to "being by doing" & possibly more efficient. The moral is not to run slowly, it's to pay attention--the hare lost to the tortoise because he wasn't mindful. I'd recommend reading John Suler's "Psychoanalysis and Eastern Thought" which I prefer over this book.

I had not heard of dowsing but I learned about it in a reading. She recommended this book and I am fascinated. I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in learning about pendulums. You will learn how to make your own pendulum and you can get started right away... LOts of interesting history and great examples.
What are you waiting for?

This book provides a good introduction to using the pendulum, as well as to different pendulum uses, though as far as learning how to use the pendulum and doing pendulum exercises I prefer the Pendulum Kit.

The book has many interesting stories related to how pendulums have been used in the areas of nutrition and health, choosing a doctor, dating and relationships, selecting the right job, overcoming subconscious obstacles, finding water, oil, lost treasures, missing people, choosing a teacher, choosing right books, and many other applications.

I enjoyed this book on the subject of pendulums as I found it more realistic and to the point. I've own pendulums for some time now and use them often myself so I felt what Mr. Nielsen wrote could actually offer someone some useful information.

A bit dry but lots of excellent suggestions for how to use the pendulum as well as instructions for doing so.

This book is a must buy for anyone interested in EVERYTHING about pendulums. It is a very nice book to read, also is very down to earth (not all science language). It covers about every aspect. I would and HAVE recommended this book to friends. Buy it you won't regret it!

one of the most challenging books i've read on building relationships and loving all types of people. eric's stories are hilarious and relevant. God will move in you to love your actual neighbor and be intentional about loving others for Him. great book!

Bryant is a great story teller. He goes in depth on his personal testimony. He points on simple ways to love. He also says how she reach out to our realm of influence and not try to only convert them to christianity, but we should first and foremost love them.

Breaking down barriers is certainly something we need to do more of in the world, and we can all start with the barrier around our heart. Peppermint-Filled Pinatas provides us with the road map that will allow each of us to open our hearts to those that are different from us. Eric Bryant brilliantly shows us how by sharing his real-life experiences with those that are different. He makes it real, he makes it funny, and he makes it achievable. Imagine moving into a new neighborhood and making cookies for your neighbors. This book is hard to put down once you start it. So get a copy and start reading today. Bravo! Eric.

Most churches don't react well to diversity. The inclination is to turn inward and preserve what is familiar.

But is that the right way to react to those people that are different?

Not according to the author, a staff leader at Mosaic, an LA church known for its diversity. Using humor and personal stories, Eric re-introduces a better way, one that originated with a humble Carpenter over two thousand years ago.


People need to be seen as unique individuals, important in their own right. Love is the strongest apologetic there is, but has been lost in the plethora of programs and rules. Outdated ways that no longer work in this more diverse world.

But this new, yet not new, way is risky. Relationship building takes time. Stepping out of one's comfort zone is a frightening prospect for many. Pain can be the result when one's attempts at friendship are rejected. Most people are content to remain within the familiar, under the sometimes false assumption it is a safer place to be.

Eric speaks from experience. As a BWG (bald white guy) he's experienced rejection and criticism based on his looks and others' assumptions. But he hasn't allowed those experiences to make him bitter or cynical. Instead, he reacts with humor and grace, telling us of a better way to live and interact with those around us. This is a book that has a home on my keeper shelf.

Eric Bryant did a wonderful job showing, explaining, and encouraging the reader to love those and our neighbors we tend to overlook on a daily basis. He even shows us how to show love to those we might even dislike. And how we are to befriend everyone so we can help them to discover and experience what a true relationship with God is all about.

Isn't this what Jesus did? Isn't this Jesus' call to all of us?

Eric used first-hand accounts throughout his life and in his leadership role at Mosaic in Los Angeles to help the reader to show love and grace and to understand how to build relationships with those who hold radically different beliefs from dispite what their race or religious background may be.

I highly recommend this book.

This is NOT your father's self help book. :-) Dr. Ireland's book is awesome. Perfecting Your Purpose is chock full of biblical patterns and principles that are empowering me to deal with life's challenges-- on a daily basis. This book, with its humorous stories and plentiful bible references, glorifies God first, not the author; as a result, my relationship with God has become so much more meaningful and fulfilling...
My perspective is changing. For example, I now look at my job as part of my overall purpose, so I view the time that I'm toiling away as an opportunity for being salt and light in the workplace, and my work product, attitude and relationships have been significantly enhanced. I now see my wife and two children as my primary mission field for ministry and not just a financial burden, and my home has become more of a sanctuary and less of a source of stresss.
For maximum effect, this book should be read (i) with a journal for taking copious notes and addressing the life issues that are discussed in each chapter and (ii) with AT LEAST one other person.
I'm a big believer in the principle that you get what you expect out of life, so I strongly encourage all readers of this book to expect to be changed dramatically, and for the better.

This book is a life workbook. It's the kind of book you should use to write your annual goals. It asks you questions and gives you tools to create an action plan. The way this book is written it creates a safe place to ask ourselves questions about where we are, what we want to do with our lives and where we plan to be in 2-5 years. If you don't have the money for a personal life coach, buy the book.

Pastor Ireland's book is an excellent resource in developing a relationship with God. Through a relationship with God we begin to understand our true purpose. Pastor Ireland does a credible job providing the reader with a roadmap towards their true purpose. Like a roadmap, the book provides step-by-step guidance on the journey towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life. The book should continuously serve as a reference for future reflection and direction.

I highly recommend "Perfecting Your Purpose" to anyone who wants to discover his or her destiny. David Ireland is definitely a man of tremendous insight and great wisdom. If we follow these simple principles that he outlines in this book we can really find clarity and direction for our lives.
Some people are trying to be an eye when they are really called to be a hand and they don't realize that these misconceptions are hindering them and sending them in the wrong direction. He teaches us how we can apply these simple steps that he offers to our personal life as well as our spiritual life. Many of us have made wrong decisions in our lives but after reading this book you will realize that no matter how old you are, you can still get back on the right path.
David Ireland is a man of integrity and I believe the best teacher that I have ever heard. Everyone who read "The Purpose driven life" will definitely want to read this sequel to that book. It will help you comprehend the full measure of success God has prepared for you that will dramatically change your life as you discover your purpose in life. None of us are here by accident. If you are unhappy with the way your life is going, you can make a decision today to change your direction. This book is very easy to read because it is meant to be read over a period of forty days. I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE.

Because of the word purpose and the 40 day commitment, this book may appear to be similar to Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life." However, after reading "Perfecting Your Purpose," there is a clear difference between the two books. To compare both books would be a disservice to both authors, as each book has different goals. Rick Warren's book helps you to question and search for your purpose. Dr. Ireland's book "Perfecting Your Purpose" enables you to flush out vagueness and state your life's purpose in one sentence with clarity and conviction.

Dr. Ireland's "Perfecting Your Purpose" has three goals, which are:
1) To help confirm your life's purpose through self-discovery exercises
2) To help perfect your purpose
3) To present the benefits of practicing 40 day habits

Goals fulfilled after reading "Perfecting Your Purpose":
1) The self-discovery exercises truly help the reader solidify his/her purpose.
2) With a clear understanding of your purpose, the book guides you by providing exercises such as "Sampling the Fruit," which challenges you to seek and engage with people and/or programs to enhance your purpose.
3) In practicing 40 day habits and fasts, the reader will gain new insight of God's power in his/her life's purpose. Dr. Ireland writes a remarkable explanation describing how God influences and transforms biblical heroes during a 40-day interval.

"Perfecting Your Purpose" is a helpful resource that brings the reader closer to God. Dr. Ireland's book will help stimulate ideas and prayers that reveal specific tasks to fulfill your life's purpose and serve God's Kingdom.

SANCTUARY by Pamela J. Bailey is thought-provoking, restorative, and encouraging. She goes to the very root of what makes a home a sanctuary or a haven of love, rest, peace, and delight. She addresses proper priorities, housekeeping, hospitality, respect, integrity and much more. This book would be a wonderful foundational teaching for anyone wanting to create or recreate their home sanctuary.

This is a relaxing read. This book is a wonderful workbook too. It gently made me list all of those household projects I had been putting off. I realized God wants our homes to be well-cared for places of refuge.

The Author brings you in touch with reality and the realization of life and the different circumstances and situations that may come and a outlook on how we should priortize and create our own sanctuary. The testimonials were great.

This is a well thought out combination of scripture and explanation. The personal testimony adds a sense of intamacy to the story. Great job.

SANCTUARY by Pamela J. Bailey is an inspirational book that details ways you can create peace in your home. The author and her husband had to sell their beautiful newly built home after the loss of the family business. The home was large, nicely decorated and was everything she wanted. It hurt her deeply to have to sell and move into something smaller and less elaborate. Bailey had an epiphany when she saw a bird nest in her yard. She saw a bird making a home out of next to nothing and she realized that your home doesn't have to be anything big and extravagant. Home is where the heart is, so she decided to make the most of her current situation and provide a loving, warm and peaceful atmosphere for her family. Two sayings that stick out in my mind while reading this book were 'home is where the heart is ' and 'cleanliness is next to godliness'.

The book has fourteen principles "chapters" that detail how to make your home a sanctuary. The chapters begin with a scripture or inspirational quote and end with a homework assignment that allows you to meditate in the principle learned and begin applying it to your everyday life. A few of the main points that stand out to me are : seek God for wisdom and guidance, love people and use material possessions, consciously set the emotional tone of your home, build a foundation of integrity and stand guard at the gate and be careful who enters.

SANCTUARY is a very positive and uplifting book that encourages the reader to make the most of what they have. Bailey shows the reader how to create a peaceful home full of love, life and laughter. The book was written in an easy to understand format without being preachy. What I enjoyed most about the book was how easily the principles can be applied to my everyday life. It was a very inspiring book that I am sure will help me to maintain a blessed atmosphere to live in my home and if you want the same, I encourage you to pick up this book.

Reviewed by Eraina B. Tinnin
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

The Serpent Handlers: Three Families and Their Faith tells the stories of three families of the Signs Followers faith - a branch of Christianity originating in 1910, whose members take Mark 16: 17-18 as a central tenet of their belief. Known for the sensational aspects of their belief - picking up poisonous snakes, drinking strychnine, and speaking in tongues - Signs Followers have often been negatively portrayed by the media, and . Journalist Fred Brown earned their trust through longstanding respect, and offers The Serpent Handlers as a counterbalance. Great pains have been taking to present the stories of the serpent handlers in their own words, without extraneous or editorializing, though each individual's memoir is prefaced by with a summary of who he or she is and his or her role in the movement. A "must-read" primary source highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about Signs Followers and their faith.

Serpent handling is a controversial practice that is often sensationalised by the media. However, the adherents of the Signs Following churches generally avoid publicity. That is what makes this book so special: The handlers are allowed to speak for themselves in telling their own true stories in their own words. What emerges are real people and an impressive testament to an enduring faith provided in moving personal accounts of people who are prepared to risk their lives for wat they believe is obedience to the Bible.

Believers who take Mark 16: 17 - 18 as a literal part of their faith call themselves Signs Followers and are found mainly in the southern Appalachians. Serpent handling is not the only sign; others are handling fire, healing the sick, drinking strychnine and casting out demons. It is important to know that the taking up of snakes and performing the other signs are not attempts to prove anything but is done to confirm the Word of God. This is emphasized by many of the interviewees.

These independent churches are in various ways connected to three great strands of American protestantism: Holiness, Pentecostalism and Fundamentalism. Generally considering themselves as Holiness, they share with fundamentalism a total acceptance of the Bible as the Word of God. Pentecostalism is their link with mainstream protestantism where the signs or Gifts of the Spirit, like speaking in tongues, are practiced.

The first part deals with the Brown Family of Tennessee and the House Of Prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ, situated in Marshall, North Carolina. The people include John Wayne Punkin Brown, Melinda Duvall Brown, Peggy Moore Brown, Rachelle Martinez Brown and Richard Cameron Short. Part Two looks at the Coots Family of Kentucky and the Full Gospel Tabernacle In Jesus Name in Middlesboro, Kentucky. Speakers include Louvernia Coots, Tommy Coots, Gregory Coots and Linda Turner Coots. The last part features the Elkins Family and the Church Of The Lord Jesus in Jolo, West Virginia. The people include Barbara Robinson Elkins, Joe Robert Elkins, Barbara Church Coleman, Lydia Elkins Hollins, Lucille Chafin Church and Charles Church.

In every case, the sections start with a family tree graph followed by a description of the areas or towns like Cocke County, Tennessee, Middlesboro, Kentucky and Jolo, West Virginia. For every individual, there is a short introduction by the authors before the person talks about his or her involvement in the church, their family and their community, what it means to be annointed and how they feel when they are practicing the signs.

Black and white photographs of individuals and families enhance the text and there are accounts of services in each of the aforementiond churches. The book concludes with an index. In addition to this most inspiring and illuminating work, I recommend Serpent Handling Believers by Thomas Burton and Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia by Dennis Covington.

Serpent handling is a controversial practice that is often sensationalised by the media. However, the adherents of the Signs Following churches generally avoid publicity. That is what makes this book so special: The handlers are allowed to speak for themselves in telling their own true stories in their own words. What emerges are real people and an impressive testament to an enduring faith provided in moving personal accounts of people who are prepared to risk their lives for wat they believe is obedience to the Bible.

Believers who take Mark 16: 17 - 18 as a literal part of their faith call themselves Signs Followers and are found mainly in the southern Appalachians. Serpent handling is not the only sign; others are handling fire, healing the sick, drinking strychnine and casting out demons. It is important to know that the taking up of snakes and performing the other signs are not attempts to prove anything but is done to confirm the Word of God. This is emphasized by many of the interviewees.

These independent churches are in various ways connected to three great strands of American protestantism: Holiness, Pentecostalism and Fundamentalism. Generally considering themselves as Holiness, they share with fundamentalism a total acceptance of the Bible as the Word of God. Pentecostalism is their link with mainstream protestantism where the signs or Gifts of the Spirit, like speaking in tongues, are practiced.

The first part deals with the Brown Family of Tennessee and the House Of Prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ, situated in Marshall, North Carolina. The people include John Wayne Punkin Brown, Melinda Duvall Brown, Peggy Moore Brown, Rachelle Martinez Brown and Richard Cameron Short. Part Two looks at the Coots Family of Kentucky and the Full Gospel Tabernacle In Jesus Name in Middlesboro, Kentucky. Speakers include Louvernia Coots, Tommy Coots, Gregory Coots and Linda Turner Coots. The last part features the Elkins Family and the Church Of The Lord Jesus in Jolo, West Virginia. The people include Barbara Robinson Elkins, Joe Robert Elkins, Barbara Church Coleman, Lydia Elkins Hollins, Lucille Chafin Church and Charles Church.

In every case, the sections start with a family tree graph followed by a description of the areas or towns like Cocke County, Tennessee, Middlesboro, Kentucky and Jolo, West Virginia. For every individual, there is a short introduction by the authors before the person talks about his or her involvement in the church, their family and their community, what it means to be annointed and how they feel when they are practicing the signs.

Black and white photographs of individuals and families enhance the text and there are accounts of services in each of the aforementiond churches. The book concludes with an index. In addition to this most inspiring and illuminating work, I recommend Serpent-Handling Believers by Thomas Burton.

Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia

Mountain Holiness: A Photographic Narrative

If you only read one book on signs followers(serpent handlers),this should be the one.An accurate account of the beliefs of these unique people is provided in their own words, from the viewpoint of three of the most prominent families in the world of the serpent handlers. Stripped of the sensationalism prevalent in most accounts of believers of this faith, this book will present an honest look into the lives of some of the most honest, likeable people you would be proud to call your friends and neighbors.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FACINATED WITH SERPENT HANDLING.
I THINK THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST BOOK,IF YOU WANT AN HONEST
LOOK INTO THE LIVES OF SOME SINSERE JESUS LOVING PEOPLE AND THERE
LIVES.I LIKED THIS BOOK BECAUSE ALOT OF IT WAS WERITTEN IN THE WORDS OF SAINTS THEMSELFS.BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.AND A GREAT BOOK,I HIGHLY RECCCOMEND THIS BOOK OVER OTHER BOOKS THAT I HAVE READ ON THE SUBJECT.PEACE BE.STEVE SPARKS